Chapter 5: A toad in a pink cardigan
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Chapter 5: A toad in a pink cardigan
[First day of term, Hogwarts]
Harry walked into the Great Hall looking for his missing giant friend and professor.
Hagrid had been noticeably absent on the platform, when he always gathered the first years to follow him to the boats. In his place, was Professor Grubbly-Plank, the witch how had taken over his Care of Magical Creatures class previously. Harry watched her sit in Hagrid's seat with disdain.
Scanning the staff table, Harry's eyes found a splotch of gaudy pink.
"That witch was at my trial." He said aloud.
"Which one?" Hermione asked, following his eyeline.
"The one in the pink."
"Nice cardigan." Ron said. "Like a singing strawberry loli threw up on her."
"She works for the Ministry?" Hermione asked, finding the witch in question.
"She works for Fudge directly, his Undersecretary, I think." She told him. "She nearly had a fit when I talked about being attacked by Dementors last week and in third year. She said I was lying about the whole thing."
"Her name is Dolores Umbridge," Neville popped in, sitting next to Harry. The other three looked to him in question. "My gran knows her from the Wizengamot. Says she's a right piece of work."
"But what's she doing here, at the staff table?" Ron asked.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at the woman in pink, "No… she couldn't be…"
"Hey," Seamus said, pointing up to the staff table as well, but not at whoever this Umbridge woman was. "Look at that bird, she's a real looker, ain't she?"
Half of the boys followed his finger to a beautiful young woman sitting next to Professor Sinistra, seemingly not noticing all the attention she was receiving. "Oi," Ron said, squinting. "Isn't that-"
"It's Fleur Delacour." Harry said easily recognizing her despite this being one of the first times he hadn't seen her wearing blue. Her attire was… odd. She wore a cloak like all the professors, but hers wasn't made out of fabric or fur, instead it looked to be made out of plants. Harry couldn't get a good look because of her sitting position and the distance, but her cloak looked to be made completely out of leaves, like illustrations of fairies and pixies he had seen in books. But whereas those creatures had only worn the bare minimum of clothing, Fleur was fully covered.
Half of the Gryffindor table was now looking up to Fleur in confusion, not only because of her presence, but also because of her choice of attire.
"What's she doing here?" Dean asked.
"No idea," Seamus said, a goofy grin on his face. "But I don't care."
A stream of first years entered the hall, followed by Professor McGonagall, who was carrying the Sorting hat on a stool.
~Flowerpot Line Break~
After the Sorting Hat's weird song about unifying, Professor Dumbledore stood and addressed the hall.
"Now that we are adequately fed and watered, I have a few start-of-term notices," he began, standing. "Our new first year students ought to know that the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden to all, and some older students ought to remember that as well.
"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to tell me to remind you all that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes, nor are a number of others things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now nailed, glued, screwed and cemented to Mr. Filch's office door, wherever that is.
"We have three changes in staffing this year; we are pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be teaching Care of Magical Creatures again this year. I would also like to introduce Madam Umbridge," he uncharacteristically stressed the word. "Who will be our Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor this year-"
"Hem, hem."
Dumbledore broke off, looking to Umbridge like he was astounded she had the gual to interrupt him. She rose to her feet, but due to her height, you could barely tell the difference of whether she was standing or sitting.
"Hem, hem."
He looked at the pink woman with an unreadable expression.
"May I say a few words, Headmaster?"
"I think that I will allow it," he said with a smile that could have almost been interrupted as a joke, but Harry knew better, as did many other students. Dumbledore didn't like this witch, so, automatically, none of them did.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Umbridge's voice was like a four-year olds'. "For those kind words of welcome. For those that did not hear, I am Professor Umbridge, your new Defense Against the Dark Arks professor."
She walked around the staff table, to Dumbledore's lectern. She cleared her throat again. "Hem, hem. Well, it is very lovely to be back at Hogwarts, even if I only graduated a few short years ago, I must say!"
"Yeah, if you count in hundreds." Ron muttered under his breath, eliciting a few chuckles from Seamus and Dean.
"And to see so many cute, happy little faces looking up to me!"
No one was looking happy. Some of the older boys still hadn't taken their eyes off Fleur, paying Umbridge no attention.
"I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you, and I am sure that we will soon all be very good friends!"
"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow her cardigan." Parvati whispered to Lavender, causing a few girls near them to giggle.
"Hem, hem!" She cleared her throat again, a sound that was making Harry's ears buzz. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare, and gods-gifted abilities and rights with which you were born with may result in nothing if they are not properly nurtured, cultivated and taught by approved Ministry instruction." Her squinty eyes shot to Fleur for the briefest of moments.
"Hem, hem!" She continued, no need to clear her throat again. "Because of this, the ancient skills, rights and privileges unique to the Wizarding community must be properly passed down from generation to generation, lest we lose them forever and diminish and degress as a society. The wonderful treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our honored ancestors must be guarded from those that envy it, replenished lest we lose it, and polished by those of us who have been called upon to become teachers."
Umbridge paused to give a little bow to her fellow staff members, but none bowed back. As if to counter it, several exchanged glances between each other.
Umbridge gave another, "Hem, hem," continuing with her speech. "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to this grand institution, and that is as it should be, for without progress, there would be stagnation and decay and rot. There again, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged, for our tried and true methods and traditions require no alterations nor change, for you cannot perfect what had already been perfected. A fine balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation must be found. For our culture, our methods, our traditions, require no change.
"We must also be cautious about where we gather our sources of change from." Umbridge continued. "For Wizarding kind is the most advanced, most just, most civilized and most perfect population anywhere on earth, and out of the entire world, I dare say, Wizarding Britain is the best. And we have no need to take inspiration or lessons from those below us, no matter how much they seem to advance."
Hermione openly scoffed at this, but Umbridge didn't seem to hear. "Wizards are better than Muggles, she means."
"Because some changes will be for the better," she continued with stride. "While others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as great errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old traditions will be retained, and rightly so, for they are inscrutable, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned at once. Let us move forward together, where we rightly should be, then, into a promising new era of openness, effectiveness, loyalty and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what ought to be perfected, and casting away any thoughts, practices, misguided opinions and beliefs that ought to be prohibited."
Without another word, Umbridge waddled to her seat, looking up to Dumbledore like he should be thankful for the speech she just gave. Instead, he took a moment before standing and resuming his rightful place at his lectern.
"Thank you, Madam Umbridge," he said with a politicians' voice. "For that most delightful, impromptu speech." He said, not looking at her. "Now, as I was going to say, may I introduce our last change of staff, former Triwizard champion, Head Girl of Beauxbatons, record holder of the highest cumulative grade in its' history, and author of many great published and unpublished works, Professor Delacour!"
He gestured to the young professor, who stood, earning much more applause, whistling and looks than the other two witches combined.
"Professor Delacour," he continued, once the hall was silent again. "Will be taking up the post of Hogwarts' newest class, Nonhuman Cultures and Magical Societies of the World, which, will be required for every student of third year and up." He turned to Fleur with a slight tilt of his head, gesturing to the spot where he stood. "Professor? Care to try to up our last speech?"
Fleur's eyes nearly shined. "Wi'z pleasure, 'eadmaster." She glided around the staff table and took his place, smiling down to all the students below. All of the boys smiled back, goofy grins on their faces, while a lot of the girls looked up to her with jealousy or distaste. Fleur didn't seem to notice.
Now that she was standing in full view, Harry could see his speculations of her attire were correct. Her robes seemed to be made completely out of living plants, making her look more like a potential new Herbology professor than one who focused on magical races. But Harry had a theory based on his and Fleur's conversation yesterday. She told him of her time with the satyr, pixies and other Fey, in which she learned a lot of their ways of living in harmony with the natural world around them. So Harry figured her clothing was either a replication, or a real form of clothing taken from the Fey or another race or culture.
"Now, 'ow can I even attempt to outdo Madame Umbridge's speech?" She asked aloud, as if thinking hard on the question. She snapped, as if just hit with an idea. "I guess I will begin by giving a brief explanation of what my new class will entail, and, an explanation of my attire ees as good a starting point as any.
"I am wearing 'ze traditional attire of 'ze great nomadic druid tribes of Greece, an ancient and prolific people who use magic like us, but instead harness the magic of the old world, long before Merlin and Morgana." She explained, several of the more studious students paying more attention now, like most of Ravenclaw, and, of course, Hermione. "I spent a spring wi'z 'ze druids, learning of 'zeir ancient nature magicks, traditions and ceremonies. I learned more about nature and elemental magic 'zan I ever learned at Beauxbatons, and I 'ave a mastery in 'ze subject and a natural fire affinity!" She said with a chuckle.
"In my class, you will learn from 'zose you 'ave never learned from before. Races and Cultures and Societies 'zat know more about certain branches of magic 'zan all of wizarding kind. You will learn 'ze foundations of predicting 'ze future 'zrough 'ze stars like 'ze centaurs, 'ow 'ze basics of ari'zimancy were developed by goblins. 'Ow to 'arness your own inner magic to perform astonishing acts, even wandlessly, from 'ze Fey. But most of all, you will learn 'ow to appreciate magical races and cultures, 'ow to interact and communicate wi'z 'zem, and you will learn 'ow to take from various cultures around you to improve and perfect yourselves." She said this looking to Umbridge, the pink-clad woman wearing a furious scowl.
Fleur continued with stride. "'Zoughout your years 'ere, you will learn to appreciate, understand and respect all other races, and 'ow to share teachings and practices amongst each o'zer, for no race is perfect or without need of improvement."
She bowed her head low to the crowd before taking her seat again. The great hall broke into applause, but Harry wasn't confident that they were all clapping because of her words. The only table that wasn't joining in was Slytherin. Only a few brave and defiant students openly clapped, the rest cowed by harsh glares and unspoken threats.
"Thank you, Professor Delacour." Dumbledore said as he retook his spot before the hall. "Now, to finish up our start-of-term announcements, Quidditch tryouts will be held…"
Dumbledore finished his announcements, before sending them off to bed with a wave. Hermione pulled Ron to his feet. "Come on, Ron, we're supposed to show the first years how to get to the common room."
Harry had almost forgotten that Hermione and Ron of all people had been selected as the Prefects for their house. It was a great surprise to everyone, including Ron. If Harry were honest, he didn't think Ron really deserved the position. Not to say anything bad about his best mate, but Prefects had to be role models and paragons of good behavior and studying tactics. Hermione was an obvious choice, but Ron wasn't. And, if Harry were honest, he wasn't even sure if he wanted the position himself.
"Oh, I nearly forgot." Ron said, who walked to and loomed over a gaggle of first years. "Oi, midgets! This way!"
"Ronald!"
"What? They're so teeney. We weren't nearly that small back then, were we?"
"You can't call them that," she chastised. "First years! This way! First years, this way, please!"
Harry left for the common room without giving Ron or Hermione so much as a goodbye.
Harry was nearing the exit of the hall when a voice sounded behind him. "Monsieur Potter, may I 'ave a word?"
Harry spun around to find none other than Fleur Delacour looking down at him, adorned with her odd collection of living leaves, vines and herbs.
"Sure, Fleur- I mean, Professor.' He rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, that's going to take some getting used to."
"Eet ees alright." She said with a dazzling smile. "Eet will take me time to get used to eet as well."
Harry watched as the first years all swept nervously out of the hall, he looked back up to Fleur. "You wanted to talk to me? He prompted.
"I merely wished to see eef you 'ad a pleasant train ride 'ere." She told him. "We may 'ave talked for 'alf 'ze day yesterday, but I still feel like we 'ave more catching up to do."
Harry found himself agreeing. "Yeah, it was fun talking to you yesterday." He said. "Your stories of your trip to Spain were mad."
She smiled. "I 'ave to go wi'z 'ze o'zer professors," she told him, starting to walk away. "But find me after classes, I would be more 'zan willing to regale you wi'z more of my travels." And with that, she was gone. Leaving Harry feeling a little more excited about this year that hadn't exactly started out well.
~Flowerpot Line Break~
Settling into his dormitory with Neville, Seamus and Dean, Harry started to unpack his things.
"Hey, Harry," Dean greeted. "Good holiday?"
"Not exactly," he said without further explanation. "You?"
"Yeah, it was good." He told him, before pointing a thumb at their Irish roommate. "Better than Seamus', he was telling me."
"Really?" Neville asked. "What happened, Seamus?"
"Me mam didn't want me ta come back this year." He told them.
"What?" Harry asked. Seamus turned away, busying himself with unpacking. "Seamus? Why wouldn't she want you to come back?"
"Well," he said slowly, looking anywhere but Harry. "I suppose…because of you."
"What d'you mean?" Harry asked, though he feared he knew the answer.
"Well," Seamus continued. "She, er… well, it's not just you, it's also because of Dumbledore-"
"She believes the Daily Prophet?" Demanded Harry. " She thinks I'm a liar and Dumbledore's an old fool?"
Seamus looked up to him for the first time. "Yeah, something like that. And she's not too keen on me sharing a dorm with someone convicted of attacking a Muggle town-"
"I destroyed two rubbish bins!" Harry nearly shouted, anger rising and the buzzing in his ears almost deafening. "And I wasn't convicted either! I had a trial, but once Madam Bones learned I had only been fighting off the Dementors, she-"
"Dementors?" Seamus asked, acting like this was new information. "What are you talkin' about?"
"My cousin and I were attacked by Dementors." Harry defended. "I couldn't cast my Patronus, so I fought them off however I could. But I didn't attack any Muggles, much less a Muggle town. My mum was a Muggle. I destroyed two old rubbish bins on accident!"
Silence filled the dorm for nearly a full minute, the three other boys looking at him like they were trying to discern fact from fiction. Neville looked like he fully believed Harry, and Dean looked like what Harry had said made sense, but Seamus didn't look convinced.
"Look, Harry," Seamus began, looking at him again. "I know you aren't just one ta lie, but… what did happen, with Cedric and all?"
"What are you asking me for?" Harry demanded, sitting on his bed. "Just read the Daily Prophet like your stupid mother-"
"Don't you have a go at my mother!" Seamus cut him off, yelling.
Harry jumped off his bed and got right up in Seamus' face. The boy stood his ground like any good Gryffindor. "I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar!"
"Don't talk to me like that!"
"I'll talk to you and your stupid mother however I want!" Harry suddenly pushed Seamus back, sending him into Dean who tried to steady him.
Dean tried to put up a calming hand. "Hey, Harry, how about we take a breath-"
"Harry, calm down-" Neville pleaded.
"You're insane!" Seamus yelled, pushing past Dean and towards Harry.
Harry's wand was jabbed into Seamus' neck before he knew what was happening.
The entire dorm froze. Neville grabbed Harry's wand arm but made no other movement, Dean was looking between Harry and Seamus with worried glances, and Seamus was looking down to the wand pressing into his neck with a ghostly-white face.
"What's going on in here?!" Ron burst into the room, nearly stumbling when he saw the scene before him. "Harry? Seamus? What's going on?"
"...They nearly got into a duel." Dean said slowly.
"What? Why?" Ron asked, bewildered. "Did Quidditch talk get a little heated-" His eyes went wide when he got up next to them "Harry, drop your wand! What are you doing?!"
"He's calling me a liar!"
"What?" Ron asked, clearly confused. "Just calm down, mate. I'm sure Seamus didn't mean nothing-"
"He believes all the lies the Prophet is spewing about me!" He cut Ron off with a shout.
"Oh…" Ron said, realization dawning on him. "...right."
"He's a nutter!" Seamus said, still frozen in fear. "Get him away from me!"
Ron stepped between the two of them, grabbing and lowering Harry's wand. Neville pulled him back and Ron stepped completely between Harry and Seamus. Dean joined Ron between the two of them as well. "Let it go, mate." Ron told Harry. "We're all mates, you don't want to actually get in a fight and hurt him, do you?"
Harry didn't say anything, the pain in his scar and buzzing in his ears nearly deafening. He suddenly got the urge to use his wand, to scare Seamus so much he'd never mess with him again.
"I'm going to McGonagall." Seamus said, once he was out of Harry's reach and two boys between them. "Yer mental, you are. I thought me mam was wrong when she said you were dangerous, but now I know she was right." Without another word, Seamus grabbed his wand, bundled up his things, and stormed out of the room.
Ron leaned in close to Harry, whispering. "That was way out of line, mate. I know it's annoying that people don't believe you, but you just can't go attacking-"
"I haven't attacked anyone!"
Ron took a step back, seemingly understanding his poor choice of words. Louder, he said, "Still, mate, you need to control your temper better. Or else the Ministry will expel you for sure."
"Sod this." Harry pushed past Ron and Neville and burst out the door, not stopping until he was wandering the dark halls of the castle.
~Flowerpot Line Break~
Harry wandered the castle corridors. He didn't know why he had gotten so mad at Seamus for. Yeah, Seamus got on his nerves sometimes, but Harry had never pulled his wand on him before.
"What's happening to me?" Harry asked aloud, hand over his ears. It felt like someone had taken Uncle Vernon's drills to it and wouldn't stop. The entire time he was arguing with Seamus, it was like something inside of him was demanding he hurt Seamus. To remove him from his presence… and that worried Harry.
Harry turned a corner and came face to face with someone. His wand was in their face before he could blink.
Fleur froze, eyes focused on the wand without any real fear in her eyes, but still a great deal of respect. "Please lower your wand before you take out my eye."
"Fleur?" Harry asked, surprised. He withdrew his wand and put it in his pocket. "Sorry, I- I didn't mean to- I, I mean, I didn't know it was you-"
"I am sure you didn't." She told him, before tilting her head in question. "Care to tell me why you are roaming 'ze castle after 'ours? And why shouldn't I give you detention?" She asked with a chuckle, letting him know she was joking.
"I just got into a row with my dorm mates and needed to get some air," he said. "No big deal."
"Problems on 'ze first day back?" She asked. "What 'appened?"
"Nothing." Harry said, not at all convincing the Veela who could sense his base emotions like he had written them out on a neon sign. But he didn't know that, so she decided to let it go, deciding to not push the issue.
"Well, eef you need a cup of calming tea to 'elp settle your mind, I 'ave a few blends you might like."
"No, thanks." He told her. "I need to walk this off. Clear my head."
She took him in, from his appearance and visible reactions to the emotions she could feel rolling off of him like waves capsizing a ship. She didn't dare dive into his mind with Legilimency, else she risk affecting him with her allure, so she instead relied on her words.
"...Do you… wish to talk about eet?" She asked, completely forgetting Dumbledore's request, only thinking about offering him help.
"No," he said, shaking his head, his mind clearly elsewhere. "I need time to myself. Peace and quiet. Everything is so loud when others are around."
Her brow rose at that, but she chose not to say anything. "Be 'zat as eet may," she told him. "I cannot just allow you to walk around een 'ze middle of 'ze night. Eef I 'ad been any o'zer professor, you would 'ave been given detention. Because I know you, I will let you go wi'zout getting you in trouble-"
"Thanks, Professor-"
"On 'ze condition you go back to your common room." She continued, earning a defeated sigh from Harry. "And get some rest."
"Fine."
"Good." She said with a calming smile. "Be on your way, Monsieur Potter, and make sure Filch doesn't catch you."
"I won't." His face lightened, he didn't smile, but it was the closest to one she had seen on his face all day. "Goodnight, Professor."
"Goodnight."
to be continued
(Author's Note)
Harry's returned to Hogwarts and he's already getting into fights, woop woop. He isn't sure what's wrong with him, but he's getting angry for no reason, and he's pretty sure other people are making the buzzing in his ears and the pain in his scar worse.
Fleur is trying to naturally befriend Harry, more caring for helping him out than reporting to Dumbledore. And Seamus is now trying to move dorm rooms.
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QOTD: What did you think about Umbridge and Fleur's speeches? I changed up some points in Umbridge's, but kept the core message the same. Maybe reread them again and look for any hidden meanings.
Next time: First day of classes