𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗻, cedric diggory

˗ˋ 28

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH THE SORTING HAT SINGS

. . .

"Hey Alicia!" Rosie shouted down the Gryffindor table. People were still pouring into the Great Hall and not too many people looked up from the shouts - many greeting their friends who they hadn't managed to meet up with on the train in the same way. 

"Rosie, hi." The Spinnet girl shouted back. It wasn't too far of a distance, but there was the noise of the younger years surrounding them and so the shouting seemed perfectly necessary.

"Do you know who that woman is?" Rosie's voice had lowered just slightly, her head tilting towards to table of Professors at the head of the hall. "The one in that god-awful cardigan?"

"I have no idea - she looks weirdly familar though." Alicia replied. "Like one of my mum's co-workers or something. The cardigan does resemble something my bitch of a grandma would've worn."

"Alicia!" Angelina's jaw had dropped as she slipped into the seat beside Rosie. "But that cardigan might just be the ugliest thing I've ever seen. And it's not just the cardigan."

Angelina was right. The woman 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.

Attention seemed to fall on this woman and stayed there as everyone settled down, confused on just who she was. It was clear she was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but her entire appearance was out of the ordinary, and she seemed remind everyone of someone - bitchy grandmas, old-fashioned aunts, judgmental neighbours. Not only that, but it seemed that she was the teacher form of a spy.

A whisper had begun near the top of the Hufflepuff table and quickly spread - she was Dolores Umbridge, the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. The Ministry had placed someone in Hogwarts to report back to them and most likely interfere with school affairs.

"Psh!" Fred shook his head when he saw it. "I'd like to see her try. With Dumbledore as headteacher, and Snape not liking her already - which means McGonagall won't, she's got no chance."

"Why Snape and McGonagall?" Rosie shook her head slowly, eyes flickering over to the first two teachers quickly. He looked as if to be sucking a very sour lemon. "Besides, Dumbledore is losing credibility in the media, who knows what power he really has anymore."

"Kersey, come on. He's Dumbledore." George began, but before he could continued the doors into the Great Hall swung open, the second teacher in question leading the lines of new first years down the centre aisle.

They gathered in a crowd in front of the raised platform, watching with wide, scared eyes as McGonagall placed the stool down, the famous Sorting Hat sitting on top of it. The woman stepped back, and the Hat began to sing it's usual welcome song. But there was a different tune to it this time.

It was much longer than the usual song, which usually just went over house qualities. But this year, it talked of the founders of the school, and how they had united under once common goal that had ultimately faded when Salazar Slytherin left after battles and fighting.

But as it came to an end, focus was drawn to two particular parts, which seemed to stand out for the hinted doom linked in the lyrics.

"Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end I fear."

"Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within.
I have told you,
I have warned you
...Let the Sorting now begin."

And with that, the hat fell silent and still once more. The students and faculty listening broke into applause, but for the first time, it was punctured by muttering and whispering about what the song meant.

"The hell was that all about?" Rosie asked, leaning forward to look between the twins, palms slowly meeting in a hesitant clap. Neither of them had any clue, similar to everyone around them.

Then the Sorting began with a call of "Abercrombie, Euan", but it was tainted by the worry caused by the words. It seemed that their year at Hogwarts would be no easier. But they would wonder, what exactly was in store for them?

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