Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Lord of the Rings or
Harry Potter
Chapter 1 - An old Face
It was the beginning of the school term again, straight after Christmas. The Great Hall suddenly seemed extremely bare without the decorations that had been up only a week before. The weather outside was still bitter cold, and there had been snow a few days earlier.
The students came shuffling into the Hall, for their breakfast, and the usual 'beginning of term' speech from Professor Dumbledore. Among them was a boy called Harry Potter, and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
They sat down together at the Gryffindor table. Ron was shivering.
'Couldn't they light some more fires,' he moaned, 'our breakfast's gonna be frozen at this rate!'
'Oh stop moaning Ron!' said Hermione in an exasperated voice, although she too, pulled her cloak more tightly round her.
'I'm hungry,' said Ron, 'I wonder-he suddenly trailed off and stared across the room at someone.
'What? What's wrong?' asked Harry looking in the direction Ron was glaring in.
'Malfoy,' said Ron.
Across the Hall stood a pale boy with blond hair, Draco Malfoy. He and Harry had been enemies from their first day at Hogwarts. So far, their sixth year at the school hadn't been any different.
'Oh just ignore him Ron!' said Hermione.
'It's a bit difficult when he's strutting around like-'
'Look, Dumbledore's here,' said Harry, stopping an argument breaking out.
Professor Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts school, and also the only wizard that the Dark Lord, Voldemort feared. He stood up and waved his hands for silence. The students stopped talking and turned to face him.
'Welcome back. I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas,' said Dumbledore, smiling around at the students. 'Now, I have a few important notices to give to you all.'
'The Slytherins are getting kicked out?' suggested Ron quietly to Harry.
Harry laughed silently at Ron's hopeful voice.
'Professor Lucas has sadly resigned over the Christmas term,' announced Dumbledore, looking as if he was fighting back a smile.
There were a few whispers of happiness around the hall. Nobody had liked Professor Lucas much.
'We will also have some guests staying with us,' said Dumbledore.
'Guests?' whispered Harry to Ron, 'another school do you think?'
'Maybe,' replied Ron.
'My cousin and his, ahem, group of friends will be staying with us for a few weeks. They are on a long and difficult journey, and need somewhere to rest for a while. I hope you will make them feel welcome.'
'Who is it?' shouted a third year Ravenclaw boy.
'All in good time my boy. You will find out tomorrow when they arrive,' laughed Dumbledore. 'They will be here just after your breakfast time.'
He sat back down again. A wave of chatter broke out across the hall.
'I wonder who they are,' said Hermione thoughtfully.
'Dumbledore's cousin? I wonder who he is,' said Harry.
'look, new timetables,' said Ron, as they got passed down the table.
'We've got Defence Against the Dark Arts first. I wonder who the new teacher will be,' said Ron, 'oh no! We've got double potions this afternoon!'
'Great,' said Harry sarcastically. Potions was taught by Harry's least favourite teacher, Professor Snape, who seemed to hate Harry, and all other Gryffindor students.
'All they need to do now, to make my day even better is bring back Lockhart to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts,' said Ron.
***
Straight after breakfast, Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to their Defence Against the Dark Arts class.
'I wonder who our new teacher will be?' said Ron again as they neared the classroom.
Hermione walked in first and stopped dead in her tracks.
'Oh no,' she gasped, 'Ron! It's-'
Lockhart lumped up from the desk where he'd been sitting and opened his arms, 'welcome Hermione! And Ron and Harry too. It's so nice to see you again!'
Ron muttered something indistinguishable under his breath. They made their way to a desk right at the back and sat down.
'What the hell is he doing back here?' asked Ron through gritted teeth.
Harry shook his head, 'Why has Dumbledore let him back here?'
Ron groaned, 'I shouldn't have made sarcastic comments about him this morning. It was asking for trouble!'
Hermione sat with her mouth hanging open.
Ron stared at her in disgust, 'Don't tell me you still like that rat, Hermione!'
Hermione snapped back to her senses, 'Of course not, don't be silly. I'm just shocked to see him, that's all.'
Evidently, so was everyone else. As the rest of the Gryffindors arrived, they too all wore an expression of disbelief.
Once everyone had arrived, Lockhart waved his hands for silence.
'Now, I know you're all pleased to see me again...'
Ron pretended to be sick under his desk.
'...but unfortunately I will only be teaching here for one day.'
No one could mistake the Gryffindors delighted cheers for sad groans, not even Lockhart. He looked slightly hurt, but quickly recomposed himself.
'As you probably all know by now, Dumbledore's cousin will arrive tomorrow, and he will be filling the teaching position. Now...' he broke off and smiled round. '...did you all miss me?'
Harry groaned and put his head down on the desk. It was going to be a long lesson.
Chapter 1 - An old Face
It was the beginning of the school term again, straight after Christmas. The Great Hall suddenly seemed extremely bare without the decorations that had been up only a week before. The weather outside was still bitter cold, and there had been snow a few days earlier.
The students came shuffling into the Hall, for their breakfast, and the usual 'beginning of term' speech from Professor Dumbledore. Among them was a boy called Harry Potter, and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
They sat down together at the Gryffindor table. Ron was shivering.
'Couldn't they light some more fires,' he moaned, 'our breakfast's gonna be frozen at this rate!'
'Oh stop moaning Ron!' said Hermione in an exasperated voice, although she too, pulled her cloak more tightly round her.
'I'm hungry,' said Ron, 'I wonder-he suddenly trailed off and stared across the room at someone.
'What? What's wrong?' asked Harry looking in the direction Ron was glaring in.
'Malfoy,' said Ron.
Across the Hall stood a pale boy with blond hair, Draco Malfoy. He and Harry had been enemies from their first day at Hogwarts. So far, their sixth year at the school hadn't been any different.
'Oh just ignore him Ron!' said Hermione.
'It's a bit difficult when he's strutting around like-'
'Look, Dumbledore's here,' said Harry, stopping an argument breaking out.
Professor Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts school, and also the only wizard that the Dark Lord, Voldemort feared. He stood up and waved his hands for silence. The students stopped talking and turned to face him.
'Welcome back. I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas,' said Dumbledore, smiling around at the students. 'Now, I have a few important notices to give to you all.'
'The Slytherins are getting kicked out?' suggested Ron quietly to Harry.
Harry laughed silently at Ron's hopeful voice.
'Professor Lucas has sadly resigned over the Christmas term,' announced Dumbledore, looking as if he was fighting back a smile.
There were a few whispers of happiness around the hall. Nobody had liked Professor Lucas much.
'We will also have some guests staying with us,' said Dumbledore.
'Guests?' whispered Harry to Ron, 'another school do you think?'
'Maybe,' replied Ron.
'My cousin and his, ahem, group of friends will be staying with us for a few weeks. They are on a long and difficult journey, and need somewhere to rest for a while. I hope you will make them feel welcome.'
'Who is it?' shouted a third year Ravenclaw boy.
'All in good time my boy. You will find out tomorrow when they arrive,' laughed Dumbledore. 'They will be here just after your breakfast time.'
He sat back down again. A wave of chatter broke out across the hall.
'I wonder who they are,' said Hermione thoughtfully.
'Dumbledore's cousin? I wonder who he is,' said Harry.
'look, new timetables,' said Ron, as they got passed down the table.
'We've got Defence Against the Dark Arts first. I wonder who the new teacher will be,' said Ron, 'oh no! We've got double potions this afternoon!'
'Great,' said Harry sarcastically. Potions was taught by Harry's least favourite teacher, Professor Snape, who seemed to hate Harry, and all other Gryffindor students.
'All they need to do now, to make my day even better is bring back Lockhart to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts,' said Ron.
***
Straight after breakfast, Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to their Defence Against the Dark Arts class.
'I wonder who our new teacher will be?' said Ron again as they neared the classroom.
Hermione walked in first and stopped dead in her tracks.
'Oh no,' she gasped, 'Ron! It's-'
Lockhart lumped up from the desk where he'd been sitting and opened his arms, 'welcome Hermione! And Ron and Harry too. It's so nice to see you again!'
Ron muttered something indistinguishable under his breath. They made their way to a desk right at the back and sat down.
'What the hell is he doing back here?' asked Ron through gritted teeth.
Harry shook his head, 'Why has Dumbledore let him back here?'
Ron groaned, 'I shouldn't have made sarcastic comments about him this morning. It was asking for trouble!'
Hermione sat with her mouth hanging open.
Ron stared at her in disgust, 'Don't tell me you still like that rat, Hermione!'
Hermione snapped back to her senses, 'Of course not, don't be silly. I'm just shocked to see him, that's all.'
Evidently, so was everyone else. As the rest of the Gryffindors arrived, they too all wore an expression of disbelief.
Once everyone had arrived, Lockhart waved his hands for silence.
'Now, I know you're all pleased to see me again...'
Ron pretended to be sick under his desk.
'...but unfortunately I will only be teaching here for one day.'
No one could mistake the Gryffindors delighted cheers for sad groans, not even Lockhart. He looked slightly hurt, but quickly recomposed himself.
'As you probably all know by now, Dumbledore's cousin will arrive tomorrow, and he will be filling the teaching position. Now...' he broke off and smiled round. '...did you all miss me?'
Harry groaned and put his head down on the desk. It was going to be a long lesson.