It was times like this that reminded Harry Potter that the end of the Second Wizarding War in no way meant the end of the discrimination and disdain that caused both wars in the first place. It was one of the reasons that, despite also being Head of the Auror Office, he made an agreement with Professor McGonagall - Headmistress now, he often had to remind himself - to be a frequent lecturer for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. He figured part of his reason to agreeing to come back to Hogwarts was his hero complex that Ron and Hermione constantly told him he had - he wanted extra chances to try and teach the new generations from the mistakes of the past generations so that the deaths from both wars weren't in vain.

This term's incoming first-years included his godson - Teddy Lupin - who Harry was happy to see sorted into Hufflepuff. Harry was reminded of Andromeda's stories of when Tonks had been at Hogwarts in the same House. Yes, he was twelve, and Harry blamed George and Ron for giving Teddy some Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products behind Harry's back. Teddy had come home that first night with a fuming Headmistress McGonagall, telling Harry she had strict rules about the Weasley products, and Teddy would be allowed to come back next year.

Having Teddy around an extra year turned out to be a blessing in disguise; the boy loved helping Ginny with the James, Albus, and Lily. He was currently sporting his hair with inspiration from Zac Efron in a neon purple; Harry blamed that on Ginny allowing Teddy to watch the American movie High School Musical one night while they waited up for Harry to come home from the Ministry.

It was partially because of Teddy that Harry first noticed one of the acts of discrimination that was still prominent in everyone's minds. Harry had seen no problem teaching Teddy how to cast an invisible protection bubble around himself before coming to Hogwarts - he was just being a protective parent, after all. About three months into term, while they were practicing some of the simple spells in mock duels, like the Knockback Jinx and different colored sparks, Harry noticed Teddy constantly casting the protection bubble on his partner, a brown-haired, bespeckled Slytherin named Megan. He then noticed what Teddy was protecting Megan from - when other students thought Harry wasn't looking, they were trying to cast several skin-ailing curses at their unsuspecting classmate.

So Harry took note of each kid who aimed their wand towards the girl who wasn't Teddy and, at the end of class, asked Megan if she'd stay back for a few moments. After promising Teddy she'd come find him later, she turned to Harry with a smile but had that worried air about her that she'd done something wrong. It reminded Harry of Hermione; smiling back, he led her to the little circle office that he decorated similar to what he remembered from when Remus Lupin taught his third year - complete with one of the only moving pictures of baby Teddy with his parents that Andromeda got before Tonks and Remus were killed in the final battle.

Harry settled into his seat behind his desk and motioned for Megan to take the seat across from him. When she had seated herself and set her bag next to her, Harry gave her another smile to try and hint that she wasn't in trouble. "So … How do you like Hogwarts?"

That clearly wasn't what Megan had been expecting, but she greatly relaxed to Harry's delight. "I love it here, Professor Potter. It's so much more than anything I could've dreamed up. I'm muggle-born, you see - didn't know about anything magical until I'd gotten my letter."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Your accent doesn't sound entirely British."

"I live with my mum in New Zealand," she explained. "But I was born in England, so the Ministry told me I could come to Hogwarts if I wished."

Harry nodded. "And your Head of House, Professor Slughorn. Do you like him?"

"He's a brilliant Potions Master. And he's very nice to all of us in Slytherin."

Harry clasped his hands together and leaned back. "And your partner in class today, Teddy Lupin. Did you know he's my godson?"

"I know that his dad and your dad knew each other," Megan admitted. "He's a good friend, but I don't know him too well yet."

"Well, he has his father's protective Gryffindor streak," Harry transitioned. "Did you know that Teddy was fending off some curses aimed your way today in class?"

Megan raised an eyebrow. "They're only stupid arseholes; I'm fine. Teddy doesn't have to protect me."

"He protects you because he cares about you as a friend," Harry smiled. "I've listened to him talk about you several times - all good things, promise. I just wanted to make sure this prejudice wasn't bothering you. I suspect the others students were doing what they were doing because of your House?"

"If they were, it's because they were somehow affected by the war, I'd imagine," Megan shrugged. "All those good Slytherins you talked about at the trials that died in the wars got rid of most of the prejudice." She reached for her bag. "I'll be fine, Professor. Promise. Can I go now?"

"Of course."

But Harry knew he couldn't just let it go as he thought about the situation more in the three days between class sessions.

"Now I know we've been doing practical sessions for the past few weeks," Harry began once everyone was present and seated. He sent a small smile to where Megan and Teddy were seated together, front and center, giving him enthusiastic smiles back. "But today I think we're in need of a bit of a … Lecture-like setting."

Harry grabbed the chair from behind the desk in front of the room, twirling it around to sit in it backwards; he ignored Teddy rolling his eyes. Leaning against the back of the chair, he gave a second thought to what he was about to do, but pushed the doubts away - he had to do this.

"I'm pretty positive at this point that all of you know my history, or at least the basics of what happened during the Second Wizarding War." Harry saw only confused faces looking back at him, remaining silent. "Both wars were started because of the extremities of one man's prejudices. He either accepted or forced people to his side and pinned them against the others who refused to confirm." Harry didn't want to look into anyone's eyes, so he took to the wooden floor. "When I finally defeated Voldemort once and for all, I was barely eighteen, and I naively believed that all the prejudice and discrimination would finally be over. I've come to realize, now, that that isn't true; our last class session proved me wrong."

Harry looked up to see several pairs of guilty eyes - those were the ones brave enough to keep their heads up. The others were avoiding catching his gaze at all costs. "I'll admit, when I started at Hogwarts, I was the same - I was prejudiced because of what had been practiced in the past; I participated because I knew no other way. But I intend to give you all the option to know another way."

Harry stood up and pushed the chair aside. "I'm sure you all remember, during your wait before the ceremony, that you were told each House has produced its own share of outstanding witches and wizards. And that's definitely true, but there's also the unsung stigma that Slytherin has always produced the darkest of witches and wizards too. We could look at Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange and confirm that stigma. But it's not entirely true. Who can name one good Slytherin witch or Slytherin wizard from history?"

Harry was not surprised when no one raised their hand - even Megan and Teddy looked a little hesitant to say anything.

"I know I will be long dead before you read this but I want you to know that was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more."

Harry had memorized the letter, of course. He wanted it etched into his memory when he argued for the brave young man to be added to the list of the Honored Fallen from the first war.

"Regulus Black was the lesser known of two brothers because unlike Sirius, Regulus followed the path that was expected of him, so no extra attention was drawn to him. While Sirius was disowned and joined the Order of the Phoenix, Regulus followed his parent's wishes and joined the ranks of the Death Eaters as soon as he left Hogwarts. But he quickly realized what a mistake he had made, realized just how evil Voldemort was. So he discovered one of the sources behind Voldemort's power and sought to destroy it; he was killed in the process, at eighteen years old. When I recovered the fake model he'd left behind was when what he did was brought to light. Regulus Black was one of the good Slytherins."

Harry's eyes scanned over his students briefly; they were completely enthralled with his lesson now.

"Regulus had a cousin named Narcissa, another perfect child for the Black family name. She married a prestigious pure-blood named Lucius Malfoy shortly after graduating from Hogwarts."

Harry was amused when almost every student wrinkled their nose at Malfoy's name. While Harry had spoken for Narcissa and her son Draco at the trials, he had nothing to say for Lucius, and Harry dared to say that Draco looked relieved when he father was carted back to Azkaban.

"Narcissa was, of course, a faithful wife. But as the second war started to become more intense, there was one thing she was willing to give up everything for - her son. Like how my mother had protected me back in 1980 in Godric's Hollow, Narcissa looked Voldemort in the eyes during the Battle of Hogwarts and lied. I had told her that her son was alive, so in turn, she saved me. When I spoke for her at the following trials … Well, it's the only time I've ever seen her cry. She clearly didn't expect me to be kind for her after what her husband had done to me. Narcissa Malfoy was one of the good Slytherins."

Harry twirled the chair around and sat in it normally. "And then there's her son, Draco Malfoy."

Almost every child in the room perked up. Though Draco had no need to work due to his family's fortune, he often came back to Hogwarts as well, to assist Professor Slughorn in the Potions classroom. Harry suspected that Draco might end up Potions Master himself soon, since Slughorn was handing off more and more duties to Draco as the years progressed. It seemed that Draco had made a positive image of himself on students.

"We were classmates together at Hogwarts, though in opposite Houses. And we despised each other with everything we had. I could fill a whole semester just on stories of how we tried to get each other into as much trouble as possible." Harry sighed. "When the Ministry of Magic finally accepted Voldemort's return, Draco happily followed his father's footsteps into the Death Eater circle, much to his mother's horror. Voldemort, however, didn't see Draco as a potential follower - he was simply a lesson to be learned for the Malfoy family. He set Draco with an impossible task - to kill Headmaster Albus Dumbledore."

Harry heard several small gasps in the room.

"I was there the night Professor Dumbledore died … Draco just, he couldn't do it. He lowered his wand and was considering Dumbledore's offer for safety when the other Death Eaters got there. Draco was forced to flee with them after the deed was done by another. I didn't see him again until … I think it was Easter break of what was meant to be our last year. Those months are a little blurred for me." He leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "Who knows what Snatchers are?"

A Gryffindor boy raised his hand enthusiastically. "They were the ones Voldemort had kidnap people for him. I think their leader was Fenrir Greyback."

"Good, Curt!"

"My name's Carl," he muttered; Harry cringed on the inside. He'd done that several times to the poor boy now - he needed to remember that name.

"The Snatchers caught up to me, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in the Forest of Dean. They took us to Malfoy Manor where Voldemort had forced the Malfoys to let him set up his main headquarters. Hermione had tried to disfigure my face slightly with a simple curse so I wouldn't be recognized, but the Death Eaters there weren't totally convinced. They called Draco to identify us - if Draco did, he could get his family back in Voldemort's good books."

Harry could feel the tension in the room. "But … No matter how many times he was asked if we were who we were, he kept lying or wouldn't give a straight answer. He gave us the chance to get out of there before Voldemort arrived. And during the final battle, he tried to keep two of his friends from killing me - I ended up saving him two times in return that night, and I spoke for him at the trials. Draco Malfoy was one of the good Slytherins."

A Ravenclaw girl, Harry thought her name was Stephanie, raised her hand. "I can understand why we'd consider them good, Professor Potter, but what about Severus Snape? He was a Death Eater, too, and wasn't he the one that ended up killing Dumbledore?"

Harry nodded, standing up and taking to walking around as he continued. "There's another good point. Severus Snape was a Death Eater in both wars, like Lucius Malfoy. But unlike Lucius, Snape turned spy for the Order of the Phoenix just before the end of the first war. He and my mother had been friends growing up and when he realized that she would now be in danger, he switched sides almost immediately."

"Then why was he a Death Eater in the first place?"

Harry shrugged. "From what I understood, he was just around the wrong crowd of Slytherins and was pulled into it. He may have had some prejudices against muggles, but he did love my mother and mourned her death immensely. When the second war came around, he offered himself as a spy again for Dumbledore and infiltrated the Death Eaters, feeding them false information as if he were a spy for them. It was actually Dumbledore's plan to have Snape kill him instead of Draco - to keep Draco from becoming a murderer and to secure his position as a spy."

Harry motioned around the room. "And when Hogwarts was taken over after Dumbledore's death by the Death Eaters, Snape was put in charge as Headmaster and protected every student as best he could from the Carrow siblings. As much as I despised Snape in my school days and still have troubles liking him now in his death, the outcome of the war could've been so much more tragic without his involvements as they were. I have to admit, even Severus Snape was one of the good Slytherins."

All of the students seemed to nod in understanding. Harry smiled and moved his chair back to its original position. "I want you to leave this class today with a new understanding, one that hopefully won't take you as long you learn as the past generations. Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned - everywhere is war."

XXX

Authors' Notes: Thanks for reading! This two-sho was written for my lovely Kiwi, Megan!

Carl is an OC that belongs to the amazing cosplay group TheMischiefManagers.