Umbridge - bad to the bone

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 180024

> > CJ:
> >
> > In the IMAC category, I think it's 
> > a toss-up between Skeeter and Umbridge. 
> 
> Geoff:
> I fear I must continue to disagree....
> 
> Umbridge did not intend to be the most annoying character 
> intentionally. She **set out** to be the most loathsome. 
> She came with the agenda of destroying Harry's credibility 
> and also that of Dumbledore to save the Ministry's face 
> and is prepared to do it by the most extragavent and 
> devious means. This is shown by her attempt to silence 
> Harry by using the Dementors and, having failed in this, 
> then continuing with her campaign of undermining his
> influence - and also his self-confidence by humiliation, 
> by insinuation and by physical abuse.

Mike:
I'll have to agree with Geoff. Umbridge, from her very first scene at 
Harry's trial, came across as hiding something. (Ah, that secrecy 
motif rears it's ugly head again.) Annoying? No, I'd say it was more 
of a visceral discomfit for this toady toad.

I just reviewed some posts from just after the OotP release (ca 
2003). One thread wondered if Umbridge was going to end up getting 
credit for "revolutionizing the DADA curriculum" entirely because of 
the misperception that through what and the way she taught, many did 
so well on their OWLs. We know that occured largely because of Harry 
teaching so many fifth-year DA members. 

But it seems the rest of the WW and especially the Ministry was quite 
ignorant of what exactly Umbridge did during that year. Nobody seemed 
to know that she sent the Dementors. Scrimgeour didn't act as if he 
knew that or understand what Harry meant by showing him the back of 
his hand. And nobody seemed to know that she had threatened to use 
the Cruciatus Curse on students to extract information. 
(Foreshadowing the Carrows, hmm?)


> Geoff:
> No, Do not consider that Umbridge was just a minor trouble 
> maker. She behaved in a way that would have uplifted the 
> spirits of every Death Eater in sight.... and, in so doing,
> risked the future of the entire Wizarding World.

Mike:
Yes again, and it may be that she succeeded in her toady quest, since 
she still occupied a high position in the Ministry even after it fell 
to the DEs. 

In the past we speculated that Umbridge was the ultimate bureaucrat, 
blinded by the rule of law. I propose that DH showed she was the 
ultimate politician, able to fit right in to an administration, 
regardless of who's holding the reins of power. She seemed to be 
quite comfortable in her role as chairwitch of the Muggleborn 
Registration Committee. She transferred her allegiences from Fudge to 
Scrimgeour to Thickness without a hitch in her get-along, didn't she?

Mike