[MASS] Don't look so shocked

After the first years had been sorted, it was up to Selwyn to say a few words, as it were. If Terry had taken the Headmaster's position - which he was eminently more qualified for than Selwyn - he wouldn't need to do it. But the other man had begged off, with the perfectly reasonable excuse that the children needed some stability for once. And wasn't that what they were trying to give them?

So Selwyn stepped up to the ridiculously ornate lectern and waited for the children to settle down. Of course, if he had been anyone else, he wouldn't have needed to wait. Every other head teacher of Hogwarts had managed to cultivate an aura of no-nonsense (or sometimes outright terror) that riveted the students' attention instantly.

"Good evening, everyone," he began.

Selwyn had always loathed the whole "welcome to and welcome back" line other teachers rattled off, so he wasn't going to say it, even if it was a tradition. This year was for breaking traditions, so why not start now?

"Hogwarts had a great year last year, and this year we hope it'll be even better. With that in mind, there have been some rule changes. The student clubs, shall we call them, known as Potter's Army and The Dark Followers are banned from now on."

He paused to see what their reaction would be.

Way to break the news!

Stephen had been rather distracted just sitting there at the Gryffindor's table looking down and not so interested in the newcomers. Surely he didn't know any of them but even if he did he wouldn't have been waiting to know where their future would be. Nothing made sense anymore... Ever since the accident his life has been turned upside down. They said the truth would set you free but sometimes the truth only tied you up with unbreakable chains.

His summer was basically spent at his grandparents with his sister Adriana. Eventually his mother was released from St. Mungo and went to join them. His father, on the other hand,... he hadn't seen him ever since he first visited his mother. He completely vanished after the big revelation. Probably he just went back to what he had always been. He might have tried to fool them all but the truth was that, even though he had always tried to hide it from him, he had never stopped being a Death Eater. He couldn't believe it when he saw the wonderful tattoo on his arm...

Summing up, he didn't know what to think. He didn't know who to trust anymore.

He didn't even want to come back to Hogwarts this year. He'd have to face everyone he knew and let that little family detail rot him to the core. Who would trust a Death Eater's son? And grandson for that matter. He was even named after one. How no one had never noticed that though was still a mystery to him. Maybe the Meyers weren't that known as or would keep themselves in the darkest shadows. Whichever was the reason it couldn't be good. And that also meant: goodbye Potter's Army...

Only he hadn't expected that it would be over for everyone else as well. He looked up for a second at Professor Thorfinn. What the hell was going on? With a quick survey at the other students he noticed some of the members were as stunned as him. Or more since he was not counting on ever going back there...

After a great summer, Medusa was glad to be back in her second home where she truly belonged. She was ready to take this year by storm, she couldn't wait for another great year! Walking into the Great Hall she sat down at the Ravenclaw table happily. She was glad to be back in her Ravenclaw robes eating in the Great Hall with her friends. Speaking of which she looked over at the Gryffindor table seeing Stephen she smiled and waved at him.

She noticed that he looked a bit more sad and upset then he did last year before they went home for the summer. She looked at him and frowned at him hoping he was ok, their letters between each other she noticed that something was bothering him but didn't know what. She was his friend, she hated for him to be like this. She remembered when he was nice and laughing at the books they were reading or the soggy drawings she lost along the lake. Sad at times changes people, and now it didn't look good.


At the mention of Professor Thorfinn saying that Potter's Army was banned she gasped. That been here as a club for as long as she been here, and even before that! She was going to join it this year, but too late for that now! Looking at Stephen with shocked eyes she wondered why it was banned now.

Yes. Widened eyes, a few gasps.  There was some whispering, but not as much as he'd expected.  Less from the Slytherin table than he'd expected.

"Hogwarts is supposed to be a school, not a war zone," he said. "You'll all have plenty of time to change the world once you graduate."

"The rest of the school rules are pinned to the notice board in the Entrance Hall, in case any of you need to reacquaint yourselves with them before classes tomorrow."

"Now, you all know Professor Hayes had to leave us in a hurry last year. I'll be picking up Transfiguration where he left off. We also have a few new members of staff joining us. Terry Boot-Corner has kindly agreed to become our new Charms Professor and also Ravenclaw's Head of House. And Michael Corner is our new healer in the hospital wing, which I'm sure will come as a relief to any of you who've dealt with Miss Pyrites in the past."

At some point Stephen noticed Medusa. He had pretty much cut any ties with anyone during the summer. And she was one of those. He felt guilty to stop answering to her letters... More than that, he had missed it. But he shouldn't keep faiths up, or her in. He has already seen of what Death Eaters were capable of. It scared him what was to come from them... But as his mother had pointed out there was no place safer than Hogwarts. Not that he was fearing for his own safety - he wouldn't be much of a leverage when it came to his dear old mischievous and compulsive liar dad - but for everyone else's. As long as they were here they would be safe.

He turned to look down capturing bits and pieces from the headmaster's speech. That used to interest him, now not even some known names would raise interest. He just wanted this to be over so he could go to the dormitory...

Medusa didn't even see Stephen notice her or anything, at this point she was past the point pf caring. At this point, she really wondered if it was such a good idea for her to come back to Hogwarts. She wasn't sure at this point, all she wanted was to get fast away from this feast and Stephen and go enjoy a good book in her dorms. She wasn't hungry anymore, besides she could go to the kitchen and eat something. Besides the books and her shadow, the house elves only seem like her friends that she visted alot last year.

All she knew this year she was going to be alone and by herself, she felt lonely but she pushed away the tears that were trying to escape. She wasn't going to cry anymore or let herself start doing it, she was strong and didn't need friends. The sooner Professor Thorfinn was done with his speech the quicker she could get away from this madness.