magic • j. hale [✓]

Chapter 40

Professor Umbridge looked at Ariella with pursed lips, and furiously scribbled in her clipboard. McGonagall stifled a smile and continued on with the Career's Advice. "I would also advise Transfiguration, because Aurors frequently need to Transfigure or Untransfigure in their work. And I ought to tell you now, Potter, that I do not accept students into my N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level. I'd say you're averaging 'Acceptable' at the moment, so you'll need to put in some good hard work before the exams to stand a chance of continuing. Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Yes, Potter, Potions," she added, with the merest flicker of a smile. "Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors. And I must tell you that Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who get anything other than 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L.s, so —"

Professor Umbridge coughed yet again, and this time, McGonagall was the one to respond to the woman. "May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?"

"Oh no, thank you very much," said Umbridge, with that simpering laugh Harry hated so much. "I just wondered whether I could make the teensiest interruption, Minerva?"

"I daresay you'll find you can," said Professor McGonagall through tightly gritted teeth.

Ariella clenched her jaw in anger when she heard the next few words that Umbridge uttered. "I was just wondering whether Mr. Potter has quite the temperament for an Auror?"

However, she smiled when McGonagall continued on as if there was no interruption at all. "Were you?" said Professor McGonagall haughtily. "Well, Potter," she continued, as though there had been no interruption, "if you are serious in this ambition, I would advise you to concentrate hard on bringing your Transfiguration and Potions up to scratch. I see Professor Flitwick has graded you between Acceptable' and 'Exceeds Expectations' for the last two years, so your Charm work seems satisfactory; as for Defense Against the Dark Arts, your marks have been generally high, Professor Lupin in particular thought you — are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop, Dolores?"

"Oh, no need, thank you, Minerva," simpered Professor Umbridge, who had just coughed her loudest yet. "I was just concerned that you might not have Harry's most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you. I'm quite sure I slipped in a note . . ."

"You did." Ariella chimed in with a humorless smile on her face. "However, Professor McGonagall was referring to Defense Against the Dark Arts taught by a competent teacher."

"Yes, as I was saying, Potter, Professor Lupin thought you showed a pronounced aptitude for the subject, and obviously for an Auror —" McGonagall continued on.

"Did you not understand my note, Miss Swan?" Umbridge asked, her voiced laced in sweetness.

"I did." Ariella said with the same humorless smile. "I believe Professor McGonagall understands the note as well."

"Well, then, I am confused. . . . I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr. Potter false hope that —" Umbridge said.

"False hope?" repeated Professor McGonagall, still refusing to look round at Professor Umbridge. "He has achieved high marks in all his Defense Against the Dark Arts tests —"

"I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you, Minerva, but as you will see from my note, Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me —" Umbridge said.

"And as I said earlier, Professor, Mr Potter has aced the test set by a competent teacher." Ariella said, her voice laced in the same sweetness Umbridge has.