Chapter Six: The Surprise

"Wake up Harry! Come on! We'll be late for the breakfast feast!" a girl's voice shrilled in Harry's ear. Harry groaned and pulled his pillow on top of his head, drowning out her voice. Suddenly, the warm cocoon created by his hours of sleep disappeared and he was positively freezing. He sat up faster than a bolt of lightning and and gasped. The girl giggled and he looked in her direction to mouth off at her, as well as to glare angrily. He realized that he was glaring at a giggling Hermione Granger.

"What'd you do THAT for? I was sleeping!" Harry grumbled, standing up and snatching the covers back from Hermione's hands.

"Because I've been yelling for you and Ron to get up for the last half-hour and all you would do is moan that you wanted pineapple pancakes for dinner!"

Harry blushed.

"I did not say that!" Harry protested.

"Yes you did!" Hermione insisted.

"No way."

"Actually you did mate," said Ron, who was buttoning the top button of his shirt, "I woke up in time to hear that. And you talked about your Aunt Petunia making you go on a diet of liver and onions while Dudley got to eat pork and beans." Ron managed to swallow his laugh and smile instead.

"I don't believe you." Harry said stubbornly. But he got up and ready, having to deal with the teasing of the boys in the dorm. They too had heard Harry's drowsy, senseless mumblings.

They sat down at the breakfast feast and courses were distributed. Harry groaned. He had Double Potions, Double Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Double Transfiguration. Professor Mc Gonagall wouldn't be too bad, but two hours of Snape each class, four all together, was torture. However, he was lucky in that Hermione, Ron and Neville's course schedules matched almost completely. Ron was in all his classes, Neville was in all of Hermione's classes, and the four shared two classes per day. This was due to the fact that they all had career's in mind where emphasis was placed in the same subjects. Today they had Potions and DADA together; Neville and Hermione only needed on hour of Transfiguration for their choice occupations.

"All I can say is that the new Snape had better be good, or else I'm dropping out of Hogwarts!" Harry said wearily. Of course he knew that his would never happen, as Hogwarts was as good as his home, but Hermione nevertheless tutted.

"Oh, you'll do fine! Honestly, I don't know what you're worried about. You know Defense is your best subject and there's a new teacher for potions."

"Yea, but what if he's a stupid git like his brother?" Ron asked.

"Now Ron, Professor Snape is highly intelligent. Just because he doesn't like you doesn't mean he's all that horrid..." Hermione started. This of course sparked yet another senseless argument between Ron and Hermione. Harry sniggered at them. They rounded on him.

"WHAT?!" they yelled angrily. Harry's eyes widened in surprise at the attack.

"Well, it's just that you two—" Harry was stopped from having to say more. Dumbledore had risen and was now about to speak. He noticed a long line of unfamiliar faces of various ages entering the Great Hall.

"I am sure you all have been wondering what our big surprise was. Well now you shall know! It is my pleasure to welcome many new students to our school. Durmstrang, we all remember, was one of the three participating schools in the Triwizard Tournament of two years past. They have had many unsuccessful tries at securing a Headmaster for their school since Professor Karkaroff's disappearance. Now Durmstrang is no more and their students are to now attend Hogwarts." Dumbledore paused to allow the excited and shocked whispers to subside. "We also have four home-schooled students who will be joining the sixth years. All new students have been previously sorted in order to save time, but their names and new houses will be read as they take their seats at the House tables."

At this, he sat down and Professor Mc Gonagall stepped forward, starting alphabetically. Luckily the students were allowed to eat as the names were read off. All in all there were about five new sixth year Gryffindors, one being a home-schooled girl with round hazel eyes and auburn, spiraling hair that reached midway past her shoulders and rear-end. Everyone clapped for their new house members, but Harry halted when he saw this girl. He didn't catch her name, or her eye, but wished he had caught both. He didn't see the smug grins of his two best friends.

As the feast ended, they got up and made their way down to the DADA classroom, barely making it on time. They managed to get seats towards the back, not wanting direct confrontations with Snape. Snape walked in with a sneer.

"At last, I am the Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts." He said, glaring probably at the fact that it had taken so long for him to get this position. " I suppose you want a reason why I am here?" Noone dared to nod. He continued. " I am here to ensure that you know what the Dar Arts are. All those teachers before me were incompetent, unable to teach properly, or grade properly for that matter."

Harry was inwardly fuming. Two out of the four previous DADA teachers had been excellent, and all the students had learned fantastic skills. However, he kept his anger in check for the rest of the day, despite Snape's usual taunts and sneers. He had learned all too well what problems a short temper could cause, and was not about to repeat his mistake.

After class they all moaned and complained at the newly assigned homework; a twenty-four-inch essay on the usefulness of doxies in the hunt for runaway domesticated thestrals.

Their next class was Double Potions. Harry dreaded this. In his opinion, anyone related to Snape had to be just as foul.

They walked in, everyone's chattering coming to a complete halt along with their stunned bodies as they stared at the person grinning evilly in front of them.

It was none other than Professor Umbridge.

A/N: I wasn't going to give you guys this chapter so soon, but I figured I'd be nice since the last chapter was REALLY short. This one's a TAD longer. I know it's a cliffie, but I promise I will have the next chapter up the minute I get ten reviews (43 total). So....you could just review like three times at once and that would count...this time. Once I get a long chapter going, I will expect 10 reviews...one per reviewer. Sorry, but I need the feedback to see where this should head. I have a lot of ideas in my head, but it's rather useless if no one likes it.

There will be a few pairings...if you haven't figured out Harry's yet, then....read again. There will not be a Harry/ Hermione pairing, as I view that particular pairing absolutely horrid. It's obvious that Ron and Hermione like each  other in JK's books so I will stick to that.

Also, a couple of you mentioned that my OWL scorings were wrong. I have pretty much fixed it, so it has been a tad tweaked there...you might want to review that chapter. I had borrowed the fourth year book from the library and was doing this off memory, which is shotty at best. Thank you for catching it.

Anway, hope you liked!

Next Chapter: The New DADA Teacher