Chapter Eleven
Joshua Juarbe sat at his desk as his first block class filed in. He watched them walk in and take their seats.
He was dumbfounded as to why his father found this particular species so enthralling. He found them ordinary if anything.
The students chatted a bit longer then they should have and Hermione shushed them. The class looked at Joshua expectantly. He picked at his nail and looked back. He stood up suddenly, he walked to his office door, and then turned back to the class.
"I have a surprise for you." He said. He opened the door and eight teenage Pagans came out of it. Joshua sat back down as the teenager took eight chairs facing the class. "Alright, one of you tell me what they are." Joshua said. Hermione's hand went straight into the air. Joshua pointed at her.
"They're Pagans, Professor Juarbe." She said.
"Correct, twenty points to whatever house you're in." He said.
"I'm in Gryffindor." Hermione said.
"If I really cared, I would have asked. But whatever, does anyone know what she means by the term 'Pagan?'" Joshua asked. Ron raised his hand slowly. Hermione kept her hand down. She was a little upset by what Juarbe had said. Joshua nodded at Ron.
"She means that they aren't human, but some other species that falls under the category of Pagan." Ron said. Harry looked at Ron, he was impressed. Hermione turned around to look at him. "You were talking about them all summer. Do you really think that I don't listen to you all the time?" Ron mumbled to Hermione, she smiled at him, he blushed, and Harry tried not to vomit. He hoped they would not be like this all year.
"Yeah, good, twenty points to your house too." Juarbe said. "What I have assembled in front of you are eight bona fide Pagans. And right now they are going to tell you their names and their species. And mind you, we will be studying them all year."
"I am Lawrence Koss and I am a Star Wizard." He had maroon eyes and blonde hair. He was built strong and was very tall. He was the great, great, great grandson of Migdigus Koss.
"Hey," Said the next Pagan, "I'm Nathan Swanson, and I'm Dien." He looked remarkably like his father. Though he was not planned, expected or really wanted by his mother, his father, Nicolas Swanson, was very caring. And although their father's pretty much hated each other, Nathan and Sirius jr. got along very well.
"Angelica Reeves, Fearie." The next girl said quickly. She had long dirty blonde hair with dark pink eyes. She had a tattoo on her back of two great pink wings that would turn into real wings if she willed them to.
"Hi, I'm Sirius Black jr. you may know my father, he was put in jail by your crummy government, oh yeah I'm a Siren male." Sirius Black jr. said. He smiled at Juarbe who aptly ignored him.
"My name is Wednesday Flowers and I am a Keeper." She had straight black hair and dark eyes that were purple if you got close enough, you did not want to get close enough. She was short but packed a lot of punch and like all Keepers she did not really care how you felt as long as she got her point across. No matter how many times she had to hit you.
"I'm Remus Lupin jr. and I am Half-Wolf." He looked at Sirius and shook his head. Sirius was trying desperately to get Harry's attention. And Harry was trying as hard as he could to not laugh his ass off.
"I am Nakita Lupin and I too am Half-Wolf." Nakita was doing a great job ignoring her idiotic boyfriend. Which was proving harder and harder as the moments past.
"I am Prince James Juarez the XVIV and I am proudly a Changling." He looked remarkably like the uncle he was named after. Though his hair was curly, it was the same jet black and his eyes were the same hazel. He was built similarly to his uncle James as well. He was tall but muscular, thin but cut. He was Joseph Juarez's youngest son, and since James always was Joseph's favorite brother he named his youngest son after him.
"Good, moving on. We will study one species a month. I don't believe in homework so don't worry about that, but I'll give out extra credit. I do believe in tests, though, and you will be having one at the end of each month. If you speak out of turn, hit another class mate, hit on another classmate, or do anything that pisses me off you will have a detention at five o'clock in the morning here with me. You will sit and that's it. A word of advice, don't get a detention." Joshua said standing up. He walked over to the corner and touched the top of a pile of books. They flew through the air and one book landed in front of each of the students. "To do well on your tests you need to read. I don't give a flying shit if you like to read, if you want to pass you'll do it. Other then that I'm not going to make you read. Live with it. Does anyone have any questions?" Juarbe said sitting down behind his desk again. No one moved. "Good, leave."
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Jon Smeth stood in the center of a cleared out class room. There were mats all over the floor, and the muscular Dien did not have a shirt on, which caused a lot of the girls, and a couple of the guys, to stop short at the door.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in one corner, talking quietly.
"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, Hermione." Harry said.
"A professor should care to know about the school they choose to work at. And Juarbe said it himself, he doesn't care. I don't know what McGonagall was thinking when she hired him." Hermione said.
"Well, his father used to work here. I'm sure that factored into it." Harry said.
"That doesn't give him an excuse to be a dick." Ron said.
"I think, he thinks it does."
"Alright class, get in a circle around me." Jon Smeth ordered his class. To the best of their abilities the class did as Jon commanded. "Hello and good morning, I am Professor Jon Smeth and I will be teaching you Physical Defense. Meaning that you don't need your wand in this class." The entire class moaned. "But you do need stamina, agility, and good hand-eye coordination. While you won't be using your wand you will be taught how to use daggers, swords, guns, spears, axes, sticks, bows and arrows and your most deadly weapons, your hands and your legs." He said. Seamus Finnegan raised his hand. "Yes, little human boy, you have a question."
"It's Seamus Finnegan, and why won't we be using our wands? The Death Eater's get to use their wands." Seamus pointed out. The class muttered in agreement.
"Yes, Mister Finnegan, you are quite right. But you must understand that not all the adversaries you will meet will be Death Eater's and therefore human." Jon Smeth said. The class shut up immediately. "Mister Potter." Jon turned to Harry and the entire class looked at him. "I want you do something for me."
"What's that, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Think up the jinks or curse you are best at and I want you to use it one me." Jon said. Harry looked a little confused, but nodded and thought.
"STUPIFY!" Harry yelled pointing his wand squarely at Jon's chest. The curse hit him, and he stepped back a few paces. Once the commotion died down everyone looked at Professor Smeth who was still standing and still looking at Harry.
"Very good, Mister Potter. Ten points to Gryffindor, that was fantastic. And it was the perfect example to answer Mister Finnegan's question more thoroughly. Your wand doesn't work on Pagan unless they let it. I will teach this class under the assumption that they won't let it. Are there any other questions?" Jon asked, spinning around in circle to see everyone. Hermione raised her hand. "Yes, little human girl, you have a question."
"My name is Hermione Granger, and will there be any reading material in this class?" She asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid there isn't any, Ms. Granger. Reading can't get you good at this, practicing can. Which brings me to the homework for tonight." The class moaned again. "Oh, come on it's easy. All I want you to do is break up into groups of threes for practicing. See, that's easy."
"Why threes?" Ron asked.
"Two of the group will fight, and the other will be there to make sure that the two fighting play fair, then you'll switch off." Jon explained. "About rules in this class. You're bound to get hurt, live with it. You're learning to defend yourself and none of you are properly trained so somebody is bound to slip up. Don't get mad and hurt them back. I will know if you do. And if you do you will have a half an hour detention with me. In which we will practice against each other and at the end of which I will be carrying you to the Hospital Wing, understood. Just don't get cared away, accidents happen, there's nothing that can be done about it, so don't get mad about it. Anymore questions?" No one raised their hand. "Good, have nice day."
------
"I liked him, he was nice." Hermione said as they walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"You just liked him because his shirt was off." Ron said.
"Shut it, Ron." Harry snapped at Ron. "You remember our discussion on the train." Ron turned slightly red. "My opinion still stands so don't finish that thought. And by the way, I agree with Hermione he is much nicer than Juarbe." Harry said.
"What discussion on the train?" Hermione asked as they sat down in class.
"You're going to have to ask Ron about that." Harry said.
"Well, ask him later, because I'm starting class now." Migdigus said. Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped at his voice. "Hello, class, I am Professor Migdigus Koss. I am under the impression that you haven't had the same teacher for this class two years in a row ever. And I'm not formally trained as a teacher so I'm going to pretty much guess my way through this year. But then again I am older then this building so I think I know a thing or two about defending myself against the dark arts. I have lived through countless wars and it is my intension to teach you all how to live through this war. Now, I want you all to survive, I want you all to fight, for whatever you believe in. Your greatest ally is your honor. And I suggest that you do anything and everything to protect it." Migdigus waved his hand absently at a stack of books that flew to the students. Hermione's hand went up as soon as she opened the book. "Ah, yes, what is your name and what is your question?"
"My name is Hermione Granger, and I don't know if you've realized this but, Professor, these books aren't in English." Hermione said. Everyone opened there books and looked at the scribbley language that was written on each page. Harry could read the language, but did not say anything. For the first time, and certainly not the last time, Harry felt guilty for not telling Ron and Hermione something. He had never done that before.
"I see." Migdigus said picking up Harry's book and flipping through a couple of pages. He put down Harry's book and snapped his fingers. The writing inside all of the books changed to English, all of the books except Harry's. Harry looked up at Migdigus who winked at Harry. "Is that better, Ms. Granger?" Migdigus asked.
"Yes, sir." Hermione said, she was stunned at this little bit of Pagan Magick.
"Well, then moving on. These are Pagan books on the art of defense against the dark arts. And like all arts it is up to interpretations. The way Ms. Granger defends herself will no doubt be different from the way Mister Potter defends himself. You will be using a legion of instruments in this class. All of which are of the magickal persuasion. Many of which are Pagan instruments, that you've probably never heard of or thought of before. But fear not! I will lead you fearlessly onward through the difficulties of this year." Migdigus said waving his arms around dramatically.
"Professor?" Dean Thomas said getting Migdigus' attention.
"Yes, what's your name and what is your question?" Migdigus asked.
"Um, Dean Thomas, and what kind of instruments? Could you show us one?" He asked. Everyone in the class was interested in Pagan magickal means of defense.
"Of course." Migdigus disappeared into his office and came back with a metal gun-looking thing in his hands. He held it up for the class to see. "It is a difficult contraption to use but I will teach you. This gun captures all of the negative feelings its user has and once the trigger is pulled it sends all those feelings in an energy ball towards a target that the user has selected. It is difficult to use because one must be able to organize one's mind well enough to focus only on the negative feelings. There can be disastrous effects if you get it wrong, or the energy shot out of the end doesn't do much to the intended target."
"Professor, will you be teaching here next year?" A Slytherin girl asked.
"That is a decision I am in the process of making. And why do you ask, little human girl, do you think that your ickle Dark Lord is going to scare me away from the position? Because let me tell you now, I have seen scarier things then him come out of my nose, and that's not saying so much for him as it is for my nose." Migdigus said.
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"He was cool." Ron said as he, Harry and Hermione sat down in their Wandless Magick class.
"Yeah, if by cool you mean a little more then weird, I agree." Harry said.
"Harry, don't talk that way about your Professors." Hermione said.
"Well, you have to admit he was startling." Harry said, Hermione nodded grudgingly, but Ron was not paying either of them any attention. His eyes, a long with most of the males in the room, were glued to the statuesque beauty standing behind the desk at the front of the room. Her hands were on her perfectly proportioned hips and she wore a skin tight black silk dress that silhouetted her divinely. Her dress may have been tight but other then that it showed very little. Her black curls lay on her shoulders and her merlot eyes lay on Harry.
"Harry Potter," She said, the whole class looked at Harry, he was getting sick of that, "My husband has told me so much about you. I'm really sorry we couldn't have met under more private circumstances. But you see I've been busy raising our children. Sirius was very adamant that I met you. Maybe we can talk after class, when we are away from prying ears and eyes." Serena Black said. Harry was too stunned to speak, so he just nodded. "Good." She walked around her desk, and then sat on top of it. "I am Professor Serena Black, and I will be teaching you Wandless Magick." She said she had just finished when Hermione's hand was in the air. "Ah, Hermione Granger, Sirius spoke very highly of you, what is your question?" Hermione blushed a little.
"Well, thank you, and can't only Mages do wandless magick?" Hermione asked.
"You are very welcome, Ms. Granger, and if you haven't noticed in your other classes with Pagan professors they don't use wands. Now, that's not just because their Pagan, but that they're practiced at it. And in my class you will become practiced at it too. You are all more then capable of doing everything that they did without a wand. And I will have the joy of teaching it to you." Serena said. She snapped her fingers and books appeared in front of each student. "You will learn things like that near the end of the year, seeing as it is rather advanced. You will be graded daily at your progress. Are there any other questions?" Ron's hand went up. "Yes, Mister Weasley, you have a question."
"Professor Koss did this thing were he snapped his fingers and the language our book was written in changed to English. And just now you snapped your fingers and books appeared. What's with that?" Ron asked. Harry bit his lip in an effort not to laugh at the look Ron was giving Serena.
"Well, Mister Weasley, what a lovely topic to bring up? Fifty point to Gryffindor, I think would fair for bring up such an important topic on the first day of class. Your action in performing wandless magick matters very little. Your intent is want you need to focus on. You need to force the action in your mind to become the action that happens. I intended on materializing your books, so I thought about it very hard and nothing else, snapped my fingers and there they were. I make it sound easy but when you're a beginner it can be quite hard. With practice and dedication you can do everything you've seen done today and more."
-----
Harry waited behind as the rest of the class left. Wandless Magick was his last class of the day so he could stay as long as he wanted. Or more likely as long as she wanted him.
Serena smiled at Harry. "Come into my office, we have so much to talk about." She said walking over to her office door. Harry followed her and though he loved Ginny very much (not that he would admit it at the moment) he could not help but let his eyes wonder over Serena's perfect curves. She sat behind her desk and Harry sat in front of it. He saw that she had lots of pictures of her and Sirius on her desk. There were also pictures of her children and her friends. And one that caught Harry's eye and kept it. It was a picture of her, Sirius and Harry's mum and dad. The four of them moved around and smiled at each other. Harry smiled at his picture mum, who smiled back and blew him a kiss. Picture James took immediate offence and began to snog picture Lily. Harry laughed at this. "So, Harry, what do you want to know?" Serena asked pulling Harry's attention away from the picture and back to her.
"Are you my godmother?" Harry asked immediately.
"No, Harry, your godmother is Remus' wife. You see your father was always close to her. He trusted his life to her and his most precious gift her. His only son." Serena said, tilting her head to the side.
"Why didn't she claim me?"
"She is a Pagan, Harry. Technically she had no right to claim you, because she doesn't exist in this world. I'm sorry, Harry, there was nothing we could do." Serena said touching Harry's hand. Harry just nodded, when something occurred to him.
"If you are a Pagan, doesn't that mean that Sirius was a Pagan too?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Serena said retracting her hand.
"Bill Weasley comment over dinner one night that Pagans can die numerous times, isn't that right?"
"Yes, quite right in fact."
"Then is Sirius alive?" Harry asked with more hope in his voice then he really wanted to show at that point.
"Sirius was never dead, Harry." Serena said.
"Then what happened." Harry asked. Serena sighed.
"I felt that things in the human world were getting a bit ugly. So I asked my Changling friend to follow my husband around, you know, to keep him out of trouble, that he always seems to be getting himself into, and, you know, to keep up the façade that he was human. Well, she followed him down to the Hall of Mysteries or whatever it was called. And when she saw that Bellatrix was going to try and kill him she jumped him and made him invisible so it looked like he had fallen into that curtain thingy." Serena explained. Harry digested this information for some time. He was overjoyed. Sirius was not dead! He had the closest thing he ever had to a father back again. Harry looked up at Serena.
"When can I see him?" Harry asked.
"I'll write to him tonight, you'll see him tomorrow. And Harry, keep this quiet. He was human to most of the people here and for the time being we would like to keep it that way."
"Of course, Professor." Harry said grinning like a fool.
------
Harry burst into the Gryffindor Common Room with the biggest grin on his face imaginable. He grabbed Ginny around the waist and pulled her out into the hall, and then he grabbed Ron and Hermione by their robes and dragged them into the hall as well.
"I have the most spectacular news, but it needs to be told in the utmost secrecy. So, we are all off to the Head's Common Room because I have to tell you all right now!" Harry exclaimed before turning in the direction of the Head's Common Room. A rather taken aback Ron, Hermione and Ginny followed Harry up to the fat witch with horns. "Lortus!" Harry yelled at the witch, who jumped out of the way. Harry pushed his way in followed by Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
"This better be good, Harry." Ron said sitting down on one of the coaches.
"It is good, Ron, its better then good, its fan-bloody-tastic!" Harry yelled.
"Well, what is it?" Hermione asked sitting next to Ron.
"Sirius Black, senior that is, isn't dead." Harry said. This comment was met with silence.
"Harry, all of us saw him fall through that curtain thing, you included." Ginny said, feeling bad for her secret boyfriend. "How could he not be dead?"
"Look, just hear me out. I was talking to Professor Black and she told me what actually happened. Serena's Changling friend tackled him a moment before Bellatrix's spell hit him. It just looked like he fell through the curtain. He never actually died. Look I don't care if you don't believe it, I'm going to see him tomorrow and want you guys to come too." Harry said. His three friends stayed quiet.
"I'll go with you, Harry." Ron said. "I'd like to see Sirius again."
"I'll go to. I'm not saying that I believe you just yet. But I'm willing to hope." Ginny said. "I always liked Sirius. He let me throw dung bombs around in his house." Hermione shook her head.
"Fine, I'll go, but I'm not getting my hopes up." Hermione said.
"No one asked you to." Harry said. Ginny and Ron laughed while Hermione looked murder at Harry.