Never Leave One for Dead

Chapter ten: Paint ball

Disclaimer: Hmmm, the thought that I could possible own Harry Potter... HA!

Almost a month had passed since the beginning of the school year and everything had been running smoothly. Professor Rain had been deemed, "A rarely qualified defense against the dark arts professor". She had also gained the respect of the student body including the Slytherins. This was no easy feat for a person such as her who was openly against Voldemort. However she had managed. Over the time Alexandra, once Hermione, had spent at Hogwarts she had been able to successfully detach herself once more. The momentary lapse of emotional control was chalked up to be cause to the shock of her return as well as her friendship with Severus. Said friendship had grown during the women's career at Hogwarts and was not to the Headmistresses's liking. Minerva would explain her disapproval to the rest of her staff, explaining that she blamed the friendship for her DADA Professor's antisocial tendencies towards the rest of the staff. Secretly, the ex transfiguration professor was impressed with the girl's natural teaching ability.

Even with the consistency of her current life Hermione found certain parts of her job unsettling. She turned to Severus and also the founders with her worries and found quiet the same answers. Hermione was not sure if she could handle teaching students that she knew would turn around and fire on their classmates. She knew that the very students she taught would stand on opposite sides of a war that she did not agree with. Had the same situation not happened with her own year? Had she not faced off against the likes of Parkinson, Goyal, Crabb and even the once trusted Terry Boot? Severus more then the founders understood her concern. Having lived so long as a double spy he had taken to dealing with this situation with favoritism. If he could not openly help the side he wished to win he would help them in secret. The potions Professor manipulated him classroom to teach his students about the real world and when the grades did not reflect it his cruel comments and high standards for three of the school houses often yielded more proficient potion students. The founders talked to her in length about how no student's path was yet paved and that she could steer them in the right direction. They explained that this was as much apart of her job as teaching them the spells they would need in life. Hermione disagreed with this stamen for the most part. She was more then willing to help any student that came to her but most Slytherins were set in their ideals that her time could be sent teaching the students that would do good. But as she formed connections with students on both sides she started to dislike this war on whole new levels.

"Good morning class." Professor Rain greeted her first class of the day. Multiple replies could be heard each laced with enthusiasm for the Professor of their favorite Professor. The strict atmosphere that allowed for fun while learning made Hermione proud. This was everything she had once hoped for, even if that hope was for only a little while. "Alright well let's just jump right in. For today's lesson we will be working on target practice. This is going to work in a similar fashion as a muggle game called paint ball. Can anyone tell me how the muggle game works?" A sixth year Slytherin girl raised her hand, much to the surprise of the rest of the class.

"The game consists of individual or team play," she started as she was called on. "Each player had a gun which fires out small amounts of paint. Scoring and elimination varying on the style of play."

"Very good, ten points to Slytherin. We will be doing something similar on the pitch. The way it is going to work is I will give you a fake wand. These wands were designed for us by Fred Weasley. The paint colors will start out being your house color to eliminate confusion until you guys understand the set rules better. The pitch has been set up with obstacles, rocks, and trees are present to shield yourself along with variations in the earth that may or may not help you with your footing. Each team will start at opposite sides of the field. When a person is hit they will sit in the bleachers and their wands will no longer shoot paint. Any questions? No? Alright." With a wave of her hand wands appeared before each student. "To fire all you have to say is shoot. The want will not work until I blow the whistle. Now please stay together and we will all head down to the pitch."

By dinner the entire student population was covered in multiple colors of paint. After classes they had been able to use the field with their own teams and changed the paint colors with each round. They all had fun but what many didn't realize in their excitement was that they were honing their skills as wizards. Also, throughout the process as teams were formed new friendships were formed between houses as they worked together and helped teach their peers and also the younger students.

"Interesting class today Alexandra." Severus commented in an off handed manner.

"Yes dear, why did you have the children shoot themselves with paint? Someone could have been hurt! Madame Pomfrey added frazzled."

"The shock ans chaos one experiences during their first time in battle is one of the most horrific sights anyone will ever experience and has killed many witches and wizards. This lesson had prepared them for half of it and also improved their aim in the process." She answered unhappy at Severus for bringing up her lesson at the staff table.

"But, someone could have gotten hurt!" The school nurse protested again, ferociously protective of 'her' children.

"I assure you no student was in danger." Hermione replied nearly bored as she defended her decision. The situation was almost sad as she realize that if she was being called Hermione and not Alexandra they would have been praising her lesson. "Now if you would excuse me I have papers that need grading." She stood and left the great hall not making a sound as she walked the aisle to the double doors.

"I quite enjoyed today's lesson Miss Granger." The voice of her former Headmaster stated just as she sat behind the desk many had used before her. Before responding Hermione started with her grading.

"I thought that you would Headmaster." A wrong answer was marked.

"I have told you many times my dear Hermione, call me Albus."

"You will always be my Headmaster." She declined and swiftly changed the topic of discussion. "Do you believe the student are prepared enough."

"No. No one will ever be prepared for war. I fear that the number will be very high when the war arrives."

"The war is nearly on our doorstep." She sighed and put down her quill to rub her brow instead.

"Ah, so you feel the approach as well." Albus Dumbledore observed. "All you can do is prepare them as best you can." He continued as his last statement needed no confirmation. "You have been doing an excellent job at this. I am glad that you have joined the Hogwarts staff. For a time I feared that you would not."

"I just wish that I could do more to prepare them." The compliment so few deserved was completely ignored.

"They are learning from you."

"But not enough and certainly not soon enough. I have trained non stop for nearly seven years and I scarcely feel prepared. I have no delusions that I will walk away alive." She was only speaking the truth but it made the headmaster quite for longer then she would have liked.

"Does that scare you?"

"Not if I take Voldemort down with me."

"Why?"

"Because no one else will." It was the sad truth of the matter. The very people the wizarding world now depended on gave up faith in themselves and have all but admitted defeat.

"Miss Granger,"

"Yes."

"Live through this." He ordered.

"Why." She mimicked his earlier question. He had known that she wanted to take Voldemort down before she died and she knew that he didn't want her to die but the answers were not what the other really believed they would be.

"Minerva wont live forever." A sad silence filled the room. Not because Minerva did not have immortality but because Hermione didn't believe she would live and that dream he laid out in frount of her belonged to a girl who had died years ago.