The New Professors

Part 1

     "Man, this is crazy," Percy sighed, staring up at the huge castle that looming before them.

     "It IS crazy!!!! Look at the architecture! Perfectly preserved stone!" Annabeth gushed.

     They admired the building for a few seconds as steam came off the train. Then an old woman in greenish robes grabbed their arms and started rushing them inside.

     "I assume you are the two new teachers, Ms. Chase, and Mr. Jackson?" she said in a British accent.

     "Yes, we are. The new Defense Against the Muggle Arts class teachers, from America," Annabeth answered.

     "Good, then I didn't grab the wrong people. I'm Headmistress McGonagall. Here here, through this doorway. Ms. Chase, those robes are beautiful," she said as we came inside. Annabeth looked down at her robes, which I thought were dumb and cumbersome things to wear, but they did look good on her. She had on a  blue-gray cloak over a gray sleeveless turtleneck and a black skirt secured with a belt. Her wand was tucked into her belt, and she had gray socks beneath her brown ankle boots. I was wearing a black cloak with a stuffy black sweater vest over a white collared shirt and blue tie. My slacks were black too (I hated slacks) and so was my belt and shoes. My socks were white though. My wand was stuffed into a pocket.

     "The moving staircases can get a bit confusing, but you'll get used to them. Your rooms are just up there, but right now we have to get you to dinner and introduce you to the students," McGonagall talked as she walked, and we could barely keep up with her.

     We walked through a set of big oak doors and into a grand dining hall. Candles floated through the air, and the ceiling high above us didn't seem to be entirely... there. Annabeth's mouth was open, and I suppose mine was too.

     The multitude of students eyes us as we walked by, so I gave them little smiles. They all seemed to be organized at different tables, with red, yellow, blue, and green. I tried to remember the little information Hecate had given us about Hogwarts. Red was Griffyndor, yellow was Hufflepuff, blue was Ravenclaw, and green was Slytherin. When we first learned this I told Annabeth that she'd probably be in Ravenclaw if we were going as students. But we weren't, so guess was all we could do. 

     Professor McGonagall showed us where we would sit at a table near the front, and we sat down in the big oak chairs.

     "I feel like a king!" I whispered to Annabeth.

     "Don't let it go to your head," she warned teasingly.

     Just then, a string of students who weren't wearing colored crests like the other students on their robes came down the central aisle, as we had just done. The students from the different houses started cheering as they walked by, so the hall became filled with noise.

     "Bring out the Sorting Hat!" someone cried, and a disheveled brown wizard hat carried on top of a stool was placed in front of everyone.

     "Let the sorting begin!" someone called, and I think it was the same voice.

     One by one the line of students dwindled as they came on stage nervously and put on the hat. I would call out one of the four houses, and cheers along with some boos arose from the crowd. I noticed most of the booing was coming from the Slytherin kids.

     After all the students had had their turn at the magical hat of yelling, Headmistress McGonagall stood up and addressed the crowd at a podium.

     "A lot of you might be wondering about the two young adults that are now sitting at the teachers' table. I assure you that they are not children of any of the professors, unlike some rumors I heard from the Hufflepuff table," she said, and the room burst into laughter. Even I smiled, thinking my dad is a lot older than any teacher here I'll bet. "These are our new professors for a new class we will be adding: Defense Against the Muggle Arts, for when you do not have your wand at hand or you are faced with a situation where you should not use your wand. Everyone give a warm welcome to our teachers from America, Professors Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase!"

     There was a spattering of applause like the students didn't quite know how to accept this news. I waved.

     After a delicious dinner, Annabeth and I retired to our shared room.

     "This is going to be... interesting," Annabeth said, pulling up her covers.

     "I really wish we could have one free year of quests," I sighed, and I really meant it.

     "It's not going to be for the entire year, plus I'm sure in college we won't be asked for quests. The younger kids should get a chance," Annabeth pointed out.

     I pulled on my loose nightshirt and collapsed on my bed.

     "I wish the gods would take that into consideration," I said, lifting my covers up and sliding under.

     "Yeah, but what can ya do..." Annabeth said and then drifted off into sleep. I stayed awake for a bit longer, then fell asleep as well.