Chapter 2: The Brilliant One

Harry slept in the tent that night. The same tent he had shared with Ron and Hermione all those years ago. He just couldn't bring himself to sleep in the place that he and Ginny had shared for all those years. He could add their relationship to the list of ghosts that now haunted its rooms. But the tent was fine for now. As rough as their time had been in it all those years ago somehow he was always at peace when he was in there.

He got himself cleaned up before aparating to Hogsmeade. As he walked through the village everyone waved and smiled at him. While there was scarcely anywhere in the wizarding world that he went unnoticed it was in this village where he still got the most attention. Literally the entire town had been a part in some major way in his fights with Riddle so they all still remembered everything he did for them fondly. It was part of what made it difficult to have to live in London away from it all. Ginny had been adamant that she needed to live in London as that's where the national team was located. It's why he always made sure to apparate to the end of High Street rather than right outside the front gates so that he could give everyone a wave as he made his way to the castle.

As he walked across the grounds towards the castle he ran into Minerva, "Aw Mr. Potter how are you this morning?" she asked.

"Well I suppose I've been better but I'm not up in the hospital wing so I guess we both know I've been a whole lot worse," he replied.

"Well that is certainly true," she stated with a firm smile. "Tell me, how is your speech coming for the anniversary?" she asked.

"Uhhhh I really should be getting to my classroom Minerva."

"Mr. Potter I don't feel I need to remind you how important this day is for so many."

"Yes Minerva, have I ever let you down?" he said with a smirk.

"On the battlefield no. In the classroom…"

"Hey you hired me didn't you?"

"Get it done Mr. Potter, it's a big day... for everyone."

"Have a good day Headmistress," he said rushing off. He really did know how important this event would be. The stares had gotten more obvious lately and he had heard that the Prophet had been running a special all month reliving it all so it was on everyone's minds. But right now he had other things to worry about.

He walked into his classroom full of first years and his godson Teddy came up and gave him a high five. Much to the dismay of Minerva Harry had become the cool teacher in the school. He started his first class with his first years every year with stories of the war and that always immediately endeared him to many. He had also fought against what had bothered him in school, the withholding of information. He shared freely his thoughts on anything with his students and was not afraid of any of the backlash. While a big part of him was still the slightly awkward bespectacled boy that had walked into the castle 17 years previous the wars he had fought had given him a certain amount of confidence. And while his up front approach had been met with a fair amount of angry letters from parents and more than a few talks with the headmistress he simply carried on.

"So," he said once the class had all arrived and settled into their seats. Who can tell me what we were talking about last week?"

"The virdimillious charm," cried Emily whom Harry was sure would be the Hermione of this year.

"Yes and what does the virdimillious charm do?" he asked.

"It reveals dark magic," Emily state quickly.

"Yes and now from someone other than Emily, how long do its affects last?"

The class all looked around at each other for a few moments while Harry watched Emily struggling not to say anything. Finally Teddy chimed in, "Long enough for me to go stab it with my wand." The class all laughed and Harry grinned.

"Yes but only if you didn't trip over your ego on the way there Mr. Lupin," Harry replied and the class laughed again, even Teddy. "Now just in case you don't have the fencing skills of Mr. Lupin let's discuss a few ways that you may be able to evade the dark magic," Harry continued. There was an audible groan from the class. "What, you think it would be more advantageous to learn how to fight that magic?" The class nodded. "You think that fighting is always the best option?" The class eagerly nodded again. "Well then you all must have forgotten that I defeated Tom Riddle by using a spell to evade rather than fight. More often than not it is best to evade rather than fight, especially when you don't know exactly what you're up against," he said and the class finally nodded as they resigned themselves to their lecture. "So let's see how it can best be done…"

Shortly before noon Harry went down to the gates to greet Hermione. He smiled at her when he saw her sanding there waiting for him. "There you are," she said as they embraced once more. "I was afraid I was going to have to sneak in through the Shrieking Shack."

"Sorry," he said as they began to walk across the grounds. "I got a little held up. I was working on the speech that McGonagall asked me to write for the reunion.

"You haven't finished that?" she asked.

"You know about it?"

"Honestly Harry it's okay to read the Prophet now that he's gone. They've been building up the anniversary for months. They announced weeks ago that you would be giving a speech. From what I hear nearly every witch and wizard in Britain be here."

"Oh good, well at least it will be a nice quiet solemn affair," Harry said with a smirk.

"Why am I not surprised that you're procrastinating on your speech?"

"Well I don't have you to copy off anymore," he replied.

"Honestly how your students ever receive any marks is a mystery to me."

"Me too," he said smiling. "But don't worry, Kreacher assures me they're all doing quite well."

"I wish I could believe you were joking about that."

Harry smiled at her as they walked into the Great Hall, "Hermione," Neville cried from across the room.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said walking up behind them.

"Hello Hermione," Hagrid called walking in behind McGonagall.

Hermione greeted them all before joining all of them at the head table of the hall. Everyone wanted to talk to Hermione as apparently Harry wasn't the only one she had not kept in contact with over the last few years so Harry kept quiet for the most part and just watched. He had forgotten how comfortable Hermione made everyone feel. She always made sure to make you feel like you were the most important person in the room whether she really knew you or not.

As the lunch period ended Hagrid, McGonagall and Neville all wished Hermione well before heading off to their classes. Harry, however, had a free period and Hermione didn't have anything pressing at work so he offered to take her for a walk around the castle. As they wandered around the halls several students stopped to talk to Harry and as usual he made sure he gave them all his time, apologizing profusely to Hermione afterwards every time. Far too soon Harry had to get back to his classroom for his next class. "Do you mind if I hang out in the back?" she asked. "I just want to make sure you are actually teaching your students."

"Okay just give me a minute to call off Kreacher," he said smiling.

Hermione followed him up to his classroom where most of his sixth year students were already waiting. "Hello my young bubbling brains," Harry began as he stepped to the front of the room. "Does everyone have the four feet of parchment I asked for on dementors?" They all looked up at him with faces of shock. "Just kidding," he said after a few tense moments as the class exhaled and chuckled with him. "Class I would like you all the meet the one from those stories, the one who actually would have finished those four feet in roughly an hour, my friend Miss Hermione Granger," he said motioning to the back of the class and they all turned to look at her. "Hermione is here to make you all look bad as we continue to practice the patronus charm," he said with a smirk. "Now who can remind everyone what is the most important thing to remember when casting your patronus?" he asked as a few hands shot up. Harry smiled as he looked back and saw that Hermione had begun to raise her hand as well before catching herself. "Miss Nettle," he called.

"You have to think of the happiest memory you can," Jennifer Nettle replied.

"Aw yes this is indeed very important and a quick five points to Ravenclaw but for the elusive 10 point shot unfortunately that is not the most important thing." The class as well as Hermione looked confused. "Can anyone tell me what that might be?" Again the class looked stunned. "No then well I guess I'll be keeping those points for myself which should only leave me in the negative by about 500 points since my school days," he said and the class laughed out loud. "But anyway the point is the most important thing when attempting to produce a corporeal patronus is confidence," Harry continued and the class and Hermione looked on in wonder. "Yes anyone can think of something happy, especially in times like we live in now. Why we just were served a fantastic lunch earlier. You're all going to Hogsmeade this weekend to get ready for the big reunion next week. Finding happiness is easy nowadays but what will truly set you apart is confidence. You must believe that you can produce it. You must know that you have a stag inside your head that is just bursting to get out. You see the patronus charm is so difficult because it is a charm that you must believe before you can produce. The first time I cast a successful corporeal patronus I knew that I could do it. That is the only thing that set me apart," Harry said as the class hung on his every word. "Hermione, could you come up her for a moment?" he asked. Hermione blushed slightly as she walked to the front of the class. "Now class let me assure you that Miss Granger is without a doubt, the most intelligent witch I have ever met. No offense Miss Nettle," he said grinning. "But even she struggled with this charm for ages before finally getting it right. So please Hermione, tell us, what do you think about in order to produce your patronus?" Hermione began to blush slightly. "Aw well let's just give them the PG version if you please, lord knows I receive enough angry letters from parents as it is," he said with a smirk as the class laughed again.

"Oh stop, it's not that," Hermione said grinning. "It's just that, well ever since the war I've always thought about that moment when you caught the wand from Tom Riddle that night almost ten years ago." The class looked on in amazement.

"Ah yes, a good night indeed," Harry said. "But tell me, do you really believe you can cast the charm?" Hermione smiled and nodded. "Are you sure? I mean we are in front of all of these people you've never met. Heaven knows public speaking has never been your strength," he teased.

"Expecto Patronum," she yelled and out from her wand came her reliable otter which Hermione had dance around the room before patting it on the head and allowing it vanish again. The class broke out in a round of applause and Harry smiled at his friend.

"And there you have it class see," Harry said. "She knew that she could do it and even though I was badgering her and she couldn't have possibly been completely focused on that happy memory she was still able to do it because she had confidence. Now I want you all to stand up," they did and with a flick of his wand the desks slid against the walls. "And spread out and practice." They all did as he instructed and soon the room was filled with students calling out the incantation. "Care to help me see if we can find any Hermione's in the group?" he asked her.

"Love to," she said smiling and for the rest of the class Harry and Hermione walked around the room and helped the students out. No one came all that close to forming a corporeal patronus but they were starting to get a few hints of silver mist floating out from a few wands.

After the students had made their way out of the classroom and Harry had replaced the desks he looked over to see Hermione looking his way, "What?" he asked looking back at her.

"Why are you here Harry?" she asked.

"What?"

"You could have done anything after the war. You could have been the head of the Auror's Office the next day or you could have gone and played Quidditch with Ron. What made you come here?"

Harry looked back at her, he had never been asked that question like that before. Sure plenty of people had asked why he didn't become an auror like he had planned during school and Ron had tried to persuade him to come to the professional Quidditch tryouts but nobody had asked why he had chosen to teach. "I guess because Hogwarts has always been home and teaching… well I guess it's just my way of holding onto that piece of home just a little while longer," he said wistfully.

"You're brilliant," she stated.

"You're the brilliant one Hermione," he said smiling.

"No Harry, you're an amazing teacher. I've never seen a class, one that I was a part of or otherwise, so engaged."

"Eh, they have the famous Harry Potter for a teacher. It's easy for me."

"No Harry, to them you're just Professor Potter. They may know your name sure but that was 10 years ago. You have their attention because you are just so bloody brilliant," she repeated.

"Thanks," he replied. "I'm glad you're back Hermione."

"I never went anywhere," she said with a smirk.

"I know," Harry said grinning. "Nothing's changed."