bacchusnovels Chapter 533, Day 1 ends
Chapter 533, Day 1 ends
Chapter 529: The First Day Ends
A chorus of affirmations rang out in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Umbridge was very dissatisfied with this.
The reason is simple: the students must have been slower, or more precisely, a little over 1.54 seconds slower.
What does 1.54 seconds mean? Don't underestimate this number.
Her most loyal subordinates at the Ministry of Magic could clap six times in 1.54 seconds.
"I think we need to do it again."
Umbridge struck the blackboard hard with her wand, making a crisp sound.
"When I ask you questions, I expect you to answer yes, Professor" or no, Professor."
"Let's do it one more time."
"Does every student have a copy of Wilbert Slinka's *Defense Against Magic*?"
"Yes, Professor!" everyone answered in unison.
If force fails to solve problems, then annoying people become the most powerful weapon in the hands of some.
Some people don't want to pay attention to Umbridge, but if you don't answer, she'll really bother you over and over again. Like a fly, constantly buzzing in that awful voice.
What other options are there besides compromise?
"it is good."
Umbridge was very pleased with the students' reaction.
"I want you to turn to page five and read Chapter One, the introductory basic principles." Read aloud, making sure everyone can hear you. And please, no whispering."
After saying that, Umbridge sat down and scanned the crowd with his eyes.
It's not hard to imagine that anyone who gets her eye on is in deep trouble.
He acted as if he owed her a gold coin.
The students silently opened their books and then quickly read aloud, with Hermione being the first to speak.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts is designed to help wizards identify and respond to potential dark magic attacks. Effective defensive techniques include protective spells, counter-attack skills, and sensitivity to dark magic."
But her voice gradually faded as she read half of it.
In the classroom, the other students were also reading aloud in hushed tones, trying to meet Umbridge's demands with as much volume as possible.
The sounds intertwined.
Some people read mechanically, their voices monotonous and devoid of emotion; others find it very novel and don't read, they shout; and still others are just going through the motions.
Indeed, this is the most appropriate use of the idiom.
"Louder, Mr. Potter."
Umbridge suddenly spoke, interrupting Harry's reading.
"I can't hear you. Did you not eat well at the auditorium at noon today?"
Many people laughed, and Harry felt uncomfortable, his face turning red. He continued reading with difficulty: "Important techniques in Defense Strategy include—" Although these stiff words came out of his mouth, he felt increasingly agitated.
Suddenly, Hermione raised her hand, as if something was wrong.
Umbridge also enjoyed answering questions for others, so she called Hermione.
"Miss, is there anything you don't understand?"
"I don't understand this course very well."
"Oh?"
Umbridge raised an eyebrow at Hermione's aggressive language.
As the saying goes, a new broom sweeps clean.
She seemed to have finally found the firewood she had been waiting for, and before that, she had specifically asked Hermione's name.
"What's your name?"
Hermione Granger.
"Okay, Miss Granger. I've already written the course objectives on the blackboard. What part do you have a question about? Or do you not understand what I wrote? If it's the latter, I suggest..."
"I don't think this course objective is suitable for this subject."
Hermione said bluntly.
"There isn't a single word about defensive spells on it. As far as I know, O.W.Ls is coming at the end of this semester, and there's a lot of information about defending against black magic on it that will be on the exam."
"Being on the exam doesn't mean being in practice."
Umbridge retaliated in kind, interrupting Hermione's speech in the same way.
"Answering questions with words doesn't require a wand, and it'll get you a good grade in the O.W.L. exams. Besides, using defensive spells?" She scoffed. "You haven't even graduated yet, do you really need those spells? You don't think you'll be attacked inside Hogwarts, do you? Although Dumbledore let a Death Eater into the school last term, now that I, Umbridge, am here at Hogwarts, I certainly won't let that happen again—"
"Does not graduating mean I can't use defensive spells?" Simo suddenly raised his hand.
"Raise your hand, sir. Your name is—"
'
"Simole Finigan"
"Of course you can use defensive spells if you haven't graduated, but you don't need to. Outside of school, it's illegal for ungraduated wizards to use spells. You don't want to spend your last two years in Azkaban, do you?"
"Or should we say one?"
She paused for a moment, then suddenly glanced at Ximo with a cold look in her eyes.
"You want to go to Azkaban?"
Seamus was so frightened that he dared not speak, but Hermione persisted in her opinion.
"But shouldn't the Defense Against the Dark Arts course be about practicing defensive spells?"
"Are you the professor or am I?"
"Who are you."
"Then I think you have no right to interfere with my courses. My teaching plan was developed by many people in the Ministry of Magic and is far more sophisticated than you can imagine. In my courses, you will learn defensive spells in a safe and risk-free way."
"What's the use of just relying on what's in books?"
Harry put down the textbook that was stuck to his face and asked loudly.
"If we are attacked, we can't exactly fight them with quills, can we?"
1
"Please raise your hand, Mr. Potter—"
'
Harry raised his hand, but Umbridge called on the other students who had already raised their hands before he could speak.
"Sir, what's your name?"
Dean Thomas.
"Speak, Mr. Thomas."
"Well, just like Harry said, isn't it?" Dean said. "If we're attacked, it's impossible to be without risk."
"I'll say it again, there is no danger at Hogwarts."
Umbridge suddenly screamed, seemingly realizing she had lost her composure, and immediately changed to a sympathetic expression as she looked at the crowd.
Feeling Umbridge's inexplicable sympathy, the group was all bewildered.
What's wrong? What's with that look?
"Look at you kids, living under the protection of the Ministry of Magic, yet you're cowards, living in constant fear, worrying about things that aren't even a threat."
What does this mean?
"This shows that Hogwarts doesn't provide you with enough security!"
"That's not how it works."
Harry was about to retort, but his voice was quickly drowned out by Umbridge.
"Although Dumbledore possessed great magical abilities, he failed to fulfill the responsibilities of a headmaster."
Even now, Umbridge hasn't forgotten one of her goals for coming to Hogwarts: to always remember to slander Dumbledore, blame everything on him, and lay the groundwork for "certain actions" in the future.
"Look at the previous Defense Against the Dark Arts professors he found for you!"
"When I heard this news, I simply couldn't believe my ears."
"One of them is actually half-human, half-beast!"
Soon, some young wizards began to speak up for Lupin.
"Professor Lupin was one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professors we had ever met. He taught us—"
"Hands up, Mr. Finigan."
"If you continue to speak in my class without raising your hand, I will reflect this impolite behavior on your college credits."
Seeing Umbridge's behavior, the Slytherin students nearby all looked on with amusement.
Although some of Umbridge's words were unpleasant.
But her actions undoubtedly provided the best illustration of "power," demonstrating through her actions just how important "power" is to a wizard.
"Just as I just said—"
"The magic that Lupin, that incompetent professor, taught you is completely beyond your age level."
Furthermore, if handled improperly, it will cause great harm to your bodies. Look at yourselves now, aren't you the best example? You're all terrified by black magic, actually thinking—"
"No, we didn't!" Hermione stepped forward.
"Miss Granger, I think you've forgotten what I just said. Gryffindor will deduct five points for your behavior. And, be in my office at five o'clock tomorrow evening."
Hermione's face turned bright red instantly, and she raised her hand.
"Now it's your turn to speak, Miss Granger."
"We want to learn how to resist dark magic because of the mysterious man. We don't know when the mysterious man will appear."
"What?!"
Umbridge's scream interrupted Hermione again.
Hermione's words not only shocked Umbridge, but also caused varying degrees of shock to the young wizards around her.
Very rarely, very few people mention that person's name in class.
Although news about that person has been all over the internet this summer, it still doesn't appear in public or come up in people's mouths.
"Yes, the mysterious man has returned."
"But our Ministry of Magic also has elite Aurors and strikers working diligently, monitoring various locations at all times to protect the personal safety and property of the wizarding community."
"Director Burns played a significant role in this."
"Phillips returned to Hogwarts to teach from the Ministry of Magic, and Borns took over Phillips's position at the Ministry of Magic, continuing to fulfill his responsibilities as a high-ranking member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
At this point, she looked at Hermione.
"You don't trust Director Burns or Director Phillips's abilities? If it's the latter, I think he should be giving a lecture in the tower next door right now. I can personally take you to him to get some answers."
Upon hearing Sean's name, Hermione blushed instantly and was speechless.
Even speaking has become difficult.
How could she possibly let Umbridge take her to him?
Unwittingly, Umbridge had found the trump card to deal with the class's biggest troublemaker, but she didn't realize it. Seeing Hermione speechless, she continued speaking with smug satisfaction.
"Alright, the Ministry of Magic believes that theoretical knowledge is more effective in helping you pass the exams. Ultimately, the school's goal is for students to pass their exams. What's your name?"
A young wizard lowered his raised hand and stood up.
"Pavati Petil".
As Hermione's roommate, she asked with some confusion.
"Is there absolutely no practical component in our Defense Against the Dark Arts exam? Shouldn't we demonstrate that we can actually cast dispelling spells and other magic?"
Umbridge replied kindly.
"As long as you master the theory thoroughly, there's no reason why you won't be able to work your magic under strictly controlled exam conditions."
"No need for prior practice?" Parvati asked incredulously, her brow furrowing slightly. "Are you saying we'll cast these spells for the first time during an exam?"
"I'll say it again, as long as you master the theory thoroughly, there won't be any problems. If you fail the exam, you can always come to me with your transcripts."
For some young wizards, describing this as "heavenly music" would probably not be an exaggeration.
Teachers who directly guarantee grades are rare and unreliable.
but-
If this person is the vice minister of the magic world (compared to the vice president directly promising to contact him if you fail the exam), this statement carries even greater weight.
But then again—
For the Defense Against the Dark Arts course alone, for some people, the practical difficulty is far less than memorizing the knowledge points.
Courses like History of Magic and Potions, which involve a lot of memorization, were already giving them a headache. Adding Defense Against the Dark Arts would only compound their difficulties. Moreover—they had originally hoped to improve their overall grades through the practical experience of Defense Against the Dark Arts, but now, that advantage had vanished.
To put it more simply:
For struggling students, hands-on experience is essential, but for high-achieving students, there's little difference between hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge.
So it's the underachievers who suffer the most.
With Umbridge's words, the three little ones' first Defense Against the Dark Arts class of the new semester came to an end.
On the first day of school, no one expected so many things to happen.
The three little ones were eating in the auditorium.
Hermione was still pondering Umbridge's request for her to come to his office tomorrow. What else could it be but punishment? Surely he wouldn't have to explain to her privately why he had devised this particular teaching plan?
This was the first time Hermione had been called to the office to be punished.
Oh no, it's not the first time.
She often went to Sean's office to be punished—the earliest instance being when she was caught by Sean stealing ingredients for Polyjuice Potion from Snape's Potions classroom.
Then, she accidentally transformed into Professor Tonks using a potion.
Wrong, it seems like a long time has passed.
But what would Umbridge make her do? In any case, it probably wouldn't have made her blush like Professor Phillips had done.
If Tonks heard these thoughts, she would probably refute them.
Therefore, she, who was having dinner in the auditorium at this moment, had already returned to Sean's office and was about to be punished.