01.24.2022

Well, it was done. Dolores was the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. I was sitting by the lake, taking it all in, when I heard Hermione's voice,

"Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old-,"

"Now do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?" Draco's voice flittered over as well and I winced, Draco had been meeting with me regularly and we were making progress, but sometimes an image portrayed for the benefit of others is harder to break than the habits themselves.

"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled, Dolores had informed me of the new Inquisitorial Squad, I sighed and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder,

"Last I check, Draco, freedom of speech was still a real thing," I said causing him to pale and look up at me,

"Professor!" he squeaked and I smiled at the other students,

"You were late to your lesson, I was worried something had happened, I guess I worried over nothing," I said dragging him away.

"I know it's tempting, but don't give in to what they think that you are," I said quietly as we made our way to my office,

"But Professor- he doesn't even look at me!" Draco exclaimed a little too loudly and I sighed,

And there was that too. He happened to have the biggest crush on the most oblivious boy in the entire school.

"What you want me to give you two detention together?" I asked sarcastically but instead of being discouraged, he perked up,

"Please?" he asked and I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Draco, you know I have to have a reason," I said holding the door open for him, I could already see the gears in his head turning,

"Sooo if you did have a reason-," I looked at him,

"I've been here all year and I have yet to give anyone an actual detention," I reminded him and he frowned, still thinking, I ruffled his hair, "Stupid, ambitious, stubborn, clever, resourceful..." I muttered settling down into my desk letting him settle down into his normal chair, pulling out his work, smirking. I rolled my eyes chuckling slightly.

BOOM!

The castle seemed to shake and I looked up at Draco, both of us exchanging glances before I shoot out of my seat, feet steady on the shaking floor as I traced the aftershocks back to the source.

I reached the place and stared up in awe, fireworks, obviously enchanted ones, flew across the hall. The longer I watched the more they seemed to go off, I smiled as I realized who must've been behind this.

"Hurry, Filch, hurry!" Dolores shrieked, "They'll be all over the school unless we do something- Stupefy!" she cast a spell, and immediately the firework exploded with such force that it blasted a hole in a painting, occupants running just in time.

"Don't Stun them, Filch!" she cried and I snorted, her gaze landing on me, "Find this funny, do you?" she asked causing all the students to turn towards me, my lips twitched as I fought a smile, shaking my head no.

"Well then help us," she cried and I rolled my eyes, pulling out riptide and slashing it through one, making it separate into two. Gods! These were like hydra! I grinned, and after making sure Dolores wasn't looking, I cut through five more.

"Percy! Stop! They're multiplying!" she shrieked and I shrugged,

"I'm sorry Dolores, well if that is all I must be going, I have a class, you know," I said smoothly, turning and brushing past the students,

"Don't forget about classes!" I called over my shoulder to the students. Who looked up at me then scrambled to get to their respective classrooms.

I had Fred and Goerge, and I winked at them,

"In Greek mythology, there is a monster known as 'Hydra' every time you cut off one of its heads it grows another unless you burn the nub," I said walking down the aisle to my desk, and silencing the kids,

"There have been many a hero who has lost their lives to this monster, and there have been a few who have thought their way out, one cut off so many heads that it wasn't able to fit in the mouth of the cave where it lived, another defeated it with an archer, firing arrows with Greek fire after the hero cut off a head, causing the wound to close and not letting another head to grow in its place"

I looked up to the confused children, and grinned, "I'm sure that you've seen the magicked fireworks flying around, so I was wondering if you would like to use a swordplay day?" Fred and George's faces lit up and soon the whole class was nodding. I chuckled and passed out the swords.

For some reason, all my classes that day made the same decision.

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