Chapter 4:
In The Court of The Queen Of Hearts
"'The Queen! The Queen!'
The three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon their faces. There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice looked round, eager to see the Queen."
There was silence in the Hall at the end of the Sorting Hat's song. No one applauded.
At the staff table Snape's black eyes were shinning in the light of the floating candles. Ginny felt a glimmer of hope flicker in her heavy heart, and the first year students seemed much more encouraged when they walked up, one by one, to be sorted.
At the end of the very quiet sorting Snape got to his feet. Teachers and students alike looked at him with distaste. He must have noticed it, because he pulled out his wand and waved it over the Hall. Everyone felt a hidden force that suddenly pulled them to their feet, as if they were dolls and Snape the puppeteer.
"When the Headmaster walks into the room," Snape said in a quiet, dangerous voice that could be heard clearly in the Hall, "Or if he wishes to speak, I expect everyone to standing. Understood?"
No one replied, not even with a nod. He then allowed them to sit back down.
"As we all know," Snape began in a louder voice, "Headmaster Dumbledore met an unfortunate fate at the end of last year. From now on I shall replace him, until further notice."
He paused, as if expecting resistance. But when the silence remained without interference, only the crackling of the candles heard, he continued, "In the school under my management a few changes will be made. First of all – the Quidditch teams are canceled, and all the other groups and clubs as well. Moreover, curfew will start at eight every evening, for all students. From this day on there will be no more Perfects and Head Boys and Girls – it's time someone put an end to this ufair and discriminating system. No points will be given, and there won't be a House Cup – students should work hard and behave for their own good, not for the glory of their house. The Owlery is now forbidden for students, and all personal owls will be confiscated. In addition, Herbology classes will now take place inside the castle, in a special classroom built for this purpose on the ground floor. Students are prohibited to leave the castle. Many dangers lurk outside these walls.
"This year, the school staff decided to cancel classes that were found to be unimportant. These would be Care of Magical Creatures and Divination – two professions that are a complete waste of time, which could be used to learn more important things. Some of you will be glad to hear the Rubeus Hagrid has been returned to his rightful place – the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
Vicious giggles came from the Death Eaters that stood around the Hall, and from a few Slytherins who were feeling comfortable in the grim situation.
"Altought Divination has been found to be no longer needed, dear Professor Trelawney will remain in our castle this year as our special guest." Snape gestured toward Trelawnry, who sat at the staff table, so tense she looked like she was about to burst, fiddling with her many jewels. Professor McGonagall touched her hand, trying to calm her.
Snape continued, "We will welcome three new teachers this year. The first will replace dear Professor Burbage of Muggle Studies, who decided to take a sabbatical year... Professor Alecto Carrow."
A stocky woman with shaggy brown hair stood up and bowed to the Hall mockingly. Her eyes and face were sunken and one of her front teeth was missing.
"The other is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Caro's brother – please welcome Professor Amycus Carrow."
Professor Carrow's brother was the exact opposite of her; He was tall and very thin, his skin and hair grey and wax-like. His smile was sly and cruel, showing his rotten teeth.
"Lastly is our new History of Magic Professor. The staff has decided that it was time to refresh the History of Magic outdated curriculum and bring in a new teacher, one more... Full of life. Professor Rabastan Lestrange."
Unlike his two colleagues, who were clearly marked by the horrors of Azkaban, Rabstan Lestrange was remarkably handsome even after his life in the wizarding prison. His dark brown hair was neatly cut and his face, though slightly sunken, was tanned and clean-shaven. He was wearing an excellent ceremonial robe of eminent green silk that fit his wide shoulders and chest. He scanned the hall with a mocking look, his smile handsome and dangerous. Ginny knew at once that it was the Death Eater that had garbed her on the platform and jerked her as if she were a doll.
"Now that we are all acquainted," Snape continued tonelessly, "We can start the feast. I'm sure you'll behave accordingly, and we would not have to introduce you to our other friends who will be staying in the castle from now on. Do not worry – only those who would cause trouble would be punished. Let us eat."
The meal appeared on the tables, but no one seemed to have much appetite. Ginny didn't know if it was because her mood was affecting her taste, but the food tasted stale and was partly burned. She felt sick when she thought about how Hogwarts would be like from now on.
Mostly she was thinking about the Sorting Hat's song, as though her mind wanted to ease her feelings by avoiding the painful reality. The Sorting Hat said that the houses had to unite to defeat the Death Eaters and Voldemort. That meant working with the Slytherins too, and Ginny wasn't sure whether she could – or wanted – to do that. Glancing at the Slytherin table, she realized that that most of the students there were also quiet and stressed, but some of them talked freely and even laughed. She saw Pansy Parkinson examining her hair in a pocket mirror, and Crabbe and Goyle devouring the feast with great appetite. Blaise Zabini was chatting easily with Wesley a few chairs away.
"You should eat," Dean told her, interrupting her train of thought.
"Yeah," Neville added immediately.
Ginny pushed her plate away from her with a lack of appetite. "I can't eat now."
At the end of the feast (most of which wasn't touched) Snape got up again. He scanned the Hall with intent eyes, and some of the students got to their feet quickly. The others hurried to do the same with a booming noise of dragging chairs.
Snape smiled smugly. "Tomorrow we'll start our classes," he said. "A few changes have been introduced into the curriculum and classes. Tomorrow you shall see – I won't spoil the excitement of the first day of school. To bed with you."
The Gryffindors made their way to the tower as a single group, like frightened sheep, the black robed wizards in the Entrance Hall watching them like the shepherd dogs, calculating and ready to bite.
When the first Gryffindor arrived at the portrait of the fat woman she opened the passage without anyone saying the password.
"Come on in, children," she told them as they passed behind her. Ginny had never heard her speak so softly. To a crying first year student she said, "Don't worry, dear, I won't let anyone in..."
The common room was as warm and pleasant as ever, but there was an unmistakable chill in the air. No one went up to the rooms; Everyone crowded on the sofas and carpets in silence, still not fully comprehending what had happened that evening. They couldn't internalize their new fate. Godric Gryffindor's portrait looked at them with pity, like all the other portraits in the castle, but said nothing. Soon Nearly- Headless- Nick came through one of the walls, but his sense of humor and storytelling didn't help to encourage anyone, so he just floated in silence over the students.
Ginny, who was sitting on one of the tables, scanned the room as if looking for an escape path. She felt a burning need to act, to speak – to do anything at all – but she couldn't take the chance that someone was listening.
She puffed heavily. "I wish we could know if they were listening to us..."
Neville, who was leaning against the mantelpiece, suddenly looked up. "They can't," he said, "Hogwarts disables any spell or magical eavesdropping device."
"How in Merlin's pants do you know that?" Seamus, who was lying on the floor in despair, raised his head and asked.
Neville blushed. "Hogwarts: A History."
"I can't believe you've read that," Seamus said, teasing but looking impressed.
"Well, someone has to be a talking library now that Hermione's not here," Dean said, and Neville blushed even more. His face became firmer during the summer – more masculine – but they were still freckled, and his hair still curly and soft as a baby's.
Changing to subject, he told Ginny, "You can talk freely, they can't listen."
Looking at the common room, Ginny realized that talking to all of these students would be different from talking to the DA. In the DA every one knew each other, and most of them were her friends. On the other hand, she didn't know all of the Gryffindors personally, and there were many that she didn't like at all. Many of them didn't like her either since she turned her back to her old friends the year before.
She felt her skin getting very hot suddenly, so she took off her black robe. She paused for a moment, pondering what she should say, and finally stood up on the table. Dean helped her to get everyone's attention. The students quickly focused on her, hoping that something would distract them from what was going on.
"Well, you heard what Snape said," Ginny began without any unnecessary opening words, mostly because she wasn't actually sure what she was doing. "Things are going to change now – and for the worse."
A second year student burst into tears. A few hostile looks were sent at Ginny. She pleaded with herself not to look apologetic.
"I'm sorry, but it's true. The Death Eaters aren't going to be nice to us. We have to stand up to them – "
"Like we did last time?" A snobby voice rose. Romilda Vane was sitting at the center of a group of her closest friends on one of the best couches. "Your old plan just made things worse, why would it work now?"
"Because now the Death Eaters aren't listening to us, unlike they did on the train," Ginny said, determined not to let Romilda step on her almost as she was determined to lead her classmates to victory over the Death Eaters. "Neville's read Hogwarts: A History, and he says it's impossible to use eavesdropping spells in the castle."
Romilda raised one perfect eyebrow. "And who said you were in charge here?"
Ginny felt her anger rising.
"Who are you suggesting, then?" Dean asked, cool and businesslike. "Yourself?"
Romilda made a very ugly face. "No, but there must be someone else who's better for the job. The fact that she's Harry Potter's girlfriend – "
"I'm not Harry's girlfriend!"
Romilda smiled sardonically. "Well, I really was wondering when he'd dump you already."
Ginny's face turned so red it almost reached the color of her hair. She opened her mouth to shout at Vane, but a squeaky third-year student preceded her by saying in a shaky but strong voice, "Enough! you heard the Sorting Hat – we should be united, not fight each other!"
"The little girl's right," Seamus said, getting up from the floor. "It doesn't matter who's the leader – we have to decide what to do about these Death Eaters."
"What's there to do?" Said one desperate student.
Everyone looked at Ginny. She folded her arms across her chest. "Well, for starts, we need to be strong mentally. The Death Eaters who've been made teachers will certainly try to brainwash us, like Umbridge did – so we mustn't listen to them, no matter what."
Colin raised his hand enthusiastically. Ginny told him, "You don't have to raise your hand, Colin, just talk."
"I suggest we meet here every night and talk about how the Death Eaters are wrong and evil. That way we can be sure no one's giving in."
"Great idea, Colin," Ginny said, "We could share what we've been through during the day and no one will feel alone."
"But what about homework?" Asked a fifth- year student, "We have our O.W.L's this year – "
"Frankly, homework is our last concern at the moment," Ginny said, "We'll be lucky if we learn anything at all this year."
At that moment the portrait hole opened. Everyone fell silent and looked on nervously. It was Professor McGonagall, looking as though the long pretense at dinner had exhausted her completely.
Her entry was different from any other time she had entered the common room; She usually came to make an announcement or scold them for making noise, but this time she looked like an old woman returning home. She sat down heavily on the sofa between two young girls and petted one of them, whose eyes were red with tears, gently on the head.
"Get off the table please, Miss Weasley," she said wearily, yet she couldn't have been questioned. Ginny did as she said. "Are there any news from Mister Potter?"
Ginny felt herself blushing again. Her voice was close to a growl when she said, "I'm not in touch with him, Professor."
"Excellent. Maybe the Death Eaters won't bother you so much," said McGonagall and sighed. She looked very tired; Her eyelids were heavy and her eyes red. "You should all go to sleep, now. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."