I GET A BREAK FROM STUDYING #WEEKEND

Ch. 22
Hogwarts

Fiona sat in their compartment, looking out the window and towards the trees. Harry and Ginny sat across from her, both relaying thoughts through the Bond.

She was a sweet little girl, smiling and talking to them for most of the train ride, but seemed scared stiff by Draco. They knew she was brave, you had to be brave to throw rocks at Death Eaters.

"What's your last name?" Ginny finally asked, the awkward silence becoming more than she could handle. The little girl ripped her gaze from the trees and smiled at her new friend.

"Beckett." The girl responded, her head cocking to the side, "And you're Ginny Weasley," She pointed to Ginny, "And you're Harry Potter." She said happily. Her eyes sparkled as she glanced between the two, "You're awesome."

Both of the kids blushed, glancing at each other, "Thank you, Fiona." Harry smiled, his fingers threaded with Ginny's.

"Oh, you're welcome. It's true though," She stated absolutely serious, "I admire you two. You're so brave..." She shrugged, "My mommy is brave."

"She is? What does she do?" Ginny asked, interested. Fiona beamed, her eyes glinting like a fire.

"She's in the army. She's coming home soon, though." Fiona shrugged again, looking between the Bonded, "I want to be like her when I grow up."

"I'm sure." Ginny smiled, but her heart clenched. Something told her that it wouldn't be too long until Fiona had to go through the same things as her mum.

"You have an American accent." Harry noted. Fiona looked perplexed.

"I used to live in America." Fiona said it as though it were obvious, "Now I live here."

They decided not to ask any more questions.

///

The three stepped off of the Hogwarts express, Fiona sporting her blue tie, and they both smiled down at the girl.

"Why don't you go on to your housemates." Harry ushered, glancing to where Hermione and Ron were waiting. Fiona bit her lip.

"Can't I stay with you?" She begged, looking up at Ginny, who gave Harry a stern glance.

"Of course, we just thought you'd want to go sit with your friends." Ginny explained. Fiona paused.

"Um, no. That's fine. I'll just stay with you." She said quietly, smiling. But she glanced away too fast, staring at the ground as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. Automatically, Ginny knew there was something wrong, but she didn't push it.

"Let's catch up with Hermione and my brother." She smiled at the blonde. Fiona nodded eagerly.

"Of course."

///

They got to the Great Hall quickly, Fiona reluctantly leaving their side to sit with her housemates. Her eyes glanced back at Ginny as she walked away, her hazel eyes dark.

"Seems we have a new teacher." Ginny noted as they sat down at the feast, nodding towards the table as Dumbledore continued his speech. Harry glanced over to where his girlfriend was looking, and saw an awful looking woman dressed in pink. She wore bows and ribbons and frills and a blazer that was tight in all the wrong places. Long story short, she looked like a toad that had been used as a dress-up doll by a four year old girl. Just as he thought that, Dumbledore gestured to the woman.

"I also wish to introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you would join me in wishing the professor good luck." Dumbledore greeted, and there were some scattered claps as people 'greeted' the vile looking.

If her personality is anything like her fashion sense, she would be horrid. And that's coming from me. Ginny said as she clapped, a fake smile on her face. Harry had to hold back his laughter by biting his tongue.

Dumbledore gestured for the clapping to stop, even though there was barely anyone still clapping, and continued, "As usual, our caretaker Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you-"

"Hem hem." Dumbledore paused, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion as he turned. Umbridge sat there with her wide, pink smile, and tapped her fingers across the wood of the table before slowly standing. All the other Professors gave her nasty looks.

Oh Merlin. Ginny shook her head, She's barking mad.

They both knew it. You don't just interrupt Dumbledore's speech like that. Especially without asking first. But there she went, walking straight to stand in front of the podium, under Dumbledore's nose, as he bent around to glance at McGonagall who looked rather appalled.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." Umbridge looked around the room as she said that, her eyes warm, but Harry and Ginny could tell she was putting on a façade.

Can we tune her out? Harry complained, already forming a strong feeling of dislike for the woman. Ginny frowned, but shook her head hesitantly.

She might say something mildly important. Ginny responded, turning so she could get a better look at the professor. She felt Harry slide closer to her and wrap his arms around her waist. There was a faint glow, but not very noticeable or bright.

"And how lovely, to see your bright, happy faces smiling up at me." She didn't seem too happy about it, "And I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends." She clasped her hands together and glanced around the room, her smile hardening when she saw Harry's arms around Ginny.

"Not in the slightest." The twins said at once, grinning. There were some scattered giggles, and Angelina Johnson gave Fred a warning look.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance," She continued, her voice somewhat strained, "The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction." She started back up the steps towards the podium were Dumbledore stood, listening closely. "The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations, lest they be lost forever."

Lots of people tensed at that. The Wizards and witches with Muggle sweethearts back home, the ones who have known families that have Squibs, and especially the Half-Bloods with a Muggle parent. Even Hermione shifted awkwardly. Ginny felt heat searing into the back of her neck and glanced behind her to see Fiona looking panicked. Even though the woman's words were sweet, everyone knew what they really meant. She, with no doubt, believed in Pure-Bloods running the world. This would cause havoc for every person who wasn't 'pure'. Her words were the icing, her intention the bitter, stale, aged cake underneath that had been prettied up with vanilla and sugar. As soon as someone cut into it... It wouldn't be pretty.

Minutes passed by and now Umbridge concluded her speech, standing behind the ornate podium, her eyes hungry and cold. The smile on her face had turned wide, but still with the fake warmth plastered over it. Dumbledore stood silently to the side, his hands clasped behind his back. Harry and Ginny were silently sharing on the aura they were getting from this woman. Like a cold tidal wave washing over them, each word pushing the icy water over the Bonded's heads.

"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 to be prohibited."

She gave the room one final, feral glance, and walked back to her seat. The Great Hall was in stunned silence, and Dumbledore gestured for clapping to start. The students gave halfhearted claps, though most of the Slytherins started whooping and hollering.

Ginny held Harry's hand tightly, the sick feeling slowly ebbing as Umbridge walked farther away.