Disclaimer: HP belongs to JKR/OCs belong to me

Chapter 34: The New Defense Teacher

Malfoy Manor

Draco Malfoy picked up the afternoon edition of the Daily Prophet and promptly spat tea all over the tablecloth.

Lucius turned a furious face to his son. "Manners, Draco!"

"Paper," Draco managed to cough out.

Lucius had by now read the paper. "I already know."

"But he's supposed to be dead," Draco squawked.

"Well, now he's back." Lucius' nose wrinkled at the dirty tablecloth. "Clean up that mess and then go pack. We're leaving at five."

"But Dobby can pack for me," Draco protested, believing such things were below him.

"Dobby didn't make a mess of the breakfast table." Lucius let Draco know this was punishment for letting his guard down. "Now go."

Draco hurriedly used a cleaning spell, something which, like packing, he believed to be far below him, and then he left the room.

Lucius checked the time and realized that if he did not leave soon, he would be late for his appointment.

Riddle House

Lucius looked around in dismay at the decrepit appearance of the house. "You can't use magic on this; it would degrade far too quickly. We definitely need an influx of money, which is something I can arrange."

"Severus said you would be able to do so." Tom walked into the dining room and over to the grandfather clock that had long since stopped ticking. "All of this should have been mine. I should have grown up in splendor instead of a dismal Muggle orphanage."

Lucius watched as Tom wound the mechanism to set the clock going. "It's quite an estate by Muggle standards."

"It's quite an estate even by wizarding standards." Tom had been to Lucius' home and knew only too well why Lucius had made the comment. "Then again, not everyone is as affluent as you."

"True," Lucius admitted, his wealth quite considerable. "And I've yet to use Narcissa's dowry. I was intending to give it to Draco when he marries, but under the circumstances, I do believe that he'd be amenable if I used some of it to bring this place more in line with what you require."

Tom opened up the first door he came to. "Strange place to have a bedroom, on the ground floor."

"It's of an adequate size." Lucius walked past Tom into the bathroom. "I do believe though that you'll need to modernize."

"I'll probably alter everything as I'd prefer to have rooms away from this level, which means I need someone I can trust to undertake the work." Tom pulled a face at the antiquated bathroom. "As you're supplying the funding, can you also supply a renovator?"

"I know just the person." Lucius brushed imaginary dirt off of his shirt sleeve. "A designer named Lucy Viking. She's very discreet and a very close friend."

"Then make it so." Tom had decided to entrust the updates to Lucius. "I want it done before Christmas."

"Do you think you'll have tracked Lord Voldemort down by then?" Lucius asked, having been made privy to Tom's plans.

"It doesn't make any difference if I do or not." Tom made his way further along the corridor. "I cannot abide living in Severus' home for much longer." Tom turned at the sound of a voice. "It looks as though we have company. Deal with it."

"Of course, my Lord." Lucius turned and headed in the noise's direction. "Good morning."

"Who let you in?" an old man demanded to know.

"I let myself in." Lucius could hear footsteps behind him. "I'm escorting the heir to this property around it."

"There is no heir," the old man snapped. "The Riddles are all dead and buried."

"Not this one." Tom stepped into the dim light. "I'm Tom Riddle. And you are?"

The old man paled at the young man in front of him, a man who was the spitting image of the former son of the master of Riddle House. "Are you a ghost?"

"No, I'm not," Tom said, rather amused by how frightened the man was. "Who did you think I was?"

"The Master's son," the old man managed to get past his terrified lips. "But he's been gone for years."

"So have I in a manner of speaking." Tom walked forward until he was in front of the man. "But now I'm back."

The old man recovered somewhat when he noticed how young Tom was, much younger than the former Riddle boy had been. "This is some sort of trick. You're too young to be him."

"Maybe so, but this is still my house, and you still haven't told me your name," Tom said in a menacing voice.

"It's none of your business," said the old man, who was named Frank, as he turned away. "I'm going to call the police."

"I can't have that," Tom softly said, again turning to Lucius for assistance. "Lucius, if you wouldn't mind?"

Lucius pulled out his wand as the old man turned around. "You should have stayed away, Muggle."

"Muggle?" Frank questioned the term. "Is that a new swear word?"

"It means that you're non-magical," Lucius said as he aimed his wand. "An affliction I don't suffer from. Avada Kedavra."

Frank had no chance to defend himself as the spell hit him and he collapsed on to the ground. Tom sighed heavily as he stepped over the body.

"I'll need to have wards erected to hide this place. I can't have Muggles dropping in to investigate all of the time. I also think some sort of wards to repel our kind will also be necessary."

"I have a few connections in Gringotts – I can arrange for whatever you need."

Tom mulled it over. "I want the wards to be impenetrable by anyone not wearing a Dark Mark, and this property should also be undetectable by any form of magic."

"So Class A wards," Lucius said, well aware of what would be best. "Malfoy Manor has similar protections as well as being unplottable."

"That would be perfect," Tom said, before glancing down at the Muggle that Lucius had just killed. "Deal with the body."

Lucius turned his wand on the body, and within a very short time it had burnt to little more than ashes. "Are we finished here?"

"Yes." Tom nodded, deciding he had seen enough. "Contact your designer and let me have her ideas when she's seen the place. And then arrange for wards to be erected."

Tom then vanished.

19th August 1994

Remus groaned as he looked over his latest orders as he walked up the corridor. "Don't laugh, Altus. I know I wanted to be a teacher when I first started at Uni, and I've done it before as a cover, but not for an entire bloody year."

"Come on, Amicus," Altus said, struggling to hide his laughter. "How hard can it be? Just shout a lot and hand out detentions."

"But I'll be bored," Remus complained, having no wish to be forced into a teacher's position. "To say nothing of the water that's passed under the bridge between me and McGonagall."

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm positive McGonagall will be glad to have you, especially now that her Defense teacher is not the person she thought he was," Altus told him, the investigative section of the Unspeakables having conveniently discovered genuine damning evidence that Professor Partridge was a former thief, one who had been skilful enough to hide his past from most people, but not from the crack investigative section. "So I take it you're going in as you and not undercover?"

"McGonagall knows about my problem, so I think as myself," Remus said, confirming Altus' suspicions. "She'll just put two and two together and get four about my Unspeakable status if I don't."

"Then you'd better head out for your interview," Altus said, finally giving into his urge and beginning to laugh. "Perhaps she might even have an apple waiting for you."

"Fuck you!" Remus snapped as he reached the Unspeakables' apparition point, but even as he vanished, he could still hear Altus laughing.

Minerva was quite frank with Remus. "I have to be honest. You're the last person I expected to apply for this job."

"And yet you still interviewed me."

"I don't have anyone else for the position," Minerva said, omitting to mention that Severus had asked to be considered but, upon receiving Remus' application, she had decided to leave Severus where he was. "But before I do offer the Defense position to you, I need to know that you can put our past history over Harry behind us."

Remus wondered what she would say if she knew that he was Amicus. "I can if you can. We are, after all, both adults, and the true culprit is now exactly where he should be."

"Quite true," Minerva said, and she held out her hand. "In that case, Remus, welcome back to Hogwarts."

Remus forced a smile as he shook hands and lied. "I'm glad to be back."

Just then an instrument on Minerva's desk began to chime and she issued a warning. "Severus is on his way up."

"This should be awkward," Remus muttered as he turned towards the door, having to hide a genuine smile at the shock that coursed over the Potions Master's face. "Good morning, Severus."

Severus ignored Remus. "What's he doing here?"

"He's the new Defense teacher." Minerva winced at the furious look on Severus' face. She knew that later that day Severus would have some choice words about her decision.

"Just keep him out of my way." Severus walked over to Minerva and handed over a sheet of parchment. "This is what I need for the stockroom."

"I'll requisition it this afternoon," Minerva promised.

"Thank you," Severus said, and he exited the room, still not once talking directly to Remus.

"As I said, awkward," Remus murmured softly. "He still hates me, doesn't he?"

"I'm afraid so," Minerva said with dismay. "I've tried to get him to put the past behind him, but he can't."

"I almost killed him," Remus reminded Minerva, who was well aware of what had happened. "It's probably difficult for him to get beyond that."

"It wasn't your fault," Minerva said, as she picked up Remus' class schedule and handed it to him. "And in spite of his dislike of you, right now I need you both."

"I'll do my best to keep out of his way," Remus promised as he took the schedule and looked over it.

"I've made a few changes and thought it best if you get an early look at the schedule," Minerva told Remus as she watched him. "Also if you want to change anything in your rooms, you can do so."

"I presume they're on the fourth floor," Remus said, being well aware of the layout of the school.

"They are," Minerva confirmed. "And while you're here, I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind covering the Express in September, as well as covering Christmas."

Remus wanted to do neither, but having little choice, he plastered on yet another fake smile and agreed to do as Minerva had requested, before excusing himself before she could think of anything else for him to do. "I'd better be off. I'm certain you have things to do."

Minerva did, and she shook Remus' hand again. "I'll see you in September, Remus."

"Headmistress." Remus inclined his head and then stalked out.

September 3rd 1994: Year Four

Neville reluctantly headed for Defense. "Please let Lupin turn out to be a better teacher than Lockhart was. Gran was well mad at my marks last year."

"He seemed really nice when I met him when I stayed at the Weasleys and he came to see Harry," Hannah said in Remus' defense. "And my mum said he was always nice at school."

Ron backed Hannah up. "He is nice. Mum and Dad really like him as well."

Neville rolled his eyes, not yet having formally met Remus. "He might be nice, but that still doesn't mean that he can teach."

"Well, at least he's probably not going to try and kill one of us," Hannah countered in a forceful voice.

"I should hope not, one nutter is enough," Neville said in a dry tone, and he followed his friends into class.

As soon as Neville walked into the classroom, he noticed the teacher's eyes fall upon him and his two classmates. He turned and whispered to Ron, "What's he looking at?"

"He probably knows that you're one of Harry's friends, and he definitely knows that I am," Ron whispered back, and he sat down next to an already seated Hermione, with Hannah sitting behind them with Justin and Harry.

At the front of the classroom, Remus gave no indication that he had heard the children's conversation, merely transferring his attention to the other students who were piling into the classroom. Once everyone was seated, he began.

"Good afternoon. My name is Professor Lupin, and I'll be your Defense teacher for this year."

Ron flashed Remus a bright smile, one that Remus decided to make the most of, and so he pointed to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, would you please tell me in brief what you covered during last year?"

Numerous sniggers could be heard at the question, causing Remus to frown. "Would anyone care to enlighten me as to what's so amusing about my question?"

Justin was hardly surprised to see everyone looking anywhere but at their teacher, and he gave a sigh and put up his hand.

Remus pointed to him. "Mr. Finch-Fletchley?"

"What we learned about defense could be summed up in one word – nothing!"

Hermione turned around and berated her friend. "Justin, don't be so rude!"

"Miss Granger, would you concur?" Remus put Hermione on the spot, forcing her to turn around and face the front of the classroom.

"Not exactly. I did learn how to freeze and capture Cornish Pixies last year, Professor," Hermione announced to more sniggering.

"Anything else?" Remus asked.

Harry put up his hand. "I can tell you something else, Sir."

"So what did you learn, Mr. Potter?" Remus wondered how Harry would respond.

Harry grinned at Remus, well aware that he would do nothing even if Harry was totally honest. "Nothing about Defense, Sir. But I did learn about Lockhart's ambitions, his favorite colors, and how to deal with fame."

As the class burst out laughing, Remus' lips twitched involuntarily, and he struggled to hold back his own laughter at Harry's bluntness. After a second he responded, "Well, it looks as though I have my work cut out for me. We'll skip the introduction and the chapters on Cornish Pixies, so please turn to page 30."

The students dutifully opened their books at the required page to discover that it was a piece on the yeti, and several of them groaned. Remus knew exactly why. "There will be no playacting in this classroom, just study."

The class soon settled down, and they quickly discovered that unlike Lockhart, Remus actually knew what he was talking about. And so, at the end of the lesson, Neville was a bit happier leaving the classroom than when he had gone in.

"At least he seems to have some idea how to teach, so I suppose he might be all right. But I still don't like the way he was looking at me."

"Neville, he barely looked at you all class, so give him a break," Hermione said, more than a little surprised at Neville's rudeness.

Neville glanced at Harry. "I know he's your sort of guardian and everything, but he did keep staring."

Hermione could not help but be more than a little sarcastic. "He's probably a little star-struck. I mean it's not every day he meets a boy who's friends with someone as famous as Harry."

Hannah, Harry, Justin and Ron burst out laughing as Neville snapped, "Ha, ha."

Still in the classroom, with his enhanced hearing, Remus had heard everything, and he could not help but let out a shout of laughter at the comment that Hermione had made, the rather raucous laughter carrying to the children's ears.

Neville turned to his friends, his eyebrows raised. "He might be an okay teacher, but I have the feeling that he might be barking mad."

"Just because he laughed out loud doesn't mean that he's insane," Harry said, immediately defending Remus. "And he's a really good teacher. Look, I'll introduce you this weekend, and you can see that he's also a nice person."

"Well, I don't suppose he'll be fishing for information on you for a book like Lockhart, or that he'll be going mad and trying to kill you, so I suppose that would be okay." Neville shivered. "Then again if the position is cursed like they say it is, then maybe Lupin will go crazy at the end of the year."

Harry snorted. "Didn't seem to affect Snape."

Hannah grimaced as she thought about the Potions Master. "I wish it had been him instead of Lockhart who died."

"Don't we all?" Justin said, before changing the subject. "Come on, I'm starving, and it's supposed to be pork chops tonight."

Hermione chided her friend. "You're worse than Ron."

"I heard that," Ron yelled after the departing students.

Justin turned around, grinning as he ran. "You were supposed to." He had to duck to miss the book Ron hurled at him.

Two Months Later

Luna got up and walked over to Neville. "Can you come and help me with something?"

"Of course I can," Neville said, although he thought it strange that, of all people, Luna was asking for his help. "What's up?"

"I want you to ask Susan out," Luna straightforwardly said. "I see you looking at her all the time."

Neville colored. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Luna gave Neville a sweet smile. "Yes you do, and I know that you and Susan will make a perfect couple."

"You're trying to marry us off?" Neville asked in alarm.

"No but I can see you like each other." Luna twirled her quill in the air, tickling Neville on the nose. "And I can see that she doesn't like me talking to you and playing like this."

Neville could not help but look behind him. Luna was right, Susan was not looking too happy. "What if I ask her out and she says no?"

"I knew you liked her!" Luna had pounced on the implication of the question, ignoring the content of it. "And she definitely likes you. So go ask her out, and then come back here and pretend to help me with question ten about Dancing Daffodils."

Susan watched a red-faced Neville heading her way. "Did you help Luna?"

"Not yet." Neville could see that Hannah was listening intently. "Susan, can I talk to you?"

"Go ahead." Susan thought Neville was acting rather strangely.

"Um, alone?" Neville wanted no witnesses in case Luna was wrong and Susan said no.

"Come to the back of the library." Susan got up, and then she headed towards one of the window seats at the back. "Okay, what have I done wrong?"

"Nothing," Neville said as he wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers. "I, uh, I wondered if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me on Sunday?"

"You mean to celebrate Bonfire Night with our lot?" Susan asked, not clear if Neville was asking her out on a date.

Turning redder than he already was, Neville shook his head. "Not exactly. I meant just the two of us."

"I'd love to," Susan responded and she uncrossed her fingers and smiled, before remembering that she had already made plans. "I totally forgot. I've already promised Katie from my potions class that I'd go to Hogsmeade with her."

That did not bother Neville. "We can all go together."

That decided, the two of them returned to the desks at the front of the library, and Neville walked over to Luna. "I can help you with that problem now."

"Did you ask her?" Luna asked, not interested in Neville's help.

"Yes, and she said yes." Neville sat down. "But Katie Levinson is coming with us. Susan had already promised to go to Hogsmeade with her."

"I'm sure she'll let you two have some time alone," Luna said, smiling that she had been right. "And besides, I'm going with them as well."

"Susan didn't mention that." Neville pretended to check over Luna's work as he spoke.

"That's because she doesn't know yet." Luna grinned. "Now show me where I'm going wrong."

"This is where you're going wrong. It's Dancing Dahlias," Neville said, pointing out a genuine mistake that Luna had made, before he flashed the girl a quick smile. "And thank you."

"That's what friends are for," Luna said lightly as she squeezed Neville's knee. She gave a giggle as he jumped up and rejoined his friends.

Hermione frowned at her friend. "I saw that."

"I was just teasing him," Luna said as she gave a wicked smile, before resuming her usual pleasant look. "You know that in the end only a Hufflepuff will be the right person for me."

Justin had ended things with Luna not long after she came around from being petrified. Luna had surprised everyone by taking it rather well and declaring that she knew that she and Justin would still be friends.

Hermione watched Luna drift off into a daydream, ostensibly about her mysterious Hufflepuff. After waiting a few minutes for Luna to snap out of it, Hermione nudged her. "Luna, I suggest you concentrate and get your homework done, otherwise you'll be twenty before you graduate!"

"Okay then." Luna quickly made the change Neville had suggested, and rolled up her parchment. "Finished. Can I go now?"

Hermione burst out laughing. "You are terrible."

"But you love me anyway." Luna blew her friend a kiss and skipped out of the library.

13th December 1994

Harry glanced over at his sort of guardian. "Remus, do you really have to spend all year here?"

Remus, of course, did. "Given that Bellatrix Lestrange has vanished off the radar, Ignotus feels that you'll be safer with me here."

Bellatrix had been taken ill at Azkaban about a month after Harry had been found in the Chamber. She had been moved to the hospital wing, and, two days later, after killing her guards, she had vanished, her escape the impetus behind Remus' orders. Unfortunately, no-one now had the faintest idea where she was.

Harry was glad that Remus was there, but he also knew that having to take care of him like this was something of a tedious chore that Remus did not want. "But you don't like teaching, do you?"

Remus had to be honest. "Not particularly, and you've no idea how glad I am that I didn't make this my chosen profession."

"At least you're a good teacher," Harry said as he grimaced. "Unlike Snape." He had found himself thinking about the Potions Master a lot since Bellatrix's escape. "Do you think Lestrange will come here and make contact with Snape?"

Remus also thought about this. "Not if she has any sense she won't."

"But you said she seemed insane when you last saw her," Harry pointed out. "If she was, she might not even be thinking straight."

"Which is why I'm not leaving this position anytime soon," Remus said in a dull voice. Then, deciding that they both needed a diversion, he made a suggestion. "I tell you what, let's take our broomsticks out. But you can't stray from the school grounds, and try not to overdo it on the broomstick as you won't be used to the speeds it can do."

"I won't stray," Harry promised before realizing what Remus' secondary warning meant. "You mean I can use it as the Vengeance?"

"Yes," Remus said as he grabbed his own broomstick out of the cupboard. "We can practice some quidditch moves, and I know you've been itching to try out the Wronski Feint, so I'll show you the ropes."

Harry's eyes widened. Now that he was back on the quidditch team as the main seeker, Justin making reserve, he was more than a little interested in anything that might give him an advantage, even though Hufflepuff had slaughtered Ravenclaw in their last match thanks to his own efforts and those of Cedric Diggory. "You can do it?"

"I took an advanced course as part of my training, and I also had to play quidditch when I was undercover teaching in the US," Remus revealed. "So I think the answer is yes."

Harry was now thoroughly diverted, not having realized that Remus had had to masquerade as a teacher before. "So where in the US did you teach?"

"Salem Girls' School. I was head of a house that was named Good House after Sarah Good, a young woman accused of being a witch in the Salem Witch Trials," Remus told Harry as they left his rooms and walked along the corridor towards Hufflepuff House. Although Remus was far from fond of teaching he still had a passion for history, and he was aware that Harry also rather liked hearing about times gone by, especially when it was not coming from Binns.

"Was she really a witch?" Harry asked, showing the interest that Remus had helped to promote.

"None of the individuals accused were."

Harry had a vague recollection from his mind-numbing history lessons with Binns that a wizarding community was already in existence at the time of the Trials, and so he questioned their inaction. "So why did no-one rescue them?"

"Because the American magical world back then was very young; they were also very afraid of being discovered and persecuted themselves," Remus answered, before he stood aside to let Harry go into Hufflepuff House.

When Harry returned with his disguised broomstick, he picked up where they had left off. "Since the American magical world had real magic, it wasn't fair that innocent people had to die when they could've helped to save them."

"The wizarding world was just as frightened as the Muggle world of the witch hunts," Remus responded, as they strode towards the exit. "And no-one was willing to risk their lives or risk revealing their world."

"Well, I think they were wrong," Harry declared vehemently. "If it had been me, I'd have done everything I could to help an innocent person."

"I do believe you would." Remus smiled as he changed the subject as they were now outdoors. "So are you ready to fly?"

Harry grinned in delight before looking around and checking for passersby. Spotting nobody, he tapped his broomstick with his wand. "Mutatis Vengeance."

Remus did the same to his own broomstick before they both then left the ground. When they had finished, just over two hours later, Harry was red-faced from the cold but he was grinning like an idiot. "You were really good."

Remus was well aware that he was a pretty competent flyer but he had been impressed with how Harry had handled the broomstick, and he had to be honest and say that Harry was easily a much better flyer than he was. "You were pretty amazing yourself."

Harry grinned with happiness. "Thanks, but the broom helped."

"I think it was mostly you," Remus said, challenging Harry's statement before he spotted Harry's shiver. "However, I think we should go in now and get some hot chocolate. Even I'm freezing."

Harry quickly agreed, and soon the two of them were once again in Remus' rooms, both sipping fragrant hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows, Harry constantly glancing over at the broomstick with which he had fallen in love.

Remus smiled when he caught his look. "You really loved it, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Harry sighed happily. "When you said how fast it was, I didn't think it would be so easy to handle."

"That's only because you're a natural flyer," Remus said, aware that his own quick reflexes were what he relied on to keep on top of a broomstick like the Vengeance, but Harry just seemed to be one with the broomstick, something Remus would never be. "And we'll try and fit in another session once we both have time again."

Harry gave another contented sigh. "Thanks." He looked over at the broomstick yet again. "Justin would love that."

Anything Remus might have said was interrupted by a tap at the window. "I think someone wants one of us."

"I'll get it." Harry put down what was left of his hot chocolate to open the window to the owl that had tapped.

As he did so, it flew to Remus, who took the letter and opened it up, read it, and winced. Harry wondered what was wrong. "Has something happened?"

"Nothing important." Remus threw the letter into the fireplace before sitting down and revealing the letter's contents. "It was just a 'Dear John' letter." When Harry looked askance at Remus, he explained, "It's a break-up letter. Julianne has written to tell me that she's met someone else."

Harry immediately offered his commiserations. "Sorry, Remus."

Remus gave Harry a wry smile. "It's hardly your fault. I kept on having to cancel our dates, and so I'm hardly surprised she's finished with me."

"It's sort of my fault," Harry said, blaming himself. "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me."

"I was cancelling dates with her long before this assignment," Remus told Harry, taking back the blame. "And it's not as if I was in love with her." Remus turned the focus back on to Harry. "Enough about my love life; how is your own coming along?"

Harry smiled widely. "Great. Hannah is really nice." Harry's guilt over wanting to kiss Hermione had abated as time had gone by, and any thoughts of finishing with Hannah had dissipated, Harry having decided that it had been the intense situation that had caused him to feel that way.

Smiling back, Remus moved on to a different couple. "Good, but did I hear correctly on the grapevine about Hermione finishing with Dean Thomas?"

Harry was hardly surprised that Remus had heard. "You did. Hermione has said that she's more interested in her studies than boys, and I think that might be right. She doesn't even bother going to Hogsmeade anymore."

Harry had no idea that Hermione's dumping of Dean had had more to do with Harry than her work, nor did he know that her failure to attend Hogsmeade was also not work related.

Remus, however, suspected he knew the truth about Hogsmeade and filled in Harry. "I think it may have something to do with her parents; they rescinded her permission to leave the school when they heard about Lestrange's escape."

"Hermione said that she had to beg to be allowed to return - even her dad didn't want her to come back this time," Harry said, remembering the tearstained letters he had received from Hermione before her parents had changed their mind about their daughter coming back to Hogwarts. "But she never said she couldn't go to Hogsmeade."

"She might have been embarrassed," Remus suggested, "or maybe she didn't want people feeling sorry for her and staying behind."

Harry went with the latter option. "I'd probably have offered to stay behind if I'd known, and Hermione would have hated it if she thought I was missing out because of her. I still wish she'd told me though."

"She's obviously too proud, and besides, with the extra classes she took in third year and has decided to continue, she probably really doesn't have enough time to spend going to Hogsmeade."

"I think she's mad," Harry shared, having dropped some of the extra classes he had taken on. "I'm only barely coping, and that's just taking Runes and Arithmancy."

"I think she believes she has something to prove as she's a Muggle-born," Remus said, "…to say nothing of the fact that she's an overachiever."

"I know, she's top of all of our classes except for Defense," Harry said, being the top student in Defense yet again.

Harry's comment brought Remus on to another subject change. "Speaking of Defense, I've arranged for you to spend time up with me when you leave Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays, up until Christmas Eve. I think it's time to speed up your training."

"Because of Lestrange?" Harry asked.

Remus nodded. "I know I said I wouldn't rush you, but I'd like for you to have a few more defensive spells in your arsenal than you have currently. If you'd known how to temper spells, you wouldn't have ended up in the Chamber for so long, but it's mainly because of Lestrange that I'm concerned."

Nerves as well as excitement immediately assailed Harry. "Will they be Dark spells?"

"Some will, some won't," Remus told him, having already drawn up a shortlist of the spells he thought would help Harry most in case of an emergency. "And as before, if you've changed your mind, I'm not going to push you, even though I truly believe you need to be doing this."

"I also think I need to do this," Harry hurriedly assured Remus, rather excited at the thought of learning the verboten magic. "I'd rather be ready if Lestrange comes after me, as you think she might. And I'd like to be able to deal with a situation like the Chamber if it came up again, not that I expect it will."

"Neither do I, but I'm glad that you understand my pushing you," Remus said as he took Harry's mug. "Now I think you should head to dinner, and I'll see you in class tomorrow afternoon."

Harry picked up the broomstick that once again resembled a Nimbus 2001 and he headed off back to Hufflepuff, anxious for the Christmas holidays to arrive so that he could practice his defensive spells again.

France

Bellatrix bowed low before the repulsive, baby-like individual that was cradled in a chair. "Louis will be bringing your nourishment shortly, my Lord."

Voldemort expected nothing less. "Good, Bella. How goes your research?"

"I believe I may have found a ritual to bring you back."

Bellatrix had been toiling relentlessly through the Lestrange family library ever since she had found her Master deep in the Albanian forests after she had escaped from Azkaban by using a temporary glamour to impersonate one of the guards she had killed. She had then used his stolen wand again, this time to apparate to the mainland the moment she had gone through the wards on the boat that was carrying her from her former prison.

"Well, do you ever intend to tell me about it?" Voldemort asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry, my Lord. I'll do so immediately," Bellatrix apologized. "The ritual requires three things: bone from your father, an unwilling sacrifice of blood from an enemy, and a willing sacrifice of flesh from your servant."

"And are you willing to sacrifice a piece of your flesh for me, Bella?" Voldemort queried, his voice hypnotically silky.

"Of course, my Lord," Bellatrix assured him, her tone fervent. "I would do anything for you."

Knowing Bellatrix as he did, Voldemort believed her, and he swiftly moved on. "Bone of my father will be easy to obtain; Severus knows where he's buried and you will contact him to arrange it."

Bellatrix asked about the final component. "And what about blood of your enemy?"

"Severus can obtain some of Potter's blood," Voldemort decided. "Dumbledore is a little out of my reach in Azkaban."

"Do you really think that Snape will be able to succeed?" Bellatrix asked. "He's…"

"You dare challenge my opinion, Bella?" Voldemort interrupted, believing in keeping his servants in line, even Bellatrix.

Bellatrix immediately lowered her head as she spoke. "No, my Lord."

"Good," Voldemort snapped. "Now go find that useless boy and bring me my milk."

"Yes, my Lord," Bellatrix said, before bowing and hurriedly leaving the room.