Five

                                    

                                          
On Monday morning Cynthia and Eleanor make their way to breakfast where Susan is already nearly finished eating, a copy of the Daily Prophet strewn across the table for her to read as she eats.
"Anything interesting?" Eleanor asks, claiming the seat across from her.
"Only this," she replies, pushing the front page of the Prophet into Eleanor's hands. A large photo of a simpering woman stares out from the page, a large bow perched on top of her head.
"Is that?"
"Umbridge," Susan nods.
"What about Umbridge?" asks Cynthia as she fills her plate with toast and bacon.
"She's been promoted. Delores Umbridge has been given the position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor and she has been given powers to address the falling standards at Hogwarts."
"Falling standards? Please, this is just to give the Ministry a stronger foothold here because the Minister is scared of Dumbledore."
"Cyn, keep it down will you?" Susan says, looking towards the staff table where Umbridge sits, her sappy grin even more unbearable than in the paper.
All around them students begin to make their way out of the Hall but one girl with pale blonde hair and a dreamy look on her face who instead wanders over to Cynthia and Eleanor who are continuing to snatch a few more pieces of food before class.
"Excuse me. I read a flyer that you were looking for people to write in a school paper and I'd like to join."
"Aren't you the one who's always reading the Quibbler?" Cynthia asks, snatching at a piece of toast as it disappears with the rest of the breakfast leftovers.
"My father publishes it," the girl replies, her turnip shaped earrings bobbing along as she nods.
"We'd love to have you join, I've no doubt you'll write some very interesting pieces," Cynthia smiles as McGonagall comes to shoo them all out and off to class.
"Well that's four of us now, I wonder how many more people we'll have by the end of the day." Eleanor says as she and Cynthia take their seats in the first class of the day, having been so preoccupied in their discussion they were the only two students in the classroom who hadn't yet noticed the extra person seated in the back.
"What? Why's everyone - oh."
"Cyn?"
"It's Umbridge."
Turning to see what had caught everyone's attention Eleanor finally notices that Professor Umbridge was indeed sitting quietly in the corner of the classroom, a clipboard perched on her knees and her toadish face beaming with a smug sort of satisfaction.
"Don't mind me everyone, I'll just be sitting in on some of your classes for the next few days. As a part of my new position as High Inquisitor I'd like to get a first hand view of how the other professors here at Hogwarts get along teaching you all."
"A lot better than you that's for sure," mutters Cynthia so only Eleanor can hear her.
Moments later Professor Flitwick walks in and, with a constant fearful glance towards Umbridge, begins the class.
"That cow!" Declares Cynthia an hour later as they make their way to potions. "She was awful to him and clearly she's looking for any excuse to degrade the staff but, to do it in front of his students? I didn't think I could dislike her anymore, clearly I was wrong."
"Yeah that was really uncalled for, I hope Professor Flitwick isn't too upset by it all," says Eleanor, glancing over her shoulder to ensure Umbridge hadn't just witnessed Cynthia's outburst.