Luffy looked at Sabo with wide eyes when he passed by them on his way to leave the Great Hall, with Robin laughing softly.
«What is it? » Asked Ron.
«They know about the reunion » Luffy told them. «Ace must have told them about it. I hate my brothers. »
«Not long ago, you were saying that you loved them, your brothers, Luffy. You need to make up your mind, » giggled Parvati.
«Harry! Ron! » Called Angelina.
The two concerned looked toward their Quidditch Captain who was pointing something linked to the new educational decree that didn't cross their mind before she told them about it.
No more Quidditch.
Harry had to promise to behave himself if they want to be able to play in the next match.
«If we don't hurry, we will be late for Robin's class, » pointed out Hermione.
«Umbridge didn't inspected it yet, either, » noted Ron.
.
.
And it was revealed that Umbridge was waiting for them in History.
More than one student made a step back when they realized that their unhappy teacher, had passed from wearing pink to green clothes.
She looked even more like a toad. Some scars were still visible on her face from Ace's explosive Howler.
«Good morning everyone. As you can see, we will have some company during this class » greeted Robin with her usual calm. «Please, don't mind her, and stay focused on the lecture. I will now take today's homework, and give you back the one from last week. We will correct it together. Mister Zabini, if you will please collect the homework, while I give back the others. »
Blaise stood up and went to pick the parchments for this class while Robin was giving back the last ones. Harry was happy of his EE.
«Hum hum. »
Luffy closed his eyes and breathed deeply seeing Umbridge's intervention.
«Yes, Professor Umbridge? » Asked Robin with an enigmatic smile.
«Can I ask you which chapter you're treating now? »
«I'm talking, with the fifth years, about the foundation of our actual society and the World Nobles, right now. Unlike my actual late colleague, Mister Binns, I follow the ICW's program, that I was already following at Salem. We did a general introduction on what are the Tenryuubito, sorry, World Nobles, in the last classes, and how they came to gain their statues of living gods, all the while exploring some known branches of these families. Today, we will talk about the influence of those people on the wizarding world. »
«What does this Tensomething means? »
«Mister Longbottom, do you feel capable of answering Madam Umbridge question? »
Neville stood up, a little hesitating. Robin smiled at him, reassuring him and the round face boy began to speak.
«Tenryuubito means literally Celestial Dragon and is the original name of the World Nobles. »
«Thank you, mister Longbottom. Will that be all, professor? »
«Yes, you may continue. »
Robin continued her lesson, coming back on the errors her students had made, always noting the reference on the board to prove the exactitude of this or that fact.
«Don't take anything for granted», Robin told them. «Always check what you are told. Don't believe my word, you know that it is easy for me to mislead you. Check the facts, the dates, the peoples. Everything. This is how you will learn the History, and therefore I ask you each week to make the same sort of essay with your sources written. I am human, as much as you. My knowledge isn't absolute. I can make mistake. Even if I'm here to teach you, I'm always searching for new things to learn, and if you have anything new to teach me, I would be more than happy to find out about it. »
Robin pulled a strand of hair behind her ear with a smile and began the class.
While reading her homework once more, Hermione saw something that bothered her. It may only be a coincidence, but she had to talk with the one concerned.
Umbridge took a stroll in the classroom, while the students were reading the text that Robin had given out. She hadn't made them buy any book, she preferred to give them herself copies of many books of their level, about the same subject, under several points of view.
When Umbridge stopped beside Zabini, Luffy sensed his blood turn to ice in worry. One look at his friends informed him that they, too, feared the worse.
«Tell me, Mister Zabini… how does the class generally go? »
«Very well » Blaise told her, to their biggest surprise.
«You don't have to fear to tell me the truth…»
«It's the truth. Compared to Professor Binns who is unable to make us want to learn History, the professor Nico has enough passion to fill us on the subject. She listens to us and answer our questions. If there is something we don't understand, we know that we can ask her, outside of class or during one. »
«You do know that she is a wanted criminal? »
«Yes. She told us so during her first lesson. She let us the choice to assist to her class, knowing everything, or professor Binns'. I know some people that choose the professor Binns, and they are still alive. If one day, I'm too scared to learn History with her, I know that I can join the other class without being killed. »
«I have yet to kill anyone, and I hope it'll be long before I do. Some are dead or in prison because of me, but I have personally never taken a life… I prefer to paralyze more or less definitively my opponents, » smiled calmly Robin. «But thank you for your comments, I'm very touched. »
Blaise blushed and hide behind his book.
«Very well…» muttered Umbridge, disappointed.
How could anyone dislike Robin?
Hermione raised her hand, catching Robin's eyes.
«Yes, Miss Granger? »
«In the text you gave us, it is mentioned a Donquixote family. I have two question on this subject, but one of them may seems ridiculous. »
«Let me guess… is there a link between this family and the famous hero of Cervantes, Don Quichote, pronounced Don Quijote in Spanish? »
Hermione nodded blushing.
«Possible. I unfortunately fear that it would be hard to ask them. Cervantes was a muggle author deceased some centuries ago, and the Donquixote are almost all dead. And your second question? »
«It's about the Shichibukai Doflamingo. He has this family name. Is it a coincidence? »
«What is a Shichibukai, professor Nico? » Asked politely Umbridge.
«A Shichibukai is one of the Seven Warlords approved and allied to the Word Government. Miss Bones, your aunt must know them, doesn't she? »
«I would be incapable to give you any name, sorry professor, » apologized Susan. «Other than… Mihawk, I think, that we briefly met last year for the last task. »
«No problem, assured Robin. «Someone want to try, or I name them myself? »
No one made any gesture showing they wanted to try. Robin glanced toward Luffy, but he shook his head, saying he didn't want to do it. He would mispronounce their names, anyway, but Robin wasn't disappointed. One wave of her wand, and some bounties appeared on the board.
«Let not forget that the Grand Line use Berrys, and not the wizarding money. Women first, isn't it? So, let's begin with the only woman Shichibukai. Boa Hancock, captain of the Kuja Pirates and Empress o the exclusively female nation of Amazon Lily. She is nicknamed Hebihime, or snake princess. »
Robin pointed the beautiful black-haired woman on the board.
«Next, we have Bartolomew Kuma, also known as the Tyrant and Mihawk also nicknamed Taka no Me. Come then Donquixote Doflamingo. To come back to the original question, miss Granger, we suspect that he is the last member still alive of the Donquixote line that were Tenryuubito, but she left Mari Joa and stopped being considered as such. The details behind this are, to today, still unknown. »
«He looks like a pink flamingo…» mumbled Hannah Abbot.
She blushed when she realized that she had said this out loud.
«That's true, laughed softly Robin. «Come next the two new Shichibukai. Buggy Superstar, formerly called Doke no Buggy or Buggy the clown. He escaped from Impel Down this summer, but the World Government judged prudent to name him Shichibukai. He also is one of the two former cabin boys on Gol D. Roger's ship, with the actual Yonkou Akagami no Shanks or Redhead Shanks. »
«Eeeeh… this brat became a Shichibukai? » Said Luffy.
«I forgot to say that he found himself at Impel Down in the first place after his capture at Loguetown some years ago, after he failed to execute in public mister Monkey. »
Luffy snickered before the small smile on Robin's lips.
«And last, we have Trafalgar Law, also called Shi no Gekai, the Death Surgeon. He is the youngest Shichibukai of the group and the very last to enter in the ranks. »
It was true that seeing him, he looked young. Less than thirty. His heavy dark rings, his pale skin and his grey eyes gave him a strange air, almost like a ghost.
«They are the actual Shichibukai. They are still two posts free. Before that, we had those men. »
Robin waved again and other bounties appeared.
«Sir Crocodile was locked some years ago after he tried to overthrow the Alabasta Kingdom and to have trafficked with Dance Powder, a green powder able to make it rain and war, which usage is forbidden by the ICW and the World Government. It in the Sixth year's program in potion. The Vice-Admiral Smoker, that you met last year during the Three Wizards Tournament, that is responsible for his arrest. From simple captain, it gained him the promotion of commodore. »
Robin and Luffy shared a meaningful glance but kept to the official version.
«Next come this man, the giant Geko Moria.
The giant seemed to have watched too many films on vampires.
«His failure during the fight with your classmate placed him at the edge of his sacking from the Shichibukai. He could have gained back his reputation by killing Mr Monkey or an important pirate, during the conflict at Marine Ford, this summer, but he failed. Some say that he is dead… the facts are that no one saw him again and that his body was ever found. »
Robin turned to the other bounty.
«Marshall D. Teach. Kurohige. If I was translating it literally it would be black moustache, but I think we should say Black Beard. This man is an ex-pirate of the Second Float of Whitebeard. He was answering to your old classmate Portgas D. Ace, who was the commander at this time. »
Robin glanced at Luffy who shook his head, showing that he wasn't going to comment on the why and how.
«I don't personally know what happened. However, I do know that after he tried to kill one of the commanders, this man ran away, abandoning his old crew, to form his own. After the confrontation between the Commander Portgas and him, and the capture of the brother of your classmate, he was named Shichibukai. This man is the one who stayed at this post for the shortest time in history. During Marine Ford, he clearly showed he was in opposition with the Marine, losing his title, but succeed with his crew's help, to kill White Beard himself. »
Luffy stood up. There, he had to speak up.
«A precision? » Asked Robin recognizing the look on the face of his captain.
«Shirohige-ossan withstood a lot of blows before Teach arrived. He had lost a bit of his face but continued to fight. When Teach arrived, Shirohige-ossan had a foot in the grave and almost the second in. This man was a coward, a gutless man. He doesn't deserve his title of Yonkou. He barely kept himself from pissing himself as he emptied his loader on Shirohige-ossan, before realizing that he was already dead. Dead standing, like Benkei. »
«Thanks for the precision. »
Luffy sat back down.
«How sure are his words, professor? » Asked Ernie. «Aren't we supposed to check the facts? »
«You want facts? There. »
Robin put on the board an article of a newspaper, thanks to magic, showing a massive man, in a bad state but still standing, even if it was a miracle.
«It is the only photo taken of Shirohige's body before Akagami no Shanks helped to evacuate the injured and the dead. And this…»
She waved her wand toward the board, making appear different types of injuries, followed by numbers, all bigger than the others.
«Those are the injuries taken by this man, before he died, during the conflict. Bullets, slash from sword, canon ball, magma. This man wasn't a living legend for nothing. And yet, he was a muggle. By killing him, Teach didn't just win the title of Yonkou, but also a dangerous power capable of destroying the world. And as for Luffy's words, he was at the heart of the conflict, and this boy is incapable of lying. »
«I'd like to see this, » muttered someone.
«You did your work alone? » Asked Robin.
«Yes! » Huffed Luffy.
«Nami didn't need to threaten you for you to do it? »
Luffy began to sweat strongly looking elsewhere.
«No, no, she didn't need to. »
His classmates chuckled.
«QED. Let's go back to the Shichibukai. »
Robin put back the newspaper and pointed the last bounty.
«This is the Fishman Jimbe, called the Knight of the Seas. He is the actual captain of the Sun Pirates, a crew exclusively of merman and fishman. He was locked down in Impel Down because he was against the execution of Portgas D. Ace. You need to know that the Gyojins and Ningyos, to take the Japanese terms, have a very deep admiration toward the Shirohige who have fought tooth and nails to protect their island from the beginning of the Golden Age of piracy after Gol D. Roger's death. A human slave is worth five hundred thousand berrys, minimum. The starting price for a gyojin, fishman, it's the double. A ningyo, a merman, it's also a million berrys. For a mermaid older than thirty, we reach the first bid of ten million berrys. A young mermaid, it's seven time this rate. You can understand why their island caught the more greedy's attention. The Shirohige didn't ask for anything in exchanges. They decided that the island would be their territory, and no one tried to attack their claim. Who would, after all, since Edward Newgate was a feared man. And you never saw the professor Fushisho angry or Portgas to know that his men don't need him to put some idiots back in their places. A simple phrase that saved hundreds of peoples from becoming slaves. »
Robin let everything be absorbed by their mind and smiled when she saw that a lot of them had taken notes.
«Are you satisfied by this explanation, professor Umbridge? »
Umbridge was pale in her green clothes. Robin knew her subject; never could she find a mistake in the treatment of her subject.
«And a little anecdote for you, misses Patil, » said Robin.
The twins' face turned surprised to be called out like this.
«Haiiro no Kali, Kali the Grey, the most cynical young woman in the Seas, is also known as one of the most dangerous. And her bounty, of one hundred million, isn't just for show. She is worth every zero. If not more. »
Luffy chuckled as the twins shared a surprised glance.
«Good, let's continue our class on the Tenryuubito. »
When the end of the class rang, everyone picked up their things as they chatted. As always, Robins classes were fascinating, and they walked out with more thing on which they had to think about. She told them that History was created every day, and during her classes, she proved it.
Luffy stayed behind at Robin's side, looking at Umbridge frowning.
«I have to personally speak to your teacher, stated Umbridge. »
«Unfortunately, Mister Monkey is my captain. Your new educational decree doesn't have the power to disband our crew. If Luffy wants to stay, he has every right to. I don't have anything to hide» said calmly Robin putting her things in her bag.
«Very well. How long have you been a teacher? »
«Here? Or in general? »
«Here. »
« I would say that it must be the fourth year that I teach in Hogwarts. »
«And before? »
«I taught three years at Salem. »
Umbridge took some notes.
«You have a degree? »
«I have a Doctorate in Old History. My thesis was about the interactions between wizards and muggles and the interplay of their influence of each other's. I have a Doctorate on Archaeology, too, but I think that my speciality, you know it, since it is the reason why I have a bounty on my head ever since I was a child. I also gained a teaching degree, wizard and muggle. »
«You have the ICW's authorization to teach? »
Robin opened once again her bag and took a file. She searched a little and pulled out a piece of paper with an official looking seal.
«There. »
Umbridge looked at the paper, searching for a trace of falsification, but gave it back colleague, a little disappointed.
«Thank you for your cooperation. I'll give you the results in ten days. »
«I can't wait, » smiled Robin.
And Umbridge walked out.
«Why is she green? » Asked Luffy when she was gone.
«Izou-san told me that Ace put several delayed pranks in her things, the day of his visit. Luffy, you are careful, right, with this club? »
Luffy threw a glance at her which meant everything.
«You want to come with me to the staff room? » Asked Robin.
«Shihihihihi! »
Robin smiled and finished putting her things in her bag.
They chatted in the corridors and arrived in front of the staff room. Inside, they found Sabo, Grubbly-Plank and McGonagall around Harry's owl.
«Hey! But that's Hedwige! » Recognized Luffy.
«Spades escorted her to my office, » Sabo told him. «She was hurt. Give this letter to Harry, would you, and don't lose it. »
Luffy took the letter from his brother's hand.
«So, the inspection? » Asked Sabo to Robin.
«Our dear colleague tried to question me more than once in history but was deathly pale with rage when facing her defeat. Sabo, I would like to ask you a favour, to confirm something. About the branch of the Donquixote, could you find the family tree of the old Tenryuubito family? »
«I'll see what I can find. Luffy, where is Shayna? »
The snake straightened when she heard her name.
«Good. There girl, for you»
Sabo threw a mouse that he had in his pocket to the snake who swallowed it whole.
«I'll go back to everybody. Ja ne Nii-chan. »
«Don't go looking for troubles, I would like to not have another visit from Karasu. »
«Hai, Hai…»
And Luffy walked out.
Harry was surprised when Luffy fell upon him during the break.
«For you! Hedwige is hurt, it seems. Spade led her to Sabo. » Explained Luffy holding the message to him.
«Luffy, I would like to talk with Vivi, you know, where is she? » Asked Hermione.
«Shiranai! »
«Well, it will wait until tonight then. »
Luffy walked away looking for Nami, while Harry was reading his message. Unfortunately, the break was already well underway and, they had to go to potion class, to see Malfoy and his friends bragging about have received the authorization to form their team back.
«I mean by that, » Malfoy was saying specifically looking toward Harry, Luffy and Ron that were arriving, «that it is relate to the influence of the minister. I don't think they will have a lot of luck… more so because of the number of criminals housed in Gryffindor! Why, let be honest! Dumbledore let this horrible thing that is Gold Roger's son study here, and today, we have the bastard of Dragon the Revolutionary and his group that make themselves comfortable in the castle. From what my father told me, they search for a reason to sack Dumbledore for years, add to sack Arthur Weasley… And as for Potter… My father tells me that it is only a question of time before the Minister send him to St Mungo… I've heard they have a special wing reserved to those that have their brains damaged by an excess of magic. »
Malfoy then made an exaggerate face, the jaw on the ground, eyes rolling.
Suddenly, something collided with Harry's shoulder, projecting him on the side.
Neville had just knocked into him and was trying to get out of Luffy's hands.
«Let me go! » Roared Neville.
«No, Neville, » Luffy told him.
And he fought even more, but Luffy wasn't moving an inch, even with the tentative of his classmate to hit Malfoy who seemed stupefied. But Neville was still in Gryffindor's rank, fortunately.
«Not… funny…» huffed Neville. «Never… Mango… show… him…»
«No, Neville, that's not a good idea, » Luffy told him, who seemed to understand the situation. «Harry! Ron! I need a hand here! »
Harry and Ron helped Luffy to immobilize Neville, allowing the young man to go toward Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle stepped on his way, but the boy pushed them away as easily as if he drew a curtain. He grabbed Malfoy by the collar and pushed him against the wall.
«That you insult me, I don't care. But open your big mouth about my nakamas and my family, and I'll destroy your pretty face! And I don't have a care if I'm expelled or not! Open wide your ears, teme! For one, it is Gol D. Roger. Dare to take this initial from a D., and he'll make you pay a hundred time for I !. Two, my brother has more merit than you or your father. You profit from your gold to show off in the world, and you hide behind the pitiful excuse of the Imperius refusing to assume your act of terrorism! My brother and I may be criminals, with bounties on our head, but at least, we have the balls to say that the shit we did is ours, and not the one of our neighbours! »
«Stop it, Luffy! » Hermione told him.
«Now that it is registered in your little head, remember for the future to think before talking… I have eaten worse people than you before I came to Hogwarts or since I am here. I can take you and your gorillas whenever you want! »
Hermione took his arm and made him release Malfoy who fell flat on his ass on the ground.
«Mister Monkey, you'll have detentions until Christmas for violence toward a classmate. Twenty points from Misters Weasley, Potter, and Longbottom for fighting in the hallway. Now, everyone in the classroom. »
Those few words told them that Snape had just opened the door.