Black and White

16

As I sit down beside Draco, he glances me over, looking for any sign of injury. The only thing he finds, though, are the bags under my eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, you haven't slept well, either," I retort, rolling my eyes. "I can tell cause your hair isn't perfect."

Draco immediately goes to smooth out his hair, before he catches me smirking and glares half-heartedly.

As I cut myself a piece of pudding from the banquet, I smile, thinking of Luna. I'll have to find her later on. I think we could be good friends.

"Good evening, children," Professor Dumbledore addresses during the feast. "Now, we have two changes in staff this year. We are pleased to welcome back Mr. Grubblyplank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. We also wish to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge."

Umbridge apparently refused to wear the traditional black robes, and is dressed in an all pink suit. She looks rather comical sitting next to Professor Snape.

"I'm sure you all wish the professor good luck," Dumbledore continues. "Now, as usual, our caretaker, Filch, has asked me to remind you-"

Dumbledore cuts off as Professor Umbridge clears her throat in a most ladylike manor. I almost laugh. What is this woman doing?

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome," she says. "And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me."

I glance around the room, and I honestly don't see a single person smiling.

"I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends," Professor Umbridge continues. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this starring 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."

At the end of her speech, she hums in that self-satisfied way that annoys everyone in the room. But Dumbledore claps, so we all must clap, as well.

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge,"  Dumbledore says. "That really was most illuminating."

That night, the nightmares keep not only me, but everyone else in my dorm room, awake. I end up sitting in the common room, staring at the smoldering fire until morning.

I make it through Transfiguration fine, but am extremely drowsy by the time I enter the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where Professor Umbridge stands at the front in a pink and orange outfit. She watches me curiously, and I immediately realize why. The Ministry still has no idea where my father is.

As she uses her wand to pass out books to everyone, she says, "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be... severe."

She's smiling, but her intense gaze lands on me when she says the last word.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven," she continues. "But you'll be pleased to know, from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic."

"Um, I don't see anything in here about using defensive spells," Evelyn points out, and I realize she's right.

"Using spells?" Professor Umbridge chuckles, and I wince at her high pitch. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

"We're not going to use magic?" Maisie asks.

"You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way," Umbridge assures.