Myth and magic

13. First day

Percy got ready for his first day of classes.
He was excited and a little nervous. He was never a star at school when it came to making homework, paying attention, following the rules..

Maybe this year will be different.

Harry helped Percy dress according to the dress code. Percy hated it. He felt stupid. How was he supposed to move in this thing.

He packed his bag and headed to breakfast with the rest of their class.
Hermione explained their schedule for today;
- transfiguration
- defense against the dark arts
- charms
- care of magical creatures

"Sounds fun." Percy said excited. "Who was teaching defense against the dark arts again?"

"Professor Umbridge.. the small woman in pink who interrupted Dumbledore. People don't like her. She has only been here for a day and she acts like she is in charge." Neville says from the other side of the table.

Percy looked at the table of teachers.
The woman was stirring her tea while looking over the children. Percy got chills running down his spine.

They headed to transfiguration from professor McGonagall. She was sitting behind her desk.
I sat down next to Hermione and behind Harry and Ron.

The lesson went pretty well.
Percy got different instructions because it was the first time he was using magic. He had to change a quill into a needle. He got some help from Hermione. But he did pretty good according to McGonagall.
The got a couple other objects to change. Every single one changed with his first try.

Next lesson was defense against the dark arts.
The last teachers they had teaching this class turned out to be either a death eater or just crazy.
Percy wondered what Umbridge was.

They all sat down at their desks.
"Good morning class." Umbridge said with a annoying voice as she walked up to her desk.

Nobody responded to her. She turned around and looked at the class like someone just stabbed her in the back. "Let's so that again shall we? Good morning class." She repeated.

"Good morning professor Umbridge." The class said in a very bored and forced way.
But Umbridge smiled like she just won the lottery.

Percy knew then and there. She is not crazy. But rather psyco. 

Umbridge explained how the wands will not be used in her class and that they will only learn some theory.

"How are we going to be able to defend ourselves when we don't know how to use the spells ?" Hermione asked.

"Raise your hand when you want to speak!" Umbridge snapped. "Luckily miss Granger. You won't be needing these spells."

Percy had a bad feeling. This conversation was not going to end well. That feeling became a fact when Harry opened his mouth.

"We do.. We need to be able to defend ourselves out there." Harry said agitated.

Umbridge looked at Harry with hate in her eyes.
"He is not back mr. Potter!" She snapped again.
"And raise your hand before you speak!"

"He is! I fought him myself. He killed Cederic!" Harry yelled.

"Mr. Potter!" She said. Harry took a deep breath. Probably trying to calm himself down. "He is not back. So therefore there is absolutely no reason for why any of you would use these spells."

"We need to learn how to defend ourselves against the Death Eaters and Voldemort, there are-" Harry said again. 

"Do NOT speak his name mr. Potter." Umbridge said with wide eyes.

"Not speaking his name doesn't just make him disappear or less of a threat." Percy says getting a little agitated by the pink toad yelling.

"He is back! We need to-" Harry says getting angrier.

"Enough! Enough with the lies !" She screams.

"The only people who are mad at others for speaking the truth, are those who are living in a lie." Percy says to her. "While the ministry is living in a lie, people are disappearing, getting hurt and killed. They need to wake up and do something. You need to wake up and teach us. Because if you don't, and Voldemort does attack.. We won't stand a chance. And that would be on you." Percy said staring in her eyes.

There was complete silence in the classroom.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Jackson. Detention, both of you." She smiled. Percy looked at Harry who was shaking with anger.

The rest of the class went by slowly and Percy had drifted off many, many times.
Finally they could leave.

"Hey Percy. Thanks for standing up for me. You didn't have to." Harry said.

"Of course I had to. Just because they are scared of the truth is no reason for us not to learn how to defend ourselves. It's the whole freaking reason I came here." Percy said.

"You're right. Well, thanks anyways. There are not many people who believe me." Harry said.

"I know what it's like not being believed." Percy said thinking back to when he was twelve.

"I still can't believe you actually said that to a professor." Hermione said in disbelief but smiling.

Percy shrugged.
"Sometimes people assume they have all the right or power because they have a title. But that does not give them the right to do whatever they want." Percy said. 

Charms was pretty fun.
Flitwick told Percy he did amazing. So that gave Percy hope. The lesson was over before Percy noticed.

Next up was care of magical creatures with Hagrid.
Percy, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked over to his house where the rest of the students were waiting.

Hagrid showed up about ten minutes late.
He had a confused and.. scared expression on his face.

"Everything alright Hagrid?" Ron asked.

"I think it would be better if we skipped the class of today. There are some weird things wandering around in the forest lately. I need to talk to Dumbledore." Hagrid said.

Percy looked at Hagrid.
He must have seen something he didn't know. Or something that scared him. And from the stories Harry and his friends had told me. Hagrid isn't a type to be scared of creatures easily.

Percy looked at Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Has Hagrid ever been acting like this because of the forest?" Percy asked.

"No.. he had a three headed dog called fluffy. He isn't fazed by creatures that easily." Hermione said.

Percy thought about what he could have seen. Maybe some monster? Maybe Percy should talk to Dumbledore later today.

But the headmaster had been absent during the entire day. He had to see him as soon as posible.
Percy had a restless feeling that things were about to go wrong.