falling ; hp

─── twenty one

They were finally at Hogwarts.

The Willow and Hermione sat beside each other as Harry and Ron were opposite to them in the great hall.

"I'm waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to do something stupid so that I can get on them," Ron muttered excitedly as Willow chuckled when she saw Hermione glaring at him

"Take twenty points from each. . . Or forty from each. . . We should compensate the house points for what Snape has done to us in the previous years. " Willow said with a determination as Ron matched with her mindset and did a fist bump with her.

"No, that's not happening!" Hermione chimed in.

"Just ignore her," Willow commented and leaned a bit closer to the table as Ron too leaned from the opposite side. "Just make sure things happen as we've planned," she whispered the last part and gave him an understanding nod as Ron did a salute. Seeing her being so serious in getting on Malfoy made Harry chuckle as he kept his hand below his jaw and stared at her with a grin.

"Stop advertising your teeth!" Ron chimed in as Harry ignored him. "Mate, I get it. You're totally in love with her. . . But, you gotta do that in private, not in public and especially not in front of me," Ron rambled on, but Harry heard nothing.

"He's practically deaf," Ron mumbled. "You horny--" his words got off once he received a glare from Harry as Ron's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, the duality you have," Willow and Hermione shared a laugh together as Harry continued admiring his girlfriend. Soon, Hermione's smile faded once she noticed the staff table.

"Who's that?" Hermione said sharply, pointing toward the middle of the staff table. Harry's eyes followed hers as his eyes widened.

"It's that Umbridge woman!" Harry exclaimed.

"Who?" Willow asked as she looked him confusedly.

"She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge!"

"Nice cardigan," said Ron, smirking as Willow scoffed and shook her head.

"She works for Fudge?" Hermione repeated, frowning. "What on earth's she doing here, then?"

"Dunno . . ."

"There's only one position available in our school," Willow started off as Hermione's eyes widened in realization.

"No," she muttered, "no, surely not . . ."

And once again, came the least favorite part. School song. Willow lowered her head when she saw everyone singing. She looked at Harry, who didn't even sing this time. Willow kicked his shin as Harry came out of the trance and looked up to meet her gaze.

"What's wrong?"

"I sort you into Houses," Ron sang aloud.

Harry smiled assuringly and shook his head, saying, "Nothing, love," Willow's cheeks went red as she blushed furiously.

"I guess I should change your name from Jealousy-Harry to Flirty-Harry," Willow whispered as Harry chuckled and nodded his head.

"That's kinda pleasing to hear," Harry said back with a smile.

"May not bring the end, I fear."

Finally, the school song got over as Willow heaved a sigh of relief. The sorting ceremony started off as they clapped their hands and cheered whenever people got sorted into Gryffindor. Eventually, the sorting ceremony too came to an end.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands - welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"