Pennelope and The Order (Harry Potter Love Story) Book 5

Lavender!

I watched as Harry slammed the door shut and sat down, staring out the window at the 'Horses'

"Harry, there's nothing there," I whispered to him

"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" Ginny asked. "What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"

"I'll be quite glad if he has," Luna said. "He isn't a very good teacher, is he?"

"Yes he is!" Harry, Ron and Ginny said angrily, and Hermione nodded with them.

Harry glared at me.

"You've got nerve glaring at me while I'm pissed with you," I snapped. "Yes! I don't want him to go! But I have to admit, his teaching can be -"

"Okay," Hermione finished slowly.

"We think he's a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw," Luna said unfazed.

"You've got a rubbish sense of humor then," Ron snapped.

Luna didn't seem to care about Ron's rudeness though, she's staring at him as if he's a mildly interesting television program.

"Wait, that means Cho think Hagrid's a joke too!" I muttered hopefully.

The carriage came to a halt and Harry got off first, we all followed, we all walked towards the castle, but I stopped and looked back at Harry. Even if I'm mad at him, I still have to stay by his side.

"You coming?" I called over to him.

"Oh . . . Yeah," he said.

Harry turned away from the invisible creatures and walls towards me, I looked back, but I don't see the horses, perhaps Harry is going crazy.

We walked into the Great Hall, which looks like it always does.

I pulled Harry over to a seat with Hermione, Ron and Neville. I sat down and Harry sat down next to me. Nearly Headless Nick is sitting with us. Lavender and Parvati sitting a couple seats away.

"He's not here," Harry said.

Ron, Hermione and I looked up at the staff table to see Hagrid's chair empty.

"He can't have left," Ron said.

"Corse he hasn't," I said.

"You dorm think he's . . . Hurt of anything, do you?" Hermione said uneasily.

"No," Harry said at once.

"But where is he then?" I asked.

We all paused, Harry leaned in and so did Hermione, Ron and I. We all put our heads together looking at each other.

"Maybe he's not back yet. You know - from his mission - the thing he was doing over the summer for Dumbledore."

"Yeah . . . Yeah, that'll be it," Ron said.

We all pulled away, I looked up at the staff table closely and gasped.

"Harry! It's the toad!" I whispered frantically.

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

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Nice cardigan," Ron said smirking. I stared at her pink fluffy cardigan and cringed.

"She was at my hearing, she works for Fudge!" Harry said.

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

"Dunno?" I said. I put my elbows on the table and let my head rest in my hands. My cheeks lifted, giving me the look of a fish.

Grubbly-Plank came in and McGonagall set a stool and the Sorting hat in front of the hall, all the first years came in looking nervous. All of us shut up and watched as the first years lined up.