Aevumiter

17: Mentor

In DADA, Harry was again proud of Hermione. After Umbridge reminded the hopeful students to put away their wands, she had them begin reading chapter two.

Hermione's hand was in the air as the other students turned to page nineteen. Harry couldn't hear the conversation, but he remembered the gist of it.

"What is it this time, Miss Granger?" Umbridge whispered, to prevent the other students from hearing.

"I've already read chapter two." Hermione said.

"Well then, proceed to chapter three."

"I've read that too. I've read the whole book."

Umbridge blinked, but recovered almost instantly. "Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Mr. Slinkhard says about counter-jinxes in chapter fifteen."

"He says that counter-jinxes are improperly named." Hermione said promptly, "He says 'jinx' is just a name people give their jinxes to make them sound more acceptable."

Umbridge raised her brows for a moment, and Harry knew she was unwillingly impressed.

"But I disagree." Hermione continued.

"You disagree?" Umbridge repeated.

"Yes, I do." Hermione said, who wasn't whispering. Her voice was clear, and caught the attention of the rest of the class. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But, I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."

"Oh, you do, do you?" Umbridge said, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."

"But-"

"That is enough." Umbridge walked back to the front of the classroom. "Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from gryffindor house."

Mutterings filled the room.

"What for?" Dean asked.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions." Umbridge said. "I am here to teach you using a Ministry approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more license, but as none of them - with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age appropriate subjects - would have passed a Ministry inspection-"

"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher," Harry grumbled under his breath, "There was just the minor drawback of having Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head."

Draco and Blaise looked at Harry with incredulously alarmed and concerned faces.

Harry shrugged. "It's true." He whispered. Draco's face went forcefully blank, while Blaise looked like he was questioning many things.

~~~

After DADA, they were walking back to the common room when they came across a fight in one of the corridors. Before Harry had a chance to do anything, he saw a student fall by a stunning spell.

He knew it was a stun, he'd heard it, but it had already struck his memory. Harry turned and left. He couldn't breathe, something was clawing at his chest, gripping his lungs shut, tearing at his guts. Fragments of moments, of memories came unbidden to the forefront of his mind. He didn't have any place in particular in mind, but he had to go. 

Draco turned in time to see Harry disappear around a corner, and followed after him. Draco couldn't match Harry's speed or even hope to catch up. Draco watched as Harry ran, until he wasn't running at all.