American Royalty

Part 9: A day at Hogwarts

Hazel really hated nightmares. Like really really hated nightmares. That was one of the main things she hated about being a demigod. Ever since the war, her nightmares had become so much worse. She'd see moment from their journey to Greece, the moment they left New Rome, Hazel hadn't been there when Percy and Kit had finally gotten on the ship, but lets just say she hadn't seen them that angry the whole time she'd known them. She'd see images of when Kit had helped teach her some of the Greek moves and help train her so that she was prepared for what was to come. She'd see the storm the two sets of twins had created, that was the first time she'd had an insight as to just how powerful they all were.  She'd have flashes of Percy holding onto Annabeth as they fell into Tartarus. Images of Kit falling in right after as the floor around her gave way. She'd get visions of the moment they dropped out of the elevator unconscious and barely alive. When Jason and Frank helped fly them up onto the ship. She watched as Jason and Reyna reset Kit's broken leg, the sickening sound of the bone popping into place. She would watch as Frank flew Jason down onto the Argo 2 and Kit and Hedge lifting him from the stretcher onto an operating table, the useless feeling as the doors shut isolating them, Kit coming out covered in Jason's blood with a grim look on her face as she came to give everyone the debrief. She would see things from her past life, then of the moment when Leo had 'died'. Blood and bodies littered the ground. The harsh clang of metal as the demigods pushed back against the monsters of hell. She'd see the moment as Percy and Kit as they were walking back off the field of battle then collapsing. That was one of the worst and most frequent nightmares. She'd watch over and over again as Jason and Frank rushed up to the twins. The feeling of being absolutely helpless as they were rushed to the med bay and Will ushering them into one of the private rooms. It always got worse when she watched how two of the strongest people she knew broke down. She was jolted out of her thoughts by Frank who had gently knocked on the door.
"Hey. We gotta go."
"Yeah, I'm coming." Hazel said getting up and grabbing her stuff.
"You ok? You seemed deep in thought?" Frank said as he embraced her in a hug.
"Yeah I'm good. Just thinking you know."

They made their way out of the common room and down to the dining hall where all the other demigods were seated at the Hufflepuff table. They got shot a few glances by the Hufflepuffs but no one came over and said anything.

Overall breakfast was uneventful. They all said goodbye and headed off to their respective classes.

You know another thing Hazel hated. Umbridge. Defense against the dark arts was by far her least favourite class. Umbridge was having them read a theory book that was essentially useless. Hazel was basically asleep with her eyes open. Umbridge was droning on and on about the importance of knowing how to defend yourself even when she wouldn't let them put the theory into practice. Hazel had had enough.
"Yes Ms Levesque, what can I do for you?"
Umbridge said acknowledging Hazel.
"Sorry to disrupt your.. interesting lecture but do you know that if you don't teach children how to defend themselves they usually wind up dead."
The class was dead silent as Hazel stared down Umbridge. "I'm sorry Ms Levesque but if you just read the text book you'd find that it most certainly prepares you."

"I don't agree. You are leaving these children defenseless to what horrors lurk out there."

"There is nothing out there. Who could possibly want to hurt children like yourself?"

"Oh if only you knew," Will muttered

"Right that enough of that thank you please continue to read through the book and I want a paragraph tomorrow on the importance of using your wand properly."

Class then ticked on as usual although every once and a while Hazel would glare at Umbridge making her flinch. So when the class finally ended Hazel was the first out the door.

In Hazel's opinion most of the classes were uneventful. She was relieved that lunch was just round the corner, all she had to do was get through potions. Simple right?

Turns out not. Snape wasn't in a good mood and they ended up with three papers for homework and half the potions made in that lesson were scraped due to not being up to Snape's standards. By the time lunch rolled around Hazel had had enough of Hogwarts. She was ready to go back. As she was walking towards the Lunch hall she bumped into Jamie. 

"Oh hey Jamie, how's it going?"

"Yeah its good. So how are you finding Hogwarts?"

They made their way through the crowds of people towards the dining hall. 

"Its ok I guess. I kinda wish I was back home but you know, I've been in worse places."

"You know the fact that you aren't joking when you say that is mildly concerning."

Hazel let out a dry laugh as they entered the huge hall where everyone was eating lunch. She spotted the other demigods sitting at the Ravenclaw table and they made their way over. 

"Hey guys," Frank said standing up to give Hazel a hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

"PDA guys come on."

"Oh shut up Leo, we all know that if Calypso were here you'd hardly be able to keep your lips to yourself," Hazel said in a teasing tone

Everyone burst into fits of laughter and it took a good ten minutes until they were all settled again. They had a pretty chilled lunch followed by more boring and uneventful lessons. Dinner was fairly casual and they spent the evening watching movies and just talking. Maybe it wasn't so bad. I mean they had definitely been in worse places with far worse people.