Chapter 392 Marionette

( ) The first class after lunch that day was the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that no one wanted to attend. Because since Umbridge taught, this originally most anticipated course has become an out-and-out "reading and writing class".

Which student would like to read and copy a thick theoretical book day after day?

"... Umbridge won't bother us anymore? What did Maca tell you? What else did he say?"

In the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Hermione and the others sat together as usual, taking advantage of the time when Umbridge was not here, they lowered their voices and talked softly.

"Time was tight at the time, and he and I didn't have the time to say a few more words," Harry could only shake his head in the face of Hermione's eager questioning, "that's all Maca said about Umbridge. That's all."

"Oh—I really don't know what will happen later," Hermione said with some concern. "I really want to know what Maca did. If I could figure it out in advance, I wouldn't be unprepared now."

"... Do you think that old woman won't be able to come?" Ron said with some expectation, "If I were Maca, I would definitely make that pink toad suffer more!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Hermione gave him a dissatisfied look and said, "Maka is not you, you won't be so disregarding the overall situation! Although Umbridge is really annoying, she is an investigator sent by the Ministry of Magic after all. Sir, if anything happens to her at school, the Ministry of Magic will definitely intervene."

"Didn't they intervene?" Ron muttered. "You all saw it at noon. There was a whole team of Aurors in the hall!"

That's right, as stated in the first notice on the bulletin board before, the Ministry of Magic will launch a detailed investigation into Dumbledore's death, and the Auror investigation team that has just been sent is responsible for the first wave of investigation.

Because the matter was so important, even though Professor McGonagall didn't want to agree in her heart, she still asked those Aurors to carry out investigations on the campus after a long time.

While they were chatting quietly, the melodious class bell rang suddenly, and the neatly dressed Umbridge walked into the classroom on time by stepping on the bell.

But what is different from usual is that today's Umbridge looks...how should I put it? Some "too serious".

"Good afternoon, students."

She stood behind the podium, greeted everyone with a dull expression, and started the teaching of this class in the most ordinary way.

"Good afternoon - Professor Umbridge -"

As usual, the students responded in a drawn-out tone and weakly.

"Please turn to page 34 of "The Theory of Magical Defense" and read Chapter 3 of the textbook—"Key Points of Using Non-Offensive Methods to Respond to Magical Attacks". Please refrain from talking casually during the reading process."

As soon as this sentence was finished, Umbridge sat down on the chair and stared at the cover of his textbook in a daze.

"What's... what's wrong with her?" Ron stared at Umbridge for a moment, then asked Hermione and Harry in bewilderment.

"..." Hermione's expression looked a bit complicated, she hesitated for a moment, and then said in a very soft voice, "If I'm not wrong... Do you remember what Professor Moody taught before?"

"You mean—" Ron recalled for a moment, and then his eyes widened immediately, looking extremely surprised.

"Speak softly!" Hermione hastily shook her hand, looked around again, and was relieved to see that no one had noticed their conversation, "I don't think there is anything other than the Imperius Curse." There is no other way to make her look like this..."

"But—" Ron said with some difficulty, "is that the Unforgivable Curse?"

Ron, who was born and raised in the magic world since he was a child, has the traditional thinking concept of wizards. Regarding the three unforgivable curses, it is understandable for him to be so resistant.

After all, from childhood to adulthood, whether it is his parents, elders or social environment, he has been infected all the time.

At the beginning, Voldemort and his Death Eaters spread fear by relying on "dare to use wantonly" the three unforgivable curses. The concept that "the use of evil black magic is unforgivable" has become deeply ingrained in the hearts of wizards from the beginning to the end.

This is like telling a Muggle believer that "the god you believe in is actually just an ordinary ancient wizard". It is not absolutely impossible to convince him, but it must be a very difficult thing.

In fact, among the magics revealed by Maca, there are not a few magics that tend to be dark. Of course, Ron has seen it a long time ago.

But this time the impact on him was the strongest, because he also knew the curse.

"Don't be stupid, let me tell you, isn't it just right to use it against Umbridge?" Harry said disapprovingly, "Look at the things she has done—investigate the professor, restrict our actions, They even canceled all the student clubs and made a mess of Hogwarts!"

"If you ask me—" Harry paused, "that woman is probably a member of the Death Eaters!"

"Although there is no evidence, it's better not to judge casually, but this time I think Harry is right," Hermione nodded and said, "In this period, an investigator who has no achievements and can only make trouble, There's definitely a problem - Maca said it before school started, there's a problem in the Ministry."

"This time, since Maca will do this, he must have grasped some clear clue."

The class time was still going on, although Umbridge had already explained that "speaking is forbidden", but as time passed, many of the students couldn't help but chat secretly.

And when they found that Umbridge didn't respond to this, the classroom became lively.

Well, of course, it's just a little noisy. After all, Umbridge was still sitting behind the front desk, and no one was going to do anything too over the top.

But until the end of the class, Umbridge did not respond to the buzzing in the classroom, let alone the corresponding punishment.

When the bell rang for the end of get out of class, Umbridge finally stood up.

Perhaps it was because she had left too acerbic impression on her classmates in the past, when she got up suddenly, the classroom fell silent again.

"That's all for today's class, get out of class is over."

Picking up the textbook, she immediately turned around and left the classroom after saying this sentence with a wooden face and a serious face. The whole process was not sloppy at all, it was calm, perhaps it would be more appropriate to describe it as "sluggish".

"...It's terrible," Ron felt his scalp tingle as he looked at Umbridge's receding back. "It looks like a magic puppet being manipulated by someone!"

"Is there such a thing?" Harry asked curiously, "Is it similar to a Muggle marionette?"

"What's that?" Ron came back to his senses and asked in surprise.

...

After dinner that day, Hermione, Ron, and Harry returned to the common room together.

"Harry! Tonight's training continues! Get moving, I'm getting approval for the Quidditch pitch!"

As soon as they got through the doorway behind the portrait, before the fat woman even had time to close the doorway, Angelina's excited voice immediately reached their ears.

"Huh? What?"

Harry, who was still engrossed in the conversation on the way here, couldn't react for a moment.

"Training! Quidditch training!" Angelina repeated over and over again, "Umbridge approved the reorganization of our Gryffindor team! Easy, without any obstacles!"

"Oh--"

Harry froze for a moment, and was about to cheer, but there was a complex expression on his face.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? Are you unhappy?" Angelina had already come to him and patted Harry on the shoulder vigorously, "It's time for training! Get ready!"

"Uh... well, of course," Harry forced a smile, but the smile was obviously a little stiff, "of course I'm happy! This couldn't be better!"

Yes, of course he was happy. But while he was happy, Umbridge's appearance in class quietly emerged in his mind.

The thought that Maca might have used only one spell would change his life dramatically, and this feeling inevitably caused him a great sense of disobedience.

After personally experiencing the difference before and after, Harry couldn't help but understand the true horror of the so-called Unforgivable Curse.

"Don't be like this, Harry," Hermione's sharpness made her vaguely aware of some of Harry's thoughts, "At this time, we should think on the bright side-at least Maca will not abuse magic, otherwise the world around us will definitely It's already messed up!"

"...It's 'at least you're going to have to catch up with your homework all night'." Although Ron's expression was not good, he still comforted him, "Don't forget that Snape left you a punishment homework .”

"Ah—" Harry patted his cheek sharply, "Um...thank you."

Under the enlightenment of the two close friends, Harry couldn't help raising his spirits and sent them a smile.

"...Since that's the case, Ron, I'll leave my homework to you!" He gave a thumbs up and grinned, showing his neat teeth. "If you can't do everything, you can do some of it!"

"What are you mumbling about?" Angelina on the side looked at the whispering three people with strange eyes, "Harry, run quickly! We must seize every second and start training!"

Under Angelina's urging, Harry hurried back to the dormitory to get the broomstick and protective gear, and then, under the eyes of Hermione and Ron, got out together with other Gryffindor players. door opening.

"Don't help him with his homework, do you hear?" Hermione turned her head and said seriously.

"Who will do it for him!" Ron immediately rolled his eyes.