F I F T Y - S I X

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Even though it didn't feel the same as the past years, Adeline still felt relived to be sitting back in the Great Hall again. It was more awkward than usual sitting down at the Ravenclaw table, with so many of the people she had become friends with over the past six years avoiding her and greeting her awkwardly if they even acknowledged her. Adeline was thankful to have Estelle at her side for the meal, and with her, it felt like things were at least going a little bit back to normal.

"Good evening, children," Professor Dumbledore greeted, his voice cutting through the crowd of students and causing them to quiet down and pay attention. "Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures while Professor Hagrid is on...temporary leave. We also wish to welcome Professor Dolores Umbridge, and I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck. Now, as usual, our caretaker Mr. Filch has asked to remind you all–"

"Hem hem."

Adeline's jaw dropped slightly as she stared at the woman dressed head-to-toe in pink stand up and interrupt Professor Dumbledore of all people.

"Oh, Merlin, it's her," Estelle muttered darkly.

Before Adeline could ask what she meant by that, Professor Umbridge spoke up again. "Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." She looked over the crowd of students and seemed to ignore all the students staring at her with either a look of disdain or boredom. "And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

Adeline cringed at the fake sugary-sweet tone of voice as Estelle whispered, "I heard my parents fighting over something about some sort of new Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum. And I already hated her before this anyways, so this is probably going to be awful."

"We've had some pretty awful teachers, hopefully we can handle her for a year," Adeline quietly reassured. She then looked back up to the front of the Great Hall, and happened to catch Professor Umbridge's gaze. The woman in pink's face darkened for a brief second, and Adeline felt a chill run through her body.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance," She continued after the glare left her face and was replaced with that same fake smile. "Although each Headmaster has brought something new to this historic school...progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what must be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

Another small giggle left her mouth as Professor Umbridge slowly made her way back to her seat. Adeline couldn't help but notice the dark glare cross Professor McGonagall's features and how even the usually beaming Professor Flitwick was looking at her with a look of disgust.

"Thank you, Professor Umbridge," Professor Dumbledore eventually said with the rest of the Great Hall staring at her awkwardly. "That was most...illuminating."

He then dismissed the students to go back up to their Houses. Adeline said a quick goodbye to Estelle before standing near the head of the Ravenclaw table to she could take care of the new students.

"First years gather here!" Adeline called out. "First years gather here, please!"

A few of them seemed nervous to be called over by Adeline, but they still grouped together anyways. Adeline caught a few of them sneaking glances at her scar, but she didn't want to deal with that right now, so she instead went through her usual routine whenever she gave the first years the introduction to Hogwarts and the Ravenclaw house.

Adeline soon came to a stop in front of the tower door. "Now, is there any more questions before I teach you how to get into Ravenclaw tower?"

"Is it true You-Know-Who ripped your eye out?"

Adeline was so shocked that she couldn't even respond to the question for a few moments. She could see one of the boy's friends smack him in the arm, whispering for him to shut up, and all the other students were staring up at Adeline with wide eyes, clearly wanting the answer to the question that they were too scared to ask.

"He was there, let's just say that," She eventually answered, which seemed to satisfy the group of students. Desperate to get away from the topic of conversation, Adeline gave them a small smile and said, "Let's go over the password to get into the tower, shall we?"

Adeline taught them about the riddle system to get into the tower and led the kids inside. Once they were inside and the students had gone up to her dorm, Adeline was just about to turn around and hang out in the Common Room when Estelle hooked her arm with Adeline's and pulled her up the stairs.

"Let's get up to the dorm, alright?" Estelle said quickly as the two made their way up to the top of the staircase, not even letting Adeline get a glimpse at the common room. Before Adeline had arrived, there had been tense conversations and debates about the Daily Prophet and Adeline, and Estelle didn't want her best friend to be subject to any of them. Estelle then told her, "Also, I would avoid Delilah if I were you."

"We're roommates!"

"Avoid her. Trust me on this."

The look on Estelle's face made Adeline stop protesting, but she couldn't help but silently wonder if she was about to spend her last year at Hogwarts constantly defending herself against the people who she had considered friends for the past six years.

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Harry, unfortunately, was dealing with a very similar situation in the Gryffindor common room.

He could feel the tension the moment he stepped into the room. Over the years, Harry had become used to his classmates' stares. But it was the way that so many of them were glaring at him that made Harry feel uncomfortable.

"Dean, Seamus," He greeted, hoping that at least his roommates for so many years would stand by him. "Good holiday?"

"Alright," Dean responded with a shrug. "Better than Seamus's anyways."

Slamming his copy of the Daily Prophet down on the table, Seamus stood up to confront Harry. "Me mam didn't want me to come back this year."

"Why not?"

"Let me think..." Seamus tapped his finger on his chin, pretending to think about the answer to the question before he said, "Oh right! It's because of you and Reyes! The Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you two – and Dumbledore, as well."

"And you believe them?" Harry scoffed.

"Well no one was there the night she lost her eye!" Seamus shot back. "How can we trust a word either of you two say?"

George suddenly stood up, his fists clenched at his side as he glared at Seamus. On both sides of him, Fred and Lee began to stand out of their chairs as well, preparing themselves to hold George back if need be. "Watch your mouth, Seamus," He threatened in a low voice. "You don't know shit."

"And you do? She shouldn't even be at Hogwarts this year! Your girlfriend should've gone straight to the mental ward at St. Mungos as she soon as she got out of that maze!"

The insult caused something in George to snap, and he lunged forward, ready to beat Seamus up before both Lee and Fred jumped up to hold him back. Ophelia was having to restrain herself from punching Seamus in the nose as she gripped tightly onto the arm rest of her chair, wanting so desperately to give Seamus a taste of what he deserved but also knowing that beating him up wouldn't make the situation any better.

Even with the danger of George Weasley looming over him, Seamus couldn't keep quiet. "No one knows what happened that night," he repeated. "How can we trust you?"

"Then why don't you read the Prophet like your stupid mother?" Harry spat. "It should tell you everything that you need to know."

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me or Adeline a liar!"

Walking into the common room, Ron and Hermione hadn't heard much of the fight but could tell that something was wrong. "What's going on?" He asked as he stepped in between Harry and Seamus.

"He's a mad-man is what's going on!" Seamus shouted. "You really believe all the rubbish that's coming out about You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, I do," Ron challenged. "Does anyone have anything else to say?"

"My gran thinks the Prophet's turned into a load of rubbish," Neville offered as sent an uncharacteristically dark glare in Seamus's direction. "She's cancelled our subscription. My gran's always believed that You-Know-Who could come back someday. We believe them."

"You ought to learn to keep your mouth shut about things you don't know anything about," Ophelia added, her thinly-veiled anger seeping through her voice. "Not unless you want to end up in the hospital wing."

Seamus didn't want to ask who was going to be the cause of him going to the hospital wing, but with the way several people in the Gryffindor common room were glaring at him, he had a few suspects.

While there were still so many people in the room who agreed with Seamus, most of them were scared of voicing their opinion right in that moment. Harry looked around the room once more, and after giving Seamus one final glare, stomped up the stairs and let the door to the boys dorm slam shut behind him.

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a/n:

hi guys!!

i'm going in a road trip next week, so i'm currently hoping that it doesn't take me a lot of time to update again. i'm going to try and write in the car though, so here's to hoping the next update won't take too long!!

i hope you all liked this chapter!! even though professor umbridge has made her appearance, i got to write defensive, angry george 😳🤚🏻 so hopefully that made up for it AHAHAHA

also follow the instagram account i made for my wattpad ( @ itsnot.gigii )

i'll see you guys at the next update!!

- g ♡