DOLORES UMBRIDGE-040
When they arrived at school, the group got off the train and headed down the path. Ron and Hermione joined them an hour or so ago while Koda, Neville, and Luna went to find Ginny, Sam, Benji, and Ella. Diana walked between her brother and Hermione when they hopped off the train, Harry and Cho walked slightly in front of them with the black-haired girl talking her boyfriend's ear off, who looked uninterested.
Pickett was still on her head playing with one of her bunny ears. He refused to leave Diana when Koda went to look for her best friend. He hung onto her head for dear life, making Diana tell her friend that she would look after him for the time being.
"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free, Potter. Better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a call in Azkaban with your name on it." The voice of Draco Malfoy mocked. He and his goons walked passed them, causing Harry to lunge toward him but Ron held him back. "What'd I tell you? Complete nutter,"
"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouted.
"It's only Malfoy," Ron said, as Hermione stared after the prince of Slytherin. "What'd you expect?"
Harry shrugged Ron off and walked away with the trio following and Cho clutching his hand. She kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to find my friends. See you later,"
She walked away, leaving the four of them standing in the middle of the platform. Diana placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, causing the boy to relax. They walked towards the carriages, only to find that there was no more left.
"Hey, guys," Neville said coming up behind them with his girlfriend, Sam, Luna, Benji, and Ella following.
"Hi, Nev," Everyone greeted.
Harry rolled his shoulders when he felt something breathing on him. He turned, seeing a skeleton-like horse. "What is it?"
"What's what?" Ron asked, not seeing anything.
"That. Pulling the carriage." Harry said, staring at the horse no one could see.
Koda could see it too. "I see it too, Harry,"
"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry, Koda. It's pulling itself, like always." Hermione shook her head.
"You're not going mad," Luna said dreamily. "I can see them too. You two are just as sane as I am."
Everyone climbed up onto the carriage with Sam sitting on his boyfriend's lap, Ella smashed between Ron and Luna. Hermione was on the other side, between Harry and Koda, who was sitting on her boyfriend's lap. There was no room for Diana.
"Um, I'll wait for the next one," Diana said, making Ron shake his head.
"There isn't going to be a next one," Ron said, smirking. "You'll just have to sit on Harry's lap,"
Diana snapped her head towards Harry, who nodded intensely. Her heart sped up as she climbed onto the carriage and sat on his lap. Her face went beet-red when he wrapped his arms around her waist as the carriage began to move. Strands of her hair turned a shade of light pink, Harry seemed to notice and ran his hand through her hair with his own smirk on his lips.
"What an interesting necklace," Benji says, getting the attention off of Diana. He looked at Luna's bottle cap necklace.
"It's a charm, actually," Luna replied. "Keeps away the Nargles. Hungry. I hope there's pudding."
Everyone glanced at each other before Ron asked. "What's a Nargle?"
"No idea," Diana muttered.
***
HOGWARTS
They entered the Great Hall and sat at their rightful places. Sammy joined his boyfriend at the Ravenclaw table, and Kodaline went to the Hufflepuff table. Diana sat next to her brother on the opposite side of Harry and Hermione. The feast began, and everyone dug into the various food and drinks. Diana helped herself to some steak and kidney pie, mashed potatoes, carrots, oddly enough, and apple juice.
Harry smiled at her and pointed to the pile of carrots on her plate. "You're really a bunny,"
"Shut up," Diana said playfully, throwing a carrot at his head.
"He's not here," Hermione said, looking around.
Harry grinned and popped the carrot into his mouth before he frowned. "Who?"
"Hagrid. He's not here,"
Diana, Harry, and Ron scanned the staff table and did not see him as the redhead said, anxiously. "He can't have left,"
"Of course, he hasn't," Harry said firmly.
Diana's stomach filled with worry. "You don't think he's hurt, or anything, do you?"
"No," Harry said, trying to reassure her.
"Then, where is he?" She said, softly.
Harry paused before saying quietly. "Maybe he's not back yet, you know, from his mission—the thing he was doing for Dumbledore."
Ron nodded. "Yeah, maybe it's that,"
Diana bit her lip in worry for one of her favorite teachers as Dumbledore spoke.
"Good evening, children. Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck. Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you—"
"Hem Hem."
Suddenly, Dolores Umbridge stood up and walked over to Dumbledore. Diana thought she looked like her great aunt Hilda, short, curly brown hair and wearing a fluffy pink cardigan.
"She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge." Harry whispered.
"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright happy faces smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends." Umbridge said, smiling.
"That's likely." The Weasley twins muttered together.
"The Ministry of Magic had always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. 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 giggled as she walked back to her seat.
Everyone slowly clapped as Dumbledore spoke. "Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating."
"Illuminating? What a load of crap." Ron said.
"What does it mean?" Harry asked.
The girls exchanged looks as Diana answered. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."
***
GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM
The blonde sat between her twin brothers in the common room as they explained their business idea. They want to open their own joke shop in Diagon Alley.
"We want you to make the store's products," Fred said. "You make the best inventions."
"I don't know, guys," Diana shook her head. "This is your business. Shouldn't you make them?"
George placed his hands on her shoulders. "You see, baby sis, it's our business. Once you leave school, you can come work at the shop,"
"Really?" Diana asked, smiling.
"Really, Annie." Fred nodded. "Co-owners of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes,"
Diana hugged her brothers. "Thank you, thank you."
"Don't need to thank us, baby sis," George said, ruffling her bright pink hair. "You are the only one that believes in us and you help us make amazing jokes—" He trailed off as everyone got quiet when Harry walked in. Their housemates gave the boy dirty looks as he walked past.
"Dean, Seamus. Good holiday?" Harry asked, looking at his two fellow Gryffindors.
"Alright. Better than Seamus's, anyway," Dean answered, glancing at his best friend.
Seamus threw down the newspaper and stood up. "Me mum didn't want me to come back this year."
"Why not?" Harry asked.
"Uh, let me see. Because of you. The Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you and Dumbledore." Seamus replied, angrily.
Harry frowned. "What, your mum believes them?"
"Well, nobody was there the night Cedric died," Seamus said, making Diana flinch at her late friend's name.
"I guess you should read the Prophet, like your stupid mother. It will tell you everything you need to know,"
Seamus's face turned red as he moved closer to Harry. "Don't talk about my mother!"
Diana quickly stood and placed herself in front of Harry with her wand in hand. "Back off, Seamus,"
"I'll have a go at anyone that calls me a liar," Harry says, grabbing onto Diana's arm
Ron walked over to his sister and best friend. "What's going on?"
"He's mad, is what's going on," Seamus said, pointing at Harry. "Do you two believe the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who?"
"Absolutely."
"Yeah. I do,"
Diana and Ron said at the same time making Seamus scoff and point at the blonde. "Of course, the freak agrees with him,"
That caused all hell to break loose, Diana and Ron held back Harry, who tried lunging at Seamus. Fred and George were held back by several people, while Ginny was yelling and being held back by Neville and Ella.
"Stop!" Diana yelled, struggling to hold back Harry. "Everyone stop!"
Everyone stopped and looked at her as she addressed Sheamus. "It's fine if he calls me a freak, I don't care. Just leave it. C'mon, Har." She pushed Harry towards the stairs, who was still fuming. He opened his mouth but he was shoved up the stairs. "Harry, don't worry about what he called me. Go."
Harry climbed up the stairs and stormed into his dorm room, over to his bed, and took off his robes, leaving him in only his white dress shirt. Diana leaned against the doorframe, watching the angry boy loosen his tie.
"You alright, mate?" Ron asked his best friend as he passed his sister.
"Fine," Harry muttered, sitting on his bed.
"Seamus was bang out of order, mate," Ron said. "He'll come through, you'll see."
Harry snapped. "I said, I'm fine, Ron,"
Ron looked startled. "Right. I'll just leave you to your thoughts, then,"
"He shouldn't have called you that," Harry said once Ron left. He ran his hand through his hair. "You're not a freak,"
Diana walked over and sat down next to him. "I know, but people don't see my type of abilities often, Harry, and they tend to think certain ways when they do."
"I'm sorry, Dia," Harry looked at her, his emerald eyes meeting icy blue.
"Why are you sorry?" Diana laughed through her nose. "People called me a freak all my life. It's nothing new."
Harry wrapped his arm around her. "I think your abilities are amazing, Di. You're definitely not a freak,"