Chapter 11: The Troubling Case of Hogwarts' welcoming
Rattling and swaying, the carriages moved in convoy up the road.
When they passed between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars on either side of the gates to the school grounds, Harry –who was sitting in front of Rohini- leaned forwards to try and see whether there were any lights on in Hagrid's cabin by the Forbidden Forest, but informed the rest of them that the grounds were in complete darkness.
"Maybe Dumbledore gave him something to do, something important." Rohini said, exchanging a knowing look with her brother.
"Yeah, that's probably that." Harry nodded, though he seemed bothered by Hagrid's absence.
The carriages jingled to a halt near the stone steps leading up to the oak front doors and Rohini jumped out of the carriage first.
She turned to face the strange, skeletal horses standing quietly in the chill night air, their blank white eyes gleaming at her.
"Sorry I reacted poorly to you." She whispered, awkwardly patting the creature. "Take care of yourself, alright?"
"Do you think they can understand you?" Harry asked, bemused, as they all set into motion once more.
"Certainly." Luna said lightly, hopping in front of them towards the castle. "They are very smart creatures."
"I'm hungry." Ron mumbled, rubbing his stomach.
"I wouldn't say no to a good meal, too." Rohini admitted. "Or just a cup of pumpkin juice…"
The Entrance Hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall and the start-of-term feast.
The four long house tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the starless black ceiling, which was just like the sky they could glimpse through the high windows.
Candles floated in midair all along the tables, illuminating the silvery ghosts who were dotted about the Hall and the faces of the students talking eagerly, exchanging summer news, shouting greetings at friends from other houses, eyeing one another's new haircuts and robes.
Rohini passed her hand through her short hair and wondered if Zach will hold it against her that she didn't wait for his mother to cut them for her. Probably not.
"Be careful, ok?" Harry warned Rohini, nodding at the nosy students whispering and pointing at them. "And don't listen to them."
"Same goes to you, dummy." Rohini said, gently nudging her brother. "Don't worry about me."
"I always have to worry about you." Harry scoffed before joining his friends to the Gryffindor table.
"Let's sit at our own table, shall we?" Padma asked, taking Rohini's hand as the Luna waved at them from a free space she had saved. "And I know Harry just warned you, but please, try to be more careful this year, alright?"
"Why, you're worried you'll have to give me detention?" Rohini teased, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. Padma scoffed.
"No, because the new DADA teacher is an influent figure of the Ministry." She said, nodding towards the teachers table.
Rohini frowned in confusion and looked up.
"No way!" She gasped, revolted.
Professor Dumbledore, sitting in his high-backed golden chair at the centre of the long staff table, wearing deep-purple robes scattered with silvery stars and a matching hat, was now listening to a woman sitting next to him, who was talking into his ear.
She was squat, with short, curly, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes and when she had turned her face slightly to take a sip from her goblet, Rohini had recognised the pallid, toadlike face from Harry's hearing.
"What is she doing here? She was ready to condemn Harry!" Rohini said angrily as Padma forced her to seat. "There must have been a mistake, she can't possibly be-"
"Mum told me it was bound to happen," Padma said darkly. "The Minister needs a grasp on Dumbledore, doesn't he? And since no one wants the job anyway, Dumbledore probably had no choice but take her application… or maybe Mr. Fudge gave him no choice…"
"Nice cardigan." Luna simply said.
The doors from the Entrance Hall opened before Rohini could ask further questions to Padma about what Mrs. Patil knew about the situation.
A long line of scared-looking first-years entered, led by Professor McGonagall, who was carrying a stool on which sat an ancient wizards hat, heavily patched and darned with a wide rip near the frayed brim.
The buzz of talk in the Great Hall faded away. The first-years lined up in front of the staff table facing the rest of the students, and Professor McGonagall placed the stool carefully in front of them, then stood back.
The first-years' faces glowed palely in the candlelight. A small boy right in the middle of the row looked as though he was trembling.
"I can't believe it used to be us." Rohini sighed, feeling sympathy for the poor kid. "It feels like we've been at Hogwarts since forever!"
The whole school waited with bated breath. Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:
In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the self-same yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
'Together we will build and teach!'
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest. '
Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest. '
Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name, '
Said Hufflepuff, 'I'll teach the lot,
And treat them just the same. '
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him,
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus the houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with duelling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the houses been united
As they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfil my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether Sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you
Let the Sorting now begin!
The Hat became motionless once more; applause broke out, though it was punctured, for the first time in Rohini's memory, with muttering and whispers.
"It was really not what I expected." Rohini said slowly.
"I hope the houses will stay united," Padma said, worryingly playing with her badge. "I don't want to be forced to punish students fighting over His return."
Professor McGonagall, who was waiting to read out the list of first-years' names, was giving the whispering students the sort of look that scorches and silence came back.
With a last frowning look that swept the lour house tables, Professor McGonagall lowered her eyes to her long piece of parchment and called out the first name.
"Abercrombie, Euan."
The terrified-looking boy stumbled forwards and put the Hat on his head; it was only prevented from falling right down to his shoulders by his very prominent ears. The Hat considered for a moment, then the rip near the brim opened again and shouted:
"Gryffindor!"
Euan Abercrombie staggered to Lion table and sat down, looking as though he would like very much to sink through the floor and never be looked at again.
"I'm so glad we're not going through sorting every year." Rohini said.
"It would be logical, though," Luna pointed out. "Our personality and beliefs are bond to change as we grow; maybe someone that was in Ravenclaw would happen to become a Hufflepuff during their third years, for instance."
"That's a… surprisingly interesting and effecting idea." Rohini admitted. "Especially in preventing House wars…"
Slowly, the long line of first-years thinned. In the pauses between the names and the Sorting Hat's decisions, Rohini and her friends would joke about Rohini's stomach rumbling loudly.
Finally, "Zeller, Rose!" was Sorted into Hufflepuff, and Professor McGonagall picked up the Hat and stool and marched them away as Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet.
"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands- welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down neatly and threw his long beard over his shoulder so as to keep it out of the way of his plate-for food had appeared out of nowhere, so that the five long tables were groaning under joints and pies and dishes of vegetables, bread and sauces and flagons of pumpkin juice.
Rohini sighed happily as she seized the nearest plate of chops and began piling them on to her plate before handing them to Padma and Luna.
The familiarity of the dinner was enough to brighten Rohini's mood, making her forget about her problem for the split of a moment, laughing at Zach and Elliot's jokes as they told them more about the week-end they both spent camping in the wild together with Elliot's parents.
"And then dad freaked out when he realised we had been kidnapped by what mum thought was a Bigfoot!" Elliot said, laughing at the memory. "He kept yelling 'don't tell your mum, don't tell your mum!' while being unable to aim his wand without Zach and I being in the way."
"Bigfoot isn't real, then?" Rohini asked between two bites of chocolate cakes.
"He is, but not the way Muggles imagine him to be." Zach explained. "The Muggle "Bigfoot" is just the result of a half blood giant-"
Dumbledore got to his feet once more, putting an end to their conversation.
Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the Headmaster.
"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," said Dumbledore. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students-and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."
"I think he means you." Padma whispered to Rohini with a knowing smile.
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.
"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause.
"You were right," Rohini sighed. "The Ministry truly have a spy at Hogwarts, now…"
Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the-"
He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.
Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk.
Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as Rohini had ever seen it. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.
Only Rohini wasn't finding it amusing, her jaw tensed and her eyes narrowing in distrust.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."
Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again, Rohini felt a powerful rush of disgust.
She gave another little throat-clearing cough and continued.
"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"
Rohini raised an eyebrow and Elliot cough to hide his grin.
None of the faces looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken-aback at being addressed as though they were five years old.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins.
"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan." Padma whispered to Zach, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles.
Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again, but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more business-like and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts 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 the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."
Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her.
Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and Rohini didn't miss her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little 'hem, hem' and went on with her speech.
"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation-"
The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling.
Luna had got out The Quibbler again and Zach kept going about their camping trip. Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table Ernie Macmillan was one of the few still staring at Professor Umbridge, but he was glassy-eyed and Rohini was sure he was only pretending to listen in an attempt to live up to the new prefect's badge gleaming on his chest.
The Slytherin table was as interested as a rat would be interested in poison, and Rohini smirked when she looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Harry yawn.
Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively and Rohini decided to pay attention once more.
"-because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."
She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Rohini could see that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly.
Dumbledore had stood up again.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now, as I was saying-"
"I have a really, really bad feeling about her," Rohini said, staring at the nasty looking woman. "'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? What is that supposed to mean?"
But before Padma answered, Dumbledore dismissed the school and everybody started to stand up ,ready to leave the Hall.
"I'm supposed to show the first years where to go." She explained flatly. "See you later?"
"Good luck." Rohini said with an encouraging smile before going after Luna and the boys. "Show them who's the boss!"
"Rohini, they are pretty much babies!" Padma laughed, shaking her head.
They were making their way out of the Great Hall when someone bumped into Rohini.
"Oof, sorry, I-" Started the young boy before freezing. "Oh…" He said flatly, recognising her. "Yeah, forget it." And then he hurried to join his friends, whispering and pointing at her.
"Ah, that was to be expected." Elliot said, suddenly looking stiff. "They ain't fond of you at the Ministry, are they?"
"Yeah, I'm not exactly one of their special guests." Rohini mumbled, squaring her shoulders. "Now that I think about it, why are you two so chill about me? Don't you think I'm a liar, or something?"
"You lie as well as Malfoy is kind." Zach said dully. "And mum warned me that if I dared to pick a fight against you, she would personally come to make me apologise…" He laughed before clapping Rohini's shoulders. "Nah, we believe you, Rohini. It might just be mum and I, but mum always had her trust in Dumbledore."
"My mum is a Muggle, so she isn't aware of what's happening." Elliot explained, as they took a marble staircase that started moving so fast Rohini had to quickly jump on it before losing her friends' track. "And I'm not gonna lie, dad doesn't trust you or Dumbledore, but he doesn't trust anyone except the wrong people, so…"
"Thanks, guys." Rohini said, her eyes shining in gratefulness. "Glad to know there's some people who still have faith in me."
"We're more than you think." Luna sang lightly.
"I'll trust you on it." Rohini said wisely.
The four of them parted way as they reached their respective dorms, and Rohini decided to wait for Padma to arrive before going to bed. Luna, who was already quite tired, said goodnight and quickly retired.
Rohini regretted her decision to wait however as a group of Ravenclaw girls came into view and froze when they saw her standing here, on her own.
"What's wrong, Potter?" Lisa Turpin asked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her chin. "Did your friends ditch you? Would be no surprise, they must be scared you'll kill them in their sleep, wouldn't be the first time…"
Rohini felt her blood turn into stone as the four girls snickered. Breathing suddenly faster, she slowly took a step forward and enjoyed the way Lisa seemed to tense up as she did.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean, Lisa?" She asked lightly, as if discussing the weather.
"It means that we all know Cedric wasn't kill by… by You-Know-Who." The girl on Lisa's left said, hiding behind her friend. "My uncle is from the Ministry, and he said-"
"What, that I lied to cover Cedric's murder?" Rohini snapped, laughing humourlessly. "How smart of me, isn't it?"
"Don't be so coy, Potter." Lisa spat. "Everybody knows you're just a…a"
"A what?" Rohini said, taking another step, then two, until she was standing face to face with Lisa, who was slightly taller than her. "Go on, don't be scared. How are you worried you'll end up like Cedric?"
"See! She just confessed!" The petite girl on the left yelped, maniacally waving her wand. "I told you she did it! My uncle-"
"SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR STUPID UNCLE!" Rohini roared and the girl shrieked before running away. "Now, Lisa, why don't you finish what you started, bitch?" She asked, the last word heavy on her tongue.
CLAC!
The slap took Rohini's by surprise, and the shock numbed the pain as she slowly brought a hand to her cheek, blinking slowly.
"Don't you ever call me that, you disgusting-"
"Lisa Turpin, I hope you'll be thrilled to hear you'll have your first hour of detention tomorrow." Came Padma's voice as the prefect was suddenly standing side by side with Rohini, a protective arm passed around her shoulders and her eyes glaring down at Lisa with a murderous light in them.
"You can't give me detentions!" Lisa gasped and Padma laughed coldly.
"Oh, haven't you seen my badge, yet?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and Lisa's eyes grew bigger when she realised her mistake. "Now, if I was you, I'll make sure to clear the path and go hide in the hole where you belong."
A moment passed, Lisa and Padma both staring at each other furiously, before one of Lisa's friends mumbled that it was getting late and they still had to unpack.
"You've fallen lower than I thought, Padma." Lisa whispered as she left, bumping into Rohini as she did.
"You will always be lower, no matter where I stand anyway," Padma said and Rohini chuckled weakly as Padma cupped her cheeks and raised her face, forcing her to maintain eye contact. "Are you alright?"
Padma's usual kindness was back, and Rohini sighed before nodding.
"Yeah, barely felt anything." She lied, her cheek burning where the slap had hit her.
"Don't listen to Lisa, or anybody else for that matter." Padma said. "Only listen to us, alright? We know you better than they ever will."
"I know." Rohini said softly and Padma gave her a comforting smile before resting her forehead against Rohini's in a private, soft gesture that made them both blush a little.
"Good." Padma whispered and Rohini wished time would stop and they could both stand here like that forever. "They were right for only one thing; it's getting late. Let's go to bed, alright?" She asked, stepping back and breaking the magic of the moment.
"Alright." Rohini said, her chest warm as Padma took her by the hand and never let go.
