Chapter 6 – Defense Against the Dark Arts:
For the most part, Jaime was extremely and fascinated by the majority of her classes, but the event that intrigued her the most was when Professor McGonagall transformed herself into a cat and that all wizards and witches transform into an animal the exemplifies their personality. Jaime wanted to be able to transform into an animal and decided it would be one of her goals while at Hogwarts.
"What do we have next?" Jaime asked while helping herself to lunch of a ham and cheese sandwich. Annabelle took out their schedule and let her eyes scan it briefly before sighing.
"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins," she said with a slight groan. Jaime did not notice, but instead, her eyes lit up.
"Finally!" she said with an excited squeal. "Lils and I have a class together! I'm going to go tell her!" With that, she jumped out of her chair and dashed towards the Slytherin table. Jason and Lynn came over to Annabelle after Jaime had dashed over and gave their cousin a confused look.
"Belle," started Lynn, "Jaime does know that it's best for Gryffindors and Slytherins to stay at their own tables? Right?"
"Well, apparently not Lynn," Jason said sarcastically, "considering she is running over there as we speak!
When Jaime reached the Slytherin table, and receiving extremely nasty looks from the other Slytherins, she tugged on Lily's hair. Lily whipped around and saw her sister before grinning widely.
"Jay!" she squealed. "Damn, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. How do you like your classes?"
"Fine enough," Jaime answered truthfully. "I really like Transfiguration. I want to become an Animagi!" Lily laughed.
"Yeah, you would," she teased. "So, what's up?"
"We have Defense Against the Dark Arts together," Jaime said, smiling. Lily's smile also widened.
"Good!"
"So, I'll see you in class, Lils?"
"You got it Jay," said Lily. They gave each other a high-five before Jaime went back over to the Gryffindor. Sierra, Gail, Ian, and Pelton were all looking at Lily strangely. "Something wrong?"
"We understand she is your sister, Lily," said Gail, still looking disgruntled. "But, she is a Gryffindor. And Gryffindors are not welcome over here."
"But, she's my sister," Lily said reasonably. "She's not like all the other losers and riffraff…like the Weasleys."
"Nonetheless," started Pelton, "she's not welcome over here. Understood?"
Lily glared at Pelton dangerously. Slowly, very slowly, she rose to her feet and leaned over the table so that she was eye to eye with Pelton. Their noses were almost touching.
"Let me tell you something Nott," Lily snarled under her breath, her eyes blazing with an emerald fire. "Jaime is my sister and if you have a problem with her, you have a problem with me. And as long as I am a member of this house, she is welcome over here anytime she wants." Her hand was clenched tightly around her wand, as though daring Pelton or any other Slytherin to challenge her. "Is that understood?"
To everyone's surprise, Pelton, Ian, Sierra, and Gail all nodded, looking almost fearful. Lily gave a cynical smile and sat back down, but her hand was still clenched tightly around her wand.
"That's what I thought," she said with a slight snarl. "Disrespect my twin sister again and see what happens."
And once again, to everyone's surprise, they all just nodding in understanding with fear written all over their eyes.
Jaime received a similar lecture from Jason, Lynn, and Annabelle, but instead of threatening them, she told them to bug off and that Lily was her sister; the only family she had in the world and no house rivalry was going to change that. The Weasleys exchanged uncomfortable looks but nodded in understanding.
"Hello Jason, Lynn, Belle," came a soft voice from behind. Jaime whipped around to see one of the staff members standing behind them, wearing a nervous smile. She recognized him as the man who had made eye contact with her from the Sorting Ceremony; messy jet-black hair, round glasses, tall and thin with a boyish face. Jaime noticed he had bright green eyes, much like her own, and a scar on his forehead shaped like a bolt of lightening.
"Hey Uncle Harry," they all said in unison, small smiles.
"How has your first day been?"
"I want summer back," Lynn said dully, causing Jason to roll his eyes and Harry to chuckle out loud. He turned to Jaime and smiled.
"You'll need to excuse my nieces' and nephew's manners," he said jokingly to Jaime, then turned back to the Weasleys. "Are you going to introduce me to your new friends?"
"Oh, right," said Annabelle off handedly. "Uncle Harry, this Jaime Stone."
"Hello Jaime," said Harry, in a strange voice that no one could place. Lynn raised an eyebrow at Jason, who just shrugged. None of them ever heard Harry sound so emotional before. "I'm Professor Potter," he said politely. He held out his hand for Jaime to shake and Jaime timidly shook it.
"It's nice to meet you," Jaime said softly, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Professor Potter's intense gaze. He smiled softly.
"How do you like Hogwarts?" Professor Potter asked curiously, smiling softly down at Jaime. Jaime smiled back.
"It's pretty amazing," said Jaime, wide-eyed. "I love it here!"
"What's your favorite subject so far?" Professor Potter asked curiously. Jason gave Lynn and Annabelle strange looks, all wondering why their uncle was so curious and so interested in Jaime Stone. Jaime on the other hand, did not seem to mind the attention from someone. In fact, she had a bright smile on her face.
"I'm really interested in Transfiguration," Jaime said excitedly. "I want to become an Animagi someday." Professor Potter's emerald eyes lit up and he laughed in amusement.
"It'll be a long time before you become that advanced," Professor Potter said reasonably, a smile still resting across his lips. "But I'm sure you'll be able to do it one day, Jaime." There was a slight pause. "Are you looking forward to my class?" he asked teasingly.
"Yeah, sure," she said in a false, cheerful voice, a look of uncertainty in her emerald depths. Professor Potter cocked an eyebrow knowingly. "Um…what do you teach?" Professor Potter let out an amused, hearty laugh and beamed down at Jaime.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Lynn answered for him. "He's an okay teacher."
"Watch yourself, missy," Professor Potter said, mock glaring at his niece. Lynn gave him a playful grin before giving Jason a noogie and returned to her breakfast.
"I'll see you and Miss Stone in class, Belle," Professor Potter said to his niece, ruffling her strawberry blonde hair. He turned to Jaime and gave her the gentlest of smiles. "It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Stone. I look forward to seeing you in class."
"You too Professor Potter."
Jaime and Annabelle dashed into class as soon as the late bell rang, both were gasping for much needed air. Professor Potter saw the girls and smiled and gestured for them to take a seat. Jaime saw Lily sitting in the front row, two open seats to her left and on her right was Ian Malfoy and a group of other Slytherins. Jaime immediately plopped into the seat beside her sister and Annabelle followed, obviously feeling very uncomfortable sitting in the same row as the house her family had detested for years.
No one notice Harry give a small smile, seeing his daughters not separate over a house feud.
"Why do you have to bring her around," Lily whispered angrily as Jaime took a seat next to her, motioning to Annabelle. Jaime kicked her from underneath the table and narrowed her eyes at Lily.
"I don't think much of that Pelton or Malfoy, so shut your mouth," Jaime whispered back just as harshly. Lily shrugged and glared at Annabelle, who turned away, her face somewhat red.
"I don't want to sit here, Jaime," she whispered. Jaime bit her lip uncertainly and gave Annabelle pleading eyes. Annabelle shook her head.
"Let's just sit here today," Jaime whispered to Annabelle in defeat as Professor Potter rose from his seat and stood in front of the class. "We'll sit somewhere else tomorrow."
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor Potter said with a serious look on his face. "I am Professor Harry Potter; Head of Gryffindor House and your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This is probably the most important classes you'll ever take at Hogwarts. There is a lot of evil in this world; both wizarding and Muggle world.
"The Dark Arts," Professor Potter continued in a strange, low voice, "it is fortunate that it is not something you will deal with on an everyday basis. It is something that will always continue to grow and become even more powerful and eternal than before. Fighting against the Dark Arts if not just fighting an enemy but fighting your greatest fears and sometimes even your deepest desires. It is not something to be taken lightly. It is not just throwing spells at an evil wizard and thinking you'll win. Fighting the Dark Arts is using your head and guts; your need to survive, your instinct."
"Is that how you defeated the Dark Lord?" Ian asked coolly. Professor Potter raised an eyebrow.
"I guess you could say that is how I defeated Voldemort, yes," Professor Potter said in retort, just as sly as Ian.
"You dare say his name?" Sierra asked, almost glaring at Potter. Jaime and Annabelle whipped around and glared at the Slytherins. Jaime just wanted to get on with the lesson. She knew of the story of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, who later went on to destroy and kill the darkest wizard of all time. Jaime also knew that almost all of the Slytherins' parents supported the wizard known as Voldemort and followed him, admired what he was doing. And because of that, Jaime knew all the Slytherins were resentful towards Professor Potter, if according what Ron and had told her and Lily, many of their parents were in the wizard prison. Jaime couldn't recall the name, but she remembered it was a weird name.
"Do I dare?" Professor Potter asked incredulously. "Do I dare? Miss Lestrange, he was just another wizard."
With that, all of the Slytherins gasped. Even Annabelle looked at Professor Potter completely astonished. Jaime and Lily exchanged nervous glances.
"Just another wizard?" Sierra asked in a deathly whispered, which Professor Potter chose to ignore.
"Besides, fear of name only increases the fear of the thing itself," Potter said casually, giving Jaime and Lily slight smiles. "A wise old man once told me that. And there is no reason to fear him. He is dead."
"How are you so sure he's dead?" Lily asked curiously. "I heard he was quite powerful." Potter stared at Lily for a moment, a strange stare and look that Jaime could not place.
"I will not deny that Voldemort was extremely powerful ," Professor Potter said simply. "But, having power does not make you invincible."
"If you have enough power, it can," Lily retorted. Jaime stared at her sister wide-eyed and startled. The rest of the Slytherins were staring at her with admiration. Professor Potter's emerald eyes widened enormously, before he sucked in a deep breath and stared at Lily sternly.
"Power, Miss Stone," he started, "does not buy happiness and does not grant you immortality. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a powerful witch or wizard, but bringing down others, murdering innocent people, and betraying others to gain power is not a good thing. We call that a dark wizard."
"Wanting power does not make you evil," was all Lily said. Jaime kicked her twin sister from beneath the desks and gave her a warning look. Lily and Jaime looked deep into each other's emerald depths for a moment before Lily turned back to look at Professor Potter with a frustrated look in her eyes.
"Forgive me Professor Potter," was all Lily said, her eyes narrowed at the professor who was looking at her curiously. "Please, continue the lesson." Professor Potter nodded and he looked back at the class.
"Listen," he started, his usual gentle voice getting very annoyed and frustrated sounding. He actually sounded angry. "Yes, I defeated Lord Voldemort. How? Even I, myself, am not sure how I did it, but I did it. That's all there is to it. This class is not for talking about Lord Voldemort and how I defeated him. This class is for learning about defenses that can help you all protect yourself against wizards like Voldemort. Now, as I said, I defeated him, that's it, end of story. Now, it'd be my pleasure to continue with our lesson, if that's alright with the rest of the class?"
At this point, he had every one of the Gryffindors and Slytherins staring at him wide-eyed, some of their mouths hanging partially opened. Professor Potter did not seem to notice their awe and continued.
"Getting right to it, you're only first years, we will not be learning anything too advanced or out of the loop," Professor Potter continued. "This year we'll be learning about some dangerous dark animals, such as werewolves and boggarts, and basic defensive and dueling skills. But first, let's take attendance, shall we?" Professor Potter waved his wand and a long scroll floated in front of him and he began reading off it. When he called out Lily and Jaime's names, he gave them both soft smiles. Now, that was something the class did not fail to notice.
For awhile, Professor Potter had them take down some notes about basic defensive spells and protection. He also went into basic charms and spells that witches and wizards used for going into hiding and protection. All in all, it was a very interesting class and both Lily and Jaime whispered to each other, both saying how they could not wait until they actually started practicing dueling and using different dueling spells and moves.
After they finished some notes and Professor Potter gave them their homework assignments, he turned to the class with a sincere smile. "Well, class, that just about covers today's lesson. Next class we will actually be practicing the defense spells we just covered in today's notes. Remember, one foot of parchment on everything we've gone over this class and next class due in a week and a half. Have a great day class."
The class gathered their things and started to leave the room. Lily and Jaime exchanged smiles, knowing they were once again going their separate ways. But, before Jaime could return to Annabelle and Lily to Sierra and Gail, Professor Potter caught their attention.
"Miss Stone?" he called out. Both Lily and Jaime turned to him, startled. He grinned. "Both of you, please stay after for a moment. I'd like to speak with the both of you." Annabelle bit her lip and Jaime gave her a nod to go ahead without her. Annabelle nodded and once the classroom was empty, both girls went up and stood in front of Professor Potter's desk. He looked up and smiled at them.
"First off, Lily," he started, "I'd appreciate if you did not interrupt anymore of my classes. I have a lot to teach and need to get it done for the term. As I said before, this is one of the most important classes you'll take at Hogwarts and I can't have any interruptions. Is that understood?" Lily nodded, though narrowed her eyes at the professor. "I will also speak to your housemates personally."
There was a slight pause as Professor Potter looked at his folded hands, which were resting on his desk, and then looked back at the two young girls standing before him, trying as hard as he could not to wrap his arms around them and embrace them tightly.
"You young ladies are twins, correct?" he asked. They both nodded and smiled at each other, proud at the fact. Professor Potter noticed and smiled. "I saw you girls holding hands last night, during the Sorting Ceremony." Both girls went slightly red and nodded. "You girls have a special bond, a special relationship. Especially twins, a magical bond. Don't lose it, despite the house feud."
"We won't," they said in unison, both looking at each other, weirded out by their conversations with the good professor. Potter smiled at them.
"Good," he said proudly. "Good. Well, then, you girls are dismissed." Jaime and Lily both nodded and started out the classroom door before Professor Potter stopped them again.
"Oh, Lily? Jaime?"
Both girls turned around.
"If you girls need anything," started Potter, "anything at all, please let me know. I'd be glad to help you ladies with anything you need. I'm around, anytime."
"Thank you Professor," Jaime said, as Lily nodded politely. And with that, both girls exited the classroom. When they were out of sight, Professor Potter rested his elbows on the desk and gripped his hair with hands. Anyone could tell that seeing his daughters and not letting them know who they were, or he was to them, was obviously killing him inside.
Meanwhile, outside of the classroom, Lily and Jaime exchanged nervous glances and looked at each other.
"What do you suppose that was all about?" Jaime asked, raising an eyebrow, clutching her books to her chest. Lily's red eyebrows furrowed and she shrugged, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"No idea," Lily answered truthfully. "But it was weird."
"Yeah," said Jaime, "yeah it was." There was a long pause. Down one hall, there was Annabelle, waiting for Jaime. And on the other side, there was Sierra and Gail waiting for Lily. Jaime turned to her twin sister and sighed.
"I guess I'll see you later?" Jaime asked hopefully. Lily smiled and hugged her sister tightly.
"Duh!" joked Lily. "Let's do dinner on Friday. Just you and me, eh?"
"I'd like that," Jaime said with a smile.
And they both went their separate ways, but what they did not know, that their own father was watching through the doorway, beaming proudly.
A note from the Jitterbelle. I just wanted to apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out. Work has taken over my life and for some reason I just couldn't get through this chapter. But, I finally got through it so here it is. I should have the next one up in the next week or so. I know I keep emphasizing Lily and Jaime's relationship but I need to because it is extremely crucial in this story. So, please be patient. Please read, review, but most importantly, ENJOY!!! And thanks to all those who did review...I really appreciate it!
