Disclaimer; None of this is mine, as everyone pretty much already knows. I own Vera Phoenix, Rubina Diggory, and Etta Bryce, and a couple of people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, but not anything else. Besides, no one would believe me if I said it was mine anyway.
Chapter 1; The New Professor
Harry Potter awoke the morning of August 17 with the feeling of intense delight. Today, he would leave the Dursleys, not to be back for another year. He had been waiting for this day for weeks, ever since the time Professor Dumbledore had sent the letter telling him that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would pick him up on this day and take him to the Burrow, and stay there with him for his protection. The Weasley's had been duly informed of these arrangements and had given they're consent. Harry only had, now, to wait for his escort. The new Professor would be a girl named Vera Phoenix and - Harry had been shocked by this - she was only a year older than him. According to Dumbledore though, she had received some kind of Special Training and had good practice in the Dark Arts and, of course, defense.
Harry had had no problem getting Uncle Vernon to agree to let him go; and Harry hadn't even had to mention his wonder-working godfather. Uncle Vernon was only too happy to get Harry away from his house. Harry laughed at the reason; Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had decided that Dudley was "of age" to have a girlfriend and therefore, were trying desperately to get girls to meet with poor Dudley who, despite all efforts, couldn't fit up to the man of most girls' dreams. Even Dudley's diet had been a dreadful failure. Harry was getting more and more in the way of their plans.
Well, Harry would be gone soon, and it was just joy, joy, joy on both sides. But now he looking at the clock, Harry realized that it was quite late into the day, and the Professor would be arriving any moment now. He hurried out of bed and, after couple minutes (Harry was not a vain person), he was soon ready to meet her. But before he even left the room he heard the doorbell ring. Uncle Vernon answered it, and Harry could hear his booming voice say something he didn't quite catch, but he knew it must have been pretty nasty from the tone.
As he reached the doorway, he saw a girl there, who he knew must be Professor Vera Phoenix, look to him for help; Uncle Vernon and Dudley were nearly blocking her from sight; the former jeering at her about her age, and any other fault he could find, while the latter seemed to be trying to get her attention. Harry immediately understood that he was trying, in his weird way, to flirt - unsuccessfully.
In answer to her look, Harry reached between the giant bodies and pulled the Professor away from his terrible relations. Then they fled to his room.
"Thanks for rescuing me back there," she said, once she was assuredly safe "those guys were really. . ." words apparently failed her.
Harry studied Vera for a little while; she wore muggle clothes, her hair was short and black, her eyes dark brown, and her long lashes served to make her eyes look darker than they really were. There was also something sad and wistful about them. . . and moreover, something vaguely familiar.
"I'm Vera Phoenix, but I suppose you already guessed that."
"Yeah, I'm Harry Potter."
"I'm not really as helpless as I was at the door, that fat guy was somewhat of a shock though." said Vera. Harry laughed.
"It's not only you, practically everyone gets momentarily speechless at the sight of him." He said, before he realized how friendly he was being. After all, Vera Phoenix was a Professor. Somehow, he couldn't quite get used to the idea.
"So, are you all packed up?" said Vera after a short pause.
"Yes. I have an owl, who's delivering a letter right now, but she'll find us."
"Alright. We'll go right now then." Said Vera.
"Okay. . . but, how are we going to go?" wondered Harry.
"I'm going to apparate and you can take a portkey." decided Vera.
"You can apparate?" asked Harry, not quite able to keep the amazement out of his voice.
"Mmm hmm, I got my license three years ago." Vera said "But you'll have to learn how to use this portkey."
"I know how to use a portkey, I've used them before." said Harry, involuntarily remembering the last time he had used one.
"I don't think you've ever used a Multi-Purpose Watch. And that's what you need to learn how to use." said Vera. She took her watch from her wrist and bade Harry put it on. Accordingly, Harry did so. The watch was a delicate thing of silver and pink.
"Now, you see the buttons there?" Vera asked. Harry noticed three small buttons on the side of the watch.
"Yes" he said.
"Press the top one."
He pressed the button and the face of the watch changed. Instead of telling the time now, it was some kind of calendar.
"Has it changed?" asked Vera.
"Yeah, I think it's a calendar or something." answered Harry.
"Press it again. " said Vera. Harry did so and again the face changed.
"Oh!" exclaimed Vera, " don't look at that, it's my diary. Sorry, I totally forgot. Press the button again, but try not to look at it." Harry didn't have trouble with that and pressed again. This time, music blared forth.
"You can tell what that is, it plays music and stuff. Press it again." Harry did, and now he saw lights and whirls inside the watch.
"What's this?" he asked Vera.
"Oh, that? It's a Spell-Pot; you can store spells and charms and stuff inside and use them later. Even a muggle could use it - that is, if he or she knew what to say."
The next was a phone, and the one after that was a camera. Finally, the watch became a plain white with the names of all the continents around in a circle instead of numbers, and a small arrow in the middle.
"Stop here." directed Vera. "Now point the arrow to Europe and press the second button." When Harry had done that, the continents turned into all the countries in Europe. Next, Harry was instructed to point the arrow to U.K. Finishing that, Harry now saw that the display was Hogwarts, the Leaky Cauldron, platform nine and three quarters, and various other places accessible only to witches and wizards.
"We're going to Diagon Alley." said Vera.
"But, aren't you supposed to take me to the Burrow?" Harry couldn't help asking.
"The what?"
"The Burrow, my friend's place."
"We'll go there, but I thought we'd get your school stuff first." said Vera. "and I need to go to Orkare's Dark Cave of. . ."
"Where?"
"Oh, nowhere, really. I guess we can go now, all you have to do is push the third button when the arrow's on Diagon Alley. That's pretty much it." And with that, she disappeared. Harry pointed the arrow properly and, holding on to his trunk, disappeared as well.
Harry reappeared at Diagon Alley right behind Vera Phoenix. She took the watch from him and they left for Gringotts Bank.
After the bank came Madame Malkin's robe place, where Harry replaced his old school robes, which had suddenly become too small for him. Then they went to a stationary store for Harry to get new quills, parchment, etc. Next was Flourish and Blotts. Here, Harry was surprised to find he needed three new books for Defense against the Dark Arts; one on dark curses, another on some kind of mental power meditation or whatever, and a final one solely on Dementors. When Harry had asked Vera about the mental stuff and the dementors, she had explained about the importance of remaining calm and thinking logically in the face of danger, hence the mental. The dementors, being of the most evil kind of whatever-they-were, easily had a book to themselves.
At the end of an hour's hectic shopping, Vera told Harry to rest while she did some shopping for herself. Harry watched Vera leave, and was about to turn away when he realized she was heading directly for Knockturn Alley. Harry wondered why she was going there and made a mental note to ask later.
A/n That was a pretty lame chapter, but this is my first attempt at this kind of stuff, so don't judge too harshly. The next chapter is much better, but I don't know whether to post it or not. Review and tell me what you think pleeeaasse.
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