NOTE: alright! hello people, firstly I would like to apologise for taking so long in updating, and that the update is sooooo short. And I'm afraid that it will be a long time before I update again. For me the story has lost momentum, I may or may not keep working on it but I make no promises...however if anyone out there likes the idea enough to keep going you are more than welcome to, so long as you tell and I can read it.
The first time that Harry had seen Professor Frost going towards the Forbidden Forest he hadn't thought much of it.
Sure there was always something odd going on at Hogwarts, but the guy looked barely older than they were. Added to which the report the Fred and George gave of their new teacher was astounding to say the least.
If it hadn't been for the freaky ice on the first day of classes...and then the terrifying display of fighting prowess Harry would have been quite happy to assume that Frost was exactly what he appeared to be. A very young teacher.
He hadn't spoken to Ron or Hermione about Frost's nightly visits to the Forest, did the guy even sleep? Harry could always watch as he went into the Forbidden Forest but he tended to fall asleep before he came out again. On the one occasion that he had seen Professor Frost exit the forest Harry had risen early for Quidditch practice. Just as the sun came up over the hills surrounding the castle the white haired teacher had emerged.
Harry had watched Frost go into the Forest every night for months now, and he still hadn't told Ron or Hermione a thing. He would have to find a way of telling them in the next little while. His curiosity was beginning to get the better of him.
The others noticed his preoccupied look over breakfast.
"You all right there Harry?"
"Hmm? Yeah, fine."
Ron shared a disbelieving look with Hermione before returning to his bacon. Harry glanced up at the staff table. Professor Frost looked like a perfectly ordinary 20 year old, all be it with an odd hair colour, but Harry had stopped questioning such things over the past two years. How was he not yawning and tired? The man seemed to spend his nights wandering around the Forbidden Forest, that had to leave anyone too exhausted to stand in the mornings. But he man was perfectly collected. It wasn't right, something didn't fit.
He was still mulling the thoughts over his porridge when the bell rang for classes. Together with Hermione and Ron, Harry gathered up his stuff before making their way to their first class of the day. Charms.
Professor Sanderson, although an inch taller than their old Charms teacher still needed aid in seeing over his desk. Rather than using a pile of books, he summoned what looked like golden sand that swirled around him like a cloud, supporting him and lifting him off the ground.
He now had a habit of zooming around the room on his sand cloud, inspecting the students as they worked. It was cool, in a slightly disconcerting way.
Added to which Sanderson was a mute. It left Hermione completely stumped, Ron and Harry were far happier just rolling with it. But Hermione had been trying to dig into the Professors history for the last four months. It shouldn't be possible to be that good at Charms without ever speaking.
It had been irritating at first, at least until Harry and the others had figured a way to understand the games of pictionary that the teacher played above his head.
Harry was still thinking about the issue with Frost, and how he was going to bring up the subject with Hermione and Ron later when the golden sand images began.
Sighing lightly Harry gave up on the Frost mystery, when in Sanderson's class it was important to pay attention to every detail. Seamus was still blowing things up when he misread one of Professor's symbols and mispronounced a charm.
The next hour was spent alternatively writing down notes and practicing the charm of the lesson. The Aquatica charm was easy enough, but the wrist movement was very precise. If you got it wrong you could end up drinking sludge instead of crystal clear water.
At the end of the hour Harry convened with Ron and Hermione outside the classroom, massaging their wrists.
"What now?" Ron asked.
"Double portions with the Slytherins."
Harry groaned inwardly. True potions was much better now with Professor Tooth instead of Snape...but it was still potions, and Slytherins.
As they made their way to the dungeons Harry caught sight of a now familiar head of white hair. Frost was making his way out again, into the grounds. Most likely to help Hagrid with a Care of Magical Creatures project.
"What's he up too?" Harry muttered to himself as he watched Frost jump nimbly down the stairs.
"What?" Ron asked grabbing Harry back from his previous musings.
"I'll tell you later."
Ron and Hermione exchanged another look as Harry clambered down the stone stairs to the dungeons.