Title: The Half-Blood Prince
Summary: The trio need to a teacher who teaches them new spells for the DA lessons. They asked the room of requirement for one, and it gave them the Half-Blood Prince.
Special thanks to my Beta: Earlyable.
Chapter 1
No sooner had those words left the man's mouth than three wands were drawn and aimed at him. The teenagers had been through enough to have a healthy dose of suspicion to suddenly turning up strangers.
The man just looked at them, a slight look of amusement in his eyes. He was also pleased that they had at least some self-preservation.
"Well, at least your reflexes are good." He said calmly, ignoring the looks of distrust.
"Who are you?" asked Harry, his eyes narrowing. Somehow he got the feeling that he had seen this person somewhere before but he couldn't really place who or where.
"As I told you I'm the Half-Blood Prince. You were the ones who called for me, so I don't know why you are so surprised to see me here." He said in a soft baritone.
"How do we know we can trust you?" Ron asked suspiciously, never once letting his wand falter.
"Would Hogwarts send me as answer to your needs if I was dangerous?" He stated, holding his arms open, as a sign that he poses no threat to them.
The three children gave each other a look and then they retreated a bit farther, wands still trained on the figure that was standing there. He just crossed his arms and looked at them with amusement.
"What do you guys think?" Harry asked.
"You asked for Lupin, didn't you? And this certainly isn't Lupin." Ron said.
"Well, actually… I didn't specify Lupin, I just asked for a teacher who could teach us the spells that we need." Harry answered sheepish.
"I think we can trust him." Hermoine said. The other two looked at her.
"Well, the Room of Requirement has never let us down before, and I don't recognize him, so I guess he's perhaps part of Hogwarts himself or something. Perhaps even a student from ages ago." She reasoned, "Besides I have done some research about this room, and no one can enter without Hogwarts consent, unless they enter through the door. And the door wasn't there when we asked for him."
The other two nodded. It was typically Hermoine to go research something like that.
The trio decided that they would trust the man, based on Hermoine's findings he should be what they asked for.
"Ok, we'll work with you, for now." Harry said, lowering his wand, but never putting it away.
"Good," the man said. "First of all, you must understand that the Dark Arts are many, varied, ever changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many headed monster, which each time a neck is severed sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defenses must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo."
The three students were hanging on to his every word.
"First of all, secrecy is an important asset to fight against the dark, and the people who fight against you. I have overheard every word of your conversation. When you are facing an enemy, you do not want him to overhear your plans, so for that I will start with a simple spells that will keep your words secret from the rest of the world."
He raised his wand and cast muffliato. When he started to speak to the students they only heard a buzzing sound. He lifted it a second later.
"This spell may prove rather useful for a secret organization. Now I'll show you once again, and then you can try it for yourself." And so their lesson began.
A few hours later the students left the classroom, a new spell now in their repertoire. And now they could talk freely, without the fear to be overheard.
Ron having noticed the slightly disgruntled look on Hermoine's face, decided to rile her up a bit, hoping that it would take her mind of whatever put that look on her face.
"That's an awesome spell," Ron said enthusiastically. "Now we can talk in history of magic without getting dirty looks."
"Ron," Hermoine said, looking scandalized. "That's not what the spell is for. It's for having secret conversations, not for not paying attention in class." She said.
Ever since the lesson had ended Hermoine was running around with a frown on her face.
"Is something wrong, 'Moine?" Ron had noticed that she still was looking disgruntled.
"It's just that," She said, biting her lip.
"Yes?" Ron said.
"Well, we have looked up so many spells trying to search for new teaching material, but we have never encountered this spell. If we had, I mean, it's not that hard of a spell, I think we would have been able to teach it to ourselves. And it's a useful one. So why haven't we heard of it before?"
"Maybe it's just coincidence." Harry said, "I mean, there are still so many spells we have never heard of, even with those we have searched about in the library."
"Yes, I know, but this spell seems so useful, but I have never ever heard of it being used before. You would think that a spell that stops people overhearing certain conversations would be popular."
"Perhaps no one knows it anymore." Ron said. Both Hermoine and Harry stopped and looked at him. Ron blushed by the sudden attention he was getting.
"I mean, there are a lot of spells which have been lost because they haven't been written down, or the family line died out. A lot of spells are kept secrets and only taught parent to child, or sometimes heir to heir."
"When you say it like that, it sounds logical Ron." Hermoine said.
"I know, now let's get to the common room, I still have to finish my potions homework for class tomorrow." He said and took off.
"Oh Ron, you should have finished that ages ago." Hermoine called after him and swiftly followed. Harry smiled at his friend's antics and swiftly followed him, still wondering where he recognized their new teacher from.
15 years ago
Snape stood stock still next to the door, shivers running over his spine. He had followed Dumbledore inside of the inn. He had been there to turn himself in. He could not live anymore with what the Dark Lord was. He hoped that Dumbledore could give him a way out, and if not, that he would just end his misery.
What he had not suspected was that Dumbledore was there to interview a seer, much less a true seer who decided that this was the best moment to make a prophecy.
And what kind of prophecy. The repercussions of it still rang inside of his head. It could be the Potters. 'Lily' a voice said in his head. But perhaps it was someone else.
He had tried to leave the hallway, but he found that fear has rooted him to the spot. If he went to the Dark Lord to tell him about this, he would surely kill anyone that even slightly met the terms of this prophecy, including Lily's family.
He wouldn't tell him. He'd protect her with his life. He would just wait for Dumbledore and turn himself in. Then he wouldn't need to return to the Dark Lord anymore and this information would be safe.
Trelawney left the room, nearly bumping into him; she looked up at him with a vague look and then left as if she hadn't seen him at all, as if she were confounded.
He was about to enter the room, but a small cough behind him took his attention. He turned around and suddenly stood face to face with Dumbledore.
"Well what do we have here?" Snape heard, seeing the twinkle in the old man's eye and then all he saw was black and he knew nothing anymore.
TBC