Second Best - Hermione Granger's Twin

Cassie's POV

We got into the Great Hall and sat down. I sat down next to Hermione. Ron and Harry talked to her, not to me. I wasn't in the trio, I wasn't that close to Ron or Harry either, but they were sort of 'friends' to me, even if I was only an 'acquaintance'. I sighed and opened my book on page 394. Oh look, werewolves.

As the sorting finished and (don't worry I did pay attention!!!) the food appeared.

Werewolves fascinate me, Hermione isn't too keen but I love them. I was reading about how the snout differs from that of a normal wolf when Dumbledore stood up, addressing the school for the second time. I quickly memorised the page number (401) and closed my book.

He said the usual 'Forest is out of bounds' and the 'no magic in between classes in the corridors' like people actually follow that rule...

"We have two changes in staffing this year." Dumbledore said, loudly. This grabbed my attention. " I would like to welcome back Prof. Grubbly-Plank back who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures, and a very warm welcome to Professor Umbrige, who will be taking Defence Against The Dark Arts."

The was a polite applause, but it wasn't too enthusiastic.

Dumbledore continued. "Quidditch tryouts will be held on the-" he stopped. Professor Umbige was standing up. Now, it was hard to tell as she wasn't very tall so no body knew why she had stopped but the school eventually caught on an turned to face her.

Professor McGonagall looked mad. Nobody interrupted Dumbledore. No one. Dumbledore let her continue. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Hem hem. Thank you Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." She said. Her voice was girly, high pitched and very breathy. I could tell I hated her from her voice to her stupid pink fluffy cardigan. she reminded me of a toad.

"Hem hem." I could tell this was going to get on my nerves. "Well it's lovely to be back at Hogwarts I must say, and to have such happy little faces looking up at me."

I looked around. None of the faces around me looked happy. They were all 'Dead Pan' faces as you call it.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all. I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

I snorted. Hermione shot daggers at me.

"Hem hem." Dear God. She will be lucky if she get's through the year. I looked over to the Slytherin table to see their reactions. Malfoy's face was just disgusted and shocked. He seemed taken aback that we were being addressed like two year olds.

Her voice was now serious, like that of a business woman, like she learnt her speech off by heart.

"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 wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. 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."

She stopped and gestured towards the teachers. Ron was wide eyed and looked like his brain may explode from the amount of long words in the speech. I thought it was finished when she gave another little 'hem hem'.

"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 tradition and innovation..."

My brain was screaming, but I still listened as I thought this speech had a hidden message in it, hidden by the long and complicated words but still plausible. I took in every word, decoding. I could tell Hermione was doing the same.

"...because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. 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 needes to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

At long last, she sat down. Dumbledore clapped, obviously being polite. One by one, the teachers and the students followed his lead, but not half as enthusiastically.

"So...what did all that mean?" Harry asked innocently.

"It was waffle, it didn't mean anything." Ron interjected as I was about to open my mouth.

"Well the 'waffle' did mean something Ron." I said in my usual, quiet voice.

"Tell us then Granger." Harry said.

"It means Harry, Ron, that the Ministry is interfering with Hogwarts." Hermione and I said in sync, at the same time.

Harry that there for a little bit then I saw it click.

"That's it! She was the woman at the Hearing! She didn't want me back at Hogwarts! She was against!" Harry yelled, standing up. A few people turned around. Everyone was leaving so the teachers didn't notice.

"Are you sure mate?" Ron asked.

"Sure, how could you forget her?" Harry said a little too enthusiastically.

"True, true." Ron said.

As they were conversing with themselves I stood up and left. I was tired anyway. I got to the dorm and got changed and went straight to bed. Ginny left a note on my bed saying she brought my owl to the Owlery. I had to remember to thank her in the moring. That was my last thought before everything slipped into drakness.

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How was that? Umbrige's speech belongs to J.K.Rowling, no copyright intended :D

See you later guys,

Libby xxx