Author's Note: As always, feel free to drop me a line through reviews or private messages. Corrections, theories, comments in general, I love 'em all.
Harry nearly made it until the end of the week. He managed to get his first years started with disarming charms, and reassured a traumatized Phil Arsenault that he wouldn't be held responsible for his mistake. It wasn't until his final lesson of the week (once again, his Seventh Year N.E.W.T. Class) that he once again encountered trouble.
"Alright, that was good work last time, and that was a great spell, Luna, But I reckon that it'd be best if we get back on track for this lesson." He said quickly, not giving Luna a chance to speak and derail the lesson once again. "Hopefully this'll be a bit of a review, but I'd like to talk about the Reductor Curse a bit; it's basic, but essential. The incantation is 'reducto,' and the wand motion is a sharp downward flick. I think the best way to test this one would be individually, I don't want my classroom turned to dust. So, Justin, you can start. Remember, I want it done nonverbally."
The class did well with the spell; it was enough to make Harry wonder how much he would be able to actually teach them. After all, he was no older than some of them... He made a mental note to ask Hermione about some more difficult spells.
"Excellent work, Fern." Harry said. "A bit more practice and you'll be set. Ginny, you're up next."
Ginny stood up and moved to face the desk that Harry had set up for practice. She shook her long hair out of her face and whipped her wand at the desk; there was a violent flash of bright light, and the desk was reduced to a pile of dust.
"Perfect, Ginny!" Said Harry, impressed. "Full marks... And five points for Gryffindor!" He added, remembering that he now had the power to award house points.
As Ginny strode back to her seat, a lofty, dissenting voice carried from the back of the room. "Well, I suppose being the teacher's girlfriend does have it's perks..." Ginny froze in mid-step. The speaker was a very tall Slytherin girl with blonde hair and dark eyes.
"What did you just say, Nott?" Ginny said with an air of forced calm.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear." Nott said unconvincingly. "After all, I wouldn't want to offend the teacher's favorite pet."
"Hey, that's enough-" Harry started to say, before he was interrupted by a derisive laugh from Ginny.
"Some of don't actually need to kiss up to teachers to do well, if you get my drift."
"Well, not all of us have the advantage of your... Erm... 'Private study sessions.'"
"Well, maybe you'd have bit of luck if you tried studying on your own, although, I suppose you do pretty well considering the Death Eater troll you've got for a father... How's Azkaban suiting him, by the way?"
"Come on, sto- HEY!" Harry saw Nott's wand raise, and then Ginny's, and had only a split second to react. Fortunately, he'd been prepared; "IMMOBULUS!" He shouted, and girls froze. "Um... Class dismissed... Look, I can't have dueling in my classroom... I'm giving you both detention."
Harry celebrated the first Saturday of the term at the Three Broomsticks with Hagrid and Ron, who had apparated to Hogsmeade to visit. Hermione and Ginny had wanted to come, but as students, they were only allowed to leave the castle on designated weekends.
"Ah, well. Still be'er than my firs' week, I reckon. Things'll get easier once you get the hang of things, learn how to keep everybody in check 'n' all." Hagrid was saying. "Yeh know, yer not the only one havin' trouble this year. Yeh met Professor Rigby yet? No? Well, bless him, the poor fellow's got his work cut out for 'im. Can yeh imagine tryin' ter teach kids about Muggle Studies after all the lies those Death Eater scum was bandyin' about all last year? From what I've heard, the kids are walkin' all over him. The fellow's just too nice fer his own good, yeh know?"
"That reminds me, "Said Ron, "Who did McGonagall find to take over for her?"
"Some witch goin' by the name 'Baines.' Don' know much abou' her ter be honest. Doesn't talk much. An' ol' Professor Vector is Head of Gryffindor now."
"I still don't understand why she didn't just make Harry head. I bet he could do it."
"No offense ter Harry, but I'm not sure he's up to it yet... There's a lot to be done, after all. Lots o' career counselin' an' the like that the heads have to take care of. It's a lot o' responsibility, takin' care o' that many students." Said Hagrid sagely, taking a swig of firewhiskey.
"You've got to admire his nerve though, eh? Putting Ginny in detention... I wouldn't have dared." Said Ron over his butterbeer.
"I dunno." Said Harry slowly. "I mean, she didn't seem too angry about it..."
"Ev'rythin'll be fine, Harry. You were just doin' what needed ter be done, after all. Teahin' ain't easy, yeh know. Hard to appreciate it until you've done it... But I'd bet that you'll be fine after jus' a bit o' practice.
"Yeah, well you can never tell with girls, can you? Mental, the whole lot of them." Said Ron cautiously. "You know, I'm not really sure that she's forgiven me for telling Mum on her for tipping her cauldron over when she was six, so I'd watch your back if I were you."
Ginny arrived in Harry's room for her Detention at seven o'clock that same evening. Harry pointed at a stack of Homework papers on his desk. "Alright, I'd like you to sort these, alphabetical by last name.
She stared at him. "Really, Harry? That's the best you could think of? Sorting a stack of papers?"
"Lay off, you know that I haven't had any practice. And besides, it's not supposed to be too harsh..."
"I still can't believe that you actually put me in detention..."
"What was I supposed to do? Let you start a duel in the middle of my classroom? Some precedent that would set, 'Get in the teacher's good-books and he'll let you jinx anybody you like."
"Fine, I can understand that, but you couldn't have waited half a second?"
"So you could have cursed each other? Brilliant!"
"Oh, come on, Harry. You know that I'm way faster than her. You could have at least waited until I'd gotten a good hex in to step in."
"You're really not catching on to this whole 'sending a message' thing I'm going for, are you?"
"Fine, I'll behave... But only because you're my favorite teacher." She beamed at him, and he smiled despite himself. "You know... Maybe she wasn't that far off after all."
When Ginny left Harry's office two hours later, his papers were still unsorted.
Author's Note: Blech. Mush. But if that's your cup of tea...
I missed my goal by a few hours, but I don't think anyone really cares. I was expecting this to be a really long one, but it didn't even hit three pages. Go figure. Anyway, this is another one that could be slated for some rewrites.
Is Hagrid's dialogue too difficult to understand? I really love writing for his voice, and I think I get a bit carried away sometimes.
It's good to finally be posting at a time that's not 4 AM.