Ecko slowly looked at me with horror struck eyes.
I looked at the stool as Rory got off and headed towards the Slytherin table. She sat down and everything resumed as if someone clicked unmute.
"There's no way the hat's serious"
"She can't be a Slytherin!"
"Outrageous!"
Ecko let out a strangled grunt, I looked over at him with wide eyes and just stared trying to comprehend what was going on in his head.
"Ecko..there's nothing you could've possibly done.." I say with a soft voice as I gently pat his back.
After the moment of outrage was over, Prof. McGonagoll went on with the list of first years as if nothing happened.
After we ate, I still couldn't bring myself to say anything else as I watched everyone quiet down from an hour long meal.
The Headmaster appeared in front of his owl podium and we all fixed our attentions towards him.
"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 Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Said Dumbledore with an kind smile.
"Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the -" I quickly looked up wondering why he stopped talking and saw the top of some kind of bright pink beret.
A couple murmurs swept through the hall as students looked up at her with confusion and distaste.
She gently nudged Dumbledore away from the podium, and had made it clear she was intending on making the speech of the year.
"Who the hell is she?" I whispered quietly across the table aiming at Luna.
"I have no idea, Juno"
"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" she said with a curt and tight little smile.
Her beady yet wide eyes scanned across the room, skimming over every student with fake sweetness. Her eyes met mine and immediately my stomach churned.
"And to see such happy little faces looking up at me, I'm sure we're all going to be great friends!" she said.
"The Ministry of Magic has always con-"
From then on, I completely tuned out and faced Ecko.
"What do you think your parents will say?" I said cautiously.
Ecko looked up from his cake that he had turned into mush by playing around with his fork.
"Honestly Juno, this is worse than I expected.."
I looked at him and smiled softly.
"How long can they ignore their most cutest child?" I said with a smirk as his face crinkled a little from a hidden sad smile.
"I just hope Rory takes it well. She's too young to be thrown out anyway." he said with a sad face as we all got up to go to our dorms.
