Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
This chapter contains excerpts from J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and they will be in bold font.
Chapter 12: Arrival
As prefects, Ron and Hermione must sit in the prefect's cabin for part of the train ride to Hogwarts.
"I know you're not," Harry says in response to Ron's awkward, stuttering spiel about not being like Percy. His defense explanation, incase Harry somehow, comes to the conclusion that being a prefect makes Ron like the older brother who abandoned their family, simply because Percy had been a prefect too. Hermione and Ron give Harry swift, sympathetic smiles before heading off with their trunks, and their respective pets — Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, and Ron's little owl, Pigwidgeon — to the prefect carriage on the train.
Harry feels a sense of loss as he faces his first train ride to Hogwarts without Ron.
Ginny then steps beside him and grabs him by the arm. "Come on, Harry," she says encouragingly, "It's not for the whole trip. We can still save them seats."
"Right," Harry says, picking up Hedwig's cage. They head off peering into the compartments they pass in order to find and empty one. Harry struggles to ignore the looks and whispers as he passes the glass windows. He silently scolds himself for not being used to this by now. But he can't get rid of the dread that creeps up his spine as people nudge their friends, not even trying to be discreet.
They must believe the Prophet.
Harry and Ginny walk all the way to the last compartment, where they meet Neville Longbottom, looking tired from pulling his trunk and trying to keep track of his toad, Trevor, for dear life. Harry greets the round-faced boy.
"Hi, Harry. . . . Hi, Ginny," Neville says to them, panting slightly. He tells them that he can't find a seat anywhere, to which Ginny replies, "There's room in this one, with Loony Lovegood." She pulls both boys to the compartment when Neville shows hesitation. She rolls her eyes and says, "She's alright."
"Hi, Luna. Is it alright if we sit here?" Ginny says to a pale girl with dirty-blond, waist-length hair, and very light eyebrows. Her eyes are permanently bulged it seems. It gives her the look of someone who's constantly surprised by something. Harry is immediately off put by this girl and understands why Neville initially passed this compartment by. The girl looks up from the upside-down magazine in her hands and nods to the three Gryffindors. "Thanks," Ginny says with a smile.
Harry and Neville settle in across from the girls.
Ginny starts off by making simple conversation, asking how Luna's summer went. She says it was quite enjoyable, but quickly changes the subject to Harry, who she's been staring at since he got in.
"You're Harry Potter," she points out.
"I know I am." Neville laughs at Harry's nervous reply, capturing Luna's attention.
"I don't know who you are."
"I'm nobody," Neville says quickly.
"No, you're not," Ginny says sharply and introduces them, "Neville Longbottom — Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year but in Ravenclaw."
"Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure," Luna singsongs. She then pulls her magazine — which Harry now notices is called The Quibbler — back up so that it covers her face. She says nothing more. Harry and Neville are left with their eyebrows up in the clouds, and Ginny in silent hysterics.
Ron and Hermione return about an hour later and sit with them the rest of the train ride. When they all exit the train, they approach the carriages that will carry them the rest of the way. Only, now Harry notices that they're no longer being pulled by nothing like they usually are.
Harry supposes that they're a kind of horse, but they're not what one would usually picture when the word horse comes up. They've got little to no skin on their bones, just the hair coats. And their heads sort of resemble that of a dragon's. They have no pupils on the startling white of their eyes, and huge wings spring from their backs that look like the belong to giant bats. They make regular horses look like angels by comparison. Harry wonders why the coaches are now being pulled by these disturbing creatures when they're perfectly capable of pulling themselves.
"What are those things?" He asks Ron.
"What things?" Ron responds.
"Those horse things pulling the carriage."
"What horse things? It's pulling itself like always. I don't see anything."
"The horse things — right there!" says Harry, growing impatient.
Now Ron is genuinely worried. "Uhh. . . . Are you feeling alright, Harry?"
"Yeah. . . . fine."
"So… shall we get in now?" Ron says with uncertainty. All Harry can do is nod for him to go on. Ron heads into the coach and Luna appears beside Harry.
"Don't worry," she says with her dreamy voice, "I can see them too."
"Can you?" Harry responds.
"Oh, yes. I've seen them every year since my first year. Don't worry, you're just a sane as I am."
The Sorting Hat finishes its annual song for this year. It sung of dissembled unity between the four Hogwarts Houses and Harry feels the distinct feeling that he's just been warned. Nearly Headless Nick reinforces this feeling by explaining that the Hat has been known to give warnings when it senses that troubled times for the Hogwarts are ahead. Not to mention he notices a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher — those don't have a very good track record — and no Hagrid.
After the sorting of the first years is complete, Dumbledore tells them all to tuck into the welcoming feast prepared on every table. Once all the students finish eating there's a silence in the room. They all wait patiently for Dumbledore to start his annual speech.
Albus Dumbledore stands and walks up to the podium, and for the first time in a while, Harry is getting a good look at him. He seems even more worn out than last year, the bags under his eyes have tripled in size. Harry assumes it's due to recent developments having to do with both his own family structure and the Ministry. After this enlightening summer, he knows it will be futile to try and get anything out of him. Nevertheless, Harry finds himself pitying the headmaster. After all, it must be exhausting juggling so many things at once, plus 280 students. But Harry also holds his ground with his annoyance towards Dumbledore. The man could mitigate some responsibility to him. Harry has sure made his willingness clear. He suspects Dumbledore is used to being the only one in the room with enough brains and power to be as effective as he is.
Dumbledore starts to speak, giving his usual welcome, and instructions banning the Forbidden Forest, magic in the corridors between classes, and giving directions to Filch's office for a more specific set of rules. Dumbledore announces two staffing changes for this year: the new DADA teacher, Professor Umbridge, and Professor Grubbly-Plank as a substitute for Hagrid in Care of Magical Creatures. That last one insights worried glances between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Dumbledore doesn't say for how long this substitution will last.
Dumbledore continues, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the —"
The headmaster is cut off by the new teacher, Professor Umbridge, who gives a weird little cough of "hem hem." It becomes clear when she stands that she intends to make a speech.
Professor Umbridge wears light pink robes with a darker pink cardigan over it. Her hair is short and curled at the end. And her face has a deceptively sweet smile on it.
"Thank you, Headmaster, for your kind words of welcome," she continues in her high-pitched, girly voice, "I'm looking forward to getting to know the students and I'm sure we'll all be great friends."
What Professor Umbridge says next gives Harry the impression that it has been very well rehearsed. He can't quite place why, but Harry has a feeling that this lady will be trouble.
"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 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."
She takes a bow to the professors, causing Professor McGonagall's eyebrows to soar.
Professor Umbridge continues, "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 the sake of 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. . ."
At this point, most of the students all start to feel their attention falling away from her speech. But Harry, who started listening with rapt attention as soon as the Ministry was mentioned, is still focused on Umbridge. His face screws with more and more contempt as the speech goes on. Professor McGonagall shifts her eyes worriedly back and forth between Umbridge and Harry, noticing the look on his face. Professor Umbridge continues, unknowing of the students' disinterest and Harry's growing scorn.
". . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized 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."
When her speech is done, Harry is almost a hundred percent sure that she works for Fudge. His glare is so menacing that it garners scared stares from some of the students around him, including Ron and Hermione. If Umbridge does notice it, she pays it no mind and heads back to her seat as Dumbledore and the staff give her, at most, two mild claps.
A/N: Yay! We met Luna! But we also met Umbridge, so I have mixed feelings. I hope you all enjoyed chapter 12! Chapter 13 will be up either this coming weekend or the next. Until next time! :)