AN: So I have eight different Fanfics going and it will be difficult to update one specific story multiple times in one week. Its just a little warning for the future. If you have any specific pairings that you would like to see just ask and I'll see if I can make it work. Once again anything you recognize is JK Rowling's anything you don't is mine.
Luna POV
I sat next to the Gryffindors in the carriage. Neville kept looking at me nervously, his eyes wide. Was he scared of me?
"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" Ginny asked. "What's she doing back here Hagrid can't have left, can he?"
"I'll be quite glad if he has," I said absently, "he isn't a very good teacher, is he?"
"Yes, he is!" Harry, Ron and Ginny snapped angrily. I looked at all of them surprised, they were kidding right?
Harry glared at Hermione. She cleared her throat and quickly said, "Erm… yes… he's very good."
"Well, we in Ravenclaw think he's a bit of a joke," I said with a little shrug.
"You've got a rubbish sense of humour then," Ron snapped, as the wheels below us creaked
into motion. I looked him over. What made him like Professor Hagrid so much? Maybe it was his personality?
The carriage continued up to the castle. I stared out the window and looked up at the stars. They were absolutely gorgeous. I loved the stars, always had. There was just something about them.
The carriage stopped and I carefully stepped out of the carriage. I did not want to fall out like I had last year. The Thestral turned to look at me and I smiled at it. They really were beautiful creatures.
"Are you coming or what?" Ron snapped loudly. I turned around and smiled sadly at Harry, he could see the Thestrals too.
"Oh… yeah," Harry said turning around slowly. His eyes widened when he realized I could see them too.
"Don't worry... I can see them too." I said with a little smile of reassurance. He paled and quickly ran up the steps into the castle.
I followed after Harry up the steps but was stopped by a hand on my arm.
"Can you really see them?" Neville asked softly his eyes wide.
"I've been able to see them since my first year." I said simply tilting my head to the side.
"What? How?" He asked looking confused.
"Its only people who've seen death that can see them." I said with a little shrug of my shoulders then ran up the steps. The great hall was just as beautiful as usual, the gold plates glittering brilliantly in the light. I sat at the Ravenclaw next to Helena Ravenclaw, the Ravenclaw ghost. She was just as shy as I could be sometimes.
She and I talked quietly while she avoided the Bloody Baron's black staring eyes.
"Hey Luna," Padma Patil said sitting across from me.
"Hi Padma, congratulations on becoming a prefect." I said nodding at her badge.
"Thanks, how was your summer?" She asked tilting her head slightly. I told all about Daddy and I experimenting on Gurdyroots and finding the best way to make it taste better because honestly it tasted like moldy raisins even though it was good for you.
Padma shushed me suddenly and I turned around. The first years were nervously walking in looking around in awe. McGonagall placed the sorting hat on a chair in front of the students.
Everyone waited quietly. What would the sorting hat say this year? Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:
In times of old when I was new And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted: United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
'Together we will build and teach!'
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest.'
Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest.'
Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name,'
Said Hufflepuff, Til teach the lot,
And treat them just the same.'
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him,
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus the houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with dueling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the houses been united
As they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether Sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you…
Let the Sorting now begin.
Padma and I exchanged surprised looks. I guess the hat decided it was its duty to tell the students what was best to keep us strong. I was in so much shock I barely heard the sorting of the first years. One of the new girls sat next to me with a little smile.
Finally Dumbledore stood up.
"To our newcomers," Dumbledore said in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands – welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
Padma and I talked quietly about classes while the first year girl, Evie, kept looking around nervously.
"Are you excited for classes?" I asked Evie.
"Yes but I'm afraid I won't do well." She said looking around nervously.
"What? Why?" Padma asked looking confused.
"Because I'm Muggle-born." She muttered blushing.
"Oh it'll be fine, everyone starts from the same place." I said reassuringly.
Suddenly Dumbledore stood up from his spot and the great hall grew quiet. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students – and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.
"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door.
"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause, while other students stared at the strange woman. She looked like a little, fat, pink toad.
Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the –"
He stopped and turned to Umbridge who had rudely cleared her throat. Some of the students looked shocked while the teachers looked furious. I had never heard any new teacher interrupt Dumbledore before.
"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish. Something about it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"
I looked around, no one was smiling.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins. Was she nuts?
Umbridge cleared her throat again.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them tor ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."
Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and I watched as she exchanged a significant glance with Professor Sprout. Umbridge gave another little 'hem, hem' and went on with her speech.
"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"
This woman liked to talk way too much. I pulled my edition of the Quibbler and shared it with Evie who looked bored to tears. We giggled over some of the pictures in here. Daddy did a good job with this issue.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," Dumbledore suddenly said, I looked up just in time to see him bow to her. "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held…"
"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Padma said in a low voice.
"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Evie said quietly, turning a glazed face towards Padma. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard."
"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," Padma said. "It explained a lot."
"Did it?" I said in surprise. "Sounded like a load of waffle to me."
"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," Padma said grimly.
"Was there?" Evie asked blankly.
"How about: 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about: 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"
"Well, what does that mean?' Evie asked tilting her head to the side.
"I'll tell you what it means," Padma growled through gritted teeth. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."
AN: Please Review! It helps much more than you realize.
