Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

110) Umbridge = Hera = Terrible

"Do you find," Umbridge's voice rang across the group as she spoke to Pansy, "that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?"

Pansy, with tears in her eyes from trying hard not to laugh, said, "No... because... well... it sounds... like grunting a lot of the time..."

Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard.

Hagrid flushed, but continued teaching anyway, "Er... yeah... good stuff abou' thestrals. Well, once they're tamed, like this lot, yeh'll never be lost again. 'Mazin' sense o' direction, jus' tell 'em where yeh want ter go —"

"Assuming they can understand you, of course," Pansy said, then started laughing at her own joke.

"You can see the thestrals, Mr. Malfoy, can you?" Umbridge said, staring at Draco in warning. Draco nodded slowly, unsure of how this particular line of questioning would turn out. Unsure of whether he would end up keeping up his cover or support Hagrid. "Whom did you see die?" Her tone was indifferent.

"Er —" Draco seemed to think for a moment. He really looked like he wanted to insult Umbridge. Probably something along the lines of your mom died choking on my — "Camper." I wondered for a moment who it was. I figured Thalia, but had she really died? I don't know. I don't know if it would have counted, and we'll never figure it out, because he'd seen more people die before he ever saw a thestral.

"And what do you think of them?" Umbridge waved her hand vaguely towards the thestrals.

"Erm," Draco probably found them interesting, but couldn't show it. Not in front of Umbridge. "Well, they're... er... okay..."

"'Students... are... too... intimidated... to... admit... they... are... frightened...'"

"That's not what I said!" Draco twisted his hands together. "I'm not scared of them —!"

"It's quite all right," Umbridge patted Draco's shoulder a little too hard to not be a threat. She was smiling, maybe kindly in her own mind, but to me it looked more like a leer. "Well, Hagrid," Umbridge turned to look at him again, the loud slow voice making a reappearance, "I think I've got enough to be getting along with.... You will receive" — she mines taking something from the air in front of her — "the results of your inspection" — she pointed at her clipboard — "in ten days' time." She held up all ten of her stubby little fingers (impressive, given she was also holding the clipboard). She smiled, teeth gleaming, and made her way out of the forest.

"I'm starting to see why you talked back to Hera," Neville said after a moment, turning to Draco. "Some people shouldn't have authority."

"Right?!?!?" Draco's eyes had gone wide as another camper finally seemed to understand why he'd done something like insult the queen goddess.

"What the —?" Harry looked vaguely terrified seeing Neville and Draco interact like normal human beings — like pals. I think he had an aneurism.

***

Halfway back to the castle Hermione finally snapped, "That foul, lying, twisting old gargoyle!" She was stomping, looking like a too-big toddler. "You see what she's up to? It's her thing about half-breeds all over again — she's trying to make out Hagrid's some kind of dim-witted troll, just because he had a giantess for a mother — and oh, it's not fair, that really wasn't a bad lesson at all — I mean, all right, if it had been Blast-Ended Skrewts again, but thestrals are fine — in fact, for Hagrid, they're really good!"

"Umbridge said they're dangerous," Ron said.

"Eh, they'll kick you if you hurt them or go too close to a baby, but not much else," I shrugged. "Thestrals are kind-natured. They're Uncle H's, and he isn't cruel, unless you're cruel. With him, you get hurt only if you hurt. Unless he has come to the conclusion that you stole a certain helm of his, then he'll be mean."

Ron looked at me weirdly. I couldn't imagine why, so I made a face at him and used my powers to throw more snow at him.

"I suppose a teacher like Grubbly-Plank wouldn't usually show thestrals to us before N.E.W.T. level, but, well, they are very interesting, aren't they? The way some people can see them and some can't! I wish I could."

"Do you?" Harry's voice had gone soft.

Hermione looked horrorstruck — "Oh Harry — I'm sorry — no, of course I don't — that was a really stupid thing to say —"

"It's okay," Harry said quickly, probably not having intended to guilt Hermione. I hope, "don't worry."

"I'm surprised so many people could see them," Ron said. "Seven in a class —"

"Yeah, Weasley, we were just wondering," a leering voice called nearby. Eugh. Pansy. I looked up, seeing her walking with Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco. I had to appreciate her stepping in to cover for Draco when he didn't want to, but what she ended up saying always bothered me. It's like when Draco said it, I could feel that it didn't matter, that they were lies and protection. With Pansy, while I knew they were the same, the words always felt malicious. "D'you reckon if you saw someone snuff it you'd be able to see the Quaffle better?" The Slytherins roared with laughter, which quickly turned into chanting Weasley Is Our King.

"Ignore them," Hermione said, pulling out her wand. "Ignore them." I couldn't tell if she was telling Ron to ignore them or herself. I had a feeling that it was the latter. She muttered a spell beneath her breath, steam emerging from the tip of her wand, melting the snow in our path.

The song was stuck in all of our heads as we made it into the castle.

Got a haircut today. It's nice, it's short, me likey. I have a lot of hair. Never long, but it's very, very thick. Every time I get it cut, the person cutting it comments on it. Never before have other people said something, but they did, and I'm like... yea. Also, at the end of it, my grandma asked them how old they thought I was. One of them said twelve ):  I am turning seventeen at the end of this month. Speaking of, apparently there is a 5SOS concert not far from home on my birthday. That's pretty dope. Might need to consider that being a thing. But, might not, because my family might be not so secretly planning something for my birthday. Sam asked me a while back to pick a random actor (I picked our dearest Walker Scobell), and the family is going to draw him based on what questions they ask Sam. Some family members who will not be participating in the drawing thing asked about it since I'd been talking to Sam about it. I, heading away to get my food, overheard Sam whisper that she was planning a birthday. The only upcoming birthdays where this could be a thing is mine and my mom's. If it were my mom's, she wouldn't have whispered it, and I wouldn't have been the one picking the actor. Of course, I am not supposed to know anything about this, so by all means, nothing's happening. Especially since Kadee seemed to say that, since the concert was on my birthday, we could celebrate it the day after. Wasn't aware we were celebrating beyond text messages and ice cream cake, and would need to push it back a day. Fascinating. Interesting. Also, I was looking up Walker to see his last name 'cause I forget how to spell it every time, and he's gonna be in another movie called Secret Headquarters. I'm not entirely sure if it's in the MCU, but a quote implied that it was, and now I must watch the trailer. Also also, I don't think I ever mentioned it, but Charlie Bushnell and Dior Goodjohn are gonna be dope as Luke and Clarisse. I am a bit concerned that Charlie won't be able to pull off the scary Luke look, but the good Luke look will make up for it.

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

PS. Reminder that, on Monday, I leave for camp. There will likely not be posts for two weeks, as I a) may not have reliable service, and b) may not have much free time.