As the next few Weeks went by, Chelsea's anxiety kept growing. Dumbledore was basically evicted from his post as headmaster of the school. Umbridge was taking over with all of her stupid decrees and basically treating everyone with the condescending attitude reserved for naughty five year olds.
The new obligatory class certainly didn't help. Humanoid hybrid studies is what it was called. Not even a month after discovering them and the wizards already thought they knew everything about them and of course Umbridge graciously offered to teach this class as well as DADA.
It didn't escape Chelsea that if anyone ever found out she was one she'd be figuratively dissected. Or at least she hoped, nothing at the moment helped her anxiety and when she got anxious her powers acted up. She even went as far as to hide her probatio tag in the chest in front of her bed.
She understood how Goblins and other creatures felt at being so misrepresented by the wizarding world. Her first class from Hybride studies proved as much.
Umbridge stood in front of a green board chalk in hand. "Today we will study how these 'demigods" she pronounced the last words with a hint of mockery in her voice.
She drew two human silhouette next to each other. Each bearing a circle around the heart. "From what we have gathered from the live subject provided by the Congress of magic."
Her words made Chelsea's blood both boil and freeze at the same time. Not only did they capture a Half-blood which risked the wrath of who knows what deity and this toad woman talked about them as if they were an animal.
Her fist clenched as she kept talking. "The magical core of a wizard is what gives them their powers, but to channel it to it's full potential a wand is needed. For these hybrids we believe that they too possess one, but they have no need for a wand. Instead the magic fuels their body, making them physically stronger and their senses sharper for one, but at the cost of their intelligence, as shown when a researcher attempted to make the subject read a simple phrase, but the poor thing kept stumbling over it's words and quickly became restless and uninterested, showing a much shorter attention span than us wizards." Chelsea fumed at the smug smile she sent the students way. Most slytherin in the room responded in kind.
She knew full well why that poor Half-blood got bored. Either it was because of the dyslexia or the ADHD. That or they didn't want to please their captors.
"This overflow of energy also causes them to be quite violent and ill tempered, and for those who can somewhat control elements they have a criminal lack of control unlike us. The precision and discipline of these abilities makes them potentially dangerous, but they are quite easy to restrain with a well placed spell. Any question?" The 'professor' asked smiling.
Chelsea raised her hand "yes miss Harnot?" She lowered her hand and asked the question burning everyone's tongue.
"Where did you find this live subject?" Her smile widdened "that you'll actually get to know in due time. For researchers from America are nearly done making their documentary on the subject."
Chelsea lowered her hand frustrated. She wanted to help that demigod, but she couldn't use any form of communication at Hogwarts. She already tried everything, even Iris messages and she didn't want to risk sending an owl. It was way too easy to intercept and she doubted Umbridge would keep messages private.
All she could do for now was endure students in Hogwarts talk about her like she was some animal, without even knowing it.
Then there was Hermione Granger. Chelsea never had any problem with the impetuous girl, but now she had a pretty good reason.
Conservation of hybrid society, or CYS for short. She had the right idea, but she still came off like she was coming to the defense of a nearly extinct species.
From what Chelsea knew it wasn't the case. Demigod society had a baby boom of some sort after Percy Jackson put an end to Kronos and the seven stopped Gaia and with the triumvirate mostly destroyed to the point of it being a small cult, all they had to worry about were the so called world domination plans of the Amazons, but with so many more well educated Half-blood not many new girls joined them these days.
Chelsea sure wasn't about to, she can recognise a biggoted slaver when she sees one, but the point is there isn't as many big threats to cut down their numbers. And well the gods are gods so their numbers were bound to get bigger at some point, but at least they're children's won't know the hell of war. Well for now at least, Chelsea didn't hate her own, but the Wizarding world could do so much better.
She could only hope that the kidnapped half god wouldn't be important enough to cause an all out war. Otherwise she doubted the wizarding world could survive this one.
At dinner she tried her best to rein in her powers, but her emotions were steaming, so she had a hard time not letting them lash out.
She would have gotten better lessons on how to control them if she stayed a year rounder, but she needed to go to Hogwarts.
If she had known she was coming back to this she might not have came back anyway.
"You ok Chelsea you haven't touched you're food?" Ron Weasley asked her. She glanced at him with narrowed eyes, wondering if he actually cared, or if he just wanted her food.
She pushed her plate in his direction not really that hungry and got her answer when he eagerly dug in. Hermione wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Ignoring Ron being a pig, are you okay?" She asked the distraught demigoddess.
She merely shrugged "this just seems like a bad year, there's Umbridge this whole mess with the demigods and even the dark lord lurking in the background it's--"
"So you believe me?" Harry Potter practically demanded. She frowned at the rude interruption, but silently nodded nonetheless.
The boy who lived, the most famous Wizard of her community, she was told over a dozen times how Harry defeated the Dark Lord, but now after hearing stories of other heroes she didn't find him that impressive, but she didn't hold it against him. If what she had Heard was true he'd still have some bragging rights amongst demigods.
"Yeah, the end of the tournament was more than enough to convince me. The ministry turning a blind eye to this is the equivalent of looking away from a time bomb and claiming there won't be an explosion because you can't see the bomb."
"That sums it up pretty well." Harry deadpanned "with Umbridge teaching the others nothing they don't have a chance of being prepared!"
Chelsea frowned "what do you mean by the others, you have the exact same classes as everyone, right Harry?" Suspiciously asked the demigoddess.
Harry's eyes widdened as he realised just how much he slipped up.
"You can't tell anyone." He hurriedly whispered to her while Hermione face palmed and Ron looked like the definiton of guilty.
"Tell me where to go and i'll be silent as a tomb." She smirked eager to actually learn something useful.
The golden trio glanced at each other. "Come to the seventh floor accross from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy after classes and you'll see." Cryptically replied Hermione. The bell rang, meaning that next class was potion.
Chelsea couldn't decide which one was worst, Dolore Umbridge or Severus Snap. One was clearly intolerant of anything non wizard or witch like, while the other genuinely seemed to enjoy bullying childrens.
After taking away over fifthy points from Gryffindor for next to no reason classes were over. So Chelsea quickly made her way to the seventh floor.
She walked accross the halls wondering where they went. Suddenly a painting swung open like a door. Curious Chelsea walked inside the small tunnel and walked inside the giant classroom. Where many other students of different houses stood talking amongst each other.
"Chelsea" the Parvati siblings greeted at the same time. They glowered at each other. Neville Longbottom shyly waved at her. Marrieta Edgecomb and Cho Chang stood to the side of the room talking on hushed voices. Fred and George Weasley waved at her. The two mischevious boys were teasing their younger brother about something, but she couldn't hear them.
Harry walked towards her and on place of a greeting said "welcome to Dumbledore's army."
Chelsea smiled back her mood rising for once in a while. "Okay" Harry clapped his hands together gaining the attention of the other students. "Today we're learning a very special protection spell. You're going to learn how to summon a Patronus. The only defense known against Dementors."
As he spoke Chelsea walked next to the group of students listening to Harry's explanation.
"In order to summon your Patronus you have to draw a quick circle with you're Wand. Next comes the more complicated part. You have to focus on you're happiest you've ever felt. Not just a moment where you're really really happy, the happiest moment of you're life until now. You can't second guess this, especially in a moment of life or death."
"Can you show us Harry?" Luna Lovegood asked in her airy voice. Chelsea never knew what that girl was thinking, it was almost frustrating.
Drawing a perfect circle with his wand Harry recited the spell. "Expecto patronum!"
A bright silvery stag burst from the tip of the wand. It started to frolic all around the room, passing close to over the groups head. Making a few of them duck.
"I await a protector." The young demigoddess whispered to herself, looking at the beautiful stag. "What?" Hermione asked her eyebrows furrowed.
"It's what the spell mean, it's latin for I await a protector." She explained the now frowning bookworm. After barely a month with her fellow demigods she learned Latin extremly well. It helped to have a natural affinity with it, but now she cringed a little at some pronounciations of certain spells, who honestly butchered the ancient language.
Next came for them to try, but as it turns out Chelsea couldn't figure it out. She tried and she tried, her childhood her time spent with the legion, nothing. Her mother was a busy woman who always left her in the care of maids and servant. She was basically raised by house elves. She distinctively remembers one of the poor creature punishing herself when she taught a young Chelsea how to speak in their broken speech.
As a child she simply thought the way they spoke was funny, but now she promised herself to free Quinty. The Little house elf who could have easily left her to her own device when her mother absented herself for Weeks on end.
She had fun with the legion, but that was only after she earned her place there. Which wasn't the best experience, meeting so many powerful people at the same time also left her with a raging feeling of inferiority.
Just the praetors and their children's were some of the most powerful people she's ever met, and aparently them combined don't hold a candle to the legendary son of Poseidon.
Barely a few months ago she thought that the wizarding world throned above many, but she was wrong. There was so many lies, so much pain everywhere. How could she find a truly happy memories amongst all of that?
Jealousy and a tinge of sadness filled her heart as the other students around her succeeded. A few minute later Neville Longbottom shyly asked her if he could sit next to her.
"Do whatever you want Neville." Carelessly replied the half-blood. He sat down next to her, akwardly drumming his fingers on the bench.
"What happened to you're wand?" He asked trying to break the ice.
"A magical creature cracked while nearly killing me." She said quickly coming up with a half truth. He nodded his head making a small "ah" of understanding. "Having some trouble with it? I know how that feels." He chuckled akwardly.
Chelsea felt a small smile briefly tug at her lips. Remembering all the time Neville's wand worked against him.
"Nah, I don't think it has anything to do with the wand. I'm the problem on this one."
"How so?" Neville asked confusedly.
Chelsea snorted "do I have to paint it for you Neville?! I can't find a single truly happy moment like Harry said okay! Everything is just loneliness lies and more loneliness!" She snapped, Neville flinched a little and remained silent for a bit before saying.
"You know they'll be more right?"
"What are you on about Neville." She sighed feeling a little bad for snapping at the sweet Gryffindor.
"Happy moments of course." Now he had all her attention. Which made him falter a little before he composed himself. "You've only been alive for what fiftheen years, even though you don't feel happy now, there's no guarantee that there's no happiness in you're future." He said simply, but his words hit Chelsea like a truck.
After a brief silence between the two she gave him a brief hug. "Thank you Neville." He akwardly patted her arm before Chelsea let go of him. She decided to simply go practice the defensive spells she already knew on the dummies in the back of the room. Improving her skill and her casting speed.
And as it turns out, it's all she needed to brighten her mood.
But of course it all came crumbling down because of a wench named Dolores Umbridge. She was truly tempted to call her worse, but she actually liked the rest of school. For now at least.
The only reason Chelsea even came to that dumb class was because she didn't want to be on the bad side of a petty childish woman who could do basically whatever she wanted. Students weren't even allowed to assemble anymore because of her.
So she could only hope that she wouldn't need to bear too much stupidity today. At least a D.A meeting was planned afterward. The passed few days were some of the most peaceful because of it, as far as she was aware none of them thought of her as an animal, but she didn't have the courage to openly admit it yet. She deeply hoped that Umbridge wouldn't hear a whisper about them.
Chelsea sat down at her desk, next to a few Slytherin with the latest 'manual' on the subject. It was more a bunch of unchecked facts from pseudo expert on the subject of demigods.
"Books and wands away children this is a special day." She smiled letting Chelsea know that something incredibly bad was about to happen.
Two men walked in levitating a very tall and wide box covered with a red smooth fabric. Nearly wrapped like a gift for the curious students. While Chelsea felt dread pool in her stomach.
One of the men had his arm in a cast and his left eye wrapped in gauze. While his associate had a clear limp and two fingers tightly wrapped together in bandages. He turned to the class with a proud smile revealing his black eye.
He waved his hand towards the door. Three other men limped inside carrying a heavy looking projector.
"Hello student of Hogwarts, my name is Phil Jones. I am the realisator and producer of the documentary you are about to watch. Consider yourself lucky you're some of the first people ever to see this piece of art."
Chelsea felt her eye twitch, with a few quick wave of his wand the wall was cleared for the projector to do it's work.
The countdown for the movie began.
3
2
1
The projection began straight away with a quick explanation of what a hybrid is. Chelsea burried her face de in her arms the moment she caught the words, primitive, near human intelligence, wild, potentially dangerous and more she didn't want to process, but she needed to raise her head when the voice of Phil appeared.
"This is the first documented images of our very own American demigods." He whispered like he was tailing a dangerous animal.
It was a group of demigods each holding an Ice cream cone, some looked around her age, while many were under ten years old. The bright orange t-shirts made it clear that they were from camp Half-blood. The one leading them was too far for her to distinguish, but they did turn in the direction of the wizards. Who promptly stepped back as if to calm a tense animal.
The children's hands quickly went to whatever weapons they had. Celestial Bronze daggers and short swords, but none of them looked confident with them. They looked afraid, making Chelsea's heart clench. They started walking again at a brisker pace.
"We seem to be following what must be the alpha of this pack. The alpha being the taller black haired boy. Said black haired boy's shoulders tensed.
He tapped the other boy on his shoulder and made a sign with his hand. Suddenly the group split into two and walked straight towards the crowds and alleys.
"Come on Terrance we need to find their colony." He hurriedly told the cameraman. They ran in their direction, the focus of the camera shaking for a solid two minutes. With Phil giving frantic orders to the other cameramen and wizards accompanying him.
The feed cut to a lone cameraman panting next to a dark alley. Suddenly a crash made him jump, like many of the students watching.
"A-a-anybody there?" He asked trying to sound tough, but his voice was clearly shaking.
No answer came from the darkness, he turned around and all the class caught was a blurr before the cameraman was tackled to the ground. The camera fell and slid accross the ground leaving their heads out of view as the demigod effortlessly forced the adult wizard against a wall in the alley. "Who are you! Why are you tailing us!" He demanded his voice clearly male. He pressed his elbow to the cameramans troat.
"Get you're filthy hands off of me!" Snapped the wizard fruitlessly trying to break the boy's grip, but it had no effect whatsoever. He tried to pull out his wand, but it was snatched out of his grip before he could utter a word.
He kept flaiming demanding to be freed. A swift punch to the guts silenced him quickly. The Wizard fell to his knees wheezing. "You tell me what I want to know and you get to go, real simple." The boy bargained, "i've got nothing to say to you savage!" Bit back the wizard throught the pain.
There was a small pause from the demigod. "The fuck you just called me you crime against fashion?" He demanded grabbing the Wizard by the scruff of his multicolored robes. "First you stalk us, then you act like were some animals to be documented, I thought you were just a weirdo or a messed up Monster, but that doesn't matter anymore. You made a little girl under my care, and that you don't get away from scott free." Chelsea narrowed here eyes at the projection. She could have sworn on her life that she heard that voice before.
The demigod balled his fist and acted like he was about to strike the wizard accross the face. The cameraman flinched and instantly spilled his guts.
"We're from the united states Congress of magic, we were tasked with documenting the new species dubbed demigods."
"Well that was easy." Deadpanned the boy stepping off "if I see you vultures circling around our children's again, I am the least of you're worries, now scram!" He barked sending the cameraman into a terrified frenzy. Distracted by the admitedly amusing sight the demigod didn't notice the seven wands levelled at him.
The feed cut from the camera from the ground to one standing behind the armed wizards.
"Petrificus totalus!" They all cried as one. Multiple sparks of red energy flew towards the demigod like tiny missiles, but they each passed throught him like he wasn't even there.
He looked down at himself with a curious expression. He looked back up and cracked his neck. The camera shaking so much Chelsea still couldn't make out the owner of the familiar voice.
He was about to attack them, but a voice rang out off screen. "Sir I caught one!" A wizard yelled holding a struggling child. It was the man who's face was half covered in bandages.
The camera turned to him in full health hodling a struggling and screaming child. She was crying for help, tiny flowers bursting out of the pavement. Chelsea blinked and the demigod was suddenly in front of the bewildered wizard. Punching him si hard accros the face an audible crack echoed around the classroom. Making many wince and flinch, but for the first time in the class, Chelsea smiled.
He told the little girl to run back home and she did crying her little eyes out. Chelsea looked around, sadly only finding a few uncomfortable expressions.
The boy kept relentlessly punching the downed wizard and showed no signs of stopping, until a literal dozen stunning spell hit his back.
He flinched from the multiple blasts, but to everyone's surprise including Chelsea, the demigod jumped off the barely counscious wizard and started pummeling the others. She noticed that he was clearly slower, but it didn't make much of a difference.
It was like watching a group of toddler trying to have a fist fight with a grizzly bear.
Chelsea turned her head around to the men manning the projector frantically trying to do something to it. When she turned back to the wall she was flabbergasted by what she saw. The demigod was on the ground motionless, she tried to wrap her mind around the image.
The wizards here were lucky to be alive, that much is obvious, but what made absolutely no sense is the fact that they defeated him, but how? She learned that even the most regular of godly half-bloods had high resistance to most types of magic.
Chelsea considered how and didn't like where her mind brought her. She'd need proof to prove her theory and that meant getting her hand on that projector.
Phil triumphantly put his foot on the demigod's back. Like a hunter proudly displaying his skills. "See it doesn't matter that their strong, with the right knowledge on this beast we'll know how to defend ourselves against them." He said directly to the camera. As if he didn't just get the crap kicked out of him by a teenager.
The projection ended and Phil stepped on front of the class again. "As Seen today, you childrens are lucky to have witnessed the irrefutable proof that these demigods are not a threat. Soon we'll be able to integrate them to our society like any other sentient magical species. Any questions?"
A Gryffindor raised her hand "what did you do with it?" Asked Parvati Patil. "It" incredulously and heart brokenly echoed throughtout her mind. She knew Parvati since they were children's. How could she even Say such a thing!?
"Glad you asked" smirked Phil "for you're school amongst many has the honor of being part of this integration program.
He finally pulled off the fabric revealing something that made Chelsea audibly gasp out of pure terror, she recognised him by his eyes alone. There in a glass cage with a silver frame and runes etched on literally every inch of it, was the demigod, no the legacy from the documentary.
There in a straight jacket, a metal muzzle around his mouth with a metal collar and magical cable connecting to every point of the cube.
Was Charles Theseus Jackson.
"Gods help us all" Chelsea whispered to herself.
But not even the gods of olympus could stop what was coming.