New Mission: Teach
"Filius," Ziva greeted happily, opening the door to the NCIS quarters on Wednesday after breakfast. "What a pleasant surprise. You do not have a class now?"
"No, I do not," Flitwick answered with a smile. "Dumbledore's asked me to show you lot your new classrooms."
"Whoah, whoah, whoah!" Tony exclaimed, popping off his bed and joining Ziva at the door. "Dumbledore got the classes approved already? I thought he'd have to hash it out with Umbridge for at least a week!"
"We thought so too, Agent DiNozzo," Flitwick admitted, "but Albus put his foot down. Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the hallway.
"Ah," Ziva objected. "Gibbs is – "
"Right here," Gibbs said, walking up the hallway. "Professor Flitwick," he greeted. "How can we help?"
"I'm here to show you your classrooms," Flitwick answered.
Gibbs's eyebrows drew together. "How'd you know the classes got approved? I just came from the meeting with Dumbledore and Umbridge – "
"The staff has its way of communicating, Agent Gibbs," Flitwick said good naturedly. "Come along!"
"Ducky, McGee, and Abby are in with Professor Burbage," Gibbs objected. "Shouldn't we wait for them?"
"I don't think so, Agent Gibbs," Flitwick said. "We really ought to get you settled as quickly as possible."
"I'm game," Tony said, throwing on his jacket. "I want to start showing these kids who's boss."
"Dumbledore's going to make the announcement of the classes at lunch," Flitwick said as he led Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva through the halls. "If you could be in the rooms I'm showing you tonight and tomorrow night, you can count how many students are interested. We'll get any supplies over the weekend and you can start Monday."
"This is going very fast," Ziva said uncertainly.
"That's the way it must be, Ziva," Flitwick said with a small sigh, then opened a door with the flick of his wand. "Agent DiNozzo, this is you."
Tony walked into his classroom and nodded as he looked around. "Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all." The room was a cozy size and had a very earthy feel to it. There were no windows, but the dancing flames on the torches hanging from the walls would provide plenty of entertainment for bored students.
"Meet you down in the Great Hall for lunch, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, then closed the door and continued on with Ziva and Flitwick.
Flitwick next revealed a rather open room with so many windows torches need not be lit during the day. "This room gets rather cold during the winter," Flitwick said, gesturing to large fireplaces in the front and the back of the room. "It's got a fantastic view of the grounds, though."
"This room is mine, yes?" Ziva said hopefully.
"It is," Flitwick confirmed.
Ziva smiled and looked around the room again before beginning to grab desks and rearrange them. "Rows or groups?" she asked.
"Groups cause a lot of chatter," Gibbs answered.
"Hmmm," Ziva said thoughtfully, suddenly stopping and looking very thoughtfully at the desks before her.
Flitwick set both fireplaces ablaze, then he and Gibbs left Ziva to her own devices.
"Umbridge won't be pleased about how quickly this is moving," Gibbs said as he and Flitwick made their way down a flight of stairs.
"You've been to all the meetings," Flitwick said. "You've got a better idea of her mood than I do."
"But I can't predict her reaction as well as you can," Gibbs said.
"Well don't expect a cake walk, Agent Gibbs," Flitwick said.
"I don't. Not in the least. I'd say she's about at her wit's end."
"Then expect to be at the end of your own wit very soon," Flitwick advised.
"Great," Gibbs said sarcastically. "Has there been any more news about the Azkaban escapees?"
"Not a thing," Flitwick said in an uncharacteristically harsh voice. "You might try asking Minerva when you see her," he added significantly.
Gibbs thought of Kingsley and Tonks working in the Auror department, then nodded. "I'll do that."
"Here we are, Agent Gibbs," Flitwick said, opening the door to a plain, standard classroom. "I've got to warn you that the bookshelf over there opens into a secret passageway. No doubt students will attempt to use it for whatever immature purposes they please."
Gibbs opened the bookshelf and looked down the dark, narrow hallway. "I don't mind it," he said. "I'll put some bells on the top there, stop kids from sneaking in or out."
"It might not only be used by students," Flitwick said significantly.
Gibbs's eyebrows shot up. "She'll sink that low, will she?"
"I wouldn't put anything past her. Keep on your toes," Flitwick advised.
"Do you have time to show me where Ducky will be?"
"I do not," Flitwick said. "I've got a class starting in just a few minutes, actually. I believe Pomona's going to be fetching Dr. Mallard to show him his classroom. McGee and Miss Scuito should still be with Professor Burbage this next block. Now, I really must be off!" Flitwick disappeared through the bookshelf secret passageway, leaving Gibbs alone in his new classroom.
"Oh, how you owe me, Minerva," Gibbs said to himself as he tried to pry open his very rough wooden desk.
Gibbs entered the Great Hall for lunch to find Umbridge seething in her seat on the far left, glaring at him as though she wished he would explode into a million miniscule pieces. He ignored her and sat by McGonagall. "We've been here three days and she already wants to kill me."
"She's hated you far longer than three days, Jethro," McGonagall said indifferently. "How do you like your classroom?"
"It's pretty nice," Gibbs admitted. "That desk needs a lot of work, though."
"I figured fixing it might keep you out of a bit of trouble," McGonagall said.
"I have nothing to fix it with, Minerva."
"That issue will be smoothed over the weekend. You can order what you'll need for it when you order whatever teaching supplies you'll require."
"Where is the money for all this stuff coming from?" Gibbs asked.
"Never you mind," McGonagall answered. "And don't ask it again."
"Sirius," Gibbs said lowly.
McGonagall very nearly dropped her fork.
"He's loaded. Tell me it's not – "
"If I tell you it is him, will you drop the matter?" McGonagall hissed.
"Where are you telling Umbridge the money's coming – "
"From leftover department budgets," McGonagall snapped. "Now shut up!"
"Better find a place to hide that extra budget money, then."
"Don't be ridiculous," McGonagall scoffed. "All of us except Dolores used all the money from our budgets. Now if you don't shut up I'm going to – "
"Alright, alright," Gibbs conceded. "I'll let it go."
"Thank you," McGonagall said, thoroughly relieved.
"How are classes?" Gibbs asked civilly.
Before McGonagall could answer, Dumbledore stood up, demanding the attention of all students without yet saying a single word.
"I hope you've all settled back comfortably into the monotony of school work," Dumbledore said kindly. Many students exchanged unpleasant looks with each other. "I am very pleased to announce that, starting Monday, we will have four new areas of study available to you, courtesy of our friends from NCIS. For more information, please check your common room notice boards. Carry on!"
As Dumbledore sat down, a few students from every table got up and left the Hall. Minutes later, Gibbs witnessed Lee Jordan sit back down at the Gryffindor table with a single piece of paper. With the wave of his wand, however, he made an entire stack and passed them out to whoever asked.
"Looks like a success so far," Gibbs commented.
"Indeed it does," McGonagall said, the corners of her mouth twitching.
On a gut impulse, Gibbs leaned forward to look down the table at Umbridge. Her face had turned red and she breathed heavily in an effort to control herself. A moment later, she rose from the table and walked away quickly.
"You hate her," Gibbs said. "You really, truly hate her."
"While she's done nothing but ask for it, I do not hate her," McGonagall said loftily. "I simply wish her to fall off the Astronomy tower."
"Foreign languages, mate," said Fred appreciatively.
"Bet you ten galleons Umbridge doesn't know a lick of Russian," George added.
"We all know she's stupid," Ron snorted.
"She's not stupid, Ron," Hermione said irritably, "or she'd never have been able to figure out half the things she has. I wish she was stupid."
"Hasn't found us yet, has she?" Ron bit back.
"What's your point, Fred, George?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron and Hermione.
"Wouldn't it be nice to give each other bits and pieces of information without having to be sneaky about it?" Fred suggested.
"The best place to hide something is right in the open," George continued. "No one ever looks there."
"Are you suggesting we get everyone to take the same foreign language?" Hermione asked. "That'd draw way too much attention!"
"Everyone that's not in Slytherin is going to try one of these classes, Hermione," Fred argued. "It can just be a marvelous coincidence that everyone from the D.A. happened to take the same one."
"No, Hermione's right," Harry said. "We can't draw too much attention to ourselves. Umbridge is breathing down our necks enough as it is."
"We'd also have to drag half the girls in the D.A. away from Agent DiNozzo's class," Hermione said, beginning to cut up the meat on her plate. When no one replied to her comment, she looked up to see Harry, Ron, Fred, and George all looking at her confusedly. "Oh, honestly!" she sighed. "Can't you tell he's attractive?"
"We don't swing that way, Hermione," George said warily.
"What do you mean, he's attractive?" Ron asked.
"Come to think of it, Lee's been talking about Agent David quite a bit," Fred said. "Haven't had the heart to tell him she'd probably kill him with her pinky if she found out what he's been saying."
"So it's settled," Harry said. "We can't have everyone take the same language. Some people won't even take a language. They'll study with Dr. Mallard."
"I think I might prefer Binns to Mallard," George said dully.
"Don't be mean, Fred! I'm sure Dr. Mallard's plenty interesting," said Hermione.
"Don't tell me Mallard's got girls after him!" Fred said with a snort.
"What do you mean, DiNozzo's attractive?" Ron asked Hermione again.
"Come on, Hermione," said George. "Didn't you hear any of his stories? I almost fell asleep during them, and I was pranking To – "
Hermione cut George off with a glare that would make McGonagall proud.
"Well, they're boring," George said.
"If those are his stories I don't even want to think about his lectures," said Fred with a grimace.
"Well I think Anatomy's fascinating and I'm sure whoever takes that class will agree," Hermione said with a huff.
"Well, I'm going for Russian," George announced. "I'd be willing to bet Umbridge knows some amount of French or Spanish, enough to be able to figure out what's going on in a conversation."
"They're too risky," Fred agreed.
"I think French is a lovely language," said Luna dreamily, dropping herself between George and Ron.
"Is that what you're going for, Luna?" Hermione asked kindly.
"Oh yes!" Luna replied with a smile.
"What do you mean, DiNozzo's attractive?"
Ziva sat at her very own desk after dinner, admiring her classroom. Gibbs had had to drag her out of it for meals, but it was set as she wanted and she had figured out what she needed to order. The desks were positioned in an open rectangle. The chalk board was spotless at the front of the room. The bookshelves had been properly cleaned and dusted, a task Ziva had come to believe hadn't been done in half a century.
Hermione, Ginny, and Luna entered the classroom. "Hello, Agent David," Hermione said pleasantly. "Or is it Professor David now?" she asked with a smile.
"Agent still," Ziva answered, returning Hermione's smile. "Will I be seeing you all in here regularly?"
"Hermione and Ginny are taking Russian," Luna supplied.
"That will be very challenging," Ziva cautioned. "Agent Gibbs won't accept any slacking."
"Challenging is what I'm looking for," Hermione said proudly.
"And why won't I be seeing you, Miss Weasley?" Ziva asked.
"My brothers are going for Russian," Ginny answered. "I can't let them have secret conversations right in front of me."
"Fair enough," Ziva replied. "I look forward to seeing you, at least, Miss Lovegood."
"Ah, Miss David," said an unpleasantly sweet voice. "I've been trying to catch you all day!"
Ziva glanced sideways at the three students to see even Luna's shoulders had tensed. "I have been in here all day, Professor Umbridge."
"I've heard a rather interesting bit of information. I'd rather like to discuss it with you."
"Very well," Ziva said. "I'll see you in class, Miss Lovegood. You three may – "
"I'd like Miss Weasley to remain here, as well," Umbridge said, looking at the girl and trying to smile.
Ginny's face began to turn the shade of her hair as she stared back at Umbridge.
"We'll be right outside waiting for you, Ginny," Hermione said. She grabbed Luna and the two left.
"There we are," Umbridge said. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"Alright," Ziva said. While Umbridge was distracted with conjuring a chair, Ziva looked at Ginny and mouthed very clearly, "Do not say anything!"
Ginny crossed her arms and looked thoroughly unhappy, but nodded all the same.
"I've been very perturbed by something I was told earlier today, Miss David," Umbridge said.
"Have you been, Professor Umbridge?" Ziva asked. "What did you hear?"
"I heard that two years ago you came across Sirius Black in the Forbidden Forest," Umbridge said.
"I did," Ziva answered unabashedly.
"And you then proceeded to proclaim him innocent?" Umbridge asked sweetly, looking at Ziva as though she were to be pitied for insanity.
"Yes, I did," Ziva repeated.
"Do you still believe him innocent?"
"What I believe does not matter," Ziva said smoothly. "I have no say in what happens to him if or when the Ministry finally manages to catch him."
Umbridge's smile faltered slightly. "That does not answer my question, Miss – "
"Agent!" Ziva burst. She quickly reigned her self control back in. "I go by Agent David, Professor."
"You did not answer my question," Umbridge insisted, replastering the smile onto her face. "Do you or do you not believe Sirius Black to be innocent?"
"I believe he had plenty of opportunity to kill me in the Forest, and he chose not to," Ziva said, choosing her words very carefully.
"Did you see Black in the Forest, Miss Weasley?" Umbridge asked, turning to face Ginny.
"Excuse me, Professor Umbridge," Ziva said, trying not to look as though she were giddy with excitement to make her point, "but Sirius Black is not 'strictly related' to the subject you are paid to teach. Under Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six, you cannot speak to Miss Weasley about him."
"Miss David, I am High Inquisitor – "
"Which is why it only makes sense that you follow your rules to the absolute letter," Ziva said, imitating Umbridge's false smile to perfection. "Miss Weasley, you may go!"
Looking absolutely thrilled, Ginny left the room.
Umbridge abruptly changed the subject, though she no longer attempted a smile. "Are you aware, Miss David, that ten prisoners escaped from Azkaban on Monday?"
"I am," Ziva said. She barely managed not to say she wasn't sure if the Ministry was aware.
"Are you also aware that the only other person ever to break out of Azkaban is – "
"Sirius Black," Ziva said. "Yes, I am."
"And you don't think it strange that –"
"I think it a coincidence," Ziva said stiffly.
"What a remarkable coincidence, considering one of the escapees is Black's cousin."
"Agreed. What a remarkable coincidence. Perhaps you should be looking more for Mrs. LeStrange than her cousin, as he seems to have dropped off the map and has caused no trouble. No trouble, unless, that is, you believe Dumbledore and think that the Dark Lord is rising up once again. That could be the only possible reason to focus on Black instead of the newest escapees."
The toad-like qualities of Umbridge's face made themselves more evident. "So you think it impossible that the only man ever to break out of Azkaban had no hand in breaking out his old comrades and family members?"
"I think you are unable to see past the edge of your own nose," Ziva snapped.
Before Umbridge could make a reply to Ziva, Professor McGonagall entered the room.
"Professor Umbridge," McGonagall said, "Agent David is supposed to be seeing students. Might I suggest finding another time to talk with her?"
"I believe I've gotten all the information I want," Umbridge said, then rose from her seat and left, a small smile playing on her face.
Ziva looked out her windows at the stars.
"What was she after?" McGonagall asked quietly after closing the door.
"Sirius," Ziva replied, still not looking at McGonagall. "She wanted to know if I still thought him innocent."
McGonagall's eyes widened dramatically. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her he had plenty of opportunity to kill me and didn't, that I thought it a 'coincidence' his cousin broke out of Azkaban, and that she couldn't see – "
"I heard that last part," McGonagall said exasperatedly. "Ziva, why did you do that? Next time she tries to talk to you tell her you're busy! Wait until someone else is with you, preferably myself, Dumbledore, or Severus."
"Next time she tries to catch me on my own I will let her, and then I will kill her and make it look like an accident," Ziva snarled.
"Don't go getting yourself into even more trouble, Agent David," McGonagall said, then left in a hurry.
Ziva forced a smile onto her face as a group of third years entered her room.
Author's Note
Next Chapter: ...yeah, that doesn't have a name yet. Sorry. Preview: A classic argument featuring none other that Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Minerva McGonagall, and then... oh, the horror! No, I really shouldn't say... :)
Um... so I may update once more, but then this story will be on haitus for a bit. For those of you who don't know, I'm writing another story that follows the Hogwarts professors through Harry's seven years. I'm on the fourth book. It's hard to juggle the fourth and fifth books together, so I'll put this story on hold until I'm on the fifth book for my other story. Sorry, but I want to give you good quality stuff, which requires me reading as I write!
WHEW! Long note! Review!