Erin Mckinnon never really fitted among other Slytherins. Because those people who wore dark green robes were usually Purebloods or Half-Bloods. There were only very few Muggle-Borns.

Erin didn't really care about her blood status. She knew she wasn't filthy as Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson told her whenever they could. In her mind, sadly not in society, she was as equal to them. They weren't better, she wasn't worse. They didn't bleed diamonds, she didn't bleed mud. That was something Erin needed to remind Parkinson by making her nose bleed a few times.

Thankfully, there were Slytherins who couldn't care less about someone's blood status.

Daphne Greengrass was Erin's best friend, her partner in crime, her platonic soulmate. Neither Daphne nor Erin liked sharing her feelings, but they did with each other.

Astoria Greengrass was Daphne's younger sister. But it didn't matter because she and Erin got along very well. She almost always knew what to say when someone was feeling down and you would think she can read minds because she always seemed to know what everyone needs.

Luna Lovegood may seemed a little strange or crazy to other people but Erin liked that about her. She was unbelievably kind and never deserved the treatment everyone was giving her. Luna and Astoria were really similar, which made them best friends.

Theodore Nott wasn't like Draco Malfoy, not even a little when it came to views on Muggleborns. That made Erin catch some feelings in the second year before she realised that boys weren't something she was interested in. She and Theodore weren't talking often, but Erin still counted him as her friend.

Other than those four. . . Erin didn't have many other friends. She little talked to people from other houses, for example, the Patil twins, Cho Chang, Hanna Abbot, and sometimes even Lavender Brown, who sometimes got on her nerves but she was a really nice person.

Erin thought she would become friends with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley. They met in Hogwarts Express on the first day of September and they talked for hours. Erin imagined herself and them when they are older, still very good friends.

Unfortunately, she stopped imagining that after a few months since she was sorted into Slytherin. Erin knew Ron's opinion on them and she knew Harry's too because Ron convinced him that all Slytherins are like Voldemort.

Erin tried to socialise with them even after they showed little interest in her. It wasn't Harry and Ron who hurt her, but Hermione. Even though they knew each other for, like, a few hours, Erin felt like she knew the Gryffindor witch forever.

But eventually, she gave up and befriended people who didn't mind her house. That were, unsurprisingly other Slytherins and some Ravenclaws.

However, she's a different person now and it isn't easy for her anymore to make new friends.

***

"Another year, another drama," Daphne said as she and Erin found an empty compartment.

And she was right. In the first year, they had a teacher who was later exposed as Voldemort's buddy. In the second year, there was this snake who turned people into stone when they looked into his eyes (Erin was one of them). In the third year, a murderer, Sirius Black, was the first person ever to escape Azkaban and he got into Hogwarts, making chaos there. And in fourth. . . well. . . Cedric Diggory died. Erin didn't know the Hufflepuff boy much, but he was incredibly kind. When she was in her first year and was bullied by some of the older Slytherins, Cedric helped her.

He didn't deserve it.

Erin prayed the night before her fifth year will be dramaless. And so did Daphne, Astoria, and Luna.

Speaking of Luna and Astoria, the two of them appeared in the compartment a few moments after Erin and Daphne.

The blonde Ravenclaw planted a sweet quick kiss on each of her friends' cheeks as a form of greeting.

Erin rolled her eyes and wiped her cheek but she smiled widely.

"Have you heard what happened with Potter?" Erin asked after all the greetings.

"Is there anyone in the Wizarding World who hasn't?" said Astoria.

Luna raised her hand and the girls laughed.

"Long story short," began Daphne, "Potter used the Patronus Charm outside Hogwarts. In the court, he said there were dementors." She looked at her friends. "Do you believe that?"

Erin shrugged and answered honestly, "I don't know. What if there's someone at the Ministry of Magic who. . . I don't know, let the dementors out or something?"

"Good theory," commented Astoria. "Believable even. But what if he tried to impress someone?"

"Who?" questioned Luna.

"A girl," answered the younger Slytherin. "Or a boy. Someone he fancies. They didn't believe he is a wizard and he showed them the most impressive and the hardest spell he can perform, which is, I think we can all agree on that, the Patronus Charm."

Daphne opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something as she thought about it. Then, she said, "Yeah, Astoria's theory is good. I think that one wins."

"I don't think he is that type of person," said Erin.

Daphne gave her a look. "You talked to him for a few hours four years ago and you think you know him the best and that he hasn't changed since?"

"That's not what I said," Erin shook her head. "I guess the only person who knows what happened is Harry."

The compartment door opened, revealing Ginny Weasley. Neville Longbottom and Harry were standing behind her.

"Hi, Luna," said Ginny and then looked at Erin, Daphne, and Astoria. "And you whose names I don't know. . .Is it okay if we take these seats?”

They all nodded.

“Thanks,” said Ginny, smiling at them.

Harry and Neville stowed the three trunks and Hedwig’s cage in the luggage rack and sat down.

“Had a good summer, Luna?” Ginny asked.

“Yes,” said Luna dreamily, without taking her eyes off Harry. “Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You’re Harry Potter,” she added.

“I know I am,” said Harry.

Erin leaned closer to Luna and whispered, "It is rude to stare into someone's soul like that," she chuckled. "Oh, and you have your Quibbler the wrong way."

Neville chuckled. Luna turned her pale eyes upon him instead.

“And I don’t know who you are.”

“I’m nobody,” said Neville hurriedly.

“No you’re not,” said Ginny sharply. “Neville Longbottom — Luna Lovegood. Luna’s in my year, but in Ravenclaw.”

Luna nodded and gestured to her friends. "This is Erin Mckinnon, Daphne Greengrass, and Astoria Greengrass."

"I know you!" said Ginny to Erin. "You have a different hair colour every few months. This blonde hair suits you well!"

"Oh," Erin's cheeks heated. "Thank you."

“Guess what I got for my birthday?” said Neville.

“Another Remembrall?” said Harry.

“No,” said Neville, “I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago. . . . No, look at this. . . .”

He dug the hand that was not keeping a firm grip on Trevor into his schoolbag and after a little bit of rummaging pulled out what appeared to be a small gray cactus in a pot, except that it was covered with what looked like boils rather than spines.

“Mimbulus mimbletonia,” he said proudly.

Erin stared at it. It was pulsating slightly, giving it the rather sinister look of some diseased internal organ.

“It’s really, really rare,” said Neville, beaming. “I don’t know if there’s one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can’t wait to show it to Professor Sprout. My great-uncle Algie got it for me in Assyria.

I’m going to see if I can breed from it.”

“Does it — er — do anything?” Harry asked.

“Loads of stuff!” said Neville proudly. “It’s got an amazing defence mechanism — hold Trevor for me. . . .”

He dumped the toad into Harry’s lap and took a quill from his schoolbag. Neville held the Mimbulus mimbletonia up to his eyes, his tongue between his teeth, chose his spot and gave the plant a sharp prod with the tip of his quill.

Liquid squirted from every boil on the plant, thick, stinking, dark-green jets of it; they hit the ceiling, the windows, and spattered Luna Lovegood’s magazine. Ginny, who had flung her arms up in front of her face just in time, merely looked as though she was wearing a slimy green hat, but Harry, whose hands had been busy preventing the escape of Trevor, received a face full. It smelled like rancid manure.

Astoria, Daphne, and Erin managed to hide behind their bags so they didn't get drenched much.

Neville, whose face and torso were also drenched, shook his head to get the worst out of his eyes.

“S-sorry,” he gasped. “I haven’t tried that before. . . . Didn’t realise it would be quite so . . . Don’t worry, though, Stinksap’s not poisonous,” he added nervously, as Harry spat a mouthful onto the floor.

At that precise moment, the door of their compartment slid open.

“Oh . . . hello, Harry,” said a nervous voice. “Um . . . bad time?” It was Cho Chang.

“Oh . . . hi,” said Harry blankly.

“Um . . .” said Cho. “Well . . . just thought I’d say hello . . . bye then.” She closed the door again, rather pink in the face, and departed.

“Never mind,” said Ginny bracingly. “Look, we can get rid of all this easily.” She pulled out her wand. “Scourgify!”

As Daphne, Astoria, Ginny, and Neville got into a conversation, Luna kept reading her magazine and there was an awkward silence between Erin and Harry.

"Uh," Harry began nervously. "So how are you?"

Erin furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but answered, "I'm okay, you?"

"Could be better."

Erin nodded and the silence prevailed between them again before the girl broke it.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They're in the prefects' compartment."

Erin tilted her head. "Wow, really? Ron is a prefect? Good for him."

"Are you prefect this year?"

"Pff," she scoffed. "No, It's those idiots Malfoy and Parkinson. Turns out it doesn't matter that you are an unproblematic person who can keep people in line, it's blood status and connections that matter to Snape."

Harry shrugged. "Not surprised."

"Yeah, me neither."

***

As soon as the septet — plus Ron and Hermione who joined them — got out of the train, they were met with Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks.

"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free, Potter," he said, laughing. "You better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban. with your name on it."

Harry was about to injure him if Ron didn't stop him.

"Leave it," said Hermione.

Malfoy called for Erin.

"You should be excited for this year, Mckinnon," he appeared by her side.

Erin didn't turn her head to face him. She kept walking as she said, "Suck my dick, Malfoy. It's bigger than yours."

"Want to compare?" he said in a disgusting voice.

"If you want me to vomit."

That seemed to shut him up and leave them all alone.

***

"Who's that?" Erin asked, pointing at a woman that Dumbledore was talking to. Her hair was in a horrible pink hat which colour matched the rest of her outfit.

"I think I've seen her somewhere," said Astoria as they sat down at Slytherin's table.

"Tori, that's Dolores Umbridge! She works at the Ministry with dad," Daphne realised.

"So, what is she doing here?" Erin eyed her. "Is she the new Defence Against The Dark Arts professor?"

"Most likely. Snape doesn't look happy so I doubt that Dumbledore made him happy by making him the DADA professor that he wished to be for so long," chuckled Astoria.

She was right. Snape was looking at Umbridge with nothing but envy.

After the sorting and the feast, which was delicious as always — and Erin felt like her stomach would explode any second — Dumbledore started his speech.

“Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices,” said Dumbledore. “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.

“Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor 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 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.

Dumbledore continued, “Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the —” He broke off, looking inquiringly 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 said, "Hem, hem,” and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

“Thank you, Headmaster,” Professor Umbridge simpered, “for those kind words of welcome. 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 back at me!”

Erin looked around. No one was smiling except Malfoy and the squad.

“I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I’m sure we’ll be very good friends!”

"I'll rather be friends with Malfoy than you, but thank you very much," mumbled Daphne quietly, making her best friend snicker.

“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 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.

“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 discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation . . . 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, outmoded 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.”

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead. Dumbledore had stood up again.

“Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating,” he said, bowing to her. “Now — as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held . . .”