A New Potter - Chapter 8

I met up with everyone in the basement. It was a nice surprise to find that Tonks and Fleur were there as well. Hermione rushed over to the blonde witch when she noticed her. The two fell into a rapid conversation in French that I couldn't understand at all. I scanned the rest of the gathered group to see if they were caught off guard by this as well. They didn't react to the duo, other than Ron pinching himself every time his eyes went distant.

"You ok there, Ron?" I asked with a wry smile.

"I'm working on it," Ron's voice less form as he spoke.

"We offered to make him a shock collar," one twin said.
"He declined," the other said with a sigh.

"I can't imagine why," I stated.

The twins didn't look to be as effected by Fleur's allure. Their eyes did go distant on occasion, but not nearly as often as Ron. Other than me, only Hermione seemed completely unaffected. Even Ginny had some moments of drifting eyes.

Sirius joined us a few minutes later with all of his packages floating along behind him. He gave Fleur an appreciative glance but seemed to have his urges under control. As interesting as all that was, there were more important things for me to focus on. Starting a research project on the effects of Veela Allure would be interesting. Maybe it was something I could do once this Voldemort situation was handled. The fact that I would have to spend a long time around Veela would be a sacrifice I would have to make.

"Tonks, Fleur," Sirius said as he came to a stop in the middle of the room. "Are you sticking around? I wouldn't mind the help."

"Sure," Tonks smiled and nodded.

Fleur looked away from her conversation with Hermione to give a nod as well.

"Great," Sirius set the packages down.

He began to resize and unpack the bunch. I joined the others watching as he worked. Numerous training dummies, targets, and a bunch of exercise equipment that looked surprisingly modern. Sirius finished up in an efficient way that spoke of previous experience.

"This looks familiar," Tonks said watching Sirius work.

"I hope so," Sirius winked at her. "This is the Auror equipment that they used when I was trained."

Tonks walked over for a closer look. She inspected some of the equipment with an appreciative gaze.

"We're training them to be Aurors?" Tonks asked.

"We?" Sirius asked in reply.

Tonks nodded.

"We don't have enough time to train them fully," Sirius continued. "The best thing we can do is get them a solid set of fundamentals with a focus on defense, physical fitness, accuracy, and teamwork."

I smiled at his words.

"First," Sirius waved his wand, carefully arranging everything while clearing the dueling ring. "Let's see what we're working with. Time for some duels."

As it turned out, I wasn't the worst among the group. That didn't make the situation any better, but it did soothe my aching ego. Fleur and Tonks wiped the floor with everyone, even when Sirius allowed us to work with a partner against one of them. Fred and George worked well together, but they didn't have the spell catalogue for fighting. Ginny and I relied on a similar style of speedy dodging to survive. Hermione and Ron worked together better than I had expected.

I dominated the duels against the others. Unfortunately, facing more than one at the same time was too much for me. The entire experience was rather humbling. It looked like the spells I used hit hard enough, but my spell catalogue was too limited. As of yet, my own method of using magic took to long to use in a fight. I would need to practice speeding things up. The silent and wandless magic could do wonders if I could get it to work faster.

"That was a learning experience," Sirius said after a moment of silence.

Even Tonks and Fleur were breathing hard. I wasn't the only one who snuck appreciative glances at the blonde witch. Hopefully, my looks were more subtle than the others. It wasn't her Allure that drew my attention, she was just damn attractive.

"That bad?" I asked with a tired laugh.

"Not at all," Sirius replied. "You lot would make a good squad. Tonks is a top Auror for a reason and Fleur here is a nice surprise."

"I was chosen as a champion for a reason," Fleur rolled her eyes.

"Honestly," Sirius met her gaze. "I was expecting more of an academic approach once you took the job with Gringotts."

Fleur gave him a single nod.

"Now that you're all warmed up, let's get started," Sirius clapped his hands and motioned to equipment. "We'll work on improving your physical fitness before we move on to target practice."

All of us stared at him for a long moment. We had just spent the last half an hour dueling and were already tired. Now he wanted us to work out?

"We're starting today?" Ron vocalized my thoughts.

Sirius gave them all an evil smile. I slept heavier than I ever had that night.

~§~

Our lives fell into a routine. We'd wake up, have breakfast, study, have lunch, do a mixture of physical training and then spell-work until dinner. Our brief free time lasted until it was time to go to sleep. The days blurred into one long mess of repeating events. Tonks and Fleur joined whenever they could. Lupin and Moody popped in from time to time as well. Remus would help in the study sections while Alastor added to the physical training and spells. Molly was not happy when she found out about our training sessions, but even Arthur agreed it was important. The Weasley Patriarch observed a couple of times to make sure we weren't being taught anything inappropriate. Those were the days that Sirius stuck to defensive spells that even a first year should know. It was good to brush up on the fundamentals, but it was mostly to avoid provoking Mount Molly.

We all were making noticeable progress after the first week. By the end of the second I could hold my own against Fleur and Tonks, separately. I had yet to win any of the matches, but I could fight them to a standstill. That was until Moody stepped in to add some complications to the training.

The crazy old Auror charmed random objects to attack at various times. Sometimes it was during a duel, other times it was while we were doing physical fitness, and he especially liked to have his little trinkets spring to life during out study sessions.

Sirius had acquired a decent library of books focusing on Defense, as well as an older Auror training instruction manual, and supplemented some of the 'safer' tomes from the Black library. He spent extra time teaching me some darker methods. The Black Family Magic recognized me since I was the Heir and allowed me to use the techniques. Technically, anyone could learn the spells, but they would only reach their full potential when used by one of the family. Any Black attacked with a family spell would have a natural resistance. He also made sure to teach me any counter-curses and treatments in case something like that were to happen.

The memories I had absorbed from Harry, Sirius was one of the best Defense instructors we'd ever had. He made sure to touch on the theory behind each spell, the possible applications, variations, and how to integrate them into chains.

Unfortunately, the training had me so focused that I didn't realize that the first day of term was rapidly approaching. It wasn't until I was on the Hogwarts Express that it hit me. I had completely forgotten about Umbridge. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and the twins would be better off than everyone else. We weren't exactly prepared to go on the offensive, but we could at least stay alive long enough to pull off a fighting retreat.

Umbridge brought the people I needed to kill this year up to two. She was also the more pressing. I had a year to take care of Dumbledore. It was a shame I couldn't get Sirius there to teach Defense.

I looked over at my friends on the seat across from me. The train hadn't started moving yet. We were earlier than I had expected and found an empty cabin easily enough. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny fit with a little room to spare. I didn't think telling them I was planning on killing our yet-to-be-announced Defense professor would go over all that well. They weren't big on the killing thing. Sirius and Moody were potentially the only others I knew that could understand. I wasn't planning on going around offing whoever looked at me weird, there were certain people that needed to be removed permanently from the board.

That got me thinking about all the people I needed to kill. Maybe I could get Sirius to help ease the load, but that was a conversation that needed to be done in private. Hogwarts and Hogsmeade were safe for the year. They would be for the rest of the war once I'd fulfilled my end of the agreement.

I could use Umbridge to kill others. Imperius or Compel her to blast Malfoy in the middle of the Ministry atrium. Messy, but it would be hard for her to walk away from it. That plan would be thwarted by a passer-by, or she could simply not be powerful enough. Any way she died would lead to an investigation. I needed to come up with a way to kill her without it leading back to me.

"The spiders would do it," a serene voice said from beside me.

I was startled a little as the words jumped me out of my thoughts. A petite blonde girl with golden blonde hair. She wore a set of glasses with a multi-color spiral and looked to be reading a magazine upside-down.

"Hello, Luna," I smiled at her.

"Hello, Harry Potter," she returned the smile. "How do you like our world?"

"It's something special," I said after a moment. "What were you saying?"

"Spiders," Luna repeated. "They make the thestrals nervous."

"They make me nervous," Ron muttered. "How do you know Luna?"

"We just met," I replied.

"What are you two talking about?" Hermione asked.

"The creatures in the Forbidden Forest," I replied with a smile. "Luna feeds the thestrals and the spiders make them nervous."

"Oh," Hermione thought for a moment. "What's a thestral?"

"Invisible creatures that can only been seen by those who have witnessed death," I replied easily. "They are what pull the carriages."

"I thought they were magic," Hermione whispered.

"That's not mentioned in Hogwarts, a History?" I teased.

Hermione glared at me. She pulled a book from her bag and started to read. It took a bit of effort to not laugh when she kept checking to make sure I knew she wasn't paying attention to me. I wondered if this behavior was a hold-over from her Polyjuice accident with the cat hair.

"They are a problem," I mumbled. "Thank you, Luna, I think that will work perfectly."

"You're welcome, Harry," she smiled at me again.

I was pretty sure the spiders played a part in the final battle and weren't helpful to anyone. The Ministry would investigate Umbridge's disappearance, find the colony, and then deal with it. Hopefully. If not, then I'd have to burn down the entire forest. I don't like spiders. Well, the giant ones.

Giants. Why was that important? Right, Hagrid. He would be out on a mission to recruit the giants. It would be for the best if I could get Umbridge into the forest before he arrived. Hagrid would probably try to fight to keep the spiders alive or have them shipped off to some sanctuary.

A couple of giggles made me aware of the world around me once more. One of my hands was idly petting Luna's head. I ran my fingers through her hair and gently scratched her scalp as my mind wandered. The giggling came from Ginny because Luna had practically climbed into my lap to make it easier for me to reach. Hermione glared at me over the edge of her book. She hadn't turned any pages for a good minute now.

Maybe there was something more to this cat thing with her.

"That was nice," Luna said scooting back onto the seat. "Did you want me to pet you now?"

I was about to decline when I stopped myself.

"Sure," I said smiling at her.

"It would be best if you laid your head in my lap," Luna said patting her lap.

I followed her suggestion. Her thighs were surprisingly comfortable considering how petite she was. Luna went back to reading her magazine while running her fingers through my hair. I wish I could say that the soothing feeling helped my thought process. That the relaxing sensation unlocked a deeper connection with my subconscious, and I was able to solve the various issues on the horizon.

Instead, I fell asleep.

~§~

 I stayed close to Luna when she stopped to greet the thestrals once we left the train. There were a few knowing looks from the passing students and many more stares of confusion. That was a good thing considering the requirement for seeing a thestral was to see someone die. This would mean that most of the students had never experienced such a thing.

There were a few faces in the crowd that I could attach to the characters I knew. Draco was easy to spot with his near-white hair. His bookends looked pretty much like they belonged in the background of an old mafia movie. The other three in the group took some effort to identify. A cute girl with short black hair didn't fit my mental image for Pansy Parkinson, but how she practically followed Draco around like an excited pet helped. I hadn't known what most of the characters would look like in this world. The other two in the group were harder to place. A girl that had to be at least six feet tall walked on one side of Pansy. The other side was filled by a sylph of a girl with long white hair. If I had to guess, the tall one was Milicent Bulstrode. The other witch didn’t click with anyone I could remember.

Neville was able to spot. He was tall, lanky, and still walked like he was a chubby kid. A slight hunch in his shoulders to keep his head low. Parvati was easy to identify, which put the busty blonde beside her as Lavender.

I forced my gaze to the staff table instead of the students. True to my memory, Hagrid wasn't among them. Unfortunately, Umbridge sat a couple seats down from Dumbledore. She reminded me more of a bulldog rather than a toad. Looking at her was too painful after a few seconds. It wasn't any sort of magic; she just wore so much nearly-neon pink.

She scanned the crowd with the eagerness of a starving person in front of a buffet. Her eyes lit up when she found me. A smile crossed her face that made me want to retch. I shifted my gaze away from her, pretending to be looking for something.

Luna split off as we headed to our house tables. I took the lead to the Gryffindor stretch. Seeing Umbridge in person made me realize the impending doom. She needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. I just needed to figure out how to get her to the spider colony in the forest.

I spent the song from the Hat, the sorting, and the meal on autopilot. It wasn't until Dumbledore started to speak that I was pulled into the present.

"Now that we are all backing in another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention," Dumbledor said. "We have three staff changes this year. We are delighted to welcome Professor Grubby-Plank in a temporary return to Care of Magical Creatures classes."

A man with a wooden arm that looked like it belonged on an old fashion puppet waved at the crowd. He had a pleasant smile that was slightly marred by a scar along the side of his face. The students around me clap happily enough for me to join.

"Next, we have Professor Clearwater standing in for Professor Snape for Potions lessons while he is on sabbatical," Dumbledore motioned to a young woman with long curly blonde hair.

She blushed as the Ravenclaw table erupted into cheers. The rest of the students gather cheered as well, for her as well as the fact that Snape was gone. I did find it odd that Dumbledore had said Severus was on sabbatical, rather than dead.

"That's Penelope Clearwater," Hermione said in a hushed tone that was filled with excitement. "She's really smart, nice too."

"How do you know her?" I asked.

"We spent time in the healing ward recovering from being petrified," Hermione shuddered at the memory. "I didn't realize she was well versed in potions."

"She dated Percy for a bit too," Ron added. "Don't think they are anymore."

Dumbledore waited until the cheering had stopped before he went on.

"We are also pleased to introduce Professor Umbridge as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Dumbledore continued.

The clapping this time was polite but the crowd was clearly losing interest. Announcements after a filling meal might not have been the best idea.

"A few changes in schedules. Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will be on-" Dumbledore was interrupted by a sound I never wanted to hear.

"Hem-hem," Professor Umbridge cleared her throat.

It took me a moment to realize she was standing. There hadn't been much of a change from when she had been sitting. Dumbledore stared at her for a moment. A rare sight for the old man to be caught off guard. He took a seat easily enough as though it was simply her turn.

"Thank you for the welcome, Headmaster," Umbridge spoke in a high-pitched voice that was what she had thought was cute.

It reminded me of Marge Simpson trying to do a Jessica Rabbit impression. I had never instantly hated a person before. It was a new sensation that I was not in any hurry to repeat.

"It is lovely to be back at Hogwarts," Umbridge smiled with something not quite right about it. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends."

Damn, her voice sent the hairs on the back of my neck dancing. Parvati whispered something to Lavender I didn't catch, but it made the two laugh.

Umbridge cleared her throat again. What little 'personality' her voice had before disappeared as she began to speak again. I much preferred this blank version than her normal voice.

"The Ministry has always considered the education of our youth to be essential. Rare gifts that you were born with will be for nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction," Umbridge paused to give a small nod to the other gathered professors, not one returned it.

I lost focus on whatever she was saying, instead, I turned my attention to the other professors. They all wore guarded expressions, except for Penelope who was staring at the woman in barely contained contempt. The year hadn't started yet and the entire staff already hated the pink invader. It was rather impressive considering two previous professors had been Death Eaters.

"Hem-hem," Umbridge cleared her throat again.

Unfortunately, it pulled my attention back to whatever she had been saying. It wasn't just me that had been drifting off judging by the reaction of those around me. We all jolted in our chairs to some degree in a version of that half-asleep leg kick that happens on occasion. Hermione was the only one in close proximity that appeared to have actually been listening. She didn't appear to appreciate whatever Umbridge had said if the scowl on her face was anything to go by.

"Some old habits will rightly remain, whereas others must be set aside," Umbridge tried to sound inspiring and failed spectacularly. "Starting this year, we are intent on preserving those practices that should be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and removing practices we find should to be prohibited."

She took a seat. Dumbledore clapped, which signaled for the staff to follow his lead. Most clapped once or twice to be polite before stopping. On instinct, a few students joined in, but most had zoned out early on in the speech.

We were dismissed shortly afterwards. I followed the crowd as we tromped up to the Gryffindor tower. It was rather annoying having to climb so many stairs. This was a magical castle, surely there had to be a better method. The Ministry had elevators, so that was an option. Keeping with the 'pointless' theme, like the moving staircases, the castle could add giant fans to lift students to their destination. That should meet the quota of completely preventable student injuries and death that Dumbledore apparently had to meet each year.

The main topics of conversation were Umbridge and Penelope for drastically different reasons. Most of my housemates had good experiences with the new potions' professor. She had started a study group for those students who needed it. The gathering had been open to every house, year, and class. A few among the crowd solely credited her for passing their OWLs in a few subjects.

"Umbridge is a problem," Hermione said.

That brought the entire group to a grinding halt. Of all the people to speak out against a professor, no one would have guessed it would be her.

"At least it's her," one of the twins said.
"They could have had Percy as the Defense Professor," the other said.
"He'd sell our own mother for a pat on the head from Fudge," the first twin finished.

"Don’t even joke about that," Ron shuddered. "Professor Percy, thanks for the nightmares."

"You're welcome," the twins said as one.

"Honestly, did you see the book she assigned?" Hermione snapped.

"Hermione," I spoke up. "Leave it alone."

Everyone turned to me.

"We all know she's here to force whatever the Ministry says is the truth down our throats," I continued. "Anyone standing up against her will only serve to spur her on. She has the Ministry behind her. Fighting her is fighting them. We can't do that and survive this year untouched."

"Then what should we do?" One of the other Gryffindors asked.

A guy, probably in the same year as me or one above. It wasn't anyone I recognized from what I remembered of descriptions in the books which seemed to be more accurate than the movies.

"Smile and wave," I replied with a wink. "Give us a week and we'll have a plan."

"Us?" Parvati asked.

"Us," I motioned to the group around me.

The twins, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had instinctively gravitated close to me. Thanks to the hours training together we trusted each other immensely. Angelina and Alicia were connected to us via the twins. Those two weren't hard to identify since there were maybe twelve non-white students in the entirety of Gryffindor, and that was a generous count. By extension that added Katie as well. Parvati and Lavender could sniff out good gossip which meant they were in as well. Ginny brought the potential allegiance of a few fourth-year students that I couldn't identify. Lastly, there was Neville, who just kind of appeared at the edge of the group.

"Get some sleep," I said as I walked over to the staircase. "We're in for a long year."

~§~

The beds were comfortable, and the food was good. If nothing else, those were two good points in favor of Hogwarts. The fact that I had a secret agent in the form of Dobby was a bonus too. I hadn't had any need to summon him yet, but I knew it would be soon.

During the process of settling in for the night I was able to get a better handle on my dormmates and fellow Gryffindors. Dean and Seamus were oblivious to the fact that they were practically dating each other. It was adorable. They spent all their time together, made sure the other was on time and prepared, and always sat together in classes and at meals so closely they were nearly in the others' lap. My inherited memories told me that this wasn't new behavior in any sense of the word. Even better, everyone knew about it except for them. Neither of them was first-born Purebloods so it was completely plausible for them to get together. An official Heir would be duty bound to marry and have at least one child. It was a common practice for Pureblood lords and ladies to have an assistant if their spouse was not the gender they preferred. It wasn't the same as having an affair. This was acceptable for husband and wife as long as the duty of producing an heir was upheld.

Neville was shy but had a quiet wit about him. He had the habit of speaking under his breath and only spoke loud enough for others to hear when necessary. Those that did get to listen to him had to constantly stifle chuckles. His aversion to attention meant that he was more than happy to let someone else repeat what he had said for everyone to hear.

The morning also brought with it the semblance of a plan. I needed a way to get Umbridge into the forest without making it obvious that it was me. My first plan had been to simply compel her to investigate the rumors, but I didn't know if they could track that type of magic. Granted, she would be dead before people realized she was missing. Still, I didn't want to write off the possibility considering this was a magical world.

"Schedules," Professor McGonagall announced as the final Gryffindor took a seat at the breakfast table.

Monday – Wednesday – Friday

·         Charms with Ravenclaw

·         Herbology with Hufflepuff

·         Lunch

·         Care of Magical Creatures with Slytherin

·         Defense against the Dark Arts with Slytherin

Tuesday – Thursday

·         Potions with Slytherin

·         Transfiguration with Ravenclaw

·         Lunch

·         History with Hufflepuff

·         Divination Elective

I had hoped to have Potions the first day rather than Defense.

"Professor," I spoke up before she could move too far along.

"Yes, Mister Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"Is it too late to change my schedule?" I flashed her a hopeful smile.

"Such as?" McGonagall didn't appear to be phased.

"Divination," I replied. "I don't have the talent for it."

"Indeed," McGonagall stifled soft sniff of disdain. "What would you want to replace it with?"

"Independent study?" I asked hopefully.

She stared at me flatly.

"Fine," I grumbled. "What about Runes?"

"You would be more than a year behind," Professor McGonagall stated.

"Are there any other options?" I countered.

"Yes," she replied simply.

"Really?" I didn't even try to contain my shock.

"Yes," the corner of her lip twitched ever so slightly at my reply. "Yearly electives include Introduction to Common Rituals, Spell Theory, and Alchemy."

I stole a look to Hermione. She nodded as though it was common knowledge. Maybe it was.

"Spell Theory sounds interesting," I said.

"I'll make the change," McGonagall said giving an approving nod.

My mind started to drift as the professor moved on to pass out the rest of the schedules. What other things like this didn't I know? I had dozens of random little memories floating in my head that were never covered in the books or movies. It made sense that there were other things missing as well.

"Who teaches it?" I asked Hermione.

"Madam Hooch," she replied.

"What?" I arched an eyebrow at that.

"You don't think she was only here to teach flying and referee the quidditch games, did you?" Hermione teased.

"Maybe," I muttered. "Have you taken it?"

"Yes," Hermione said nodding. "Third year, there is a lot of reading and essay writing. I would take it again if I could, but I had to return the you-know."

"For good reason," I said narrowing my eyes at her. "You nearly pushed yourself to death."

"It wasn't that bad," Hermione dismissed me words.

I closed my eyes and sighed. This was not the conversation I needed to have right now. Instead, I turned my attention to my plate. Thankfully, the food was more magical than English. I was not going to ear Beans on Toast unless I had absolutely no other option. Though it did make me wonder what type of farms were out there for magical creatures. A Diricawl egg was bigger than a chicken egg and the 'Dodo' had the ability to teleport short distances. Yet another train of thought that was better for later.

Charms class was really fun. Flitwick was energetic and truly cared if his students learned. Herbology wasn't bad but didn't interest me. The scenery was nice. Hufflepuff had some very attractive witches. Lunch was good. It wasn't until Care of Magical Creatures that I initiated my plans.

Professor Grubby-Plank was a good instructor that started the year out with a Pseudodragon. Basically, a dragon that was roughly the size of a house cat. Most didn't have any sort of breath attack, but they could 'speak' telepathically in basic terms. Their bite could also put a normal person to sleep for at least six hours. I absolutely loved the little critters and wanted one of my own as soon as possible.

A dozen of the creatures spread among the students. Many happy sounds were made from both students and creatures.

"Professor," I spoke up as a blue one curled up my shoulders.

"Yes, Mister Potter?" The jolly professor asked.

"Is it legal to own a Pseudodragon?" I asked.

"Yes," the professor laughed. "They are expensive and are best bought in pairs as they require a lot of attention. If you can, three is even better. They hunt bugs and small prey but are best when kept inside as they sometimes think they are much bigger than they actually are."

The creature on my shoulder huffed.

<I mighty hunter> A whisper floated along my mind.

"Breeding is requires a yearly certification and assessment," Professor Grubby-Plank continued. "There are also practices preventing unhealthy traits such as stunted tails, split wings, and flat snouts. While some think such changes make them more visually appealing the alterations lower the life expectancy by years as well as greatly increase any sort of health issues."

"I wish they did that with dogs," Hermione muttered.

"Me too," I agreed.

The creature on my shoulder grumbled at the lack of pets.

"Do you have a name?" I asked the Pseudodragon as I scratched under its chin.

<Flame of Sun in Twilight> The creature replied psychically.

"Nice to meet you," I replied.

Flame let out a little chitter. It hopped off my shoulder and toured the area for a little bit. The spot was quickly claimed by a red creature with darker strips along the edge of their wings.

"It is also important to remember that they are quite adept at gliding," Professor Grubby-Plank added. "Unlike birds, their bones are not hollow and are unable to fly."

The lesson went on with further wondering of the creatures. They hopped from person to person to find the perfect spot to sleep. Rays of sunshine were quickly claimed and those who happened to be in the path were soon covered in drowsy pseudodragons.

"Hermione," I spoke softly.

She looked up at me in question. I casually motioned to the group of Slytherin students where Draco gathered his minions. The taller girl and the other one I didn't know each had a pseudodragon on their laps.

"Who are those girls?" I asked.

"Milicent Bulstrode and Lilith Moon," Hermione answered. "Why?"

"I couldn't remember," I replied with a shrug.

She stared at me for a moment. The pseudodragon in her lap squeaked as she had stopped petting the creature. I studied the two witches as closely as I could without being obvious. The tall one, Milicent, wasn't pretty, but she wasn't ugly. The term that came to mind was handsome, in the best way possible. She was tall and physically fit while appearing feminine. Her light brown hair reached below her shoulders. She'd look like a Viking if her hair color swapped over to blonde and styled in braids.

Lilith, the smaller one, had a similar petite build to Luna. She was of Asian heritage, cute, and had long, black hair. Other than that, she didn't have any notable features. In fact, she seemed to have a talent to being unnoticed.

That was one little puzzle solved. It was kind of annoying to not know who all of these people were. Technically, this was my first time meeting them. The last four years didn't happen to me.

I turned my focus back to the class until the end.

"Professor," I called as the other students packed up their gear.

"A question, Mister Potter?" The professor asked in reply. "I regret to inform you that all of these pseudodragons are part of an educational program and not up for adoption."

"Good to know," I said smiling. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" The professor asked.

"Did Hagrid arrange a feed schedule for Aragog and his brood?" I asked trying to make it sound like an innocent question.

"Aragog?" Professor Grubby-Plank asked.

"The Acromantula patriarch in the forest," I clarified. "His colony need to be fed daily."

Professor Grubby-Plank went pale. This was going to be easier than expected.

"There's an Acromantula colony in the forest?" He squeaked.

"You should tell someone," I waved my hand in the classic 'Jedi Mind Trick' motion.

"I should tell someone," he nodded in agreement.

"Professor Umbridge is connected to the Ministry," I waved my hand again. "Dumbledore seems to be happy to let the colony be. That's not a good idea."

"That new professor knows people in the Ministry," he muttered. "Dumbledore doesn't see the danger of having a colony so close to the school."

"I'm on my way to Defense," I said with a polite nod. "Would you like me to tell her you need to speak with her after?"

"Yes," Professor Grubby-Plank nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, Mister Potter."

"My pleasure," I replied.

~§~

I had to constantly calm Hermione through the Defense class 'taught' by Umbridge. The pink terror was constantly trying to provoke a response from me. I didn't really care if she insulted Dumbledore, or not-so-subtly called me a liar. Instead, I spent the class attentively listening to her and following instructions. She stopped trying to get under my skin after half-way through.

"Go on without me," I told Hermione and Ron once class was over.

They looked at me questioningly but didn't argue. Umbridge, however, watched me approach with a mixture of hope and malice. I put on my best customer service smile as I approached.

"Professor Umbridge," I lifted the last part of her name to sound like a question.

"Mister Potter," her eyes flashed pure hatred at my name.

"Professor Grubby-Plank wanted to speak to you urgently after class," I said. "I told him I would deliver the message."

"Did he say why?" Umbridge asked.

"It's an issue that Dumbledore has overlooked that he wants to bring to the Ministry's attention," I stated.

"And you are fine with this?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Professor," I tried to sound shocked at her question. "I've brought the issue to Dumbledore myself two years ago and he didn't do anything about it. Clearly, I should have trusted the Ministry to solve it."

"As well you should," Umbridge seemed to puff up as she spoke.

"You should check it out yourself," I said waving my hand.

Umbridge strutted off with clear purpose. She was so focused on her new task that she forgot to dismiss me. I waited until she was out of sight before I left. Time would only tell if the plan worked. Any more involvement on my part would raise too many questions.

The evening was spent grumbling about homework on the first day. Happy stories about the Pseudodragons were shared as well. They were a big hit and pretty much everyone was happy to have Grubby-Plank back rather than whatever 'cute' horror Hagrid would have unleashed.

I didn't join the conversations. Instead, I kept on top of my work and went to bed. Waiting was the worst part of any plan.

~NOTE~
Umbridge's speech isn't word-for-word as it appeared in the book, but it's close enough for me to feel the need to mention it's not completely mine.