The feast had begun at last. The Sorting had taken forever to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Ed simply didn't care.
After about a half an hour of eating, a strange woman stepped forward from the staff table.
"Hem, hem…" she said, gathering everyone's attention.
"I am Dolores Umbridge, and I will be evaluating the school this year as High Inquisitor. The Ministry has sent me to—"
The doors to the Main Hall suddenly flew open, revealing a figure draped with a silver cloak.
"Who are you?" Umbridge cried.
There was no answer. Instead, the form walked forward towards the staff table.
"Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher—that Aileen?" Hermione whispered.
"Oh. That's her," Ed muttered, his mouth full of food.
"Indeed Mr. Elric is correct. I am Aileen Owarii, here to take the position of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Aileen's voice echoed outwards to the walls.
"The school of Hogwarts has been left without the knowledge of the true Dark Arts. Until now, that is."
Drawing an arm out from under the cloak, a light gathered around her hand, forming in the shape of a staff. It was black and made of iron, a small cross-like figure at the top with a circle around the intersection, although it had no relation at all to Christianity as far as Aileen was concerned.
"I have come to teach you all the true essence of Dark Magic."
Touching the tip of the staff to the ground, black lightning issued from the end, spreading around the floor and up the walls.
"What is the meaning of this, hiring a dark witch to teach such a delicate matter? I should have taken the position, but you denied me of it! Dumbledore! The Ministry shall know of this!" Umbridge said, scribbling furiously on her clipboard in front of her.
A spark of fire suddenly took a hold of the clipboard, reducing it to ashes in mere seconds. Looking up, Umbridge found Aileen's staff pointed right at her, the black lightning gone.
"Do not underestimate me. Although I am an expert in the knowledge of such things, I am not a dark witch. I am not even truly a witch myself."
It was then Umbridge actually noticed Aileen.
"Her lips don't move! Dumbledore! You shall not have a witch like this teaching my precious students! You will not!" Umbridge began to throw a tantrum of sorts.
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice resonated through the Hall more so than Aileen's did. The whole room was silent, waiting for the next move.
"She is not a dark witch, Dolores. She is merely a teacher who is an expertise in the area of Dark Arts."
"You won't be so lucky next time," Aileen said, turning and striding out of the Hall. The staff disappeared in a glimmer of light, arousing conversations at all the House tables.
Hooray for short chapters. Going Christmas tree shopping now! Back soon, and I'll continue writing more. I might post the third chapter, if I'm not watching too many movies and goofing off… :coughFFXcough: