His Hope: Sirius Black's daughter Book 3

Changes

It was good to be back at Hogwarts. Looking around at everyone and seeing that we were all ready to face this year despite everything that happened last year, I finally felt like I belonged.

''Is that the new Defence against the dark arts teacher? She doesn't look very tough if you ask me.''said Ginny. I looked up an to my surprise, it was one of the women from Harry's trial.

''I know her! She works in the Ministry!'' I said in surprise.

 ''Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices,'' said Dumbledore standing up. ''First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.

 ''Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door.

 ''We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'' There was a round of applause but I frowned, where was Hagrid?

 Dumbledore continued, ''Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the - '' He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge, who had cleared her throat. 

''Hem, hem,'' and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

 ''Thank you, Headmaster,'' Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome.'   Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish, very unlikeable. ''Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!''

''What, are we like five years old?'' said Ginny in disbelief.

  Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ('hem, hem'), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.

''The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching.''  Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike. ''Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation . . .''

    People had stopped listening. Luna Lovegood had got out The Quibbler again. Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table Ernie Macmillan was one of the few still staring at Professor Umbridge, but he was glassy-eyed too.The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, and Hermione seemed to be drinking in every word Umbridge spoke, though, judging by her expression, they were not at all to her taste. I could see that she was understanding the same things as me.

  ''. . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited.''   She sat down.

  ''Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating,'' he said, bowing to her. ''Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held . . .''

   'Yes, it certainly was illuminating,' said Hermione in a low voice.

  ''You're not telling me you enjoyed it?'' Ron said quietly, turning a glazed face towards Hermione. ''That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy.''

  ''I said illuminating, not enjoyable,'' said Hermione. ''It explained a lot.''

   ''Did it?' said Harry in surprise. 'Sounded like a load of waffle to me.''

  ''There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle,'' I explained.

  ''Was there?'' said Ron blankly.

  ''How about: 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about: 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?" said Hermione.

  ''Well, what does that mean?'' said Ron impatiently.

 ''I'll tell you what it means,'' I said through gritted teeth. ''It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts.''

Blaise called me as we were leaving the Great Hall, but I pretended not to hear him.

''Miley, your ex boyfriend is calling you.'' said Ginny.

''I didn't hear him.'' I said.

''He is right behind you, you know.'' said Blaise's voice behind me. I cursed under my breath.

''Blaise hey, listen I have to go, ok, see you around'' I said practically running away.

''You can't avoid me forever!'' he shouted.

I knew he was right, and as I lay in my bed that night, I knew that this year, life as we knew it at Hogwarts was about to change drastically.

xxx