HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 407

Chapter 407: New Professors

After giving her gifts, Luna left Sean’s compartment. In her words, this carriage was Slytherin’s, not Ravenclaw’s. She could sit here to chat and hand over presents, but she could not stay.

Blaise and the others could not understand Luna’s thought process at all.

Sean, on the other hand, understood a little.

“By the way, Sean and I are fifth-years this year, too. Who do you think is our year’s Prefect?” Blaise asked, his eyes sliding toward Sean. Clearly, he suspected Sean would be picked. In every respect, Sean outclassed their yearmates and even most of Hogwarts. He seemed the most qualified of all.

Seeing Blaise’s look, Sean guessed his thoughts and shook his head. “Don’t look at me, Blaise. It is not me.”

“Why not?”

“Professor Snape wrote to me before term. He told me that in the initial vote, I was chosen, but he removed me. He knows I have a lot on my plate this year and cannot spare the focus for Prefect duties, so he declined on my behalf. As for who the new male Prefect is, he did not say, and I did not ask.”

At the mention of Snape, a conflicted look crossed Jensen’s face. He glanced at Sean, hesitated, then said, “Sean, I heard from my family that our Head of House might be…”

Sean knew what he meant after half a sentence. He nodded and answered before Jensen finished. “He used to be a Death Eater. I know.”

“Do you know he is still a Death Eater now?”

“Not only do I know. Professor Dumbledore knows as well.”

Dumbledore knows, too?

Jensen and Blaise exchanged a look, surprise in both of their eyes. Still, they had both put the pieces together and, with unspoken agreement, dropped the topic.

The train arrived and everyone disembarked.

As Sean stepped down, he did not see Hagrid leading the first-years as usual. Instead, Filch was there with a lantern, herding the new students. His expression was so vicious and impatient that he nearly made two first-years cry.

“So the big oaf Hagrid is gone? That is good news.”

“Agreed. I have had enough of his Care of Magical Creatures class. Anyone would be better.”

Hearing Blaise, Sean gave him a peculiar look and said with a half-smile, “You said that. I hope you still feel that way once lessons begin.”

Blaise eyed Sean, equally odd. “Sean, did you see something?”

“Secret. But I can tell you this. Our new Care of Magical Creatures professor will not make you happy.”

Students streamed into the castle and, through the Entrance Hall, into the Great Hall. The four Houses took their places at their long tables. Sean sat in his usual spot. Only two sat beside him this year. Andy had graduated.

As he was thinking this, Blaise tugged his sleeve and whispered, “Sean, look at the staff table. Who is that?”

“Who? The new professors?”

Sean knew there would be new faculty this year, including his grandfather in disguise as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and Dolores Umbridge as the Care of Magical Creatures professor.

Last year, when Sean had dealt with Hagrid, he had seen certain things from Hagrid’s perspective: the giants’ settlement and the fact that Dolores Umbridge would be Care of Magical Creatures professor this year.

So when Blaise spoke, Sean assumed he meant his grandfather in disguise and Umbridge. But when he looked up at the staff table, he had not expected to see that person sitting there.

Fleur?

Why was she at the staff table?

Had she taken a post at Hogwarts?

What subject?

When Sean spotted her, Fleur also noticed him. She raised her water glass to him in a small toast, then smiled and took a sip.

“Why is Fleur here?”

“She is at the staff table, so she must be a new professor. Could it be Defense Against the Dark Arts?”

“No. Defense has someone else.”

“Then what is it? An elective?”

At the word elective, Sean paused, then looked at Fleur with dawning realization. If it were an elective, he could guess.

Still.

A fellow Triwizard Champion last year. My professor this year. Taking advantage, are we? No wonder she was nowhere to be seen during all holidays and never answered letters.

So she was saving up a surprise for this.

“Sean, that matronly woman sitting next to Professor Dumbledore. Is that the new Care of Magical Creatures professor you mentioned?”

At Blaise’s words, Sean looked at Umbridge beside Dumbledore.

If Umbridge had looked bad enough in formal robes at the Wizengamot confirmation hearing, then in everyday clothes she was truly an eyesore.

She wore a pink wool dress that clung too tightly, emphasizing her warped figure. Her gray-brown, curled half-length hair was topped with a very ugly pink bow. The thick powder on her face made her look pale, with drooping lids, bulging eyes, and a wide, stretched mouth. She was like a pink toad.

“Oh. Merlin. A living, human toad to teach Care of Magical Creatures. That is. Very fitting.”

“All right. You will have plenty of chances to experience it later. Take your time.”

Hearing Sean, Blaise nodded with resignation. For now, he only found Umbridge unpleasant to look at. Once he got to know her, he would learn that the pink toad was more hideous and revolting inside than outside.