Unlike Dumbledore, who was always particularly indulgent toward Gryffindor, Umbridge clearly showed no special favoritism toward students of any House.
From beginning to end, the Senior Undersecretary of Magic maintained what she considered her original principles. When it came to students violating Educational Decrees, Umbridge was consistently iron-fisted and unyielding.
Even though she herself had once been a Ravenclaw student, she had no intention of showing leniency toward her own House's juniors. Those who deserved detention received detention, and those who deserved punishment were made to accept it.
Just like Luna Lovegood standing before her now. Umbridge fully intended to make her the first student to be expelled from Hogwarts.
From this perspective alone, Umbridge could indeed be said to have achieved a kind of so-called equality for all....
In short, it was precisely because of this that the moment Draco stepped forward, everyone's expressions turned strange and stunned.
Especially since the one who stood up was a Slytherin.
Since when had Slytherin become so righteous?
Not to mention, Luna Lovegood wasn't even a Slytherin student....
...
Compared to everyone else's surprise, Umbridge herself was likely the most shocked person present.
"Mr. Malfoy... what did you just say?"
Her expression stiffened almost imperceptibly for a brief instant.
What was worth noting was that Umbridge's attitude toward Harry Potter and toward Draco Malfoy was completely different.
It was precisely this contrast that made Draco, who noticed it, lift an eyebrow....
Unaware that she had given herself away, Umbridge forced a smile back onto her face.
"My dear, you may not truly understand how harmful this magazine is to the wizarding world. If you did, you certainly wouldn't be speaking up for Lovegood."
It was obvious that Umbridge had not anticipated a situation like this.
Perhaps thinking she hadn't explained things clearly enough, or that Draco hadn't heard her earlier remarks, she unexpectedly began to speak in a calm, almost patient tone, offering further "clarification" under everyone's astonished gazes.
"As a fellow pureblood, you should be able to understand this as well, Mr. Malfoy."
"..."
"So please hand over that magazine. It is very important evidence."
Seeing that Draco remained silent, Umbridge likely assumed she had convinced him. A satisfied smile appeared on her face, causing Ginny's expression beside him to darken.
As for the others, watching Draco stand there without speaking, the girls felt a faint sense of disappointment, while those wizards who already disliked him showed looks of scorn and vindictive relief.
So what if you're a Malfoy?
So what if you once defeated a Thunderbird on your own?
In the end, you're no different from the rest of us. Faced with Umbridge's authority, you're still just as quiet.
However, just as everyone thought Draco would obediently hand over The Quibbler, what happened next made every wizard present, Umbridge included, widen their eyes....
"So... you're saying you're going to expel me?"
Draco lightly shook the copy of The Quibbler in his hand and let out a soft laugh as he spoke, the words completely unexpected. It was obvious that he had no intention of handing the magazine over....
He looked every bit like a problem student, his demeanor even carrying a hint of frivolity.
Yet for some reason, at this moment, Draco appeared dazzling in everyone's eyes.
Even Ginny Weasley, who had always disliked Draco for all sorts of reasons, found herself unable to look away from him now....
Unlike the others, Ginny knew very clearly that The Quibbler had never belonged to Draco in the first place. This had nothing to do with him, and yet he had stepped forward without the slightest hesitation to protect Luna.
Where there had once been dislike, there was now only shock.
Setting aside his stance or his motives, this act alone was enough to make Ginny reconsider her opinion of Draco.
And as for the person involved, Luna herself....
Well, judging by the way her gaze drifted aimlessly into the distance, the girl seemed completely unaware of what was happening at all.
Her thoughts had long since flown back home, to her father and the situation there....
…
Faced with a student openly defying her, Umbridge was certainly not the type to feel embarrassed.
Judging by past precedents and outcomes, Draco's fate should have ended in either expulsion or a severe detention. Every wizard present thought the same.
Under the girls' anxious gazes and the boys' barely concealed anticipation, Umbridge slowly let the smile fade from her face and carefully studied Draco Malfoy as he sat before her.
Those gray eyes and pale golden hair were the perfect inheritance of the Malfoy family's long-standing noble bloodline.
This wasn't the first time Umbridge had seen Draco Malfoy up close. Yet after just a year, she could already see in him the composure and elegance befitting the next head of the house.
This was someone who, in the future, would not fall short of Lucius....
"...."
To everyone's surprise, Umbridge neither turned away nor spoke.
She simply stood there, trapped in an odd and unsettling silence.
If not for the faint sound of breathing, one might have thought they had all been caught in some large-scale freezing spell....
Unlike the others' confusion, Draco narrowed his eyes slightly.
From Umbridge's reaction, he seemed to have confirmed something important.
In truth, Draco was no selfless saint, nor some soft-hearted blond who rushed forward to comfort every pretty girl he saw.
He had acted with clear intent.
Of course, if things truly ended in expulsion, given the current circumstances, it wasn't an outcome he couldn't accept.
After all, for someone with Draco's powerful background, graduating from Hogwarts wasn't exactly a necessary milestone....
These thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind before he lifted his gaze again to Umbridge, who still hadn't spoken.
Is she afraid? No... Is she weighing the gains and losses?
From her hesitation, Draco immediately realized that she was considering whether doing this would offend him.
No, more precisely, she was worried about offending Lucius Malfoy standing behind him, or even the entire formidable faction led by the Malfoy family.
Of course, there was another possibility as well....
That was... alliance.
In order not to damage the alliance between the Ministry of Magic and Lucius, Umbridge, as a Ministry official, had no choice but to carefully consider her attitude toward Draco.
Was it really worth creating a rift in that alliance just to expel an insignificant student?
The answer wasn't difficult.
And that, precisely, explained why Umbridge had become so hesitant....