A global review of the issue of correcting the current course taken by the educational institution "Hogwarts" makes it clear that in fact Professor Umbridge, better known in student circles as the "Cursed Toad," does not introduce that many changes. Her only "weighty" achievement, in essence, is the abolition of magical practice in DADA, and at the end of the third week—a ban on magic in principle, if the matter does not happen in class. That was a real "Oh, wow," that was powerful. And the rest—the already existing rules became stricter. If only the wearing of the school uniform from breakfast until dinner inclusive. In general, everything is quiet and peaceful by the end of September.
Of course, inspections have not disappeared. Umbridge decided that she should also inspect how teachers conduct their subjects in different years. Praise Merlin, or whoever it is customary to pay such honors here, she did not climb into every class—she fully felt the negativity directed at her from the rest of the staff. But we had the honor of witnessing her inspection of the Potions class. The fact that Snape didn't even look at her, answering questions extremely briefly, and sometimes in the style of some Captain Obvious—pleased many. Gryffindors were pleased that the professor was forced to answer uncomfortable questions for him.
By the way, regarding Snape. Daphne and I's additional Potions classes started only towards the very end of September.
"The professor is too busy restoring order within the house, in classes, and in general," Daphne explained to me when, at the first such class, we were honored with an unprecedented honor—a lack of attention from the professor, and even more, he left the classroom on his own business.
"I thought there was quite strict discipline within your house."
"Yes and no," Daphne smiled, continuing to chop another root while I ground the small bones of some animal in a mortar. "After all, the most ambitious ones come to us. And ambitions of various kinds have a tendency to conflict with each other."
"Nothing dangerous, I hope?"
"Of course not, but there are various incidents within the house. We don't talk about them."
"That's understandable," I nodded, trying to catch particularly nimble crumbs of bone on the pestle in the mortar. "Must appear united before the rest of the school."
"Right..."
"By the way. Another trip to Hogsmeade is soon..." I decided to bring up a rather important topic for conversation. "Would you like to go with me?"
"Of course, I would," Daphne glanced at me for a moment, immediately returning to the ingredients. "But let's not discuss this now. Or we'll get distracted from potions..."
"That's true. Snape won't let us off the hook later."
"Talking?" the voice of the professor, who appeared literally out of nowhere, sounded behind us.
"To some extent, sir," I nodded without turning around, managing to finally catch the pieces of bone in the mortar that didn't want to be ground to dust.
"Excellent. I recommend that you don't get distracted by all sorts of trifles and focus on potions," he remarked without showing his attitude. After Umbridge's inspection, he looked extremely emotionless in general, which testified to an extreme degree of irritation.
"Sir..."
"Yes, Mr. Granger?"
Snape returned to his desk and, without pleasure, began to sort out some of his papers.
"I wanted to ask. Why are you so interested in the position of DADA professor?"
Without looking up from working with ingredients, putting the mortar with the finished powder aside and picking up the cutting board and knife, I saw out of the corner of my eye how Snape looked at me attentively. This silence lasted until I cut the toad skin into neat strips.
"What is the most dangerous magical animal, Mr. Granger?" Snape spoke quietly and insinuatingly.
"Man, sir."
"An interesting conclusion," Snape continued calmly. "Interesting, and correct. The DADA program practically does not consider the abilities of these magical creatures. Dangers that may lie in wait from various animals or phenomena are considered, but you still have to try to find them, while a wizard—is always nearby. A wizard can always and at any second direct his magic, the boundaries of which are much wider than any other creature, directly at you. Professor Moody took the correct course for studying the subject last year. The only one in recent years."
"Do you think we should be able to fight?" Daphne asked, continuing, like me, to work with ingredients.
"Not fight, but counteract sorcery—that's a big difference, Miss Greengrass. I'm not even talking about the necessity of understanding the Dark Arts to counteract them—general knowledge of methods of protection specifically against charms and spells would be enough. Why do you think the Hogwarts Hospital Wing is so popular?"
The question was clearly rhetorical and required no answer.
"Petty dirty tricks, skirmishes, fights using magic happen constantly. A few students can and know exactly how to defend themselves, or cancel the effect. So they run to the Hospital Wing with every trifle. Mr. Granger..."
"Yes?"
"You perform quite well in the Dueling Club."
Quite well—too stingy praise for my success. Although I myself don't consider it excellent either—only surpassing the majority of students.
"If you think so," I nodded, throwing the first batch of ingredients into water slowly boiling at a certain temperature.
"Why do you rarely use counter-spells?"
"Hmm... According to the Ministry's version, counter-spells—is a more convenient name that wizards use for their spells."
"Spare me, please, from quoting these likenesses to books, named textbooks not otherwise than by misunderstanding. You can call them whatever you want, but it will not change their essence. Counter-spells—are special spells capable, when colliding with a target spell, of dispelling it even with a tenfold difference in power."
"There are not many mentions in the school curriculum specifically about counter-spells and their working mechanism."
"That is so. One of the points that I consider unacceptable in the school curriculum."
"That is," I began to stir the preparation for the potion, the base, "You want to change the school curriculum towards greater efficiency."
"That is so. Unfortunately, Headmaster Dumbledore believes that this position should be occupied by temporary teachers."
"I heard," Daphne decided to express her thoughts, "that there is a curse on the position itself."
"Unverified information, Miss Greengrass. The walls of this school have become so saturated with magic over a thousand years that it is impossible to find traces of even a strong curse."
"Maybe that's why Dumbledore doesn't give you this position," I reflexively wanted to shrug, but restrained myself so that my hand wouldn't tremble while preparing the potion base. "So that you won't be forced to leave not only the post of DADA professor but also Hogwarts? Who knows how this curse works..."
"I am afraid, Mr. Granger, we will never know the answer to this question. And since we raised the topic of counter-spells..."
Snape took a thick notebook out of his desk. It looked like it consisted of a bunch of parchments, files, and was more like a folder with some personal file.
"Here," Snape pointed to the notebook lying in front of him, "is a list of various counter-spells to a multitude of other spells and curses that, at least in theory, can be used against a wizard. The list was compiled by many wizards, so do not be surprised at the difference in handwriting. The information includes that from the library of a certain recluse you know."
"Hmm?" I even got distracted from preparing the potion; however, the preparation stage was not critical and allowed such liberty. "And you..."
My phrase implied a continuation. Daphne also shot her eyes towards this notebook, but without any strong enthusiasm—after all, wand magic attracts her less than potions.
"And I am passing it to you for study."
Some almost imperceptible details in the professor's facial expressions told me that he was passing it not entirely of his own free will, although in general he didn't mind. Considering that Dumbledore promised to somehow resolve the issue with the books in the Black house, it becomes obvious that this matter didn't happen without him.
"What in return?"
Snape questioningly arched an eyebrow.
"In return? Nothing. Diligent study, Mr. Granger."
All the remaining class time was devoted to potions, and afterwards—I took this notebook. Leaving the Potions classroom late in the evening together with Daphne, I could not help but notice the girl's slight interest, even if she did not express it.
"Not my secrets, Daphne," I smiled at her when we almost reached the Slytherin common room, fortunately it was located quite close to the classroom.
"I understand."
"Seriously."
"I know," she nodded and even smiled encouragingly, adjusting a lock of black hair somewhat coquettishly. "I noticed long ago that you share knowledge without problems if you can. So I understand—if you can't say, then you can't."
"Probably, I should say thank you for treating such things without any short temper or haste. By the way, do you know if many guys from your house want to join the extracurricular DADA study?"
"Are you talking about your sister's proposal?"
Yes, Hermione managed quite quietly and unnoticed, considering that the matter took place in the Great Hall, to approach the Slytherin table and express her proposal on organizing general additional classes. And ours also said, like: "Yes, there was a conversation, but we don't know yet—with you we go through all the charms and spells according to the program normally anyway, and even a little more".
"It's not clear yet. Many think that they don't need it, or think that they will catch up later, at home, under the guidance of parents or in some other way."
"And you?"
"Do you want me to go there?"
"Honestly, it would be a reason for me to brush up on your skills in wand magic. I'm sure you haven't gone beyond the necessary minimum of the school curriculum."
"Even that—is already a lot. But if you want, I'll go. Maybe I'll be able to put in more effort, and work off the necessary minimum."
"Honestly, glad to hear such a thing."
In general, everything is calm, if one can say so about the current situation. Because of Umbridge, many activities have stopped for now. Students froze in anticipation of something, but what—they themselves don't know. And various innovations grew by leaps and bounds. True, some of them were so absurd that you don't know whether to laugh or cry. For example, the ban on performing music during school hours. I had a logical question: "Is anyone performing, or what?".
Personally, my affairs remained almost unchanged. For example, I handed over a batch of various amulets, pendants and other costume jewelry into the hands of the Weasley twins without any prepayments—for realization, so to speak. They themselves are generally "on a roll" now, as they say. Their developments, comic or frankly harmful, albeit harmless from a health point of view, began to enjoy crazy popularity, because they were focused on various kinds of sabotage aimed both at the environment around and at oneself personally. For example, Nosebleed Nougats, or Puking Pastilles. Yes, sounds creepy, but those Nosebleed Nougats are not dangerous at all, although you wouldn't say so by the name. They really cause bleeding from the nose or mouth, but at the same time compensate for blood loss. Well, and there is generally no point in talking about Puking Pastilles—a simple stimulator of the work of certain muscles in the body. Moreover, I asked them about allergic reactions and other things, but the twins only laughed at my fears—they perform triple filtration of potions, leaving in the end a substance carrying a purely magical character, a sort of spell in liquid. No plant or organic components—these methods, by the way, are beyond the school course.
"And where does such foresight and such an approach to safety come from?" I asked them during the transfer of my developments from hand to hand.
"Well there was a case in the third year," Fred answered.
"Poisoned ourselves with our own slop," George explained.
"And we decided even before Hogwarts that we would surpass..."
"...and multiply by zero this dull Zonko's shop."
"Clear. And selling what kills the buyer—is not your goal."
"Of course!" they answered synchronously.
"So we found out," George continued, "that to prevent unforeseen consequences, need to get rid of what everyone's body can react to differently."
"From remnants of plants and components in finished potions."
"Hmm, not bad, very not bad," I smiled. "I just don't understand why your grades are so far from your real potential?"
With my mind I understood that the answer to such a thing could turn out to be extremely trivial.
"And why?" the twins were surprised absolutely synchronously, but Fred continued to speak: "What's the point in grades if you decided to open your own business?"
"Zero point..." George continued the thought.
"Zero tenths..." Fred finished for him.
The fact of communicating with the Weasley twins reminded me of a relatively recent reception in the Malfoy house—local business tycoons were in no hurry to contact me to discuss the possibility of manufacturing and supplying various artifacts. This saddened, but not much—I can earn money without them if I really need to.
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