"And among the new staff this year is Professor Umbridge, a representative of the Ministry of Magic."
I rested my head on my hand, barely taking in Dumbledore's droning voice. You would think after seven years of this one would be able to pay at least a little attention, but alas. My own thoughts were overpowering that of the outside world. Besides, there were only so many times you can meet a new Defense teacher without it being a bit tedious. Where does the school find them anyway? Does Dumbledore put out an ad in the Daily Prophet? What would that headline be, Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher Wanted, No Murderers, Werewolves, or Imposters? Wonder what category the new girl is in?
"Ruby!" I jumped, bursting back to reality.
"What?" I asked Padma, who was glaring at me. She was so pretty, even when angry, it was a shame her personality did not match her exterior.
"Were you even listening?" She asked, gesturing around her to the clapping students. The speech seemed to have ended, and I seemed to have missed it.
"What did I miss?" I asked her. She rolled her eyes, obviously wondering why she had bothered with me in the first place. I didn't exactly know either. It wasn't like we were friends, my actual friend was sitting on the other side of me, wisely ignoring our conversation. No one really liked to bother with Padma, she was a bit too much like her sister, too confrontational, just a little too Gryffindor.
"Well we have a new teacher for one." She replied.
"How is that news?"
"She's in the Ministry."
"So?"
If she rolls her eyes one more time, I thought. They will surely go up into the back of her head.
"So, she seems like right troll."
"I'd say she's more of a toad," I replied, chewing my food thoughtfully. The buffet had finally been spread, and it was positively sweet. "Either way, guess who's switching out of Defense this year."
"You're taking Defense." Terry Boot, the one who I was actually friends with, piped up from my left.
"Why should I?" I complained, turning my back to Padma, who in reply huffed and went to talk with her sister at the Gryffindor table.
"You know why," he replied, not looking up from his book. "Your father is a muggleborn and your mother a blood traitor. In other words, you're a walking target for dark forces."
"What does that have to do with anything," I said, stubbornly crossing my arms.
"You need to know how to defend yourself."
"And I'll learn how to defend myself from her?"
"She's from the ministry, she has to help us."
"I don't trust her," I said, narrowing my eyes at the plump woman sitting smugly at the staff table.
"I'm afraid I can't take that statement seriously given that it is coming from you." Scowling, I turned away from him, and picked at my food. The feast was great as always, but I didn't have the heart to eat any of it, future stress of the school year ahead already weighed down on me. On the bright side, I thought while smushing mashed potatoes down with my fork, it is my final year. Ordering around first years, finally getting a free period, and only a year away from never having to see Snape for the rest of my life. It was bad enough my mother forced me to take Advanced Potions last year, in which I was trapped with a bunch of seventh year Slytherins, but now I had to take it yet again.
Suddenly, something hit the back of my head, interrupting my musings. I turned around in my seat and met the eye of my younger brother Roy, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table and looking too smug for his age.
"What do you want dirtball?" I asked him, voice laced with annoyance. We aren't even at Hogwarts for more than an hour and he is already bothering me? With way too much sass than required for a third year, he gestured and the ground before me, where the object he had chucked at my head lied dormant. As soon as I saw the object, I groaned.
"No," I told him bluntly. "You weren't even supposed to bring that on train!"
"Oh come on Ruby," Roy replied, arms crossed as he leaned back onto the side of his table. Sometimes it was really shitty having the Gryffindor table next to the Ravenclaws. "We all knew I was taking it either way, which brings me to my original point, something's wrong with it."
Rolling my eyes, I picked up the box from the floor. In most ways, it was a pretty ingenious creation, not to toot my own horn here. I had made it for my brother during the summer, him making the design and characteristics and I building it. It was originally just supposed to be a gag gift, a box with a handle on the side and when turned, a little flurry of miniature fireworks would pop out and give a small celebration. It had been working fine during the summer, but about two weeks before school started Roy had wanted me to add a tweak, where you could customize the fireworks, change colors, spell things, etc. However, giving that I only had two weeks to make the changes, it had not come out perfect, and now he wanted me to fix it in the middle of dinner.
"What's wrong with it?" I asked my brother, tinkering with the sides of the otherwise ordinary box, beside me, Terry turned to us, he too interested in the box. Ever since Roy had come out with the want to be a prankster, we had become a small trio, him designing, me building, and Terry making sure we wouldn't be arrested for having it.
"Slight over quantity of fireworks," Roy replied, rubbing his arm a bit sheepishly. Raising an eyebrow at him, I start turning the handle at the side. The only way to see the damage was to open it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Roy smirk, a dangerous twinkle in his dark eyes.
I went to stop, but it was too late, for the box had already opened, and what must have been hundreds of artificial explosions and fireworks erupted from the tiny box. They filled the hall, colors ranging from the house colors, wisps of silver, gold, yellow, blue, and all the rest. One of the largest fireworks went to the center of the Great Hall's skies, and with a boom it exploded into bold letters spelling WELCOME BACK TO HOGWARTS!
Through the chaos that tends to ensue from an impromptu fireworks show, I locked eyes with brother, who was now smiling with triumph. The box still had not stopped in my hand continuing to spew out fireworks, and in my anger, I promptly threw it at Roy's head. That brought the smile off my brother's face fairly quick, as he was faced with the realization that he had just tricked his older and much smarter sister.
"You little shit," I exclaimed, voice laced with venom. I then took the still erupting box and proceeded to hit him with it, not hard enough to truly maim, but enough to get my point across.
However, in my haze of anger, I had not noticed that the box had ceased its flood, and the Hall had grown silent, with the explosions done and over. I also had not noticed that the entire Hall was watching mine and Roy's sibling spat, and that the we were being stared down by our esteemed Headmaster. At least, I hadn't until Terry hit me over the head with his Transfiguration textbook. Then both Roy and I became extremely aware.
"Mr. and Miss Rashidi," Headmaster Dumbledore boomed pleasantly, staring at the two of us. "You two have certainly made for an explosive first meal, haven't you?"
"Just doing our best to provide a warm welcome sir!" Roy replied cheekily, tension already eased. Meanwhile I was still trying to find a way to disappear into the floor.
"And that you certainly did," Dumbledore retorted, a secret smile on his face. "Still, I would appreciate if after dinner the both of you would meet in my office."
"Wouldn't miss it sir," I answered before Roy could say something else dumb. Satisfied, Dumbledore nodded and leaned back in his chair, prompting everyone else to do the same, and soon enough previous conversations resumed in the Great Hall.
Giving one final shove to my younger brother, we both returned to our respective tables.
"So that was interesting," Terry mumbled to me as I sat down.
"Hush up," I replied, and returned to my meal. As I ate, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation that was going on behind me.
"Stunning presentation mate," A voice that definitely belonged to one of the Weasley twins rang out behind me. I turned my head to see them sit down on either side of my brother, the one who spoke clapping him on the back. "I must say, we are impressed."
"R-really?" Roy asked, and I could practically hear him swoon. He had admired Fred and George Weasely since his first year, and now they were finally talking to him.
"Oh yeah, very unexpected," the other twin said to him. "How did you fit all the explosives that tiny box?"
"Shrinking charm?"
"No," my brother replied. "Actually, they were artificial. Less hassle, no injuries." The taller twin smirked, and leaned toward Roy.
"Now what's the fun in that?" He asked.
"A little sting never hurt anyone," His brother finished. Even from my limited view, I could see Roy fidgeting.
"Well, my sister didn't want any," He said. The tall twin leaned back in surprise.
"The bird hitting you earlier?" He exclaimed.
"Why did she have any say in that?" The shorter twin asked, also incredulous. Having enough, I turned around in my seat and faced the Gryffindors.
"That would be because I was the one who made the box in the first place, thank you," I said, slight smirk on my face as I took in the surprised faces of the infamous Weasely twins.
"You made that?" The tall twin asked, eyes burrowing into me.
"Ruby always makes our creations," Roy cut in, excitement clear in his voice. "I design, she makes, and then Terry is our test rat!"
"I strongly resent that remark." Said test rat replied without looking from his book. Rolling my eyes at my friend, I stood, and took the few steps to reach my brother and his new companions.
"Now," I said. "As much as I'd like to stay and chat, I'm afraid Roy and I have to go, dinner's practically over and we have to get to Dumbledore's office."
"Aw bugger off Ruby!" Roy exclaimed, evading my attempts to grab him. "Dinner's not over yet, we can show Fred and George some of our other ideas."
"Maybe another time," I replied dismissively, and without another look at the twins, I dragged my brother out of the Great Hall.
That night, as my brother and I walked out of the Headmaster's office with two weeks worth of detention, I caught the eye of the twins, who both in turn winked at me. They then took hold of my brother, and guided him through the halls, no doubt talking inventions and future prank ideas.
"That's certainly a match made in hell," Terry inquired as he walked beside me. "Your brother and the Weasley twins? I can see the detentions already."
"This year will certainly be interesting," I replied.
Interesting, I thought as I laid in bed that night. That's certainly a word for it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor belongs to JK Rowling.
Hope you enjoy this, reviews are appreciated. Have a good day, or night, or whatever suits you at the moment.
-Acewiththeface