ENIGMATIC • 𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄

LXXXI. Umbridge

Harry, Hermione, Weaselbee, and I walk off the train as I hear footsteps walking behind us.

"I'm surprised you even have the audacity to show your face here, potter." I hear Draco say as Harry simply glares at the male.

"Shut it, malfoy." Harry mutters with an eye roll, clearly not in the mood to deal with Draco.

Draco scoffs before walking off, crabbe and goyle following behind.

"That bastard..." Weasley murmurs as I glare at the boy before walking off with Harry and Hermione.

Weasley had refused to leave us alone even after Harry tries to non-subtlety try to get him to go away.

We walk down to where the carriages are as I see Cho wink at Harry before the carriage she was in gets dragged away. Harry grimaces but keeps a mainly neutral expression.

"Hey guys." I hear neville say as I glance over at the boy, waving at him. He waved back as I notice the cactus he was holding.

I turn around along with Harry as we notice a horse-like animal.

"What is it?" Harry asks as the animal lets out a breath of air, stomping its hoof lightly.

"What's what?" Weasley sneers as Harry glances at him with a confused glance.

"The animal, pulling the carriage?" I say as I tilt my head in the direction of said animal.

"Nothing pulling the carriage... it's pulling itself like always." Hermione answers as I walk by the animal as I go to get in the carriage.

"You're not going mad." I hear a familiar carefree voice say as I glance over in the carriage to see Luna. "I can see them too."

"You're just the same as I am." She mutters as she smiles at the two of us with a tilt of her head.

We get in the carriage as I sit next to luna on her right, Weasley on her left, neville across me, Harry across from luna, and finally, Hermione across from Ron.

"This is luna lovegood, she's in her fourth year." I introduce the girl as Ron rolls his eyes.

"More like loony lovegood..." he whispers as I glare at the boy but say nothing.

"What an interesting necklace." Hermione mutters as luna grabs her necklace, holding it infront of her.

"It's a charm, actually." Luna explains with a brief smile before leaning forward and saying in a more hushed tone, "Keeps away the nargles."

Silence overcomes the carriage as Harry looks around confused.

"Hungry..." luna whispers before turning towards me with a smile, "I hope there's pudding."

"What's a nargle?" I hear ron whisper as luna blinks with a blank smile on her face, ignoring the male.

———

I sit inbetween Draco and Hermione as I poke my food with a fork but make no move to eat it.

I glance over to see the other gryffindors spacing away from Harry. As I glare at the table before huffing in annoyance and turning back towards the Slytherin table.

"Good evening, children." Dumbledore announces as I put down the fork, turning my head to face the head table.

The hall goes quiet as everyone faces the headmaster. "Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor grubby-plank, who will be taking care of magical creatures while Professor hagrid is on temporary leave."

My eyes glaze over the staff table, noticing some more notable teachers such as flitwick, sprout, mcgonagall, and snape. My eyes then pause as I notice a professor wearing neon pink (which was frankly an eyesore).

"We also wish to welcome our new defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Delores umbridge." Dumbledore announces as the woman chuckles, even mcgonagall seemed annoyed by her presence. "And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the Professor good luck."

"As usual, our caretaker, Mr. filch, has asked me to remind you—"

"Hem hem." Umbridge clears her throat with a smile as the professors pause, glancing at the woman. Dumbledore seemed baffled as he pauses, turning around to face her.

Umbridge gets up, nearly all the teachers looking at her confused or annoyed.

"She was at Harry and I's hearing..." i mutter to Draco and Hermione as they glance at me. "She works for fudge..."

"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." Umbridge announces as she walks up infront to the headmaster.

"And how lovely... to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me." She expresses gleefully as everyone looks at her boredly. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friend."

"That's likely." The twins deadpan as she looks at the twins with a weird expresion, her eyes were glaring daggers at them but her mouth remained a fake joyous smile.

"The ministry of magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school..." she trails off as she looks at dumbledore, he smiles back with a nod of his head.

"...progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged." She explains as everyone glances around confused.

"Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be..." she trails off as she smiles before whispering, "prohibited."

She chuckles joyfully as people glare at the woman suspiciously. She then walks back to her seat of dumbledore claps, none of the students following.

"Thank you Professor umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Dumbledore encourages as I roll my eyes.

"What's it mean...?" Goyle asks as I glance at the male.

"It means the ministry is interfering at hogwarts." Hermione answers as I glare at the professor.