Harry Potter and the new Defense Teacher- chapter 9
AN: I'm up to my ninth chapter! Aren't you proud?
Dis: I own nothing.
Chapter 9
Snuffles growled as yet another person nearly stepped on him. The platform was very crowded and the kids were being seen off by the two Marauders and Molly Weasley.
Harry, Hermione, Fred, Ron, Ginny, and George pushed past the crowd and hurried onto Platform 93/4. 'That is probably the only advantage in a crowd,' Sirius thought, being tugged along. 'You can disappear the wizard way without anyone noticing.'
The kids rushed to get their things put away and then gathered around Molly.
"Now," she said, "I want you all to be on your best behavior this year. Don't cause trouble and mind your studies." Harry and Hermione were the first to get hugs and then they were shuffled over to where Remus and Snuffles were waiting.
"I would like an owl every week from all of you and I would appreciate it if you told the others also. Now, I don't know who the new teacher is, but I would like to hear about him, name included. If you have any doubts at all, just write and I shall be there to keep an eye on things. Don't worry, Harry. Snuffles will see you as soon as we are allowed. Now, go on and tell me and Snuffles what is going on." Remus gave them a hug then shooed the pair off, along with the four youngest Weasleys.
The trio, twins, and Ginny slid onto the train just before it took off and the six Gryffindors waved to the three on the Platform as it began to move. Harry noticed that Snuffles seemed to be sniffing the air with what looked like an incredulous expression on his face, but Harry wasn't sure.
As soon as the train left King's Cross, the children went their separate ways, knowing that they would catch up again at the Great Hall.
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How Jack got into this mess, he would never know. What he did know, however, was that a certain Potions master was so going to get a prank when he least expected it.
It was because of him that Jack was on the Hogwarts Express, making sure that the students got to their destination in one piece.
It was also because of him that Jack was in deep hot water with the Minister of Magic.
George Hammond had laughed when retold the tale of the impromptu duel that nearly sent Cornelius Fudge to St. Mungo's.
As Jack stewed over the incident, the Golden Trio made their way to a compartment on his left.
In actual fact, both the Minister and Snape were both asking for it. If Snape hadn't provoked him, and the Minister hadn't insulted Professor Dumbledore like he did, Jack wouldn't have lost control. Albus, who had walked in just as Fudge dodged a spell, decided that it would be best if Jack was absent from the grounds while the meeting was still taking place. Thus Jack's current residence on the train.
Jack knew he would have to control his temper, especially around a certain house, this year. It would not do for the students to be afraid of him like he was going to be the next Dark Lord. Actually, if he was going to be a Dark Lord he would much rather surround himself with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws than with Slytherins. 'Then again,' he thought to himself, 'I wouldn't be much of a Dark Lord, would I?'
He shook his head and tried those calming techniques that Daniel insisted he use to control his temper. He even tried other tricks that he used to keep his accidental magic in check.
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Harry tried the clock spell once more and sighed when he saw that only a few minutes had passed since Ron and Hermione started arguing about Victor Krum and not an hour as he had hoped.
It seemed like they had just left the train station a few minutes ago, but they had actually left it almost four hours ago. It was almost time, Harry noted with glee, for the sweets cart to arrive.
Keeping an ear out for the tale tell signs of the cart, Harry returned to his book and tried to shut out the argument. Harry winced a bit as his scar slightly flared up. Ever since the end of last year, it had been hurting on and off during the summer and he was just grateful that both times that he had met up with Jack the scar didn't even twinge.
Finding that he really wanted to think about the older wizard for awhile, Harry closed his book, attempted to shut out his friends again, and looked out the window, allowing his thoughts to break free.
Jack was a bit of a mystery, alright. When Harry and Jack went up to bring Harry's trunk down that once in the Cauldron, he had asked about what he did for a living. All he could get out of him was that Jack worked with muggles, so that ruled out the Death Eater theory. Then Harry had asked what he did with the muggles, but Jack steadfastly refused to give him a clue.
Harry just assumed that he was embarrassed. Now, however, he began to have some doubts.
He didn't know why he had just thought about it, but suddenly he remembered that Jack had told Remus that he knew some dangerous people and they were actually "big teddy bears", in Jack's words.
Maybe he did have something to hide. By now, though, Harry was sure that he wasn't a Death Eater, but maybe there was something else.
Something else that had to be kept secret.
In fact, if Harry didn't know any better, he was almost certain that there was more than just one secret that Jack held. It seemed plausible enough, that he had secrets to hide. His eyes looked as though they had seen too many things. Not only that, but Jack didn't seem to be as old as his appearance suggested he was. His personality, especially, didn't suit his appearance at all.
Harry smirked as he thought of the mayhem that would possibly occur had Sirius, Remus, Jack, Fred, and George decided to pool all of their resources together and try to out do the Marauders in their school days.
He was sure that everyone would probably end up like Moody if that actually happened.
Then Harry had a thought. Maybe he should see if he could write to Jack and tell him about The Twins's joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
'Then again,' he chuckled, 'maybe it wouldn't be a good idea. Jack did mention that he had friends and I certainly don't want someone else out for my blood.'
Suddenly, Harry noticed that the compartment was empty. "Where'd they go?" Harry wondered, trying not to panic.
"I do believe that they are with the other prefects, along with the Head Girl and Boy," a familiar voice answered soothingly.
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Jack smiled at the amazed look on Harry's face.
Before he could ask, Jack said, "The headmaster needed an eye on the students, but couldn't come himself. I owed him a favor anyway."
Actually, despite the fact that he had lied to the kid, that actually was a half-truth. Albus had expressed his concern about the safety of the students at the last staff meeting and had originally planned to go.
Originally, being the operative word.
Jack had to go, lest he wanted to be thrown into Azkaban Prison for an attempt on the Minister's life.
Thing was that he had been aiming for Snape, but Fudge distracted him.
Albus also insisted that he had to be here before he started something else that the school couldn't afford to have happening right before the start of term.
Jack was immensely glad that it was Friday and that he didn't have to start teaching yet.
He snapped out of his thoughts as Harry had a concerned look on his face.
"Sorry, lost in thought for a minute there," he muttered, sitting down in the seat that Hermione had vacated, which was right across from Harry.
"Didn't think you were ever going to see me again, huh?" Jack teased. "What did I tell you about me showing up when people least expect it?"
"I forgot," Harry said, sheepishly. "How did you know where to find me?"
"I just exited my compartment and took a few steps to the left. Practically neighbors, we are. I heard your friends say that they were going to a meeting, but I don't think you heard them," Jack commented.
"I didn't even know they were prefects," Harry said, puzzled.
"Well, they didn't exactly shout it to the world. They didn't take their badges out until they were out of sight of you. Maybe they didn't want you to feel bad, being who you are and all."
"It's alright," Harry said, a bit disappointed that he didn't know about any of it.
Now that he thought about it, Harry didn't really that much about himself, magically. Didn't even know he was able to perform magic. Fleetingly, he wondered about how many things he didn't know about in the Wizarding World.
"Yeah, me too. I've been away for so long that I actually did forget I could do magic for awhile there, what with my job and all that," Jack responded sympathetically.
Harry nodded absently, then looked up as he realized that he had said that aloud.
"Don't worry, Harry," Jack assured the distress teen. "You only said that last part aloud. Actually, don't feel left out. There are a lot of things that we don't know about magic. In my opinion, we haven't even begun to scratch the surface. Like in the Muggle world. There are things that we haven't even imagined that might be waiting for us to discover them. Like, for instance, a way to travel to the deepest reaches of space. No one can solve all of life's mysteries, though many have tried and are still trying."
Before anything else could be said, the trolley arrived and, even though Harry had been listening, he couldn't help but feel that he had missed something.
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Soon after the trolley had come and gone, Ron and Hermione reappeared, startled to see a strange wizard with their friend.
"Ahh, I'd been wondering if I'd be seeing you again, Missy," Jack said, spotting Hermione.
"Oh, yes. I had almost forgotten about that," Hermione blushed, sitting warily next to Jack.
"How come everyone has met him except me?!" Ron wanted to know, once he figured out that Jack was the one Harry had been telling them about.
"Well, I'm meeting you now, aren't I?" Jack intervened, before Ron and the newly dubbed 'Missy' could start another argument.
"Yeah, I guess," Ron calmed down reluctantly.
"Now, I know Potter here, and I've met Missy, but I don't know her full name, and I don't know yours," Jack coaxed gently, determined to keep the peace.
"Ron Weasley."
"Hermione Granger."
Jack nodded, filing the information away for later use.
"So, are the rumors true?" he wanted to know, an idea coming to him from a statement that Albus had made earlier.
"What rumors?" Missy asked.
"The rumors that you lot are trouble magnets. Well, are they?"
The trio smiled at each other and the threat of arguments dissipated as the three were fully encouraged to recount all of their four years as students.
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AN: Whew. Sorry I haven't been updating as much as I should. I was going to earlier, but I had a field trip to Petersburg Battlefield and I was too excited to concentrate. I loved it and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks to all who have reviewed and I hope you continue to do so.
AN2: Yes, Sirius caught Jack's scent, because Jack had boarded not too long before they arrived. Just wanted to clear that up.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving (kinda late I know), but I shall try to keep to my word and update before Christmas.
Keep reading and reviewing! Eternal love for all and may your cheese always live up to your expectations!
