"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that f...
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Aurora couldn't help but smile as she watched George and Lee converse excitingly about their summers (of course George leaving out everything about the Order) as she happily munched on a chicken leg.
She felt a nudge to her side and quickly turned her head to look at her boyfriend. She snorted as she saw him with two large breadsticks in his mouth, acting as if they were his walrus teeth.
"How did you survive with these two?" Lee asked gesturing to the couple as he watched Aurora copying Fred's breadstick teeth.
"Honestly," George sighed dramatically, "I have no idea.
"Good evening, children," Dumbledore greeted coming up to his stand. The Great Hall immediately quietened down as heads turned in his direction, "Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank...who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures... while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave."
Aurora's smile dropped, she noticed that Hagrid wasn't sitting at the teacher's table like usually, but she assumed he was out feeding the Thestrals like he usually did. She shared a worried look with Fred before letting her attention fall back onto Dumbledore.
"We also wish to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher... Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the Professor good luck," Dumbledore spoke clearly, "Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr Filch, has asked me to remind you-"
"Ahem," The new Professor interrupted, Dumbledore turned his body around to see her standing up and walking towards him.
Aurora's chocolate brown eyes carefully followed the woman, who was dressed in pink head to toe, as she stood up out of her seat and made her way to Dumbledore's podium. The rest of the Professors shared a weary look as the woman smiled her sickly sweet smile at them before turning to the students, lightly pushing Dumbledore out of the way.
"Psst," Aurora heard from her left hand side, she quickly turned her head to see Harry leaning over trying to catch her attention and once he saw he had it he whispered to the girl, "She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge."
"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome," Professor Umbridge said, her voice was high and squeaking causing Aurora to groan as she turned back to the front of the Hall, "And how lovely to see all your bright...happy faces smiling up at me," Aurora took a quick glance around the Hall and saw not even a single pupil smiling before she let out a snort and looked back at the woman who was not glaring at her, "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."
"That's likely," Fred and George muttered causing the woman to tilt her head and shoot them a pointed look.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance," The woman in pink spoke, "Although, each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic 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," she giggled at the end of her sentence as she looked at all the students before walking back to her seat, extremely slowly.
Aurora watched as Dumbledore rolled his eyes at the woman but clapped nevertheless causing the odd student to join in, "Thank you, Professor Umbridge. That was most illuminating."
"Illuminating?" Ron sniggered from Aurora's left hand side, "That was a load of waffle."
"What does it all mean?" Harry asked leaning over and looking confused between Ron and Aurora.
Aurora sighed and smiled sadly at Harry, she looked between him and Fred as she softly spoke, "It means the Ministry is now interfering at Hogwarts."
★★★★
"Dean, Seamus," Aurora lifted her head off Fred's shoulder as she saw Harry entering the Gryffindor common room, "Good holiday?" He asked the pair.
"Alright," Dean nodded, "Better than Seamus', anyway."
Aurora watched as Seamus Finnigan threw down his copy of the Daily Prophet down onto the table in front of his armchair as he stood up and walked closer to Harry, "Me mam didn't want me to come back this year."
"Why not?" Harry intrigued.
Seamus sarcastically placed his hand under his chin as he pretended to be deep in thought, "Erm...let me think...because of you," he announced, "The Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you and Dumbledore."
Harry scoffed, "What, your mum believes them?"
"Nobody was there the night Cedric died," Seamus argued, his voice becoming louder.
"Oh, well I guess you should read the Prophet, then, like your stupid mother," Harry quickly yelled back.
"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"
"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar," Harry explained, the veins in his neck becoming more visible as he got angrier. Aurora quickly rushed over and grabbed hold of his arm, holding him back incase he did anything too irrational.
"What's going on?" Ron asked as he and Hermione walked into the common room, the red haired boy immediately walks over to Harry's side.
"He's mad!" Seamus pointed his finger at Harry as he looked at Ron in disbelief, "Do you two believe the rubbish he's coming out with about You-Know-Who?!"
"Yeah, we do," Ron nodded his head as he spoke calmly, "Anyone else got a problem with Harry?"
Harry ripped his arm out of Aurora's grasp and ran up the stairs towards his dormitory before Ron send an apologetic look at the black haired witch and moved past her to follow his best friend upstairs.
"My gran says it's the Daily Prophet that's rubbish," Neville informed, Aurora smirked at the boy as Seamus turned red from anger, "She's cancelled our subscription."
