Athena Black And The Order Of The Phoenix

Chapter 15: The Arrival to Hogwarts and the Welcome Feast

RECAP:

We left and headed to our carriage. We got to our carriage, and Harry sat down and pulled me down onto his lap and the other guys did the same thing with the other girls. I said Dumbledore has asked me to talk to you guys about helping the seventh year prefects and Head boy and girl to plan a yule ball and a graduation ball for the seventh years. Mione said we will have to make the time between studying, classes, training, and the Quidditch season but I'm in to help out with it. Everyone else said we are in too. I said okay then we will let grandpa Dumbledore know when we meet up with him and our family and the founders and Merlin.

Harry's P.O.V.

We were all sitting and talking when Cedric and Cho showed up and said hey guys mind if we join you guys Ana said of course you guys can. They Said thanks. We all said no problem. Ana said we are planning the balls this year. I will let Dumbledore know later on tonight. They said okay. They stayed with us the rest of the ride to Hogwarts.

Athena's P.O.V.

We got to Hogwarts and went to the carriages that took us up to the school. We all got into the great hall and sat down at our tables and waited for the first years to get sorted. "Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door. "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 Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause during which Harry, Ron, and Hermione 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 inquiringly 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 said, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech. Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat back down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair, and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as Harry had ever seen it. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this woman 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 and again, Harry felt a powerful rush of dislike that he could not explain to himself; all he knew was that he loathed everything about her, from her stupid voice to her fluffy pink cardigan. She gave another little throat clearing cough ("Hem, hem") and continued: "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 back at me!" Harry glanced around. None of the faces he could see looked happy; on the contrary, they all looked rather taken aback at being addressed as though they were five years old. "I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins. "I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Parvati whispered to Lavender, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles. 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 through the generations lest we lose them forever. 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." Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and Harry distinctly saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little "Hem, hem" and went on with her speech. "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 . . ." Harry found his attentiveness ebbing, as though his brain was slipping in and out of tune. The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling. Over at the Ravenclaw table, Cho Chang was chatting animatedly with her friends. A few seats along from Cho, Luna Lovegood had got out The Quibbler again. Meanwhile at the Hufflepuff table, Ernie Macmillan was one of the few still staring at Professor Umbridge, but he was glassy-eyed and Harry was sure he was only pretending to listen in an attempt to live up to the new prefect's badge gleaming on his chest. Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. Harry had the impression that a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have plowed on with her speech. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, and Hermione seemed to be drinking every word Umbridge spoke, though judging by her expression, they were not at all to her taste. ". . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. 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 down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Harry noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again. "Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now — as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held . . ." "Yes, it certainly was illuminating," said Hermione in a low voice. "You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Ron said quietly, turning a glazed face upon Hermione. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy." "I said illuminating, not enjoyable," said Hermione and I. "It explained a lot." "Did it?" said Harry in surprise.

Professor Dumbledore dismissed us all. Me,Mione, Harry and Ron all stood up and I said first years come here please the first years gathered around us. I said okay follow us. Harry chimed in and said please stick close to one of us. This castle is huge and it is very easy to get lost.

I said Hermione, myself and my sister Ginny don't have classes in the morning so we will give you guys a tour of the castle while the boys have divination in the morning alright follow us and stay close. Jay and Amber caught up to us. Amber said hey guys and first years and hugged me and said meet you four in the ROR Jay said to Amber i'm going to go with Athena and the others see you there cuz and kissed Amber on the head she said love you guys. One of the first years spoke up and said how are you guys related if you don't mind explaining it. I said well I will start by saying my parents are Sirius Black and Christine Lightwood Black I have a little sister named Jessica.

Jayson's parents are Regulus Black and Marissa Snape Black which is my dad's little brother. Amber's parents are Emerald Black Lupin which is my dad's twin sister. Another first year asked where do the Weasley's come in. Harry said the Weasley family adopted Ana when her dad got wrongfully sent to Azakban and her mom passed away.

Another first year shyly asked Harry where do you come in. Harry said other than dating Ana we are god siblings seeing as our parents were best friends when they were growing up. Hermione said alright first years we are here the password is bravery. The fat lady opened the door and smiled as the first years entered and said welcome home. The first years smiled and Harry said if you have any questions please come to us for help.

We are here to guide and help you guys through this transition any questions? The first years said no but thank you. I kissed Harry on the cheek and said I think I fell more in love with you Hazza. Hermione said alright first years we have to go to a meeting with some very important people. I said see you all in the morning.

The little amount of first years gave us a hug but hugged me and Harry the tightest. They said good night Heiress Black and Heir Potter. Harry and I said please just call us Athena and Harry.