So…. it's been a while since I've last updated. In the time since I last posted, I got my license, turned seventeen, became a senior, dyed my hair three times, got a boyfriend and then broke up with him a month later…it's definitely been a couple of interesting months. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you all the luck with this New Year. Love always, Ev.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen:

There is an old Chinese proverb that I would like to share with you tonight:

'If there is beauty in character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.'

Peace. Just saying the word bring a bit of hope to each of us, a feeling that maybe one day we can unite against the dark and save our people. IT sounds so simple, and many have tried before, and yet all have failed. Why, because to achieve world peace, we must first achieve peace in our homes, our schools, our world.

Imagine if you will, that this school is your home. That the students next to you are you're brothers and sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews and the teachers your parents, aunts and uncles. Seems reasonable enough, doesn't it? How would you feel if instead of your fellow Gryffindor being your brother, he was your cousin and a Slytherin was your sister? How would you feel if none of your fellow Hufflepuffs was part of your immediate family, but instead students from all the other houses were? Would you still be happy? The looks that have appeared on your faces just by me mentioning this idea is enough for me to realize that you would never be happy and that, my fellow students and teachers, is why we will never defeat Voldemort. HE realizes that is our brother became a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin; he would be disowned and feeds off that hatred. We think that he is so sly and manipulative, that the tricks he uses to ensnare people into becoming Death Eaters are vicious mind games that not only Professor Dumbledore and a select few can withstand, however, they are not. These games that he plays are at the intellectual level of a five year old, but his intellect is at the level of our fellow Professors. He realizes that the hatred and animosity we have built up over time is enough for us to segregate against tour fellow wizards and witches. By ourselves to we cerate the underdog and the hero, and by ourselves do we destroy an entire group of people and worship another. It is because of how we treat our fellow man hat Voldemort is able to day in and day out kill and ensnare us.

I ask that you once again imagine this school as your home and imagine that a Slytherin is your brother, a Gryffindor your mother, a Hufflepuffs your sister and a Ravenclaw your father, but this time, you are happy with these arrangements. There would be no hatred for Voldemort to extort, there would be no underdog for him to glorify. Instead we would have an entire civilization united together willing and able to defeat him.

Ladies and Gentlemen: it is at this school that we can defeat Voldemort. If you can reach out to your fellow student and help him, you do not have to love him, but the willingness to help him is all that is needed to change the world. If you change your attitude towards your fellow student, you will change your schoolhouse. If you change your house, you will change the school. And if you can change the mind-set of every student currently sitting here, you will be able to change the world and we will have peace.

Thank you for your time, God Bless."

Ev did not wait for an applause before stepping down, she was wise enough to realize that she probably made many people mad with your radical speech, and those that were not mad at your for what she said were probably in shock by the way she had talked. She walked down the steps leading up to the podium and quietly returned to her seat, head held high but unwilling to meet the eyes of anyone in the room. However, before she was able to sit down, she heard a loan person clapping. Soon that one person turned into two, then five, then the entire teacher's table with some students. In a matter of seconds though, almost everyone was clapping. She stood up and smiled and gave a slight bow towards the headmaster and headmistress with a slight blush on her face. She nodded her head towards each house table as a sign of recognition and thanks and then returned to her seat.

"When I was informed that a student would be giving the opening speech this year, a student that I did not ever know, I was somewhat worried." Said Professor Dumbledore as he stood up. "However, I do not think I could have stated that any better; Miss. Ev mentioned to you all something that I should stress more- the importance of house unity. Each and every student here today is the future of the wizarding world and if you can put aside your petty differences, the world will never again be terrorized by the liked of Lord Voldemort." He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "On a happier note, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the students and faculty from Salem Academy as well as our new Defense the Dark Arts Teacher. As many of who have probably noticed, there are many new faces up here tonight, but none of them will be your new teacher. As an effort to unite the houses and schools, we have decided that the DADA will be taught in a different way this year. The highest levels, for sixth and seventh yeared students, will be taught by Headmistress Blanch and myself" there was some applause from both schools at this comment "while the younger classes will be taught by a combination of the brightest Salem and Hogwarts students. Instead of ruining the surprise, I ask that you try and guess who will be your teacher. We will have it announced at the end of dinner if you are unable to figure it out."

The students began to wildly look around, trying to see who would be their teachers for the rest of the year.

"I wonder who it is" asked Hermione

"I really don't care as long as it isn't Malfoy" said Ron, still eating the American food. "Who do you think it is Harry?"

There was a slight pause.

"Harry?" said Ron, this time a little louder and hi eyes no longer concentrated on the food. Harry, instead of answering, began to squirm a little.

"It's you isn't it?" Ron said a little aghast.

Harry refused to look up as a slight blush appeared on his face. "Yea, that's what Dumbledore told me earlier. You guys don't mind do you?" There was tone in his voice that neither Ron nor Hermione could identify, but it sounded like fear, as if he feared he would lose his friends because he was once again glorified.

"Mind? Mind? Why would we mind? Harry, we're your friends and besides, you're great at DADA. This is going to be so cool, you're a teacher!" shouted Ron.

"Good" said Harry, who was now eating some food, "Because Dumbledore also told me that you and Hermione are going to be helping with the first and second years classes."

At this Hermione gave a small squeal as she began muttering about "preparation" and "how am I ever going to get all my HW done?" Ron, however, dropped the slice of pizza he was devourering as his ears turned slightly pink. "Me? He's letting me help?"

"Yup"

"Wow" Ron slumped back in his seat, looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Suddenly, he jumped up and began doing a little jig on top of the table.

"Well, it seems that we've figured out who one of our teachers are" said Dumbledore with a chuckle. "Congratulations Mr. Weasley".

His face now turning a color that resembled puce, Ron jumped off the table back into his seat and became very interested with the contents of his plate.

"Well, that was the first time I've ever seen a red-haired 6ft 1in boy do an Irish jig. I give it a 7.8." Said Ev, laughing. She sat back down at her seat and continued to eat what was left on her plate.

Mark, who was still talking with Ginny, said "nice speech. Screams you completely."

She punched him in theshoulder in response.

"What about this whole teaching thing, Ev? Mark and I are signed up for first and second years, Bree said no to the offer, Nikole and Rose the same." Said Brian.

"Why do you even ask?" said Mark, rubbing his arm where Ev had punched him. "Of course she is teaching, this whole student teacher thing was probably her idea."

Before she could answer, Hermione butt into the conversation, "Ron and I are signed up for the first and second years, Harry will be teaching the whole time though. It sounds like a lot of fun, and a great opportunity for our groups to get to know each other."

" Yea", joined in Ron, "my brothers are the Weasley twins, and though we're not as big as troublemakers as they were, we do like to dabble in the art every now and then."

"Sounds like fun" said Mark.

"Join us in," said Nikole and Rose.

"What about Bree and Brian?" said Ev, turning around to face her friends. "Bree? Brian? Where did they go?"

"Probably exploring the new broom closets." Said Mark. "They're the Salem Academy experts on broom closets." He said with a smirk.

Ron snorted while Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry and Ev continued to remain quit however. "Oh, by the way Mark" Ron said, getting out of his chair, "If I happen to find you in a broom closet with my sister, I will kill you, then resurrect you five different times so that each of my brothers can kill you. Got it?"