Change the Future

OOTP 6

Rory was sat on the Hogwarts express with the twins and Lee, they were talking about the twins latest product ideas. 

"I wonder who the new defence teacher is" Lee said as the twins finished showing him their latest product.

"I don't know but looking at the book we had to buy I'm going to say not a good one. Maybe it's another Lockhart" Rory answered him. They continue talking until they arrive at Hogwarts. The train began to slow down and the usual racket up and down it can be heard as everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure. They all grabbed their luggage as George grabbed Phoenix.

"I can take her Georgie" Rory tries to tell him but he just waves her away walking off with his stuff and Phoenix's cage. Instead of Hagrid's voice there was brisk female one was calling.

"First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!" A lantern came swinging toward us and by its light they saw the prominent chin and severe haircut of Professor Grubbly-Plank, the witch who had taken over Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures lessons for a while the previous year.

"Where's Hagrid?" Someone asks.

"I wonder where Hagrid is?" Rory said looking at the twins and Lee, they all shrug not sure either. They moved off along the platform and out through the station reaching the hundred or so horseless stagecoaches that always took the students above first year up to the castle except they were no longer horseless.

"Why didn't you say you could see something" George asks looking at Rory.

"Like I was going to admit I could see something you lot couldn't" 

Rory glanced at the creatures for a moment before George pulled her attention away as they walked towards the nearest unoccupied coach. George handed Phoenix to Fred before climbing in and holding his hands out to pull her up like always.

"It's weird that's the last time you'll be able to do that on the first day of school" Rory said as she sat next to him opposite Lee and Fred.

"Our last year" Lee said.

"And it's gonna be epic" Fred and George say in unison. 

"No" Molly and Lily say in unison.

The carriages jingled to a halt near the stone steps leading up to the oak front doors and Fred got out of the carriage first holding out his hands to help Rory jump down next.

"Thank you Freddie" He winked at her before taking Phoenix from Lee before she had chance. Rory looked around and noticed Harry looking at one of the horse like creatures before they headed off to the castle. The entrance hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall and the start-of-term feast. The four long House tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the starless black ceiling, which was just like the sky they could glimpse through the high windows. Candles floated in mid air all along the tables, illuminating the silvery ghosts who were dotted about the Hall and the faces of the students talking eagerly to one another, exchanging summer news, shouting greetings at friends from other Houses, eyeing one another's new haircuts and robes. We took a seat at the Gryffindor table with Angelina and Alicia. Looking over to the staff table that ran along the top wall of the Hall.

"Who's that?" Angelina said sharply, pointing toward the middle of the staff table. They all looked where she was pointing. Professor Dumbledore was sitting in his high-backed golden chair at the centre of the long staff table, wearing deep-purple robes scattered with silvery stars and a matching hat. Dumbledore's head was inclined toward the woman sitting next to him, who was talking into his ear. She looked like somebody's maiden aunt, squat, with short, curly, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes.