A/N And we've hit the 50 reviews mark! YAY! Exams start on Tuesday (gulp) so fingers crossed they go well! Hope you enjoy - please R&R xxx
Chapter Eleven
The Sorting Hat's New Song
There was the familiar smell of straw in the carriage. Amara leant back on the seat and looked out of the small window on the side of it. It was dark out and there wasn't much to see because it was still cloudy, dull weather. At least it wasn't raining; Amara didn't want Tessie going across the lake in a storm.
"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" asked Ginny. "What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"
"I'll be quite glad if he has," said Luna. "He isn't a very good teacher, is he?"
"Yes, he is!" said Amara, Harry, Ron, and Ginny angrily (Amara did it less angrily for she did like Grubby-Plank's lessons).
Harry glared at Hermione; she cleared her throat and quickly said, "Erm . . . yes . . . he's very good."
"Well, we think he's a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw," said Luna, unfazed.
"You've got a rubbish sense of humour then," Ron snapped, as the wheels below them creaked into motion.
Luna did not seem perturbed by Ron's rudeness, she instead watched him for a while. Ron looked as though he hadn't noticed.
They didn't talk the entire way up to the castle after that. The road was bumpy and the carriage rattled and swayed the entire way, but they were used to it by now. Amara gazed out the window, deep in thought, and didn't get out of it until the carriage came to a halt near the stone steps.
"He's not there."
As soon as they had entered the Great Hall, they all looked around for any sign of Hagrid.
"He's not there."
Amara scanned the teachers table to double check - there was Snape, his hair even greasier; jolly Professor Sprout was talking to Professor Flitwick. There was Professors Sinistra and Burbage and Vector and Babbling (she was odd, but Ancient Runes was one of Amara's favourite subjects). Beside Dumbledore, who was wearing nice robes of deep purple with silver stars studded around it, was a fat woman with curly hair with a pink Alice band placed on it to match her horrid pink cardigan and her toad-like face made the picture even worse. Amara looked away.
"He can't have left," Ron was saying as she turned back, sounding slightly anxious.
"Of course he hasn't," said Harry firmly.
"You don't think he's . . . hurt, or anything, do you?" said Hermione
uneasily.
"No," said Harry at once.
"But where is he, then?"
"Maybe he's not back yet," Harry said quietly so that Lavender, Parvati and Neville did not hear them. "You know — from his mission — the thing he was doing over the summer for Dumbledore."
"Yeah . . . yeah, that'll be it," said Ron, sounding reassured.
"Who's that?" Hermione said sharply, pointing toward the ugly, toad-faced woman with the pink cardigan who was still talking to Dumbledore.
"No idea," said Amara. "I'm more worried about how stretched her cardigan's going to be."
Ron snorted, and a second later, Harry spoke.
"It's that Umbridge woman!"
"Who?" said Hermione.
"She was at my hearing, she works for Fudge!"
Amara and Ron were still smirking over her cardigan.
"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 . . ."
Amara couldn't be bothered to understand - the Great Hall was now packed with students. All along the house tables there was laughter and chatter as people caught up about what happened over the summer break. People were showing off their new hair, new shoes and new robes, girls were giggling together about summer romances. Amara nearly rolled her eyes but refrained, because she was doing it rather a lot.
The Great Hall ceiling was murky and there were no stars at all, but the Great Hall itself was alive with torches and flickering candles.
Soon, Professor Grubbly-Plank came into the Great Hall which meant they'd successfully crossed the lake. Amara's leg started twitching impatiently up and down on the bench as she waiting for Professor McGonagall to enter with the first-years.
When the door opened Amara noted that Tessie was following McGonagall determinedly, with the rest of her year looking terrified. The dark-skinned girl with dark curly brown hair that Tessie said was named Aubrey was behind her.
Professor McGonagall lined them up facing them and put the Sorting Hat on its three-legged stool in front of them. Stretching so she could see, Amara saw Tessie in between the Aubrey girl and a boy who seemed to be trembling.
The talking in the Great Hall faded away quickly, everyone eager to listen to the song sung by the hat. The first-years looked as though a dragon was going to explode out it and swallow them all whole.
Suddenly, making some first-years jump, 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 someday 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, "I'll 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 duelling 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 fulfil 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.
As the hat became still again and everyone began clapping there were whispers and mutters across the hall which had never happened before.
They were whispering about the song - and Amara and her friends were with them.
"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.
"Too right it has," said Harry.
"Was that a warning?" Amara said. "Giving advice?"
"I wonder if it's ever given warnings before?" said Hermione, sounding slightly anxious.
"Yes, indeed," said Nearly Headless Nick, Gryffindor's House Ghost, knowledgeably, leaning across Neville toward her, making the boy in question wince as he obviously felt the feeling of ice cold flooding through him. "The hat feels itself honour-bound to give the school due warning whenever it feels —"
But Professor McGonagall, who was waiting to read out the list of first years' names, was giving the whispering students the sort of look that scorches. Nearly Headless Nick placed a see-through finger to his lips and sat primly upright again as the muttering came to an abrupt end. With a last frowning look that swept the four House tables, Professor McGonagall lowered her eyes to her long piece of parchment and called out,
"Abercrombie, Euan."
The trembling boy who was standing next to Tessie trembles again and shuffled forwards slightly. Amara saw her sister give him a slight push to get him moving.
The boy has rather large ears that managed to keep the hat on his head and not go down to his shoulders. The hat was silent for a second before it's brim opened and it shouted:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Amara nearly laughed at Euan Abercrombie's scared expression as he hurried over and sunk onto the bench, but she clapped along loudly with the rest of the Gryffindors. A boy went to Ravenclaw next and then a girl went to Hufflepuff.
"Blishwick Josephine."
A girl whose hair was so long it nearly reached the floor walked up to the stool. It was a honey colour and in the candlelight Amara saw that she had ribbons weaved into it. Her shoes were sandals and she had handmade bracelets on her wrists. When she sat on the stool she sat on her hair and waited patiently. Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on her a head. There were a few minutes pause before:
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The girl smiled and skipped over to the table where Amara was clapping. She sat down next to Euan Abercrombie, who still looked scared, and swung her hair over her shoulders.
Amara waited impatiently as the group of first years dwindled slowly through the Ls.
"Matthews, Tessie."
Amara sat upright and she saw Ethan do the same further down, from his place beside Eddie and a girl she didn't know.
Tessie walked forwards and gave Amara a grin before sitting down on the stool. There was a seconds pause for the Hat to make its decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Amara cheered with the rest of Gryffindor house (most of whom were cheering loudly because they had recognised Amara's surname).
Tessie was now opposite the girl with long hair, chattering away as she waited for her friend Aubrey to be sorted. When she did (one of the last, considering her name was Wilson) she was put into Gryffindor too.
Finally, "Zeller, Rose" was sorted into Hufflepuff, and Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and stool and marched them away as Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet.
The whole school quietened as soon as he rose - even the first years seemed to realise that they should be quiet, as a sigh of respect toward him.
"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, as always, as though he was greeting his grandchildren. "welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down neatly and threw his long beard over his shoulder so as to keep it out of the way of his plate — for food had appeared out of nowhere, so that the five long tables were groaning under joints and pies and dishes of vegetables, bread, sauces, and flagons of pumpkin juice.
"Excellent," said Ron, with a kind of groan of longing, and he seized the nearest plate of chops and began piling them onto his plate, watched wistfully by Nearly Headless Nick. Amara glanced down the table and saw Tessie eating with her friend Aubrey and the girl with long hair - Josephine. Amara wondered if her hair was too heavy, but it seemed like Josephine was used to it considering she was now eating a chicken leg with ease. The name didn't seem to sit right with her, for she had this hippy type aura that Josephine's didn't usually have.
"What were you saying before the Sorting?" Hermione asked the ghost as Amara focused back on her food. "About the hat giving warnings?"
"Oh yes," said Nick, who seemed glad of a reason to turn away from Ron, who was now eating roast potatoes with almost indecent enthusiasm. "Yes, I have heard the hat give several warnings before, always at times when it detects periods of great danger for the school. And always, of course, its advice is the same: Stand together, be strong from within."
"Ow kunnit nofe skusin danger ifzat?" said Ron.
His mouth was so full he couldn't speak properly.
"I beg your pardon?" said Nearly Headless Nick politely, while Hermione looked revolted.
"How can it know if the school's in danger if it's a hat?" Amara translated for them. Ron pointed a roast potato at her and nodded.
"I have no idea," said Nearly Headless Nick. "Of course, it lives in Dumbledore's office, so I daresay it picks things up there."
"And it wants all the Houses to be friends?" said Harry, looking over at the Slytherin table, where Draco Malfoy was holding court. "Fat chance."
"Well, now, you shouldn't take that attitude," said Nick reprovingly. "Peaceful cooperation, that's the key. We ghosts, though we belong to separate Houses, maintain links of friendship. In spite of the competitiveness between Gryffindor and Slytherin, I would never dream of seeking an argument with the Bloody Baron."
"Only because you're terrified of him," said Ron, who had now swallowed all the food in his mouth.
Nearly Headless Nick looked highly affronted.
"Terrified? I hope I, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, have never been guilty of cowardice in my life! The noble blood that runs in my veins —"
"What blood?" asked Ron. "Surely you haven't still got — ?"
"It's a figure of speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick, now so annoyed his head was trembling ominously on his partially severed neck. "I assume I am still allowed to enjoy the use of whichever words I like, even if the pleasures of eating and drinking are denied me! But I am quite used to students poking fun at my death, I assure you!"
"Nick, he wasn't really laughing at you!" said Hermione, throwing a furious look at Ron.
Unfortunately, Ron's mouth was packed to exploding point again and all he could manage was "node iddum eentup sechew," which Nick did not seem to think constituted an adequate apology. Rising into the air, he straightened his feathered hat and swept away from them to the other end of the table, coming to rest between the Creevey brothers, Colin and Dennis.
"Well done, Ron," snapped Hermione.
"What?" said Ron indignantly, having managed, finally, to swallow his food again. "I'm not allowed to ask a simple question?"
"Oh forget it," said Hermione irritably, and the pair of them spent the rest of the meal in huffy silence. Amara and Harry were used to this by now and carried on with a conversation whilst they ate, not bothering to check up on the two huffy friends. If Hermione wasn't dating Jesse Amara would've thought they acted like a married couple which argued all the time.
The main course was replaced with puddings and Amara seemed to manage everything with the word chocolate in the title because she had a fond liking to it.
Soon the noise level was reaching a high again as everyone had finished and the plates had been cleared away.
Dumbledore got to his feet once more. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the headmaster.
"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." (Amara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged smirks.)
"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." (Amara snorted at that).
"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 during which Amara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged slightly panicked looks; Dumbledore had not said for how long Grubbly-Plank would be teaching.
Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the —"
He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge said, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.
Amara glanced at the other people on the Gryffindor table in surprise and amusement. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before and the toad woman obviously didn't know how they did it at Hogwarts. This was why many people were smirking to each other as the small woman stood up (Amara knew that she was even smaller than Amara herself, who wasn't that tall).
"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered in a high pitched girl voice which made Amara want to punch her full on in the face. She was slightly surprised with herself - she wasn't normally they violent in her mind. "for those kind words of welcome." "Hem, hem,", Professor Umbridge seemed to think that this was either a way to clear her throat or catch everyone's attention. "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 back at me!"
None of the faces around the hall were happy - nor were they amused. Instead they looked offended and taken aback that someone was addressing them as though they were still in Primary School.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
Amara's already agape mouth opened further in horrified shock.
"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Parvati whispered to Lavender, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles.
Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("Hem, hem") which was starting to irritate Amara greatly, but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more business-like and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.
"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 through 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."
Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back. They all looked back at her as though she was an alien (a toad like alien, Amara reminded herself with a near snort).
"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 . . ."
Amara yawned a little as she carried on. She didn't know how Hermione or the teachers could still be listening attentively. Even Ernie Macmillan seemed to have dazed out as he pretended to listen. Luna Lovegood was reading her magazine - Fred and George were already talking to each other once again.
Her eyes seemed to droop slightly as Umbridge's stupidly annoying voice filtered through her brain, her words having little meaning and making her even sleepier. In fact, as the speech went on, many other people started resting their heads on their arms.
Tessie caught Amara's eye and pulled a face. Amara grinned back at her and let herself tune back into what Umbridge was saying.
". . . 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 account- ability, 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. The staff followed his lead, rather tightly and half-heartedly as they clapped once before stopping. Only a few students clapped (Amara didn't, she couldn't be bothered nor did she want to). Many people seemed to only just realise she'd shut up in the first place, their heads rising and they blinked blearily before shrugging. Dumbledore had stood up again.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now — as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held . . ." He carried on with the start-of-term announcements which Hermione didn't seem to bother listening to.
"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," she said quietly.
"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Ron said quietly, turning a glazed face upon Hermione. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy."
"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," said Hermione. "It explained a lot."
"Did it?" said Harry in surprise. "Sounded like a load of waffle to me."
"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," said Hermione grimly.
"Was there?" said Amara and Ron 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?" said Ron impatiently.
"Oh my god," said Amara, comprehension dawning on her. "They're trying to cut off anything they think is bad!" She hissed. "They're interfering at Hogwarts!"
Hermione nodded grimly, but at that moment Dumbledore dismissed them and she shot up like she'd been burnt. Tessie came shooting up to her with Josephine, Euan and Aubrey in tow.
"Hey 'Mara!" She squealed and she gave her a squeeze.
Amara grinned at her as Hermione looked flustered.
"Ron, we're supposed to show the first years where to go!"
"Oh yeah," said Ron, who had obviously forgotten. "Hey — hey you lot! Midgets!"
"Ron!"
"Well, they are, they're titchy. . . ." Amara noted Tessie had raised an eyebrow whilst Euan and Aubrey looked surprised and slightly intimidated by Ron's height.
"I know, but you can't call them midgets. . . . First years!" Hermione called commandingly along the table. "This way, please!"
"Follow Hermione alright?" Amara told her sister. "She'll show you where to go. Tessie nodded before leading the first years up to where Hermione was now standing.
"C'mon Harry," Amara said brightly, knowing full well loads of people were now looking and whispering about him.
Harry seemed to be getting increasingly irritated by all the looks and whispers. This made Amara want to hex them all - so she did the next best thing and glared at them all viciously instead (including the younger years, who seemed so terrified at her glare they nearly cried).
Harry led her the way round which was mostly shortcuts, which also meant less people and less people to whisper and talk about Harry. They walked in silence, Harry seemed to be growling in annoyance and Amara didn't want to interrupt him. Instead she thought about what she had realised about Umbridge's speech. For one thing, she didn't expect the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons to be very fun.
Once at the portrait hole they realised the same thing: they didn't know the password.
"Er . . ." Harry said glumly, staring up at the Fat Lady, who smoothed the folds of her pink satin dress and looked sternly back at them.
"No password, no entrance," she said loftily, Amara glared at her.
"Harry, I know it!" someone panted from behind them. It was Neville, who was jogging towards them with the ugly cactus in his arms.
"Guess what it is? I'm actually going to be able to remember it for once —" He waved the stunted little cactus. "Mimbulus mimbletonia!"
"Correct," said the Fat Lady, and her portrait swung open toward them like a door, revealing a circular hole in the wall behind, through which Amara, Harry and Neville climbed.
Amara loved the Gryffindor common room: it was cosy and full of squashy armchairs and old tables that needed butterbeer corks under one leg to stop rocking, and the fire which was constantly crackling merrily in the grate. A few people were already sat there, chatting before bed, and Fred and George were pinning something to the notice board. Harry and Neville told her goodnight so Amara went to see what the twins were up to.
"What are you doing?" She asked them as she walked over. George moved his hands and she saw what was written:
GALLONS OF GALLEONS!
Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings? Like to earn a little extra gold?
Contact Fred and George Weasley, Gryffindor common room,
for simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs
(WE REGRET THAT ALL WORK IS UNDERTAKEN AT APPLICANT'S OWN RISK)
"You're not testing them on people are you?" Amara said unsurely; the Hermione in her mind was screaming at her. "you realise no one is stupid enough to do that."
"Some are," said George, nodding to the first years who had just entered the common room with Ron and Hermione.
"Don't show this to Hermione OK?" Amara said, knowing to well there was no point arguing with them. "And don't you dare test them on my sister or I will kill you, alright?"
She stopped glaring and smiled sweetly.
"'Night," she said and she skipped up to her familiar dormitory. Lavender, Parvati and Sophie Roper (who was still going out with Roger Malone, apparently) were already there. Lavender and Parvati had been whispering when she came in but Lavender turned away quickly and rummaged in her trunk to put things away in her drawer. Amara frowned, knowing full well what she was talking about and stalked into the bathroom to get ready.
"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Amara heard Lavender's whisper as soon as she shut the door. She glowered. She was pleased when Parvati seemed unsure with her answer.
"I - I guess so," was her response.
Lavender kept muttering about Harry's "lies" before Amara completely snapped. She swung back into the room - earning little shrieks from all three girls - and glared at Lavender.
"Care to share?" She snapped. Hermione had just entered the dormitory behind her.
Lavender looked affronted. "Well, it's not just me you know. You can't possibly believe him?"
"As a matter of fact I do," Amara said loudly. She had had enough of the whispers about Harry and it seemed Lavender was going to be in the receiving end of it. "And considering Dumbledore told us at the end of last year what happened I think you should too. And if I hear you talk utter crap about him again - near me, whispered around me or anything - I will hex you hair so badly it will come off. Got it?"
Lavender nodded.
Amara went into her bed after exchanging looks with Hermione.
"Keep that big mouth shut," Amara finished before drawing her curtains closed. She was pleased that no whispers followed her outburst.