It's Called Unorthodox For A Reason
Chapter Eight:

Bad News

Dusty walked into DADA class and stopped short. The new professor was leaning against his desk, reading a book on Dark Creatures. His hair was messy, a lot like Harry's though his was light brown. He had on reading glasses that his hair fell in front of and he had a tan. The man turned his eyes towards her and smiled.

"I'm taking a wild guess, you're Dusty Ellard correct?"

Dusty nodded her head, her throat refusing to work. She knew who this man was, she was sure of it. "Have I ever met you before?"

He closed his book and moved closer to her. "Oh I don't know, I did see you around school every day in class." She stared at him, her mind refusing to create the answer he wanted. His face fell. "You don't remember." It was a statement but she still shook her head. He sighed. "Very well. I'm Darrel Merthoks."

Dusty rung her mind for the face of a young Darrel. The picture jumped out at her and recognition filled her eyes.

"I remember you! I didn't know they where sending someone from school here!"

Darrel smirked. "They don't tell you much do they?"

Dusty shrugged, feeling a pang of annoyance. "No. Not really."

The other students started to file in. Darrel smiled warmly at them, causing some of the girls to giggle. Dusty moved towards her seat in the back of the class.

"Miss Ellard! I would like to talk to you after class. If you don't mind."

She gave a slight nod. "Of course not Professor."

Dusty was pleasantly surprised at what Darrel knew. She even learned a few new things that had escaped her knowledge before. When the class was over, she walked over to his desk.

"You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, have you noticed anything strange happening here?"

Dusty cocked a brow. "Not that I know of."

Darrel looked thoughtful. "Very well. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Dusty left the class feeling more then confused. Was Darrel really there to just teach Dark Arts or had the Ministry placed him there a spy? That was the last thing she needed, to deal with a Ministry spy and figure out who the spy that Dumbledore and McGonagall had been talking about. She rounded the corner and bumped into someone and started falling back but the person grabbed her elbow, keeping her upright.

"Ow. Sorry." She looked up into the eyes of Snape. "Hi?"

Snape looked at her for a moment before he jerked his arm away like he just realized it was there. She frowned but didn't say anything.

She noticed that his face was a paler, like he had lost a lot of blood recently, and he had a bruise on his neck.

"Hey, are you alright?" she reached up and gently touched the bruise. He grabbed her wrist and pulled it down, glaring at her.

"I believe that you are going to be late for your last class." His voice was cold and his face was passive. Dusty resisted the urge to roll her eyes or remind him that there was a thirty-minute break between classes. She pulled her wrist out of his hand.

"Well then, we best not be late," she spoke curtly before walking away.

XXXXXX

A few weeks passed since the Ball and everything was the same. Except that Dusty seemed to be running into Darrel and Snape a lot more than usual. And Snape was looking worse for wear, always looking tired when she saw him. For some reason, she couldn't help herself from worrying about him.

It also occurred to her that Darrel was making passes at her. A lot. He would go out of his way to pass the Gryffindor table to say hi or he would keep her after class to talk with her for some stupid reason. She found it annoying but not as annoying as when he would pop up in places she wasn't expecting him to. Like in the library.

She scanned the rows of books, searching for the title she needed. Her eyes where flying over the books faster than a jackrabbit. She had a nagging feeling that Darrel would show up any moment and try to talk to her. He was more annoying then anything but his constant, persistent presence was unnerving.

She spotted the book and snatched it off the shelves and went to check it out. Except Darrel was right beside her.

She yelped and jumped back, pressing herself against the bookshelf. Darrel smirked and moved closer to her.

"Professor, um, hi. What are you doing here?" Why was she talking? "Um, I need to go check out this book, uh, lots of homework left."

Darrel put an arm above her and the other on the shelf above so she was pinned between him. His eyes roamed over her body and Dusty saw an emotion she knew too well.

Dusty narrowed her eyes. "Darrel," she said in a warning tone, "You have two seconds to move before I Crucio yer ass to yer next life."

Darrel scoffed. "And you'll be put into Askaban for life."

"It would be worth it," she growled out.

"What is going on here?"

Snape stood at the end of the aisle, glaring at the pair.

When Darrel moved away from her, Dusty quickly scuttled down the aisle towards Snape. She darted behind him then glared at Darrel from behind the safety of the potion professor's back. Darrel looked at her before muttering a 'nothing'.

"Then you should be on your way to Dumbledore's office. He wanted to speak with you."

Darrel nodded and, with one last look at her, he left the library.

Dusty let out her breath that she didn't know she was holding. She had been ready to hex his annoying butt to next week but she was still glad that Snape had showed up. He made her feel…safer could be the word. She had almost completely relaxed when Snape looked at her. He didn't seem pleased. But he didn't say anything either. He just walked away.

"Thank you!" she called after him. Her thanks went unanswered and the man left the library. Dusty sighed and went to check out her book.

XXXXXX

She had started skipping DADA class and Darrel seemed a little more withdrawn when it came to her. She planned on keeping it that way. After the library incident, Dusty recalled that someone said Darrel had a crush on her back in school. She always thought that they where lying because he never came forward. And now that he was 'all grow'd up' he was trying to make her fall for him.

She sent a glare his way. Well too bad mister. You missed your chance.

Her gaze moved from him to the potions teacher. She found herself doing that a lot. Even in class she would watch him a lot more then do her work. She really didn't want to admit it, but she knew she was falling for the man. Why, who knew but she was. Now if she could stop acting so immature around him she might have a chance... Or not. Most likely not.

The mail came soaring in and Betty's owl dropped a letter in front of her. She eagerly reached for it and tore it open.

The wedding preparations where going great and it would be in the summer so Dusty could make it. (How thoughtful of my best friend!) Also, a lot of Death Eaters had been caught and where currently being interrogated. The last thing was a sweet picture of Better and Chase that only showed up when Dusty touched it.

The day went by fast, much to her relief, and soon she was set on finishing her homework for Transfiguration. It took her longer then she wanted but soon she was curling up on her bed and sleeping. Or attempting too.

She was beginning to believe that she would never get any sleep. She kept tossing and turning, never finding a comfortable position. Defiant gave an annoyed hoot and flapped his wings.

"Oh shut up, I'm just as tired as you," she shot at her owl. He gave another loud hoot and flapped his wings again, knocking his cage around.

Dusty sat up and looked at him. He was staring out the window, twitching his wings. She crossed the room and opened the window just in time for a large tawny owl to fly in. It landed on the owl perch and held its leg out. She unhooked the letter and quickly tore it open. Her eyes scanned the paper as her heart rate rose.

Can't talk much Voldemort is on move heading for Hogwarts sound alarm inform UWN get ready for war Asia already knows and is on way to UWN hurry not much time

Hawks

Her breath caught in her throat. It was really coming. The war with Voldemort.

Dusty pulled her hair back and lit a candle. She wrote a quick letter to Betty, including the letter written by Hawk.

As Defiant flew off with the letter, she prayed that it would reach the UWN before anything happened to the school.