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SUMMER WAS OVER, the rest of it had been spent in muggle Paris──going to coffee shops, bookstores, museums, shopping, everything. During the last week of summer, the Black Cousins had returned to London──Going to Diagon alley to buy all the items they needed. Este had even received a Prefect pin while Atlas received the position of quidditch captain. As they stood on platforms nine and three-quarters, everyone around them made sure not to walk in their direction as they were also joined by the Malfoys. Narcissa smiled at them, "Behave both of you," she told them as they nodded in uniform, "I want you both to write to me monthly. You too, Mattheo."

"Yes, Narcissa," they said in unison, Narcissa nodded before turning to her son and kissing his forehead, and telling him something incoherent. Lucius gave them all a curt nod as they only glanced at him briefly before entering the scarlet train.

"Atlas, Matty do find our friends," Este ordered, "Draco and I have the prefects' meeting," Atlas and Mattheo nodded before disappearing into the back of the train as Este and Draco went to the Prefect compartment. When they entered the compartment, Este face twisted when she saw Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. "Who'd thought Weasley would get prefect?" Este whispered to Draco who nodded.

"I was betting on golden boy Potter," Draco replied in a hushed whisper, "Dumbledore never misses a chance to favour him."

As the head boy and girl; Alicia Spinnet and Edmund Kingsley began to explain the duties was explaining patrol duties. "You'd be surprised," Este mumbled, "I heard that Dumbledore is ignoring Potter," Draco's face curved into a smirk as they were finally dismissed after an hour of torture.

They had gone down the hall and Draco's face had curved into a smirk, he tugged on Este's robe as she looked in his direction──Harry Potter. Draco slid the door open and before he could even open his mouth, Harry said aggressively, "What?"

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Draco, whose sleek blond hair and pointed chin were just like his father's. "You see, Estele and I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah," said Harry, "but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville laughed. Draco's lip curled. "Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" Este asked, moving forward and leaning on the frame of the door. Harry faltered, but then stared at her in confusion──was this the same Este Black who had cried for her father's attention? He wasn't sure. But she had always been a confusing person to Harry.

"Shut up, Black," said Hermione sharply.

"I seem to have touched a nerve," said Este, smirking. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because Draco and I will be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line."

"Get out!" said Hermione, standing up.

"Tough crowd," Este grinned at Draco. Sniggering, Este gave Harry a last look and departed, with Draco following.

"Good one, cousin," Draco smirked as Este grinned, they high-fived.

"I know," she agreed as they went down to the Slytherin end and found their friend group's compartment.

"Oh! Este!" Astoria Greengrass greeted, getting up and hugging Este tightly, "I've missed you!" she exclaimed, letting go of Este who smiled.

"I've missed you too 'Tori," she assured turning to greet Blaise Zabini, "Blaise," she greeted, hugging him tightly and then going over to hug Theodore Nott. "Nice to see you lot," she smiled, sitting down at the window next to Atlas.

"How was your holiday?" Pansy Parkinson asked.

"Horrible," Este said, "Well, the first half──my father used me for the house and chose his godson over me and the second half was quite fun, going to balls in Paris."

"So, Potter says you-know-who is back," Daphne Greengrass suddenly said as the air stiffened──one could cut it with a knife. "Mattheo... Do you know anything about it?"

Mattheo shook his head, "Nothing, Daph. Nothing."

The weather remained undecided as they traveled farther and farther north. Rain spattered the windows in a halfhearted way, then they put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more. When darkness fell and lamps came on inside the carriages. Este was sitting with his forehead pressed against the train window, trying to get a first distant glimpse of Hogwarts, but it was a moonless night and the rain-streaked window was grimy."We'd better change," said Daphne at last.

Este and Draco pinned their prefect badges and Atlas, his captain badge carefully to their chests. "I could not believe that you were made Prefect," Pansy said, touching up her makeup.

"Honestly, neither did I," Este agreed, "Just means I can get away with more things," Este grinned as they all laughed.

At last, the train began to slow down and they heard the usual racket up and down it as everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure. They shuffled out of the compartment feeling the first sting of the night air on their faces as they joined the crowd in the corridor. Slowly they moved toward the doors. Este could smell the pine trees that lined the path down to the lake. She stepped down onto the platform and looked around, listening for the familiar call of "Firs' years over here . . . firs' years . . ." But it did not come. Instead, a quite different voice, a brisk female one, was calling, "First years line up over here, please! All first years come!"

A lantern came swinging toward Este and by its light, she 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?" she said out loud.

"I don't know," said Atlas, "but we'd better get out of the way, we're blocking the door."

"Oh yeah . . ."

The Slytherins squeezed into a carriage and Este bundled her Slytherin scarf around her neck, covering one-half of her face. "They got rid of Hagrid," said Pansy suddenly as the carriage went towards the castle.

"They did?" Atlas asked, "How do you know?"

"I asked the professor bringing the first years in, Professor Grubbly-whatever her name is," Pansy replied. "Something is definitely up."

"What do you mean?" Theodore asked this time.

"I think it has something to do with what happened at Harry Potter's trial," Este chimed in, "I eavesdropped on plenty of conversations, and apparently, Fudge was not too happy with Dumbledore."

"Of course he isn't," Draco sneered, "Father says Dumbledore's had too much control over the years and is now too arrogant."

Rattling and swaying, the carriages moved in convoy up the road. When they passed between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars on either side of the gates to the school grounds. Hogwarts Castle, however, loomed ever closer: a towering mass of turrets, jet black against the dark sky, here and there a window blazing fiery bright above them.

The carriages jingled to a halt near the stone steps leading up to the oak front doors and Este got out of the carriage first. 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 midair all along with the tables, illuminating the silvery ghosts who were dotted about the Hall and the faces of the students talking eagerly, exchanging summer news, shouting greetings at friends from other houses, eyeing one another's new haircuts and robes. "What in the bloody hell is that?" Atlas asked, standing beside her.

Este's eyes trailed to the pink figure that sat in the defense against the dark arts seat and her brows furrowed. They lit first upon Dumbledore, sitting in his high-backed golden chair at the center of the long staff table, wearing deep-purple robes scattered with silvery stars and a matching hat. Dumbledore's head was inclined towards the woman sitting next to him, who was talking into his ear.

She was 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. Then she turned her face slightly to take a sip from her goblet and she saw, with a shock, a pallid, toadlike face and a pair of prominent, pouchy eyes. "Looks like a toad dressing up as a flamingo," Este deadpanned as Mattheo and Atlas snorted beside her.

"Watch your tongue, Este," Draco hissed, "That is Delores Umbridge──she works for Fudge. Father said specifically to get on her good side."

"Can't be too difficult," Atlas said as Este nodded as she pulled her friends over to the Slytherin table. Professor Grubbly-Plank who had just appeared behind the staff table; worked her way along to the very end and took the seat that was usually Hagrid's. That meant the first-years must have crossed the lake and reached the castle, and sure enough, a few seconds later, the doors from the Entrance Hall opened.

A long line of scared-looking first-years entered, led by Professor McGonagall, who was carrying a stool on which sat an ancient wizard's hat, heavily patched and darned with a wide rip near the frayed brim. The buzz of talk in the Great Hall faded away. The first-years lined up in front of the staff table facing the rest of the students, and Professor McGonagall placed the stool carefully in front of them, and then stood back.

The first-years' faces glowed palely in the candlelight. A small boy right in the middle of the row looked as though he was trembling. Este recalled, fleetingly, how terrified she had felt when she had stood there, waiting for the unknown test that would determine to which house she belonged. The whole school waited with bated breath.

Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song. The Hat became motionless once more; applause broke out, though it was punctured, for the first time in Este's memory, with muttering and whispers. All across the Great Hall students were exchanging remarks with their neighbors, and Este, clapping along with everyone else, knew exactly what they were talking about.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down neatly and threw his long beard over his shoulder so as to keep it out of the way of his plate — for food had appeared out of nowhere so that the five long tables were groaning under joints and pies and dishes of vegetables, bread, sauces, and flagons of pumpkin juice

When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the hall was starting to creep upward again, Dumbledore got to his feet once more. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the headmaster. Harry was feeling pleasantly drowsy now. His four-poster bed was waiting somewhere above, wonderfully warm and soft. . . . "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."

"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. 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 Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause, Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the──"

He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

Dumbledore 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 as thin as Este had ever seen it. 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, Este felt a powerful rush of dislike that she could not explain to herself; all she knew was that she loathed everything about her, from her stupid voice to her fluffy pink cardigan.

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!" None of the faces she could see looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken aback at being addressed as though they were five years old.

"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.

"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Daphne whispered to Este and Pansy, and they lapsed into silent giggles as Este began to zone out, not realizing a pair of jade green eyes had been staring at her the entire time.

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 businesslike and now her words had an adult 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. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back.

Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and Harry distinctly saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little "Hem, hem" and went on with her speech.

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation . . ."

Este found her attentiveness ebbing, as though her brain was slipping in and out of tune. The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling. Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. Este had the impression that a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have plowed on with her speech. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, and Atlas seemed to be drinking in every word Umbridge spoke, though judging by her expression, they were not at all to his taste.

". . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." She sat down.

Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Este noticed that several of them brought their hands together only 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 tryouts will be held . . ."

"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," said Atlas in a low voice.

"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Mattheo said quietly, turning a glazed face upon Atlas. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Lucius."

"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," said Atlas. "It explained a lot."

"Did it?" said Daphne in surprise. "Sounded like a load bullshit to me."

"There was some important stuff hidden in the load," said Atlas grimly.

"Was there?" said Astoria blankly.

"How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged? How about' pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited?"

"Well, what does that mean?" said Pansy impatiently.

"I'll tell you what it means," said Este ominously, finally catching on. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."