Disclaimer – Harry Potter and all other things belong to J K Rowling, I'm just borrowing them. I didn't make up the songs, so don't blame me if you don't like them. Crystal-Jade Dawn is my own creation.
The Undercovers
Chapter 1
"The chips are cheap today, cheaper than yesterday" the weird girl at the front of the class sang. Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. The new Muggle Studies teacher was supposed to arrive today – she was an 'undercover', whatever that was – but only the girl had turned up. Suddenly the girl turned serious "Right, this is what you're going to do…"
"What?! You're the new teacher?!" Harry and Ron shouted at the same time.
"Yes" she said "10 points from Gryffindor for being rude" She made the rude very long "So, anyway, I want you to write down what you think an undercover is" she said sitting down. "Oh please do not step on that frog, cos' that frog hasn't had a good life. He lives all alone in a swamp, and in the winter, he gets quite damp" she sang quietly. All the students stared at her, but she didn't seem to notice "So you might think that this is the end, but to prove that I'm not a liar, I'll sing this song once again, only this time a little bit higher. Oh please do not step on that frog." She continued, going very high at the end.
"She is a real looney" Ron muttered in Harry's ear "Why did Muggle Studies become something that we had to do anyway?"
"No talking in class!" the teacher barked "Do it again and I will have to take more house points"
Harry and Ron turned back to their work, although reluctantly. Malfoy, on the opposite side of the room, sniggered behind his hand.
"5 points from Slytherin, Mr Malfoy" she shouted again. Everyone could see she was close to loosing her temper but it was difficult to see her as a teacher when she was barely older than Seventh Years.
"I don't like her" Ron muttered
"Stay behind at the end of the class Mr Weasley"
"Great" Ron murmured under his breath
Half an hour later, to the relief of the whole class, the bell rang and they went out to break. Ron, however, stayed behind.
"That was the most unusual Muggle Studies lesson I've had for a long time" Hermione complained
"Yeah, how are we supposed to be taught by someone barely out of school" Harry asked himself
"I'm sure she's got qualifications but…she let you out then Ron?" Hermione added as Ron walked quickly out of the door
"Thankfully" Ron answered as they walked down the corridor "What we got next?"
"Potions" Harry said glumly
"Whoopdeedoo" Ron said sarcastically. The week passed slowly to the Muggle Studies lesson, only instead of the girl, McGonagall was at the front of the class
"Good morning class. I'm afraid your teacher, Professor Dawn, was needed urgently by the Ministry. There was a problem and almost a security breach where she works, that is all I can tell you. Now open your books…" McGonagall said
"She works for the Ministry? How can she teach and work at the Ministry at that age?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione, surprised
"Maybe she's older than she looks" Hermione asked skeptically, then hissed at Ron not to answer as McGonagall looked in their direction.
"For those of you that are wondering, she has been working for the Ministry since she was 11, she is an 'undercover', originally for the Sea Cadets, now for the Royal Navy."
Hermione raised her hand "Yes"
"Er, Professor. How could she work for the Ministry of Magic if she was still at school?"
"You will need to ask her that Miss Granger. I will ask you to show her the same respect as any other teacher. Now, back to the lesson"
10 minutes from the end of the lesson, the door flew open. Professor Dawn staggered through the opening and looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Her white hair with rainbow highlights was in a tight but messy bun making her look rather intimidating because of the very fed up look on her face. The two front purple bits of her hair were obviously annoying her as she quickly pushed them behind her ears. Her teachers cape was done up at the neck but not anywhere else so it showed quite clearly the blue shirt with half rolled up sleeves and the navy blue baggy trousers and chunky black boots. On her shoulder was a bulging one strapped khaki bag of army design with hippy symbols and badges on it and she held her wand in one shaking hand in front of her.
"Sorry I'm late" she said breathlessly. She looked around and saw all the stunned faces of the students in the class "I said I'm sorry" she apologised again quietly.
"Can I take your bag Professor?" Hermione asked, jumping up from her seat and running to the front of the classroom. Professor Dawn used her free hand to take her bag off her shoulder and give it too Hermione, who staggered and almost dropped it. It was so heavy!
"Are you alright Crystal?" McGonagall asked.
"Yeah, minor problem of bewitched tackles, only the whole ship needed to be brainwashed and why in heaven's name is this classroom up so many damn stairs!" she hesitated to catch breath and looked around again. She fell rather unceremoniously into her chair as Hermione put down the bag and went back to her seat. Whispers spread around the classroom 'Do you think she's OK?' 'Do you know what a ship is?' 'What is a tackle?'
"How much do they know?" Professor Dawn asked McGonagall
"I told them some things but you'll have to explain the rest yourself" McGonagall replied. Just then, the bell rang for the end of the lesson.
"Saved by the bell" Professor Dawn muttered to herself.
