Nico Di Angelo at Hogwarts- Darkness Prevails

Lesson One and a Weird Goddess

I woke up to see my new schedule on my bed. I had a double teaching period, Divination, double Defence against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. 

I got up, got dressed, hung my sword and a couple of daggers around my hidden scabbard, and head out to breakfast. I sat down next to Harry and glared at Ron while eating a slice of toast with strawberry jam. I had been given a letter (a month after I had arrived, should I mention) that I didn't have to sacrifice food for the gods. I was pretty annoyed that I hadn't been told that earlier, but was glad that I didn't have too.

Harry turned to me, finally having the courage to speak. "Hey, Nico, are you going to walk with us too History of Magic with us this morning?"

I shook my head. 'Can't. First teaching slot's this morning."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were teaching the 7th years."

I nodded and headed up to the room on the 3rd floor that my classroom was on. It was very large, with tables and chairs around a large open space. Dumbledore had told me that this was an optional class, but I guessed that most of the 7th years would take it. 

I moved the tables around so they were all facing the middle, and took the weapons out of the shadow vault. I categorized all of the weapons and magicked up shelves and hooks. 

I sat down at the desk at the front and waited for the students to trickle in. I watched as each one looked up at the front, and saw me. They had faces of outrage, astonishment, curiosity, and one very weird one who kept bawling her eyes out and muttering weird things like 'swolarngello iss mii liwfe'.

They sat down, and I rose from my chair. "Hello, children-"

"How old are you?"

"Why are you teaching this class?"

"You're only a 5th year!"

"How dare you! Where's our real teacher?'

"Swolarngello!"

"SILENCE," I yell. they were silent. "I am your teacher, and I am more highly qualified than most of your other teachers. I am in 5th year, but that does not mean I am 16. I have been trained by the best, and I have trained heroes for a long time. Heroes that are definitely a lot younger than you and I, and yet they could teach this class with little problem."

That shut them up. "I am going to teach you how to fight, without your wand. You must be ready for everything."

A girl with blonde hair piped up, "Why do we need to learn this?"

I sigh. "None of you will speak a word of what we discuss in this classroom."

They all nodded eagerly, excited to hear what I was going to say. 

"There is an army on the way, and they cannot be fought with wands. I need troops, as I can't fight them all on my own."

The class erupted in chatter.

"What army?"

"Is it you-know-who?"

"Why can't they be fought with wands?"

"Shagows nd da suuuun, twogever ars wonnne!" I fowned at that one.

I shadow travelled to the weird one, and whispered in her ear, a little magic I had learnt from trial and error.  "ipsum revelare"

She glowed, and said, "I am Cardea, goddess of door hinges! Tremble-" 

I pushed her into the shadows, and she disappeared. 

"What the hell was that?!!" A boy with mousy brown hair spoke.

"Oh, just something weird I have to deal with occasionally."

"Umm..."

"Now, just like a wand," I ignore the rest of the children's questions. "The weapon chooses the bearer. It's whatever feels right in your hands. You will know when you find it. the weapon's blade will most likely go right through you, but if it doesn't, tell me." I call up all the kids in roll order.

"Baker, Robert." The mousy haired boy came up the front. I stare him down, wondering what weapon would be good for him. He was tall, with long limbs and a strong chin. I pulled a thin roman sword, a gladius, of the hook and hand it to him. He holds it but shakes his head. 

"No, I didn't think so either."

I get a bow of the hook, and a blunt arrow to go with it. I show him how to draw the arrow, and I point to a target on the wall. he gets close to a bull's eye. His eyes light up with glee. 

I call up the next kid, and the next, until there was none left, and everyone had a weapon. I handed scabbards, ammunition belts, knife holders, and arrow pouches out. 

"Now, everyone, put your weapon on your table. Inspect it, and see what is unique and different with it."

Everyone started looking intensely at their weapon. They turned it over and got too close for comfort (I was sure some of them were going to take their eye out). 

"Now, for your homework, I would like you to write an essay about your weapon and it's special features."

Everyone nodded. 

"I will give you a demonstration of what I am going to try and teach you in the next 2 weeks."

A ginger girl frowned. "Why two weeks?"

"Well, that's when the army is attacking. We will be having a lesson every second day, and every second lesson will be a double period."

I get into the ring and hold my hand out. "Don't freak out anyone."

About 10 undead soldiers rose from the ground, somehow getting through the wooden floor. quite a couple of people screamed. "It's okay, everyone. They won't attack you."

They turned to me and looked at me expectantly. I pulled out my sword and smiled. "What are you waiting for, attack me."

They came all at once. I cut the closest one into three pieces, and jumped under the next, bringing my sword up so it fell into a pile of bones. I jumped up and turned to see 3 were surrounding me. I bent low to the ground and did a circular swipe to cut their legs off. I heard a sharp intake of breath, made by one of the students, and turn to see one with its sword midswing at my face. I held my sword up, blocking hit, and pushed forward in a jolt, making it fall. I plunged my sword into its ribcage, and moved it around, tearing the bones. I feel a small nick in the ar, and back handspring up, turn to the offender. It gives a low growl and I jump onto its shoulders, cut off its head, and use the momentum to jump on the remaining 3 and cut off their heads in turn. I jump back to the middle of the ring, and stand, panting slightly. 

the classroom was silent but then erupted in loud cheers. 

I have a ghost of a smile, knowing this lesson had been a success.