Hey everyone! Gillian2892 thank you for reviewing you made my day. Shoutouts to Gillian2892, RabelFlag101, ShatterMyHeart710 and SlytherinAmbel for adding this story to your alerts! I am still looking for a beta if anyone is interested. Hope to hear from you. Sorry this is late, I had an interview yesterday.
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PART FOUR - The Feast
As the sorting slowly progressed Sadie's mind wondered. It was her final year. It had not hit her until now. This was the last sorting ceremony that she would see. She was one of the oldest in the school. It had been six whole years since she was standing at the front of the Great Hall as a terrified first year, with the pressure of becoming a Slytherin on her shoulders. Now here she was almost ready to graduate, a full year of NEWT studies then she would be finished. It shouldn't be too difficult.
Her eyes landed on the Slytherin table, lingering there for a few minutes. A few of them sneered at her, others raised a solitary eyebrow. She was the invisible Gryffindor. She was daddy's little girl, Draco Malfoy's favourite sister so the Slytherins through self-preservation tended to ignore her. There were sometimes a few moments where she was caught in the cross fire between her friends and the Slytherins but those instances were few and far between.
Sadie had zoned out for so long the feast had appeared before her, without her noticing. She smelt the food and immediately started picking some food and placing it on her plate. She looked up and saw Lee looking at her intently. She glanced around awkwardly and noticed the twins were giving her the same look. "Yes?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow. Fred and Lee continued looking at her with an expectant look, George glanced at the Professor's table, this glance was enough to inform Sadie exactly what they wanted. They wanted some information on the newest Professor and Sadie was the most likely to know out of all of them, after all her Father was on the board of Governors.
"Fine." She irritably stated, giving into the peer pressure the group was placing on her. "The vision in pink is called Delores Umbridge." Sadie leant over the table slightly so Lee could hear what she was saying without others nearby over hearing. Sadie was extremely accurate in her description, Delores Umbridge was an eyesore in pink. She had a baby pink Alice band in her curly mouse-brown hair. The Alice band matched her knitted cardigan which she wore over her robes. She had a toad like appearance with a complimentary pair of bulging eyes.
"She is the Undersecretary for Minister Fudge. I don't really know much else about her other than the fact that my Father does not like conducting business with her. He does not like her very much." All three males in the conversation laughed, Lucius Malfoy not liking someone due to how they conducted themselves was common, but not within the circles Umbridge would be traversing.
Sadie ate in silence, basking in the noise that was surrounding her. The boisterousness encircling her was such a change from her family meals at home. They were always formal affairs, she glanced over at the Slytherin table and did not know whether to feel jealous of them or not. After all they were all eating with impeccable manners, something which Sadie was used to, trained to do it practically from birth, on the other hand they looked jaded, eyes glazed over, occasional glances at each other and some muted conversation. The Gryffindor table though lacking manners was always amusing, and entertaining. There was always lots of conversation, whether it is important discussions or arguments about which Quidditch team was going to win the league this year, Sadie did not really follow Quidditch but she knew enough to know that the Chudley Cannons would not be winning.
By the end of the feast Sadie was stuffed, Professor Dumbledore stood once more, and made his way to the podium. Many of the students were drowsy and thinking of the four poster beds that were awaiting them. "Now we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a moment of attention for the start of term notices."
Here he paused and Sadie glanced at the pair of trouble makers flanking her sides, she leant her head on Fred's shoulder. The entire room was silent, the occasional noise of students shifting in their seats reaching their ears. "The first years ought to note that the forest within the grounds is out of bounds to all students – a few of our older student's ought to know by now too." Sadie chucked noiselessly. She glanced at George noting his proud smirk, she had a feeling that Fred would have a matching smirk. Sadie rolled her eyes, before giving her attention back to Dumbledore. "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." Sadie exchanged an amused glance with Lee knowing nobody would be stupid enough to go and check what was allowed, in case they actually had something that they were not allowed, if they didn't know that they weren't allowed them then they could plead ignorance.
"We also have two changes in staffing this year" Sadie frowned, she thought fixedly for a few moments before working out what the changes were. "We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank who will be taking over Care of Magical creature lessons." A quick glance around the room and Sadie noticed the sighs of relief from those that took that particular lesson. "We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Polite yet enthusiastic applause broke out around the room. Once the clapping had finished Dumbledore spoke once more, "Try-outs for the house Quidditch teams will take place…" Dumbledore stopped, looking at Professor Umbridge enquiringly. Due to the fact she was not much taller standing that she was when sitting, nobody really understood why the headmaster had stopped talking.
Professor Umbridge cleared her throat. "hem, hem." It was at that point that the students realised that she was going to make a speech. Clearly she did not know how things were done at Hogwarts. Though Dumbledore was at first taken aback he sat down and looked pointedly at Professor Umbridge, this was a silent signal to the rest of the school to give her their attention.
"Thank you Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, she had a voice that was slightly grating, Sadie had no idea just how grating it would become in the coming months, "for those kind words of welcome." Sadie looked at Umbridge with a raised eyebrow, they were not exactly warm words. The twins and Lee both looked at Sadie during that moment and shivered. She was doing one of the Malfoy looks, and in those few moments it made them remember exactly who she was related too. Professor Umbridge's voice was high pitched and a little girly, she cleared her throat once more, most of the room shivering in hatred of that sound already. "It is lovely to be back at Hogwarts I must say," she smiled revealing pointed yellowing teeth, "and to see so many happy faces looking up at me." The students glanced around incredulously trying to accuse those who were smiling with glares. However nobody managed to find one. "I am looking forward to getting to you all, I am sure we will all be good friends." Sadie exchanged a look of disbelief with Lee, and could hear Fred and George attempting to whisper over her.
"When that happens, Voldie will tell Harry that he loves him!" Sadie snorted with laughter and the few people sitting nearby threw her looks of incredulity. She glanced at George shaking her head at the pair.
Umbridge cleared her throat once more, and as soon as she had started talking Sadie realised that the words that were being said were rehearsed, the change from the girlish front to a business like tone. "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 they be lost forever. The treasure trove of magic 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 at this point bowed towards her colleagues, Sadie just raised her eyebrows, she couldn't help but notice the sarcasm within the compliment Umbridge was attempting to project. "Every Headmaster and Headmisstress of Hogwarts had brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that Is as it should be, for without progress is stagnation and decay. Then again, progress for progress' sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation," it was at this point Sadie decided to zone out. Sadie had by now summarised what Umbridge was saying, the Ministry of Magic was interfering with Hogwarts, something that in her Father's opinion would be a good thing.
After a while of Sadie staring into space thoughtlessly, she was poked just below the rib by Fred. She turned to him this action jolting her back to the present, she noticed the loud voices and this made her realise everyone was leaving. Sadie was relieved to discover it was finally time she could sleep. Sadie was very much ready to go to bed and begin her year, being Mandy once more was a relief. Her friends did not ask her what Umbridge had said, the knowing looks that was passed between them was enough.