.We.have.had.two.changes.in.staffing.this.year..We.are.very.pleased.to.welcome.back.Professor.Grubbly‐Plank,.who.will.be.taking.Care.of.Magical.Creatures.
lessons;.we.are.also.delighted.to.introduce.Professor.Umbridge,.our.new.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.teacher...
There.was.a.round.of.polite.but.fairly.unenthusiastic.applause,.during.which.Harry,.Ron.and.Hermione.exchanged.slightly.panicked.looks;.Dumbledore.had.not.said.for.how.long.Grubbly‐Plank.would.be.teaching..
Dumbledore.continued,.Tryouts.for.the.house.Quidditch.teams.will.take.place.on.the.‐..
He.broke.off,.looking.enquiringly.at.Professor.Umbridge..As.she.was.not.much.taller.standing.than.sitting,.there.was.a.moment.when.nobody.understood.why.Dumbledore.had.stopped.talking,.but.then.Professor.Umbridge.cleared.her.throat,..Hem,.hem,..and.it.became.clear.that.she.had.got.to.her.feet.and.was.intending.to.make.a.speech..
Dumbledore.only.looked.taken.aback.for.a.moment,.then.he.sat.down.smartly.and.looked.alertly.at.Professor.Umbridge.as.though.he.desired.nothing.better.than.to.listen.to.her.tak..Other.members.of.staff.were.not.as.adept.at.hiding.their.surprise..Professor.Sprout.s.eyebrows.had.disappeared.into.her.flyaway.hair.and.Professor.McGonagall.s.mouth.was.as.thin.as.Harry.had.ever.seen.it..No.new.teacher.had.ever.interrupted.Dumbledore.before..Many.of.the.students.were.smirking;.this.woman.obviously.did.not.know.how.things.were.done.at.Hogwarts..
Thank.you,.Headmaster,..Professor.Umbridge.simpered,..for.those.kind.words.of.welcome...
Her.voice.was.high‐pitched,.breathy.and.little‐girlish.and,.again,.Harry.felt.a.powerful.rush.of.dislike.that.he.could.not.explain.to.himself;.all.he.knew.was.that.he.loathed.everything.about.her,.from.her.stupid.voice.to.her.fluffy.pink.cardigan..She.gave.another.little.throat‐clearing.cough.(.hem,.hem.).and.continued..
.Well,.it.is.lovely.to.be.back.at.Hogwarts,.I.must.say!..She.smiled,.revealing.very.pointed.teeth...And.to.see.such.happy.little.faces.looking.up.at.me!..
Harry.glanced.around..None.of.the.faces.he.could.see.looked.happy..On.the.contrary,.they.all.looked.rather.taken‐aback.at.being.addressed.as.though.they.were.five.years.old..
.I.am.very.much.looking.forward.to.getting.to.know.you.all.and.I.m.sure.we.ll.be.very.good.friends!..
Students.exchanged.looks.at.this;.some.of.them.were.barely.concealing.grins..
.I.ll.be.her.friend.as.long.as.I.don.t.have.to.borrow.that.cardigan,..Parvati.whispered.to.Lavender,.and.both.of.them.lapsed.into.silent.giggles..
Professor.Umbridge.cleared.her.throat.again.(.hem,.hem.),.but.when.she.continued,.some.of.the.breathiness.had.vanished.from.her.voice..She.sounded.much.more.businesslike.and.now.her.words.had.a.dull.learned‐by‐heart.sound.to.them..
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.may.come.to.nothing.if.not.nurtured.and.honed.by.careful.instruction..The.ancient.skills.unique.to.the.wizarding.community.must.be.passed.down.the.generations.lest.we.lose.them.tor.ever..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...