Brooms and Cauldrons, Chapter Two

As it turns out, Hagrid was right. Hogwarts was out a Defense against the Dark Arts professor and now that Professor McGonagall was Headmistress, she was only capable of teaching her sixth and seventh year students. Additionally, the other professors including Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout would be overworked with the large influx of students.

"I asked you all here today not only to encourage you to return to Hogwarts to complete your studies," said Kingsley, "But also to ask if you would participate in a program that Professor McGonagall has devised to help ease the burden of our teachers." With this Harry looked over to Hermione first, by the looks of her face which sported a wide smile, she had guess the same thing that he did, Kingsley was asking them to return to Hogwarts not only as students, but as professors as well.

"I would like to start with you three first, Miss. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and of course Mr. Potter." A few moments when the office was emptied of all except the Minister and his three young guests, he began.

"I should start with the most obvious I think, yes. Mr. Potter, Professor McGonagall has insisted that you come to Hogwarts as its full time Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"But Kingsley-I mean-Minister, we have not even started our Seventh year…" started Harry before Kingsley cut him off.

"Of course I understand, that is why Professor McGonagall has agreed to help you study for your N.E.W.T.s examination in the class over the next few weeks so that you can take, and might I assume you will pass, the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam before the start of the term. This then leads us to you two, Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley.

" Ms. Granger you were on course for quite a number of N.E.W.T. examinations if I am not mistaken?" he paused for a moment, but did not wait for a response, "Professor McGonagall has asked that you assist her with her Transfigurations classes. She would like to have you teach the first through fifth year students. It seems you were also requested by Professor Flitwick to help with his first and second year Charms classes," With this Hermione was speechless, she had been asked to teach two different subjects!

"Lastly, Mr. Weasley, or dare I presume to call you Professor Weasley, you have been requested as an assistant in Defense Against the Dark Arts along with young Professor Potter here as well as in Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Hagrid," Ron looked a bit shocked, but he caught Harry's eye and winked.

"Professor, if we will be teaching, when will we have time to take our classes?" asked a skeptical Hermione, "I mean, I would love the opportunity to do this, but how much time will we have to study for our N.E.W.T exams?"

"That, Professor Granger, is something you should talk to Professor McGonagall about when you see her later today," replied the Minister, "which brings me to my last order of business, she has asked to see you all this evening at the Leaky Cauldron, I expect she will arrange for your travel to Hogwarts as soon as possible. I know you have many questions, but I dare say that your friends may getting a bit anxious to know why they have been summoned, could you ask Mr. Longbottom in next?"

It took about an hour in all for everybody to meet with Kingsley. When they were finished, they all headed back to the Leaky Cauldron. They found out that Neville was to teach Herbology with Professor Sprout.

Ginny and Luna, it seemed, were going to be Head Girls. The Minister stressed the importance of this appointment because of the increased number of students. Harry expected that Ginny would also be getting news that she would be Gryffindor House's Quidditch Team Captain.

Lastly, Mr. Weasley was given a promotion to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. George was asked to join the Ministry as a consultant. Kingsley even asked George for a personal order of the protective hats that his joke shop made and sold.

They were all eating an early dinner at the Leaky Cauldron when Professor McGonagall appeared from the back door. She must have been in Diagon Alley, thought Harry.

"Hello everybody," she began, "I trust that I am now looking at several new professors?" Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville nodded their heads with a respectful excitement. With this, her whole face relaxed. It seemed that that was not the only thing that relaxed in her body. Within a few minutes, the whole table was laughing and McGonagall herself had ordered several rounds of firewhiskey.

Harry did not want to ruin the mood, but he felt as though he had the right to know what was going on outside the world of the Leaky Cauldron. He was able to read the Quibbler and his notes, but they did not offer much information about what was going on with the war.

He would have liked to believe that the all the remaining Death Eaters would give up, as the Malfoy's had done when Riddle was defeated. But apparently that was too much to ask. It seemed that those that were not in attendance at the Battle of Hogwarts were still fighting. Muggle-borns were still even being brought to the Ministry by Snatches looking for money. Beyond this, he knew nothing of the Ministry's troubles, and he was sure that there were many more that he would not have thought of.

"Professor, I was wondering what has happened over the past few-".

"Dear PROFESSOR Potter, I would not know to whom you would be speaking, but if it is to me, please call me Minerva," McGonagall laughed, almost falling out of her chair, "but please continue what you were saying, Harry."

"Well Professor…I mean M-Minerva, I was wondering what the Order and the Ministry have been up to these past few weeks. I have only read what the Quibbler has to say, which is not very specific," Harry finished. When he was done talking, no one spoke. All the laughter that was there only moments ago was gone. He looked up and realized that everybody was staring at him.

"Well Harry…" his old Transfiguration teacher started. She could not seem to find the right words.

"Harry, the Order is no more," Mr. Weasely answered, "We wanted to make sure that the Ministry has all the backing it can get. We agreed that if the Order of the Phoenix continued, it would undermine a government that is now working for the witches and wizards as it should be."

"As for the Ministry, they have hit a bit of a drought," McGonagall seemed now to have found both her words and wit, "We have not caught a single Death Eater since He-Who…well since Lord Voltamort's death. As far as we can figure, from information given to us from the Malfoy's and other captured Death Eaters, there is at least twenty remaining. But that is only where our problems begin. Trolls are still attacking the country side, Dementors have been sighted all over the place…" she paused and her eyes began to show a sadness that Harry didn't even know was possible in the stern and solid Professor McGonagall.

"The latest report handed down from Kingsley estimates that there has been over a hundred deaths, both muggle and wizard, in the past week alone," said Mr. Weasley, " What was started, will take a very long time to undo," he became very solemn for a moment and lowered his head, then raised it again with a grin on his face, "but at least Hogwarts is safe, right Hagrid?" At this everybody turned to look at Hagrid who was shocked by the sudden attention and almost knocked over the long table they were at.

"Ah…errr…Oh, Yes. Graup has been helping me clear out. Terr clear out the spiders you know," with this Ron let out a sort of squeak and Harry and to force himself from laughing. As Harry and Hermione found out in their Second year, Ron was very much afraid of spiders. "But…err… I would be glad to get the help from Charlie as soon as he o'rives," He looked at McGonagall hopefully. She had obviously been ready to release this bit of information.

"I regret that Mr. Charles Weasley will not be able to teach at Hogwarts this year. As I am sure you know," She looked at Mrs. Weasley who seemed almost to breakdown in tears in that very instant, "He was requested on a mission to France, as far as I have been told. I do not believe that any of us know the details outside of that."

"Well then who will be coming instead, Professor?" asked Hermione. She seemed very interested in this point, and Harry knew why. Who would be the new Gryffindor Head of house?

"I am sure you are referring to the vacancy I have left as Head of the Gryffindor House, Professor Granger? Well I did not know the answer to that until tonight it seems. There is only one member of our full-time staff that was in Gryffindor during their time in school," as she said this, everybody looked at Harry. He was looking down at is mashed potatoes and did not understand what had happened until he saw McGonagall's smirk in his direction.

"M-m-me?" he started, "but surely somebody else would…Hermione or Ron?" But McGonagall just continued to smile.

"The circumstances leave us no other option," she paused to wink at Hermione and Ron who, to Harry's surprise were beaming with delight, "The facts are these. The only full time position needed to be filled is Defense against the Dark Arts. While we were prepared to give that position to Charles Weasley, he was unable to accept. But we did not have a problem, I knew of another individual that would do just as well for the school, and it so happens that he accepted. Perhaps I could have instead asked Hermione to the position, but I need the best for Hogwarts, and while she is a gifted witch, the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts not excluded, she was not the best choice for the position," she gave Hermione another wink, "Ronald has shown a similar aptitude in class, and it seems that credit must be given in part to you, Harry. Now, I mention all this because while I would have every confidence in the ability of any Gryffindor here to lead the house, you are the only Professor with the credentials as a full-time teacher at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry who was in Gryffindor." With this, everybody stood up and clapped. Harry's cheeks turned red with embracement.

"So Professor McGonagall," Ginny started, "Who decides the house perfects and house Quidditch Captians?" when she finished, she looked nervously between Harry and McGonagall.

"I would have thought that was obvious, the Heads of House of course!" She looked at Harry again and gave him a wink, "I dare say that the latter choice would be somewhat obvious for the Head of Gryffindor house." When she finished, Harry looked at Ginny and nodded his head, of course Ginny would be Captain. She was just as good as Harry even though she was a year younger and hand much less experience. She gave a wide smile. "But of course we will not know for sure for another week or so, when letters are delivered," she said this somewhat sternly.

It was another hour or so before anybody thought of leaving the table. But Luna's father had arrived to pick her up, and Neville had business to attend to in Diagon Alley. Once Harry had said goodbye to Luna, he told Neville that he would like to join him. But before they left, Harry took the opportunity in chaos within the Leaky Cauldrons of hugs and lasts words to grab Ginny.

When they were finally well within the Alley, Neville told them that he had to go to Gringott's to pick up money from his family's vault. It seemed that his grandmother had finally found the key to Neville's parents vault, and he was to check the contents. Ginny and Harry wished him luck and walked into Flourish and Bott's Book Store to get some privacy off the streets.

When they were safely hidden behind a stack of dusty copies of Magical Me, Ginny grabbed Harry's robes and pulled herself on him. They kissed for a very long moment, and then she wrapped her hands around his neck and said in a hushed voice, suitable for the book store, "I've missed you, Harry," Harry didn't say anything for a very long time, he was staring at her beautiful brown eyes.

"I love you," he finally said. It was a shock even to himself, he was planning only to say that he'd missed her as well. But he did not regret what he said at all. He knew he meant what he said. Ginny smiled.

"I love you, too Harry," she replied before diving in for another kiss. They stayed in a tight embrace for a long time, beginning to attract attention from the manager and other customers. Harry was not sure if they were staring at Harry Potter, or the overly affectionate couple in the back of the store, then he realized that he didn't care what people thought.

A little while later Hermione and Ron walked into the shop. When Hermione saw Harry and Ginny, she quickly turned her eyes to the nearest book and tried to distract Ron. But Ron had already spotted them and began walking over. The previous summer, Ron had walked in on Ginny and Harry kissing at the Burrow before they left to find the Horcruxes. Harry was sure that he had done it on purpose.

"Ha ha, they still got this old piece of filth," Ron, picked up one of the copies of Magical Me, I wonder how old Lockhart is doing these days." Gilderoy Lockhart had been their second year Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He had written a series of books about his exploits in saving witches and wizards from Banshee's, Werewolves, and even Vampires. But they found out by the end of the year that he was a fraud whose only talent was memory charms. "Oh…ahh, hello Ginny, Harry…" Ron continued, seeming to make the interruption look like an accident. Harry and Ginny loosened their embrace, but continued to hold hands.

"Really, Ronald, you should have better manners, no one cares that your sister is snogging Harry," with this she planted a very affectionate, however forceful kiss on Ron's lips. Ron's face went immediately beat red. He managed to give a bit of a whimpering shy out before speaking.

"Hermione, you know I don't like to do that kind of thing in front of people," When he said this, Hermione's smile melted away.

"So you're fine seen in public with Lavender Brown, but not me!" Hermione said much too loud. Everybody in the book store looked between her and Ron. The Manager seemed a bit angry about the disturbance.

She stomped out of the book store. Ron ran after her.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that…" he yelled to her. Harry and Ginny laughed with each other for a moment. When the customers had stopped staring at the two, they walked around the bookstore. If Harry was going to teach, he had better know what books to use and have his students purchase. They skimmed the Dark Arts section. Harry found several books that seemed interesting including Introduction to Defensive Spells and Charms by Henry Pentigar, Lives of the Dark Witches and Wizards by Lastora Tibble-Lestrange, and The Patronus Defense by Arthur Pendarco. Harry was particularly interested in Pendarco's book.

When Harry had looked at almost all of the books in the section, Ginny convinced him to leave. He had his massive purchase delivered directly to the Leaky Cauldron so that he would not have to carry them. Harry then led the way to their favorite shop in Diagon Alley, Quality Quidditch Supplies. To their shock, the Firebolt Broom that had been sitting in the window for the past 5 years was gone. The Firebolt was the fastest broom in the world for over 6 years. Instead, a sign was there:

Introducing:

The Wind Rouge

The Newest Model by the Elemental Broom Company of New Delhi, India

From the Makers of The Firebolt, comes the most anticipated racing broom yet. The Wind Rouge has all the features you come to expect from Elemental Brooms including the Unbreakable Braking Charm. Unlike The Firebolt, The Wind Rouge has enhanced sensitivity to the rider's movements. The broom still sports the refined handle of ash, now supported with a core of dragon bone for a stronger, lighter broom. The handle and Broomtail has been perfected beyond that of the Firebolt, allowing for speeds upwards of 300 miles per hour and an acceleration of 200 Miles an hour in ten seconds. The Elemental Broom Company has also introduced its new Top-Secret Balancing Method into The Wind Rouge, allowing it to literally turn at a 90 degree angle.

WARNING: Due to the speeds of this broom along with its delicate handling, this broom is suggested for use by professionals only.

ORDER YOUR WIND ROUGE NOW!

Price on Request

Harry and Ginny stared at the broom for the longest time. Harry in fact was looking for a new broom since his Firebolt was lost last year. He smiled, he knew what he needed to do. Ginny looked at him.

"No Harry, I won't let you buy that. You'll kill yourself. You read it, it's only for professionals,"

"Ginny, I wasn't just thinking about me. Besides, we are professionals. Seekers are the only ones that can handle those kinds of speeds. You're going to need a new broom Ginny. Besides, we will have plenty of time to practice on them, that is unless you don't feel like sweeping this year's Quidditch Cup?" Within a few minutes, they were inside and signed up to order the broom. Harry's money purse was much lighter than usual when they left the store, so he suggested they got to Gringott's and perhaps get a chance to talk to Bill.