Enjoy!
Y/n
Mrs Weasley took us to Diagon Alley the next morning and now, we're walking to the platform with the rest of the Order. I look down as I feel rough fur rub up against my leg. Sirius passes by me and walks up to Harry, keeping a steady pace with him.
I look at Hermione, then at Harry and ask, "What's been going on with him? He seems distant... Has he told you anything, Mione?" She shakes her head and sighs, "No, he hasn't really spoken to anyone besides Sirius since he got back from the trial. I'm kind of worried for him."
"No kidding," I scoff. "I thought I heard one of the Order members say that Dumbledore was there during the trial. I don't really know much more than that." I say, tapping my chin with my index finger. I glance at Hermione and she's looking up ahead at Harry, Sirius still by his side. I put my hand on her upper arm and give her a warm smile, hoping that it comforts her in the slightest.
I look behind me at the rest of the Order and all the Weasleys. They all look straight-faced and serious. I sigh and cross my arms looking forward. "I don't like that everyone's been so upset recently.." I think as I turn my head back, facing forward.
Mad-Eye whisper-yells something to Sirius as he leads Harry to the station's Waiting Room. I look at Hermione and ask, "Padfoot's not supposed to be here, is he?" I point over to the Waiting Room. Hermione shakes her head, "No.." I nod and we keep walking, already boarding the train.
Harry boards with us and once he does, he immediately falls asleep against the glass.
A short while later, we make it to the dark walkway up to the castle. Ron grabs my bag from the top and hands it to me. I thank him and put it over my shoulder, following him out of the compartment. As the four of us walk, we hear an annoying, fast-mouthed, platinum blond voice coming up behind us, "Surprised the Ministry is still letting you walk around freely, Potter. You better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it." Malfoy gets in Harry's face and Harry goes to punch him.
Ron grabs his arms and restrains him before he does anything too rash. I look at Malfoy with a glare of disgust and he starts speaking again, "What'd I tell you?-" Harry cuts him off, yelling at him, "You just stay away from me!"
"It's only Malfoy, what'd you expect?" Ron says, still holding Harry by the arms. Harry forces him off and continues walking. I put a hand on Ron's arm as Hermione follows Harry, going ahead of us. We keep walking behind them and Ron grabs my hand. I see Neville approach Harry and Hermione from behind, as do we. "Hey guys." Neville says, looking at us. Harry stares off at the carriage that just left and we all respond, "Hi, Neville."
I see Harry turn around and his eyes widen. I turn to see what he's looking at and its another carriage with those skeletal looking black horses pulling it. I glance at Harry and the others turn to see what we're looking at. "Wha- What is that? Pulling the carriage?" Harry asks.
"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry. It's pulling itself, like always." Hermione says, looking at him. "He's right Hermione, there is something pulling the carriage. I had no idea you guys couldn't see it though.." I turn to them. Harry continues staring at it while walking over the carriage part. "You're not going mad. I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am." We all board the carriage and I smile at the blonde girl to my left. "Everyone, this is Loony Love- Luna Lovegood." Hermione cuts herself off and goes quiet for a second before finishing her sentence.
"An interesting necklace." Hermione says, trying to strike up conversation. "It's a charm, actually. It keeps away the Nargles." Luna leans closer to everyone and whispers the last bit. I look at Ron on Luna's left side and smile shrugging. He looks back at me and his eyes go a little wider. "I'm hungry. I hope there's pudding." Luna says, sitting up again.
The skeletal horses start moving, pulling the carriage with them.
***
We're all sitting and eating, talking up a storm. "Good evening, children. Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We are pleased to welcome back Professor Grubblyplank who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. We'll also like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbrige. I hope you'll all join me in wishing the Professor good luck. As usual our caretaker, Mr Filch has asked me to remind you,-" Dumbledore stops and turns around to look at Umbrige, who's started to stand with an upsetting smile on her face. "She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge." Harry whispers. I look at him from across the table, then back at the sickly pink looking woman as she makes her way up to Dumbledore's podium.
"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." I raise a brow at the hag as she keeps talking, "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be a 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 prove practices that ought to be prohibited." She finished with her ridiculous speech and gives a small high-pitched giggle at the end. Dumbledore starts clapping and so do we.
"Thank you, Professor Umbrige, that really was illuminating." Dumbledore says, still clapping. "Illuminating? What a load of waffle." Ron retorts, looking across the table at Hermione and Harry. "What's it mean?" I ask, glancing up at Hermione.
"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts." Hermione explains, looking back up at Dumbledore as he continues to speak.
We're all dismissed later, Ron and Hermione leaving to go and lead the first years to the Common Room. I look at Harry and we both walk quietly up a shorter route to the Common Room. We walk in, and everyone slowly goes quiet, staring up at Harry and I. Well, more Harry.
A bunch of the Gryffindors are holding Prophets, with the "Plotter?" header. "Dean, Seamus, good holiday?" Harry asks, stopping in front of the stairs. I stand behind him, looking between the three. "Alright. Better than Seamus'." Dean says, staying in his seat. Seamus smacks his Prophet against the table and standing, "Me mam didn't want me to come back this year."
"Why not?" Harry asks. "Let me see, eh, because a you. The Daily Prophet's been sayin' a lotta things about ya, Harry. About Dumbledore, as well." Seamus retorts, sounding angry. "What, your mum believes them?" Harry answers, standing there as Seamus takes a step closer to him.
"Well, nobody was there the night Cedric died." Seamus responds. "Well, then I suggest you read the Prophet, then your stupid mother will tell you everything you need to know." Harry strikes back. Seamus gets defensive and says, "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"
"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar." Harry begins to raise his voice. I see Ron in the doorway and I tilt my head at Harry. He looks at Harry and walks in, stopping their argument, "What's going on?" Ron stands between them, with enough space to look at both of them. "He's mad, is what's goin' on." Seamus points at Harry and glances at Ron. "Do you believe the rubbish he's come out about You-Know-Who?" Seamus looks between the both of them as Ron takes Harry's side and stands next to him. "Yeah, I do. Has anyone else got a problem with Harry?" Ron says sternly, looking around the Common Room at all the silent Gryffindors.
I look up at him and give him a sad smile. Harry turns around and goes up to the boys' dormitories. Ron smiles at me and turns around to go up with him.
***
We're all waiting for DADA to start, having casual conversations and such. Padma Patil charms a paper mâché bird to fly around the classroom. I look up at it and smile, looking back at Ron talking to Harry, from my seat next to Hermione. I smile to myself and fiddle with my wand on the desk, gently turning my head to the book in front of me.
"Someone's extra smiley today, hm?" Hermione asks as she jabs me in the side with her elbow. I laugh a little and swat her arm away, "It's nothing, Mione, I'm fine." She leans against her fist, her arm propping her head up against the table, "Mhm? Yeah, totally fine, right? I can see you taking peeks at him-" I quickly cover her mouth with my hand and tell her to be quiet. I let go and she laughs, "Fine, fine, I'll stop."
I sigh and thank her, looking back up at the paper bird in the air. It gets incinerated and my eyes widen as it floats back down onto Padma's desk. "Good morning, children. Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. O-W-L's. More commonly known as OWL's." I hear and annoyingly high-pitched voice approach the front of the classroom. "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences may be severe." She puts a smile on the toad-like face of hers and flicks her wand to her left, making a stack of books pass themselves out to us.
One lands on my desk and it's titled "Defense Against the Dark Arts for beginners." with a picture of cartoon witches on the cover. "Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. You'll be pleased to know that you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Yes?" Umbrige glances at Hermione as she raised her hand.
"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" Hermione asks, being respectful. I flip through the book and look up as she responds, "Using spells?" She gives a high-pitched laugh, "Now, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."
"We're not gonna use magic?" Ron asks, holding up the book and leaning on the table. I look back at him, then at Umbrige as she responds, "You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way."
"What use is that? If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free."Harry retorts. Umbrige turns around and walks up to the front, "Students are to raise their hands when they speak in my class. 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." She looks around while opening her arms and talking.
"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harry asks. "There is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine would like to attack children, such as yourselves?"She asks.
"Oh, uh, I don't know, maybe Voldemort?" Harry responds, sounding extra sarcastic. Everyone goes silent and Umbrige looks around again. "Now, let me make this quite plain. You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie." She walks down the isle that Harry's seated at and he turns to her and yells, "It's not a lie. I saw him, I fought him!"
"Detention, Mr Potter." She says, walking back to the front of the class. "So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord?" Harry fires back. "Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident." She defends.
I stand up from my seat with my hands slammed firmly on the table, "It was murder! Voldemort killed him, you must know that!"
"ENOUGH! Enough.." Umbrige yells. "Detention for you too, Ms L/n. I'll see you both later in my office, Mr Potter, Ms L/n." She smiles and giggles, looking between the two of us. I angrily sit in my chair, leaning my head against my fist on the table.
Well, that was fun! I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you guys had fun reading it too! I'm sorry (as always) for taking so long to post, but here it is! I'll try to post again in the near future. Catch ya later!
Word Count: 2142