The summer was an uneventful one. Aside from the strange dream he'd had one
night, Harry's life remained just as annoyingly dull as it was every
summer, with the addition of the occasional beating from Dudley. As it was,
Harry was counting down the days till he could leave and becoming nervous.
There weren't any arrangements for him to get to Diagon Alley this year.
Maybe the Dursley's would take him? Harry snorted. That was about as likely
as Dudley's diet finally working. He was considering this problem while
cooking breakfast when the doorbell rang.
"Go get it."
He did, quietly swinging the door open, and then slamming it closed again.
Draco Malfoy was on his doorstep.
"Well, who is it?"
Whatever Harry might have said to fix this mess was ruined when Harry's worst enemy (unless you counted Voldemort and Snape, but they were probably above words like 'enemy') pushed his way in and called out, "Get your stuff, Potter. Dumbledore's sent some. girl to fetch us." As was expected, this brought Harry's uncle flying out of the kitchen faster than would be thought possible. "What is one of those doing here?" he hissed. Harry thought this would be a good time to explain that he didn't mean for this to happen, but was cut off once again.
"I told you to get your school things Potter. I don't think she wants to have to wait much longer. Didn't seem like." Harry was already climbing up to his room. While it was probably an attempt to hand him over to Voldemort, it was also the perfect chance to get away. If Voldemort was behind this. Harry shrugged. Dumbledore said he would be safe here, and he had every reason to believe it. If Malfoy was lying, the Slytherin probably wouldn't be able to get here. Just in case, he checked through the window. A girl with black hair pulled up in a ponytail was sitting in a dark green car. She seemed to realize she was being watched and titled her face towards his window and cocked her head as if to say, 'What're you waiting for?' There was something oddly familiar about her, but the sunglasses she was wearing prevented him from seeing what she might really look like.
Harry was broken from his reverie by a crash and hurried downstairs as fast as the heavy trunk he was dragging would allow. "What did you do to him?" Harry asked in horror. What had once been his uncle Vernon was now looking like a rather badly made clay pot. Malfoy on the other hand simply looked critical of his work. "I was trying to turn him into something useful like a bowl, but it didn't work. He'll probably turn back in an hour. If not, the Ministry of Magic will do it." Harry shook his head and followed the blond out to the car, being careful not to step on his uncle. He dumped the trunk in the back of the car (1) and got in. Malfoy got in the front with a slight smirk. "Who are you?" The girl turned around and glanced at him before starting the car up and focusing on the road. Just when Harry had given up on getting and answer, she said, "My name's not really important, but I guess it won't hurt. I'm Professor Kali Naitono, at your service." She grinned back at him, and Harry felt his nerves calm some. If she was a professor, she was probably all right, but if she wasn't.
"You're teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Her smile became strained, and Harry's nerves were back in full force. "Not exactly. It'll be more like. well never mind. You'll see once class gets started." She smiled more naturally now. "Don't worry I'm not taking you to Voldemort's great big induction ceremony tonight. I'll wait till you're more settled in and not expecting it." The suspicions floating around his mind instantly disappeared and he laughed. In front of him, Malfoy snorted. Professor Naitono glared at him. "Is there a problem?" Harry could practically hear the smirk he knew was on Malfoy's lips. "Of course you wouldn't bring him to Voldemort. You're a muggle. That or a squib. I don't know which one would be worse yet." Harry gaped at the professor. Hiring a werewolf or a complete idiot were likely things for the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but a muggle? "How are you gonna teach us if you don't have any magic?" Professor Naitona shook her head and kept quiet. Apparently he wasn't supposed to know yet.
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An hour or two later they stopped. Harry glanced around tiredly, taking in his surroundings. They were at the leaky cauldron, and Malfoy was already going in. Suddenly he stopped and fell down just outside the door. The professor rushed over at once, shaking her head. Harry followed cautiously and gasped. Malfoy's face was turning red. "I told you to wait," she muttered. "This might sting a little." Malfoy's face turned the right color again and he started gasping for air as the teacher slapped him. "What in bloody hell just happened!" Malfoy's outburst was lost on their professor who had just walked inside. The boys followed her out to the brick wall. "What did you do to me?" She shrugged. "Since I'm a muggle and in charge of you right now, Professor Dumbledore's put some wards up around me. Now that I've got you, every time you go too far away you'll stop breathing. It was the most effective thing we could think of." Harry nodded, but Malfoy wouldn't let it go. "The slapping?" She grinned slightly. "My idea. I figured it would injure your pride sufficiently enough that you wouldn't want it happening around people you might know. Dumbledore said it was brilliant." She beamed a little, then tapped the wall. "Either of you care to open this stupid thing. I know how in theory, but without a wand it's kind of useless." Harry tapped the brick, noticing her almost childish wonder as they stepped into Diagon Alley.
Whatever Harry might have said to fix this mess was ruined when Harry's worst enemy (unless you counted Voldemort and Snape, but they were probably above words like 'enemy') pushed his way in and called out, "Get your stuff, Potter. Dumbledore's sent some. girl to fetch us." As was expected, this brought Harry's uncle flying out of the kitchen faster than would be thought possible. "What is one of those doing here?" he hissed. Harry thought this would be a good time to explain that he didn't mean for this to happen, but was cut off once again.
"I told you to get your school things Potter. I don't think she wants to have to wait much longer. Didn't seem like." Harry was already climbing up to his room. While it was probably an attempt to hand him over to Voldemort, it was also the perfect chance to get away. If Voldemort was behind this. Harry shrugged. Dumbledore said he would be safe here, and he had every reason to believe it. If Malfoy was lying, the Slytherin probably wouldn't be able to get here. Just in case, he checked through the window. A girl with black hair pulled up in a ponytail was sitting in a dark green car. She seemed to realize she was being watched and titled her face towards his window and cocked her head as if to say, 'What're you waiting for?' There was something oddly familiar about her, but the sunglasses she was wearing prevented him from seeing what she might really look like.
Harry was broken from his reverie by a crash and hurried downstairs as fast as the heavy trunk he was dragging would allow. "What did you do to him?" Harry asked in horror. What had once been his uncle Vernon was now looking like a rather badly made clay pot. Malfoy on the other hand simply looked critical of his work. "I was trying to turn him into something useful like a bowl, but it didn't work. He'll probably turn back in an hour. If not, the Ministry of Magic will do it." Harry shook his head and followed the blond out to the car, being careful not to step on his uncle. He dumped the trunk in the back of the car (1) and got in. Malfoy got in the front with a slight smirk. "Who are you?" The girl turned around and glanced at him before starting the car up and focusing on the road. Just when Harry had given up on getting and answer, she said, "My name's not really important, but I guess it won't hurt. I'm Professor Kali Naitono, at your service." She grinned back at him, and Harry felt his nerves calm some. If she was a professor, she was probably all right, but if she wasn't.
"You're teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Her smile became strained, and Harry's nerves were back in full force. "Not exactly. It'll be more like. well never mind. You'll see once class gets started." She smiled more naturally now. "Don't worry I'm not taking you to Voldemort's great big induction ceremony tonight. I'll wait till you're more settled in and not expecting it." The suspicions floating around his mind instantly disappeared and he laughed. In front of him, Malfoy snorted. Professor Naitono glared at him. "Is there a problem?" Harry could practically hear the smirk he knew was on Malfoy's lips. "Of course you wouldn't bring him to Voldemort. You're a muggle. That or a squib. I don't know which one would be worse yet." Harry gaped at the professor. Hiring a werewolf or a complete idiot were likely things for the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but a muggle? "How are you gonna teach us if you don't have any magic?" Professor Naitona shook her head and kept quiet. Apparently he wasn't supposed to know yet.
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An hour or two later they stopped. Harry glanced around tiredly, taking in his surroundings. They were at the leaky cauldron, and Malfoy was already going in. Suddenly he stopped and fell down just outside the door. The professor rushed over at once, shaking her head. Harry followed cautiously and gasped. Malfoy's face was turning red. "I told you to wait," she muttered. "This might sting a little." Malfoy's face turned the right color again and he started gasping for air as the teacher slapped him. "What in bloody hell just happened!" Malfoy's outburst was lost on their professor who had just walked inside. The boys followed her out to the brick wall. "What did you do to me?" She shrugged. "Since I'm a muggle and in charge of you right now, Professor Dumbledore's put some wards up around me. Now that I've got you, every time you go too far away you'll stop breathing. It was the most effective thing we could think of." Harry nodded, but Malfoy wouldn't let it go. "The slapping?" She grinned slightly. "My idea. I figured it would injure your pride sufficiently enough that you wouldn't want it happening around people you might know. Dumbledore said it was brilliant." She beamed a little, then tapped the wall. "Either of you care to open this stupid thing. I know how in theory, but without a wand it's kind of useless." Harry tapped the brick, noticing her almost childish wonder as they stepped into Diagon Alley.