While Professor Trelawney's prophecy was causing a huge stir throughout Hogwarts Castle, rumours also spread privately among the students that Albert intended to reorganise the "Defense Association." They said Albert planned to help everyone catch up on the Defence Against the Dark Arts knowledge they had missed, and had even personally compiled a Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook called Self-Defense Guide for use as teaching material.
For the vast majority of Hogwarts students, this was undoubtedly good news.
Although some people dismissed Albert's Self-Defense Guide, claiming that he was far too arrogant and conceited, those noisy voices were quickly drowned out and met with the contempt and ostracism of others.
Only brainless idiots and fools consumed by jealousy would say such things.
As the champion of Barnaby Finley's Excellent Spellcasting Technique, the Triwizard Tournament, and the Wizard Duelling Competition—and as someone who had defeated an insufferably arrogant dark wizard—Albert's abilities were beyond question.
If even Albert was not qualified, then who was?
Wouldn't all the other authors of Defence Against the Dark Arts works become laughingstocks? None of them possessed titles and prestige as dazzling as Albert's.
Umbridge's response to the rumours was somewhat slow. By the time she received the news and tried to take action, the rumours had already changed.
Albert himself publicly declared that he was too busy this term to tutor everyone.
The original rumours thus collapsed on their own.
Of course, only a handful of people knew the truth. Katrina was one of them. She knew Albert was indeed busy, but that having no time to tutor everyone was merely an excuse. After all, Albert had tutored her several times that month, with excellent results. Katrina felt that her Defence Against the Dark Arts ability had surged forward by leaps and bounds.
Before Umbridge