Chapter Ten
The Slytherin common rooms were in the dungeons of the school, and partially under the lake. A large window, under the water, created an eerie effect of green light. Lou Ellen thought it was pretty cool, if somewhat gloomy.
The furniture was beautiful- antique couches with silk embroidered pillows, stuffed leather armchairs, fur rugs- which wasn't unanticipated considering how many pure-blood families belonged to the house. A fireplace burned opposite of the window, yellow fire popping cheerfully for such a quiet room. There were some desks in another corner with a bookshelf for studying.
Lou Ellen woke up early the next morning, and spent some time in the quiet common room reading. When it was time for breakfast, she rushed to the Great Hall, along with a few other Slytherins who wanted an early start on breakfast, to find Jason and Nico. She needed to talk to them about the speech.
Nico didn't arrive until about fifteen minutes after she did, Jason almost twenty. Jason made a beeline for Nico, and Lou Ellen followed.
"Where are you going?" said Slytherin girl in her year, named Millicent Bulstrode. She was an ordinary looking girl, if a tad overweight, who some cruel people might call ugly.
"Over to my friends," said Lou Ellen, pointing to Nico and Jason.
Millicent raised her eyebrows, "Them? The kid that looks like death and blondie? They won't be your friends anymore."
"Why not?" said Lou Ellen, becoming quickly irritated. "I've known Nico for almost a year, and he's my cousin… extended, cousin."
"Doesn't matter. I had friends, too. They all abandoned me after I was sorted." Her face turned bitter. Lou Ellen sat back down. Millicent seemed like an okay person, if a bit of a follower, and Lou Ellen couldn't imagine what Millicent had done to have her friends abandon her.
"What happened? Why would they abandon you for being sorted into Slytherin?" said Lou Ellen.
"Because Slytherin is the house that You-Know-Who was in. Nearly all of the bad wizards have been in Slytherin, so no one wants to have anything to do with us."
Lou Ellen stood up again. "If you're friends abandoned you for being in Slytherin, and only that, then they weren't really your friends. Nico and Jason are my friends, and I know they won't abandon me. For anything." Before she left, she turned back to the girl. "And Millicent, if you're willing to be my friend too, I promise I won't abandon you."
And it was true. From what she could tell from Umbridge's speech they were going to be in for a hell of a fight here, only they'd need to fight with words, not weapons. They would need to take Umbridge down without battling her in combat. That sort of fight would take allies within the school, and Lou Ellen wouldn't abandon her comrades for anything.
She walked to the Gryffindor table where Nico and Jason were seated, ignoring the many curious stares she was given, ranging from distrustful, to bewildered. She sat down and Nico rolled his eyes while chewing some fruit.
"I know why you're here. Can it wait till after breakfast?" said Nico.
"We have classes after breakfast, and I would like to keep my grades up." said Lou Ellen.
"I'd like to keep my weight up." said Nico.
Lou Ellen smirked. "Please, I saw how much you ate last night. You'll be fine."
Nico chuckled, "Do you have any idea how many calories shadow traveling burns?"
"Where on earth are you going to be shadow traveling? The lake is a ten minute walk from here."
"It's fifteen, and no. If I don't visit my sister, Hazel, at least a few times every month, she'll attempt to beat me to death with a spoon. Don't think she hasn't before."
Lou Ellen knew about Nico's sister, Hazel, from the many times he'd talked about her at Grimmauld Place, and she doubted the girl had.
"Would Hazel really beat you with a spoon?" said Lou Ellen skeptically, taking a grape from a fruit bowl.
"Yes," Said Nico and Jason simultaneously.
"Huh." Lou Ellen tried to picture the sweet, wonderful girl that Nico always described beating him with a wooden spoon, and was honestly disturbed. She instead changed the subject to Umbridge's speech last night.
"So, about last night's-"
"Oi, Snake! What're you doing here?" said one of the Gryffindors who had been staring at her as she sat down.
Neville, who was sitting next to Nico, shouted, "Shut up, McLaggen!"
"She's a Slytherin! She's not supposed to be over here."
"She's Nico's friend. They're talking."
The boy, McLaggen, stopped talking and resigned himself to glaring at Lou Ellen.
Nico smiled at Neville with lights in his eyes, that made Lou Ellen nervous for a reason she couldn't place. She ignored it in favor of continuing where she had left off. "Last night's speech, did you listen to all of it?"
"Yes, so did Jason."
She turned to Jason, "So you both know the severity of the situation?" Her voice was low.
Jason nodded, his mouth was full of eggs. He gulped, and said,"What are we going to do?",
"We wait," said Lou Ellen, "We need to find out what the Ministry is trying to do, so we wait till her class is over." She leaned in close. "Whatever you do, don't draw attention to yourself."
"What about Harry?" said Nico, in a low voice, "I doubt he'll stay quiet if she pulls anything. We're supposed to be guarding him. We can't do that if he's in detention alone."
"One of us will have to get into detention with him if that happens," said Lou Ellen,
"I'll do it," volunteered Jason,
"Are you sure?" said Nico,
"I'm sure,"
Lou Ellen turned to look at the students, who who standing up and starting to walk to their classes. She, Nico, and Jason followed them, eventually making their way to the History of Magic classroom, where Lou Ellen discovered it was taught by a ghost. She sat down next to Millicent.
"Why's the class taught by a ghost?"
Millicent shrugged, "Dunno. No one likes him, and half the school use the class as a way to nap. My guess is Dumbledore can't get him to leave the position."
Lou Ellen nodded, and tried to pay attention to the ghost, but found his voice droning, and by the end of the class, the only two who had managed to listen the entire time were Hermione, and Nico, though Nico's eyes were half glazed over.
"How did you manage to pay attention?" she asked,
"He's a ghost," was his response.
They continued on to potions. Lou Ellen thought she might like the class- she'd been brewing potions since she was old enough to stir a pot. It was a simple enough art, requiring logic and some amount of science. You didn't need to know fancy words or fancy wand waving techniques; you needed to know the causes and effects that certain ingredients would create, and even substitutions you could use if you were out of one. It was a lot like chemistry, in that way.
Lou Ellen had burned her way through several cauldrons and had obtained many magical burns, just like any veteran chemist had had their share of chemical burns.
She took a seat next to Nico, and readied her notes and supplies.
Professor Snape filed into the classroom in what could only be described as a bat-like manner. he had long black hair that reminded Lou Ellen of Nico's, only Nico's hair was clean- Professor Snape looked like it hadn't ever been washed properly.
"Settle down," said Professor Snape coldly, shutting the door to the classroom behind him. Lou Ellen wondered why he said it, there was no need to. The class had already been silent.
"Before we begin today lesson," said Professor Snape, sweeping over his desk and staring around at them all, "I think it is appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting in an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an Acceptable in your O.W.L., or suffer my… displeasure."
His gaze lingered on Neville, who gulped.
"After this year, many of you will cease studying with me," Snape went on. "I take only the best into my N.E.W.T. Potion class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying goodbye."
His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. Harry glared back. Lou Ellen had to resist rolling her eyes. This teacher seemed to have a flair for the dramatics, what with his swooping, and sweeping, and greasy speech.
"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," said Snape softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.
"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy handed with the ingredients, you will put the drinker into an irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing." Lou ellen straightened up, trying to pay close attention- this was a potion she hadn't mixed yet. "Snape flicked his wand, and the instructions and appeared. "You will find everything you need in the store cupboard. You have an hour and a half… Start."
Lou Ellen squinted at the blackboard, trying to make sense of what in said, but the words swam in her vision. She sighed, and squinted hard. Eventually she was able to make some sense out of the scrawling handwriting.
Try as she might, by the time Professor Snape announced that there should be a fine mist coming from their cauldron's, she was only halfway done. Her potion, was, however the correct color for the step she was currently on. Nico's potion, however, was an ugly puke color, and was giving on an even worse odor.
Snape stopped in front of her cauldron. He narrowed his eyes, "Miss Baines, how long did I give you to complete your potion?"
"An hour and a half, sir."
"Your potion is barely halfway completed, why is that?"
"I'm dyslexic, sir. So are Nico, and Jason."
He glared, "Does this dyslexia make you unable to complete your potion?"
"No, sir." said Lou Ellen politely, "It does, however, make it difficult to read your handwriting, sir. And the book is also almost as difficult to read."
Snape paused, and seemed to be thinking. Then he said, "You three will report here after dinner, I wish to speak to you about this."
She nodded, and Snape swept off to inspect the other potions. He and Harry seemed to have a strong amount animosity for each other, and the professor bitterly vanished Harry's potion, which while ruined because of a few missing drops of hellebore, was still a lot better than Neville's mess of a potion which had achieved the consistency of wet cement and had to be gouged out of the cauldron so as to be put in the flask.
Lunch was next. Millicent led Lou Ellen straight to the Slytherin table. She let her, deciding to get some information on Professor Snape.
"He's okay," said Millicent when asked. "Most of the students don't like him because he can be a bit harsh..."
"What do you mean?"
Millicent shrugged, "He has a habit of ridiculing students if they're being stupid. Like Longbottom- he melts at least a cauldron a month. Snape doesn't have the patience for it."
Lou Ellen frowned, "But shouldn't he try to help Neville instead of humiliating him?"
Millicent thought for a moment, "Maybe… There have been times… I don't know…"
"There have been times what?" said Lou Ellen.
Millicent shrunk away, looking behind her at a couple of Slytherins, who were gossiping about the latest article in Witch Weekly. She seemed to be afraid of something. Lou Ellen grabbed her hand, holding it firmly, but comfortingly. Millicent seemed to be nervous about something.
"What is it?" said Lou Ellen softly, so no one else would hear.
Millicent bit her lip, a guilty look on her face. "Some of the Slytherins don't like it when you talk bad about Snape. He's a hard teacher, but he's good to the Slytherins. Kind of like McGonagall is good to the Gryffindors, and so on. And he does care, sort of."
"But…?"
"But…" Suddenly Millicent glared and took her hand away, "Why am I telling you any of this? I barely know you."
Lou Ellen resisted huffing in frustration, "You don't have to tell me anything. I just want to know my way around the teachers."
"Oh," Millicent sighed heavily, "Well, all right. Snape is good to the Slytherins, so long as you're not incompetent, and you pay attention. The same with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. But he absolutely hates anyone in Gryffindor, and most of Slytherin doesn't really care, since most Gryffindors are jerks to us anyways. But sometimes… I don't know. He can be a bit of a bully, especially to Neville, who is okay, for a Gryffindor I suppose."
Lou Ellen smiled, "Thank you, Millicent," and she took her hands again, "I really hope we can be friends,"
Millicent smiled a bit sheepishly- a look that wasn't common on the, for the most part, sullen Slytherins. "Thanks… I'd really like that, too. It's hard to find an actual friend in this house. One that doesn't want to use you."
The bright smile on Lou Ellen's face nearly broke, and she felt a wash of guilt, as that had been Lou Ellen's exact plan. Millicent was a follower, and as such had access to stores of gossip and useful tidbits of information on most of Slytherin's cliques and powerful figures. Not only that, but Millicent was a master of manipulation; she had a habit of faking subservience and fear to gain power over people, then using that power to lure secrets her victims wouldn't tell otherwise.
For a moment Lou Ellen wondered if Millicent was playing her as well.
She shook that thought from her mind and managed to keep up the friendly act. Plus, a large part of her didn't really mean Millicent any harm, and she did hope to make at least one friend in Slytherin. Preferably a girl.
Gods, she miss Katie.
"I know what you mean," said Lou Ellen, "Back at Camp, the one I went to for Battle Magic, my… house, I suppose you could call it that, wasn't trusted. I only had a couple of friends."
"Were Nico and Jason those friends?"
Lou Ellen shook her head, "No, I actually barely know them. Well, sort of."
"What do you mean?" Millicent's eyes widened, as if she sensed gossip. This was good, an exchange of gossip helped enhance a bond of trust between friends.
"Well, it's kind of a long story. Jason went to a Battle Magic school way on the other side of the country. I know him through Nico. Nico is extended family of mine, and went to the same Battle Magic school that I did. We aren't really friends, more acquaintances, but I do…" She dropped off, leaving Millicent wanting more.
"You what?" she said anxiously,
"Promise you won't tell anyone?" Lou Ellen said,
"Cross my heart and hope to die," said Millicent, crossing her heart.
Lou Ellen grinned, "Well, I have a little bit of a crush on him. More than a little bit."
"Really? But he's a Gryffindor!" said Millicent, aghast.
"Not at camp! At camp he was in the same boat as me. He wasn't trusted by most of the campers, they actually feared him. To make it worse, he was almost always gone, doing errands for his family. He didn't really know many people, and…" Lou Ellen sighed. This whole conversation was making her nostalgic, and had her thinking of the afternoons where she and Katie spent discussing boys, and the weird things they did.
"And?" said Millicent curiously,
"The things he did. He's really brave, and mysterious. And he's nice too- he hates bullies, no matter who they are. Ron-"
"Weasley?"
"Yeah, he was talking about doing something that actually was really mean, funny at the time, but mean, and Nico actually stood up to him about it."
"Really?"
"Yeah,"
Millicent shook her head, "That's stupid, noble, but stupid."
"Why is it stupid," said Lou Ellen,
Millicent sighed, as if she were talking to a child about the affairs of life, "Because it's the Golden Trio,"
"Is that their nickname, Harry, Ron and Hermione?"
She shrugged, "Some of the students call them that, so yeah, maybe. Anyways, they're sort of the top clique around here. Everyone looks up to them, and wants to be them. Being against them is sort of social suicide, unless you're in Slytherin. If you're in Slytherin, you go up to the top of the ranks. In our house at least."
Lou Ellen frowned, "What do you think of them, and I won't tell anyone, I swear to it."
Millicent bit her lip again, but she looked over her shoulder, "They… they keep to themselves, for the most part. I don't think they really trust anyone else. Harry, and Hermione are okay- I actually think Harry would make a decent Slytherin, from what I've heard of him. Ron, Ron is a bit of a prat, but he's like that to everyone, so I think that's his default setting…"
She sat back, and turned to her Shepherd's Pie, poking at it a bit. Lou Ellen turned to look at Nico, who was eating a mountain of food, making Lou Ellen wonder if he was subconsciously trying to make up for what he had deprived himself of that past year. She remembered that, from what she had seen of him at camp that past year, there was an eight month period where he had barely touched any food he was given, and a few months ago, he had been so thin… He had looked like a prisoner of war, or even a Holocaust survivor.
He had gained weight since then. A lot of weight, actually. But Lou Ellen knew that if he bared his chest, she'd still be able to count his ribs with ease…
Lou Ellen wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to him in the Giant War. And if the attraction she felt for him was genuine, or shallow and fake.
She and Millicent ended their conversation and focused on their lunch until it was time for Divination. Immediately, upon entering the room, she knew this class would be one of her least favorites. The tables were low, and instead of chairs, she had them using beanbags, or squashy armchairs. The room was stuffy, and a very unnecessary fireplace burned hot in the corner of the room.
She moved to sit next to Jason and Nico, who were seated at the table opposite of Harry and Ron, but there was already a third person there. A blond seventeen year old looking boy, gazing adoringly at Professor Trelawney, with a handsome face, perfect lips, and…
Snap out of it, she told herself.
She walked up to the boy, who had a ray of sunshine landing on his face, making his hair shine like gold. She cleared her throat, and stared him down, "Excuse me, may I sit next to my friends?"
Jason looked at her with a confused face, Nico did the same. "...Uh… Lou Ellen?"
The handsome boy smiled cheerfully, "I don't mind, pull up another beanbag."
Lou Ellen grumbled, but did what she was told. Jason and Nico were still giving her odd looks.
"What?" said Lou Ellen, pulling herself up to the table.
"There no one there." said Jason, motioning to where the boy sat, still gazing at Trelawney with what she could only describe as pride in his eyes.
"Yes there is," she argued, "Some blond surfer boy is…" Lou Ellen trailed off, her eyes widening with realization, and she slowly turned her head to the handsome boy.
The boy smirked,
"Took you long enough,
It only goes to show that,
I am so awesome."
Lou Ellen froze, but managed to get out, "L-lord Apollo, what are you doing here…?"
He sighed adoringly, still admiring Trelawney, "Checking up on my Great-Great-Great Granddaughter. She has the Sight, did you know?" He said this like a father would proudly show off his child.
"Oh, that's nice." said Lou Ellen, "But why why can only I see you?"
Apollo grinned, and turned to her. "Because I want you to see me."
Yay…
"You do?"
"Yes, because I came to give you a warning?"
Lou Ellen straightened up, "A warning, why?"
"Why does it matter?" Apollo shrugged, "It's a warning coming from the God of Prophecy, I'd take it and wouldn't question it. Plus Mr. Sunshine over there," he pointed to Nico, and laughed at his pun, "Is cute, and I like cute things." Lou Ellen felt a stab of jealousy. She really didn't want to have to compete with a God.
"What's the warning?"
He leaned in close, "Don't miss Divination, and remember your Prophecy," and before Lou Ellen could ask him anymore then that, he faded away in a golden shimmer.
Jason and Nico were still staring at her. "I'll tell you later," she said.
And class started.
…
After Divination, there was Defense Against the Dark Arts.
When they entered the classroom, Professor Umbridge was already seated at her desk, wearing the horrible pink Cardigan from the previous night, with a large black velvet robe from the night before. Lou Ellen felt a strong urge to turn both the cardigan, and the bow, to a gross shade of vomit. Her toadlike face was smiling at the with fake sweetness.
Everyone was quiet when they entered the room.
"Well, good afternoon!" she said when finally the whole class sat down.
A few people mumbled "Good afternoon," in reply.
"Tut, tut," said Professor Umbridge, "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, professor Umbridge.' One more time, please."
"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." They chanted back at her.
"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly, "That wasn't too bad, was it? Wands away, and quills out, please."
Most of the class exchanged gloomy looks. Lou Ellen was quietly surprised. This was a defense class, wouldn't they need to learn spells? She shoved her wand in her bag, though decided to place it in there more gently in the future when she noticed how carefully Nico arranged his in his book bag, and took out her pen, pencil, and paper. Screw quills, they were inefficient and hard to write with.
Millicent, who was sitting next to her, looked at the pen with curious eyes, but didn't say anything.
Professor Umbridge waved her wand, and like in Potions, word appeared on the blackboard. Neat, cursive, writing. She glared at the board, wonderful. She raised her hand, but Professor Umbridge ignored her.
"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see from you O.W.L. year.
"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of magic this year. Copy down the following, please."
More cursive writing appeared on the blackboard.
Lou Ellen waved her hand in the air, which Umbridge still ignored.
"Millicent," she whispered frantically, "I need you to tell me what's on the board, I can't read it."
Millicent nodded, and whispered it back.
A shadow loomed over them, and Lou Ellen looked up to find Professor Umbridge standing over her, "Can I help you?" she said.
Lou Ellen blinked, "Yes, actually you can."
Professor Umbridge smiled sweetly, "With what, might I ask?"
"I'm dyslexic, and so is Jason and Nico. We can't read your handwriting."
Professor Umbridge continued smiling. "Miss-?"
"Blackstone," said Lou Ellen.
"Forgive me, Miss Blackstone, but I find it hard to believe that all three of the transfer students just happen to be dyslexic. If my handwriting is hard to read, I should like you to simply try harder." she smiled a toadlike smile, then went back to the front of the room.
Lou Ellen sat in shocked silence, then decided that she would turn the stupid black bow a nice shade of vomit.
For a couple minutes, the room was filled with the sound of scratching quills on parchment. When they were finished with their copying, Professor Umbridge said, "Has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
The student murmured dully throughout the class.
"I think we'll try that again," said Professor Umbridge, "When i ask you a question, I should like you to reply, 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang throughout the room.
"Good," said Professor Umbridge, "I should Like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners'. There will be no need to talk."
Professor Umbridge left the black board and settled herself in the chair behind the teacher's desk, observing them all with her pouchy toad eyes. Lou Ellen glared, and snapped her fingers underneath the desk, imagining them to look like real toad eyes. When they turned yellow , with the iris horizontal, she forced down a smirk and kept a poker face on. She didn't say anything, simply turned to page five and started to try to read.
So did everyone else. If anyone noticed her toad eyes, they didn't say anything.
Reading the book was boring, and almost as bad as listening to the horrible teacher. Soon, Lou Ellen was sure she'd read the same line at least twelve times, and a quick glance at harry, and she believed he'd done the same. Millicent was sleeping with her chin propped up on an arm, Nico was making ghost rats dance up on the beams above and them away from the curious stares of whatever student happen to see them, Jason was balancing a pencil on his lip, Ron was rolling a quill between his fingers, Hermione was…
Hermione hadn't even opened her book. She was sitting stock straight, with her hand high in the air for all to see, staring straight at professor Umbridge, who was staring just as resolutely in another direction.
Several minutes passed, and Lou Ellen was not the only one who had noticed Hermione, who was still sitting with her hand in the air. Harry, and most of the other students in the class had noticed her as well.
Finally, Professor Umbridge could ignore her no longer.
"Do you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" she asked Hermione, as if she had only just noticed her.
"Not about the chapter, no," said Hermione.
"Well, we're reading just now," said Professor Umbridge through her small pointed teeth. "If you have other queries we can deal with them after class."
"I've got a query about your course aims," said Hermione.
Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.
"And your name is-?"
"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.
"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them carefully, I can't imagine there are four people in my class with difficulty reading." She smiled sweetly at Lou Ellen, Lou Ellen smiled sweetly back, causing Professor Umbridge to look taken aback for just a second.
Hermione carried on, "No, I don't have any difficulty reading, however there is nothing in your course aims about using defensive magic."
Lou Ellen turned to Hermione with her eyes wide. What? The ministry couldn't…
The other students seemed to notice this as well.
"Using defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"
Lou Ellen glanced at Nico who was glaring at Professor Umbridge. It could be arranged. Maybe a few zombies to stir things up.
"We're not going to be using magic?" Ron blurted out loudly.
"Students raise their hands when they wish to talk in my class, Mr.-?"
"Weasley," said Ron, thrusting his hand in the air.
Professor Umbridge, smiling even more widely, turned her back on him. Harry and Hermione raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.
"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"
"Yes," said Hermione, "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells."
"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert. Miss Granger?" said Professor Umbridge in a falsely sweet voice.
"No, but-"
"Well then, I'm afraid you're not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older than you have devised a program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way-"
"What use is that?" said Harry loudly, "If we're going to be in a-"
"Hand, Mr. Potter!" sanf Professor Umbridge.
Harry thrust his fist into the air. Professor Umbridge promptly turned away from him again, but now several students had their hand up to.
"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge turned to a black Gryffindor boy.
"Dean Thomas,"
"Well, Mr. Thomas?"
"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it?" said Dean, "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a risk-free-"
"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at Dean, "Do you expect to be attacked in my classes?"
It can be arranged, repeated Lou Ellen in her head.
"No, but-"
Professor Umbridge talked over him.
"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school," she said, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, "But you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class- not to mention," she gave a nasty little laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."
Excuse me? While Lou Ellen knew the insult was meant for someone else, she couldn't help but feel very offended. I'll give you an extremely dangerous half-breed, she thought, fuming.
Nico and Jason, the latter who was clutching at his desk with his knuckles starting to go white, seemed to feel the same. Jason's face had gone white, and he seemed to be trying to shut something out.
"If you mean Professor Lupin," piped up Dean angrily, "He was the best we ever-"
"Hand, Mr. Thomas! As I was saying- you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group, and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing you are likely to meet Dark attacks every day-"
"No, we haven't," said Hermione, "We just-"
"Your hand is not up Miss Granger!"
Hermione thrust her hand into the air; professor Umbridge turned away from her.
"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you-"
"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?" said Dean Thomas hotly, "Mind you, we still learned loads-"
"Your hand is not up, Mr. Thomas!" trilled Professor Umbridge. "Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" she added, staring at Parvati, whose hand had just shot up.
"Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.'s? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the countercurses and things?"
Lou Ellen narrowed her eyes, and kept observing the discussion, however, she glanced at Jason again, and was surprised to see he was shaking, but with rage, not fear. She bit her lip nervously, hoping that he wouldn't start shooting of sparks.
"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions."
"Without ever practising them before?" said Parvati incredulously, "Are you telling us the first time we ever actually perform these spells will be during our exam?"
"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory long enough-"
"And what use is theory going to be in the real world?" said Harry loudly, his fist having been raised in the air again.
Professor Umbridge looked up.
"This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world." she said softly.
"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's out there?"
"There is nothing out there, Mr. Potter."
"Oh yeah?" said Harry.
"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?"
"Hmm, let's think… maybe Lord Voldemort?"
The reaction would have been hilarious, had not been for the environment. Ron gasped; another girl gave a little scream; Neville slipped sideways off his chair. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch. She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face. It hit Lou ellen that this had been her plan all along.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter." said Professor Umbridge, "Now, let's make a few things quite plain."
She stood up, and leaned toward them, her stubby fingered hands splayed on her desk.
"You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead-"
"He wasn't dead," said Harry angrily, "But yeah, he's returned!"
"Mr. Potter, you have already lost your house ten points, do not make things worse for yourself," said Professor Umbridge in one breath without looking at Harry, "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."
"It is NOT a lie! I saw him, I fought him!"
"Detention, Mr. Potter!" said Professor Umbridge triumphantly, "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, this is a lie-"
"You're a fool."
Lou Ellen couldn't hold back a gasp. Jason had stood up. He was shaking, and unbuttoning his shirt. The students in the classroom were whispering. Professor Umbridge glared at Jason.
"Mr.-?"
"Grace. Jason Grace," he said without looking up at her, only focusing on unbuttoning his shirt with his shaking hands.
"Mr. Grace, I should ask that you stop undressing yourself in my classroom." she said with a wide fake smile.
"No." said Jason.
He finished unbuttoning it, and slipped the shirt off his shoulders. Several students gasped in shock, Hermione covered her mouth with her hands. Jason turned around, and Lou Ellen was able to see what the fuss was about.
His entire stomach was covered by a jagged scar.
"I don't know who this Lord Voldemort is, or You-Know-Who, if that's what you insist on calling him. I'm just an ignorant American who doesn't pay a lick of attention to British Wizarding news, but I do know that while on vacation to Athens last summer, I was attacked by Giants, me and my family. They didn't care that I was a child, or that my cousins were either. They just wanted to kill us.
"You aren't safe because you're children. If anything that makes you even more vulnerable! Have any of you read Hansel and Gretel? No one? Well, just remember, wolves don't attack the healthy caribou, they go after the sick, weak, and young. Theories won't help you in the real world; a martial artist can read for years on the theory of combat, but unless he develops muscle memory and strength, those theories and knowledge are useless anywhere outside of a classroom."
Jason put his shirt back on and sat down, maintaining a staring contest with Professor Umbridge the entire time.
She had stopped smiling, and the entire class was silent. Harry was just looking as Jason with something of respect in his eyes.
"Mr. Grace, while your story is… inspiring to us all, I must ask that you attend detention with Mr. Potter tonight at five o'clock, my office. Do not be late, and do not interrupt my class again."
Harry looked like he was about to jump out of his seat, but Hermione stopped him.
Class continued as usual.
A/N Whew. That was a bit longer than I intended it to be. This will also, almost definitely, be AU from Blood of Olympus. Just thought I would announce that.