A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I started a new job and an online class and they have been taking up a majority of my writing time. Plus, I was having a bit of writer's block on a few parts. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy reading! XO

Chapter 48

Annie followed along sluggishly behind Harry, Ginny, and Neville down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express after Hermione and Ron had gone to the Prefects cabin and Fred and George had left to sit with their fellow seventh year friends. They finally found a compartment with only one occupant, a girl with blonde hair and strange glasses reading a magazine upside down. Ginny slid the door open and cleared her throat.

"Hi, Luna," she said. The girl looked up and smiled over at Ginny. "Do you mind if we sit here?" Ginny scanned over Neville, Harry, and a very tired Annie leaning in the doorway and nodded.

"Thanks. Come on," Ginny said walking into the compartment and taking a seat next to Luna. Neville followed her inside and sat down next to her as Harry and Annie sat across from them. Annie curled up in a ball and closed her eyes as she leaned her head back against the window. She was thankful for the awkward silence that had fallen among the odd group of people she was sitting with because her head was still pounding. She was just on the verge of falling asleep when a voice pulled her into consciousness.

"Do you have a headache?" Luna asked looking over at her through her crazy glasses.

"Yeah, I do," Annie answered taking her sunglasses off and running a hand through her hair. She shot a curious look at Ginny who just shrugged in return.

Luna took her crazy glasses off and set them and her magazine aside. "You may have earwigs," she suggested. "They sometimes get in your head and buzz around. Do you have a garden at home? They like to hide in flowers sometimes."

Beside her, Annie heard Harry snort with laughter but he quickly covered it up with a cough. Neville looked utterly confused and Ginny gave a nervous laugh. Annie smiled and shook her head.

"No, I don't have a garden," tilting her head back once more. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh," Luna said nodding.

"So, Neville, how was your summer?" Harry asked turning the conversation away from Luna and Annie.

"It was okay," he said standing up and taking something out of his trunk. "I got this for my birthday." He held out a plant covered in boils. "Mimbulus Mimbletonia that is. Look what it does." He took out his wand and gave the plant a poke. A sticky liquid squirted out of one of the boils and sprayed all over the occupants of the compartment.

"What is this stuff?" Harry asked taking off his glasses and wiping them clean with the hem of his shirt.

"Stinksap," he answered putting the plant back in his trunk. "I'm sorry, you guys. I didn't think it would go everywhere."

"That's okay, Neville," Harry said taking out his wand and cleaning the sap off his clothes and hair. Just as he was almost finished, the compartment door slid open and Cho Chang poked her head in.

"Hi, Harry," she said after looking around at the other Stinksap-covered kids.

"Oh, um, hi Cho," he said nervously ignoring Ginny's knowing smirk. Annie gave a slight snort of laughter and Harry kicked her in the shin. "How was your summer?"

"It was okay considering," she said looking quite upset. "Was yours good?"

"Yeah, it was alright."

Cho looked around at everybody again before returning her gaze on Harry. "Well, I have to get going. Bye." She waved and left the compartment, sliding the door shut behind her.

Annie let out a bark of laughter. "Some game you've got there, Potter," she said as Ginny and Neville joined in.

"What are you talking about?" Harry said kicking her again.

"Oh, come on, Harry," Annie said kicking him back. "She obviously likes you."

"You think so?" he asked looking smug.

Annie grinned and shook her head. She took out her wand and started working over the Stinksap that covered her robes. When she was finished with her robes, she took out her mirror and made it levitate in front of her with a flick of her wand. She ran her wand over her hair and face, siphoning off the sap and finished by ruffling her curls with her hands. As she was admired herself in her mirror, the compartment door slid open and Ron and Hermione came in and sat down in the vacant seats.

"You can't go ten minutes without looking at yourself in a mirror, can you?" Ron asked sitting next to Neville.

"Not when you look like I do," she said giving herself one last look over before tucking her mirror back into her pocket. "So what's going on with the prefects?"

"Ernie McMillian and Hannah Abbot are Hufflepuff's prefects," Hermione answered, ticking the names on her fingers. "Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil are Ravenclaw's –"

"Anthony who?" Annie asked looking confused.

"Anthony Goldstein," Hermione repeated. Annie gave her another confused look and Hermione rolled her eyes. "You tossed parchment balls at the back of his head all of last year in Charms," she clarified.

Realization spread over Annie's face as Harry, Ron, and Neville laughed at the memory. "Oh, yeah. I remember him now. Who are Slytherin's?"

"Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson," Ron answered spitefully.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked. "Great. Just what we need: Malfoy with power."

"I'm not too worried," Annie said waving off the announcement. "I'm going to get points taken from Gryffindor anyway."

"I thought you promised your dad you'd be on your best behavior this year," Ginny asked.

"Come on, Ginny," Annie said laughing as she rested her head against the window, "Even you know my best behavior isn't all that good."

As the train rumbled along the tracks, Hermione and Ron left the compartment to go back on prefect duty, Luna had gone back to reading her magazine upside down, Neville, Harry, and Ginny had started a game of Exploding Snap, and Annie had fallen back to sleep. Harry shook her awake as they pulled into Hogsmeade Station and waited as hurried to pull her robes over her head. They followed Neville, Ginny, and Luna out onto the platform and made their way to the carriages.

"Is that Professor Grubblyplank?" Harry asked her pointing over the crowd at the woman holding a lantern and calling for the first years.

Annie stood on tiptoe to get a better look and nodded. "Where is Hagrid?"

"I don't know," Harry said shrugging.

They lost Ginny and Neville in the crowd but the two and Luna were soon joined by Ron and Hermione. As they approached the carriages, Annie felt Harry stop beside her.

"What are these things?" he asked looking ahead at the horseless carriages.

"What things, Harry?" Ron inquired looking confused.

"The things pulling the carriages," Harry answered indicating the empty space between the reigns. "They're like winged horses."

"Harry, you're hallucinating," Annie said climbing into one of the carriages behind Luna. "You're probably just hungry. I get that way all the time. Right now you're a drumstick."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Annie. "There really is nothing there, Harry," she said as he and Ron climbed into the carriage.

Harry took one last look before shutting the door. As the carriage made its way up the path to the school, Luna stared at him the entire way. Annie gave him a weak smile and bounced her leg up and down out of impatience. When the carriage pulled up outside the castle, she quickly jumped out and waited on the stairs for her friends to catch up. She walked slightly ahead with her curls bouncing behind her as they made their way into the Great Hall.

"Hey, it's nice to see you awake," George said as she took a seat next to him at the Gryffindor table. "I stopped by your compartment but you were dead asleep."

"Why didn't you wake me then?" she asked pecking him on the cheek.

"Because I know how grumpy you get when someone wakes you up," he answered wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Hmm. Too true."

Annie watched as the rest of the students filed into the Great Hall and sat down at their respective tables as George turned to continue his conversation with Fred and Lee. She looked around at the staff table for Hagrid but he wasn't there. Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed to have noticed his absence as well and all three looked disappointed.

Harry leaned in and whispered so the people around him couldn't hear. "I bet he's still out doing whatever Dumbledore asked him to do."

"Yeah, yeah, that would make sense," Ron said as Hermione and Annie nodded.

Annie looked up at the staff table once more and noticed a woman in a pink cardigan sitting next to Dumbledore who was leaning down so she could whisper in his ear. She turned her head to take a sip from her goblet and Annie saw an obnoxious little bow sitting loosely on the top of her hair.

"Who is that woman?" she asked nodding up at the staff table.

"I think her name's Umbridge," Harry answered, recognizing the woman at once. "She was at my hearing."

"I like the bow," Annie said laughing into George's shoulder.

"Forget the bow. Have you seen her cardigan?" Ron said noting the woman's awful taste in clothing. "It's furry!"

While Annie, Harry, and Ron sniggered into their hands, Hermione furrowed her brows and shook her head.

"She worked at the Ministry?" she asked looking up at the woman questioningly.

"Yeah," Harry said after he calmed down. "She works for Fudge."

"Hmm."

The doors of the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall walked in carrying a three-legged stool with the Sorting Hat balanced on top. The new first years followed behind her, hyper aware of the whole hall watching them. George grinned at Annie as they walked past their table.

"Fresh meat," she whispered in his ear. He chuckled softly and ruffled her hair.

The first years lined up in front of the Great Hall looking small and frightened. The Hall went quiet as the students and staff waited. The brim of The Sorting Hat burst open and began to sing. Annie listened closely as the Hat gave a warning that he feared the dividing of the houses and they unite to keep Hogwarts whole. After the song, the Hall burst into applause. Annie gave Harry a questioning look and he shrugged. It seemed he didn't know why the Hat was warning them either. Professor McGonagall pulled a long list of names out of her pocket and cleared her throat.

"Abercrombie, Evan," she called.

As the boy walked up to the stool, Annie discreetly pulled her wand out of her pocket. The boy sat down and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"Reducio," Annie muttered pointing her wand at the stool. Immediately the stool shrunk down and Evan Abercrombie toppled to the floor. The whole Hall erupted into laughter as the teachers looked around the room for the culprit. Professor McGonagall's angry gaze fell on Annie who was doubled over in a fit of giggles. Evan Abercrombie emerged from the floor, red-faced and still wearing the Sorting Hat. Professor Dumbledore stood up, raised his hands, and the Hall fell quiet. He waved his wand and the stool returned to is normal size and gestured for Professor McGonagall to continue the sorting. Evan Abercrombie climbed back on the stool and waited for the Sorting Hat's decision.

"Gryffindor!" the Hat yelled. The Gryffindors cheered the loudest as he walked over to the table and took a seat.

"Now I feel kind of bad," Annie whispered in George's ear as Professor McGonagall called out the next name.

"He'll get over it," George whispered back.

The sorting went on until the last first year was sorted into Hufflepuff. With a final glare at Annie, Professor McGonagall took the stool and the Sorting Hat out of the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore stood up and the chatter that had erupted through the Hall came to a halt.

"Welcome new students to Hogwarts, and to the old ones, welcome back!" he said merrily. "We will get to the important matters and announcements later, but for now we will dine." As he resumed his seat at the staff table, food appeared on the tables and the students began to dig in.

"I uff ih-hen," Annie said though a mouthful of food. Ron nodded in agreement and Hermione looked away disgusted.

"Try swallowing your food and saying that again," Harry suggested looking at her slightly bemused.

Annie swallowed hard and repeated herself. "I said I love chicken."

"Annie, could you maybe not talk with your mouth full again?" Hermione asked. Annie rolled her eyes and continued eating her meal.

"The Sorting Hat's song was a bit weird this year," Ron remarked before stuffing a potato in his mouth.

"Yeah," agreed Harry. "What's its business warning us to unite our houses if it's just a hat?"

"There's no way in hell I am teaming up with the Slytherins in anything," Annie stated. "House unification? That's just asking for disaster."

"Well, don't you see why the Hat is warning us?" Hermione questioned but was met with blank stares and three heads shaking no. "It lives in Dumbledore's office. It obviously knows that a war is coming and wants us to put aside our differences and come together to fight for the good of the wizarding world." Hermione was once again faced with three blank stares.

"Yeah, but a Hat can't know all of that stuff," Annie said coming out of her reverie. "It's just a hat." Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and turned her attention on her dinner.

After the students had finished their meals, the plates cleared away and Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the staff table. The lingering conversation dropped and the students' attention turned to the Headmaster.

"Before I dismiss you to your beds, I have a few announcements that I would like to share with you," he said, his voice booming throughout the Hall. "First, Professor Hagrid has taken a leave of absence and Professor Grubbly-Plank will be filling in for his Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Secondly, we have a new member of our staff joining us this year," he indicated the woman with the horrible hair bow and cardigan sat next him. "Professor Dolores Umbridge from the Ministry of Magic will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and I am sure you will all join me in welcoming our new staff member." He turned to her and gave her a slight applause as a few of the students clapped lightly. "Now, Quidditch try-outs–"

"Ahem."

Professor Dumbledore stopped his speech and turned to see Professor Umbridge standing up next to him. At first he looked slightly taken aback, as did the rest of the staff, but he gestured for her to begin talking and took his seat.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for your warm words of welcome," she said with an air of false sweetness as she gave him a slight bow. Annie stuck her tongue out pretending to gag and Harry choked into his goblet as he tried not to laugh. Professor Umbridge turned to address the students. "I am very happy to be back at Hogwarts and I cannot wait to meet every one of you in my classes. I am sure we will be great friends." As she smiled brightly around the room, Annie gave a very audible yawn that earned a few stifled laughs. Professor Umbridge either didn't notice or pretended not to. "I was sent here from the Ministry to ensure that the minds of our young witches and wizards are receiving the best Ministry-approved education. It seems at Hogwarts that each headmaster and headmistress has brought something new to the school in hopes of better educating their students. Although progress can help, we must not forget the traditional ways of teaching. There is no need to change what already has been tested and proven to work," Professor Umbridge declared proudly. Annie looked around the Hall and found that only she and Hermione seemed to be paying attention. The other students broke out into their own conversations or had drifted off into their own daydreams. Annie turned her attention back to the obtrusive woman standing before her and listened carefully. "This year I plan to make it my job to weed out the unsatisfactory habits that ought to be banned and replace them with the tried and true practices to ensure educational success. I hope that you will all join me on this exciting journey of traditional education."

A small and polite applause broke out and Professor Umbridge resumed her seat. Annie looked over at Hermione who had her brows furrowed in disbelief and was still staring at Professor Umbridge. Professor Dumbledore stood up once again and continued the announcements where he left off.

"Hermione?" Annie whispered completely ignoring Dumbledore. Hermione turned her attention to her friend. "Did she say what I think she meant?"

Hermione nodded and Annie scowled. "Yes, I believe she did," she answered.

"What?" Harry asked looking between the two girls. "What did Umbridge mean?"

"She means that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts," Hermione replied uneasily.

"Babe, you coming?" George asked Annie bringing her out of the conversation.

"What?" Annie said looking around the Great Hall to see everybody standing up and leaving. "Oh, yeah. Aren't you guys supposed to be doing something with the first years?"

Hermione stood up quickly. "Ron, we're supposed to show the first years where to go!" she said slapping Ron on the arm. "First years, over here!"

Ron sighed. "See you guys later," he said joining Hermione and the Gryffindor first years gathering shyly around her.

As Annie made to follow Harry out of the Hall, she heard Professor McGonagall calling her back. She and George told Harry and Fred to go ahead of them and walked back to the staff table where the deputy headmistress was waiting for her, her lips turned down in a cross frown. George hung back and waited for Annie to receive her punishment.

"Ms. Black, you have some nerve pulling that sort of hijinks during the Sorting Ceremony," she said looking down at Annie sharply.

"Sorry, Professor. I was just looking for a laugh," she said hanging her head guiltily. "How did you know it was me?"

"After four years of knowing you and knowing your father for much longer than that, I should think that I know your style by now," Professor McGonagall responded. "You will serve detention with me tomorrow night in my office, seven o'clock sharp."

"Yes, Professor," Annie said. Annie turned around and took George's outstretched hand and fought their way through the cluster of students gathered between the tables.

Annie and George left the Great Hall, following the sparse crowd up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower. When the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, Annie climbed through and immediately made her way over to the couch in front of the fire where George joined her a moment later. They looked around to see that they had the common room all to themselves.

"So, Quidditch is starting soon," George said smiling as Annie snuggled into his chest.

"Yeah it is!" she said excitedly taking his hand and playing with his fingers. "I wonder when the try outs are. I should ask Angelina."

"Weren't you listening to Dumbledore at the feast?"

"No. Why?"

"He said they start next week."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. I really should have been listening."

"Yeah, you really should have," George said as he ruffled her hair. Annie giggled and pushed his hand away. She let go of his hand and reached her arms around his neck as he leaned forward to give her kiss. The two stayed on the couch, connected only by the lips, until they heard soft snickers behind them. Annie and George broke apart to find the first years staring at them and laughing, Ron shaking his head bemusedly, and Hermione clicking her tongue angrily.

"I think we have an audience," Annie whispered to George who grinned wide.

"Should we carry on like they're not watching?" George whispered back.

"No," Hermione answered with her hands on her hips. "You two should be upstairs!"

"Hermione -"

"Go, Annie! You too, George!" Hermione commanded, pointing to the staircases leading to the dormitories.

Annie disentangled herself from George and stood up. They walked over to the stairs and George gave Annie a quick peck on the cheek before going up to the boys' dormitories.

Annie crossed her arms and stomped up the stairs to the girls' dorms calling bitterly behind her, "Welcome to Gryffindor, first years!"