I do not own Harry Potter
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Anya was surprised, that with how old the hat looked, that it didn't have an old, musty smell. It, thankfully, smelled fresh. Anya would have hated to wear a hundred-year-old hat that had touch the heads of who knows how many slimy and sticky little kids.
"Ah, a Grindelwald. I've never had the honor of sorting someone of your blood before. You are his daughter, how interesting…" that hat said in her mind.
Anya narrowed her eyes, unsure of how that hat knew about her parentage. Could it read her mind?
"Yes, I can read your mind. I can see your thoughts, memories, and what makes you the person you are. It's how I decide where to sort everyone. Now, where should I put a fascinating girl like you?"
"I wish to be placed where I will have the greatest chance to rejoin my father. I want to take up his mantle." Anya thought to the hat.
"Oh? You want to take up his legacy? How ambitious of you. Yes, I see lots and lots of ambition, but is it truly your own? I see a sharp and cunning mind, one perfect for Slytherin. I see a strong intelligence, and thirst for knowledge. However, Ravenclaw wouldn't be good for you. No, you are too driven." The hat mused.
"Hufflepuff would be a mistake to place you in. No, you do not have a pure enough heart for that house. Gryffindor, perhaps? I see the bravery. Deep underneath the shrewdness, and ambition that has been forced upon you, I see a daring soul. You are meant for greater things then following your father's beliefs. You have the heart of someone who could lead armies to victory, and the courage to fight with them. Yes, I know where to put you…"
Anya held her breath, she could feel the anger coursing through her veins at the hat's dismissal of her dreams. They weren't forced on her! She held them as firmly as her father did! She had been born to help achieve his dream and to continue it! How dare this hat say that it was false? Her existence was solely to fight for the greater good!
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat was pulled off her head, and she couldn't help but squint at the sudden light assaulting her vision. She turned to look up at McGonagall who gave her a small smile before nodding towards the cheering Gryffindor house. She immediately caught sight of Ginny and the Weasley twins standing and cheering for her placement into their House.
She walked to the House table and took a seat between Ginny and Hermione.
"How did you not get sorted into Slytherin? Aren't you a Rosier?" Ron said with a sneer as she sat.
"Ronald!" Hermione scolded.
"Perhaps you shouldn't judge someone for their surname, Weasley. I told you before, you haven't talked to me enough to have an opinion on my character." Anya said, still feeling miffed about what the hat had said.
"You will look much better in red- "
"-then you ever would have green, Rosier!" The twins said with a teasing grin towards to girl.
Before anymore could be said, McGonagall cleared her throat and held up a scroll, announcing the first name on it.
"Abercrombie, Euan."
A dark-haired boy with very prominent ears, sat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Anya clapped politely with the other Gryffindors and the boy staggered to their table and sat down, looking like he wanted the floor to swallow his entire being.
Slowly, but surely, the group of first years was sorted. Anya could feel the subtle hunger pains in her stomach, and she could even hear Ron's stomach grumble during the brief pauses between names.
The final student was sorted into Hufflepuff, and McGonagall took away the stool and the hat as Dumbledore stood from his seat once again.
"To our newcomers," The old Headmaster said, his voice ringing through the hall, arms stretch and a bright smile on his wrinkled face. "Welcome! To our old hands – welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
As soon as the words left his lips, various plates of food appeared along the center of the table in front of Anya. She blinked at the sudden arrival of food, but quickly schooled her features into a neutral setting.
"Excellent," Ron groaned, as he reached for the nearest plate of chops and piled some onto his plate, being watched wistfully by a renaissance looking ghost.
"What were you saying before the Sorting?" Hermione asked the ghost. Anya delicately reached for some roasted chicken, and a mixture of vegetables, keeping her ears open to the conversation.
"Oh yes," The ghost said, turning away from Ron who was now stuffing his face. "Yes, I have heard that the hat gives several warnings before, always at times when it detects periods of great danger for the school. And always, of course, its advice is the same; Stand together, be strong from within."
"Ow kunnit nofe skusin gander ifzat?" Ron said around a mouthful of food, causing Anya and Hermione to look at him with disgust.
"I beg your pardon?" Said the ghost.
"How can it know if the school's in danger if it's a hat?" Ron repeated, having swallowed his food.
"I have no idea," said the ghost. "Of course, it lives in Dumbledore's office, so I daresay it picks things up there."
"And it wants all the Houses to be friends?" Harry said, looking over to the Slytherin table. "Fat chance."
"You should learn to find common ground with enemies. If your hat is warning you of dark times you should take precaution and build a collection of allies. Even if they are enemies." Anya said, recalling her lessons in strategy from her Papa.
Everyone turned to look at the girl, who was putting a spoonful of veggies into her mouth.
"Gryffindors would never team up with those Slytherin gits. We are enemy Houses for a reason." Ron said.
"You speak wisely girl; you are the new fifth year, aren't you? I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, and I am the ghost of Gryffindor House." The ghost introduced himself, bowing at the waist, his head tearing away from 90% of his neck at the motion.
"Anastasia Rosier" She nodded politely in return to his bow, trying not to show her disgust at his nearly decapitated state.
"We've never had a Rosier in Gryffindor before." Sir Nicholas said curiously.
"So, I've heard." She responded dryly, turning back to her food.
"Miss. Rosier here was right. If you have that attitude the Houses will never work together." Sir Nicholas said reprovingly. "Peaceful cooperation, that's the key. We ghosts, though we belong to separate Houses, maintain links of friendship. Despite the competitiveness between Gryffindor and Slytherin, I would never dream of seeking an argument with the Bloody Baron."
"Only because you're terrified of him," Ron said.
Sir Nicholas gave him an affronted look before responding. "Terrified? I hope I, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, have never been guilty of cowardice in my life! The noble blood that runs in my veins—"
"What blood?" Ron asked. "Surely you haven't still got—?"
"It's a figure of speech!" Sir Nicholas spat, his head trembling on his neck from annoyance. "I assume I am still allowed to enjoy the use of whatever words I like, even if the pleasures of eating and drinking have denied me! But I am quite used to students poking fun at my death, I assure you!"
"Nick, he wasn't really laughing at you!" Hermione said, throwing Ron a nasty look.
Ron had already re-stuffed his face full of food and was unable to respond with coherent words. Sir Nick straightened his feathered hat with a huff before floating away to rest between two similar looking Gryffindor students.
"Well done, Ron," snapped Hermione.
"What?" Ron said indignantly, after swallowing his food. "I'm not allowed to ask a question?"
"Oh, forget it," Hermione went back to her meal.
"Your question was rude." Anya added, getting a nasty look from Ron.
"No one asked you!"
"Don't be a git Ron!" Ginny snapped, coming to Anya's defense.
The group fell into silence, when it was clear Hermione wasn't going to talk anymore, and Harry didn't seem to be inclined to start any conversations either. Ginny and Anya talked quietly between themselves, with Ginny telling Anya a little bit about the Gryffindor common room, dorms, and some of the other students sitting around them.
When everyone had finished eating, and the noise started to pick up again, Dumbledore rose to his feet for a third time that night. The talking immediately ceased as everyone turned their attention to their Headmaster.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I need a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," Dumbledore said. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students—and a few our older students ought to know by now too." Anya noticed the smirks that Harry, Ron and Hermione all sent to each other, and raised a single brow at the trio.
"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."
Anya turned to Ginny, "Who's Mr. Filch?" she whispered.
"He's the grouchy old caretaker here. He is a nasty man always trying to get students in trouble. You'll see him around school all the time. Best to avoid him." Anya nodded at the answer, turning her attention back to Dumbledore's speech.
"We have 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 Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was a round of polite applause, but it was noticeably unenthusiastic in Anya's opinion.
Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the—"
An obnoxiously sweet "hem, hem" interrupted the old man's words. Dumbledore turned to look inquiringly at Professor Umbridge, who was now standing from her seat. She repeated her "hem, hem" making it clear to everyone that she intended to give a speech of her own.
Dumbledore's look of shock was caught by Anya and she spoke quietly, to the group, not caring who answered.
"Is it normal for your Professors to interrupt your Headmaster as he speaks?"
"No" Harry was the one to respond, much to Anya's surprise.
Anya watched as Dumbledore sat back down and watched Professor Umbridge with alertness. Anya's eyes shifted to the other professors to see their reactions and she was met with ones of varying shock.
McGonagall's lips were thinner then Anya had ever seen them before, the stoutly woman, with curly white hair, had her eyebrows hidden beneath her flyaway hair, and Professor Snape was starting at the woman dressed in pink like she was a foreign creature he had never come across before.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge said, "for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitch and breathy, and it reminded Anya of a little girl.
"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!"
Anya and the others looked around to see if anyone truly did look happy. They were quick to realize that everyone seemed to share the same thoughts as they did. Everyone was taken aback by being addressed like they were young children.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
Anya exchanged a look with Ginny. Her mind whirling, distrust settling in her gut as she continued to listen to this woman. Her sweetness was obviously faked, and it put Anya on edge. She wasn't unfamiliar with people putting on an act, her Papa had taught her to see past illusions and to never trust someone after meeting them the first few times.
Professor Umbridge cleared her throat once more, this time the breathiness vanishing from her voice and being replaced with a more straight forward and business-like tone.
"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 through the generations lest we lost them forever. 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 and gave a small bow to the other staff members, none of whom responded. If anything, Professor McGonagall looked like a bird of prey ready to strike. Professor Umbridge gave another "hem, hem" and continued her speech.
"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts had 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…"
Anya could hear the students around her giggling, no doubt joking about the pink woman standing before them all. Anya didn't understand how none of them were taking this seriously. This woman was essentially claiming control over this school, and the students were acting like nothing was going on.
Anya shoulders were locked in tension, knowing that this woman was part of the Ministry. The exact institution she was trying to avoid. She would have to be extra careful in her research about her father now, least this woman starts making connections or gets any ideas about Anya's identity.
Anya glanced at Dumbledore, wondering if the man knew about Umbridge coming to work as a professor when he informed Anya that she would become a student. He was the first to suggest hiding her from the Ministry, so why allow the proximity? Was he lying? Was this an elaborate set up for Anya to be discovered and arrested for her crimes in the past?
No, her father had sent her to Hogwarts that night for a reason and she had to trust that.
"…because some changes 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."
Umbridge finished her speech and sat back down in her seat. Dumbledore was the first to clap, with the staff following and the students reluctantly following. Dumbledore stood once the unenthusiastic clapping had stopped and addressed the hall once more.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," He said, giving her a small bow. "Now—as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held…"
"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Hermione said quietly.
"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Ron turned his glazed eyes towards the curly haired girl. "That was the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy."
"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," She said. "It explained a lot."
"Did it?" Harry said with surprise, and Anya rolled her eyes at his obliviousness. "Sounded like a toad of waffle to me."
"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," Hermione's voice was grim, and she looked towards Anya who was nodding with a stern face.
"You agree with me, Anastasia?" Hermione said with surprise.
Anya nodded before answering, "Her tone was very telling, as were the words she chose. She is making it clear that she intends to assert outside influences into this school, whether it be hers or your Ministries, I don't know. I know that she isn't what she seems, her body language is stiff, and she is forcing the 'sweet' demeanor to an unbelievable extreme."
Hermione nodded in agreement, turning to the boys again. "How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"
"Well, what does that mean?" Ron asked impatiently.
"It's just like what Anastasia said, it means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts." Hermione said, looking back towards Umbridge at the professors' table.
Loud clattering and banging erupted in the hall as Dumbledore dismissed everyone and the students clamored to leave the hall. Hermione jumped up, a flustered look at her face as she turned to Ron.
"Ron, we're supposed to show the first years where to go!"
"Oh yeah," He said, clearly having forgot. "Hey—hey you lot! Midgets!"
"Ron!"
"Well, they are, they're titchy…"
Even though Anya found the red-head annoying, she couldn't help but smirk in amusement at his nickname for the first-year students.
"I know, but you can't call them midgets…. First-years!" Hermione called along the table. "This way, please!"
The groups of first years shyly walked by them, and Anya tried her best to ignore them, trying to find Ginny in the crowd. Anya felt annoyance shot through her when she couldn't find the red-haired girl, or anyone familiar for that matter. The only one she recognized around her was Harry.
She weighed her options, she could tag along with the boy, who clearly didn't seem to like her, to find where the common room was, or she could sacrifice some pride and follow along with the first years. She chose to go to Harry.
As she walked towards the green-eyed boy, she couldn't help but notice the way two of the new first years who sent horrified and frightened looks towards Harry. She caught the smile slide off his face, as she reached his side.
"They seem to fear you, Potter. Why? You don't seem very frightening to me."
Harry spun around at her voice and narrowed his eyes when he saw her standing next to him.
"It's none of your business, Rosier." He said.
"Perhaps not, just curious." She shrugged.
Anya followed him as he walked out the hall and she caught him sending glances her way, but she chose to ignore them.
"Why are you following me?" He asked with furrowed brows.
"We are in the same House, and I don't know how to get to the common room. You were the only one around I recognized, so I figured I would follow you."
"Why didn't you go with Hermione and Ron?"
"I didn't want to tag along with children. I didn't want to sacrifice my pride."
Harry scuffed at her response but said nothing more about her following him. They hurried up multiple moving staircases that were carved from fine marble. They made it to the seventh floor and walk down a couple corridors before coming across a portrait of a large lady, that was covered with grape vines and various flowers.
"Er…" Harry said, staring at the portrait, before sparing a glance at Anya, who was observing the other paintings around them.
"No password, no entrance," The woman on the portrait said.
"Harry, I know it!" A familiar voice came from behind the two, and they turned around to see Neville jogging towards them. "Guess what it is? I'm actually going to be able to remember it for once—" He waved the little cactus that had caused the smelly commotion on the train at them before continuing. "Mimbulus mimbletonia!"
"Correct," The painting said, her portrait swinging open like a door, revealing a hole in the wall that Anya followed the two boys in cautiously.
Anya was greeted with a circular room that was full of cozy looking red armchairs and couches, there were bookshelves lining some of the walls, and some old tables were scattered around the room. There was a large fireplace, a fire already lit and crackling. Anya noticed the twins pinning something to a board by the door.
Anya couldn't help but feel comforted by the room, the only thing that ruined it was knowing she had to share it with dozens of other students. She notices some of the other Gryffindors staring at her, and whispering to their friends, no doubt curious about her abrupt acceptance to the school.
Anya maneuvered herself closer to the fire, keeping an eye out for either Ginny or Hermione, since Harry and Neville had left her to go up a set of spiral of stairs.
She quickly caught sight of Hermione coming through the entrance with Ron and the first years.
"Now this is the Gryffindor common room. The password changes often so be sure to check the board to see if it has changed. Boys! Ron will show you to your dorms, and ill show the girls to theirs. Get some sleep and be prepared for classes tomorrow!" Hermione said, and Ron led the boys to the same staircase Harry had gone up seconds before.
Anya walked over to Hermione, quickly catching her attention.
"Oh! I was wondering where you had gone off too. Follow me to show the first-years their dorm and then we can go to ours." Hermione said, leading them to another staircase next to the boy one.
Hermione quickly got the first years settled before she motioned for Anya to follow her up a few more levels until they came to a door that was labeled 5th year girls.
Hermione opened the door and allowed Anya to walk in before her. Anya noticed the circular room was full of four poster beds with red curtains hanging from the top. Each bed had a trunk placed at the foot of them, and pet cages were placed on top or on the beds.
Anya noticed two girls already in the room and sitting on one of the beds, their heads bowed to each other as they whispered and laughed with each other. Anya recognized them as two of the girls Ginny had pointed out to her at dinner; Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.
Anya quickly searched for her trunk, finding it placed by the bed next to Hermione.
She noticed a door leading off the room and assumed it was a joined bathroom. Anya bent down and opened her trunk to find some sleepwear that she had bought when she went shopping with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.
"Rosier right?" An unfamiliar voice broke through the air and Anya turned towards where the two girls had sat.
"Yes." Anya answered simply, watching as the girls shared a glance with each other.
"Why weren't you sorted into Slytherin? That's where most pure bloods go, especially ones with families like yours."
Anya sighed heavily through her nose, already fed up with the comments about her family name and her 'supposed blood purity attitude'. Is this all these students cared about? There were far more important things to think.
"I'm not from the English branch of Rosiers, I'm from the French branch, so I don't know what you mean when you say, 'a family like mine.' If all you Hogwarts students are so worried about someone's family name, how do any of you think you will make functioning adults in wizarding society? You should be more worried about your futures, not someone's name." Anya said, turning back to her trunk.
She heard the girl choke on her spit, clearly not expecting Anya to speak to her like that.
"Excuse me?" Lavender spat.
Anya ignored her, uninterested in continuing a conversation with the girl.
"Don't ignore me! Just because you are a special case for coming to Hogwarts, doesn't mean you are going to get special treatment! We can only guess what you have done to transfer so late." Lavender giggled patronizingly.
Anya continued to ignore her, she could see Hermione shifting uncomfortably from the corner of her eye, clearly not knowing if she should step in or not.
"You could be a wanna-be Death Eater like your family, and that's why Dumbledore brought you here." Lavender asked haughtily, causing Anya to slam her trunk closed when she found her pajamas and bath stuff.
"You English wizards and your accusations of people being Death Eaters. All you know of me is my name and you assume I follow your modern-day Dark Wizard? Don't make me laugh, girl. From what I have heard about this Dark Lord you all seem to fear, is that his revolution is illegitimate and holds no solid ambition. My father taught me better then to follow a mad-man obsessed with the idea of blood-purity and nothing else. So, please, don't accuse me of supporting such an unstable fanatic." Anya said coolly, glaring into Lavender's eyes.
Before Lavender or Parvati could speak, Anya turned to Hermione who was looking at her with calculating look.
"Is the door over there a bathroom?" she asked, and at Hermione's nod, she gathered her bath stuff and walked to the bathroom, ready for a hot shower.
Anya sent Lavender one more cold look from the side, before she closed the bathroom door behind her.