Chapter Eleven: Thankfully I'm Not Terrible at Improv
Piper's P.O.V.

THAT MONDAY, things had run smoothly just as last Monday. History of Magic, then Potions, then the dreaded Divination, followed by the absolutely horrendous class also known as Defense Against the Dark Arts.

History of Magic was just as dull as last week. Professor Binn's voice could be compared to a dishwasher. Next was potions, which wasn't anymore interesting than History of Magic. Snape's class wasted neatly the whole period with nonstop yapping about our O.W.L. scores. Fortunately, we were given a break at lunch. The moment I came escaped that fowl classroom had me thanking the Gods for the first time in a while. After I was starting to realize how much I like the Hogwarts food, we had to leave for Divination again. However, something was different this time.

"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," said Professor Umbridge with her wide smile. "You received my note, I trust? Giving the time and date of your inspection?" The room had fallen silent once Umbridge, the humanlike toad, had entered the stuffy classroom through the trap door.

"We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in a brave attempt at her usual mystic tones, though her voice shook with fear. "Divide into pairs, please, and interpret each other's latest nighttime visions with the aid of the Oracle." I looked around the room and saw that Leo and Nico had already paired up. 'Sorry Pipes', Leo mouthed to me. I brought my eyes off Leo and realized the only other person without a partner in the room was Lavender Brown.

"I guess we're partners," I said to her, attempting to be friendly.

"Okay," she said, looking not fully convinced. "We've got to add your age to the date you had the dream, the number of letters in the subject. What did you dream about last night?"

"Um," I decided to tell her the fake dream I had written down in my dream diary, "last night I had a dream that I was on a date with my boyfriend Jason, in America. Then Leo and some of my friends from America were hawking spitballs at Jason and I."

"What would the subject of that dream be?" Lavender asked.

"I dunno- Jason, spitballs, date?" I suggested.

"Let's say spitballs," Lavender laughs. "Let's see that's nine letters. So how old are you? Fifteen or sixteen?"

"Fifteen."

"Okay. If my calculations are right(I'm rather dreadful at maths), your prediction says that you are in danger of losing control. And that you will peril in an endless daze." Could it be more cheesy?

The rest of the class was spent discussing my made up dreams. All of which ended in some kind of form of danger threatening me. What a predictable future for a demigod.

* * *

When we had gotten to Defense Against the Dark Arts, the toad faced lady was waiting for us.

"Wands away," she instructed us, an unflattering smile stretched across her plump face. At this, those who had been hopeful enough to take out their wands at all sadly returned them to their bags. "As we finished chapter one last lesson, I would like you all to turn to page nineteen today and commence chapter two, 'Common Defensive Theories and Their Derivation.' There will be no need to talk."

Another dreadful lesson. Even though my last school was a wilderness school, it was never this boring. Even by these standards. I actually though a magic school would be fun, or at least interesting. It was getting unbearable. I don't know if it was the fact that today had been such a long day, or that my ADHD started acting up. I should've known I was going to pay for it later.

"Professor Umbridge?" I ask, plenty my charmspeak in my voice, "What's really the point of this lesson? Studies prove that class discussion helps students learn more efficiently, so technically there is a need to talk. Also, I think that it would be easier if we didn't have to read at all. Besides, no one finds this anyway unusual."

Everyone starts talking to each other. Professor Umbridge doesn't think it's unusual just to ditch her lesson plan, she simply sits back at her desk. I look two desks away to see Leo smiling at me. I was actually amazed when I saw Nico was put under my spell as well. I think it's great he's actually talking to people. Socializing with the living is healthy once in a while. Everyone is talking... everyone and except Harry.

How could it have just occurred to me?! What in the world am I doing!? I thought I agreed that we all should be laying low! Now there's no doubt that Harry is even more suspicious now. This isn't going to go down well... all I can hope for now is that Annabeth doesn't find out.

"Er- What just happened?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean? Umbridge just gave us a free period to do whatever we want." I said acting innocent.

"You just did it again. How you got Umbridge to say what she did about Voldemort's return."

"Im sorry, but I did what Harry? I thought we came to terms that I had nothing to do with it. You're confusing me."

"You did something, you put a spell on everyone. I thought it something like the Imperius spell, but even Voldemort himself can't control this many people at once. Piper, why are you lying?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I say, turning away.

"Yes you do!" Harry says, he walks over to my desk(quite dramatically, I might add) and points his wand at me.

"Stupefy!" he sends a spell at me.

Just in the nick of time, I manage to dodge his spell and quickly grab my wand and Katoptris. I raise my wand in defense and point it at Harry. People were starting to notice what was going on with Harry and me. Attention, the exact opposite of what I need right now. I don't know many spells, but fortunately I know a handful of defense spells(courtesy of Hecate), "Everte Statum!"

Harry flys backward in the air, soaring over other classmates desks. He regains his footing and yells at me, "Locomoter Wibbly!" At once, my legs turn numb causing me to collapse.

Still on the floor, I grasp onto my wand tightly, "Stupefy!" I watch as the stream of red light hits him squarely in chest, causing him to collapse. Oh schist.

Professor Umbridge's face was priceless. Her eyes were livid and her hands were slightly twitching. If it wasn't directed towards me, I probably would've laughed at the sight to see her so angry. However....

"McLean, detention. Tomorrow night and all the other nights this week. Someone inform Potter when he wakes up that he also has detention," This is just great. I have detention with Harry.... Why me? Well, I suppose I am the one who charmspoke.

* * *

The next two days passed quickly. Before I knew it, it was Tuesday evening and I was heading for detention. I can't believe that evil toad gave me detention! I feel bad for Harry though, it's not his fault that he got detention. Well, it's only half his fault. I mean five new people show up to his school, and all his friends say that they've been going to the school as long as he has. Comparatively, it's almost as bad as when Hera gave me fake memories of Jason.

When I got up to her office Harry was just standing by the door. He was probably waiting for me, I guess.

"Do you know what she's going to make us do?" I ask him since I know he had detention with her last week.

"No clue," he says grimly.

"Can't be that bad. Probably something like writing lines."

He nods, "That wouldn't be too bad, I suppose. Seeing as this whole thing is your fault anyway."

Just at that moment Professor Ugly Toad opened the door.

"My, my," she said in a sweet voice, but it was obvious her tone was fake. "Come in you two. I've been waiting."

"What are we going to do Professor?" I asked her.

"I want you two to write," she says, handing Harry and I a quill and parchment each.

"What should we write?" Harry asked.

"Ms. McLean, I would like you to write, 'I must not attack others.' Mr. Potter, you on the other hand, will write, 'I must not tell lies.'"

I grabbed the quill and started writing on the parchment, when my hand started to burn. It wasn't the worst pain I've experienced, just a minor cut. I couldn't use my charmspeak again, otherwise Harry would go mental. I couldn't hurt my teacher, so for now I'd have to put up with this torture. But still, sooner or later, Mrs. Toad is going to pay.

* * *

The rest of the week past quickly, along with all my classes. These strange classes were so time consuming I barely had any time to talk with the other four about the quest. All I had to do was to keep my cover, which was a little difficult. A week after the incident in D.A.D.A. Harry and Hermione walked up to me in the common room and started to ask me questions.

"You know," Hermione said. "I just want to get this over with. This year all Harry ever talks about is Umbridge and how he claims not to have known you before the train ride. We are going to figure this out here and now."

"Um.... Okay?"

"When did you first meet Harry?" Hermione questions.

"At Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in our first year," I improvised. "Harry and I nearly ran into each other when we tried to make our way to the train."

"I don't remember that," Harry said sounding a little frustrated.

"Er, okay. We can figure this out," Hermione said. "How about your parents?"

"My dad's an American movie star. He's a muggle. That's why I went to America last summer. My Mum... Well she's the magical side of the family. I've only met her a few times in my life, so nothing else about that. I don't really like talking about it," I make sure to put an end to that conversation.

"How long have you known Nico, Leo, Annabeth, and Percy?" Hermione asked.

"Well, they're all my cousins. Don't ask how. Our family is very big and pretty messed up. I met all of them last year though. But I've known Leo a little longer than the others."

"If you're all related, then how come none of you look alike?" Harry asks.

I curse under my breath, "Well, like I said, very big family and pretty messed up. Most of us are very long distance cousins."

"Harry?" Hermione says turning towards the boy with the lightning scar. "Are you sure you don't recognize Piper? Or any of the others?"

"No," he bites his lip.

"Maybe tomorrow we can talk to Dumbledore and clear this whole mess up," Hermione suggests.

"Okay," I say quickly leaving the room and start to head up to the dorms. I knew one thing for sure: there was no way in Hades that I'm going to let them take me to Dumbledore.

Me: I do not own any of the characters. All characters either belong to Rick Riordan or J.K. Rowling.
Voldemort: I hate Harry Potter.
Kronos: I hate Percy Jackson.
Gaea: I hate Leo Valdez, Jason Grace, Piper McLean, Annabeth Chase, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, and Percy Jackson.
Kronos: Mother, you have WAY too many enemies.
Voldemort: I have no idea who either of you are.
Kronos: I AM THE TITAN LORD OF TIME. KRONOS, SATURN, AND MANY OTHER NAMES. TREMBLE BEFORE ME.
Voldemort: You tremble before me. I AM THE DARK LORD.
Gaea: I thought that was Nyx.
Nyx: Yep. That's me.
Bellatrix: My, Lord. Who are you talking to?
Voldemort: I have no idea. All I know is that Greek people are weird.

12/13/14