Chapter Eight: Piper Broke the Rules
Harry's P.O.V.

"YOU THREE, STAY."

Trelawney said to the unrecognizable wizards. I was still unable to recall any memories of them, or even their names. But it was Hermione and Ron who informed me that their names happen to be Nico Di Angelo, Leo Valdez, and Piper McLean. I glance over at Trelawney, her huge eyes were still set on the three of them, still and not at all blinking. As I exit the room I intentionally slow my pace, letting the rest of the class exit the room ahead me.

I step down only about halfway down the trap door before I come to halt, standing still. I think I should hear just the Professor has to say. After all, it might explain why I can't remember them. I let my breathing shallow and put my ear up on the door so I could hear the voices inside.

"You, were never here. Your presence was only a veil. I can see the fictitious world you made everyone around you believe... and I can view the reality of it all. Piper, you were never an expert at my class. I suppose now you wouldn't even know how to properly give one tea readings.... Leo, Nico, the lesson in which you broke a full shelf of my crystal balls... that never occurred here!" Trelawney seemed exasperated as she said this. As if it explaining this drained energy from her.

"Um," Leo muttered. "This really can't be good. Can it?"

"We have no idea what you are talking about, Professor. You must be hallucinating. Or have had some bad tea, or something likewise to it. Nothing you're saying makes any sense at all."

It was Piper who took it to upon herself to try to reason with Trelawney. And it possibly could've succeeded... I could feel the power dripping from her voice. Like something wanted to make me believe what she was saying, but after what Trelawney said it was an obvious coverup. It was similar to what happened at the train... which also reminded me of some of the effects of the Imperious curse. But she couldn't be using dark magic right in front of a Professor, could she?

"No," Trelawney said. "I must insist, the veil... the veil that clouds many of your peers' memories, is imaginary. It is as real as a dream that never was."

"We should probably leave now before this goes too far," From the looks of him, I never thought I'd hear Nico sound worried.

"Wait!" Trelawney said, and then she spoke in a voice I haven't heard her use in over a year.... The terrible voice hissed at every word she spoke.

"Five halfbloods and the blessed,
Shall determine the hero's quest.
A foretold destruction, or your own,
The five must choose one to succumb."

"Did she just speak the prophecy?" Leo said. What was he talking about, what prophecy?

"Yes, and we need to get out of here." Nico said. I heard them walking towards the trapdoor so I started running towards D.A.D.A., I'll have to figure out what just happened later.

* * *

"Well, good afternoon!" Professor Umbridge said when finally the whole class had sat down.

A few people mumbled "Good afternoon," in reply.

"Tut, tut," said Umbridge. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her.

"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order "wands away" had never yet been followed by a lesson they had found interesting.

She turned to the blackboard and wrote,

Course aims:
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.
2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.
3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Did you want to ask something, dear?" she asked Hermione.

"I've got a query about your course aims," said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.

"And your name is-?"

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully," said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness.

"Well, I don't," said Hermione bluntly. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three course aims still written on the blackboard.

"Using defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron questioned, obviously way too loud than he intended to.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr.-?"

"Weasley," said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air.

Hermione and I immediately raised our hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on me for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," said Hermione. "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Umbridge in her falsely sweet voice.

"No, but -"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way-"

"What use is that?" I blurt out. "If we're going to be attacked it won't be in a-"

"Hand, Mr. Potter!" sang Professor Umbridge.

I put my hand in the air. Professor Umbridge promptly turned away from me again, but now several other people had their hands up too.

"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge said turning to Piper.

"Piper McLean," replies Piper, eyeing Umbridge straightforwardly.

"Well, Ms. McLean?"

"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it?" Piper grinds her teeth. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free-"

"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at 'Ms. McLean', "Do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"Possibly," Piper says, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms. Her attitude towards Umbridge was careless and fearless, she didn't appear to mind the consequences of replying in such a way to a Professor. She continued, "I suggest we stop this absolutely stupid conversation right now. You're getting nowhere lying to yourself, you and everyone who fails to see the truth should admit that the Dark Lord is back. Denying solid facts is just ridiculous."

Nobody thought they'd see the day a ministry official came to terms with a student, but it happened in front of everyone. Her eyes glazed over, and she spoke in a monotone voice, "How am I supposed to deny facts when not even the Ministry can prove they're correct? Lying to ourselves is the only way."

It was so silent in that classroom you could hear a pin drop. Every single student stared at the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in shock. The Ministry was stubborn, and everyone knew that. Even those who failed to believe that Voldemort was back. From Umbridge's speech at the Feast, it was clear she was not the type to admit that there was even a slight possibility that the Ministry knew something was off.

It was Piper who got Umbridge to say that. It was most definitely her. Maybe earlier she has spiked her tea or used non-verbal magic, which shouldn't be possible for someone of her magical skill. There's something off about her, and her companions. There's a reason I can't remember any of them and I have to find out what it is.

* * *

The rest of the lesson was spent reading. Even Hermione didn't like it.

Once the bell rang, I walked over to Piper's desk. Maybe I could catch her off guard, "What was that?"

"What was what?" She asked, her expression confused.

"How you got Umbridge to say what she did about how the Ministry was lying to themselves? How did you do that?"

"I've no idea what you are talking about, Harry. I myself was just surprised as everyone else; Ha- Heck, I was sure she was about to give me a detention."

"Don't act dumb," I say, putting my hand on her desk. "You did something. I'm sorry, but it almost seemed like some kind of dark magic seeing how Umbridge responded."

"What?" She laughed, "Dark magic? Harry, what is wrong with you? All of a sudden you are acting like Leo, Nico, and I are evil or something! Honestly, I don't think turning evil was even on my bucket list for last summer."

"Yeah, yeah. Say what you want. Before the train ride, I had never seen the three of you or Percy and Annabeth. I don't know how that's possible but that's the truth. You can't just lose four years worth of memories of people that you've supposedly known since you were eleven. I know you're lying about something."

"Harry-"

"Piper it doesn't make sense. All I want is an explanation."

"Explanation? Is this some sort of interrogation?"

"Piper, know one of your magical skill level should be able to brainwash a Professor and successfully get away with it."

"I didn't do anything! She said what she said! So what? I was talking that her. It doesn't matter. Can I just leave now? Leo and Nico are waiting for me."

"Piper, why are you avoiding this?"

"Why are you taking this so seriously?"

"It's not everyday you get a Ministry worker admit that themselves and the Prophet may as well not be telling the truth."

"Harry, I didn't do anything, so do yourself a favor and just drop it."

"If you were lying, wouldn't you say that you didn't do anything? Wouldn't you try to throw me off, convince people that nothing happened."

Nothing did happen," Piper slung her school bag over her shoulder," and might I say you've gotten even more stubborn over the summer, Harry. You might be right about Voldemort's return, but you are going a little overboard with this one."

She pushed past me, not looking back as she exited the classroom.

* * *

I figured more people would be talking about what Umbridge had said in class by dinner. Accordingly, I was wrong. The first day was over and from what I could tell nobody took it upon themselves to discuss what had happened during Defense Against the Dark Arts. I could see Piper, Leo, and Nico sitting with Percy and Annabeth halfway down the table. I still couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't feel right.

"What I don't get," I tell Ron and Hermione, "is why Professor Trelawney and I are the only people who can see that those five aren't supposed to be here.

"What?" Ron asks. Momentarily I forgot that I never mentioned why I had stayed after Divination, so I tell them both of what I had overheard.

"I see your point," Hermione says. "That does seem somewhat suspicious. I mean, 'I can see the fictitious world you made everyone around you believe'."

"I agree with you Harry," says Ron. "All five of them have been acting strange this year."

"And what about the so called prophecy?" I say in a low whisper, "'Five halfbloods and the blessed', what could that even mean? Five halfblooded wizards? What do you even think 'blessed' means?"

"Who knows Harry? Prophecies are always twisted and unclear," Hermione says. I thought about that; I didn't know much about prophecies. But I assumed it was something else Hermione had read up on.

Me: I do not own any of the characters. All characters belong to Rick Riordan or J.K. Rowling.
Hermione: Harry?
Harry: Yes 'Mione?
Hermione: Do you think that Ron and I have a future together?
Harry: No way.
Hermione: Totally agree with you.
Harry: There is no possible way that you and Ron could start dating.
Aphrodite: Challenge accepted.