Brown, Bushy Hair.
Lucifer could pick it out in any crowd.
As he got closer, he heard the people around her talking, "Did everyone see that Grubbly Plank woman?" Ginny had asked,
"What's she doing back? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"
"I'l be quite glad if he has," Luna said, "he isn't a very good teacher, is he?"
"Yes he is!" Harry, Ron, and Ginny had all yelled, rather angrily.
Hermione had been about to speak, when Lucifer did for her, "l agree with both sides."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry glared at him.
"Hagrid is great at explaining things, but when he is emotional, he loses track of what he's doing, he loses his mojo, and ultimately fails to be productive for his class," Lucifer said, and if looks could kill, he'd be dead from the look Harry was giving him.
Lucifer merely looked at Harry with no emotion showing.
He wasn't going to concede to him
just because they were friends, that was what he honestly thought about Hagrid, and no one was going to change his opinion.
He liked Hagrid as a guy, but as a Professor, it went both ways with the giant man.
Lucifer walked forward like nothing had happened, Hermione right behind him, "So it's not just me who thinks that?"
"No, Potter will just have to get over it that Hagrid isn't as great as he wants him to be. Hagrid is good, but he's far from amazing," Lucifer said without remorse.
He walked with confidence in the Great Hall, which had the side effect of being off-putting for many of his peers.
The Prefect Badge on his robes glinted in the candlelight, making for a few surprised faces, equally split between happy and worried surprise.
He sat down about halfway down the Gryffindor Table, Hermione on his right as always, Harry and Ron across from them.
Neville sat down beside Harry, and Nearly Headless Nick was a seat or two away from them, across from Lavender and Parvati, both of them gave Lucifer a smile that Hermione didn't approve of.
Harry and Ron scanned the Teachers table, "He's not there... it's hard to miss him," Lucifer said.
"He can't have left," Ron said anxiously.
"Of course he hasn't, he's just... busy, like Lucifer said," Harry said firmly.
"You don't think he's... you don't think he got hurt, do you?" Hermione asked.
"No, he's got Giant's Blood in him, he'll have all the resistances a Giant has. Any Witch or Wizard would be hard pressed to harm Hagrid, at least if they are alone," Lucifer said.
"Like Lucifer said" Harry reiterated, "He's just busy with something... he told us at the end of last year, didn't he?" His voice was low because Lavender and Parvati were nearby.
Ron and Hermione felt reassurance in agreeing with both Harry and Lucifer, "Right, that's what it is."
"Who's that?" Hermione asked, pointing to a short woman up at the Staff table.
"It's that Umbridge woman!" Harry said in an alarmed voice, "She was at my Hearing! She works for Fudge!"
"She works for Fudge?" Hermione looked at Harry, "Then what's she doing here?"
"There is only one reason a government will get involved with educational institutes... and it's not for the betterment of the students," Lucifer said, snarling as he did.
"She's sitting in the Defense Teacher's chair.." Hermione said quietly, but Lucifer heard her, "'no, no, surely not..."
"Unfortunately yes.." he replied just as Grubbly-Plank appeared in the Hall, which meant the First Years had been brought to McGonagall.
She walked along the outskirts of
the Great Hall and took the seat Hagrid would usually take; it confirmed that he was indeed not in Hogwarts.
A few seconds later, the doors to the Entrance/Great Hall opened, and in walked McGonagall with a line of scared looking First Years.
Professor McGonagall was carrying a wooden, three-legged stool, whereupon was placed an ancient, dirty hat; the Sorting Hat.
The buzz of the Great Hall faded into nothingness as the First Years were walked up the middle of the Hall.
Their faces glowed palely in the candlelight, all of them looking frightened or nervous.
The Sorting Hat sat there, motionless for a second, before the tear near the brim opened and the Hat burst into song:
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 selfsame learning,
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'l 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'Il 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 the pure-blooded 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 dueling and with fighting
And the clash 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 once 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 l'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still l worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still l wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within.
I have told you, I have warned you...
Let the Sorting now begin!"
The hat became motionless once more;
The hat became motionless once more; applause broke out as usual, but it was noticed by Lucifer that there was muttering and whispering.
It was obvious what they were muttering and whispering about; the Sorting Hat gave a warning, to try and get people still disbelieving Voldemort's return to band together and unite before discord sets in.
"Too right it has," Harry agreed.
"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" Ron asked as he raised his eyebrows.
"l wonder-" Hermione was about to speak when Lucifer immediately shushed her.
She looked and saw McGonagall staring at all of the whispering students with a scorching look that you never wanted to be singled out by.
With a last frowning look that swept the four House tables, Professor McGonagall lowered her eyes to her long piece of parchment and called out the names of the First Years.
Each new First Year walked up, sat underneath the Hat, and it shouted out one of the four names of the Houses.
Lucifer politely clapped for each House not just Gryffindor House, but he applauded loudly for Gryffindor House, that meandered up to the table, looking like they'd rather die of actual embarrassment.
Professor McGonagall soon was picking up the Sorting Hat and wooden stool as Dumbledore rose to his feet, and any sound that lingered was silenced immediately.
xxxxxx
Author's Note
If you want to Read my Complete book, including 8th Year, Marriage and having kids, ahead of everyone.
Support this novel, join me on Patreon!
Link - patreon.com/SmutDxddy
We have a stockpile upto Chapter 1030 for you to binge-read! 😋
Playing Cards with Pregnant Hermione on a n*de beach, if you'd like to Read now! 🍼