Chapter 623: Fudge’s Schemes
Apart from Dumbledore, there was someone else who was equally furious about the article.
Umbridge was nearly seething with rage at Rita Skeeter. After reading that morning's Daily Prophet, she stormed back to the Ministry of Magic without even pausing for breakfast.
With the professors absent, there was naturally no Defence Against the Dark Arts class that day. However, given Umbridge's teaching methods, it made little difference whether she was present or not. After all, her lessons consisted of little more than reading and copying, and without her hovering over them, the students actually enjoyed a bit more freedom.
When the afternoon class began, the room was in chaos. Without a professor, it felt as though Christmas vacation had arrived early.
The students' excitement peaked when it became clear that no substitute would be stepping in, meaning they had free rein within the classroom—aside from leaving it entirely.
Mikel and Ryan were immersed in a lively game of wizard chess, while a group of Gryffindors had transformed their textbooks into makeshift Quaffles, tossing them at one another. Judging by their energy, it seemed they might have organized a real Quidditch match if only the classroom had been large enough to accommodate broomsticks.
Amid the clamor, Kyle sat at his desk, steadfastly focused on catching up on his Ancient Runes homework. The class met just once a week, but the workload never let up.
The fifteen-inch essays were manageable, but the real headache came from the translation assignments. These consisted of tedious, lengthy records of seemingly irrelevant events, and Kyle was determined to finish them.
"Kyle, do you think Umbridge will actually be removed from her position?" Kanna asked, her voice tinged with hope.
"Unlikely," Kyle replied, setting his quill down and slipping the translated papers into his textbook. "Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic operate on completely different dynamics. Fudge must be aware of what's happening here, and he wouldn't be happy about this article. But for Fudge, it doesn't matter whether the claims are true or not."
"What a pity," Kanna muttered, her dislike for Umbridge evident.