Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

"Hem Hem"

"Well done, Ron," Mikayla groaned. "What?" Ron asked indignantly, having managed, finally, to swallow his food. "I'm not allowed to ask a simple question?" "Oh forget it," Hermione said irritably, and the pair of them spent the rest of the meal in huffy silence. When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the hall was starting to creep upward again, Dumbledore got to his feet once more. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the headmaster. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," Dumbledore announced. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students, and a few of our older students ought to know by now too." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mikayla exchanged smirks.   "Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door." Dumbledore continued. "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." There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause during which Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mikayla exchanged slightly panicked looks, Dumbledore had not said for how long Grubbly-Plank would be teaching.

Dumbledore went on, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-" He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge said, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech. Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat back down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair, and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as Mikayla has ever seen it. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking, this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts. "Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitched, breathy, and little-girlish. Professor Umbridge gave another little throat-clearing cough and continued, "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!" Mikayla glanced around. None of the faces she could see looked happy, they all looked rather taken aback at being addressed as though they were five years old. "I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Students exchanged looks at this, some of them were barely able to conceal their grins. "I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Parvati whispered to Lavender, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again, but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawk-like, and Mikayla saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little "Hem, hem" and went on with her speech. "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation..." The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling. Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, Mikayla and Hermione were drinking in every word Umbridge spoke,"...because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." Umbridge sat down.

Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Mikayla noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unaware by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again.  "Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held..." "Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Hermione said in a low voice. "You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Ron said quietly, turning a glazed face upon Hermione. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy." "She said illuminating, not enjoyable," Mikayla replied. "It explained a lot." "Did it?" Harry said, surprised. "Sounded like a load of waffle to me." "There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," Hermione said grimly. "Was there?" Ron said blankly. "How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?" "Well, what does that mean?" Ron asked impatiently. "It means that the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts." Mikayla and Hermione concluded harmoniously, Harry gave Mikayla understanding look, whilst Ron looked very confused.