Shifted: Book Two

Chapter Ten - An Unwanted Guest

All the students were now rounded up in the Great Hall for their annual welcoming speech, delivered by Professor Dumbledore himself. As he stood at the front of the hall behind his gold-encrusted, owl podium, he spoke out greatly to the students of Hogwarts.

"Good evening, children. Now, we have two changes in staffing this year", Dumbledore began to explain, as he turned back to a professor, who Hazel was surprisingly unfamiliar with.

"We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures, while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave", he continued, giving a small round of applause and encouraging everyone else to do the same.

"Why is Hagrid on temporary leave?", Hazel whispered to Harry, who was sat opposite her.

"No idea", Harry replied, exchanging a puzzled expression as they both turned their attention back to the headmaster.

"We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...", Dumbledore said, as he slowly turned to face the new professor.

Hazel followed Dumbledore's face as she, too, spotted the small, cheery woman sat beside Snape. She instantly recognised this woman; her short, brown curls that sat beneath her ears, her bright pink cross-hatched jacket that concealed her pink shirt underneath, complimenting the same pink-toned skirt that trailed down to her knees, then paired with dark pink heels, and finished off with a little pink hat that sat on top of her head. From head to toe, this lady was consumed by all shades of pink - even her cheeks were turning pink where they were smiling for so long. It was hard not to recognise this woman. Hazel squinted her eyes, she knew who this was and she didn't need Dumbledore to introduce her name, but Dumbledore proceeded to anyway.

"Professor Dolores Umbridge", he finally spoke.

A wave of quiet whispers enveloped the air of the hall, as students turned to one another, sharing confused faces.

"I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck", Dumbledore finished.

Harry, however, was not confused, and instead his eyes filled with fury. He clenched his fists above the oak table and furrowed his brows. Hazel subtly tapped her foot against his, underneath the table, shifting a slight sense of calmness into Harry's posture, though regretfully not enough to release him from the anger he was feeling.

Hermione and Ron turned to the angry boy and noticed his uncomfortable aura.

"She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge", Harry informed quietly, keeping his eyes locked onto the terrible woman.

Hazel noticed Umbridge's eyes wander from Dumbledore to Harry. A glimmer of revenge twinkled in her eyes for a brief moment or two, before swiftly turning her focus onto Hazel. Suddenly, that twinkle disappeared into disbelief; she had heard that Hazel survived the battle at the cemetery and the killing curse Voldemort used to murder her. She squinted subtly as her lips curved into a smile before letting out a little giggle.

The giggle interrupted Dumbledore, and everyone else's focus, as the attention was entirely drawn to her. She stood up elegantly and made her way to the front of the hall, leaving the other professors, including Dumbledore himself, in a small state of surprise.

"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me", she spoke.

Her patronising tone left everyone in utter silence, as their faces dropped to nothingness. She took a step forward, clasping her hands together and resting them just under her stomach. She scanned each face swiftly, then resumed her unexpected speech.

"I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends", she continued, with an extremely over-the-top smile printed on her face.

"That's likely", Fred and George scoffed in unison, nudging each other playfully, resulting in a few fellow Gryffindors, who overheard their comment, to chuckle quietly.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance", Umbridge spoke, slowly pacing up and down the platform at the front of the hall, her heels patently hitting the wooden ground above the stone surface.

"Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school," she said, glancing over to Dumbledore who gracefully bowed his head, thanking Umbridge for that somewhat complimentary comment.

"Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged", she added as she stopped in her tracks to face the school again.

"I don't like where this is going", Hazel whispered, subtly shifting her posture.

"Neither do I", Hermione agreed, looking back at Hazel in discomfort.

"Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited", she finished, ending her little speech with the same condescending giggle that interrupted everyone in the first place, as she made her way back to her seat next to Snape who, unsurprisingly, seemed unimpressed.

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge, that really was most illuminating", Dumbledore intervened as he stood back from his stand and back to the centre of the front of the hall, gaining everyone's attention once again, well, almost everyone.

"Illuminating? What a load of waffle", Ron scorned, looking to Hazel, Harry and Hermione in annoyance.

"What's it mean?", he questioned quietly.

"Magic is forbidden in corridors?", Hazel suggested with some certainty.

"It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts", Hermione corrected in displeasure, as she glanced to the lady in pink, then back to Hazel, Harry and Ron again.

Harry's face continued to look down in subtle rage, though his fists were unclenchedvnow, leaving slight red-ish marks around his fingers.

Hazel looked to Umbridge, where she met with her eyes. Umbridge's smile was gone now, and was instead replaced with a perplexed frown as she intensely looked into Hazel's curious eyes. They furrowed, then opened slightly wider, swiftly causing her frown to vanish and restore it with a mischievous smile. Hazel bit the inside of her bottom lip and squinted, trying to read Umbridge. There was something about her that made everything seem uncomfortable and eerie; no matter how much Umbridge was smiling, the entire atmosphere was nothing but darkness.