The moment her words fell, the Great Hall was instantly drowned in a wave of shocked exclamations.
"High Inquisitor?"
"What even is that…"
"So can someone explain where Professor Moody went? He disappeared before Christmas even arrived?"
"A new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?!"
The questions came from every direction, varied and chaotic, yet they all pointed to the same person.
That was… Alastor Moody, who had never appeared.
If nothing had happened to Alastor Moody, there would be no need to appoint a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Of course, that was only the surface of it…
"There have always been rumors that this position was cursed by the Dark Lord when he was young. But no one expected the Ministry to use this opportunity to interfere with Hogwarts' teaching appointments, and to send Dolores Umbridge, the Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic, no less."
"I mean, don't you want to know how the Ministry plans to explain what happened to Alastor Moody?"
Astoria's casual remark drifted over, making Pansy and Hermione pause as they stared toward the stage.
Unlike most witches and wizards, who only knew the situation in vague terms, they knew exactly why Alastor Moody had never shown up at the school.
To be precise, the real Alastor Moody had never once stepped into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom…
Bang!!
A sharp explosive crack rang out as Umbridge raised her wand and cast a spell above the students' heads, a smile still fixed on her face.
Looking at the now-silent hall, Umbridge lowered her wand in satisfaction.
"That's better. Quiet. It isn't difficult, is it?"
That deliberately sweet, cloying tone made Draco frown in discomfort.
The other students, meanwhile, were left stunned by Umbridge's sudden show of force.
As though she hadn't noticed their expressions at all, Umbridge waved her arm lightly.
"Due to certain issues within the school, the Ministry has dispatched a trustworthy representative. That is to say, me, the High Inquisitor, to correct some of Hogwarts' rules that have begun to become 'improper.'"
"..."
"..."
No one had expected such words to come out of her mouth.
In a sense, it was a denial of the other professors' efforts, and an implicit accusation that Headmaster Dumbledore had failed in his responsibilities.
As for where she found the nerve to say something like this in front of so many witches and wizards, Draco soon understood…
"All professors will be subject to investigation by this esteemed High Inquisitor, myself included, and that also includes your beloved Headmaster, Dumbledore!"
Faces filled with shock turned toward the Ministry witch standing on the platform.
It wasn't just the professors, hearing this for the first time, who were stunned. The students below, raised on legends of Dumbledore, erupted into voices of disbelief. Their already poor impression of this witch sank even lower.
Yet the most intense reaction did not come from the visibly trembling Minerva McGonagall.
It came from the one who suddenly stood up from his seat.
The Chosen One… Harry Potter.
As Harry Potter rose, his figure became glaringly obvious among the sea of seated witches and wizards.
And in that instant, Draco noticed that the expression on Dolores Umbridge's face subtly changed the moment she saw Harry Potter.
What the High Inquisitor was thinking was something Draco had no way of knowing. But what Harry Potter intended to do, Draco understood perfectly…
'Our loyal Chosen One.'
Just as Draco had expected, Harry Potter, who had always been close to Dumbledore and embodied the very definition of a Gryffindor, stood up without a second thought for the consequences.
Draco instinctively glanced toward Hermione beside him.
Sensing his gaze, Hermione frowned in confusion. For some reason, she felt that the way Draco was looking at her was slightly inappropriate.
Just as she was about to ask…
"This is all a conspiracy by your Ministry! You're actually trying to take advantage of Headmaster Dumbledore—"
"Mr. Potter! I believe you should learn some basic manners. Never mind. As your professor next year, I will certainly make sure to educate you properly. For now, please sit down."
"I—"
"Please sit down, dear. I don't wish to repeat myself."
Although Umbridge's voice remained sweet and her smile never faltered, there was something inexplicably vicious beneath it.
Even so, this didn't seem to intimidate the Chosen One in the slightest. Instead, it was Ginny, sitting beside him, who anxiously tugged at Harry Potter's robes, clearly trying to remind him that the person he was confronting was a professor. Not to mention the so-called High Inquisitor…
In the end, under Minerva McGonagall's pointed look, a furious Harry Potter finally clenched his teeth and sat back down.
Only after Harry Potter yielded did the High Inquisitor let out a satisfied chuckle, one so chilling it made people's skin crawl.
"It seems our Mr. Potter has been misled by your headmaster. But that's all right. That is precisely why I've come to Hogwarts!"
Sparse, half-hearted applause followed. If not for the Ministry wizards present, no one would have bothered clapping at all to welcome the arrival of this High Inquisitor.
"Very good. I look forward to our time together."
After delivering those words in a tone like she was reciting a script, the uninvited guest finally prepared to step down from the stage.
But…
"That's not…"
"Harry?"
"An acci—"
"Harry?"
Harry Potter's strange behavior made the young Gryffindors around him call out anxiously.
Then, just as Dolores Umbridge was about to leave the stage, a sharp challenge rang out across the entire Great Hall, stopping her in her tracks. The smile she had worn the entire time turned ice-cold in that very instant.
All because of what Harry Potter said…
"That wasn't an accident at all! It was murder!! It's nothing like what the Ministry claimed in the Daily Prophet!!!"
Dead silence.
Every witch and wizard stared blankly at Harry Potter, who was trembling with rage.
What had he just said?
Could it be that the Ministry really was hiding something?
Draco, who had long suspected that some sort of deal existed between Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, now looked at the Harry Potter who had stepped forward once more with an expression of interest.
He couldn't help but think—
Whether it was Cornelius Fudge or Dumbledore, neither of them had likely expected this moment to arrive…
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/BlurryDream