Professor Potter

Chapter 1 The First Day of School

Author's Note: This story is a continuation of "Aftermath". Please refer to that for any confusion over certain events. I had ended "Aftermath" with an epilogue saying that not much happened to Harry after he became a professor at Hogwarts…well, I wasn't quite truthful in that regard. So…read on and enjoy.

Harry stepped off the Hogwarts Express at the small station nearby the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on Tuesday, September 1, 1998, breathed in the crisp fresh night air, and looked up at the enormous castle in the distance. Already he was feeling like he was at home, back where he truly belonged, even if just for another year. He had accepted Professor McGonagall's invitation to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for one year with some minor reluctance, but in his heart he knew he had really wanted to do it.

As he looked up at the castle, the hustle and bustle of arriving students surrounded him. More than a few people glanced at Harry, and he knew many of those faces, even if he could not place names with all of them. They all knew who he was, of course, and knew what he had done only a few months ago. Some of the older ones had been his classmates and had fought with Harry in the great Battle of Hogwarts, and to those he nodded and said a few hellos. Others were younger, had been hustled out of the castle for their own safety before the battle, and now looked at him in awe and wonder. And then there were the youngest of all, the first years, and more than a few glanced at him in total amazement, wide-eyed, with a few squeals of sudden recognition and the tugging of their friends robes as they saw the famous Harry Potter for the first time. Harry knew he would get to know them, know all of them, since he would be their teacher in just a few short days.

Then he spotted the big shaggy form of the man who had been like a father and a brother to Harry the last seven years. Harry waved to him and Hagrid grinned and waved back as he pushed and prodded and moved the first years towards the boats that would carry them across the great lake that lay before the castle. A few kept glancing back at Harry and stumbled their way towards the boats.

"Come on, keep in line there," Hagrid said in his gruff, but friendly drawl. "Yes, that's Harry Potter, 'cept yeh lot will be callin' him "Professor" and "Sir", yeh hear me? 'Cause he's a teacher now, and don't yeh all be fergettin' it. 'S'matter of fact, I'm a teacher, too. Course, yeh won't get me til third year. Move along, move along, got lots ter do tonight. Got ter cross the lake, and get yeh lot sorted."

"Are you coming?" said Ginny Weasley as she glanced back at Harry as she was about to make her way to the thestral-drawn carriages that lined the road in front of the train station. Later, she would tell Harry that now she could see the large thestrals, horse-like animals with wings that only those who have seen death can see. Ginny had seen death, and so had many others, in the battle. The death of her brother Fred was still a painful reality that would take a long time to go away, if ever.

Ginny had ridden a thestral once, from Hogwarts to London, but she could only feel and not see it at the time. That had been a terrifying ride, one of the worst experiences of her life, hanging onto an invisible beast and seeing nothing but ground and the lights of towns hundreds of feet below. Now she shuddered at the memory and at the sight of the beasts in the flesh, and then realized she really was no longer a child or even a teenager. Knowing about death robs you of that, of the innocence of youth. Much later she would tell Harry how her heart lurched when she realized this and felt so terribly sad for him, knowing Harry had experienced death so young, and never really had a life without it.

"Yes," Harry answered her question. "Just…it's good to be back." Harry looked at Ginny and smiled and felt a surge of…of…well…it had to be love, because he never felt anything like it in his life except when he was with her. He had thought he had loved Cho Chang, but that wasn't really love, just a sort of infatuation. No, he knew he loved Ginny the moment he had seen Dean Thomas and her kissing in the hallways of Hogwarts in his sixth year and he felt an uncontrollable desire to do harm to Dean. He didn't know why he had ignored her for so long, why he had been so stupid. Maybe he hadn't been mature enough to see her as a woman and not his best friend Ron Weasley's little sister. But all that had changed in the last year or so, especially since the end of the war against Voldemort. They were in love and had become lovers, and Harry had never had a happier summer in his whole life.

He had been warned by McGonagall that now that he was a professor and Ginny was still a student they were to have no contact on school grounds. Harry and Ginny had secretly agreed that it would be impossible to keep their hand s off each other for so long, and Ginny had secured Harry's invisibility cloak in her trunk the night before they left the Burrow to return to Hogwarts.

She reached out to take his hand, and Harry automatically reached out to take it but then they both stopped and realized what they were doing. "Oh," Ginny said. "I forgot."

Harry felt an ache and a longing to take her hand but knew they couldn't and he sighed. "It's going to take some getting used to."

"It's not fair," Ginny said in frustration. "All of the students snog all over the place."

"I'm not a student anymore," Harry reminded her. Then he spoke in a low whisper. "Besides, I have my own quarters now and you still have…you know."

She grinned. "Yes, I do. In my trunk, waiting to cover me up and take me through the halls to you. Now I just need a map to…"

"A map?" said a familiar voice as Hermione Granger sidled up to them. "What do you need a map for?"

"Ah…nothing," Harry said quickly. "Let's go. The sorting will take place soon."

Hermione looked at them with some suspicion. She was also going to be a professor, teaching Muggle Studies, but at the same time she was still a student finishing her seventh year. She had argued with Ginny and Harry on the train about enforcing discipline, and they told her to take it easy and not be so strict or she would end up with no friends at all. She had also warned Harry that it would be inappropriate to carry on his relationship with Ginny on school grounds.

"Harry, Ginny," Hermione started in a worried tone. "You…you can't. It will cause a scandal!"

"What is she going on about Harry?" Ginny asked, trying to control the pink glow that she was sure was creeping across her delicate features.

Harry's voice was a bit strained as he answered. "Not a clue." Then he changed the subject. "Ah, we'd better hurry. Only one carriage left."

"Harry! Please wait!" Hermione pleaded, as Harry was about to brush past her, her face betraying the emotions she was fighting. Harry knew she wanted to tell them off but also knew she couldn't do much to stop them. "You…just…oh…be careful!"

Harry grinned and Ginny let out a small chuckle. "What if Ron comes up from the joke shop in Hogsmeade to visit you?" Ginny asked in a playful tone.

Now it was Hermione's turn to go pink and have a strained voice. "Won't happen…I…we…we made plans to meet in Hogsmeade."

Then all three had a small laugh and then Harry looked at Hermione. "So, that's settled?" Harry asked her and Hermione reluctantly nodded.

They turned towards the carriages and saw Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom sitting alone in the last one.

"Best we get moving, Harry," Neville said as the three newcomers sat down in the carriage and it started to move. "You two are professors now, you can't be late."

Hermione took out her wand and without saying a word flicked it out the window toward the thestral, which suddenly started to pick up speed.

"Good one," said Ginny as she grabbed onto the side of the carriage as it began to rock.

Luna looked at Harry and then Hermione with her large protruding eyes and asked in her dreamy voice, "What should we call you now? Professor? Or sir and madam? Or Hermione and Harry?"

Harry and Hermione just glanced at each other, both with an uncomfortable look on their face.

"Ah," Harry began. "I guess it depends on where we are."

"In class, I think 'professor' will do," said Hermione. "Otherwise, just use our names. But…if other professors are around, I mean outside of class, I think 'professor' will also be required."

"Especially if it's McGonagall," Harry said.

"You two being teachers is going to be harder to get used to than I thought," Ginny said and Neville nodded in agreement.

"It'll be fine," Harry reassured her as their carriage sped the last few hundred feet and suddenly stopped at the end of a row of carriages that were discharging passengers.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione said quickly. "We have to be at the head table in our best robes. Last week I took our robes up here and put them in a room just off of the Great Hall."

She jumped out, quickly followed by Neville and Luna. Then Harry jumped out and helped Ginny down.

"Come on!' Hermione said with growing impatience. "Oh, I wish we could Apparate here!"

She grabbed his arm and Harry barely had time to say goodbye to the others before Hermione dragged him into the school.

Soon they were in their best robes and after some quick hellos to the other professors, they took seats at the head table in the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione sat side by side on the far left end, as viewed from the front, sitting right next to Hagrid, with Hermione beside Hagrid and Harry at the very end of the table. All the other professors were there already except McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry soon saw the tiny Professor Flitwick as he carried the Sorting Hat into the hall while a student carrying a stool marched behind him. They placed the two items in the center aisle, with Sorting Hat on top of the stool, and then the professor made his way to the head table. Then all the returning students entered the hall and quickly made their way to their house tables. Harry felt some pains of regret as he watched Ginny, Neville, Seamus, and Dean sitting at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the house. Ginny waved at him, and Harry gave a little wave back, and then looked quickly to see if any other professors saw him. Hermione was glaring at him and Harry quickly put down his hand. He felt like kicking Hermione under the table but resisted the urge to do so.

The feast to reopen Hogwarts after so much had happened began as usually with the sorting of the new students. After a few moments the side door on the left of the Great Hall near the head table opened and McGonagall walked in followed by a row of tiny black-robed children, the first years. Harry guessed McGonagall decided to keep this responsibility for herself, even though she was now headmistress of Hogwarts. Come to think of it, Harry wondered who would be teaching Transfiguration, now that McGonagall had so many other responsibilities. He could only imagine she decided to continue in this role also since it seemed no other new teachers had been hired besides himself and Hermione.

As the row of new students filed into the hall the first person most of them saw was Harry sitting at the end of the table closest to them. This was a mistake, Harry sitting there, because as soon as the first student in the row saw him she stopped and let out a tiny squeak as the rest of the students piled up behind her like a train derailing. Three of them fell over and the hall erupted in laughter as they all tried to sort themselves out while at the same time they tried to steal looks at Harry.

"Well," said McGonagall, as she looked at the students in the hall with her sternest gaze and all went silent. "I hope having a good laugh at the beginning is a nice omen for the rest of the year." And then she put on a big grin most of them had never seen before and then one person giggled and then more giggles broke out and soon laughter filled the air. Harry and Hermione laughed with the rest of the professors and then the laughter slowly died down as McGonagall signaled that the sorting was to begin.

The old, tattered Sorting Hat began as usually with a song. It went through with the usual story of how it came to be and what its purpose was. This year it had a final few stanzas, about the battle, and the great victory and the losses they had suffered, with a final word on how it hoped that being sorted into houses was a way to make school more interesting and fun, not a way to produce rivals and enemies. At the last it said perhaps someday it could retire and might not be needed at all.

All of this was done in rhyme and song, so parts of it were a bit cryptic and it took a few moments for the wiser ones to explain it to the not so wise. A silence that had filled the hall as the song ended was now filled with a lot of muttering as everyone discussed what the Sorting Hat had said.

"What did it mean, retire?" said Hagrid to Hermione who was sitting on his right. "Hats can't retire!"

"It means some day perhaps there will be no need for it if there are no houses in Hogwarts," Hermione said, unaware of what impact her words would have.

"No houses in Hogwarts!" Hagrid said in a disbelieving tone. "There's always bin houses in Hogwarts!"

"Not always, not in the beginning," said Hermione and Hagrid was going to say something but just looked puzzled at Hermione as she went on. "I mean in the beginning it was just the four founding wizards and their students, with no houses. Until Slytherin wanted…well, we know what he wanted. But I think the Sorting Hat means perhaps one day we can all be together as one big happy house," said Hermione with a hopeful look, but in a sort of tone that made it seem like she didn't really believe it.

"But what about Quidditch?" Harry asked in disbelief. "Who would play who?"

"That's right, Harry!" exclaimed Hagrid. "And what about house points and the house cup?"

But before Hermione could give a quick retort she had in mind, (mostly about how boys, ah, men, only think of sports and awards and competitions before anything else) McGonagall cleared her throat very loudly and read the first name from a long scroll she was holding.

One by one the tiny frightened children walked on quivering legs to the stool and pulled the old Sorting Hat over their heads, with it coming down over the eyes of most of them. And one by one the hat made its decisions and shouted out the house the new student would be in for the next seven years. As they scampered to their house tables the process continued until the sorting was finished and it was about time, most students agreed, since all were famished after the long train ride. Knowing what they all wanted, and knowing they would be more receptive to speeches after they had their fill of food, McGonagall gave a slight wave of her hand and the tables filled with all the food they could ever eat. Harry quickly filled his plate and then saw something new at a Hogwarts feast. In front of him was a bottle of wine. He glanced down the table and saw more bottles of wine, and mead also. He had never really noticed this at the teacher's table before. Of course, he had never been sitting at it before either.

"Nice bein' a teacher, ain' it," said Hagrid as he filled a large cup with mead. "Best go slow," he said to Harry and Hermione as they both poured some wine. "If you got class in the mornin', havin' a sore head is a might dreadful." Then he drained his cup in one gulp and filled it again.

Harry had to laugh and then he began to eat. He kept glancing towards the students as he ate and talked with Hermione and Hagrid, and he noticed that more than one kept looking up at him, and a few younger ones even pointed. He imagined all of the stories they were telling about him and just shook his head. Nothing to be done for it.

A long while later he saw at the Gryffindor table that some tiny first years were sitting by themselves, seemingly shy and lost as they ate their food, until Ginny and Neville went over and sat with them and began to chat them up. Harry was glad they did that. Coming here was terrifying enough the first time. You needed friends and someone to help you. He was sure glad he had met Ron on the train his first day. He couldn't have imagined the last seven years without him.

Then he felt a pang of loss and looked at Hermione. Her face was lost in thought and then she just turned to Harry.

"I wish he was here," she said sadly.

"I know," Harry said. "I was just thinking of him and the first time we came here on the train."

"I remember," she replied with a smile. "Neville lost his toad and I came into the compartment you two were in."

Harry grinned as he remembered. "You were quite bossy back then."

She took on a look of mock anger. "Bossy!"

"Did us some good I guess," Harry offered as a way of an apology. "Never would have got through any of it without you."

"But you guys hated me at first, Ron especially!"

"Now he loves you," Harry said gently. "Has for a while."

Hermione turned slightly pink. "Did he…did he ever tell you when he first…I mean…because he tells me he doesn't remember, but I'm not sure I believe him."

"No, never," Harry said. "But I think it must have been around third year. Definitely fourth year."

"He was so jealous of Viktor!" Hermione said and Harry nodded. "Why didn't Ron...I mean I wanted him to ask me to the ball…but…"

"What did you expect? We were quite stupid about women back then. Still are, I guess. Bloody hell, I knew Ginny fancied me but…just…she was Ron's sister…and…I can't explain it. I think I was too young and stupid to realize."

Hermione laughed a bit. "She had it bad for you for years."

"And what about you for Ron? Since when?"

"I..I…,"' she stammered a bit and then McGonagall came to her rescue as she stood and began her after dinner speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, both returning and new students," she began in her strong voice with its Scottish brogue. "I hope you have all had plenty to eat. I am happy that we are still here, and that our wonderful school has been fully repaired. Never in the long history of Hogwarts have such both horrible and honorable events taken place here. The last year has been a trial which most of you have had the courage to see through. For our new students, remember that many of your fellow students and professors showed remarkable wisdom and pluck in defeating a most foul enemy. Use them as an example to follow in your studies and in your lives, and not those who sought to take what was not rightfully theirs and to make this honorable school a place of shame and horror. Sadly, many of our colleagues and friends were not so fortunate as to be with us here tonight. I now ask for a moment of silence for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can continue to teach and learn here at Hogwarts in an atmosphere of friendship and happiness, not hatred and fear."

Then she bowed her head and all followed her example. There were a few sniffles and a sob or two, and then after about thirty seconds McGonagall raised her head. "Thank you," she said in a strained voice. Harry glanced over at Ginny and could see she had a sad look on her face but had not cried.

"Now we have a few new staff appointments to announce," McGonagall said next and Harry just sighed and knew he would soon be the center of attention again.

"First, taking over as our Muggle Studies teacher while she finishes her seventh year. Professor Hermione Granger," McGonagall announced and then she turned to Hermione and motioned for her to stand.

A loud round of applause broke out across the hall as Hermione stood, the biggest cheers coming from the Gryffindor table of course. After a few moments and some furious blushing, Hermione sat down.

McGonagall turned to the hall again. "And now as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Harry…," but she didn't get to finish his name before wildly loud tumultuous cheering broke out across the hall. All the students, even the Slytherin table, some a bit reluctantly, stood and cheered for Harry as he shyly stood and gave a small wave and grin to the crowd of students.

After a moment McGonagall raised her hands and slowly the cheering died out and Harry resumed his seat. "Well…that was…impressive," Hermione whispered to him.

"Hope they are still impressed after the first lesson," Harry said with worry.

"You'll be fine," she said. "You've got all of the first three weeks lesson plans ready and if you have any question just ask me or another professor."

"Speaking of questions, you still haven't answered my last one," Harry said with a look of mischief on his face.

"What question?" Hermione asked in feigned surprise and again she was saved by McGonagall.

"And now I think it is getting quite late and we've had more than enough excitement for one day. Off to bed everyone and we'll see you at your first class in the morning."

Soon the hall was filled with the scraping of chairs and the movement and shouts coming from the prefects and the head boy and girl as they moved students toward the exits and then their dormitories. Hermione quickly made her way to the Gryffindor table and Harry meant to follow but was detained by Professor Slughorn and some others who wanted shake his hand and chat with him a bit. By the time Harry said polite goodbyes to them and Hagrid, he saw the hall was empty. He made his way out of the hall and saw a lone figure standing by the stairs which led toward the upper levels.

"Have a good dinner?' Ginny asked as she smiled at him.

"Yeah, we have wine and mead at the head table," he replied. "Ah, where's Hermione?"

"Told her to go on without me. I think I can find Gryffindor tower by myself by now. Besides, I wanted to say goodnight to you. And ask..if…I should come tonight?"

Harry fidgeted a bit, like he had to say something he really didn't want to say. "Ah, maybe, well, maybe we should wait for the weekend. Okay?"

Ginny let out a sigh. "Oh, I'm glad you said that. I am dead tired!"

Harry nodded. "So am I. No worries, right?"

"None at all," she replied and Harry was glad since he was really, really tired.

Then a strange silence fell between them and Harry felt awkward. He wanted to hug her and kiss her but..well, he couldn't. "Ginny…I…"

"I know…you don't have to say it. Just know I know."

"Right," he said with a smile. "So…I saw you and Neville talking to some first years."

"Yes, they were very surprised we talked to them. Poor dears," Ginny said. "Quite frightened. But they soon got over that. One even asked if it was true I was your girlfriend! Cheeky little bugger!"

Harry laughed but then his laughter froze as he saw a look of worry on Ginny's face. He turned and saw McGonagall coming toward them at a brisk pace with the school caretaker Argus Filch right behind her, his cat Mrs. Norris at his heels as usual.

"Oh, Professor Potter I need a word, something terrible has…oh, hello Miss Weasley. It's about time you went off to your dormitory, yes?

"Ah, yes, Professor," Ginny began, but now she was worried. "But...is something wrong?"

McGonagall hesitated a second and then just looked at Harry. "Your quarters. Well, it seems we've had a bit of mischief."

"Mischief?" Harry and Ginny asked together. Harry had been given lodgings at the far end of the castle on the third floor overlooking the Quidditch pitch.

"It's Peeves, it is," said Filch with almost a grin that he quickly hid under his usual scowl. "Got up to no good, he did," and again Harry thought Filch was not too unhappy about this event. "Made a right mess of your quarters…professor." The last word was said with a hint of contempt in it. Filch had tried to protest against Harry becoming a professor, a protest which McGonagall had ignored.

"I think it might be time for Peeves to find a new home," McGonagall said sternly as she looked at Filch. "Wouldn't that be nice, Argus?"

Harry could tell Filch was of two minds about this. He seemed like he wanted to say yes, because he hated Peeves more than any student. But something was up with Filch, and Harry guessed it might have been Filch who put Peeves up to his "mischief".

"Yes, Headmistress, about time," he replied, but not as enthusiastically as he might have in the past. At least that's what Harry thought.

"Ah, what has exactly happened?" Harry asked, worried about his things.

"House-elves was bringing your luggage in," said Filch, "And found the quarters flooded and the bedding and furniture all tore up. Water everywhere, bed and sofa a mess, toilet and sink blocked up."

"That doesn't sound like Peeves," Ginny offered.

"No, it doesn't," said Harry and McGonagall agreed.

"Well," she said, "Nothing to be done for it tonight. Argus insists on cleaning up himself..."

"My job," Filch said as if he was proud to be a janitor to a bunch of teens. Again this sounded false to Harry and Ginny. "Have it straighten away in the morning."

"So…where shall I sleep?" Harry asked. He gave a quick sideways look at Ginny and knew she knew where he would like to sleep if he hadn't been so tired.

"In Professor Snape's old quarters," said McGonagall, her eyes narrowing a bit as she glanced from Harry to Ginny. "The house-elves have already made up the bed with fresh linen, so there you are."

"Ah...where is it?" Harry asked and then Filch volunteer to show him. After a quick good night to Ginny and McGonagall, with a look of longing from Ginny he hoped McGonagall didn't see, Harry followed Filch as they headed for the lower levels. Filch carried a lamp to show the way.

They walked in silence for a while. Then Harry couldn't stand it any longer. "Why don't you let me clean up my quarters? Take just a few seconds."

Filch stopped and glared at him. "I know you know I am a Squib. But I am proud to work here and proud of my work. So, no thank you, I won't be needing any of your magic...Professor Potter."

"Why do you hate us? The students, I mean." Harry did include himself in this comment even though he wasn't a student anymore.

This time he thought Filch would explode, his face turned so red, and Harry realized he had gone too far. Filch just breathed heavily for a few moments and then turned around. "Follow me," was all he said.

"It doesn't sound like Peeves to do what has been done to my quarters, does it?" Harry asked in a sort of causal way after a few more moments of silence.

At first Filch ignored him. Then spoke in his rough country accent. "You've got no idea what that little bugger gets up to. He's done much worse."

"Then it will be good to get rid of him, won't it?"

All Filch did was make a small grunt and kept walking. Finally he stopped at a door. "Professor Snape's old quarters."

He took out a key and put it in the lock and opened the door. Harry eyed the key and then saw that it was gold and silver with intricate designs on it. "That looks valuable," Harry said and then realized it was a mistake.

Filch quickly pocketed the key with a nervous gesture. "Never you mind about that. In you go. I'm sure you can make a light for yourself...professor. Mind you don't touch anything of Professor Snape's. His mother will be by sometime next week to take his things back home."

And then he was gone. Harry took out his wand and soon had a light glowing at its end and he walked into Snape's old quarters.

It was a large set of rooms, not as big as Professor Slughorn's, but roomy. A large sofa and armchair were nestled near the huge fireplace and in a second Harry got the fire going. It was a bit chilly in the lower quarters even though summer had just ended. Then Harry began to explore the rest of the quarters.

To no surprise, hundreds of books lined bookshelves on the walls, as did many jars of potions ingredients. Along one wall stood a desk and chair, with parchment ink and quills and many old and interesting looking books on the desk. Along the same wall was a large table with many vials and a few cauldrons and a burner. Seems like Snape had enjoyed working in his quarters on his experiments. Harry found a few lamps on the wall and lit them. Soon a warm glow filled the room.

In a small niche nearby Harry found the newly made up bed. It was a single bed, narrow and hard looking, and Harry again was not surprised. A lamp was next to it as was a small end table. A book lay on the table and it seemed Snape had liked to read at night while in bed. Then he located the bathroom and it was standard, clean, and with nothing surprising, just a few toiletries, including toothpaste, soap, and a bottle of shampoo by the bathtub. In fact, it was not commercial shampoo, but seemed like some kind of product Snape had brewed himself. It was in a glass bottle with a cork stopper and no label. Inside was a greenish liquid. Harry and his friends had often commented on Snape's greasy hair, but to Harry it now seemed like that might have been more of a condition he could not control than a dislike for washing his hair. Perhaps this shampoo was a way to try to solve this problem.

Harry left the bathroom and then in one corner near the bed niche he found a set of drawers and a wardrobe, which contained Snape's clothing. Harry had no desire to look in there. His own trunk and things were piled next to the wardrobe.

Harry quickly changed out of his robes and into his pajamas. He then decided to sit by the fire a bit and look through his lesson plans for the next morning. He had no sooner sat down and gotten out the notes Hermione had made for him when he heard a voice, a voice he had never expected to hear again as long as he lived, a voice which sent a shiver of fear and surprise down his back.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" said the voice in its slow, familiar, disdainful way.

Harry stood and turned quickly, his wand out. What he saw was…unbelievable.

He was looking right at Professor Snape.