Chapter five
New staff
During their meal, Cynder noticed how on the Gryffindor table, other than Ron Hermione and a few others, the majority of the students on that table were avoiding Harry. She sighed and shook her head at this,
"I can't believe that people are doing this" she muttered to herself, "Harry did nothing wrong".
"Good evening, children" Dumbledore's voice suddenly filled the whole hall, and everyone looked at the podium where the headmaster himself was standing. "Now, we have three changes in staffing this year. Firstly, I would like to welcome our first dragon guardians of Hogwarts, Spyro and Cynder." He then gestured to the dragons with one hand. Spyro smiled before standing and bowing, Cynder did the same, it wasn't often that she got to be proud of something, "they are a different kind of dragon to the ones we are used to, as they can talk our language perfectly, so do not be afraid of them if you see them patrolling the corridors." Dumbledore explained, "secondly, we're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank," he then gestured to a man who Spyro and Cynder hadn't met last year, "who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave" this would have come to a shock to the dragons, if they hadn't been told this before leaving Grimmauld Place. They had also been notified that even though Hagrid wasn't there, they were welcome to go back to living in his hut. "And finally, we also wish to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge" the only other new teacher who was clearly Umbridge was a short squat woman resembling a large pale toad. She had a broad, flabby face, a wide, slack mouth, and little neck. Her eyes were bulging and pouchy, and she had mousy brown hair. "I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck." Dumbledore added before continuing, "now, as usual, our caretaker Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you…"
"ahem" everyone turned to face the direction of the noise to see Umbridge with her hand raised. The new professor then stood up and walked around the table and up to Dumbledore, and as she passed the dragons, she stood on Cynder's tail, causing the dragon to bite her lip in order to control her sudden urge to blast the woman with poison.
"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." She announced for the whole hall to hear, "and how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me" at this, Cynder gave the woman her fiercest death glare, "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends"
"As if" Cynder muttered under her breath, and to her immense surprise, the woman still continued her speech even though she thought it was over!
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school," she bowed politely to Dumbledore at this, "progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited" she ended with a small, high-pitched giggle like a little girl, before walking back the way she had come to her seat, whilst also treading on Spyro's tail on the way. The hall erupted with polite applause, except for Spyro and Cynder,
"If I didn't know any better," Spyro muttered, "I would say she stood on our tails deliberately"
"I second that" Cynder grumbled, she knew that a few trees in the forbidden forest would be damaged tonight.
"Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Dumbledore stated before going back to his announcements, but Spyro wasn't listening, he could safely say that he learned one thing from Umbridge so far; that she was definitely from the Ministry of Magic, and that means that the Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts.