In the days following Umbridge's capture by the centaurs, Hogwarts was abuzz with stories, rumors, and imaginative retellings of the magical beast class incident. Every student who knew what had happened seemed to have their own version—some funny, some outright ridiculous.
One story, in particular, gained immense popularity: the tale of Zacharias Smith becoming a "prince" in order to save his "princess toad," none other than Dolores Umbridge. The thought alone made most students want to puke, given how utterly humiliating it was, and everyone who had suffered from Umbridge's tyranny found it hilarious.
The origin of the story was well-known among the older students. During the chaos when Dumbledore was forced to leave Hogwarts—accused of creating the D.A. (Dumbledore's Army) by Fudge and the overzealous Aurors—Umbridge had been struck by a misfired spell from one of the Aurors. She fell directly onto Zacharias Smith, who had been foolishly standing nearby. The moment looked as if the two were hugging, a comedic image that became infamous overnight.
Of course, the real reason for Zacharias's current sudden "popularity" was deeply ironic. He had been the one to betray the D.A. by giving information to Umbridge, an act that had previously destroyed his reputation. For weeks, no one spoke to him, and he had been a social pariah at Hogwarts. Now, thanks to this absurd incident, students had started mockingly dubbing him a "hero", even giving him grandiose titles like "Prince Zacharias," much to his bewilderment and humiliation.
Even the professors found themselves caught in the ripple of gossip. McGonagall shook her head with a mix of exasperation and amusement, while Snape rolled his eyes at the endless dramatization. Meanwhile, Umbridge herself, safely confined with the centaurs, could only hear snippets of the stories through enchanted whispers in the castle—and they infuriated her to no end.
By the end of the week, Hogwarts had collectively decided: no one would ever forget the image of Zacharias Smith and Umbridge falling together. It became a symbol of Umbridge's incompetence, Zacharias's downfall, and the school's irrepressible sense of humor.