XXIII.   unexpected turn of events

When Devore stepped off the train, it was dark and the sky was star filled. It was reminder that she'd be taking Astronomy with Professor Sinistra, which she was excited for. She looked for the others and found Harry standing by himself. "Harold!"

There was only one person who called him Harold. Harry spun around and sighed with relief. "Dev, thank goodness."

"Ron and Hermione not back yet?"

"I guess not." He looked around them. "I suppose we should find a carriage and save a spot for them?"

She grinned. "I like your thinking, Green Eyes."

She took his arm and the strutted forward on the dark, rain washed road outside Hogsmeade station. It was filled with hundreds of horseless carriages that transported students above first year to the castle.  Only this time, they weren't horseless. Devore watched in awe as the creatures who took on the shape of a horse, stood there breathing heavily behind her. She dropped Harry's arm.

They were completely fleshless, their black coats clinging to their skeletons, of which every bone was visible. Their heads were dragonish, and their pupil-less eyes white and staring. Wings sprouted from each wither-vast, black leathery wings that looked as though they ought to belong to giant bats. Standing still and quiet in the gathering gloom, the creatures looked eerie and sinister but at the same time, they were beautiful and Devore couldn't seem to look away from them.

"What are you two looking at?" Ron's voice broke in the air, making her break out of her trance. 

"You don't see it?" Harry asked, seeing as he too could see the horse like creature.

"Hi guys," Neville greeted, joining the group of friends. He was holding an interesting plant in his arms.

"Hey, Neville." They greeted back.

"You don't see the thing pulling the carriage?" Devore asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Nothing's pulling the carriage, guys," Hermione responded. "It's pulling itself like always."

"You're not going mad," a dream like voice called out from inside the carriage. Devore walked to the side to see it was Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw in Ginny's year. The other's followed being her. Luna lowered the upside magazine, The Quibbler, that was covering her face, revealing her bright blue eyes and pale face. "I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am."

Devore knew of Luna through Ginny and Legend, and all of the awful things that she heard from other people. But Devore had spoken to her once or twice, and although she was slightly odd, she was sweet.

The group of friends climbed inside the carriage and crammed together. "Everyone,  this is Loony Lo—"

She shot Hermione a death glare, making her go silent, and her face go red. "Luna Lovegood." She corrected herself slowly, not meeting their eyes.

Devore lowered her eyes to necklace around Luna's neck. "That's an interesting necklace, Luna." She spoke kindly.

Luna smiled. "It's a charm actually." She leaned forward. "It keeps away the nargles.

Neville, who was still beside Devore so she was swished between him and Ron, shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Hungry," she continued, breaking the silence. "I hope there's pudding."

Ron leaned against Devore. "What are nargles?" She whispered.

"Don't ask."

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 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.

Devore spotted Morgan sitting with their house and she said goodbye to the others. Ignoring her housemate's faces, the dirty looks she was getting used to, she went up to Morgan and sat beside her. "There you are!"

Morgan gasped. "Dev, I've missed you!" She beamed and hugged her neck.

"How was your summer? Tell me everything."

"Oh, it was wonderful. My parents and I took a trip to Ireland and it's so beautiful there."

"And how's Angelina doing?" Devore teased her and put her chin on the palm of her hand. "You know she's head girl how?"

Morgan rolled her eyes. "Of course I know." She said with a half smile. "We're doing great, by the way. Thank you for asking."

"Why, of course."

They talked until the feast started and mountains of food appeared in front of them. Devore dived straight for the cauldron cakes.

"What about you? How was your summer?" Asked Morgan while digging into a plate full of mashed potatoes.

"It was so great. I spent half of it with the Weasley's. Olivia slept over a bunch. It was just so much fun."

Dumbledore rose to his feet, yet again, and the talking in the Great Hall ceased. "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. 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 that by now, too."

Devore glanced over to the Gryffindor table and caught
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's eyes. They exchanged smirks.

"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, of which all can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door. We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge."

Everyone's attention shifted to the back of the room to see a woman seated beside Professor Snape, who was dressed in a horrendous pink dress and had a sickly smile plastered on her face. "It looks like a unicorn threw up all over her," Devore whispered, looking her up and down.

Morgan chuckled quietly.

"And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck. Tryouts for the house quidditch teams will take place on the—"

"Hem, hem," Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, interrupting Dumbledore. 

"Oh my god. Oh my god," Devore whispered to herself as she felt second hand embarrassment creep in her bones.

The whole Great Hall went silent as everyone's heads turned in her direction. She stood up from her seat and walked to the front of the podium with Dumbledore, her pink heels clattering in the most annoying way. 

"Thank you headmaster for those kind words of welcome and how lovely to see all your bright, happy smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good fiends," Professor Umbridge started, her words articulate as she stared down everyone at the tables.

"That's likely," the twins said from the Gryffindor table, loud enough for many to hear.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be a vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school," she continued,  looking back at Dumbledore, and he nodded his head in her direction. "Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

"This sounds like a bunch of rubbish to me," Theo muttered from a few seats away.

She finished her speech with an irksome giggle and clicked her way back to her seat and for the first time,  Devore pitied Snape. Dumbledore clapped slowly and everyone followed along. "Thank you professor, that was most illuminating."

"She gives Dumbledore a run for his money with those speeches." Morgan commented.

Theo leaned over. "What do you think she meant by all that?" He asked them.

"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."  Devore answered, oblivious to the fact that Hermione answered the same question at her table. "Bunch of tossers, I say."

After the feast was over and everyone was dismissed,  Devore and Draco stood up to call out the first years.  "First years with me, please?" She announced with a kind voice, holding her hand out to urge them forward.

Fred glared from his table. "I don't like him being a prefect with her."

The people around him turned to see what he was talking about. "What? Are you afraid she'll leave you to go back out with him?" Seamus joked, causing Fred to throw a spoon at him.

Hermione scoffed. "Oh, come off it, Fred. Just trust her." She backed up her friend.

"I do trust her! It's him I don't trust."

"Don't trust who?" Asked Devore when she walked up behind Fred, putting her hands on his shoulders

"Fred was saying—" George started but stopped after feeling a kick to his ankle. "Ow!"

"Nothing!" Replied Fred with a quick breath.

She gave them a weird look but chose to ignore it. "Woman was a bit strange, wasn't she?"

"She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge." Harry told her.

Ron scoffed. "Strange? Try bloody mental. I suppose we should rangle in all the midgets, yeah?"

Hermione scoffed at him. "I hope one of those 'midgets' kick you."

Devore sighed at them. "This is going to be a fun year." She looked down at Fred. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

He looked up at her and smiled with his teeth. "You bet."

She leaned down and kissed him. Devore bid them all goodnight and walked away to follow Draco, the group of first years trailing behind them. Fred leaned his chin on his hand and smiled while watching her leave.

George and Lee smirked and tuned to each other. "Oh Devore, I love you so much!" George mimicked his brother, putting his hand over his heart.

Everyone around them started laughing.

Lee gasped. "Oh, Freddie, I love you too!" He imitated Devore. "Let's get married, baby!"

Fred glared at them. "Both of you, die."