Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, The X Factor, Pink Panther or anything else that may be referenced in this chapter.

A/N: Big thank you to you all for reading reviewing, following and favouring. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)

Chapter 2

Bootcamp had been one of the worst experiences of the four judge's lives. Ever. Counting the First Wizarding War. They had clapped, grimaced, hem hemmed and swiveled their way throughout the week. Albus's beard exploded twice with excitement; unable to bear the wait until he would hear the contestants sing in the live shows. At long last, however, the week had come to an end and the judges had each eliminated one act from their category. Blaise Zabini from Fourth and Fifth year, Angelina Johnson from Sixth year and Over, Charlie and Bill Weasley from Groups, and Horace Slughorn from General Public.

The Teacher's Office Rounds had arrived.

Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and Hogwarts High Inquisitor, wondered for the umpteenth time what she had done to deserve this. In her own humble opinion, she had been a kind, conscientious, rather beautiful individual, with high morals and flawless etiquette for all of her seventy-fi- ahem, thirty-five years.

'So why,' she asked herself as the door shut behind her final audition, Lee Jordan, 'am I being forced to judge in the abomination that is The X Factor: Hogwarts Edition?'

The answer came to her after a good five minutes of straining, as it always did; Albus Dumbledore, and to an extent Filius Flitwick, as if it were not for him, she would be host of the show. Then again, if it wasn't for Dumbledore, none of this would've happened and she wouldn't have such a terrible headache from all the yowling- as it could hardly be called singing- that had gone on in her office today.

But, it need not happen! Umbridge, marveling at her own brilliance, reached out a webbed hand for the handle of her desk drawer, in which she kept the parchment she used for Ministry Decrees. Since Cornelius never actually read the decrees, just signed them, Umbridge felt safe. She opened the drawer and pulled out the small heavyweight safe. Having entered the correct password, passed the DNA verification, and listed her top three favourite ice-cream flavours in alphabetical order, the safe allowed Umbridge admittance, remarking as it did so, that a little plastic surgery wouldn't go astray.

Ignoring it, Umbridge removed the manila folder that housed her decree parchment, and opened it. Her eyes boggled even further out of her head than usual.

Written in rainbow ink by a hand she recognised as Dumbledore's, was, in large block letters across the parchment; ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS DOLORES?

Umbridge flipped the page over and found the same message on the other side. Angered, she removed the page from the folder and stared down at the one underneath it; ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE SURE?

Once again she flipped it over and found that message on the other side. Incensed, Umbridge flipped through the pages of the folder in rapid succession.

ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE SURE THAT YOU'RE SURE THAT YOUR'E SURE?

ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU WHAT TO RUIN THE LIVES OF THE ENTIRE MAGICAL COMMUNITY?

AND THEIR LITTLE TOES?

THINK OF THE LITTLE TOES, DOLORES!

THEY ARE CRYING, BEGGING FOR MERCY, BECOMING INGROWN BY GRIEF!

DO YOU KNOW HOW PAINFUL AN INGROWN TOENAIL IS?

ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT MUCH PAIN?

THAT WON'T LOOK GOOD ON THE POSTERS WHEN YOU CAMPAIN FOR MINISTER FOR MAGIC, YOU KNOW…

'VOTE ONE FOR DOLORES UMBRIDGE: UNESSECARILY OVERWORKING ST. MUNGOS'S PODIATRIST UNIT AND CAUSING UNBEARABLE AGONY TO THE MAGICAL POPULATION ONE MINISTRY DECREE BANNING HARMLESS TO ALL BUT EARDRUMS SINGING COMPETITIONS AT A TIME!'

I FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAVE GONE OFF TOPIC…

ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS DOLORES?

ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU WANT TO END SEVERUS'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SWIVEL CHAIR CURRENTLY RESIDING IN THE BOX BEHIND THE DUSTY WARDBROBE BY THE WINDOW IN THE LIITLE-KNOWN ALCOVE IN THE MUGGLE MUSIC CLASSROOM BEFORE ITS EVEN BEGAN?

Umbridge blinked. Shaking her head, she turned to the second last decree and her eyes bulged out of her head.

WELL, DON'T LET ME STOP YOU.

Smirking, Umbridge turned to the final decree form, and groaned.

I TOLD YOU NOT TO LET ME… BUT I GUESS YOU DID. OH, AND YOUR'E OUT OF FORMS… WHAT A SHAME (!) YOU'LL NEED TO ORDER SOME MORE, BECAUSE I MAY HAVE GIVEN YOUR OTHER 3,500 TO A MUGGLE DRILL COMPANY TO USE AS STORAGE BOXES FOR SPARE PARTS… MARVELLOUS INVENTION, PAPER MACHE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THOSE FORMS TAKE WEEKS TO ARRIVE, WELL THEY HAVE TO BE SPECIALLLY MADE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE RESIDENCE IN YOUR OFFICE… NO OFFENSE. WELL, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AS MUGGLES SAY: THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Having finished smacking her head against the desk, Umbridge turned to the list beside her and made several crossings out and circulations with her quill. Nodding several times, she read the list with a grimance.

FINAL THREE FOR THE SIXTH YEAR AND OVER CATEGORY

Marietta Edgecombe

Cormac McLaggen

Alicia Spinnet.

Minerva McGonagall sighed as her final audition, Remus Lupin and Snuffles disappeared from view. Come on Minnie you can do this, she thought, leaning back in her chair. She considered her list a final time and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Positivity." She sighed.

FINAL THREE FOR THE GROUPS CATEGORY

Fred and George Weasley

Remus Lupin and Snuffles (singing dog)

Lavender Brown, Pavarti and Padma Patil

Pomona Sprout beamed as her last audition, Tonks, skipped from the Greenhouse. Her beam became slightly fixed as Tonks kicked a plant of baby Devil's Snare over as she left.

"Sorry!" Tonks called.

"It's fine!" Sprout called back, picking up her list, grinning as she stared down at the names. Albus might be right; this could be fun. She thought.

FINAL THREE FOR GENERAL PUBLIC CATEGORY

Lucius Malfoy

Mundungus Fletcher

Nymphadora "Tonks" Tonks

Severus Snape rubbed his ears and sighed with relief. He had just endured a truly dreadful cover of 'A Cauldron Full of Hot Strong Love' from the boy Weasel, and he doubted he would ever regain full hearing. How the boy had made it through the auditions and bootcamp, he, Snape, would never know. Obviously, he had been present during both stages but had been rather… distracted. A swivel chair tended to do that to a person. Or, at least him. Fortunately, he only had one more act to endure, then a two week break until the live shows. Unfortunately, the act was Potter.

Snape groaned and pressed the recently installed bright red buzzer on his desk. He immediately pressed it again, so he could accuse Potter of tardiness.

The door opened, and Potter entered.

"You're late Potter." Snape snarled. "50 points from Gryffindor." He added, as Potter opened his mouth to retort.

"WHY?" Potter exploded.

"That'll be another 50 points." Snape replied silkily. "For both attempting to, and answering back. Now get on with your audition."

Potter swallowed his rage and opened his mouth to sing.

"Okay, Potter, you're done, that's all I need to hear. Leave." Snape snapped.

"But I didn't audition!" Potter protested.

"Do I need to deduct another 150 points from Gryffindor before you get out of my office?"

Potter left, his face red with barely suppressed rage.

Snape put his legs up onto his desk and picked up a piece of parchment from Dumbledore headed; TO BE READ BY JUDGES BFORE STARTING THE TEACHER'S OFFICE ROUNDS. That he hadn't read yet. "No way am I putting Potter through to the live shows." He thought as skimmed over the terms on the document.

Then he read something, point 50, to be exact, that made him pause. He re-read it to make sure his eyes hadn't deceived him. Quickly, he picked up his list and circled a final name.

FINAL THREE FOR FOUTH AND FIFTH YEAR CATEGORY

Draco Malfoy

Hermione Granger

Harry Potter

Snape read the cause of his change of heart a third time: "The contestants are obliged by magical law to sing any song given to them by their mentor, regardless of whether the contestant knows or likes the song in question."

A grin unfurled on Snape's face as he thought of all the songs he could make Potter sing.

A/N: If you have a song request for any of the contestants please leave it in a review and please vote via a review for who you want to stay in the competion! Thanks for reading! :)