Piper, Chapter Seven, The Man.
To say that I was not used to Hogwarts was an understatement. 'We've been here for two weeks now, why hadn't anything happened?' I thought as I buttered my toast. I was actually about as tired as Harry looked – that's what you get for putting off all your homework because I had been out talking with Jason in an old classroom. I was, frankly, surprised nobody had found us, not even Peeves, the school's poltergeist, who had taken a special interest in tormenting me.
Oh! And I need to call my dad. Hopefully, Leo can finish one of those Delta pads for me, so I can Skype him.
Hermione let out a huge gasp beside me, and flattened her newspaper down against the table to reveal a large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at them from beneath the headline: MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"
"What's that?" I asked curiously. Thalia leaned in from Hermione's other side. "What does that mean?" Hermione asked, and then read aloud: "In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
" 'The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time,' said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.' "This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.
" 'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success —' "
"She's been a WHAT?" said Harry loudly. "Wait, there's more," said Hermione grimly as I sent a worried look to Thalia. " '— an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.'
"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor.'
" 'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts,' said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.'
"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts. " 'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.'
"Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half giant Rubeus Hagrid, and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.
"Rumors abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts.
" 'I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence,' said a Ministry insider last night.
"Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.
" 'Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office,' said Madam Marchbanks. 'This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.' (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17)." Hermione finished reading and glanced around the table.
"Well . . . . fuck," Thalia supplied, setting her fork down with a clank.
"So now we know how we ended up with Umbridge! Fudge passed this 'Educational Decree' and forced her on us! And now he's given her the power to inspect other teachers!" Hermione was breathing fast and her eyes were very bright. "I can't believe this. It's outrageous. . . ."
"I know it is," said Harry. But a grin was unfurling on Ron's face. "What?" said Harry and Hermione together, all of us staring at him. "Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected," said Ron happily. "Umbridge won't know what's hit her."
"Well, come on," said Hermione, jumping up, "we'd better get going if she's inspecting Binns' class we don't want to be late. . . ."
But Professor Umbridge was not inspecting their History of Magic lesson, which was just as dull as the previous Monday, nor was she in Snape's dungeon when they arrived for double Potions, where Professor Snape handed me my moonstone essay was handed back to me with a black spiky A scrawled in the corner. I glanced at Thalia's, which had a D scrawled in an upper corner.
"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," said Snape with a smirk, as he swept among them, passing back their homework. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination." Snape reached the front of the class and turned to face them.
"The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week's essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D's."
He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, "Some people got D's? Ha!" god, I hated that boy. Ever since he was asked if I was half-blood, he had since continued with jokes of the same merit.
"Well, that wasn't as bad as last week, was it?" said Hermione, as they climbed the steps out of the dungeon and made their way across the entrance hall toward lunch. "And the homework didn't go too badly either, did it?"
When none of us answered, she pressed on, "I mean, all right, I didn't expect the top grade, not if he's marking to O.W.L. standard, but a pass is quite encouraging at this stage, wouldn't you say?"
"It was alright, I guess. He doesn't hate me, apparently," I said with a shrug.
Harry made a noncommittal noise in his throat. "Of course, a lot can happen between now and the exam, we've got plenty of time to improve, but the grades we're getting now are a sort of baseline, aren't they? Something we can build on . . ."
They sat down together at the Gryffindor table. "Obviously, I'd have been thrilled if I'd gotten an O —" "Hermione," said Ron sharply, "if you want to know what grades we got, ask."
"I don't — I didn't mean — well if you want to tell me —"
"I got a P," said Ron, ladling soup into his bowl. "Happy?"
"Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of," said Fred, who had just arrived at the table with George and Lee Jordan and was sitting down on Harry's right. "Nothing wrong with a good healthy P."
"But," said Hermione, "doesn't P stand for . . ."
" 'Poor,' yeah," said Lee Jordan. "Still, better than D, isn't it? 'Dreadful'?"
Harry began to blush, and Thalia glared daggers at the seventh year boy.
"I got a D," she growled, and Lee shut his half-open mouth.
"So top grade's O for 'Outstanding,' " Hermione said, "and then there's A —"
"No, E," George corrected her, "E for 'Exceeds Expectations.' And I've always thought Fred and I should've got E in everything because we exceeded expectations just by turning up for the exams." They all laughed except Hermione, who plowed on, "So after E, it's A for 'Acceptable,' and that's the last pass grade, isn't it?"
"Yep," said Fred, dunking an entire roll in his soup, transferring it to his mouth, and swallowing it whole.
"Then you get P for 'Poor' " — Ron raised both his arms in mock celebration — "and D for 'Dreadful.' "
"And then T," George reminded him. "T?" asked Hermione, looking appalled. "Even lower than a D? What on earth does that stand for?"
" 'Troll', " said George promptly, making me laugh.
"You lot had an inspected lesson yet?" Fred asked them.
"No," said Hermione at once, "have you?"
"Just now, before lunch," said George. "Charms."
"What was it like?" Thalia and Hermione asked together.
Fred shrugged. "Not that bad. Umbridge just lurked in the corner making notes on a clipboard. You know what Flitwick's like, he treated her like a guest, didn't seem to bother him at all. She didn't say much. Asked Alicia a couple of questions about what the classes are normally like, Alicia told her they were really good, that was it."
"I can't see old Flitwick getting marked down," said George, "he usually gets everyone through their exams alright."
"Who've you got this afternoon?" Fred asked Harry.
"Trelawney —"
"A T if ever I saw one —"
"— and Umbridge herself."
"Well, be a good boy and keep your temper with Umbridge today," said George to Harry. "Angelina'll do her nut if you miss any more Quidditch practices."
Of course, none of us had to wait for DADA to see Professor Umbridge. (Well, other then Lou Ellen, who had refused to take a fraud seer class and had opted for Math instead. As Thalia was pulling out her dream diary, I elbowed her, as I saw Professor Umbridge's toad face emerging from the trap door.
The class, which had been talking cheerily, fell silent at once. The abrupt fall in the noise level made Professor Trelawney, who had been wafting about handing out Dream Oracles, look round.
"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," said Professor Umbridge with her wide smile. "You received my note, I trust? Giving the time and date of your inspection?"
Professor Trelawney nodded curtly and, looking very disgruntled, turned her back on Professor Umbridge and continued to give out books. Still smiling, Professor Umbridge grasped the back of the nearest armchair and pulled it to the front of the class so that it was a few inches behind Professor Trelawney's seat. She then sat down, took her clipboard from her flowery bag, and looked up expectantly, waiting for the class to begin.
Professor Trelawney pulled her shawls tight about her with slightly trembling hands and surveyed the class through her hugely magnifying lenses. "We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in a brave attempt at her usual mystic tones though her voice shook slightly. "Divide into pairs, please, and interpret each other's latest nighttime visions with the aid of the Oracle."
She made as though to sweep back to her seat, saw Professor Umbridge sitting right beside it, and immediately veered left toward Parvati and Lavender, who were already deep in discussion about Parvati's most recent dream.
I opened my copy of The Dream Oracle with a sigh. I watched Professor Umbridge out of the corner of my eye.
"Think of a dream, quick, in case, she comes our way," I hissed to Thalia. She shrugged. "I did actually have a dream last night. I was in Montana with the H's," she began. We had agreed to call the Hunters the 'H's' as to not arouse suspicion. "And Aunt Arty was leading the group, Pheobe behind her. Suddenly this group of Telkhines jumps out of nowhere and they were everywhere, and it looked as if they were losing the battle."
I wrote it all down quickly and looked at Thalia expectantly. "And then what happened?" I asked, curious.
"And then you spilled water all over me and I woke up," she complained, staring daggers at me. After a moment, she relaxed and gave a small laugh, and I chuckled. Thalia nodded behind her, where Professor Umbridge and Professor Trelawney were as I began to scribble down and flip through my book, trying to listen to what Umbridge was saying to Professor Trelawney. They were only two tables away from Thalia and I. Professor Umbridge was making another note on her clipboard and Professor Trelawney was looking extremely put out.
"Now," said Umbridge, looking up at Trelawney, "you've been in this post how long, exactly?"
Professor Trelawney scowled at her, arms crossed and shoulders hunched as though wishing to protect herself as much as possible from the indignity of the inspection. After a slight pause in which she seemed to decide that the question was not so offensive that she could reasonably ignore it, she said in a deeply resentful tone, "Nearly sixteen years."
"Quite a period," said Professor Umbridge, making a note on her clipboard. "So it was Professor Dumbledore who appointed you?"
"That's right," said Professor Trelawney shortly.
Professor Umbridge made another note. "And you are a great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney?"
"Yes," said Professor Trelawney, holding her head a little higher. Another note on the clipboard.
"But I think — correct me if I am mistaken — that you are the first in your family since Cassandra to be possessed of second sight?"
"These things often skip — er — three generations," said Professor Trelawney.
Professor Umbridge's toadlike smile widened. "Of course," she said sweetly, making yet another note. "Well, if you could just predict something for me, then?"
She looked up inquiringly, still smiling. Professor Trelawney had stiffened as though unable to believe her ears.
"I don't understand you," said Professor Trelawney, clutching convulsively at the shawl around her thin neck.
"I'd like you to make a prediction for me," said Professor Umbridge very clearly.
Thalia now was flipping listlessly between the pages, not even pretending to be working as she was turned away from the pair.
Thalia and I were not the only people watching and listening sneakily from behind their books now; most of the class were staring transfixed at Professor Trelawney as she drew herself up to her full height, her beads and bangles clinking.
"The Inner Eye does not See upon command!" she said in scandalized tones. "I see," said Professor Umbridge softly, making yet another note on her clipboard.
"I — but — but . . . wait!" said Professor Trelawney suddenly, in an attempt at her usual ethereal voice, though the mystical effect was ruined somewhat by the way it was shaking with anger. "I . . . I think I do see something . . . something that concerns you. . . . Why, I sense something . . . something dark . . . some grave peril . . ."
Professor Trelawney pointed a shaking finger at Professor Umbridge who continued to smile blandly at her, eyebrows raised. "I am afraid . . . I am afraid that you are in grave danger!" Professor Trelawney finished dramatically.
There was a pause. Professor Umbridge's eyebrows were still raised. "Right," she said softly, scribbling on her clipboard once more. "Well, if that's really the best you can do . . ."
She turned away, leaving Professor Trelawney standing rooted to the spot, her chest heaving.
I felt bad for the poor woman, that was at least until she reached our table and foretold that all of my dreams foretold terrible omens, death, and so on. They probably did – demigod dreams are never good, but she did this at every table, proclaiming and snapping at students.
Next Thalia and I had Care of Magical Creatures. Sadly, we missed Harry and Hermione's outbreak again, which sounded to be quite spectacular.
As we studied Nifflers (apparently something everybody had learned about last year but had not bothered to inform Professor Grubbly Plank about,) Thalia and I hanging back.
"It's hard to protect him. And we don't even know what we're defending from. Well, magic obviously but still we're not with him at all times. And Jason isn't even in the same dorm as him. What are we even doing here?" she hissed into my ear as I scribbled down notes – or, at least, pretended to, I was actually doodling Jason riding Tempest.
I shrugged. "I think dealing with her should be the main goal for us. She's going to be taking over this school as much as she can, and she keeps on doling out detentions to Harry. Also, if she finds out . . . . well . . . ." my whisper trailed off, and I got lost in a thought.
"She hates half-breeds. Imagine what she'd do to us." Thalia hissed. I didn't reply, as my mind spun around the possibilities that were forming in my head. A slow smile grew upon my face.
"I have an idea." I said, and Thalia grinned at the look on my face.
A/N: Let me just explain the P.O.V's real quick. The main POV's are Piper, Leo, Lou, Hermione, and Annabeth. They will mainly have their own chapters, unless one of the minor POV's come into play, that being Percy & Nico, who will only really be used to establish plot lines or continue the story, essentially if I get writers block I can fall back to advance the story. I don't like doing it, but it's a good fail-safe. I doubt they'll get their own chapters. So far, none of the HP characters apart from Hermione will have a POV, and Jason and Thalia I probably won't incorporate their POV's in. If there's a request for any certain POV I'll make the chapter after the one I'm working on whatever you requested.
This is only about 3K but I sliced off some of this chapter and added to the next. Next chapter is Lou! I have some plans for her :D she's going to be my little side plot for now.
SPECIAL THANKS TO RangerLyra for reviewing! I remember why I didn't update before, I promised myself as soon as somebody reviewed chapter five I would update but nobody did so I just forgot about it :/ but I have yet again adopted the mentality, at least for this chapter! Shout outs to all of the people following and favoriting my story! Hope you enjoyed!