Charlotte spends most of her time at Hogwarts with our favorite side characters. Wonder what they were doing during those anything but normal 7 years? Lottie is Cedric Diggory's best friend, a Gryffindor ally and an all around adventure driven, snea...
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Leaving my parents to get on the train to Hogwarts felt so much more serious this year. But Anna I did it as that was what was expected of us. This was Susan's cousin, Peggy's first year at Hogwarts. So her parents insisted she sit with her. Unfortunately there wasn't a carriage big enough for everyone so Susan and Peggy sat in a different cart.
Anna, Justin and I rode together quietly. When Hannah and Ernie came back from their Prefect meeting ("Hannah that's amazing. You're going to be great!) we talked of our summers and the ministry.
"Do you really think Fudge wants to get rid of Dumbledore?" Hannah asks. Anna pulled on her licorice. "I think anything is a possibility."
Once we got off the train, we went to the carriages. I was surprised to see a creature I had never seen before pulling the carriages. I walked right up to one and pet it. It was friendly, a bit odd looking, but sweet.
"Lottie, what are you doing?" Anna asks me with concern in her voice. I look around and all the carriages are being pulled by these creatures. "You can't see them, can you?" I ask nervously. Anna and Hannah exchange a look. Hannah walks up to me. "Come on, Lot. Let's get home." I let her hand pull me away.
I get in a carriage with Hannah, Anna, Susan, Cho and little Peggy. Luna pulls on my sleeve from outside the carriage. "I'll tell you about them later." Then she skips off to be in the last carriage.
It only takes a moment for our carriage to pull away. We manage to see Harry Potter and Cho exchange a look, but I ignore it. I am not getting in their business.
I am so relieved once we enter the Great Hall. If the world fell apart, I would always remember this feeling. The feeling of home. I walk past the Gryffindor table and see Seamus. I give him a wave and smile. He looks awkward and uncomfortable only giving me the slightest of head nods.
I slide in next to my friends and we watch the first years get sorted. "Is it just me or does it feel like there are fewer of them?" Anna whispers.
"It's starting." Hannah sighs.
"What's starting?" Justin asks as he slides in next to us. Ernie and Zac sit on his other side.
"The fear that something wicked this way comes." Anna says while reaching for his hand. He lifts her hand to give it a kiss.
Susan's cousin, Peggy gets sorted into Ravenclaw. Susan claps loudly causing a few odd stares, but most people recognized that they had the same last name. "That's not surprising to me, she's smart as a whip and has an obsession with puzzles." Hannah snorts. "Yeah sounds right to me."
Dumbledore starts his welcome back speech by welcoming Professor Grubley Plank who is subbing for Hagrid and our new DADA teacher Dolores Umbridge.
She can't be more than 5 feet, with mousy brown hair, but I think her hair is the only thing on her body that isn't pink. She has a fluffy cap on and an all pink blazer that not even my grandmother would wear.
"She looks...interesting." Hannah says politely. Dumbledore tries to move on, but Umbridge stands and makes an "mmhmmm" sound.
"Did she just interrupt him?" Anna mutters under breath in shock. "Yep, nobody's ever done that." I say under my breath.
Umbridge stands and walks to the front of the staff table. "Thank you headmaster for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling faces looking up at me."
I look around. Nobody is smiling. Literally nobody.
"I'm sure we are all going to be very good friends."
"Doubtful." Justin whispers while reaching for his water glass.
"The ministry of magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged."
"What?" Hannah mutters. Anna looks at me with wide eyes. This is what my parents were talking about.
"Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." She then gives a slight giggle at the end. Before moving to sit down and we all awkwardly clap.
"We are so screwed." Anna says. "I don't understand." Justin says while pushing food around his plate. "She isn't here to teach us. She's here as a ministry worker." I say.
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Justin looks up at once more. "Doesn't the ministry have bigger fish to fry?" he asks. Anna sips her water. "They'll waste their time trying to brainwash us instead of fighting the actual evil in this world. Just pisses me off." She says. Justin puts a hand on her shoulder. "Should piss all of us off."
Dinner passes by quickly. I'm anxious to go set our room up. As the girls and I head to the dormitory, I see Seamus and Dean.
"Hey stranger!" I call out. Hannah chuckles besides me. "Where are you two running off to?"
Dean smiles. "Hey guys, how are you?"
Seamus looks annoyed. I reach out to touch his arm, "Are you okay?" "No actually. I had a real rotten summer and had to beg my mom to let me come back." he snaps.
"Wh.." I start. "Because Harry lied and we are all supposed to bend over backwards for him." I take a step back. "I don't think he's lying." I say gently.
Dean and Hannah look extremely uncomfortable. "Well now because of it I practically had to get on my hands and knees to get back here." Seamus says with anger still in his voice.
"Sorry to hear that. Let's go, Lot." Anna pulls my arm. But I can't let it slide. So I yank my arm out of Anna's grasp. "How unfortunate for you." I say aggressively obviously taking Seamus by surprise. "How unlucky you are to go home to your mother." I say snidely. Hannah tried to pull my other arm. "Let's just go."
"I am so sorry that Cedric's death has been an inconvenience for you." I say with as much sarcasm as I can muster up.
Anna yanked harder on my arm this time. I took that as my silent cue to walk away, but it had me sprinting to the door like my feet were on fire.
I walked through the Common room, not acknowledging anyone. Once in our new dorm, I practically flop on my bed.
The door creaks open and there stand my 3 best friends. My three best friends who are still living at least. "I'm sorry." I say. Tears are welling behind my eyes. "He just...ughhh...that just pissed me off." I say. Hannah sits at the end of my bed. "Don't apologize. He was being an ass." I smile. I can't even remember if I've ever heard Hannah curse.
"Alright. Let's go to bed!." Anna said as if trying to move us forward in conversation and emotions.
"Yeah, especially since we want to leave a good impression on our new teacher tomorrow." Susan says with an eye roll.
Right now, I can't think of anything I'd like to do less. Except be in a room with Seamus.
