Chapter 346 Confrontation

"Caredi, I need your advice." Anthony said the moment the office door opened, "Do you know that Ms. Umbridge -"

His words were interrupted. Professor Bubaji stood behind her desk with her eyebrows raised, her hands on the table, glaring at the person sitting opposite her, without even giving Anthony a look. And that person is none other than the venerable Senior Investigator, Ms. Dolores Jane Umbridge.

Umbridge raised her wand and turned her head, a disgusting smile slowly appearing on her pale and puffy face.

"Oops," she said with feigned surprise, as if she had just opened the door accidentally. "Sit down, Charity, honey, don't get so excited, or Professor Anthony will think you're going to do something— "Is there any news I should know, Professor Anthony?" She waved her wand and tried to close the door.

Anthony reached out and grabbed the door handle: "I'll see you later, Caredi." He used a little force and pulled the door open wider.

"No, Henry." Professor Bubbaji finally spoke, but she still stared at Umbridge, her tone was cold and hard, "I would rather you stay, in case I really want to hit someone."

"You need me to roll up your sleeves, right?" Anthony asked, letting go of the handle. With a bang, the door hit the door frame and closed tightly.

Professor Bubaji's cold expression softened. After a while, she breathed a sigh of relief, sat down, and motioned to Anthony to drag another cushioned chair in the corner over. Umbridge looked at them with a smile. In front of her lies a teapot with a painting of cats and a matching teacup. It was hard not to suspect that she had taken it from her office, because there was nothing in front of Professor Bubaji.

"It's so nice to meet you, Professor Anthony." Umbridge said sweetly, "You know, I happened to be praising the quality of Muggle Studies teaching at Hogwarts. Look, I happen to have The academic performance of Muggle Studies in each grade in recent years... After Caridi joined Hogwarts, the academic performance of each grade has improved significantly, and the performance is quite balanced. It can be seen that colleagues from the Ministry of Magic have done a good job for us. "You don't know how happy I am that my magic school has brought about such an improvement."

Anthony looked at the list pushed in front of him, and then looked at her, not sure what expression he should show. He believed this must be a sarcasm, but the data was indeed what she said. Umbridge grinned like a toad, obviously pleased with Anthony's confusion.

"And you, Professor Anthony," Umbridge said again, "I heard that your students performed quite well in this year's O.W.Ls - of course, the specific O.W.Ls results are still confidential, but this is not This does not prevent me from expressing my congratulations to both of you in my report—"

"That damn report of yours," Professor Bubaji interrupted rudely, "should be thrown into the toilet and flushed down the drain!"

"What report?" Anthony asked.

"She wrote a report—"

Umbridge said: "It's just a report on the magical education that the next generation of wizards will receive."

"-Compared students' performance from various angles, from college, to subject, to grade and gender-" Professor Bubaji's voice gradually rose.

"Actually, I'm surprised, Caredi, that you found out about this and were so furious about it—"

"—and family origin!" Professor Bubbaji shouted. "She even spent a full twenty-three inches in it, implying—no, demonstrating—that Muggle-born students do poorly!"

"It's so detailed, so detailed. This means that someone must have leaked the contents of the confidential document. This is not a good thing..." Umbridge said softly, with a fake smile, "Let me think about it, maybe It's Mafalda from the Abuse of Magic Office. She seems to like you, don't you think?"

"This has nothing to do with Mafalda!" Professor Bubaji said disgustedly. "Before you came, I had never heard that family origin had an impact on students' performance! I don't know how you distorted the data. But I just don’t believe your conclusion!”

Umbridge pretended to be surprised and said: "Twisted data? Are you questioning the authority of the O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts exams? If the person who tipped you off was more accurate, you should know that Muggle-born Students in this O The average performance of W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts is obviously not as good as that of mixed-bloods, let alone those pure-blood wizards who have received magic education since childhood... Come on, Caredi, don't look like this, this is not pure-bloodism, it's just It’s just reality.”

"I just don't believe it." Professor Bubaji maintained his expression as if he saw a dead mouse after opening a chocolate frog. "Whatever you say, yes, I would rather question the authority of the exam if necessary."

"Oh." Umbridge tilted her head slightly, her tone as innocent as a little girl's, "Then, maybe you should report Ms. Marchbane to the Minister and the Wizengamot Court."

Professor Bubaji's chest heaved violently: "I'm not questioning Professor Marchban, what I'm saying is - you must be -"

Umbridge leaned forward slightly: "I didn't participate in any of the exams, Caredi, you know this. In fact, you made sure of it... I was always in my office writing reports... "

"And confinement," said Anthony.

Umbridge turned her head, as if she suddenly realized that he was also there: "What?"

"And the confinement of students." Anthony said slowly, collecting his thoughts, "To be precise, Ms. Umbridge, it is the confinement of impressionable students who are from Muggle families. I heard that you Been doing this for months.”

Professor Bubbaji understood and said angrily: "This will probably make their exam results look less good, Umbridge?"

"That's not my intention." Umbridge vetoed decisively. "I just want to regulate their behavior. If they all behave well, how can I put them in solitary confinement? Do you think other professors might agree?"

Anthony said: "I heard that several students were in a daze after the confinement ended, and they couldn't cheer up and didn't want to talk."

"And I would say that students should not speak freely in class." Umbridge said with satisfaction. "In my opinion, this may just show that they understand the rules better."

Professor Boubaji said through his teeth: "I will report you."

"Well, to whom?" Umbridge asked, curiosity and malice shining in her baggy, bulging eyes.

"minister--"

"Connelly gave me the authority to do that."

"Then, Professor Marchban—"

"You know I passed the compliance check, right? Anyone who could see the exam board's records would say I did not cheat on this exam."

"Dumbledore——"

"Have you seen him lately? I hear he's busy."

"Ms. Bones—"

"The Wizengamot?" Umbridge said sweetly, "My dear, how many nights did I lock the student in solitary confinement? When did the Wizengamot start accepting such cases?"

"I'll report it, I'll accept it." Professor Bubbaji stood up abruptly, his chair falling to the ground with a thump, "As the Wizengamot's Special Advisor on Muggle Studies, I can't just watch you do this. Slandering Muggle-born wizards——"

"Then, I am very sorry to tell you," Umbridge raised her head slightly with a proud smile on her face, "you do not really belong to the Wizengamot and cannot accept cases on behalf of the Wizengamot. Especially "Counselor..." she read the title slowly, "if I remember correctly, this is not part of the Wizengamot. On the other hand, I, the Senior Under-Secretary of Magic, am an official member of the Wizengamot. one."

"You? How many times have you attended?"

"Only the very important ones," Umbridge said, "but that's enough. By the way, there are voices who think the Wizengamot doesn't need advisers in certain subjects."

Professor Bubaji's eyes narrowed: "Is this a threat?"

"What? Oh, no, of course not, Caredi. Don't be so pushy. Sit down, sit down. You know, the Muggle Studies students are doing pretty well this time - of course, I'd say Your students are inherently smarter than those Muggle-born students - there is no need to deny the results of this exam. Let's enjoy this cup of tea. After all, I don't want to find out who leaked the confidential report. your……"

Check out the 16-9 book bar to see the correct version!

Professor Boubaji did not sit down: "And I am unwilling to give up on pursuing the unfair treatment of Muggle-born wizards."

Umbridge raised her head, looked at Professor Bubbaji for a moment, slowly raised her eyebrows, and put the tea cup back on the saucer with a click.

"Think carefully, Caridi, you have just become the special adviser. I heard that you are still planning to implement the revised Muggle Protection Act at the end of this year... Oh, and early next year, don't you plan to initiate it? Are you aware that it's not a good idea to get involved in a controversy at this time, by asking St. Mungo's to treat immediate Muggle relatives?"

Professor Bubaji's expression could be considered disgusting. She closed her mouth tightly, and for the first time, a trace of struggle flashed across her face.

Umbridge smiled in victory, but the next moment, Professor Bubbaji said firmly: "No."

"What did you say?"

"I said no," Professor Boubaji said. "I'm not going to let this go."

Umbridge said: "You have no proof -"

"Me." Anthony also stood up, "I am her witness."

Umbridge shook her head and said sweetly: "You should remember the magnanimity of the Ministry of Magic towards you, Professor Anthony. I thought you knew that the Ministry of Magic would not accept your testimony."

"Why?" Professor Bubbaji asked sharply, "Because Henry is a Muggle-born wizard? In the trial of Peter Pettigrew-"

"Because you, Professor Anthony, are a necromancer," Umbridge said, standing up as well (although it seemed to be about the same height as when she was sitting). She drew her wand, and Professor Bubbaji reflexively raised his own. Anthony hesitated for a moment and also took out his wand.

For a moment, Professor Bubaji's expression was blank. The next moment, she laughed, as if she thought Umbridge was quite ridiculous: "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you don't know." Umbridge raised her eyebrows in surprise, "It seems that when Dumbledore recruited new professors, he did not inform the original employees of the dangers behind them. Yes, Caredi , and you might be shocked at how many dark secrets he holds..."

"The secret of darkness?" Professor Bubbage asked sarcastically, "What, looking at the stars? Even saying he is a centaur is more credible than accusing him of being a necromancer! God, Umbridge, you don't really think--"

"I am, Caridi." Anthony said.

"What?" Bubbage turned to him angrily.

Anthony faced her wand and whispered, "I am."

"He said he is." Umbridge said triumphantly, "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder why those who are keen to flaunt their own light always turn a blind eye to the darkness in front of them? And those who really care about students, those who really care about the future of the magic community, always face unwarranted accusations."

"Really?" Professor Bubbage asked coldly, and quickly pointed the tip of his wand at Umbridge, "So, those who really care about the future of the magic community, what did they do about the darkness in front of them?"

Umbridge's smile widened: "You may be surprised, but I did take some measures..."

At this moment, the fireplace beside them burst into green flames. Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames.

"Ah, Henry, there you are," he said cheerfully, as if not noticing that the three people in the office were holding their wands. "I was going to ask if Charity had seen you... Oh, Dolores, that's great. Perhaps you could come to my office sometime? I've got an interesting letter."