Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters.
Author Note: Here it is, enjoy
9. Sideson's Office
The feast was excellent as usual. Endless mounds of delicious food, all prepared by Hogwarts's dedicated staff of House elves, magically appeared on golden serving platters. The students babbled happily, discussing their summer vacations, the monstrous storm, (Which could be seen raging prodigiously through the enchanted ceiling) and the new staff appointments. Harry, Ron, and Hermione managed to forget their troubles for a while as they joined the discussions around them and laughed at the antics of Fred and George who were carrying on uproariously at the head of the table.
Hermione took another look at the staff table and suddenly put down the chicken dumpling laden fork she was about to eat. "Harry," she muttered and poked him in the shoulder.
Harry turned away from Dean and Seamus conversation on the finer points of Quidditch versus soccer and arched an eyebrow. Ron looked up from the mountain of food he was currently entrenched in and blinked questioningly.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Well," Hermione chewed on her lip a bit, "I just don't see how Fudge could possibly do the job of Headmaster while still being minister of magic. I mean, they're both full time jobs aren't they?"
Ron nodded sagely, "Good point," then returned his attention to important matters. Mainly, his food.
Harry shrugged, "Maybe he'll say something about it later."
At that point, one of the Weasley twins set of a loud firecracker that soared into the air and burst into three red doves near the rafters. The table dissolved into laughter as the birds flew around twittering madly before disappearing in bursts of confetti. Harry thought he saw Fred passing out an order form.
The rest of the meal passed uneventfully and, once the plates had been magically scoured clean, Fudge stood again. "Before I send you all of to bed, I neglected to mention another staff change earlier. As some of you may have guessed, being minister of Magic places too many constraints on my time for me to be Headmaster of Hogwarts as well. Therefor, the Ministry has appointed Judge Marcus Sideson to preside as interim Headmaster until a suitable replacement is found. I trust you will all afford him the greatest amount of respect, just as you would any other member of the staff." He then gave another smile, this one a bit more convincingly cheerful, and finished, "Now then, it is late and you all must be getting to bed."
The hall emptied slowly as students found their friends and continued their discussions of the year to come. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindor House as they trooped towards their tower. Professor McGonagall accosted Hermione at the top of the staircase and she called after to Harry and Ron that she would catch up in a minute. The corridor leading to the tower was crowded and it seemed that none of the students knew the new password.
Ron turned to Harry, "Yeah that reminds me, we never found out who the prefect was going to be this year. I guess they'd be the only one to know the new password since McGonagall has to tell them."
Harry's eyes went wide, "McGonagall, you don't think-"
At that moment, Hermione came hurrying up the corridor clutching oddly at her robe, as though the clasp was broken or she was trying to hide it. "The new password is 'Cherry Quills!'" she called to the crowd.
She tried to hurry past Ron and Harry with her head down but Harry grabbed her loosely by the shoulder. "Hermione?"
Hermione looked up at the two of them uncertainly, then reluctantly removed her hand from the clasp of her robe. A new prefect badge glimmered cheerfully in the torch lit corridor. Hermione looked at them uncertainly for a moment, then began to babble, "Prefects are supposed to come up a week early to get their badges and passwords but because of the Muggle attacks my parents were afraid for me to be going any place too magical until the year started and that's why I had to go just now and get-"
Ron cut her short by grabbing her in a big hug and said through a huge grin, "Congratulations Hermione!"
He let her go and Harry stepped in for a quick embrace, "Good job 'Mione."
Hermione regarded them a bit uncertainly, "You two don't mind?"
Ron starred at her incredulously, "Mind? Why in the world would we mind? This is great!"
"Why didn't you tell us you'd been made a prefect?" Harry asked.
"Well," she stammered, "I, I just didn't know if you' be angry or not. If I'm a prefect I'll have to start reporting some of the stuff we do… and, and, well, follow the rules and such. I thought you two might get mad about that."
Harry winked at her with a mischievous glint in his eye, "My dad was a prefect and from what his old friends have told me, they never followed the rules."
Ron burst out laughing and Hermione tried on a brave smile. Ron clapped her on the back, "Cheer up 'Mione, we're both really proud of you."
Hermione brightened up a bit and then said with mock severity, "All right, then you two had better get to bed right away."
Harry laughed, "Uh oh, all ready sounds like she's going to like this job too much."
Ron snorted with laughter and the three of them climbed into the common room. They said their good nights at the bottom of the diverging staircases and then went up to find their dormitories.
Harry let out a relieved sigh as he sank onto his bed. His stomach was full, his best friend had some good news, their new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher seemed very interesting to say the least and Harry could find very little at that moment to trouble his conscious. His head hit the pillow and he was lost to the world.
* * *
Harry awoke the next morning to see a sullenly overcast dawn but still he felt refreshed and enthusiastic. He dressed hurriedly and wandered down to the great hall where breakfast was getting under way. Professor McGonagall handed him his schedule as he sat down next to Ron and Hermione.
Ron blinked owlishly over his toast and mumbled, "All right, what have we got today?"
Harry glanced down at his schedule while knifing some jam onto a piece of toast. "We're starting off with Ravenclaw in Charms, then we've got Hufflepuff and History of Magic, lunch, and finish off with," he grinned, "Defense Against Dark Arts."
"Sweet."
The mail arrived at that moment, and three owls dropped a large package onto Neville's plate, things he had forgotten to pack, no doubt. A small note landed next to Harry's plate and he picked it up with a shrug at Hermione who had just entered holding her schedule and looking curious.
Harry,
This is going to be a rebuilding year for our team to say the least. We're going to start practice this Tuesday and work on our strategies. See you then.
Angelina
Another note landed next to his plate. This one was a folded card with the Hogwarts seal holding it shut. He thumbed it open and read.
Mr. Potter
Please join me in my office before reporting to History of Magic.
Marcus Sideson
Hermione sat down and glanced over. "Wonder what that's about?"
Harry took another bite of toast and shoveled some eggs into his mouth. "Who knows."
* * *
Charms was rather dull for their first day back and Harry was not at all unhappy to see it end. After a brief discussion with Ron and Hermione, he separated ways with them at the top of a staircase and headed towards the gargoyle that hid the door to Dumbledore's, no Harry corrected himself, the Headmaster's office. Marcus Sideson was standing next to the open staircase and smiled as Harry came into view.
He was dressed in a slightly less formal robe than he had worn at the trial. His black hair was graying at the edges and he seemed much less imposing now that he was not a member of a group sent to take him from his home.
"If you'd accompany me, Mr. Potter." He turned with a gracious wave and swept up to the office.
Harry was surprised to see that it was almost exactly the same as when Dumbledore had been its tenant. The only exception was that Fawkes the Phoenix was not in his cage. He took the seat Sideson indicated and took another glance around. "Why didn't Professor Dumbledore take his stuff?" He turned to face Sideson, "If you don't mind me asking."
Sideson shook his head, "Not at all, I feel that I'm holding this office in trust for Albus until he returns. I think he took Fawkes so he would have some company on his involuntary vacation."
"Er, All right."
"Yes, well, I'm sure you're curious as to why I've brought you here Harry." He leaned forward onto his elbows, "Albus is an old friend of mine. I managed to get myself appointed to this position due to influence in the Ministry. Fudge wasn't too happy, but he did manage to get Luscious in now didn't he?" Sideson's expression soured as he muttered, "Always did love his old house best…" Then he noticed Harry again and brightened, "But that doesn't matter. I just wanted you to know that you've still got friends here and that we're doing all that we can to get Dumbledore back here where he belongs. Now, I suppose you should get to your class."
Harry stood and turned towards the door.
"Oh Harry, one last word to the wise."
Harry turned, "Huh?"
"Ryan Argano is trustworthy and you should consider him an ally, but he is dangerous. Do not get too close to him. He has too many skeletons in his closet."
________________________________________________________________________
Author Note Thing: Thanks so much to those of you still reading. This is really fun for me… : - )
All things relevant and non, send to Sechsmarquise@hotmail.com
And please review, flamers accepted.
