Eagle's Flight // Frarry

Year 5.1

For the first four years, I pretty much stuck to canon, which, in hindsight, was probably not the best idea I've had. I'm hoping to diverge a little further in the last few years, so let's do this

"Remember to call us if anything goes wrong," Sirius reminded Harry again.

"I will, I will. Don't worry." He hugged him and Remus and rejoined the Weasleys to board the train.

Ron and Hermione separated from the group to go to the prefect carriage, leaving Harry with the twins and Ginny.

"Come on," said Harry, grabbing Fred's hand, "let's go find a compartment."

They ended up in the last compartment where Luna sat.

"Hi. Good summer?" Harry asked. "Nargles staying away?"

"Very good, and yes. Oh, that reminds me." Luna set aside her magazine and rummaged through her bag. "I made one for you."

"Thanks." Harry put it on. He knew others would find it silly, but he didn't care. He looked at Luna's magazines on the floor. "May I take a look?"

"Of course."

The one he picked up depicted a cartoon of Cornelius Fudge holding a bag of gold in one hand and strangling a goblin in the other. It was captioned:  How Far Will Fudge Go to Gain Gringotts?

Fred, who was leaning over to get a look, snorted. "'Cooked in pies?'" he read.

Harry just shrugged, used to the strangeness of The Quibbler.

The food trolley and come and gone by the time Ron and Hermione turned up.

"There are two fifth-year prefects from each House," Hermione said. "Boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?" Ron said, taking a bite of a chocolate frog.

"Draco?" Harry replied.

"And that complete cow Pansy Parkinson," Hermione added.

Harry rolled his eyes. Draco had more or less given up on keeping Parkinson from running her mouth, not that Harry could blame him.

"Anything good in there?" Ron asked, looking at the magazine.

"Of course not," Hermione butted in. "The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that."

"Excuse me," Luna said in a cold voice that was very unlike her. "My father's the editor."

Hermione stuttered out a weak apology, looking embarrassed, and went red at Harry's glare.

"It may be 'rubbish,' but at least it doesn't mindlessly slander people," he said, handing the magazine back to Luna.

They reached Hogwarts and headed for the carriages. Luna walked up to the front of one of them and reached a hand out to seemingly empty air. "Luna, what are you doing?"

"Petting the Thestral," she said.

"A what?" Fred squinted. "I don't see anything."

"That's because you haven't seen death," Luna told him, smiling sadly.

Looking slightly spooked, Fred tightened his grip on Harry's hand as they got into a carriage.

Upon arrival, Fred reluctantly separated from Harry as went to the Gryffindor table. Harry followed Luna and took at seat at their own table.

He looked up at the staff table and spotted a woman with a fluffy pink cardigan. "Dolores Umbridge," he murmured to himself. Sirius had spoken of her once with disgust evident in his tone. During his trial, Umbridge had made it clear in her belief that, while Sirius may be innocent, he and Remus were not fit to raise Harry. Remus himself had a few words to say about her, telling Harry that she was against anyone who wasn't a pureblooded wizard or witch, and creatures like werewolves should be cleansed from society. Harry immediately disliked her from those two reasons alone.

Still... the fact that someone from the Ministry was here at all spelt trouble.

Umbridge gave a long, dull speech and Harry's worries increased. It was just as he had suspected: The Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts.

As he headed to his dorm, he could feel the first years sending glances at him. But this was different; their gazes were full of terror instead of awe. Unsurprising, considering the third task that had taken place two months ago.

Terry, Anthony, and Michael avoided his gaze as they got ready for bed.

"Harry?" Terry was the first to speak, pausing as he was pulling out his pajamas.

"Yes?" Harry looked at him expectantly.

Terry didn't return his gaze. "What happened that night?"

"Exactly what I said happened," Harry replied.

"So You-Know-Who is back?"

"Unfortunately." Harry watched Terry for a moment. "If you don't believe me, just say so."

"I want to believe you. But my parents don't."

"Mine don't know what to think," Michael piped up.

"I believe you," Anthony announced. "Come on, guys, Harry said he would have sworn a Vow like he did when his name was pulled. You know how Vows work."

Terry and Michael still looked uncertain.

"Don't push it, Anthony," Harry said. "It's fine. Better than some of the other students, anyway." He had seen Seamus Finnigan glaring after him, and the whispers had followed him as soon as he had stepped onto the train.

Anthony changed the subject. "What did you think of that Umbridge woman?"

"Trouble," was all Harry said as he slid into bed, and Michael and Terry let out murmurs of agreement.

"Let's hope she isn't as bad as Lockhart," Michael said, only half joking.

I just really love Imelda Staunton's performance as Umbridge. She really made me hate that pink toad even more than I already did