Story

[Edward Mort]

((OOC: Although this is not a mandatory role play, all members should at least read the first post. Everyone at Hogwarts, registered at the time of the post or not, would have been here to hear this. From this point on there are no ‘late entries’. The last of the students have been rounded up by now…))

As the first load of delinquents filed into the Entrance Hall, Edward slipped a brown glove over his withered right hand and pulled the sleeve down on his crisp white button-up. He smoothed his crooked fingers over the front of his velvet plum vest and shot himself a smug grin in the mirror. Edward didn’t usually look this good; in fact he had decided that this particular occasion called for his better set of dress robes. Purple was an appropriate choice for this evening, after all; purple was the old school color, right? After checking his shoes Edward left his chambers and headed for the Great Hall…

In this case Edward decided that he would be the last person to enter the hall. To him nothing would prove his superiority over the students like making a bold entrance. He would stand out amongst the sea of gray and not a soul in the room would miss the six-foot-four Wizard striding into the hall with brightly colored robe. He would be fashionably late…

As soon as a Ministry official ushered the last student into the Great Hall, Edward made his entrance. Right before the tall door closed Edward threw them back open again, the doors slamming back into the wall. Edward slipped his wand back into his pocket and with a grin on his rugged face Edward glided across the room, his nose stuck high in the air. He registered a face here and there—but in the crowd he recognized none of the important students. Upon reaching the podium he turned back and addressed the crowd.

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” Edward boomed cheerfully, “My name is Edward Mort and I will be your Head of Operations this year. Now that introductions are out of the way, I’d like to go over some of the new school rules and such…”

“…To start off; you can already see that many of your old Professors have not returned this year save for McGonagall, Flitwick, and Pomfrey. The rest have been let go as their services are no longer needed. This year all electives and classes deemed ‘useless in these times’ have been cut. This year students will only learn the basics; Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts taught by your new Professor mister Arbad.

“You can also see that there are many Ministry workers placed about. Well you will see them everywhere you go. You were all placed in groups of five boys or five girls and everyday a Ministry official will escort you and your group around the castle on a strict schedule. You will go to classes with your worker, you will stop at the library with your worker, go to the bathroom only with your worker’s permission, and well you all get the idea.

“Since we must keep track of every student, which is easy seeing as how there are fewer students this year than usual, all extra curricular activities have been canceled for this year. The Ministry has also decided to put an end to this foolish house idea and this year there will be only two houses, the Boy’s house and the Girl’s house, formally Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers. When you go to your houses you will find lists of group and room assignments, bed assignments, and new uniforms. You will also find schedules on when you have classes, library time, relaxation time, study hall, and when you are expected to report to the main hall.

“Each evening you will return here, roll will be taken, and you will be served dinner.…”

“And finally the rules I had mentioned. You will find a list of rules in your common rooms and posted in various places about the castle. I suggest that you memorize these rules, and the consequences as well.”

"You may eat..."

[Minerva McGonagall]

There was something she had discovered about Mort that had rubbed Minerva the wrong way long before he was ever working with a Ministry, back when he was a school boy in fact. He had been a student of hers—a brilliant one at that. Even still there was something about him that had sent chills up her spine even when everyone else saw him as an innocent first year boy. On the outside Mort seemed friendly and charming—perhaps that why he disturbed her so much. She had seen this man’s transformation from snot-nosed brat to who he was that day and naturally she knew much more about him than these students did, and she had much more to be concerned about.

The best word to have described Mort, to put it frankly, was sadistic. He was not sadistic in the fact that he enjoyed inflicting physical pain on others, although he wasn’t above that. Mort seemed to be the kind of man that loved to take what a person loved the most—to isolate his prey and break them down into submission. Mort unnerved Minerva and she cursed herself for not stopping Mort when she had the ability to. She, like so many others, ignored the early signs and now it was too late. Minerva was virtually powerless to stop Mort in his plans. Sure she could try to fight against him but The Order needed her at the school, to watch over Potter. There had been rumors during the last war that Mort may have been working for the Dark Lord, but like so many others he was never tried…

Minerva was seated at the end of the staff table flanked by Ministry Officials. Her eyes darted across the room at the children. Were they terrified? To be honest she was too. Like Pomprey and Filch she hadn’t wanted to be here and she had the feeling that the Ministry had only kept her on to keep an eye on her too. Mort was already more than half way through his speech; she had missed the bulk of it when his presence had thrown her into deep thought. There was more to do, lessons to prepare for in the morning and it was late. Minerva searched the room once more and after her eyes found the raven haired, green eyed boy she had been told to watch over, she was satisfied.

Standing up, Minerva silently disappeared through the door to the Teacher’s Lounge…

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco hadn't paid much attention to Mort, but what he had absorbed- he had immediately disliked. He wasn't inclined to argue with the Ministry, but this was just stupid. Putting Gryffindors and Slytherins (even if they aren't such, officially) in one dorm is beyond moronic. Now, Draco supposed, he'd be expected to share a dorm with Potter.
That Mort- he must've gone to Hogwarts. For him to seriously expect that the four disbanded houses to get along dispite the disbandment was utter lunacy.
Either the man has utterly lost his wits, or he takes pleasure in sadism. He honestly believed that this was the latter- this man did not look insane. He looked cruel. He also reminded Draco of someone he'd seen in a Death Eater's mask once- but he couldn't be sure. He could hardly recognise his own father in one of those masks... His father...
Draco forced his mind away from that subject before he could break down completely and be taken to St. Mungo's. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the past- he forced himself away from this as well. His father had said this too many times for that to be a safe topic of thought either.
What would be a safe to think about?
He looked at the staff table- Headmistress McGonagall did not look pleased. Draco had seen her angry on several occasions, but now that she was fighting to hide her displeasure, she looked far more foreboding. Draco raised his glass and muttered "To another excellent school year," downed the pumpkin juice and attempted to think of nothing at all.

[Portia Ozmar]

Mort—how fitting a name that was for such a wizard. Despite his cheerful attitude and colorful attire Portia had never met a wizard that had brought so much gloom into one room. Perhaps it wasn’t just Mort’s decision to make these changes, but he seemed almost pleased to be the barer of such terrible news. For the first time ever Portia noticed just how plain the Great Hall was. Without warmth in the surroundings it all seemed so bare and gray.

Not a single reassurance came to Portia’s mind. She didn’t hear her inner voice try and tell her that things might not be as bad as they seemed. Her inner voice wouldn’t lie to her—she couldn’t lie to herself. There was nothing good to come out of this situation and there was no sense in being here. Was she really safer here than at home? Here where all the students were practically sitting ducks who weren’t even allowed their own wands in between class periods? And could the Ministry really protect any of them? They couldn’t even protect their own headquarters else they wouldn’t have needed to seize control of Hogsmeade.

As these thoughts ran through Portia’s mind she reached a shaky hand out for her goblet. "To another excellent school year…” She heard a boy comment behind her. And she drank to that.

[Jaeilyn Annesley]

Jaeilyn was absolutely furious. How on earth could people possibly treat someone this way? Sure they were all underage, but it wasn't like they were toddlers. Jaeilyn even thought that she was pretty teen-aged for a 16 year old. She didn't need anyone to tell her when she could eat, sleep, drink, and go to the bathroom. That was just pathetic! It wasn't enough that none of her favorite professors were gone, no, they just had to bring in some moronic adult who probably had no clue what he was doing.

As Jaei listened to him telling them about the many restrictions they would now have, there was one thing that stuck out. They would be split into houses of Boys and Girls. Jaei, for one hated that because it meant less time she'd get to spend with boys, and they just happened to be a major part of her life. The former Gryffindor sighed. Her life was over. Being told what to do every day for the next two years, had definitely not been on her to-do list.

As the Mr. Mort character began to end his insane rant, Jaeilyn looked around at the other tables. She wondered what was going on in everyone else's minds. She wondered if someone felt the same way she did about all this nonsense. From her point of view, it was all a bunch of crap and the Ministry was hiding things from them, just like always.

Mr. Mort had finally ended his speech and decided that the students could eat, but Jaielyn, who had been indeed been hungry when she'd first came into the hall, had now lost her appetite. This would definitely be one insane year. One she wouldn't miss out on for the world.

[Justin Li]

The young man of eighteen years in his seventh year sat there, stone cold, listening to the highly unfamiliar and unwelcome voice of the speaker. Hatred grew quickly inside him, geared towards the ‘Head of Operations’; what a joke. Justin Feng Li nearly winced after every sentence that came out of the mouth of that despicable Mort.

He especially felt like standing up and storming towards Mort with a raised wand when he said that there would be no extra-curricular activities, which meant there would be no Quidditch. He would have no life this year; it was bad enough when that Tri-Wizard Tournament came along during fourth year, cancelling Quidditch, and while the contenders were having quite a time, he and the rest of Hogwarts only stood by and observed, and he had been quite bored (especially during the last one, when he couldn’t even see what they were doing!).

It was his last year, and the thought of finishing out his years here feeling like he was in a concentration camp made his stomach turn sickeningly. When Mort was quite finished, Justin stared at his empty plate for a short while before he finally decided to eat. Others would not have eaten after hearing Mort, but Justin felt that it would only please the Ministry if one more student succumbed to them because they were not physically capable because of hunger.

Maybe it won’t be that bad, he thought, with the smallest hint of hope.

At any rate, he was not going to leave where he spent his greatest memories like this…like a slave. He knew his last year was meant to be more than this, and he was not going to stand by and take it quietly; he will refuse to turn the other cheek.

[Tatana Tipson]

Tatana sat stiffly on the bench paying little attention to any in the room as she ruminated how ridiculous it was to be forced to go to Hogwarts. Her eyes slowly wandered around the room taking in the faces few looking as happy or carefree as she remembered. The girl was surprised by how few people looked comfortable in a place that used to be loved by most of the student body. She shook her head and her hand carefully patted out a non existent wrinkle in her robe as everyone’s attention was drawn to the door,

The girl frowned as she watched the head walk into the hall like a peacock on parade. She sat watching disinterestedly as he headed to the front of the room and began his speech. Tatana’s frown deepens with each work he spoke. She shook her head briefly hoping that this was a joke no one could be so stupid as to implement such stringent measures.

Tatana didn’t really care about the abolishment of the houses, but the rest of his speech bothered her much more. As she listened as they laid out all the rules the knuckles of her hands grew whiter and whiter as she tried to stay calm. The whole time as she listens her mind is in a whirl angry thoughts swirling around madly. Abolish classes? What right do they have to tell me what classes I do and don’t need. And for the first time in her life the girl actually wished she hadn’t been born into the magical world.

She growled quietly as Mort finished his speech and gave them permission to eat. She didn’t want to eat. What she wanted to do was throw the whole meal plate and all at that arrogant man, but she resisted the urge and slowly ate picking at the food not really tasting any of it as she thought about the new changes around Hogwarts. She shuddered to think what this year would be like.

[Hermione Granger]

Hermione sat stonily on the bench not moving a single muscle. Holding her posture perfectly as she stared around the room her facial expression giving away nothing. She elbowed Ron as the door entered and a wizard dressed flamboyantly in purple robes strode into the hall his nose in the air. Hermione’s skin instantly prickled with dislike as she watched the man march to the front of the room.

The girl listened carefully as the wizard introduced himself as Edward Mort. She did not like the sound of his name at all. She frowned in concentration as he started to list off the changes to the school rules. Hermione didn’t miss a word or the possible impact of each one of the words and inside she vibrated with anger, but she remained visibly calm and relaxed.

Hermione wanted to gag at the cheerful manner the speech was given but not even the simplest person could misinterpret the real meaning of his speech. She could see in his eyes that he was glad that they were all there and even more glad that a majority vehemently did not want to be. Her eyes flashed angrily for a moment as she remembered how they had force her to come here; locked her up like a criminal in the worse place on earth, but she would not let them see how much Azkaban had bothered her.

She knew in the end the ministry would rue the day they made the decision to force people to back to Hogwart’s and if she had anything to do with it she’d be one of the reasons. Hermione blinked and focused again on Mort as he finished his speech and gave permission to eat. Her hand shook slightly as she reached for her fork.

Her eyes wandered the room again as she chewed mindlessly on her food wondering just how many of these students would be hurt or worse because of the Ministry’s decision. Hermione shook her head and tried to banish those thoughts knowing the only thing they could do now is prepare themselves the best they can for whatever happened whether the threat be from Voldemort or the Ministry.