No More Pretending, Let's Lay It All Out

Umbridge reacted even faster than Kyle had anticipated.

Friday afternoon was the sixth-grade Defense Against the Dark Arts, and before Sirius was taken away, his original plan was to learn new spells.

But now the professor has changed.

When Kyle and Kanna entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Umbridge was already sitting behind the podium, still wearing that ugly, fluffy pink cardigan.

The whole class remained silent, and Kyle didn't say anything either, simply finding a seat in the back row.

However, even if he sat further back, he couldn't avoid being bothered by Umbridge.

First, there are some hard and fast rules.

She required everyone to add "Professor Umbridge" after their answers to her questions.

For example, 'Okay, Professor Umbridge ' or 'No, Professor Umbridge '.

Everyone did as instructed, except Kyle, who acted as if he hadn't heard her at all and completely ignored her.

Umbridge noticed, so unsurprisingly, she called out Kyle's name directly.

"Why aren't you doing what I ask?" she said in a coquettish voice. "Do a few insignificant honors make you so arrogant that you can disregard the professor?"

"Excuse me, Madam Umbridge," Kyle said, "If the Order of Merlin, Second Class, is considered 'insignificant,' I suppose you have many of those. So, why don't you show them to us?"

Umbridge's face instantly darkened... If she had the Order of Merlin, would Kyle have even asked her to wear it on her clothes?

"No way, you don't have one?" Kyle said in an exaggerated tone, "You don't even have this 'trivial' honor? How can you be a professor? Or did you give it to Principal Galleon?"

These words immediately made Kyle the center of attention.

Everyone was incredulous; in their minds, Kyle had always been a typical Hufflepuff.

She was gentle and polite... How did she suddenly change? It's like she's become a completely different person.

After all, even the most reckless and troublesome Gryffindor wouldn't have said something like that.

Umbridge was trembling with anger.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" she shrieked.

"Oh, okay, you don't have Galleon," Kyle said casually. "Maybe you're using Sickle, which makes the money bag look fuller."

Umbridge's face flushed red and then paled, before she seemed to realize something.

"Okay, I admit, you do have some commendable achievements."

Her voice reverted to its previous tone, sounding fake and affected.

"However, this does not mean you can abandon basic manners."

"Dumbledore has never corrected you, which is really terrible of him, though of course, it's understandable."

"I think everyone here knows that he's been getting increasingly irrational lately, always saying the most absurd things, isn't he?"

No one answered.

However, they also knew that Umbridge was referring to what had been reported in the Daily Prophet... the same things Dumbledore said at the end of the school year about the resurrection of the You-Know-Who.

"I think you think so too." She looked at Kyle again, a malicious glint in her eyes. "You think Dumbledore's words are absurd, and that he himself is becoming increasingly confused."

"Dumbledore isn't confused at all," someone couldn't help but say.

"In my class, students must raise their hands before speaking. You are..."

Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Umbridge's gaze lingered on him for a moment before turning back to Kyle.

So what's your opinion?

"I think..." Kyle shrugged, "He's at least a lot smarter than you."

"So that means you think he's right?"

"Of course," Kyle said. "I believe Professor Dumbledore, and I believe he saw... Voldemort with his own eyes."

A collective gasp filled the classroom, followed by barely suppressed screams...

Hufflepuff deducts 20 points!

Umbridge wore a smug expression, saying triumphantly, "As punishment for your nonsense, there's also confinement. Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, in my office."

"Furthermore, I must remind you that if you continue to spread such absurd statements, the Ministry of Magic, on behalf of the Order of Merlin, will revoke your medal."

"Ah, I'll remember that," Kyle said.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he pushed open the door and left the classroom.

Umbridge on the podium laughed even harder. She took a piece of parchment from her handbag, wrote something on it, and then sealed it with magic.

"Kanna ..." Mikel asked, still dazed, "What's wrong with him? Could it be someone who drank Polyjuice Potion and is impersonating him?"

"No." Kanna shook her head; in fact, she was a little confused herself.

Time passed slowly, and finally get out of class ended.

Kanna was the first to rush out of the classroom and found Kyle playing with the Niffler in Hufflepuff's common room.

She ran over and sniffed Kyle carefully.

"What are you doing?" Kyle couldn't help but ask.

"Look for the smell of Polyjuice Potion," Kanna said. "Okay, no..."

Then she sat down in an armchair next to her.

What happened to you just now?

"Find a way to get her to put me in solitary confinement," Kyle said. "I had several plans prepared, but I didn't expect it to be so easy."

"You wanted Umbridge to put you in solitary confinement, so you provoked her?" Kanna was even more confused.

"Yes." Kyle nodded.

"Okay," Kanna said, a slight sigh of relief coming after realizing Kyle had done it on purpose. "No wonder, I've never seen you like that before..."

She paused for a moment, then didn't continue.

"You mean, mean-spirited, right?" Kyle said with a smile. "I learned that from Professor Snape, and it works wonders, doesn't it? She got angry right away."

"But that's normal. After all, when it comes to being sarcastic and biting, all the professors and students in the entire school combined can't compare to Professor Snape."

"What did you say?" Kanna glared at him, annoyed.

"But it's true," Kyle muttered to himself, but seeing Kanna's angry expression, he quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, when I said 'sharp-tongued,' I actually meant it as a compliment, really."

Seeing Kyle's sincere expression, Kanna reluctantly believed him.

"But I don't understand why you want to be put in solitary confinement."

"Because it's more convenient this way," Kyle said vaguely.

the next day.

In just one night, news of Kyle slamming the door and leaving Umbridge's class spread like wildfire, a remarkably fast pace even by Hogwarts standards.

"You really left halfway through?" Fred asked, sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

"Didn't they give Umbridge any face at all?" George asked from the other side.

As they spoke, their eyes shone with an unprecedented adoration.

Yes, worship.

Whether it was when Kyle received the Hogwarts Special Award for Services to the School or the Order of Merlin, they were simply happy.

This is the first time I've ever been this excited.

"You all knew?" Kyle asked casually.

"Heh..." George let out a strange laugh. "Do you think this is an answer to a question in class?"

Slamming the door and leaving halfway through a class would be a hot topic at Hogwarts for anyone, let alone someone as consistently excellent as Kyle.

"Did you take Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Kyle countered.

"No." Fred shook his head.

"You'll understand why I did this after you're done," Kyle said.

He checked the time, stood up, and said, "I have to go to my solitary confinement."

"By the way, Cedric, I'm not sure how long this confinement will last, so the Quidditch selection later..."

"It's alright, leave it to us," Cedric said, looking at Kyle with some concern.

"It's nothing, just a temporary lockout, it's no big deal," Kyle said.

Then, he left the Great Hall and went to Umbridge's office on the fourth floor. He knocked on the door, and a sickeningly sweet voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Kyle pushed open the door and went inside.

After changing hands six times, this office has now taken on a completely different style.

Everything was covered with lace tablecloths, and there were several vases with dried flowers, all placed on separate small cushions.

A set of decorative plates hung on the wall, each containing a brightly colored large cat wearing a different bow.

"Good morning," Umbridge said with a smile.

"Good morning," Kyle replied warmly, then casually walked over and sat down on a nearby sofa. "Do you have any black tea, without sugar? Thanks, I felt the apple pie I had for breakfast was a bit too sweet."

Umbridge was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Kyle to be so bold as to ask for tea while in solitary confinement.

Who does he think he is, a waiter with Three Broomsticks?

Umbridge's fake smile was starting to crumble. She enjoyed being respected and flattered, but Kyle didn't take her seriously at all.

And this has been true whether it was a few years ago at St Mungo's's, before that at the Ministry of Magic, or now.

"There's no black tea here, and even if there were, I wouldn't give it to you." Her voice gradually became shrill, carrying a hint of malice.

"Because you spread evil, despicable, and sensationalist lies, I'm going to punish you by making you write a few sentences... not with your pen, of course, but with this."

She took out a long, thin quill pen with an exceptionally sharp tip.

"If I'm not mistaken..." Kyle said, "There seems to be some kind of Dark Magic on this."

"Dark Magic? No, no, this is just your punishment." Umbridge's sickeningly fake smile reappeared on his face.

"No matter what excuse you use, Professor Dumbledore will not allow you to use Dark Magic items at the school."

"Dumbledore has no control over the Ministry of Magic!" Umbridge said viciously. "And he won't know, at least not until your punishment is over. Nobody will know what's going on here."

"I see..." Kyle nodded.

He leisurely took out his wand and casually waved it.

The next second.

"Smack!"

Umbridge was as if he had been slapped by an invisible Giant; he was sent flying uncontrollably, crashing into a nearby table with a dull thud.

The vase on top wobbled and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Only then did Kyle say with a smile:

"Honestly, why didn't you say so sooner? Since no one knows, why am I wasting my breath talking to you?"