"Of course, you haven't technically broken any school rules. Well…yet!"
Umbridge then added, "But only if you disband the so-called Study Interest Group, as requested, and tell me…who ordered you to do so?"
"No one told me to do it, Professor. If I had to, I made the decision myself," Ivan said with a shrug.
'Lies!' Umbridge snapped, looking straight into Ivan's face as if trying to read his thoughts.
She did not believe that a fifteen-year-old wizard would have the sudden idea of holding a meeting of a hundred and making statements against the Ministry.
'It was Dumbledore, wasn't it? He must have secretly instructed you to do all this, mustn't he?' Umbridge asked eagerly and with a hint of anticipation.
Ivan looked at Umbridge with a quizzical expression, then asked with sudden interest, 'Well, if I said yes, how would you deal with him?'
'So you are willing to work with us as a witness, Mr Harls?' Umbridge was faintly excited, her face lit up with delight.
"You haven't answered my question, Professor…" Ivan said noncommittally.
Umbridge calmed down a little and began to speak.
"If what you say is true, then I'm afraid that Headmaster Dumbledore is trying to force the students of Hogwarts to undergo militarised training to form a Scouting team to fight the Minister for Magic…"
"This is a felony under Ministry of Magic regulations! Not surprisingly, he will be stripped of his position as Headmaster and will spend the rest of his life in Azkaban…"
Umbridge looked at Ivan as she spoke, her threat clear.
Undeterred by Umbridge's look, Yvonne asked, "No surprise? But what if something goes wrong?"
"For example, if Dumbledore were determined to take up magic against the Ministry of Magic…what would you do to him?" Ivan added.
He had always wondered where Fudge got the courage to bring his men to capture Dumbledore.
'There are over a hundred Aurors at the Ministry!' Umbridge continued imperiously, glaring at Ivan. 'Dumbledore could not possibly, dare not, oppose us, and would have to abide by Ministry regulations and be punished unless … he is prepared to oppose the entire wizarding community!'
Ivan nodded, understanding now that bureaucracy was at work.
These people were used to relying on order and regulations to suppress others, so they subconsciously felt that they could not resist the will of the group.
This, combined with Dumbledore's gentle, well-behaved demeanour, which allowed him to tolerate the Daily Prophet's accusations that he was an old man, a fool, and thus gave Fudge and Umbridge the impression that they could arrest Dumbledore if they caught him red-handed.
"I hope you're thinking about Hales!" Umbridge said, her face darkening at Ivan's question.
"Your mother, Alicia, has not been behaving herself lately, and the Ministry is well aware that she is up to no good in Knockturn Alley.
However, if you cooperate with the Ministry and testify against Dumbledore, Minister Fudge might consider letting your mother off the hook…"
"Doesn't matter?" Yvonne almost laughed, then sighed with what might have been pleasure. "I see the Ministry doesn't have any way of dealing with a wizard who goes above and beyond the rules…"
"You are determined to follow Dumbledore against the Ministry of Magic, aren't you?" Umbridge asked, standing up with her wand in her right hand.
'No, no, no, you're mistaken about something in the first place!' Ivan shook his head, pointing to himself and looking at Umbridge with conviction. 'I'm the one who got the students to rally and prepare to fight the Ministry!'
Umbridge's face was full of astonishment, as if she had suddenly understood something and was still confused, but she managed to pull her wand out.
Ivan, however, was one step ahead of her. He did not need a wand, nor did he need to cast an incantation. He merely extended a finger, and the alchemical device on his wrist lit up slightly.
A red light flashed in mid-air, and Umbridge did not have time to cast a protective spell, as she felt her wand being knocked out of her hand.
In a split second, Umbridge was unable to fight back.
Looking at the young wizard in front of her, who was barely fifteen years old, Umbridge felt a great sense of dread, as she remembered that he had fought a dragon head-on last year, and that he was not someone she could deal with.
Even so, Umbridge showed no sign of backing down, and instead snapped, "I am the Senior Inquisitor appointed by Minister Fudge himself, and you dare lay a hand on me—"
Ivan did not reply, but lazily waved the wand he had just snatched.
"Imperio ~ (soul out of body)"
The moment the incantation was uttered, Umbridge screamed in terror.
The next moment, however, Umbridge's frightened and angry expression faded and her mind became empty, her body became light, and a voice in her head seemed to be telling her that this young wizard was the one she trusted and respected the most.
"Sit!" Ivan said, placing his wand on the table and pointing to a table.
Umbridge quickly moved and resumed her seat, as Ivan had instructed.
For a moment, it seemed as if everything had returned to how it had been in the beginning, but this time the priorities were completely reversed.
Yvonne did not rush to question him. Instead, she looked at the table in front of her, where a roll of parchment and a thin, long, black quill with a particularly sharp nib lay.
"Is this supposed to be used against me?" Yvonne asked curiously.
"That's right, Mr. Harls…" Umbridge nodded, explaining in the gentlest of tones. "This quill has been jinxed to imprint the written statement on the writer's wrist. My original intention was for you to keep copying the words 'Obey the Rules' until you remember them…"
'Well, I see…' Ivan suddenly realised and reached out to turn the pen and paper around, placing them in front of Umbridge. 'Then what are you waiting for? Get on with it! And who did you hear about the Defence Against the Dark Arts Society from?'