15 Times We Cried While Watching the Harry Potter Movies
By Buckie Wells
6. Umbridge’s Reign of Terror
For Harry Potter’s fifth year at Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic sends Dolores Umbridge to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Following the events of the Triwizard Tournament, the Ministry denies that Voldemort lives again. To quiet the fear and rebellion among the students, they place Dolores Umbridge inside the school to monitor all activity.
Something about her giggle is off from the start. Dressed head to toe in pink, Umbridge sticks out among the students. Her high-pitched voice is cold and condescending. Despite looking like a nice, little granny, she’s actually a nightmare.
Her reign of terror over the students begins with Harry Potter. After an outburst during class, Umbridge calls him into her office. Using a blood quill, she instructs him to write “I must not tell lies” over and over until he understands. The message carves into his skin painfully as we watch her first act of abuse take place. This treatment of students continues as she uses spells like the Cruciatus curse to get information from students, tortures first-years, and dismisses Professor Trelawney from the school.
Most of her acts in the movie are cringe-worthy at best. Especially the moment she chokes a centaur and we watch him writhe on the ground, gasping for air. Plus, she does everything with the creepiest smile on her face.
And it’s for this reason that the Harry Potter fandom pretty much unanimously hates her.
Movie: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix