A/N: No song lyrics, review replies, or excuses right now, guys! I want to get this chapter out as soon as possible! Enjoy and review please! I've missed you all!
-KYHS-
After realizing that Hagrid isn't seated at the staff table, Tori quickly spots a woman dressed in bright pink robes, and she snorts with laughter at the woman.
"Who-who is that?" Tori asks, chuckling merrily.
"Its that Umbridge woman!" Harry exclaims, from his seat across from Tori and Hermione.
"Who?" Hermione asks, with a frown.
"She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge."
"Nice cardigan," Ron smirks, and Tori snickers happily.
"She works for Fudge? What on earth is she doing here then?" Hermione asks, frowning deeply at Harry.
"Dunno," Harry answers, with a shrug.
"No... No, surely not," Hermione mutters, to herself, making Tori glance at her with a raised eyebrow. After the ominous song from the Sorting Hat, the sorting, and the cheerful greeting from Dumbledore, an array of food appears on the table in front of them. Tori's eyes light up, and she immediately begins piling food on her plate, shoveling food in the moment she feels she has enough. She half-listens to the conversation around her, more focused on eating. She looks up when Nearly Headless Nick shouts 'It's a figure of speech!' to Ron, and she watches him float away while chewing a large piece of chicken.
"What's wrong with him?" she asks, after pushing her half chewed food to one side of her mouth, jutting a thumb in his direction.
"Ronald has no tact," Hermione glares. "Really, Ron. Well done."
"What?" Ron asks, frowning. "I'm not allowed to ask a simple question?"
Tori rolls her eyes at the two of them and turns back to her meal. After finishing all the food she can manage, Tori groans and leans against Hermione.
"I'm... so... full," she moans out, shutting her eyes, and leaning heavier against her best friend. Hermione giggles slightly, pushing Tori off of her.
All talking ceases when Dumbledore steps up to the podium, and all heads turn in his direction, ready to listen intently to whatever the headmaster has to say.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students – a few of the older students should know by now, too," Dumbledore says, throwing a very pointed glance to the Gryffindor table, at four students in particular, (Tori, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all exchange smirks). After a few more announcements on the temporary change of staff,and Mr. Filch's usual warnings, Dumbledore begins announcing tryouts for Quidditch, when a soft, girlish 'hem, hem,' interrupts him, causing a low murmur of disbelief to erupt around the Great Hall, many students exchanging glances of surprise.
"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome," Umbridge says, sweetly, and Tori narrows her eyes.
"I hate her already," she whispers to her friends, who all nod in agreement.
"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me," she gushes, in her little-girlish voice, and Tori's eyes do a quick sweep around the Great Hall, seeing absolutely no happy faces apart from Umbridge's. "I'm very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
At this, Tori lets out a snort.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gift with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest...," Umbridge's words fade out as Tori's attention slowly wears off, and she turns in her seat to look at her friends.
Harry and Hermione are still paying attention to the woman, Hermione more intently than Harry. Ron, however is looking around the Great Hall, bored. Tori's eyes eventually begin doing the same. Her eyes glance around, spying everyone who's lost interest in Umbridge's speech, and she grins slightly, amused.
Her grin disappears quickly when she sees the ever infuriating Charles Norwood staring at her. She quickly glares at him and he returns her look with a charming grin and a wink. After turning away, Tori quickly becomes lost in her thoughts, being broken out of them minutes later when Dumbledore begins to clap.
"Thank you very much, Professor, that was most illuminating," Dumbledore says, after rising to his feet.
"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Hermonie says, lowly, making Tori lift her eyebrows in disbelief.
"You're not telling me you enjoyed it," Ron says, looking at Hermione. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy."
"I'll have to agree. I was almost falling asleep over here," Tori inputs, and Ron rolls his eyes at her.
"Nothing new there," he says, and she grins at the factual statement. After a bit of talking, and explanation from Hermione; Ron, Tori, and Harry all realize that the long, boring speech from Umbridge meant that the Ministry of Magic would be interfering at Hogwarts this year. When they're dismissed, and after a few parting words to Ron and Hermione who have to show the first years where to go, Harry and Tori begin making their way through the crowd of students. Tori watches a few first years looking at Harry, terrified, and she frowns at him confused.
"What was that about?" she asks when they scamper away toward the other first years.
"Just kids being stupid," Harry mutters darkly, making Tori look at him warily. "Come on," he says, walking through the crowd, and Tori follows after him. Harry seems to calm down significantly when they leave the large crowd, and when they reach the portrait of the Fat Lady, they both realize that neither of them know the password.
"Its always something with us," Tori mutters to Harry, irritated.
"No password, no entrance," the Fat Lady says, and Tori gives her a pleading look.
"Oh, come on. Its us! Tori and Harry! You know who we are," Tori whines, and the Fat Lady gives her a stern look.
"No password, no entrance," she repeats, and Tori pouts.
"Guys!" the pair hear shout from behind them, and they turn to see Neville rushing up the stairs. "I know it! Guess what it is? I'm actually going to be able to remember it for once! Mimbulus Mimbletonia!"
"Correct," the Fat Lady says. She gives Tori and Harry another stern look before the door swings open. When the trio enter the common room, Tori nudges Harry slightly.
"See you later," she says with a grin, and Harry merely nods back as she makes her way towards the girls' dormitories. When she enters the dorm, she finds that she is the first to arrive, and she crosses the room to her bed where her trunk and Blossom's cage. She finds the white cat snoozing on her bed with Crookshanks, and she easily plops down on top of the neatly lain out covers, startling the two felines, who both lift their heads and seem to glare at her. "Oh, you two love me," she coos, gently petting their heads. Both cats purr quietly as they relish in the attention.
Tori's attention is torn away from the cats when the door flies open, Lavender and Parvarti walking in behind it. The two girls are clearly caught up in a conversation, but when they catch sight of Tori, they cease talking immediately. Parvarti sends Tori a small smile while Lavender pointedly ignores her, making her way to her bed.
"Good summer, girls?" Tori asks, attempting to make conversation.
"Not bad," Parvarti answers, going to her bed next to Lavender's. The dark skinned girl takes a quick glance at her friend before looking back at Tori. "I don't think I can say the same for Lav, though."
"Something happen, Lavender?" Tori asks, slightly concerned. Annoyance flares up in Tori when she's again, ignored. "Did you forget how to speak over the summer?" she asks, attempting to keep a firm lid on her temper. The comment doesn't sit well with Lavender, who turns her head and glares at the brunette darkly. This takes Tori by surprise, not expecting her usually cheerful, smiling dorm mate to look at her in such a manner. "Is there a problem?" Tori asks, eyebrows nearly touching her hairline.
"Just the company you choose to keep," Lavender snaps, harshly.
Tori narrows her eyes at this.
"Lavender, please. Tori, she didn't mean anything by that. She's just upset. She almost didn't get to come back to Hogwarts this term," Parvarti butts in, attempting to diffuse the budding argument. Having lived with Tori in their dorm for going on five years, she knows how hot headed the small girl can be. She also knows how stubborn her blonde best friend can be, and that an argument between the two girls could go bad, fast.
"Perhaps not, but I'd like to know what she meant by that," Tori says, remaining in her spot on her bed, staring the blonde girl down. By now, Lavender had turned completely to face the brunette, her hands on her hips, glaring at the other girl.
"By how chummy you and Potter still seem to be, I'm to believe you actually believe his lies about You-Know-Who returning," Lavender bites out, raising an eyebrow.
"I do, in fact," Tori snaps back, earning an eye roll and scoff from Lavender.
"Of course you would," Lavender almost laughs. "Potter could tell you the sky was purple and you'd believe him."
"What are you getting at, Lavender?" Tori asks, rising from her bed and walking slowly to the middle of the room.
At this point, Parvarti's hands raise, her fingertips covering her lips as she watches the scene anxiously. She considers stepping between the two girls, even more so when Lavender meets Tori in the middle of the room, the two girls now standing mere centimeters apart. This thought is quickly dismissed though, Parvarti somewhat fearing for herself if she were to even attempt getting in the middle.
"What I'm getting at, Victoria, is that you, Granger, and Weasley all follow Potter around like little puppets, bending at his will, doing anything for him. You all believe anything he says because he's Harry Potter. Its absolutely pathetic," Lavender says, ignoring the glare on Tori's face which grows more vicious with every word the blonde says.
"Lavender, that's enough. Really-," Parvarti attempts to speak up quietly, but is cut off.
"You know, your parents really should have kept you home this term," Tori says, venom coating each word she speaks. "If you really believe all of what you said, you're clearly too stupid to be here."
Tori's caught off guard when she's shoved harshly backwards. She catches herself from falling backwards onto the floor by gripping one of her bed posts. She takes a moment to process what just happened, and she looks at Lavender who seems surprised at herself, but doesn't back down. Before she can stop herself, Tori marches up to the taller girl and gives her an equally hard shove.
"You know what I think?" Lavender asks, after regaining her footing, her eyes shooting daggers at Tori. "I think Potter's making this whole thing up. I think he killed Cedric, and he's using You-Know-Who as a cover."
At this point, Tori sees red.
Before any of the three girls can realize what's happening, Lavender is on her back with Tori on top of her. The two can vaguely hear Parvarti calling for them to stop as the girls begin to hit each other, but her words fall on deaf ears.
Parvarti turns her entire body around sharply when the fifth year dorm's door is flung open, relief flooding her, hoping whoever it was could stop this. That relief somewhat subsides when its only Ginny rushing in, hearing Parvarti's shouts.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Ginny shouts, rushing over to the two girls. By now, Lavender had managed to reverse the situation, and is now on top of Tori. Fists are flying in all directions by the two. "Get off of her!" Ginny shouts, louder, hurrying over to pull Lavender off of Tori. The redhead is shocked when Lavender knocks her back, Ginny promptly falling on her backside. Soon enough, a crowd of girls are standing in the doorway, watching the fight intently.
"What is this?" Hermione asks, from behind the crowd of girls. She'd heard the commotion after leading the first year girls to their dorm, and quickly fled the room to find where it was coming from. She's shocked that its coming from her own dorm and she pushes through all the girls. Her jaw drops in astonishment and her eyes widen when she sees Tori and Lavender rolling on the floor, fighting each other. "What is the meaning of this?" she shrieks, stomping to the pair of girls, and grabbing Tori who had managed to assume her original position on top of Lavender. Hermione gives Tori a sharp yank, effectively pulling her off of the other girl.
Tori, not being in her right mind at the moment, elbows Hermione roughly in the side, eager to get back to the fight. Her mind clears completely when Hermione lets out a yelp of pain. The entire room is silent, and Tori turns around quickly. Guilt floods her completely when she sees Hermione clutching her side, blinking back tears of pain.
"Hermione," Tori whispers, in disbelief. "Hermione I... Merlin, Hermione I'm so sorry," Tori says, completely horrified at herself.
"Never mind that," Hermione says, straightening herself and glaring at her best friend. "What in God's name did you think you were doing?! Fighting! In the dormitory!"
"You didn't hear what she said!" Tori shouts, back in Hermione's face, rage taking over her face again.
"And I meant every word, Black," Lavender spits, and Tori turns sharply on her heel, making to leap on the blonde again, but she's immediately held back by Hermione and Ginny. The two girls drag their seething friend out of the dorm, through the dissipating crowd of girls and down the stairs to the common room where a fraction of boys were standing, looking up the stairs to the girls dorms, curiously. The boys quickly make room for the three girls.
"Get off of me!" Tori roars, wrenching her arms from the two girls.
"I don't know what got into you up there, but that barbaric behavior isn't acceptable, Victoria Black," Hermione rages, at Tori, who glares heatedly at her best friend.
"You have no idea what happened up there before that fight started," Tori says, lowly, her hands literally trembling with anger.
"You fought someone?" Ron asks, being in the crowd of boys with Harry when Tori was drug down the stairs. He looks at the two girls, wide eyed. In turn, the two girls glare at him, silently telling him to butt out. The redheaded boy wisely shuts his mouth and gestures for them to continue.
"No matter the reason, violence isn't the answer," Hermione nearly shrieks at Tori. "I really can't believe this!"
"Believe it," Tori says, darkly.
"Hermione I'm sure it was for a good reason," Harry says, quickly jumping to Tori's defense. "You know she wouldn't do anything like that for nothing." Harry takes this moment to look the girl over. Her hair, which was once neatly curled down her back, is a mess, thick strands sticking up at all angles. She also has a bit of blood coming from her nose, and he sees that one side of her lower lip is also slightly bleeding. He can see the beginnings of a nasty bruise on the apple of her left cheek. "You look terrible," he tells the small brunette. Tori slowly moves her eyes to Harry, and the beginnings of a smirk plays at her lips.
"You should see the other girl," she jokes, and they both grin, and from the side, Ron quietly snorts out a laugh.
This seems to fuel Hermione's anger.
"So you all think this is funny, do you?" she asks, her voice deadly calm. "Well go ahead, laugh it up!" she shouts, her anger boiling over. On that note, she turns around quickly, noisily stomping back upstairs to the girl's dormitory. The three friends watch her leave, before glancing at each other, slightly abashed.
"She'll be fine," Ron says, rubbing the back of his neck. The other two nod slightly.
-KYHS-
The next morning Tori wakes up early and remains seated on her bed, waiting for Hermione to wake up. When her best friend finally emerges from her bed, she glances at Tori, and frowns slightly at her bruised face before going into the bathroom for a shower, not uttering a single word to the other girl. When she's finished, she sees Tori still sitting on her bed, watching her. Lavender and Parvarti had already left the room, and Hermione goes to her trunk for a clean uniform.
"Please don't be angry at me," Tori mutters, and Hermione pauses her motions briefly. She doesn't let her friend's words deter her anymore though, and continues digging through her trunk for all of the necessary pieces of her uniform. After a moment of silence Tori speaks again. "She accused Harry of killing Cedric."
Hermione's head snaps up, and her brown eyes lock onto Tori's, utterly shocked at her words.
"She said he was just using Voldemort as a cover up to get away with it," she continues, and Hermione continues to look at Tori in shock. "I don't know what came over me, 'Mione. I just got so angry that she could even think of accusing Harry like that... And I don't know... I just snapped."
"That... That's ridiculous," Hermione whispers. "How could she even think such a thing?" she asks, her voice normal now. Tori can do nothing but shrug.
"If you're going to be angry at me... Then... Well, fine. But I wanted you to know why last night happened," Tori says, playing with her hands.
Hermione watches her friend for a few moments before sighing.
"I suppose, and I'm not justifying what you did, that you might have had a reason for it. And I suppose I'm not angry. Just... Disappointed," she says, and Tori winces slightly. Her face seems to brighten though, and she sends her best friend a small grin.
"I can live with that," she says, happily, and Hermione rolls her eyes playfully. Tori's face falls dramatically. "And Hermione... I am so sorry for hitting you last night. I didn't know it was you."
"I know," Hermione says, simply. Hermione does know this. She knows that Tori would never intentionally hurt her.
"I'll make it up to you," Tori announces, finally rising from her bed. "You wait. The first Hogsmeade visit of the year, I'll buy you loads of Ice Mice, and Licorice Wands. So much that you'll never run out."
Hermione laughs at her.
"Tori-," she starts.
"No, I mean it. You'll have sweets for years. Good thing magic candy doesn't spoil," Tori grins, throwing her own uniform on quickly, and Hermione does the same. The two girls leave the dorm room, Hermione becoming increasingly more amused as Tori rants about the amount of Honeyduke's products she'll have for the next decade.
-KYHS-
A/N: Well, that's all folks! Since I haven't updated in a while, and I really want to get this chapter out, I'll reply to reviews in the next chapter! Promise!
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