Mischief not so Managed

2: Pink

Lia:

"what are you giggling at?" Lavender asked as I slid into the compartment.

"mind your own" I said dropping into the seat opposite her.

"where have you been all summer?" Lavender asked as I pulled a book out of my leather satchel.

"well, I was looking after my Grandmother, she's not well" I said quickly. I didn't disclose that my mother had kept me in a safe house all summer while she went off to construct the Order.

"oh, I'm sorry" she said. I just smiled trying to look somewhat sad. Rain started to fall outside as the train sped past forests, grass and lakes back towards home.

When I stepped off the train onto the platform I was glad to see Hagrid gathering the first year students to put them onto the boats. I smiled at the memory of my first time seeing the castle from out across the water. "Hey Lia", I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ginny's round smiling face appeared in front of me "are you coming?"

"yeah" I smiled back at her as we walked towards the carriages. Shouting on the platform behind me altered us to Malfoy messing with Harry.

"stay away from me" Harry yelled. Draco slid past us winking as he did.

"nice summer, Jones?" He said slyly.

"get a life, Malfoy" I spat back at him as he sauntered away.

"come on" Ginny said pulling me along the platform.

"what was that about?" Fred asked as we got in line for a carriage.

"Malfoy being Malfoy" I muttered, "what is that?" I pointed to a bright red box with a large W emblazoned across the side.

"Freddie and I are going to have some fun this year" George chuckled looking down at me.

"could you to not just let us have a quiet year?" Ginny groaned.

"we're going out with a bang" Fred said "wouldn't want old McGonagall to forget about us"

"I think she'd find that hard to do with or without your final big bang" I said as the carriage pulled up.

"Ladies first" George said offering me his hand.

"Merlin's beard" Ginny exclaimed "George found some manners on the train". George rolled his eyes as we sat down and the carriage rattled on towards the castle.

George:

"what on earth was that about?" Fred asked as we entered our dorm dumping our various bags and trunks onto the floor.

"what was what about?" I counted dropping onto my bed, resting my head in my hands.

"you've got a thing for Hestia's daughter"

"I do not" I sat up.

"Ladies first" he mimicked me as he grabbed his robes from his trunk and headed for the bathroom.

"oh do shove off" I called as he laughed at my expense. Fred returned seconds later fully dressed for the feast.

"ready to wreak havoc"

"after you brother" I said waving my wand and my robes replaced the sweater and jeans I had been wearing.

The great hall was buzzing. We sat across from our younger brother and his friends awaiting Dumbledore and his ever terrifying start of term speech. An unusual woman sat at the teachers table wearing bright pink and seemed terribly out of place. I took no notice of her. "what's everyone staring at?" Hermione asked. I looked around and it was true. People were turning, looking at us and whispering, even Gryffindor's.

"they're staring at Harry" a familiar face appeared beside Hermione. Lia sat down. "I just got asked to move because I said I believed that You Know Who is back". She sat down crestfallen. Ginny slid onto a bench beside me.

"where have you been?" I asked.

"mind your own" she retorted. The room fell silent as Dumbledore stood tall and addressed the student body. I wasn't really listening. The ghosts were hovering above the tables and I got see Peeves messing with a lantern attached to the wall beside the Slytherin table. Then Lia caught my eye, for the third time that day, her dark hair glistening in the candle light, her violet eyes wide watching the head master.

"Our new Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher" Dumbledore's booming voice caught my attention "Dolores Jane Umbridge". There was a polite round of applause and then something happened that I had never seen before. Somebody interrupted Dumbledore. The woman i spotted earlier sporting an entirely pink get up stood and walked towards the front of dias. the room fell into this awkward silence, not knowing what to do. Even the ghost had stopped to watch this woman make this extremely rude and rare mistake. She went on this rant about the Ministry and the Minister for Magic and a whole load of other bollox. Nothing mattered to me until Harry said:

"she was at my trial, at the ministry, she was there"

"well what does that mean?" Ron asked.

"it means" Hermione took a shuddering breath "that the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts". Food appeared before us and we began to eat. The muttering and whispering didn't stop. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, two friends of Harry and Ron's in particular were giving glares I had never even seen Malfoy use.

"what's their issue?" Lia asked after a while.

"they're all convinced Harry is possessed by Voldemort" Fred began.

"or worse he is Voldemort" I finished.

"now's not the time guys" Hermione said sternly.

"anyone for pudding?" Ginny asked, breaking the tension.