Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

44) Luna Scares Ron (Wuss)

"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" Ginny asked once we were all seated and the door was closed. "What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"

"I'll be quite glad if he has," Luna said, watching me open my backpack and let Nugget out for a moment (unsurprisingly to me, he took one look at everyone, then dove back into my bag). "He isn't a very good teacher, is he?"

Ah. The dreaded opinion of the Athena child. Hagrid was a decent teacher, but I knew we didn't actually learn much from his class. It was too hands on. We played and fed with animals, but never learned anything about them. Athena children generally hated that. Just about everyone else loved it.

"Yes, he is!" Harry, Ron, and Ginny voiced angrily, all at once.

Hermione, on the receiving end of a glare from Harry, cleared her throat, "Erm... yes... he's very good."

"Yeah," I said, because Hagrid maybe wasn't the best teacher, but was definitely one of the most caring ones I knew. He tried his best, and that was more than enough for me. "He gave me Nugget."

Luna seemed unfazed, "Well, we think he's a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw." Ravenclaws. What nerds, wanting to learn something all the time.

"You've got a rubbish sense of humor then," Ron said heatedly. Luna wasn't offended by his rudeness in the slightest, and just stared at him in amusement.

We rode in silence for a while, then Luna said to Ron, "You sit like a demigod."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron was still a little angry, but curiosity won him over.

"You're tense," Luna said. "You sit like something's about to jump you."

"He did go on a quest, Luna," Neville pointed out.

"Yes, he did," Luna said. "With my brother, nonetheless. He lies about him."

"Luna, I think it's about time we drop the subject," I said.

"You lie about him, too, though," Luna said. "But he forgets he lies. Sometimes the lies were truths, but now they're not. Now he sees him."

"You're creeping me out," Ron said uncomfortably, but he seemed to know exactly what Luna was talking about.

"I do that to some people," Luna nodded. "You're eyes were blue before we started talking about this — now they're green. You should talk to Draco."

"Trick of the lighting," Ron said, but he didn't seem so sure.

"You should talk to him, he knows things," Luna said. "He figures them out. That's why he's the counselor." She stared at Ron for a long moment. "You're mortal and clear sighted, so they went to you for the quest. What did you see? How did you guide them?"

"There was a yellow line on the floor, and we followed it," Ron said simply.

"What's she going on about?" Harry whispered to me.

"Something about Ron is puzzling her, she's trying to figure out what," I said, having been through this before. "I think it's multiple things — but I think she's got some of it down."

Before Luna could press Ron any more (he had been slowly retreating farther and farther into the seat cushion), the carriages slid to a stop. We stepped out, Harry staring at the thestrals darkly.

The bright lights of blazing candles was a stark contrast to the darkness outside, and I found it welcoming. The echoing of students footsteps filled the air, and I almost didn't hear Luna's whisper, "I saw him in battle.... Ron in battle...."

I got the impression I wasn't meant to hear that.

I also got the impression Luna was just as confused about it as I was.

The four House tables were filling up quickly under the starry sky above us, and I said farewell to my friends, joining my Hufflepuff family.

"Hagrid isn't here," I said absently. Hannah, who had been talking animatedly with Susan, looked up at the head table.

"No, he isn't," she sounded sad, probably thinking he was gone for good. Her tone became confused. "Who is that?"

I looked farther down the table, and my heart seemed to freeze in my throat.

Whispering into Dumbledore's ear was a woman wearing a fluffy pink cardigan and a matching headband. Her hair, short, curly, and mouse brown, was done up just a little too neatly, and her posture was just a little too stiff for someone sitting a little hunchbacked. I'd recognize that toad-like woman anywhere.

"That's Dolores Umbridge," I said slowly. "She works for Fudge."

"She works for Fudge?" Justin looked up from his attempt to carve his initials into the table. "What's she doing here?"

"I don't know," I said, though I suddenly felt quite sick, dread settling in my stomach.

I watched Dumbledore and Umbridge for a long moment, noticing the twist of Dumbledore's mouth, the crease between his eyebrows... he wasn't pleased. I wasn't sure if it was because of what Umbridge was saying, her mere presence, or both, but I was suddenly aware that the woman I'd challenged ages ago was going to become a problem.

Tomorrow is the field trip for Chemistry. I'm excited for that. Today was this ACT practice thing. I did fine except for science, in which I ran out of time because I'm an idiot. We also had a mini concert at the end of the day. The 11th grade English teach recently got number one in some charts for his album, and he played for us. He's actually really good, and that's coming from me. I'm not really a fan of country.

Anyway, I hope you guys have had a terrific Tuesday, and I'll see you on Thursday CT. Love ya!