when i met you

78

When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the Hall was starting to creep upwards 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," said Dumbledore. "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."

Lexi could swear he glanced at her brother and the twins.

"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.

"I'd like to point out to you now, our new Head Boy and Girl: Miss Alexis Potter of Gryffindor, and Mr Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you with any questions or help you may need."

Lexi smiled as people turned to look at her, she glanced at Cedric who was looking at her already. A light applause rang out through the hall but was cut short by the Headmaster.

"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; everyone knew Umbridge wouldn't be staying long, no one did.

Dumbledore continued, "Try-outs for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the —"

A "Hem, hem," was heard from Professor Umbridge, cutting Dumbledore off. The Headmaster only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat 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 very thin. 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 and, again, Lexi immediately loathed her voice and pretty pink false attitude. She gave another little throat-clearing cough ("hem, hem") 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 up at me!"

Lexi wasn't the only one to look around and see that no one was smiling at her. The Potter shared annoyed looks with her friends.

"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 concealing grins.

"That's likely," the twins chorused lowly.

"As if," Lexi agreed, sharing a laugh with Lee.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("hem, hem"), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more business-like 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. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged.

The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling. Over on the Ravenclaw table Cho Chang was chatting animatedly with her friends. A few seats along from Cho, Luna Lovegood had got out The Quibbler. Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table Ernie Macmillan was one of the few still staring at Professor Umbridge, but he was glassy-eyed and was surely only pretending to listen in an attempt to live up to the new prefect's badge gleaming on his chest.

Lexi laughed under her breath, her shoulders shook and soon her friends were too holding their laughter in. Cedric caught her eye and looked her over, smiling when he noticed her shaking body.

Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively.

"Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though several of them only brought their hands together once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares 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 try-outs will be held next Friday during dinnertime."

But Lexi stopped listening after that, not even bothering to keep up the act of listening to be Head Girl. She faintly heard Hermione whisper to Harry and Ron, "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts" and Lexi agreed completely.

Dumbledore dismissed the school to their houses and Lexi stood with her friends. She heard Hermione jump up and exclaim to Ron:

"Ron, we're supposed to show the first-years where to go!"

"Oh yeah," said Ron, who had obviously forgotten. "Hey—hey, you lot! Midgets!"

Lexi let out a snort of laughter but no one noticed as she and her friends walked from the hall up to Gryffindor tower hurriedly, ready to get their favorite seats. In fact, the six of them had started running past the other students, laughing heartily. Lee and Lexi were in the lead and were—as always—very competitive.

Lee was the first to reach the portrait but had to wait considering he didn't know the password. Lexi decided to make him wait and hung back with the others.

"Hey! What's the password?!" Lee shouted at them as they jogged up the stairs.

Lexi walked up to the portrait and said clearly: "Mimbulus mimbletonia."

"Welcome back!" the fat lady greeted them as she swung open.

They were the first ones up there. Fred and George hurried up to their dorm to get something for the notice board while Lee and Lexi sat down at one of the larger tables to wait for the twins. Angelina and Alicia went off somewhere as well.

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