The Blessings of Hecate [Abandoned]

Lavender Has an Outburst

Chapter Six: Lavender Has an Outburst
Hermione's P.O.V.

AFTER WE GOT OFF THE STAGE COACHES, we made our way to the Gryffindor long table. The decor was beautiful as always. I turned my head toward the staff table to get a glimpse of our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. At the table there was a strange woman whispering something into Dumbledore's ear.

She was squat, with short, curly, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes. The combination looked dreadful.

"Who's that?" I ask Harry and Ron, pointing to the woman in pink.

They look and Harry's facial expression darkens as he says, "It's that Umbridge woman!"

"Who? I ask.

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

"She looks like a pink dwarf." I hear Leo say laughing.

I honestly don't know what's wrong with Harry. Last year Piper, Nico, and Leo were always nice and friendly with Harry. They supported him during the Tri-Wizard tournament. But now Harry says he doesn't remember them. It makes absolutely no sense!

The hall went quiet, which meant the first years were about to be sorted. I watched in awe as the hat began to sing its song. It was different this year. I recall the last few lyrics to be:

"May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within.
I have told you, I have warned you. . . .
Let the Sorting now begin."

Everyone broke out in applause throughout the hall. Everyone remarking to their friends about the advice the hat had gave.

"I wonder if it's ever given warnings before?" I said with curiosity.

"Yes, indeed," said Nearly Headless Nick knowledgeably, leaning across Neville toward her (Neville winced, it was very uncomfortable to have a ghost lean through you). "The hat feels itself honor-bound to give the school due warning whenever it feels -" He stopped mid sentence as he caught sight of Nico, Leo, and Percy.

"My- my lord." He stuttered.

"Huh?" Nico said sounding confused, but his eyes said 'We'll talk about this later'. It was strange hearing him with an American accent. Last year he never said anything about the United States.

I looked at all five of them, and I saw something I never had noticed before. Percy and Annabeth were wearing necklaces with beads on them. Annabeth had the most, she had about nine. Whilst Percy had four on his necklace. It was strange, I'd have to ask Annabeth about it later. To me, Annabeth kind of acts like an older sister.

"Hufflepuff!" I heard the hat yell. I got so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't even realized the sorting was over.

Dumbledore made his speech, and the feast began. Before I even realized it, I had to lead the first years to the common room. The night was almost over just like that....

***

After my prefect duties I went up to the dormitory. Piper, Lavender, and Parvati were already up there in their pajamas.

Lavender and Parvati were having a nice conversation while Piper sat on her bed looking at a picture.

So I put my own pajamas on and sat next to her.

"Hey." I said with a friendly smile, "It's nice to be back here, isn't it."

"Yeah, it is." She said half heartedly still staring at her picture.

"Who is that?" I ask looking at her picture. The picture showed a blonde haired boy with blue eyes standing next to Piper smiling.

"Jason." She said quietly, "He's my boyfriend in America."

"Oh." I say surprised, "Does he know you're a witch?"

Piper hesitates then says, "Yes."

"Are you sure?" I say laughing, "You seem a little uncertain."

"Yeah, I just really miss him, with this new que- school year."

"So," I say changing the subject because I can tell that she's uncomfortable.

But at that exact moment, "Oh, don't try to tell me off! I know that Cedric didn't die because of you-know-who, all I know is that Harry's a liar and that Dumbledore is an old fool!"

Lavender Brown had said. But I had been expecting this, the Daily Prophet had been printing articles about that for months! So no doubt that people would start giving Harry a bad reputation.

"So," I say again ignoring the harsh comments coming from Lavender. "How do you feel about our O.W.L.s this year?"

"Well," Piper says calmly. "I think that it's better not to talk about them until the time comes. How about we go to sleep?"

"Okay," I say when a wave of sleepiness comes over me. So I go to my bed and shortly fall asleep.

***

I got dressed quickly this morning. Today's the first day for classes and I don't want to be late. Once I came down, Harry, Ron, and I started walking towards the Great Hall. Once we sat down to eat, a tall black girl with long, braided hair had marched up to Harry.

"Hi, Angelina." He said.

"Hi," she said briskly. "Good summer?" And without waiting for an answer, "Listen, I've been made Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."

"Nice one," said Harry.

"Yeah, well, we need a new Keeper now Oliver's left. Tryouts are on Friday at five o'clock and I want the whole team there, all right? Then we can see how the new person'll fit in."

"Wait," I heard someone next to me say, I turned to see that it was Leo. "There's Quidditch tryouts?"

"Yeah," said Angelina. "They're on Friday, five o' clock."

At that moment, hundreds of owls came soaring in with the daily mail through the upper windows.

Me: I do not own any of the characters. All characters either belong to Rick Riordan or J.K. Rowling.
(Nearly Headless)Nick: My Lord, what brings you here?
Nico: A train brought me here....
Nick: Do you have a message from your father?
Nico: Noooooo. But I have a message from me. GO BACK AND FACE MY FATHER LIKE A TRUE GRYFFINDOR!
Nick: Y-Yes my lord.
Nico: XD
Me: U R WEIRd.
Nico: Exactly....