A New DADA Teacher
Disclaimer: I don't own HP.
Kitty, Vandyll, Luna and Dennis got down as the train screeched to a halt at Hogsmeade Station. "I wonder where Hagrid is," said Kitty catching sight of Professor Grubbly Plank ushering the first years towards her.
"Come on, we're supposed to go in those coaches," said Dennis, pointing to a few stagecoaches lined up in the road leading out of the station. "What do you think are those?" said Kitty to Luna, pointing to the large skeletal horses pulling the coaches.
"What?" said Vandyll.
"They're Thestrals," said Luna, "Mournful looking, aren't they?"
"Yeah, I wonder why I never saw them last time. I mean, I know we came by boat, but still I should have seen them. They're not exactly hard to miss, are they?"
"Look," said Vandyll, "What are you two talking about?"
Kitty looked at him. Dennis was giving her one of the stares he sometimes gave Luna when she mentioned some vague creature she had read about in the Quibbler.
"Those winged horses, Vandyll, the ones pulling the carriages," said Kitty taking him by the shoulder and pointing to the nearest one.
"I don't see any," said Vandyll. "Yeah, the carriage is pulling itself," added Dennis.
"Can't you see them?" said Kitty.
"They can only be seen by someone who has seen death," said Luna mysteriously, "I saw my Mum die, that's why I can see them. And you can see them because you saw Cedric Diggory get killed last year."
Vandyll shifted his feet awkwardly. "Oh okay," said Kitty, trying to dismiss the topic. They climbed into the nearest coach and it started moving.
The Entrance Hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall and the start-of-term feast. "I don't see Hagrid," said Kitty looking towards the staff table. She caught Snape's eye and waved. Snape smiled, but did not wave back.
"Who's that?" she said to Luna, pointing to a squat witch sitting in the middle of the staff table. The witch had short curly brown hair. She was wearing a fluffy pink cardigan over her robes. "Must be the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher," said Luna.
"That woman?" said Kitty disbelievingly, "She doesn't look like knows a thing about the Dark Arts."
A second later, the doors opened, and a long line of scared looking first years entered. Kitty remembered how nervous she had been her first time to Hogwarts.
After the Sorting Hat had finished singing, all students broke into applause. "Funny, it never gave warnings last year. And how can it expect us to be friends with people like them," commented Kitty, motioning to Malfoy and his friends. "That's because You Know Who's back. The Hat does not believe the Daily Prophet," said Luna grinning. Kitty snorted.
The first years were soon sorted and Dumbledore got to his feet and said, "To our newcomers, 'welcome! To our old hands-welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
The tables in front of them filled with food, and Kitty and Luna helped themselves. "Hey Kat!" said Harry from the opposite table.
"Yeah?"
"See that woman? All dressed up in pink? She works for Fudge. I saw her at my hearing. Hermione reckons the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."
Kitty frowned.
When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the Hall was starting to creep upwards again, Dumbledore got to his feet once more.
'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 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 Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'
There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause. Dumbledore continued, 'Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the-' The Umbridge woman had got to her feet, and cleared her throat loudly. Dumbledore looked around enquiringly.
'Thank you, Headmaster,' Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome. I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends! 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 must be struck, 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, intent 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 sat down. Dumbledore clapped, and the students followed his lead. Kitty scanned the Slytherin table. She caught Vandyll's eye and gave him a meaningful look.
After Professor Dumbledore had completed his interrupted speech, the students got up to go to their dormitories.
"Where do Vanished Objects go?"
"Into the Non-being, that is to say everything," said Luna, and they entered the Ravenclaw common room.
Kitty noticed that most of the Ravenclaws kept staring at her. "It's because of what happened last year," whispered Luna. Kitty groaned. "Well, then, I'm going up to bed," she said, and went up the steps leading to the girls' dormitories.