Heya! Wanted to say that I'm a bit nervous on how this chapter is recieved so please let me know in a comment! Pweasey!! And thank you so much to those who have stuck with me. Your support makes me want to cry. Love!
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Chapter Six. And Memories Move Us.
I slinked into the great hall, feeling stupidly cocky and excited. Snape followed, then stormed past me looking murderous. I gave him a wink as he passed and he gave me a piercing look and huffed, telling me how insufferable I am. I looked on after him as he went to join his place at the high table. I watched as Snape’s eyes scanned over the close end of the Slytherin table, clearly eying the new Slytherin students (we had missed the sorting) and he looked unimpressed, as always.
I smirked and looked away. It was hard for me to behave myself when I got like this. But a part of me warned me not to push him too much. I didn’t want to lose him.
Dumbledore was busy making announcements, in particular about Quidditch try-outs, when a rude cough emitted from another teacher. Curious, I brought my attention back to the scene, and fixed my eyes upon a familiar, plump little witch dressed in pink. Dolores Umbridge.
I blinked. I hadn’t even noticed her when Dumbledore announced that she was filling the position of Defense against the dark arts teacher. But now that I had, my eyes growing wide in horror, I felt sick.
Dolores Umbridge was evil. I knew that from the first time I met her. Dolores Umbridge was a close associate of my Grandmothers, and had summered with us in France on occasion. She considered herself highly and thought my Grandmother a friend, by even she couldn’t stand her.
She was judgmental and forceful and highly prejudiced and outspoken, with a sickly fake sweet demeanor. Plus, she was obsessed with cats and at age nine, I had sworn that she had kidnapped my cat at the time, Bagshot, and took it back to London after staying with us.
"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome,” she said, sweetly trying to acknowledge is before her true speech started, “The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of a vital importance. 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!"
When she was done, there was an awkward silence, that she seemed to enjoy, happily giggling when she was done. Blinking, Dumbledore returned to his podium, and replied politely, “Thank you professor Umbridge, that was really most illuminating.”
I looked at Snape, who was glancing most apprehensively sideways at Umbridge, and I knew what he was thinking. The Ministry of Magic was interfering at Hogwarts. And the smug expression on Umbridges toad-like face was enough to make me lose my appetite.
* * *
After the feast, I went up to my dorm room. I had a few hours to spare before I had planned to meet Snape. He hadn’t agreed to meet me, of course he would never stoop to concede with my plans, but he hadn’t said no either, so that was something. Besides, it wasn’t like Snape to allow a student to roam the corridors at night was it? He was always prowling around.
“Why aren’t you getting ready for bed?” Valerie asked suspiciously, as we both dressed and brushed our teeth in the bathroom, “And why do you have last year’s Yule Bull dress on huh?” She prodded, poking me in the stomach and referring to the emerald green dress I had pulled on.
I ignored her and continued applying my make up as she was taking hers off.
Suddenly, Valerie gasped, and her violet eyes locked on me incredulously. It made me nervous.
