*- 41 - Go to bed without a kiss

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"There she finally is!" Angelina squealed as I entered the Great Hall. All the girls stood up and loaded me with hugs.

"I missed you!" Katie said, followed by Alicia. I had missed them loads too. I had other girl friends during the holidays, but these would forever be my best friends, or at least I hoped they would be. Cho, Marietta and Roger said a quick goodbye and went their own ways.

"I missed you guys too." I sat down at the Gryffindor table and gave Lee a quick hug too.

We told each other about our holidays, but Fred was rather quiet, which concerned me. Was this about me talking with Roger? If that was the case, we had to talk about it. I didn't like jealous behavior if I had given him no reason to be jealous. I talked to him and that was it. Fred had no right to be jealous.

"Happy birthday by the way. I heard we missed it", Angelina said.

"Thank you! I had a blast", I said and quickly looked at Fred, who did the same.

"I'm sure you did", Angie said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Good evening children", we heard and looked up. Dumbledore was waiting to begin his grand speech.

"Now, we have two changes in staffing this year", he said once everyone had become quiet.

"We're pleased to welcome back professor Grubbly-Plank who'll be taking care of Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid who is on temporary leave." Hagrid was on a leave? I heard that he hadn't left Hogwarts since he enrolled when he was eleven. I looked at the others, but no one seemed to know more about the situation.

"We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge." Whispers erupted, but I had never heard that name before.

"I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck."

"Who's that?" I asked, but none of my friends knew.

"She was at my hearing", Harry whispered and he didn't look pleased.

"Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr Filch has asked me to remind you -"

Dumbledore was cut off by the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and again, everyone exchanged looks. No one interrupts Professor Dumbledore.

Professor Umbridge rose and made her way to the front. Her outfit was sickly, consisting of only bright pink pieces.

"She works for Fudge", Harry said. Since when did the Ministry assign teachers to Hogwarts? Especially ones who previously worked at the Ministry?

"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome", she said, her heels ticking on the hardwood floor.

"And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

"That's likely", Fred and George said sarcastically. Umbridge looked at them shortly.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance", she continues. "Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged." What was this woman talking about?

"Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

That one sentence made me decide that I did not like this woman. The annoying giggle that followed only added to that feeling. She was sure to cause some trouble, but the extent was still undecided.

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