Chapter 10: Going Back

Soon after Ron's and my trip to pick out Hermione's ring, an unusual owl arrived at Number Twelve. I gently untied the string from around the owl's leg and read the letter she had brought me.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It has come to my attention that you have recently become a top-ranking auror. Congratulations! I know how that had always been a dream of yours since fifth-year, perhaps before, and I always knew you would succeed.

The reason I am writing is because the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Jason Clearton, and I were wondering if you'd be interested in coming to teach his classes for a week, as you certainly know a lot about the subject. You may bring a helper if you wish. I personally think this will be a great experience for the students of Hogwarts, and hope that you will accept this invitation. Any week in September or October is fine.

Sincerely,

Professor Minerva McGonagall,

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Ps. This is Phoenix, the new official school owl. I suggest you give her a cracker or a biscuit as an award for her troubles; otherwise she will be extremely disappointed.

I chuckled to myself as I finished the letter. McGonagall had an owl named Phoenix. That was as strange as if Dumbledore had named his phoenix Owl instead of Fawkes.

After asking permission from Mr. Robbards, my boss, and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the minister of magic, I sent a reply to McGonagall saying that Ron and I would be able to come September 22nd – 26th, the week after Ron and Hermione's camping trip.

On Sunday the 21st , at about eight at night, Ron and I apperated just Hogwarts's grounds, where McGonagall had promised to meet us, as no one, except for the headmaster or headmistress, could apperate on Hogwarts ground. We found McGonagall right away, exactly where she said she'd be.

"How nice to see you again, Mr. Potter." McGonagall greeted us. "And you as well, Mr. Weasley.

McGonagall led us through the castle, where we received some shocked looks and heard a lot of whispering, and up some the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room. Before we got to the common room, however, McGonagall stopped in front of a picture I had never seen before of a man with an owl on his shoulder. "Password?" the man asked.

"Hedwig." McGonagall answered without hesitation. I stared at my former professor in disbelief, as she had just used the name of my beloved owl as the password.

"There's no need to look so surprised, Potter." McGonagall said with a smile as the portrait swung open. "I care more about my students than most people know. Some would call it stalking… but I call it caring."

Trying not to laugh at her last statement, Ron and I followed McGonagall into the portrait hole. "This is your dormitory." McGonagall explained. "As you can see there are two beds, and the room is very spacious, so you should be comfortable. Now, if you please put your stuff down, I can show introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor."

I nodded, and McGonagall led us to down the hall to the Defense room. On the way, we were met by more curious glances. McGonagall finally stopped in front of the Defense room door and knocked sharply three times. The door opened almost immediately to reveal a man with dark, curly hair and blue eyes who appeared to be in his early thirties.

"Good evening, Headmistress." The man said with a polite smile.

"Good evening, Jason." McGonagall replied. "This is Harry Potter, and his accomplice, Ronald Weasley. Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, this is Professor Jason Clearton, Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who I'm proud to say, has been with us for four years, not just one."

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you." Jason said. "Would you care to come in?"

Ron and I smiled politely and stepped inside, waiting for McGonagall to follow. "Would you like to come in, as well, Headmistress?" Jason asked.

"Oh, no, I'm fine. I have some unfinished business to take care of in my office, so I'll leave you three alone." With that, McGonagall disappeared down the hall.

"Follow me please." Jason said and led us to his office. The office was bigger than one would expect. Inside was a couch, a bed, and a dresser, and it even had a small bathroom and kitchenette.

"Sit down. I have a couch, so we might as well use it." Jason said with a pleasant smile. "Would you like anything to drink? I have water, coffee, butterbeers…"

"I'll have a butterbeer, please." I said, and Ron agreed. After pouring three butterbeers, Jason sat on his bed while Ron and I sat on the couch.

"First off, I'd like to thank you for coming. It's going to really mean a lot to the kids." Jason began.

"No problem. I've been wanted to come back ever since I left." I replied. It was true. I really did want to go back.

Jason laughed. "I know what you mean. I graduated in 1988, and it took me eleven years to come back but I finally made it. I remember my first year so clearly. That was the year the wizarding world found out what happened to you…" Jason paused. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you don't like to talk about that."

"No, it's fine." I said quietly.

Jason cleared his throat awkwardly. "So… what exactly do you plan on teaching my students?"

"Well, I was thinking about teaching patronuses. Unless, of course, they already know how to form them…"

Jason hesitated. "Well, the seventh years know some. I tried to teach them last year, but I'm not very good at it myself, and it was a little embarrassing. Yes, I think Patronuses would be perfect. My first class tomorrow is the Gryffindor and Slytherin third years at eight am sharp. How much time do you need to prepare?"

I look at Ron for his opinion. "About a half hour, I'd say."

Ron nodded in agreement. "That sounds good."

"Seven-thirty, then." Jason said, opening the door for us. "It was nice meeting you gentlemen. I'll see you tomorrow."

Ron and I made sure to get a good night's sleep. The following morning, we were standing in front of a class full of eager looking third years. I wrote my name on the chalkboard – without using chalk, of course – and turned to face the class while Ron wrote his name.

"Right." I began nervously. "My name is Harry Potter. How many of you of you know what I am known for?"

All of the hands in the class rose. "That's good. Now I don't have to explain my life story. It's quite long actually, and I don't want to bore you." The class giggled nervously. "Now, who wants to shorten that life story for me? In other words, what makes me different from all the other wizards and witches in this room?"

Only a few hands were raised this time. I nodded to an excited boy in the second row, a Gryffindor, and I thought he was going to faint. "You killed the dark lord, Voldemort, in your seventh year because when you were a baby Voldemort killed your parents and tried to kill you too, but failed, so you had to kill him instead."

I smiled. "That basically sums it up. Now, I'll explain why I'm here. Who knows what a patronus is?"

This time I nodded to another Gryffindor, an intelligent looking girl in the front row. "The Patronus Charm uses a positive energy force known as a patronus to defend oneself against otherwise unbeatable creatures such as Dementors and Lethifolds, among other things. Patronuses are also called spirit guardians." The girl said quickly and without hesitation. She very much reminded me of Hermione.

"Very good." I replied. "I am here to teach the students of Hogwarts how to form a patronus. Patronuses are something I feel very necessary, as I've had to use one more than once in my life. It is very difficult to manage, and many adults still struggle with the task. I, however, was taught how to make a patronus in my third year by the best Defense professor I've ever had, so I know all of you are capable of at least trying.

"Now listen closely, because I'm not going to repeat myself. The trick is to think of a happy memory, the happiest event you've ever experienced, or want to experience. For me, I had several memories I used. One, for example, was the wish to leave my aunt and uncle, whom I despised, and live with my godfather, whom I had only just met but had already begun to love him like the father I never had. Anything works, as long as it's happy.

"The charm for a patronus is Expecto Patronum. Can you repeat that for me please? Expecto Patronum…"

"Expecto Patronum." The class echoed.

"Good. Now, who would like to see a demonstration?" I asked, and the class cheered.

Smiling, I pulled my wand out of my pocket, pointed it at the ceiling, and once I had a happy memory, shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A silver stag immediately burst out of my want and danced around the room, much to the students' delight, and mine as well.

"Question?" I asked, nodding to a Slytherin in the third row.

"Yeah, I was wondering, why your patronus is a stag, and how does your patronus decide what animal you're going to be. My father's is a dragon."

"The animal you patronus forms is the animal that best fits your personality. My father's was a stag, and he was loyal and brave, so I suppose I am too. But your patronus is not necessarily what your father's or mother's is. Does that make sense?"

The boy nodded, so I continued my talk. "Ron, would you like to demonstrate your patronus."

"Of course." Ron replied, and took out his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" he shouted, and a little terrier burst out of his wand, and ran gleefully around, dodging in between students.

"My patronus is a terrier because terriers are fun to be around, and are total goofballs, according to my fi-… friend, Hermione, yet they can be feisty little dogs when they need to be." Ron explained.

"Thank you, Ron." I said, taking over again. "As I said before, a patronus takes a lot of concentration. You must lose yourself in your memory, and not think of anything else. Now, please get with a partner as see what you can do. Please, do not expect to succeed on your first try. For most wizards, patronuses take months, if not years to perfect. You may begin."

After a few minutes the room was filled with the sound of students trying their best to form a patronus. Most of the students managed to form silvery mists, but no complete patronuses were formed. Over all though, my lesson had been successful. After class the boy who I had called on first during my lecture walked timidly up to me, holding a camera. All class period I had been trying to figure out why this boy looked so familiar, and now I thought I knew why.

"Mr. Potter, can take a picture of you casting your patronus so you can sign it?" The boy asked shyly.

"Sure." I cast my patronus for him, and the boy took a picture. The photograph printed immediately, and the boy handed it to me, along with a quill. "What's your name, kid?"

"Jacob Creevey."

Smiling, I wrote,

Jacob,

Never give up on your dreams. If you don't give up, you can do anything.

Harry Potter

As I handed Jacob his picture back, I asked, "Are you related to Collin Creevey by any chance?"

Jacob smiled. "He was my cousin."

"Well, you're just like him."

Jacob beamed. "Thanks so much, Mr. Potter." He said and ran off to gather his books for his next class.

Oh, how good it was to be back at Hogwarts again.

Chapter 11 preview: "Ron?" I called, but the abandoned house was totally quiet. "Where are you?" If anything happened to Ron, I would never forgive myself. That is, if Hermione didn't kill me first for losing him…