FicWad

Chapter 1
Welcome to Hogwarts
September 1996




Professor McGonagall picked up the Sorting Hat and the wooden stool and removed them from their spot in front of the staff table. The Sorting Ceremony was over and Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair and looked out over the sea of student faces.



"Welcome back to our returning students and a hearty hello to our first years. I don't know about all of you, but I'm famished. Let's eat, shall we?"



The tables were instantly crowded with bowls and platters, filled to overflowing with all of the wondrous selection of food that comprised the Welcoming Feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Silence reigned for the next few minutes as everyone devoted themselves to filling their plates, then a low buzz of conversation started.



"Here's the news flash of the evening; there's no one sitting in the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's chair," Seamus Finnigan observed between mouthfuls of mashed potatoes.



"No big surprise, mate," agreed Dean Thomas. "Can you imagine the crowd at the door, looking to interview for that job!?!"



"As long as Snape stays in Potions, I'm not too chuffed who gets the job!" added Ron Weasley, starting on his third drumstick.



"At least this year Professor Dumbledore gets to fill the position with someone he wants, not someone the Ministry of Magic pushes off on him," Hermione Granger said with a sigh of relief. "Dolores Umbridge is going to be such a hard act to follow." She started to snicker. "Did I just say that?"



"But it's the honest truth!" giggled Ginny Weasley.



"Whatever finally happened to our gal Dolores?" wondered Harry Potter. "Does she still work for the Ministry, Ginny? Did your Dad ever hear?"



"Assistant file clerk in the Centaur Liaison office is her new position."



They all dissolved into fits of laughter. Dolores Umbridge had almost single-handedly made the preceding year at Hogwarts the worst of their young lives. She had been thwarted, in the end, by her own blind ambition and insecurities.



X # X # X



After the tables were emptied of the last crumbs from dessert Dumbledore stood again and the Great Hall fell silent.



"I'm not going to review the news. You've no doubt been following the latest in the /Daily Prophet/. Suffice it to say, Lord Voldemort has not been seen since June at the Ministry of Magic. He is in no hurry, he does nothing in haste. He will plot and plan, which is to our advantage. It gives us time to prepare and as students here at Hogwarts you will be even more aware of this as we proceed through the school year.



"But tonight we're back in our school, greeting old friends, welcoming our new students and getting ready for term to start tomorrow. I know the older students are wondering where our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor might be, but being unavoidably delayed in London, I'm afraid that introductions will have to wait until breakfast.



"Finally, I would like to have a brief meeting with the members of the Defense Association. All of the members please," he looked pointedly at Marietta Edgecombe. "I think the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom will do for tonight. Prefects, who are members, please see to those duties first. We'll not start without you. That will be all for now. Off you go!" Dumbledore dismissed them with a wave of his hand.



"I wonder what this meeting going to be about?" Ron asked as he got up from the table.



"We'll find out after we take care of the first years. Come on," replied Hermione, "we've got a job to do."



"Did you see him look at Marietta? He wants her there too, even after what she did!" Ginny huffed indignantly.



"You know Dumbledore, he'll have his reasons," observed Harry. "Let's head on up."



X # X # X



As the students filed out there was much craning of necks, by the rest of the school, to see exactly who was heading for the meeting and much whispered speculation about the Defense Association and exactly what was going to happen at the meeting.



Not surprisingly, the members of the "D.A.", as they liked to call it, started right in on Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna as soon as they arrived, peppering them with questions and wanting details of the events at the Ministry of Magic.



"We'll tell you, if Dumbledore says we can, when everyone's here. That way we won't have to waste our breath repeating ourselves," offered Harry, holding up his hand, "and we need to wait for the Prefects anyway."



Professor Dumbledore entered the classroom, bringing an obviously reluctant Marietta with him.



"Good evening everyone. The Prefects will be joining us in a few minutes. Why don't we get a little more comfortable?"



With a wave of his wand the desks parked themselves against the walls and the benches turned into small, comfy sofas, which moved to form a large circle.



"That's better. Let's all get settled and while we wait for the others we can share what we did over the holiday. I, personally, spent a delightful week at the seashore," said Dumbledore as he waved to the students to pick a seat and settle down.



X # X # X



Just before the last of the Prefects arrived, Neville had shown everyone his new wand and was proudly demonstrating how much better it worked for him, as opposed to his father's, which had been broken during the battle at the Ministry of Magic. The sofa on which Luna Lovegood was perched, giggling, was floating slowly around the room and back to the open place in the circle where it settled with a gentle thump.



Much applause greeted Neville's new found confidence with his wand work and he blushed as he sat down next to Luna. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, which turned his face an even darker shade of pink. Dumbledore rose from his seat as Justin Finch-Fletchley entered and closed the door.



"I believe everyone is here now. I won't be keeping you long as I know you have unpacking to do but I wanted to talk with all of you before the rush of classes starts. First, I can hardly find the words to express how proud I was to discover the existence of this group. Given the circumstances and 'rules' that had been implemented, your initiative and resourcefulness was commendable, in that you were able to meet and progress as far and for as long as you did. This, however, brings us to the matter of Miss Edgecombe."



Marietta Edgecombe looked as if she wished nothing more than to have the floor open up and swallow her whole, as the eyes of the entire group swiveled to stare at her. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't dare speak for fear of breaking down and bawling.



"Your anger toward her is justified. Miss Edgecombe's actions were regrettable," Dumbledore began, walking slowly around the circle, "but perhaps, understandable. We must look at her position. Dolores Umbridge put pressure on every student in this school whose parent or relative worked for the Ministry, with the exception of the Weasleys, to tell her of any hint of subversion or rebellion. Marietta was also being constantly told, by her mother, that Dolores Umbridge was a person who could be trusted. Whereas, Harry Potter and his friends were troublemakers who could cause her to be expelled if she was in their presence and they were discovered breaking any of the thirty some new rules then in effect. I don't blame her for giving in to that kind of personal intimidation.



"If it helps," the Headmaster added, "you should know that I had a visit, here at school, from Mrs. Edgecombe this summer, apologizing to me for her own actions and asking me, personally, to convey her apologies to all of you. Marietta has also received an apology, from her mother, for putting her in such a position as to alienate her from her classmates. Now I, too, ask you all to show forgiveness for Miss Edgecombe's actions."



X # X # X



Dumbledore surveyed the group members with his penetrating gaze and then sat down, waiting. Nobody spoke but looks were exchanged and it was Hermione who stood to speak for the entire D.A.



"Tell you what, Marietta. You forgive me for the hex I put on that parchment you signed and what it did to you and I'll forget what happened to make the hex work," said Hermione, holding out her hand.



Marietta rose from her seat. "Truthfully, Hermione, that was a good bit of magic, that was. Ok, I agree," declared a relieved Marietta, as she shook Hermione's hand, "So all's forgiven?"



Hermione nodded, and then they threw their arms around each other and hugged, crying and laughing at the same time. The others applauded and got out of their seats to welcome Marietta back to the Defense Association.



/Splendid, splendid/, said Dumbledore to himself, as he watched his 'army' prove their inner strength of character. /I see there are hope, love and forgiveness left in this old world after all. I fear we'll need a bit more of that before this night is over. I only hope there's enough to go around/.