"Now, we have two changes in staffing this year." Dumbledore spoke as Leo watched Harry look around him, the boy's eyebrows scrunching up before he followed Harry's train of sight. He scowled at Seamus as the boy just looked away, Leo looking back in time to see Harry look around anxiously. The boy sighed, patting Harry's shoulder before folding his arms and laying his head on them, looking back at the Headmaster. Harry smiled softly at the gesture as he looked past Hermione to look at Dumbledore too. "We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank who'll be taking care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave." Leo sighed as he rather enjoyed Hagrid as a Professor.
"We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Delores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the Professor good luck." Dumbledore joked, Leo snickering before his smile dropped, seeing that preppy woman from the hearing still dressed in pink. The boy rolled his eyes as Dumbledore continued, "Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind yo-" "ahem!" Leo jumped and raised his head, looking to Professor Umbridge with everybody else in he Hall. She stood up as she remained eye contact with Dumbledore, walking to the podium without a word. The click of the woman's heels were the only noise that filled the Hall as Harry spoke. "She was at our hearing. She works for Fudge." Harry told Hermione, her looking back as Leo nodded.
"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me." Leo's eyebrows raised as he looked around the Great Hall, most people snickering at the woman. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends." Leo's cough interrupted the silence as Umbridge looked towards him, the boy giving her a tight smile as he nodded, Umbridge doing the same. "That's likely." The twins chorused, everyone else silent as they stared at Umbridge bored. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be a vital importance." Umbridge continued to speak, McGonagall watching as Leo rolled his eyes for the second time as he hid his face in his arms, not listening.
"Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school,...progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." Umbridge spoke, Leo slowly looking up. "Is she done yet?" He spoke aloud, everyone looking towards him as he looked like a deer in the headlights, looking at the table as the twins laughed. McGonagall shook her head trying to hide her laugh as Umbridge sighed, not liking Leo already. She chuckled, more like cackled, as she walked away back to her seat, Leo finally looking up to see everyone clapping, him smiling in relief as he applauded half-heartedly.
"Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Dumbledore spoke over the students, Leo snickering as Umbridge scowled at the boy. "Illuminating?" Ron asked, looking back at his friends as Dumbledore continued to speak, Leo shrugging. "What a load of waffle." Ron continued, the two nodding as Hermione hit Leo, Harry leaning back. "That was rude!" Hermione whisper shouted, Leo shrugging. "No offense 'Mione, but she's an earache." Leo defended himself, Harry and Ron not getting involved as Umbridge watched from the Teacher's table, leaning to McGonagall and Snape. "That boy's hard work, isn't he?" She spoke, McGonagall looking towards the woman confused, Snape deciding to ignore them both.
"I beg your pardon?" McGonagall asked, Umbridge looking towards her. "Leonardo Black. He seems to always be the centre of attention wherever her goes and that's not good in certain situations." Umbridge spoke, McGonagall hiding her rage with a shrug, motioning she's not saying anything, Snape inviting himself into the conversation. "He's always had that flare, Professor." Snape drawled, McGonagall watching as Leo ran a hand through his hair, the woman concerned for the boy's well-being. His dark circles were more prominent than before and he looked too pale as he rested his head on his hand. "What's it mean?" Harry asked, Hermione looking to Dumbledore as she answered.
"It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."
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"Hey Harry-" Leo ran up to Harry before he stopped himself, seeing everyone look at Harry in disgust before looking at Leo, the boy gulping. Harry looked back at the boy, Leo scanning the room before he met the sympathetic eyes of Fred and George, sighing as he curtseyed, walking to Harry and dragging him away before Harry stopped. "Dean, Seamus. Good holiday?" Harry asked, everyone moving away to do their own things as Leo stood next to Harry, his hands in his pockets as Dean answered. "Alright. Better than Seamus' anyway." Dean spoke, Leo's face scrunching up. The Irish boy harshly folded his Newspaper before he got up, walking to Harry and Leo. "Me mam didn't want me to come back this year."
"Why not?" Leo asked in the same tone, the twins looking at him worried. "Let me see. Er, because of you two. The Daily Prophet has been saying a lot of things about you two. And Dumbledore." Seamus spoke, Harry stepping forward. "And your mum believes them?" He asked, Leo looking at Harry before looking back to Seamus. "Nobody else was there the night Cedric died." Seamus spoke, Leo's face dropping. "Then I guess you should read the Prophet then, like your stupid Mother. It'll tell you everything you need to know." Harry spat, the three getting closer as everyone winced. "Don't talk about my Mother like that!" Seamus exclaimed, Leo getting in Seamus' face. "Then don't call us liars." He spat, Seamus gulping at the red swirling his eyes before George got up, Fred following.
"That's enough." The two chorused, grabbing one of Leo's arms, dragging him back. "You're mental, mate." Seamus insulted Leo, the twins tightening their grip as Leo tried to pounce at Seamus, the boy backing into Ron. "What's going on?" The boy asked, seeing Leo's eyes red as Harry glared at Seamus. "They're both mad is what's going on. Do you believe any of the rubbish that comes out of either of their mouths about You-Know-Who?" Seamus asked, Ron walking to stand in between Harry and the Twins, the latter having to drag Leo away slightly. "Yeah, I do." Ron answered simply, shrugging as Leo looked towards him shocked. "Has anyone else got a problem with them?" Ron asked, looking around as Leo scanned the group of Gryffindors around, no one uttering a word.
Leo took the silence as an answer as he ripped himself out of the twin's grip, storming up the stone staircase as Ron and Harry followed. "You alright?" Ron asked, the boy watching as Harry harshly undid his tie, Leo just getting into bed. "Fine." Harry answered quickly, the two looking at Leo as he had his back to them, sighing. "Seamus was bang out of order, mate." Ron spoke, trying to diffuse the tension, Leo staring out the window as Harry got more harsh with his actions. "But he'll come through, you'll see-" "He said he's fine, Ron!" Leo sat up, a deadly glare on his face as everyone in the dorm stayed silent. Ron's demeanour vanished as Harry didn't defend him, silently agreeing with Leo. The ginger nodded as he looked down, swaying his feet.
"Right, I'll just leave you two to your thoughts then."
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Leo sat on his single desk, twirling his quill as the ink made a random pattern on the table. A flying paper bird hit the crown of his head, Dean looking back from the desk ahead of Leo. No words were exchanged as Leo picked the bird up, harshly throwing it at Dean before looking out the window, Dean looking at Hermione as she shook her head. The boy shrugged off Leo's dark aura, fixing the bird as he threw it again. Leo heard the cheers of everyone in the class before he heard a scrunch, everyone going silent. The boy looked up as he made eye contact with Umbridge, her then looking elsewhere. "Good morning, children." She greeted, Leo sighing as he rested his head on his arms. The girl behind him had nowhere else to sit so she sat next to him to avoid trouble.
The boy looked towards her, the girl dramatically turning away from him, Leo looking back as he met the eyes of Draco, the blond looking as bored as he was. Draco shrugged, Leo smiling as he did the same, pointing to Draco shocked when he smiled back. The blond looked up as Leo didn't notice Umbridge's glare. Leo did notice, however, when he felt a small, minor shock hit the back of his head, whipping his head around as he scowled at the Professor. Umbridge only nodded tightly at the boy as she looked over the rest of the class, them all gradually looking back at her. "As I was saying..." Umbridge went on about Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations as Harry and Ron looked at Leo and Draco, the two confused at how much Leo talks to Draco.
"They seem close." Harry spoke, Ron scowling at the two. "Why does Leo even talk to Malfoy?" Ron asked, Harry ignoring the boy as everyone focused on Umbridge. "...fail to do so and the consequences may be... severe." Leo's eyebrows scrunched up at her choice of words, the Professor continuing anyway. She pointed her wand at a pile of books, said books levitating so there was one for each student. "Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven but you'll be pleased to know," Leo's face scrunched up even more at the sight of a 'Defence Against the Dark Arts: Basics for Beginners'. Leo didn't listen to the rest of Umbridge's sentence before, only listening to Hermione. "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" Hermione asked, Leo nodding as Umbridge shook her head.
"Using spells?" Umbridge laughed, Leo raising one eyebrow at her as she continued. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom." Umbridge walked closer to Hermione, Ron's face scrunching up. "We're not gonna use magic?" The boy asked, Leo nodding as he looked towards Umbridge. "You'll be learning about defensive spells in a risk free way." She spoke in the same tone, Leo pushing the book towards the girl as he leant back impatiently. "What use is that? If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk free." Harry spoke as if it were obvious, Leo nodding in agreement as Umbridge turned her back to the class. "Students will raise their hands to speak." She ordered, avoiding the boy's statement. Umbridge turned back around with a smile, Leo sighing.
"It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which, after all, is what school is all about." Umbridge spoke further, Leo groaning aloud as the woman glared at him. "How's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Leo spoke aloud, Harry and Ron nodding in agreement. "I don't think you have a say in this, Mr Black, as you don't particularly need these spells." She spoke, Leo's eyebrows raising. "And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?" He spoke, Hermione flinching at his sudden tone. "I'm the Professor here, Mr Black. Now-" "Professor or not, either student or Professor can be right." Leo interrupted, Umbridge's smile dropping as she looked at him once more. "Okay, what could possibly be out there that we need to prepare for?"
Leo sarcastically stroked his chin as Umbridge tilted her head, awaiting an answer. "Hm, Voldemort? Perhaps?" He 'asked', most of the class flinching at the use of his name as Umbridge walked closer to Leo's desk, Hermione looking back in anticipation. "You-Know-Who is not out there right now, Mr Black. Better get those thoughts out of your head so you can focus on examinations, hm?" Umbridge spoke, everyone cringing at the aura between the two. With a tight smile, Umbridge whipped around and walked to the front again, Leo not backing down. "Then who killed Cedric Diggory? A ghost!" Leo exclaimed, standing up in his seat as Umbridge's demeanour vanished, a deadly glare shot towards the stubborn boy.
"Cedric Diggory's death was a traumatic event. His Father wouldn't appreciate you using him as an excuse-" "Cedric Diggory was murdered by Voldemort! Amos Diggory wouldn't appreciate you denying his son's cause of death!" Everyone flinched, including Umbridge, at Leo's sudden shout, the class looking towards the Professor curiously. "And that, Mr Black, is a detention." Leo laughed as Umbridge glared at him. "For what, may I ask?" Leo asked, Umbridge smiling. "Multiple reasons, dear. False accusations, inappropriate use of manners plus rules and vandalization of school equipment." Leo looked down as he saw the pattern with the quill he made earlier. He scowled in confusion before he saw cracks in the desk when he took his hands off it. Everyone watched as red outlined the desk occasionally, Leo harshly grabbing his bag as he stormed out the class.
[2240 words!]
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