Babysitting Hogwarts {Book 1}

Umbridge

Nico

I thought Harry would have become a lot nicer after I helped him last night, but apparently not. He's started to ignore us. Which is fine with me. He's just making the job of protecting him feel more like babysitting.

In the morning, we received our schedules. Dumbledore decided that we get a copy that's magic. Whenever we look at the timetable, the letters morph into Ancient Greek. But when someone else sees it, they see English. Which, as Thalia pointed out, was a great thing because we wouldn't be staring at it for half the day trying to figure out what time lunch was. The school work was okay. We managed to push through the first few periods of the day, but when History Of Magic came along, our secret almost came out for good. Stupid ghosts.

My dad hates that the school keeps ghosts around. He says its just wrecks havoc down in the underworld because one minute the ghosts are there, then they are whisked away to become mascots. The ghosts have decided to avoid me at all costs because I will send them back. Then I realised that we had a ghost as a teacher.

The class started out normal enough. Me and Will sat at the back and I sat low in my chair, as to not disturb the class if the teacher saw me. Professor Binns died in the fire in the staff room, but supposedly left his body behind when he got up the next morning. In reality, he had snuck out of the underworld because he didn't have enough money for the boat trip. I didn't want to distract him from teaching, so I made no eye contact what so ever. Then I looked up when he mentioned the previous Wizard War, and I accidentally made eye contact. Our eyes locked and his widened, letting out a small screech from the back of his throat.

"Lord. Please. Please. Don't send me back there! I only came back because I didn't want to stay!" The ghost started sobbing. I sighed.

"Jeez. Mate. Calm down. You're making a scene. I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not your lord."

"But-"

"I said no." I death-glared the Professor who squeaked "class dismissed", before vanishing through a wall. The entire class now was staring at me and Will, who had his head on the desk. Thaila was going to kill me. I just came so close to revealing who my dad was, or something like that. Stupid ghosts. I caught Harry's eye, who quickly looked away and started to pack his bag. I sighed and did the same. I looked down at my timetable.

Double Defence Against the Dark Arts.

This was going to be fun.

Percy

Thalia was going to kill Nico. I could see it in her eyes. He practically screamed 'my dad's god of the dead'. Well, it was obvious to us. Maybe the wizards didn't pick up on it? They definitely suspected something. Me, Thalia, Nico and Will headed off to the DADA classroom, getting slightly lost multiple times. This castle was a nightmare. I could never remember whether the corridor on my left led down to the dungeons or the tower. It was just impossible to remember where to go without some kind of map.

We arrived at the classroom late. Umbridge glared at us from the front as we made our way to the seats at the back.

"As I was saying. Your previous instruction on this subject has been somewhat, uneven. You'll be pleased to know that we will be following a carefully structured, Ministry approved course in defensive spells. Yes?"

Hermione lowered her hand.

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells." Umbridge let out a high pitched giggle. Seriously her voice was getting on my nerves.

"Using spells? There is no need to use spells in my classroom."

"We're not going to be using magic?" Thalia asked, smiling.

"You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way."

"What use is that? If we're going to be attacked it's not going to be risk free." Harry said.

"Students will raise their hands if they would like to speak in my classroom." Umbridge snapped. Harry did nothing. "It is the view of the ministry that theoretical knowledge would be sufficient to get you through you examinations, because after all, that is what school is all about."

Nico turned around to face me and Thalia.

"Fat lot of good theoretical knowledge did for us. All you need-" Nico's whispering was interrupted by the toad.

"Have something to say di Angelo?" Nico's head snapped back to the front. "Please, do share."

"I'd rather not ma'am." Thalia and I had a hard time stiffling our laughs.

"Talking back are we?"

"No ma'am." I couldn't hold it in any longer. A loud giggle echoed through the silent classroom. Everyone snapped their attention to me. I couldn't help it. Sometimes Nico's age showed. He was eighty something. And the way he almost spoke in fear of the old lady was ridiculous. Thalia joined me and soon we almost fell out of the chairs. When we calmed down, the toad was right up near the back.

"Is something funny Jackson?"

"No.. Ma'am." I smirked. Nico glared at me. I winked at him. That made him glare harder.

"I find it quite rude that you interupt my class like this, even if you are exchange students. If you will not share what is so funny, then I will book you a detention."

That made me shut up. I couldn't get detention. I'd been in enough trouble at other schools, and I didn't really want to be in the same room as Umbridge after school hours.

"Uh." I glanced at Thalia. She looked upset, sparks literally jumped off her skin. "Calm down. I got this." I said in Ancient Greek.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry miss. Nico had just mentioned that theoretical knowledge would be useless against someone like the Dark Wizard, since we heard that he came back. He does have a reputation at our camp, um, and he is powerful." I couldn't think of anything else. Toad walked back up to the front.

"Now let me make this, quite plain. You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's not a lie! I saw him! I fought him!" Harry shouted.

"Do not talk back to me Potter."

"So according to you Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord."

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident."

"It was murder! Voldemort killed him! You must know that!"

"Enough!" Toad practically screamed. "Potter, detention. See you later, my office." She looked at me and the other demigods. "Thank your lucky stars you're not joining them. The ministry knows what you are, or at least, Cornelius Fudge knows but does not wish for anyone else to know yet. He has ordered not a hair on your head to be touched, but I will find out what you are, you filthy Americans."

Thalia practically stood up but I shoved her back down in her seat.

"Not now. Thalia, you can't. Leave it alone." I said as the bell rang out, signalling the end of the lesson. "Come on guys. We have homework." I said in english as I stood up and lead the way out, heading for the headmaster's office.

Dumbledore had some explaining to do.

A/N

Hey guys! Thanks for reading. Trying to remain as close as I can to detail, but please don't kill me. I have to live till my next birthday (for no apparent reason, I just want to live). If any Americans get offended by anything Umbridge says, well, Umbridge is Umbridge. And she is just a word-I-want-to-say-but-I-don't-swear :P

I hope you're enjoying,

Pearjam

P.S

If you haven't realised yet, when there is something in italics, it most likely not in English (as long as I don't specify e.g thoughts) like the horses or Ancient Greek. Obviously when the demigods are talking, it's Ancient Greek, but if someone says something like "boss" then it's most likely a horse. ;) I will tell you if it gets confusing in any chapter.