A/N: Most of the content in this chapter was taken straight from the fifth HP book. For the parts that were long and I was too lazy to write, I shortened them to the point where it basically said the same thing, just in a way that won't cramp up my hands when I type it. The only change to the original story of HP is Dumbly-dore's announcement about Roy's class. Yuppers. Remember, I am NOT trying to plagiarize, I'm just being lazy. That is all.
Harry looked over to the staff table of the Great Hall, only to be met with disappointment. Hagrid was nowhere to be seen.
"He's not there."
Ron and Hermione looked as well, but there was no need. Hagrid was too big to be missed.
After a hushed discussion between the three, Hermione was distracted.
"Who's that?" she said sharply, pointing toward the middle of the staff.
The woman she pointed to was short and squat. Her hair was brown, short, and curly, with an ugly pink headband. The cardigan she wore over her robes matched her headband. Her face was toad-like.
"It's that Umbridge woman!" Harry exclaimed with a shock of recognition.
"Who?" said Hermione.
"She was at my hearing, she works for Fudge!"
"Nice cardigan," Ron smirked.
"She works for Fudge?' Hermione repeated, frowning. "What on earth's she doing here, then?"
"Dunno..."
Hermione scanned the staff table, her eyes narrowed.
"No," she muttered, "no, surely not..."
Harry had no clue what she was talking about, but couldn't ask because the first years had just arrived for sorting.
When the sorting finished, Dumbledore rose to his feet.
"To our newcomers," he 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!"
People broke into laughter and applause as Dumbledore sat back down and food magically appeared on the table in front of them.
Once everyone finished eating, Dumbledore rose to his feet again.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast..." Dumbledore began. He got halfway through his speech before he was interrupted.
"Hem, hem," Professor Umbridge cleared her throat and got to her feet, ignoring the looks of bewilderment sent her way. She clearly intended to make a speech, which Dumbledore allowed.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said as she finished, bowing to her. "Now – as I was saying, this year we have a new class for fourth years and older. The class is for Alchemy, and it seems that the new professors have gotten lost on the way here, but don't worry, they'll be here by the time their first class starts..."
"Isn't alchemy a dead art?" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron as Dumbledore continued.
"If it is why are they teaching it?" Ron replied.
"I guess we'll just have to find out," Hermione sighed.