Chapter 8: Classes Restart
Still disembodied, Lord Voldemort was contemplating his next course of action. He no longer had Quirinus Quirrel and wasn't certain of his chances of approaching Severus Snape without getting caught by Headmaster Dumbledore. He also gave up on the Philosopher's Stone, assuming Dumbledore decided to destroy it after that close call. At least he learned that his Horcruxes weren't as safe as he once thought but it only increased his worries: the diary entrusted to Lucius Malfoy was the only Horcrux left. In spite of his desperation, he opted to return to his hiding place in Albania rather than trusting his slippery friend to help him.
As the students who spent Christmas with their families returned to the castle, Harry Potter met his cousin Charlus Junior. "Did you enjoy Christmas at Malfoy Manor, Harry?" Junior asked.
"I certainly did, Junior." Harry happily stated.
"I'd expect otherwise given your godfather's letter congratulating me for getting a way out of attending it." Junior replied.
"Sirius Black III was afraid Lucius Malfoy would take advantage of being so dangerously close to me." Harry frowned. "Like he'd do something so imprudent."
When all students were at the Great Hall, Headmaster Dumbledore welcomed all of them back and made an announcement. "Unfortunately, our esteemed defense teacher Quirinus Quirrel suffered an accident and won't be able to teach for the rest of the term." Dumbledore hoped nobody would question Quirrel not showing up for the next term. "Please welcome his replacement Professor Sirius Orion Black III."
"Did you know about that?" Draco Malfoy asked Harry while practically all other students were applauding.
"I'm just as surprised as you are." Harry explained while recovering from the shock.
"Thank you, thank you, Headmaster." Sirius happily said. "I'm glad to be here to help training future Aurors. It's been so hard to find good help ever since Snivy here (pointing at Snape) raised the minimum required O.W.L. grade to be allowed to take N.E.W.T.-level potions lessons. It even seems like he does it on purpose."
"Be serious." Professor McGonagall reprimanded her new 'colleague' and then noticed what she said. "And don't you dare come up with that lame joke, Black."
"You think I come up with lame jokes, Minnie?" Sirius said in mock disappointment. "You wound me."
"Just be professional as a teacher, Black." She ordered him.
"It'll be easier to order Snivellus here to remove his Dark Mark, Minnie." Sirius said, shocking everyone in the castle who didn't already know about Snape's status as a 'former' Death Eater.
"Severus Snape has already been cleared of everything just like you were, Sirius." Dumbledore reprimanded Sirius.
"No, Headmaster." Sirius argued. "I was cleared by confirming my innocence by means of Veritaserum. Snivellus here was cleared by becoming a turncoat and somehow convincing you that he was on your side."
Desperately wanting to change the subject, Headmaster Dumbledore ordered the beginning of the feast. Afterwards, Harry started going back to the Slytherin common room when he was stopped by one of his fellow first years. "What do you want, Weasley?" Harry asked.
"Is it true what your godfather said?" Ron asked. "Is Snape a Death Eater?"
"Yes, Weasley." Harry answered. "Snape played both sides and escaped Azkaban thanks to Dumbledore believing him. I don't exactly trust Dumbledore's judgement given what the Headmaster would have allowed Crouch to do to my godfather if not for Uncle Charlus' interference."
"Can you blame the Headmaster for expecting the worst from a Black?" Ron asked in defense of Dumbledore.
"Of course I can, Weasley!" Harry bluntly answered. "It's that kind of mentality that makes wizards and witches from dark families believe the light side cannot be trusted. Now please get back to your own common room before your stupidity turns out to be contagious."
"You arrogant prat." Ron declared. "I should…"
"Leave my snakes alone before I give you a detention, Weasley." Snape completed the phrase. Weasley was stupid but not that stupid. He gladly left the Slytherins alone.
Two days later, the third-year Gryffindors were having their first defense lessons with Professor Black. Sirius Black did a good job impressing the students. Not that it'd take much to impress the students in comparison to Quirrel, unless you were Lockhart or Umbridge. "Class dismissed except for Fred and George Weasley." Sirius said. The other students left wondering what the twins could have done to get a substitute teacher on their tails that soon. "Boys, empty your pockets right now." He ordered.
"We don't know what you're talking about." The twins said but it was clear in their faces that they're afraid Sirius knew or might find out something.
"The hard way, then." Sirius said and then pointed his wand at the twins and summoned everything from their pockets. The Weasley twins were upset at the lost Zonko products and whatever punishment Sirius would deliver but their main concern was the Marauder's Map. Sure, it was deactivated so they could trick Sirius into thinking it was just some harmless piece of parchment but he might keep it either way. Their worry increased when Sirius pointed his wand at the parchment and said "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good". Sirius was marveled and the twins were horrified. "It's good to have you again, map."
"Again?" The twins asked in shock. They already suspected Harry Potter had something to do with the Marauders but didn't suspect the same about his godfather.
"Allow me to introduce myself." Sirius said. "I am Padfoot." While the twins were stunned, Sirius handed them back the other prank items. "As a fellow prankster, I'm letting you have your pranking items back but I'm keeping the map. As a Professor, I'm issuing you a detention with Filch. May it be a lesson to you for stealing from him." He declared and then whispered 'and getting caught'.
It didn't take long to learn that Sirius Orion Black gave the Weasley twins a detention the very same first day they attended a class taught by him. It soon made him one of Hogwarts' most feared professors, third only to McGonagall and Snape. "I don't understand it, Potter." Draco Malfoy commented. "By what my father said about your godfather, one'd expect him to befriend those pranksters."
"I've known him for practically my whole life and I still don't understand him." Harry explained. "Sirius probably wants to test them."
"Don't you see this as a sign of him finally being truthful to his roots and favoring Slytherin?" Malfoy asked.
"Not at all." Harry answered. "He's a Gryffindor at heart. He just got some McGonagall traits."
"You may say that again, Potter." Blaise Zabini replied. "Should we worry that he'll pick on us to make Professor Snape upset?"
"No way, Zabini." Harry reassured his friends. "Slytherin House was already his favorite prank target way before Professor Snivellus became its Head."
Meanwhile, Gryffindor House showed different reactions. "I knew Black was a dark wizard." Ron Weasley commented.
"What're you talking about, Ron?" Percy Weasley asked.
"Black gave the twins a detention." Ron explained.
"It's Professor Black and, let's face it, Ron, is it so hard to believe they deserved that detention?" Percy asked.
"Still, Black (noticed Percy's glare) Professor Black is a Gryffindor and a former prankster." Ron explained. "That Black would give them a detention shows that he reverting back to his dark origins."
"Or Professor Black has finally learned the value of the rules, Ronald." Percy argued. "It's about time you learn it as well."
"I bet Black's torturing the twins in ways even Snape would consider too harsh." Ron commented.
"Professor Black is just doing his job and it's not his fault that the twins are making it harder." Percy defended the authority figure as usual.
"You d-d-d-d-don't think P-p-p-professor B-b-black is using the u-u-u-u-unforgivables, do you?" Neville asked in fear.
"Probably." Ron agreed.
"You both are being ludicrous." Hermione admonished them.
"Finally someone with a brain." Percy commented.
"He's a Professor." Hermione defended Hogwarts' new defense teacher. "He'd never harm us."
Neville was about to disagree but he then remembered Dumbledore's instructions to keep the Quirrel incident to them.
"Snape is a Professor and a Death Eater, Granger." Ron argued. "If there's someone here more likely than Black to harm us, it's Snape."
Two days later, Hagrid's hut caught fire and everyone at Hogwarts heard about it. Of course, several rumors arose about what happened. "I heard he was breeding a dragon." A Hufflepuff girl said.
"In a wooden hut?" Rufus Fudge asked in disbelief. "Is he stupid?"
"Stupid or not, dragon breeding is illegal." Ron Weasley replied. "It was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709."
"And where would Hagrid get a dragon anyway?" Hermione Granger asked.
"The oaf probably was careless with his cauldron." Draco Malfoy arrogantly suggested. "That's what happens when one's not allowed to do magic."
While a few logical-minded students were willing to accept Malfoy's theory because it sounded more plausible than a dragon, most of them dismissed it as boring. Harry then approached Rufus. "Rufus, your Uncle is the Minister. What do you think will happen to Hagrid?"
"If the dragon theory is proven correct, he'll be in Azkaban for a long time." Rufus explained. "If Malfoy's theory turns out to be the correct one, Dumbledore will just build a new hut."
"There'll be no need to bother the Ministry unless someone claims to have seen the dragon, Rufus." Malfoy explained.
Later on, the Headmaster and his teaching staff were at the Headmaster's office to discuss the dragon issue. Rubeus Hagrid was with them. "A dragon?" Professor McGonagall asked in anger. "What were you thinking?"
"Norbert didn't mean any harm." Hagrid sobbingly pleaded. "A dragon can't help but breathe fire."
"Which is another reason you shouldn't try to breed one inside a wooden hut." Professor Snape said like he's reprimanding a first-year non-Slytherin for, well, whatever excuse he'd ever come up with.
"What do we do about the dragon?" Professor Sprout asked.
"We can contact Charlie so he and his friends at the dragon preserve can send it…" Professor Dumbledore suggested.
"him" Hagrid interrupted in protest about Norbert being called an 'it'.
"How do you know the dragon is a 'he', Hagrid?" Snape sneered. Having never stopped to think about that before, Hagrid got stumped.
"Hagrid, if Norbert is seen by people who'd report you, it'll mean time in Azkaban for you." Dumbledore pleaded.
"NO!" Hagrid shouted in desperation. "Not Azkaban! Not Azkaban!"
"The time I spent in Azkaban waiting for my trial was the scariest thing I ever experienced and I've been there for less than you'll be if the Ministry is informed about the dragon."
End chapter. I'm not very good with Hagrid's accent so he'll rarely if ever speak in my fanfictions.
