Did Umbridge have a grudge against them? Was she determined not to rest until she had driven them to their deaths?
They thought about it again and again; they and their families should have never offended Umbridge, right?
Even her and Fudge's salaries were paid for by their families!
And now she was screwing them over like this?!
Before the Little Snakes could speak, Amanda spoke up first. "It doesn't matter. If the Pure-blood families are unwilling to pay these Galleons, I can invest in Hogwarts and become a new member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors."
Amanda wanted to invest in Hogwarts? Hearing this news, the Little Snakes only felt their vision go dark.
Her influence in the Wizarding World was already large enough. If she became a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, the British Wizarding World would truly become her personal playground from top to bottom, in every aspect; her word would be law.
"Thank you for your generosity, Miss Amanda." Someone among the Slytherin Little Snakes could no longer bear to listen. Pansy Parkinson stepped forward, first bowing elegantly to Amanda, and then bowing to Headmaster Dumbledore.
"But please, Headmaster Dumbledore, believe that our Pure-blood families fully support Hogwarts' operation and its teaching independence. We have no objections to Hogwarts' current educational philosophy, teaching methods, or faculty configuration."
"We are very willing to pay the bill for this." Pansy said this last sentence while looking at Umbridge. If looks could kill, Umbridge would probably have been splattered with blood by now.
The sugary smile on Umbridge's face suddenly froze, and she looked at Pansy and the other Slytherin Little Snakes behind her in disbelief.
The Little Snakes glared at Umbridge, wishing they could pull out their wands right now and turn her into a toad. They had finally managed to stand on the same side as Amanda, getting her and those Ravenclaws to stop their "sniping" of the Pure-blood families.
Yet now, with one sentence, Umbridge had almost intensified the conflict. How could they not be angry?
"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Amanda nodded nonchalantly, her hollow eyes looking at Umbridge. "You heard that, Professor Umbridge. The Hogwarts Board of Governors is very satisfied with the current Hogwarts and is quite willing to spend money for it."
"So these matters are no longer a concern for Professor Umbridge, a graduate who has already been expelled from Hogwarts."
Hearing the word 'expelled,' Umbridge's body trembled violently. She tightly gripped the wand in her hand, her chest heaving violently just like a toad's.
She got angry just thinking about being expelled. Why was she expelled? Wasn't it all because of this damn girl!
Why were the two Founders of Hogwarts able to come back to life? Why would they recognize this damn girl as their daughter!
Raising an eyebrow at Umbridge's hand tightly gripping her wand, a playful emotion flickered in Amanda's hollow eyes as she smiled and stepped forward slowly.
She reached out and used a Levitation Charm to slowly lift Umbridge's hand from a distance, making her wand point directly at herself.
"This is already the third wand, isn't it, Professor Umbridge?"
"Want to use a spell to teach me a lesson? Go ahead."
As Amanda spoke, she even spread her arms wide. But don't be fooled by her opening her arms.
With Umbridge's magical ability, Amanda wouldn't even have to move a finger; just a blink of an eye could send her flying ten thousand meters into the air, followed by a world-class free fall.
Guaranteed to make her famous upon landing.
With her wand lifted by Amanda, Umbridge seemed to snap back to her senses instantly. Her face full of terror, she lowered her wand and even uncontrollably took two steps back.
She waved her hand at Amanda with a forced smile. "How could I? How could I? I have absolutely no objection to Miss Amanda, and I would never want to use a spell to punish you."
"Well, I respect your wishes, Professor Umbridge."
Amanda nodded reluctantly, feeling a bit of regret in her heart. If only this Umbridge had been a bit tougher, a bit more backbone.
She had practically shoved it in Umbridge's face; how could Umbridge endure it? What a pity.
Shaking her head in regret, Amanda turned around and left through the crowd without pausing. The Young Wizards automatically cleared a path for her. Out of the corner of her eye, she clearly saw many Young Wizards putting their wands back into their wizard robes, even the Slytherin Little Snakes.
"Hogwarts is one!"
Amanda spoke suddenly, her cold but powerful voice spreading across the open space in front of the Castle gates.
"Hogwarts is one!" × n
The Young Wizards present responded in unison, shouting as if they were a single person.
A smile curled on Amanda's lips as she walked straight into Hogwarts Castle without looking back.
Umbridge watched her back, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Hogwarts had been completely forged into a solid block by this damn girl.
What exactly did she want to do? Hogwarts becoming a solid block was not good news for the Ministry of Magic.
She had to find a way, had to find a way. Not necessarily to dismantle this girl's influence, but at least to create a rift among them.
After thinking for a moment, Umbridge suddenly had an idea. She looked at the back of Amanda, who had already entered the gates of Hogwarts Castle, and showed a sinister smile.
Amanda sat down at the Ravenclaw Table. To her right, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore immediately leaned their heads over.
"What happened outside just now? There was such a commotion. Many people in the Great Hall ran out to see the excitement."
Neither of them liked crowded places, so they hadn't gone.
"Umbridge used the excuse that Professor Trelawney has no real talent to try and kick her out of Hogwarts."
"Kick her out of Hogwarts?" Cho Chang frowned, looking at Umbridge with a complex expression as she walked in with a hypocritical smile. "Doesn't she have any self-awareness?"
"Does she really think she has the right to decide whether anyone stays or leaves Hogwarts?"
Currently, Amanda, Headmaster Dumbledore, and the others could tolerate Umbridge and Fudge making a mess at Hogwarts only because they were waiting—waiting for Umbridge and Fudge to make more mistakes.
To then crush them once and for all.
Amanda's plan could be described as gentle for people like Fudge and Umbridge, but they just didn't want it; especially Umbridge, she was practically walking the path of self-destruction with unwavering determination.
After dinner, Marietta Eckmore and Cho Chang spoke to their junior, and then Marietta Eckmore went alone to the Hogwarts Library to return some books.
She returned books at this time every week and borrowed two new ones while she was at it.
Walking on the way to the Library, Marietta Eckmore keenly sensed some abnormality behind her.
Although she didn't know why, she could just feel that something was behind her.
Her right hand slipped into her wizard robe pocket to grip her wand. Then, without any hesitation, Marietta Eckmore spun around instantly, her wand pointing directly behind her.
"Who's there? Come out!"
"Miss Edgecombe," Umbridge walked out from the corner with a smile, nodding for her to lower her wand. "Why not lower your wand? I just want to talk to you."
"I don't think I have anything to talk about with you, Professor Umbridge. Besides, your smile makes me sick. You'd better stop smiling."
Sparks sputtered from the tip of Marietta Eckmore's wand. Her eyes were fixed on Umbridge, ready to throw a spell at any moment.
"Don't be so rash, foolish girl," Umbridge narrowed her eyes, looking at Marietta Eckmore sinisterly. "Your mother still works at the Ministry of Magic, doesn't she? Madam Edgecombe, managing all the Floo Network and fireplaces, right?"
"You want to use my mother's job to threaten me?" Marietta Eckmore looked at Umbridge, feeling like she was looking at the world's biggest idiot.
"Don't say that. How could I threaten such a lovely student like you? However, such a lovely student shouldn't mind revealing something to me."
"About that study group organized by Miss Amanda that violates Ministry regulations. You must be practicing Defense Against the Dark Arts in private; otherwise, you couldn't use spells so proficiently."
She has some brains, but not much, Marietta Eckmore said quietly in her heart.
"As long as you speak up about this, don't worry, I guarantee your mother's career in the Ministry will be smooth sailing. But if you don't speak... of course, I won't make things difficult for her, it's just that your mother might encounter some difficulties in her work."
Umbridge smiled pretentiously, still presenting a disgusting image.
"I think you've misunderstood something, Professor Umbridge," Marietta Eckmore raised her chin slightly. "My mother is indeed in charge of the overall management of the Floo Network and fireplaces at the Ministry of Magic."
"But that's because she has the ability, and only she has the ability." Marietta Eckmore's lips curled slightly. Her mother had told her that besides herself, basically no one could untangle the many lines of the Floo Network. Even if others could figure it out, it would take a very long time.
And during that time, Marietta Eckmore believed the Ministry of Magic would be more anxious than she and her mother.
"Since you've said so, I'll write to my mother and tell her to take a few months off. I hope the Floo Network in the British Wizarding World still works during those months."
Giving Umbridge a mocking look, Marietta Eckmore turned and left without hesitation.
If Amanda weren't here, she might indeed have had some concerns about Umbridge's threat.
But now with Amanda, the overall prices in the Wizarding World had dropped. Even if her mother took a few months or even half a year off, the family wouldn't lack money.
In that case, it would be better for her mother to take a good rest. She hadn't had a proper vacation in two years, all to ensure the Floo Network in the British Wizarding World ran smoothly during various holidays.
Her mother certainly wouldn't be willing to take a vacation on her own initiative, so using Umbridge's hand to let her mother have a break—how should she put it? Umbridge had actually done exactly what Marietta Eckmore wanted.
Failing to threaten but being threatened by Marietta Eckmore instead, Umbridge's eyes grew redder and redder as she watched Marietta Eckmore's back, the resentment in her heart deepening.
In this moment, her powerlessness and helplessness in the face of Amanda were all projected onto Marietta Eckmore.
She quickly pulled out her wand. "Stupefy!"
"Protego!"
Marietta Eckmore turned quickly, a powerful Shield Charm standing before her. The strong spell even threw Umbridge back two steps.
Since she had already done it, she might as well... go all the way. Thinking of this, Umbridge, blinded by rage, could no longer care about anything else. She now only wanted to knock Marietta Eckmore unconscious and take her back to her office.
Once she brought her back to the office, Umbridge had plenty of ways to make her talk; she still had half a bottle of Veritaserum in her office.
In any case, she had to get proof that Amanda had violated the rules. Even if she couldn't strike her down, she could say it was Dumbledore's mismanagement that caused student issues.
Dumbledore wasn't as unscrupulous as Amanda. When the time came, she could force Dumbledore to make some compromises.
Seeing that Umbridge actually wanted to fight her, a mocking smile appeared on Marietta Eckmore's lips, and the wand in her hand immediately moved with great vigor.
Her junior was someone they absolutely couldn't afford to provoke, but was she herself an easy target? She was no pushover either!
Expelliarmus, Stupefy, Impediment Jinx, Hurricane Curse... various spells shot from the tip of Marietta Eckmore's wand. She forced Umbridge back step by step. Umbridge, who originally wanted to knock her out, was now being beaten into passive defense.
Staggering backward, Umbridge used her fifth Shield Charm. "Damn it... why does Hogwarts teach students so many spells!"
She muttered viciously under her breath, continuing to put up Shield Charms. Her movements waving the wand were becoming more and more strained, whereas Marietta Eckmore's movements were becoming more and more vigorous.
When another Stupefy shattered Umbridge's Shield Charm, Marietta Eckmore was less than five meters away from Umbridge.
Just as she wanted to use one final Expelliarmus to end the battle, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.
Instinctively turning to look, she saw Filch holding an oil lamp in both hands, ready to smash it down.
Just now, Filch had heard the noise here and rushed over. Seeing Marietta Eckmore bombarding Umbridge with spells, he immediately fell into his habitual thinking, forgetting Amanda's previous warning to him.
The mindset of insisting for so many years that Young Wizards were no good was not so easily changed. In his habitual thinking, this was a Young Wizard attacking a Professor.
Therefore, he had stepped forward silently, quietly raising the oil lamp high to help the Professor manage a disobedient Young Wizard. This was his duty as the Castle Caretaker.
He hadn't expected that even Marietta Eckmore, in the middle of a battle with Umbridge, could instinctively hear his footsteps and turn back in time to discover his movements.
"Stupefy!" × 2
A flash of purple magical light passed, and Filch flew backward, falling heavily to the ground unconscious.
Marietta Eckmore also staggered forward a step, feeling her head grow heavy and her consciousness begin to blur.
Just as she instinctively turned back to deal with Filch, Umbridge had directly sneak-attacked her from behind.
Raising her left hand to support her forehead, Marietta Eckmore gritted her teeth and turned back, only to be met with another Stupefy.
Bang!
Falling backward onto the ground, Marietta Eckmore's breathing became heavier; she could now clearly hear every one of her gasps.
Two Stupefying Charms; she could no longer put up any effective resistance. Marietta Eckmore used her last bit of logic to judge this.
Umbridge's goal in catching her was nothing more than Amanda's "secrets." She would definitely use Veritaserum. She couldn't let her... succeed... she had to leave some information for others so they could find her before she was forced to reveal too much. She raised her arm without hesitation.
This movement was actually so difficult to do now. Marietta Eckmore aimed at the Castle stairs not far away and shot a red flare.
The flare went all the way up, exploding at the very top of the Hogwarts stairs with a loud bang and bright light.
"Stupefy! Stupefy!"
Bang! Bang!
Two more Stupefying Charms hit her body. Marietta Eckmore took one last look in the direction of the stairs, her eyes closing heavily as she lay back on the ground.
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