𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 28

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH THE HAT SINGS

. . .

The carriages came to a stop outside of Hogwarts, the castle lit up somewhat spectacularily. Draco lead the group of Slytherins out of the carriage, making a face when Aviana used his shoulder to balance herself as she made her way out of it.

"Don't be such an ass, Draco." The girl said with a sigh as she caught his eye. "Heeled boots are particularly brutal when it comes to climbing out of carriages." 

"Don't worry, Avi, Draco has been a little.. touchy these days. Particularily prone to glaring and sighing." Pansy told her, linking their arms as they made their way up into the school.

"You would be on edge too, if the Dark Lord had taken up residence in your home." Draco muttered, not daring to raise his voice any more. "Sorry, Aviana, just not in a great move."

"It's fine." Aviana shrugged as the group began to make their way up the stone steps into the castle, making their way into the Entrance Hall and then into the Great Hall, Draco pushing yet another second year out of the way as they made their way over to the Slytherin table.

The four long House tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the starless black ceiling, which was just like the sky they could glimpse through the high windows. Candles floated in mid air all along the tables, illuminating the silvery ghosts who were dotted about the Hall and the faces of the students talking eagerly to one another, exchanging summer news, shouting greetings at friends from other Houses, eyeing one another's new haircuts and robes. 

The group of Slytherins made their way over to the table of green, slipping down into spaces near the centre of the room. Conversation was sparse, taken up mostly with people muttering about the Daily Prophet and Dumbledore, the topic of conversation moving over to Harry Potter as they saw him and his friends enter the room. 

Harry had obviously felt everyone's stares, but tried to act as if he didn't care and hadn't really noticed them, sitting down at the Gryffindor table and greeting a couple of girls there.

Harry, Hermione and Ron's gazes moved up to the Professors' table, unaware of Aviana watching them. She followed their gazes, landing on the empty seat where Hagrid usually sat, muttering something.

Then, their focus moved, and once again, Aviana followed it, eyes landing on something that made her jaw drop. "Who on earth is that?" She exclaimed, her voice making the others look over instantly, eyes landing on a woman.

The woman was squat, with short, curly, mouse brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes.

"That's ruined the colour pink for me." Aviana glanced over at Pansy, who nodded. Neither of them tended to really wear pink - it didn't exactly fit their personalities. But Aviana did have a couple of pieces - a silky pink dress, and several things with pink embroidery. And quite frankly, she wanted to burn them. "I'll just dye them. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Don't be so dramatic, Aviana." Blaise muttered the otherside of the table. "It's just a colour." 

"And it's been turned ugly, Zabini." Aviana shrugged. "Who is she, Draco?" The gaze of the Slytherins surrounding the Malfoy boy turned to him. "I recognise her - I just don't know from where."

"That would be the Ministry's involvement." Draco said slowly. "Dolores Umbridge. The Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic." Realisation flooded onto Aviana's features. 

"The hag spoke at my father's trail." Aviana's gaze turned sour. "I had to sit there and watch as she whispered to Fudge about how he had to go to Azkaban." 

"Oh Avi." Pansy sighed rather melodramatically, her arm linking with her best friend. "That's such a shame. I can't believe we have to deal with her as your teacher."

Aviana could only shrug, jaw setting as she stopped staring at the woman in pink, eyes making their way over to the Gryffindor table, where Harry was explaining to Ron and Hermione who she was. She knew that Umbridge was at his trial as well, and she shook her head, looking down at the table. 

It seemed that her mood had been ruined for the night, and barely even looked up as McGonagall arrived with the first years, placing the Sorting Hat on the stool. She barely even took notice as it began to sing.

It was much longer than the usual song, which usually just went over house qualities. But this year, it talked of the founders of the school, and how they had united under once common goal that had ultimately faded when Salazar Slytherin left after battles and fighting.

Aviana's gaze remained down on the table, but attention was drawn as the hat's words turned, the song becoming something new.

"Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill 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."

And with that, the hat fell silent and still once more. The students and faculty listening broke into applause, but for the first time, it was punctured by muttering and whispering about what the song meant.

The Sorting began, but it was tainted by the worry caused by the words. It seemed that their year at Hogwarts would be no easier. But they would wonder, what exactly was in store for them?

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