Always You

Chapter 10: New Headmaster

Malaya sat in the Great Hall, wedged between other Gryffindors. She had barely spoken to anyone, nervous about making friends. Everybody already knew each other and her heart sank at this realization. She played with a meatball on her plate, rolling it around the sauce with her fork.

"It'll taste a lot better if you eat it," a ginger girl said from across the table. 

Malaya looked up at her and smiled kindly. 

"And you can't waste the meatballs," a dark-haired boy said from beside her. "They're the best part." 

"I'm Ginny," the girl extended her hand and Malaya took it. "Ginny Weasley." 

"I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy said between mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. 

"It's nice to meet you," Malaya replied. "I'm Malaya Hansley." 

"My father told me we were getting a foreign exchange student," Ginny said. "He works for the ministry." 

"Are you American?" Neville asked. 

"Canadian," Malaya corrected him. 

"Neat," he said as he took another bite. "I'm in the same year as you. Ginny is in 6th year." 

I nodded. 

"Will you be trying out for Quidditch?" Ginny asked. 

"I hadn't thought about it," Malaya said truthfully. She was just trying to survive the first day, let alone get onto the Quidditch team. 

"We're practically building the team from scratch this year," Ginny said. 

"Ginny is the captain," Neville explained. "Bloody brilliant on the field, this one is." 

Ginny looked down as she blushed, her face turning scarlet. "What position do you play?" She asked.

"Beater," Malaya answered.

"Try out," Ginny said. "What's the worse that can happen?" 

"Tryouts are this Saturday," Neville said. 

Malaya opened her mouth to agree when Snape stood at the podium, silencing the students. He looked down on them, an air of arrogance in his features. 

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts," his voice boomed. "This year will be unlike any other year. There have been many changes at Hogwarts and these will surely impact every one of you." Silence as the crowd hung onto his every word. "Despite what is going on outside of these walls, you are all still expected to be educated. I expect every one of you to treat your studies as you would any other year." 

A smaller student down the table whimpered, a blonde lock falling over his tear-stained face.

"Poor McConnell," Ginny muttered. "His parents went missing yesterday." 

"Why is he here then?" Malaya whispered. 

"It is mandatory for every student to attend school," Neville said sombrely. 

"But his parents-"

"It doesn't matter," Ginny said in a hushed voice, looking at the crying kid. "Not to them." 

Malaya looked back at the student then looked at Snape. He was staring right at her. 

"There has of course been some staffing changes," Snape went on, his eyes glued to Malaya. "Professor Carrow has taken the post of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Snape gestured toward a serious looking man. He mentioned a few other staffing changes before clearing his throat. "As you all know, I am now the headmaster of Hogwarts. I expect the same, if not more, respect that I received as your teacher." 

"What about Dumbledore?" someone from the Gryffindor table called out. "We're just meant to forget about him, are we?" 

Snape looked at the student who yelled, gazing at him for a moment. "Professor Dumbledore is dead. There is nothing I can do to bring him back. He was a great man, however-" 

"How dare you!?" Ginny yelled from where she sat.

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Snape snapped. 

"Who cares?" another Gryffindor yelled as the tension grew. 

"Enough!" Snape yelled and the Great Hall fell silent. He leaned forward against his podium. "I understand these changes are not ideal for you," he spat out every word. "The world does not revolve around pleasing you and you alone! You are at school and you are safe. You are more than welcome to leave and try to survive out there, but I assure you, you wouldn't last half a day!" His eyes lingered over the Gryffindor table as if speaking to each one of them directly. He stood up straight, addressing the entire room again. "We are incredibly fortunate to be at Hogwarts where it is safe. Where the threats and dangers of this war are not affecting us." 

"But they are!" Ginny yelled, her face red with anger. "Our families are in danger." 

"But you are not, Miss Weasley!" Snape said, his patience running out. 

"What does that matter?" Ginny yelled. "I want to be out there, fighting with them!"

"But you are here!" he yelled back. "Detention with Professor Carrow tomorrow night. I have had enough of your outbursts. If you cannot control yourself, Miss Weasley, you will find yourself in detention every night for the entire school year." 

Ginny's shoulders tightened but she remained silent. 

Snape turned to the teachers. "Professor McGonagall, I trust that you will speak with your house and control them. I will not tolerate this all year." 

McGonagall nodded curtly. 

"As you all most likely know, Harry Potter is still at large and on the run," Snape went on. "He is dangerous and not to be trusted. If I suspect any of you are helping him in any way or know about his whereabouts and are keeping this to yourself, you will be severely punished."

Heads turned to look at each other. 

Snape finished his speech, dampening the energy in the room, and they all went to their dorms. 

"Outright git!" Ginny uttered as she paced the Gryffindor common room. 

Malaya watched her, her legs tucked under her in an armchair. 

"What did Snape do exactly?" Malaya asked cautiously. 

Ginny stopped pacing and looked at her. "You don't know?" 

Malaya shook her head. 

"He's on You-Know-Who's side," she explained as Neville nodded. "He killed Dumbledore." 

"He killed the old headmaster?" Malaya asked in disbelief. 

"Dumbledore was You-Know-Who's biggest threat," Neville explained. "So he offed him." 

Malaya looked down at the ground, wondering what kind of situation she had willingly walked into.