"Why is Umbridge here?" Ron stared incredulously at Umbridge, who was sitting beside Dumbledore, then asked Harry next to him, "Am I seeing things?"
He, Ron, and Hermione had returned rather late. In fact, all the newly appointed prefects had returned a little late. Compared with the more experienced prefects, they were a little green, and had actually obediently waited until every student had left the train before they began checking the compartments.
The other prefects simply started at either end and worked toward the middle, herding the students out...
"No," Harry said, curling his lip. "I don't know why that woman is at Hogwarts either."
"She couldn't be here to teach at Hogwarts, could she?" Hermione sat beside Lavender-who, naturally, sat beside Ron, while Harry sat on Ron's other side.
"Surely not?" Both Harry's and Ron's expressions changed at Hermione's words, because that seemed like something that really could happen.
After all, Hogwarts really was short of a professor now.
Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The former professor, Lupin, had been challenged by the Ministry of Magic over his identity as a werewolf and could no longer continue in the post. Moody had only agreed to teach for the previous year and had not renewed his contract this year. And presumably, even if he had wanted to renew it, the Ministry of Magic would not have agreed.
Moody's reputation among many wizards was exceptionally poor. That much was evident from his nickname, Mad-Eye.
Most of the time, "mad" was not a good word.
Besides Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures also seemed a possibility.
The professor for that subject had originally been Hagrid, with Professor Grubbly-Plank joining him in the latter half of the previous school year. This year's first-year students were now required to take