When Harry stepped out of the Great Hall, he felt better than he had in three years. The crisp September breeze sang through the leaves in the Hogwarts courtyard and tousled his hair. He sighed. Harry had almost forgotten this feeling. The feeling of being back at Hogwarts. The feeling of coming back home. Harry had spent a year trying to deal with his PTSD and two years training to be an Auror. It was a disaster to say the least. Harry made a good Auror but he didn't want to fight anymore. So he finally did what Hermione had been asking him to do since ages. He pulled out the letter from his top drawer and owled it. He didn't go about his training the next day. He didn't need to. McGonagall had written back. He didn't read the whole letter. Just the first line. Harry Potter was the new Defence against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.
Right now, he was moving to the gates to welcome the students for the start of the year feast. "Oi, Harry!" someone called. Harry turned around to see Neville moving towards him while waving his hands excitedly. "Walk faster Harry. We need to get the kids in and the first years sorted. You haven't forgotten the treacle tarts now, have you?" Harry looked up to the sky. Wispy white clouds were turning indigo and an inky blue was swallowing the light blue of the sky. "Does Hogwarts feel the same, Neville? Neville took a moment to reply. "More or less. There's no Dumbledore. And we'll be on the other side of the desk." "Yeah", Harry sighed. "Cheer up, harry. You'll make a great teacher. You taught DA single-handed! These might even be your best years at Hogwarts!"
Later that night when Harry was on his third helping of treacle tart and The Great Hall was a buzz of first years making new friends and the old students catching over summer, Harry let himself think what Neville said might even come true. But as soon as this thought had passed his mind, as if on cue, the doors of the Hall burst open letting the fall leaves inside. At the doors stood the last person Harry wanted to see. Draco Malfoy strolled in in all his glory.