We boarded the Hogwarts Express in very low spirits. Not only were we persecuted for telling the truth, but I had just come from a disciplinary hearing for the wrong reasons, and Sirius was taking a huge risk by coming here with us. That, and Ron and Hermione wouldn't be travelling with us on the train.
"This was a bad idea, Harry."
"At least it wasn't mine." I looked at Sirius uncertainly.
"You agreed to it."
"Yeah, suppose I did. Does that mean I can be blamed?"
"Honestly, no." Ginny was the voice of reason amongst us. I gave her a short cuddle, before starting to find a compartment.
"Hey, Neville!" I called. Neville jumped, and looked at me.
"Harry… I can't find a seat anywhere!"
"Neville, there are seats in here," Ginny wisely pointed out. Neville mumbled about not wanting to disturb anyone. Ginny rolled her eyes, and dragged us in.
We each took a seat. Me, Ginny and Amber sat on one side of the compartment, Neville choosing to sit beside the two inhabitants. They looked up. It was Darion and a blonde girl I've seen before, but I couldn't place her name.
"Hi, Darion…" Amber said, blushing furiously. She promptly switched places with Neville, and Darion put an arm around her.
"Hello, there, Luna. Got any more information on that twin deal?" Ginny asked. Luna! That's who she was! While I had the gist of what Darion and Amber were doing, I had no idea what twins Ginny had asked about.
"Wait, twins? Ginny?"
"I had a one on one chat with Luna at the Yule Ball last year, and she told me that you apparently had a twin sister. I didn't quite expect much more information, but I had to check."
"Why?"
"If you don't know who your twin is, it could be anyone. And I'd like to be assured we're not related," Ginny said simply, taking the photo that Luna had. I looked over Ginny's shoulder.
"This looks like neither you nor Amber. This is just a red herring," I pointed out. Ginny shrugged.
"You haven't seen your sister as a sister for about fourteen years. I don't think there is such a thing as official evidence pointing to her current whereabouts."
"Ginny… Luna's father is Xenophilius Lovegood, editor of the Quibbler. If something sounds odd, it's probably not true," Darion stated. "No offence."
"None taken. I've heard Daddy being told that a million times before. And… Harry, was it? I wouldn't be quite so quick to discount evidence."
I felt a nervous bubbling in my stomach. I quickly changed the topic, and hoped I would never have to worry about this odd piece of information.
Despite this attempt, I was still fretting about this mysterious sister until I got into the Great Hall. Normally, walking into the Great Hall alleviated all my woes as the sheer majesty of it, its sentimental value, and the friendly faces along the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and staff tables brought feelings of joy into my spirit. But the friendly faces were mostly by my side, Hagrid was missing from the staff lineup, and a very interesting woman was seated on Dumbledore's left, whispering in his ear. I didn't know why, but I hated that woman…
"She was at the hearing! She works for Fudge!" Amber cried out. Hermione's eyes narrowed, and they started combing the table.
"Oh no… it can't be! They couldn't… they wouldn't…" she cried. Ginny did the search as well.
"Her? Her? Her?" she pointed out.
"Professor Trelawney, Professor Babbling, and Professor Burbage," Hermione stated. The panic in her eyes transferred to Ginny's.
"They did… Harry, you can and should begin panicking," Ginny told me. Ron and Amber looked up oddly, and Ginny opened her mouth to explain.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!-"
"Later."
Ginny had never followed through on her explanation. I raised an eyebrow, before Dumbledore began speaking again.
"Well, now that we have all been fed and watered, I would like to make a few announcements.
"First, please join me in welcoming Professor Grubbly-Plank back, who will temporarily replace Professor Hagrid, while he is otherwise occupied.
"Second, welcome a new face to our staff, Professor Umbridge, who will be your Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor. May you join me in wishing her good luck.
"Trials for the Quid-" Dumbledore cut his speech short, and turned to Professor Umbridge. She cleared her throat, and it was apparent she was about to make a speech.
"Thank you, Professor, for those kind words of welcome."
"He wasn't finished!" Ginny told us, tearful. I instantly understood why I hated her.
"And how lovely to see your bright, happy faces, smiling up at me."
"I would like to leave now," I said. Ginny's face at this moment was the complete opposite of bright, happy and smiling. On the contrary, her tear-streaked face was glaring in Umbridge's direction.
"I'm sure we will all be very good friends."
"That's bloody likely," Amber hissed. She, too, was looking at Ginny with some concern, and shedding a few tears herself. Umbridge continued, in a more business-like tone for these words.
"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 forever. 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."
Umbridge acknowledged the staff, none of which responded. On the contrary, they all appeared to be very cross with the woman for disrupting Dumbledore's speech. I had never seen Professor McGonagall this cross before, even back in second year when Ron crashed into the Whomping Willow, and she wasn't the only one.
"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 would be stagnation and decay. Then 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…"
I had never felt this bored before, even during my groundings at the Dursleys. Looking around, I wasn't the only one. The staff, Ginny and a select few prefects were the only ones paying attention anymore, and I wasn't sure about the prefects. Ernie MacMillan, for example, was very glassy eyed.
"…because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intending on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."
She took a seat. Very few people realised the speech was over, and those that did only offered sarcastic applause.
"Thank you, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating."
"Yeah, that was, actually," Ginny said.
"Don't tell me you enjoyed it! That was the most boring speech I've ever heard, counting all those ones from Percy!" Ron almost scolded.
"It was nowhere near enjoyable. The word 'illuminating' means that it explained a lot."
"It explained a lot? That waffle?" I asked. Ginny took no offence.
"That waffle contained nuts like 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'. In short, the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts," Ginny pointed out.
"That must be a terrible waffle, then, if you can detect the nuts."
"What else is new?"
"I officially hate someone more than Voldemort?" I asked. Amber and Ginny agreed. Ron and Hermione had that statement more of a given, having never met Voldemort.
We didn't have long before our first lesson with Umbridge. She started the lesson similar to the way Lockhart would have run it.
"Good afternoon, class!" No reply. "Tut tut. When I say 'good afternoon, class', I expect to hear 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge' said back. Let's try again. Good afternoon, class!"
"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge!"
"Good. I am, of course, Professor Dolores J. Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, and I will be your Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor from this moment on. Now, have you got the assigned textbook, Defensive Magical Theory?" A dull murmur of assent sounded. "Tut tut. When I ask a question, I expect to hear 'Yes, Professor Umbridge' or 'No, Professor Umbridge' in answer. Let's try again. Have you got the assigned textbook, Defensive Magical Theory?"
"Yes, Professor Umbridge."
"Good. That wasn't so hard, now? But first, before we read this book, I must explain my course aims. Please copy these down."
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.
2. Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.
3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.
"Now, your teaching has been fragmented. You have had four different teachers for this subject, in which only one of them would have passed a Ministry inspection. You will be delighted to hear that from now on, you will be continuing your studies in a secure, risk-free way." Hermione raised her hand.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Granger, Umbridge. And there's nothing in your course aims about practising defensive magic?"
"Why on earth would you need to practice defensive magic? Who would want to attack children such as yourselves?"
"Well, I've had several Dementors and a Basilisk in my time, and me, Amber, and Ginny are being hunted down by Voldemort. So, I think that defensive magic may be important!" I told her.
"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason you should be unable to cast the spells," Umbridge told us, slightly raising her voice. I decided to take a stand.
"So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his accord?"
"Cedric's death was a tragic accident…"
"It was murder! Voldemort ordered his death like he ordered a pizza! You must learn this!" I shouted.
"ENOUGH! Ten points from Gryffindor House, and a weeks' worth of detentions. We may now continue with our readings…" Umbridge finished, giving me parchment to deliver to Professor McGonagall in my own time.
My first update from school. Do not expect much more of these.
I did, in fact, copy Umbridge's speeches word for word. It ties in with her character, and the book outright described the speech as having the dull, learned-by-heart sound to it.
I have plans for the Harry's sister dynamic, so don't ask. Take it at face value, smile, and nod your head.
Neither can live while the other survives.