Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

Chapter 426 The Big News from Cohen

“I have objections, I have a lot of objections,” Cohen said very bluntly from his seat.

"About what?" Umbridge's face still wore that disgusting fake smile.

“Simply memorizing basic principles, usage scenarios, and the significance and impact of spell inventions is meaningless for a course on Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Cohen said. “If you’re just here to teach this, why not teach the history of magic?”

The students murmured in agreement. Defense Against the Dark Arts was their most anticipated course, as it would allow them to witness the dangers of dark magic and learn how to fight against them.

But Umbridge, or rather the Ministry of Magic, clearly wanted to turn this course into another "History of Magic".

"If you read the textbook carefully and understand the course objectives on the blackboard, Mr. Norton, you will find that this teaching method is best suited for you—"

“But there’s not a single word about using defensive spells here,” Hermione said boldly—she never used to interrupt her teachers in class.

“In my class, students must raise their hands before they can speak,” Umbridge said sternly, as if she hadn’t heard Hermione’s words.

Hermione immediately raised her hand.

“Granger,” Hermione said, standing up. “The overall goal of Defense Against the Dark Arts should be to learn and practice defensive spells, shouldn’t it?”

"Are you educational experts specially trained by the Ministry of Magic?" Umbridge asked with a benevolent expression.

“No, but—” Hermione was about to speak when Umbridge interrupted her.

“Then I’m afraid you won’t be able to determine the ‘overall goal’ of any course, or how a particular course ‘should be taught’. Our latest learning program was designed and developed by wizards who are much older and wiser than you, and you will learn defensive spells in a safe and risk-free way.”

“Really? I don’t believe it,” Cohen said. “They didn’t learn it this way themselves, did they? I remember most of the old men in the Ministry of Magic enrolled and graduated when Dumbledore taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Dumbledore’s teaching style wasn’t like this—”

“Professor Dumbledore’s teaching style was typically chaotic and disorganized, which led to many teaching mishaps,” Umbridge raised her voice. “He was not a competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; Transfiguration was the focus of his career—”

"What's wrong with Professor Dumbledore? He's so chaotic and disorganized!" Harry said angrily. "If we're attacked—"

“Hands up, Mr. Potter,” Umbridge said.

But when Harry raised his hand, Umbridge turned away to look elsewhere, seemingly wanting to take some time to think about how to deal with the inevitable "We'll be attacked by Voldemort" that Harry would say.

Another hand went up—Umbridge walked past Harry and asked another student, "What's your name?"

“Dean Thomas,” Dean said.

“Speak, Mr. Thomas.”

“Cohen and Harry are right, aren’t they? If we were attacked by a dark wizard, we would have to have experience casting those spells, right?” Dean said.

"Do you think you'll be attacked in my class?" Umbridge continued, still with that irritating smile.

"No way?" Cohen raised his eyebrows. "A pink toad attacked my dorm yesterday."

“It was an unexpected inspection, Mr. Norton.” Umbridge showed no remorse for her outrageous behavior the previous night before changing the subject. “I don’t want to criticize some of the school’s practices, but you’ve come into contact with some very irresponsible wizards in this class—very irresponsible indeed—and even some particularly dangerous half-human, half-beast wizards.” She let out a piercing laugh when she said “half-human, half-beast.”

"If you're talking about Professor Lupin, he's the best teacher we've ever had!" Dean said angrily.

“Hands up, Mr. Thomas!” Umbridge said. “Just as I said, you’re all terrified by these irresponsible professors who think you’re going to be attacked by dark magic every few days.”

“We never said we’d be attacked by dark magic on campus; we’ve always said off campus,” Cohen said. “Students can’t just recite the definitions and uses of defensive magic in front of Voldemort or Dementors and escape alive, can they?”

Cohen's words made Harry laugh out loud—after all, it was indeed funny to see a student pull out his wand in front of the Voidman and the Dementors while reciting his textbook.

Some students gasped when they heard the name Voldemort, but they all felt that Cohen was using an analogy rather than actually saying that Voldemort would attack them outside of school.

“Gryffindor, deduct ten points, Mr. Norton,” Umbridge said with a grin. “None of what you’ve said is true. The Mystic is dead, and the Dementors are under the Ministry of Magic’s control—”

"He's not dead! He's back!" Harry stood up angrily and said, "You're lying!"

“Besides, the Dementors have already escaped, haven’t they?” Cohen said coldly. “Or do you think that the empty ‘Azkaban’ also falls under the category of ‘under the control of the Ministry of Magic’?”

The classroom fell silent instantly.

Compared to the Daily Prophet's mention of "Harry Potter claiming the resurrection of Vulcan, seemingly hoping to gain more public attention," Cohen's news was even more explosive, because they hadn't even heard of it before—

Have the Dementors escaped from prison?
Fifth-year students at Hogwarts have all experienced the days when Dementors came to the school to search for escaped criminals, so they naturally have a familiar fear of Dementors.

But if the Dementors have all left Azkaban, why isn't this news in any of the newspapers?

The students stared at Cohen expectantly, seemingly wanting him to continue explaining the background and consequences of the matter so they could judge whether it was true or not.

Umbridge also remained silent.

The smile vanished from her face, replaced by a contrived expression that was a mixture of anger and glee.

Harry moved closer to Cohen, because he had a feeling that Umbridge would pounce on them.

But Umbridge didn't. She spoke to the two people sitting next to her in the gentlest, most coquettish voice she could muster:
“Mr. Norton, Mr. Potter, I think you need some small punishment for your bad behavior of spreading rumors in the classroom.”

Her eyes were filled with something that said, "The plan has succeeded."

"Solitary confinement?" Cohen's eyes also held a hint of "plan succeeded."

To dare to be in a closed room with a dangerous, and seemingly provoked, dark magic experimental subject.

Does this person have a slight misunderstanding about Cohen's moral character?

[Ding! The evil branch has been advanced]

(End of this chapter)