04. ONE LAST TIME

"Harry, we've got to go to the prefect compartment." Hermione said, gesturing to herself and Ron. . Astoria and Ginny had already left to a compartment of their own, and the twins went to find Lee. "We'll come find you after the meeting, yeah?"

"Alright." He waved.

Elara nudged him. "Coming with us then?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Shall we?"

"We shall." Daphne smiled at her before leading the way forward, with the others behind her. She stopped in the Slytherin section and opened the door to one of the compartments. "Hello everyone!"

Elara walked in after her and smiled when she saw that the Zabini's were already there. But beside them was Draco. He stood when he saw her, and she hugged him tightly. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I see you missed me."

"Understatement."

Harry walked in after her and greeted everyone before sitting down beside Draco. "You don't usually sit with us." The platinum haired boy looked confused.

"Ron and Hermione got prefect." Harry explained. "They have the meeting."

Draco's eyes widened. "Prefect! Shit! I have to go to the meeting!" The boy stood and ran from the compartment.

"Draco got bloody prefect?" Elara asked, eyes wide. "Fuck yes! I can get away with everything!"

"Of course that's what you'll do. Take advantage of the poor boy." Bianca rolled her eyes.

"Don't act like you won't do the same."

"Of course I will."

The train began moving, and after an hour or so Draco turned up again, this time followed by Ron and Hermione. "Sure you want to be seen with us, Draco? We might be considered bad influences on you." Elara grinned when his cheeks flushed.

"Shut up, El." He rolled his eyes before sitting down beside Harry. "I don't know why they chose me for prefect. Snape knows who I hang out with."

"You're like uncle Moony. He was prefect, even though he was best friend with Dad and uncle James. They were the troublemakers, and he was the good one. But he still caused trouble. I suppose they thought he might be able to stop them. Didn't work so well, did it? He proper messed up, because they made uncle James Head Boy."

"Did they actually?" Hermione asked, eyes wide. "Harry, I didn't know your dad was Head Boy!"

"I didn't know either." Harry furrowed his eyebrows.

"Uncle James was never prefect, suppose that wasn't a requirement to be Head Boy. Everyone was very shocked, but then who wouldn't be. James Potter was a troublemaker. Just so happens that aunt Lily was Head Girl, but that was expected because she was prefect and basically the best candidate from what my father said. She was perfect Head Girl material. That's when they started getting closer, because Heads share a dorm." Elara explained.

"So, my mother was an angel, and my father was a troublemaker."

"Basically. Uncle James was also Quidditch Captain."

"He was?"

"Yep."

"Draco, who's the other prefect?"

"Pansy fucking Parkinson." The boy rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me?" Elara sat up straight, eyes wide. "NO! ABSOLTELY NOT! WHAT THE FUCK!" She looked at Theodore and Bianca. "I'm dead."

"Shut up, El. She won't actually try anything." Bianca gave Elara a look.

"She could!"

"But she won't." Theodore nudged her. "And if she does, you teach her a lesson, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this. This is illegal." Hermione shook her head.

"Come on, Hermione. I won't hurt her... much." Elara winked. "Anyways, Draco, guess who's Captain of the team?"

"You got it?"

"Indeed I did." She took her badge out of her bag and held it up proudly. "Adrian was right! I wrote to him yesterday to tell him, safe to say, he was delighted our team wouldn't go to shit."

"Good. When are tryouts?"

"Second week I think. Got to get all settled and get our timetables. It's N.E.W.T year for me, O.W.L. for you."

"Oh please do not mention O.W.L.'s. I've heard enough." Ron groaned.

"Just wait till N.E.W.T.'s." Theodore's lips lifted in a slight smile.

Time passed. Nothing of interest happened, other than Elara tossing half her body out the window in an attempt to see if she could get on the roof. She just got stuck and Theodore and Bianca had to pull her out.

Eventually, Hermione checked her watch. "Time to get changed, I think."

Elara simply took her wand out and waved it over herself. Her outfit changed into her white shirt, black skirt and Slytherin robes. Her tie tied itself around her neck and she reached a hand up to loosen it slightly. Bianca laughed and copied her actions, popping her own uniform on, and was followed by Theodore.

Elara fished her lipstick from her bag and turned to Bianca. "You got a mirror?"

"Always." The brunette pulled a mirror out of her own bag and held it up for Elara, who used it to apply her signature red lipstick to her lips, before putting it back in her bag.

"All done."

The other kids looked at them in awe. "Teach me that spell!" Draco whined.

"Later. Now go and get changed." She waved them away. When they came back, the train had started slowing down. Draco, Hermione and Ron excused themselves to supervise everyone getting off the train. The rest made their way off and headed to the carriages.

"El, what's that pulling the carriages?" Harry asked warily, looking at nothing. But, Elara knew what he meant. Theodore could see them. She shot him a look.

"Mate, there's nothing there." Blaise replied, confused.

"No, Blaise. There is." Elara sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You just can't see them."

"What?"

"They're Thestrals. I can see them too. You can see them if you've seen someone die." Theodore explained. Elara slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. He smiled down at her and squeezed it back.

"Cedric." Harry realised.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"It's alright, Harry. Let's just get on the carriage." She ushered everyone onto a carriage. The carriages continued their route up to the castle and when they stopped, everyone got off and separated once they arrived at the Great Hall. Harry left to the Gryffindor table, and she could see him sat beside Neville, and was soon joined by Ron and Hermione.

The rest headed for the Slytherin table and all sat in the middle. Draco soon joined them as well, and the first thing he did was point at the staff table with a look of disgust on his face. "Who the bloody hell is that?"

Elara looked up and scrunched her face when she saw an odd looking woman with a cross look on her face, dressed fully in pink, with a matching handbag sat on the table beside her. "The figment of my bloody nightmares, that's what she is."

Everyone laughed. "She looks familiar. I think she works with Fudge." Draco replied.

"Because of course she does. I'm not surprised." Elara rolled her eyes.

"How come?" Bianca asked.

Daphne spoke up. "It's because of everything that happened last year. With the Tournament, and Harry saying You-Know-Who is back. I don't think Fudge liked that."

"That's bad." Came Blaise's comment. McGonagall made her way in with the first years, and they all stood around the stool. She placed the Hat on the stood and it opened its mouth and began singing.

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the self-same yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale

Said Slytherin "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great, cunning, just like him

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor

Good Hufflepuff she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end

What with duelling and with fighting

And the class of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfil my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shoes,

For out Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes.

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble within.

I have told you, I have warned you...

Let the Sorting now begin.

"That doesn't sound too pleasant." Elara looked worried. Theodore took her hand as she had taken his before and squeezed it.

"I'm sure everything is fine."

"I hope so."

After the sorting, Dumbledore stood. "To our newcomers," He said in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

After the feast, he stood back up and Elara groaned, dropping her head onto her boyfriend's shoulder, causing him to snicker and run a hand through her hair.

"I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students – and a few of our older students ought to know by now too." Elara laughed lightly.

"Fat chance I'm staying out of there."

He continued. "Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you that all magic is not permitted between classes, not are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door. We have had two changed in the staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plant, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Well, we're all fucked. I don't do well with ministry, and especially since she's taking over one of my favourite classes." Elara sighed as there was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause.

"Tryouts for the House Quidditch team will take place on the – "

Umbridge stood, and Elara's eyes widened. The pink professor cleared her throat and it began clear she was intending to make a speech. Dumbledore looked taken aback and Elara choked back a laugh. He sat down and the woman made her way forward.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome."

Draco gasped at the sound of her voice, which was high-pitched and breathy and immediately caused a sense of dislike to rush through everyone. "What the bloody hell? Is she 5?"

Elara clamped her hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle her laugh. Theodore and Bianca gave her amused looks and Blaise kicked her from under the table, even though he himself hid a smile.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!"

"Happy?" Daphne voiced all of their thoughts. "Why are we being addressed like children?"

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

"The feeling isn't mutual, sweetheart." Elara muttered, rolling her eyes. She looked around to see people either concealing smiles and laughs or looking very shocked and taken aback.

"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 with may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instructions. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. 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 turned and gave a little bow to the other teachers behind her, and none of them bowed back. McGonagall had her eyebrows raised, and she exchanged a glance with Sprout.

"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 discourages, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permeance and change, between tradition and innovation..."

Elara then zoned out and as she looked around the hall, she noticed that she was not the only one who had done so. People were eating desserts or chatting with their friends or just looking into the distance. She clocked back in towards the end of her speech.

"...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, outdated 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 that ought to be prohibited."

Then, she sat. Dumbledore clapped and the rest of the staff followed behind him, but they stopped soon after. He stood. "Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating. Now – as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held..."

"Illuminating, he says." Elara rolled her eyes.

"I think I may have lost brain cells during that." Theodore widened his eyes, causing his girlfriend to laugh.

"This year's going to be wonderful, isn't it?" Bianca said sarcastically.

"So brilliant. I can tell already." Elara replied. Then, as the rest of the school all began getting up, she stood and was followed by her friends. Draco waved them off after whispering the password into Elara's ear.

She linked her arm with Bianca, and they sped ahead of everyone, leaving Theodore, Daphne, Blaise and Astoria to walk together. "We have to sneak to Hogsmeade again."

"We really do. I want to take Daph with us next time."

"Sounds good."

They headed down to the dungeons and were soon stood outside the entrance. Elara said the password, and they walked into the common room. Elara sighed happily at the sight of the familiar dark atmosphere, with murky green outside the windows and the giant, marble fireplace crackling in the corner, surrounded by velvet couches and armchairs.

"Goodnight, El. I'll see you tomorrow babe." Bianca kissed her friends cheek.

"Night, Bia. See you then." Elara waved at her friend and did the same to Daphne who walked behind her. Astoria hugged Elara before following a girl in her year to their dorm. Blaise had gone off towards Draco, and it was just her and Theodore left.

"Sleep?"

"Bloody yes."