"Ugh, I can't even read this rubbish," Harry moaned, dropping his head to the staffroom table. "I think Grawp could write better than these Fourth Years. And why did I assign three different years essays due on the same day?"
"I'm not sure if this is supposed to be 'mandrake' or 'acromantula'," Neville commiserated.
"We couldn't have been this bad," said the first with conviction.
"You never had to read your own essays," Professor McGonagall said with a satisfied smirk.
"I sincerely apologize if my essays were ever this bad," Neville replied, gesturing to the rolls of parchment surrounding him.
"At least I could read your handwriting," she allowed. "But I came in here to tell you two that the Fifth Years will be starting the Wizarding Wars this week in History of Magic, so they will probably be at least somewhat starstruck with both of you. Again, that is."
Both males groaned in sync. "Thank you, Prof- Minerva," Harry said, correcting himself at the stern look he was receiving. "It is rather nice to have warning beforehand."
"I can imagine. Now, how is Ginny's training going? I thought she had a match that you were to attend this weekend."
Harry laughed. "No, that's next weekend. Which is why I'm spending this one here, as Gwenog has declared no significant others whose name isn't Quidditch for all teammates until after that match."
"Gwen always was passionate about Quidditch," Professor McGonagall said, with both pride and approval distinctly heard.
"I always thought she and Wood would make a good match," Neville added with a laugh. "Both are fanatics."
"Or they might kill each other," McGonagall chuckled. Her smile then turned a bit mischievous. "Have fun with those essays. I'm sure you'll get them done soon."
"She's a bit evil," Neville observed without malice, after the Headmistress was safely out of earshot.
"I think this is her favorite part of being Headmistress, watching the rest of us flounder under all our marking while she doesn't have to do it anymore," Harry added.
…
The next morning, Harry taught his Third Year Hufflepuffs the differences between a regular wolf and a werewolf. "But always remember," he warned, "simply being afflicted with lycanthropy doesn't mean a person is suddenly evil." He saw a hand go up and guessed the question. "Yes, there are Dark werewolves, but that is a strict minority. Most are ordinary citizens trying to live their lives. Being bitten doesn't curse you to villainy. Everyone has light and dark in them. What matters is the part they decide to act on, and that goes for werewolves as much as anybody," he said, smiling a bit wistfully in remembrance.
The bell rang, and his students rushed to gather their things. "Don't forget, I want six inches on how the anti-werewolf legislation affected and restricted innocent people on my desk on Friday!" he called over the rustling and rushing of the children.
Harry sat down at his desk, rifling through the various stacks of parchment to find the next class's essays due back. He finally found them (under everything else) after his Fifth Year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had come in and settled down, strangely quietly. "Good morning, everyone. I have your essays back for you, and I must say, you all impressed me. The differences between jinxes, hexes, and curses is a subtlety that even adult wizards can misunderstand. Most of you had very logical arguments, and I'm quite pleased with the overall work you've done."
There were a few mutters of appreciation, but definitely not the response he was expecting to get. And then he remembered McGonagall's warning. "Oh, you've just come from History of Magic, haven't you?" Nodding and a chorus of "Yes" filled the room. "Alright, let's hear it. What questions do you have for me?"
Silence reigned, until Sam, a funny Gryffindor who Harry rather liked, asked, "Did you really do it? Kill Voldemort, I mean?" in a subdued voice.
Harry sighed. Of course that had to be the first question. "No, though I suppose most people see it that way. It's rather complicated, but the simple answer is that Riddle's wand backfired, killing him instead of me."
"Why d'you call him that?" a tiny yet vivacious Ravenclaw called Rebecca asked.
"Riddle and not Lord Voldemort ?" Harry asked to clarify. She nodded, and he answered. "Lord Voldemort was born Tom Marvolo Riddle, and that's what people tend to forget. He was a person, albeit one who chose terrible things. But that is what I want you all to remember: he was a person. He was born, he lived, and he died, just like everyone else in this world."
A moment of silence allowed them all to absorb his answer, and then another hand was in the air. Trina, a Gryffindor, spoke up. "Will you tell us about Dumbledore's Army, sir? Binns told us a bit, how you stood up to Umbridge, but he made it sound as interesting as he does everything else."
Harry laughed. "It really wasn't all that exciting, really. Mostly it was a lot of working on different spells I thought we all needed to know. Actually, the very same spells I teach you lot. The real action of the D.A. was after I left. Get Professor Longbottom to tell you about fighting against Snape and the Carrows. He was here then and led the charge, really."
He could see astonishment on most every face. A giddy sort of pride welled up in him as the astonishment turned to awed respect for his friend.
"Professor, what about the Order of the Phoenix? Can you tell us about them?"
Harry smiled, thinking of all his friends, family, really, who had fought in the Order. Clearly, there was no getting to defining what exactly constituted Dark magic. But that could happen next time. Today, he would share what he had learned from so many others. He only hoped his students would forgive him any tears that might occur.
AN: Here's a short little drabble I've had prickling the back of my mind for a while, because of several tumblr posts imagining the life of Harry Potter, DADA teacher. I hope you all enjoy it, and forgive me if it's a bit sappy at the end. I simply don't think Harry could talk about all those people he lost without getting at least a little emotional. Thanks for reading!