II—School Changes
Not only Gwen, but also the new Head Master Professor Minerva McGonagall, uncovered the mystery about all of the extra students attending Hogwarts this year.
"Settle down, students!" she exclaimed irritably after the start of term feast. "That's better. To all of the new Hogwarts students welcome and to all of the existing Hogwarts students, welcome back! We expect that you will show the new students respect and admiration, they come from all over the world to train here with you. As most of you know, other schools around the world closed down for the year due to recent events. However, our school, despite tragic occurrences, has decided to brave these events and remain open, in the hope that you will gain in knowledge and experience important in protecting yourselves and your families."
Harry was appalled. He turned to Hermione whispering vehemently, "Can you believe this? Any one of these new students could be working for Voldemort. They could be his spies!" he spat. "Dumbledore would have never—"
"I'm sure there's an explanation," Hermione reassured him, though she was doubtful.
Their words went unheard over the chatter that suddenly arose in the Great Hall among the other Hogwarts students with similar concerns and the foreign students concerned about said 'tragic occurrences'.
Professor McGonagall raised her voice, "Let me assure all of you that you are completely safe here in Hogwarts. New measures guarantee that we have the strictest security in place. Now, onto other matters, the majority of Hogwarts students are not attending this year because there has been enforced an age restriction on magical education, only for this year, however. You must be of the age of fifteen to attend Hogwarts. As well, many students believe that staying home is safer than coming to school; this is not the case, however, most of the Slytherin house thought so. We will house some new students there; the rest of you will be separated into the various other houses."
Harry looked to the Slytherin table. He indeed saw that most of the faces were unrecognizable. Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, decided it best not to show up for school this year, all the better for Harry, just one less problem he would have to worry about. Then again, he wondered if they would ever show their faces at Hogwarts because of the horrible deed Malfoy had performed, with his greasy friends as accomplices in his crime. Harry supposed there would be no reason for them to return. If Voldemort had not killed Malfoy, he was probably in some sort of Voldemort cult, learning how to be a death eater and one with the dark arts.
"Strict limitations have been applied to what you can and can not do at Hogwarts. For example, the grounds are protected, but you must not venture outside in the day alone or in the dark at all. Classes have been adjusted to fit a guideline for this year. Existing Hogwarts students will notice a change to their timetables; new students will notice that we have not included all of the classes you have requested. We have not the work force to run all courses previously available. With that said, these are dark times; it would be within your best interest to obey your professors, and stay within the rules. You may go to your houses now."
"She sat back down at the table, looking directly at Harry as he looked at her. It seemed that her words were intended for him mostly. She looked away eventually and he noticed just how aged she looked. She was much younger than Dumbledore, but, to Harry, seemed so much older.
"Harry, are you coming, or are you going to sit down here all night?" Ron asked. They had already stood and were halfway down the table before realizing that he had not joined them. Sulkily he stood and followed them to the Gryffindor tower.
"It's weird having all these new students around. None of them knows what they are doing. They should have kept us as prefects and then we could guide them."
"Well, aren't you the little helper," Hermione laughed, "but what would they do about Slytherin? Malfoy and Parkinson aren't here anymore so they don't have prefects."
Ron shrugged, "They're probably off snogging—"
"They're probably dead or working for Voldemort," Harry cut in. There was silence as nobody disputed the fact. Harry almost felt sorry for Malfoy after all, being born into such a family was his first misdeed.
They entered the common room, which was already packed. Lavender Brown was there, looking lonely by the fire. Hermione went to join her where she found that Parvati and her Ravenclaw twin, Padma, did not come back to Hogwarts this year. Harry and Ron went upstairs to settle and found that Neville was the only other Gryffindor boy from their year, Dean and Seamus were not there. In their place was a single person, a brown fellow with a Middle Eastern accent. He smiled and said hello their arrival.
"My name is Sivinter."
"I'm Ron, and this is Harry."
Sivinter nodded, his eyes on the lightning bolt scar, as if he already knew who Harry was.
Neville started talking about his summer holiday and his problems with his grandmother he said, "She almost made me stay home this year, but boy did I tell her!" He exclaimed proudly. "At least she's proud that I'm acting like my parents," but there was a note of sadness in his tone.
Ron laughed it up with Neville and the new person until the moon had run its short course. Harry only smiled, changed into his pajamas and went to bed dwelling on how difficult this year was really going to be.
Harry found it unsettling having all the new comers in his class. He supposed that they would resume classes as normal, and the other students would fill class space where there were no younger students. Instead, the students separated into their age-year categories, seventeen year olds with seventeen year olds and extended class time to fill space.
Harry looked at his schedule in the Great Hall the next morning after forcing himself to eat breakfast. "We've got two classes today," he mentioned, "Transfiguration and Charms. Tomorrow we have one all day, Defense Against the Dark Arts and spare. Thursday we have potions for half the day and then spare."
"They've taken away everything and given us spares!" Hermione whined.
"As if anybody could ever miss the classes that you took Hermione," Ron laughed, "I mean, come on, arithmancy?"
Hermione slumped back in her chair, "Why would they omit classes for free time though?"
"Maybe, there aren't enough students that want to take the course, so they dropped it to give us study or practice time. Or, maybe Professors are…" Because the outcome of fatality was such a possibility, Harry did not finish his sentence. Instead, he turned to Ron and asked, "Who's our head of house this year? I didn't see who gave us our schedules."
"It's me 'arry!" Hagrid's recognizable voice reverberated behind him. Harry turned and viewed the proud look of accomplishment on Hagrid's face. "Professor McGonagall made me, me of all people, Gryffindor's head of house!"
Ron with his upturned nose, tried to hide his horror and asked, "You sure you're up to the responsibility Hagrid?"
"Well o' course I am, Ron, why d'you think she gave it ter me?"
"Because there are no other teachers," Ron mumbled incoherently. Hermione elbowed him hard while smiling and said, "Congratulations, Hagrid, we are all very happy for you!"
"Thank you Hermione," he said but with a downcast look on his face, "It's jus' a pity that I won' have as much time for the creatures as I once did. They dropped me course."
"Why did they do that?" Ron exclaimed.
Hagrid seemed to miss his sarcasm and said, "Well for one, it was mostly younger students who wanted ter take it, and fer two," at this point he came in closer to the three and said in softer tones, "I think tha' Professor McGonagall is focusin' more on academic subjects this year. After all that's goin' on with You-Know-Who, who can blame her?"
They nodded in understanding and stood, "Well, we've got to get to our classes, Hagrid; we'll be seeing you a lot more this year!"
Hagrid looked confused at Ron's statement so Ron said, "Well, you'll be spending more time in the castle now that you're head of Gryffindor," but Harry knew what he really meant and cracked a smile after they left saying, "We don't get into that much trouble do we?"
AN: Like it? R&R!