Nico di Angelo and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 4: DADA and DUMBDUMBS

Just before this chapter starts, I want to apologize for that awful title. Sorry.

Nico POV
I sigh as I sit down for breakfast. I didn't sleep much last night, but I did get better bearings of the castle. And I scared Filch. I smirk a little.

"Nico?" Asks a confused voice. "Are you smiling?"

I look over to see Hermoine Granger. I roll my eyes.

"I've smiled before, Hermoine."

She blushes and looks away. "W-well I knew that Nico, but you looked like you were enjoying something. I've never seen you really enjoy anything before."

I sigh. "You know it's funny. I thought coming to school would be awful, but ever since I started coming to this school, I've been more happy. It feels strange enjoying things. I used to enjoy things all the time."

"What happened." She asks. I look down and clench my fists.

"That's a story for another time. Lets go see who the new DADA teacher is."

We start walking away. Hermoine hands toast to the other two in the golden trio when they join us. I sigh, another new teacher. Someone else to be afraid of me. Yippee.

Hermoine POV

Nico...

What happened? Please tell me. I want to help you.

I feel so angry with myself right now. I blushed when he told me that he smiles sometimes. I hope he just thought I was embarrassed because of my dumb question.

Nico POV

As we walk to the classroom, I ponder who the teacher could be. Probably a witch, seeing as their completely enamoured with this Lockhart guy. I'd read his books and he seems full of it. Completely full of it. Catching an evil ghost in a water glass? Please.

When we sit down, Harry is with Ron, and I'm with a tomato Hermoine. Seriously, what is with her today? We have our books stacked neatly on our desks when the door opens. I look up when the door opens and ther they are, in all their 'glory'...

Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Let me introduce you to your new defence against the dark arts teacher." He says. "Me. Glideroy Lockhart. Oder of Merlin, third class. Honorary member of the dark force defence league. And five time winner, of witch weekly' most charming smile award." He tells us with a flourish. I roll my eyes. As I said before, full of it.

"But I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at it!" He then proceeds with the stupidest laugh I've ever heard. All the boys look at each other while the girls swooned. I just raised my eyebrow. How do they find this guy attractive?

"Now! Be warned. It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind." He taps a cage with his wand and it rattled. Several people looked frightened and I rolled my eyes. Anything in that cage would be like a kitten compared to the nicest monster I'd faced.

"You may find yourself facing your worst fears in this room." Doubtful. "Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might PROVOKE THEM!" He whipped the blanket off the cage and inside was a bunch of purple-ish creatures. I raise my eyebrow again. He finds these scary? A couple people laugh.

"Cornish pixies?" A Gryffindor behind me asks.

"Freshly caught, Cornish pixies!" Some people started laughing. "Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnegan, but pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighters."

Lockhart moved his hand toward the door of the cage and my eyes widened as I saw what he was about to do.

"Let's see what you make of them now!" He rips the door open and the pixies spill out like water from a leaky dam.

The pixies fly all over the room and start messing with everything. Students are screaming and it's complete pandemonium.

Lockhart is panicking, trying to save his portraits, and finally leave while telling Harry, Ron, Hermoine and I to "nip them back into their cage."

The only thing I learned that class was...

Hitting fairies with books is not very effective.