Chapter 575: Ban!!
"Oh? I suppose you don't have the right to punish them, do you?"
Umbridge suddenly appeared.
She stood in front of Darren, a defiant look on her face.
Darren was genuinely a little curious. Why had this woman suddenly become so arrogant? Hadn't she always thought he was a problem before?
Even a little afraid of him?
But when he saw Umbridge walk over to Malfoy's side, he understood everything.
Umbridge probably thought Lucius would help her. After all, the Malfoys were a pure-blood family.
That gave Umbridge a bit of confidence.
But before Darren could speak, Malfoy already said disdainfully, "Professor Umbridge, I beg you, don't get involved, okay?
What if you reprimand Darren now, or put him in detention, and he goes back to beat us at night?"
"He still beats people?"
Umbridge looked excited.
"I can expel him!"
"So what if he doesn't leave?"
Malfoy asked calmly.
Umbridge opened her mouth, a look of astonishment appearing on her face.
It probably hadn't occurred to her that there were still people who wouldn't obey the Ministry of Magic and leave the school.
Wasn't there a Malfoy she could rely on?
But Draco already knew what she meant.
He said with a smile, "Don't think about my father. He couldn't beat Darren even when Darren was in second year. My father was mentioned by him."
Umbridge's maniacal smile froze slightly. She looked around at the others.
Trying to find some noble student willing to support her—but she was thinking too much.
Even Kassandra was copying the house rules with her head down. When she finished copying, she obediently handed the rulebook to Darren.
"Go back."
Darren nodded.
He smiled at her.
Kassandra glanced at Umbridge with disdain, nodded, and left. Umbridge glared angrily at her back.
But other than that, she had no way to deal with it. Still, she suddenly thought of something else.
Her gaze snapped toward Harry and George.
Because Crabbe had hit Harry, Harry and George had also pounced on Crabbe.
Umbridge sneered. "Then, Harry Potter, and this Mr. Weasley—I would like to discuss your punishment."
"My student, I will punish myself!"
Professor McGonagall said loudly.
Umbridge pulled a document out of her bag and sneered.
"It's thanks to your last insult to me that I didn't agree to Gryffindor forming a Quidditch team. You even went to Dumbledore. Now, the Ministry has made its position clear."
She held up the document.
It detailed the powers of the Senior Inquisitor, including the right to punish students—and even teachers.
Many names were signed on it. They were all members of the Wizengamot.
Darren did not find Nicolas's name among them.
He showed a worried expression and said, "Why isn't my teacher's name here? What did you do to him?"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
Umbridge sneered.
"How he fares depends on how you behave!"
Darren's face turned pale.
"Now, I announce the punishment for Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Weasley. Confiscation of brooms—and a lifetime ban!
Because of your violent tendencies. Of course, others without violent tendencies may continue to play."
"No!"
Darren stepped in front of Harry.
He clenched his fists, but immediately realized that this was not the posture of someone asking for mercy.
So he pleaded, "Don't do this. I won't punish Slytherin anymore, or I can listen to you and attend your classes properly later.
Don't punish my brother and George. They'll go crazy if they can't play Quidditch!"
"Obviously, Mr. Potter knows he was wrong. So, Mr. Potter, I want you to come to my office this afternoon. I'd like to talk to you alone.
Do you agree?"
Umbridge smiled excitedly, clearly feeling that she had once again seized Darren's weakness. Darren almost wanted to laugh.
He would make Umbridge realize that she still had to behave honestly in front of him.
"I agree—"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[…]
Before he could finish, Darren received a surge of Holy Father points.
Naturally, Harry and George clamped their hands over his mouth.
"Dream on! Darren won't go to your office again! I'd rather be banned for life than let him be tortured by you!"
Harry roared angrily.
Darren pulled their hands away.
He said firmly, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I've been to her office before, I'll be okay. Listen to me—I'll definitely come out unharmed!"
He just happened to want another chance to deal with that woman.
Seeing her face these days had already made his hands itch. But Harry and George acted as if he were walking to his death.
Together, they dragged Darren back.
"Why are you all standing there? Take Darren away!"
They shouted to the Gryffindor students. The Gryffindors quickly surrounded Darren and pulled him back.
Darren struggled for a moment, but realized that if he truly resisted, he might hurt them.
The Little Holy Father couldn't do that.
So he allowed himself to be dragged away. Umbridge shouted with a sneer behind them.
"Then Harry Potter and George Weasley are both banned! And by the way, that other Weasley twin also participated just now—lifetime ban!"
Darren was dragged into the Gryffindor common room.
Seeing everyone staring at him, he felt guilty and put on a bitter expression.
He whispered, "Let me go. It's because I punished Slytherin that Umbridge took revenge on my brother, Fred, and George. It's all because of me."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[…]
"It's not because of you. She's wanted to do this for a long time. Didn't you see? She didn't even want Gryffindor to have a team!"
"Yes, she's been planning this for ages. Going to her office will only mean torture—there's no benefit at all!"
Darren said with a pale face, "As long as my brother and Fred and George can return to the game, I can endure the punishment. Haven't I endured punishment before?
Don't worry about me. Let me think of a way.
The Seeker and the Beaters are gone—how is Gryffindor supposed to play?
Not to mention, she wants to give my brother and George a lifetime ban!"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[…]