Chapter 227: Decree Wave, Spinning The Web (2/2)
And Flitwick didn't need to be worried about his job.
The Progress Report of Magical Didactics was a document used to evaluate Hogwarts teachers. It was passed by the Department of Magical Education. Some basic biographical and magical information that the document required included name, age, star sign, address, magic rune, expiration number, agility, magical technique, accuracy, wand control, among others. Based on answering some questions (like Do you consider yourself a risk-taker? Give an example), the teacher would be graded Appalling, Bad, Fair, Good or Excellent.
But the truth was Umbridge used it ostensibly as a means of evaluating Hogwarts teachers. In actuality, however, Umbridge targeted any teacher close to Albus Dumbledore that she felt she had a reasonable chance of dismissing without raising suspicions.
There was a great chance that Umbridge might target Flitwick because of her blatant hate for half-breeds, but the thing was that Flitwick had exceptional credentials — Master of Charms, A long time Champion in various Duelling Circuits, and an excellent, memorable Professor who provided outstanding guidance to essentially everyone who had graduated out of Hogwarts in the last few decades.
If Umbridge touched Flitwick, she'd be attracting eyes from all over. The same thing went for McGonagall and Sprout, and well, Snape, who was like a guardian angel to all who strutted under the banner of Slytherin. To be direct, there was no way to kick out the Head of Houses without the four making grievous errors, which they hadn't, especially after Umbridge was on everyone's tail.
”Well, if she annoys you, tell me,” said Quinn, ”I'll add it to the list of things that need to be retaliated upon. Maybe, it'll turn into a great spectacle.”
”I will keep that in my mind,” said Flitwick before sighing, ”I just hope that everyone will come out this safe and sound.”
But both knew that the chances of that happening were meagre. Umbridge was on the warpath from the moment she stepped into Hogwarts. She was going to get someone, and there were a few good candidates for her to whack; the question was how many of them would go.
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Eldon Pembroke, fourth-year Hufflepuff, dawdled his way, feeling the lowest of low — this afternoon, he was given detention in the Defense Against The Dark Arts because he got frustrated and raised a question and maybe got into a ”heated” debate with Umbridge, which landed him into the mess.
”Ugh, what I'm going to do?” he groaned. How was he going to spend hours on end alone with Umbridge for an entire week continuously.
He arrived at the Hufflepuff common room entrance and sighed for the umpteenth time today. He couldn't even open his mouth to utter the password and enter the common room.
”Hey, Pembroke.”
Eldon turned left where the voice came from and saw Quinn West standing at the end of the hallway, which surprised him because he thought the voice came from somewhere nearby. Eldon walked towards him when Quinn beckoned him.
”Hello,” said Eldon, his confusion, which mixed in with his misery, sounded downright pathetic.
”So, I heard you have a detention with Umbridge.”
”Yes.”
”You're not feeling great about it, are you?”
”No.”
Quinn stared at Eldon for a good moment before patting his shoulders heavily. ”Wait here for a bit; I'll be back in a bit. Don't go anywhere.”
Eldon watched as Quinn walked away. He didn't have anything to do, so he stayed still, and even if he did, Eldon had no energy to do anything.
After a couple of minutes, Quinn returned but in his hand were two piping hot bacon sandwiches. He handed one to Eldon and took a bite from another one.
”Eat it. You'll feel better,” said Quinn.
Eldon looked at his sandwich for a while before looking up and saying, ”What do you want?”
”The detention with Umbridge,” said Quinn, ”it's not going to be pretty.”
”I know that. Who doesn't know that.” Detention with Umbridge made it automatically fated to be awful.
”Well, I can make it much more bearable. I can make the next week, which is supposed to be hellish to feel like normal detention,” said Quinn.
Eldon perked up hearing that. It was the greatest proposition he had heard in his entire life, and that was when he was offered the Albus Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card in return for some Exploding Snaps, which was a ridiculously good deal.
”What is it?” asked Eldon.
Quinn took out two potion vails from his robes and handed them to Eldon. ”Take these two before you go in Umbridge's office, and you'll be set for the day.. . I can give you one of these every day till your detention ends.”
”What are these?”
”The less you know, the better, kid.”
One was the same potion he had given to Harry before he went for his detentions but with some modification — Harry knew the pain of using the Blood Quill, but Eldon didn't, and even if Quinn gave him one day to experience the pain, there was no telling how good was Eldon's acting were — so he made it so Eldon would feel extreme irritation when using the Blood Quill, that would make his discomfort believable.
The other one was the antidote to the Veritaserum that Umbridge might give to get some blackmail material out. There was no reason for the second one, but it was precautionary. There was no telling what was brewing in Umbridge's twisted mind.
Eldon took the vials and stared at them for a good while before looking up at Quinn. ”Will they really work? Are you absolutely sure?”
”One hundred percent. But there's a condition for this.”
”What is it?” Eldon was willing to follow if it would make his life easier.
”You can't tell anyone about this. Not a single soul can know that I give you this. If you tell anyone, you'll not be feeling good about it,” said Quinn. Hermione Granger wasn't the only one who could weave in special little traps into things.
”Deal!” said Eldon almost instantly.
”Good, now scurry away and remember the deal,” said Quinn and watched Eldon walk to the Hufflepuff entrance with a renewed vigor.
”That's one more,” Quinn muttered as Eldon disappeared from his sights.
The more Umbridge dished out detentions, the more people Quinn would get to give the potions, and more detentions meant that the web that the bug spun for him would be more lethal.
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Quinn West - MC - I realize that the difference between Arachne and Bugs.
Filius Flitwick - Head of House - Yeah, I'm not getting fired.
Eldon Pembroke - Hufflepuff - The bacon sandwich was surprisingly good.
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