VERDANT - D.MALFOY

5

Standing on Platform Nine and Three Quarters was a wildly uncomfortable experience for the teenagers. All eyes were on Harry which meant in turn, on his companions. Whispers fill the station about Harry's trial, the articles in the Daily Prophet, Dumbledore.

"Goodness me, people need lives!" Amelie says loudly, guiding Harry towards the train. "Imagine being that obsessed with a teenage boy"

"Do you know you can be obnoxiously loud sometimes?"

"Yes," 

"I'm glad you're self-aware," 

"If you acknowledge things about yourself, then you can change them if you want to. If other people say them and you're not aware, you might perceive them as a flaw, lowering your general self-confidence,"

"You have a lot of that,"

"Thank you,"

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The group all pile in one compartment, joined by Jonathan, Michael and Luna. They all chatter about the Ministry's cover-up and the ridiculousness of Harry's trial. A knock at the compartment door interrupts their conversation and they all turn to see the four Slytherins they had begun to become friends with because of their love for Amelie. 

"Come in," Hermione waves her hand. "It's a bit of a squeeze but we can make room"

Hermione was right, the compartment was a squeeze which resulted in Hermione, Pansy and Ginny all sitting on the floor. But the squeeze didn't affect any of the teenagers who all happily chattered about lighter subjects such as some of the articles that Luna's father had published in the latest edition of the Quibbler. 

They had also bought half of the contents of the sweets trolley, all of them happily snacking on their snacks of choice. Amelie was content with blowing bubbles with her Droobles gum as her eyes scanned the pages of The Handmaid's Tale. 

"What's it about?" Draco asks the witch.

"Subjugated women in a patriarchal society, loss of female agency and individuality, suppression of women's reproductive rights, and the various means by which women resist and try to gain individuality and independence,"

"That's a bit dark,"

"Good read though," 

Amelie didn't even notice that her eyes had begun to droop, her grip on her book loosening as she begins to drift into sleep. Her head falls forward when sleep finally wins the battle, her book dropping to the floor.

With a fond sigh, Draco tenderly lifts Amelie's head so that it rests on his shoulder. He then proceeds to wrap his arm around her, providing a comforting embrace. As the train steadily makes its way through the majestic Scottish Highlands, Amelie lets out a soft sigh and snuggles even closer into Draco's arms.

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The Great Hall was just as uncomfortable as the Platform, with people staring at Harry and whispering loudly. All eyes were also on the Slytherins who were sitting at the Gryffindor table, murmurs of confusion filling the air. 

"Holy fucking shit," Amelie murmurs. "That's Delores Umbridge"

"She works for Fudge," Harry mutters in reply. "She was pushing for a guilty verdict"

"She's Fudge's lapdog so I'm not particularly surprised," Amelie replies. "Nasty bitch from what I've heard"

"Why is there so much pink?" Hermione's face contorts. 

"It's hideous," Pansy chimes in.

"She looks like a thumb," Ginny agrees. 

"She looks how I imagine Jackie Kennedy would if she was thrown through a blender," Amelie murmurs. "And then thrown on a motorway"

Hermione and Harry snort at her words as they observe the Ministry Official who has a sickly sweet smile on her face. 

"Consider my appetite ruined," Theodore murmurs. "She's hideous"

"Looks like she's been slapped in the face with a frying pan," Blaise murmurs.

"Looks like she fell off a broom and landed on her face,"

"We're horrible people," Harry states.

"At least we're aware," 

A high-pitched cough interrupts Dumbledore's annual welcome speech and all eyebrows raise in surprise at the woman's audacity. Dumbledore turns back to the podium before continuing in his speech when another cough sounds again. 

The woman rises to her feet, walking towards the podium with only the sound of her kitten heels clacking against the floor filling the air. 

"Oh the shoes are just as ugly as the rest of the outfit," Pansy's face was one of horror.

"Pansy, look at that monstrosity on her head," Amelie shakes her head. "Why did you even hope?"

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome" The woman's voice was grating. "And how lovely to see all your bright happy faces smiling up at me"

Amelie's eyes scan the room which is full of unimpressed, bored faces and an amused smile falls on her face.

"I think she's looking somewhere else," Amelie comments. 

"I'm sure we're all going to be great friends,"

"That's likely,"

"That's likely,"

Umbridge shoots the twins an unimpressed glare as students around the twins snigger quietly. The pink-clad witch purses her lips, looking like she had sucked on a particularly sour lemon.

"She did not like that," Draco murmurs.

"Miserable bitch,"

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards of vital importance," The woman continues, ignoring the students who were muttering between themselves. "Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited"

"Well, this year is going to be interesting,"

"She needs to go," Amelie murmurs. 

"Looks like we have a guinea pig for our products,"