DARLING | F. WEASLEY

Two

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 some day 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 c 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
Now let the sorting begin..

Cassiopeia gave the twins a look, if anything the sorting hat had warned them, and Cassiopeia wasn't backing down from a fight. After all, she was a Tonks.

'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 Fred, George and Cassiopeia  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 enquiringly 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 cleared her throat, 'Hem, hem,' and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech. 

"Hey Fred," Cassiopeia whispered to the boy next to her.

"What?"

"I bet you could pull off that cardigan." George held his band over his mouth as he tried not to laugh which made Cassiopeia snigger.

"I'd look better than you, although pink isn't really my colour." Fred chimed in which made Cassiopeia grin.

No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this pink toad  obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts. 

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome.' 
Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish. Cassiopeia was the complete opposite of the woman standing before all of them.

"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 up at me!' Cassiopeia stared at the woman, in disbelief.

'I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!' Fred and George were barely concealing grins. 

'See Fred, all you have to do is ask her  if you can borrow her cardigan, I'm sure you'll end up being best of friends." The three of them quietly laughed to themselves.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ('hem, hem'), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike 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 the generations lest we lose them for ever. 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.' 

"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 . . ." Professor umbridge continued

"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 back down with an almost girlish giggle again.

Cassiopeia hated her already.