Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately.
A/N: Not much action this chapter, but hopefully some good character development.
Harry was getting a lot of enjoyment out of the welcoming feast. Hermione and Ron kept glancing at him, not sure why he was smiling so broadly. Harry, however, was watching the head table. It was obvious the other professors were very uncomfortable around Professor Osiris, especially Professor Snape who Dis had sat beside and kept smiling and trying to engage in conversation. The headmaster seemed even less enthused introducing the new DADA professor than he had been Umbridge, but all the students clapped loudly for the handsome, young, and well-dressed professor since they were too far away to feel Death's aura.
"At least he's nicer to look at than Umbridge," Hermione said with a smile, accompanied by a jealous look from both Ron and Harry (for different reasons of course).
"I have one last announcement," Dumbledore rumbled out to the hall. "Unfortunately, Professor Binns has recently decided to pass on into the next life unexpectedly. Therefore, I will temporarily be teaching History of Magic until we find a more permanent replacement." Harry looked at Dis and they both shared a knowing look and a laugh.
When everyone started heading back to their dormitories after the feast, Harry waved up to the head table. "Dis! Come meet my friends," he called. Harry couldn't stop a laugh when both Snape and Dumbledore's heads whipped around to him so fast they could have whiplash.
Death just smiled and strode over to Harry, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Meet Ron, Hermione, and Neville," Harry said motioning to his nervous friends in front of him who looked like they were going into a fight or flight response.
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Professor Osiris as the man with the beard said," Death offered them his hand.
Now that they were getting the full impact of Death's aura at this point, it was a moment before Hermione gathered her courage to reach out and shake Death's hand, surprisingly followed by Neville, then Ron. "Dis is an old friend of my family's," Harry explained. "He and Sirius were good friends, and he asked Dis to look out for me this year."
"Why didn't Sirius mention you before?" Hermione asked, always the curious type.
"I've been traveling for most my life and hard to pin down. I only accepted this job after hearing about all the insanity of the last DADA professors," Death laughed, causing Harry's friends to shiver.
About that time Professor Dumbledore walked over, trailed by Snape. "Ah, I see you know each other," Dumbledore said (eye missing that twinkle) as he pointedly glanced at the arm around Harry's shoulder.
"Dis and my mum were friends," Harry smiled, figuring Snape would assume the new professor was a marauder in the making if he said he was friends with his dad. "Sirius asked him to look after me if anything happened to him."
"I don't remember you from school," Snape said coldly.
"I didn't go here, home schooled. Did the headmaster not tell you?" Death answered with a broad smile that affected only Harry positively. "Besides, I'm obviously much younger than Harry's parent's crew. I was a kid down the street from them when Harry was a baby."
"We should get back, curfew and all," Neville squeaked out. It seems his nerves had enough.
"Sure, see you in class professor," Harry smiled at Death and gave Dumbledore and Snape both a nod.
"See you in class," Hermione mumbled as she followed the guys quickly out of the Great Hall.
It was Thursday before the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had DADA with the new professor. Harry listened raptly to all the rumors and opinions going around the school. It seemed the consensus was that the lessons were just as good and interesting as Lupin's, the professor was definitely hot, and he was undeniably creepy, more so than Fake Moody even. Many swore they'd believe he was a Death Eater if he didn't regularly roll up his sleeves to demonstrate something in class. Harry was pretty sure he was showing his unmarked left arm on purpose to put the students a little more at ease.
Harry happily sat between Ron and Hermione in their first DADA class of the semester. He couldn't help thinking that this was finally a year when the DADA professor wouldn't try to kill him, and if he did, then he could just bring him back again. Not that Harry actually had strong feelings on the bringing back bit, but it was the principle of the matter.
"I've been asking around, and it seems your experiences in this subject have been a bit sketchy to say the least," Death smiled at the class, causing a couple students to pale. "I would like to see your comfort levels with some simple and then some more complex spells today. We will start with the Protego shield spell. I'll pair you off and one partner will cast mild jinxes, nothing stronger than jelly-legs and the other will shield it. Then, I would like to see where you are with the Patronus charm. I understand that some of you were in a fairly effective study-group last year and can cast corporeal ones.
Death paired everyone off, Ron and Hermione were together, and Harry unfortunately ended up with Malfoy. Harry was pretty sure Death did it on purpose just to mess with him. The professor demonstrated the shield charm with his 'fake' wand and turned them loose to start working. Malfoy was casting jinxes well above jelly-legs for Harry to block when Death came around to their group. "Five points from Slytherin for not following directions, Mr. Malfoy," Death said as he walked up behind Malfoy, causing the boy to shiver. "Good shield, Harry," Death said as he continued on.
"Teacher's pet aren't we this year, Potter," Malfoy sneered.
It was worth the look of sheer confusion on Malfoy's face when Harry sighed dramatically and said, "Man, I wish. Wouldn't that be great?"
Death then called the class back together where, after intentionally rolling up his sleeves for the new class to show the lack of a Dark Mark, he demonstrated the Patronus charm and a large, silver Cerberus erupted from his wand (read hand). Harry was proud that all the students from Dumbledore's Army were able to produce a corporeal patronus, and also several of the Slytherins. Malfoy was only able to get some silver vapor to Harry's amusement. Overall, Harry left the class proud of the students he tutored and elated from a good lesson, as everyone else left shivering and feeling uncomfortable.
Friday evening, Harry pushed through Death's doorway and crashed on his couch as he removed his invisibility cloak. "I'm so tired!" He exclaimed to the room in general as Death looked up from the book he was reading in the armchair.
"Hello to you too," Death smirked. "Even as a 15-month-old you greeted me with better manners."
"I did?" Harry asked, trying to remember back.
"Yep, you said in your cute little way 'Hello my name is Harry, who are you?'"
"Eh, must have grown out of them," Harry grinned over at Death. "You've been the most stable influence in my life, so it's probably your fault anyway."
"Oh gods, what've I done?!" Death dramatically exclaimed, draping one hand over his forehead.
"Hey," Harry said, sitting up and getting serious. "Dumbledore wants me to start coming to his office for some lessons. Something to do with the crap prophesy."
"Take your coin. Summon me if you need me," Death said with a concerned look. "I don't really like his focus on you. If he truly believed you were the only way to kill that abomination, then why hasn't he taken more time to train you and get you ready? Something isn't quite right."
"Any ideas?"
Death walked over and picked up Harry's invisibility cloak, to Harry's confusion. "I think the headmaster has a dangerous obsession with the Deathly Hallows."
"The what?!"
Death walked over to his bookcase and pulled what looked like the first edition of a children's book off the self, which he handed to Harry. The front cover was stamped with a gold Tales of Beadle the Bard. "Read the story of the three brothers please and let me know what you think."
As Harry read the story, Death watch his expression go from mild curiosity, to interest, to confusion, and then questioning eyes looked from the invisibility cloak Death was holding to Death himself. "Is this actually true? Is my cloak…?"
"It's mostly true. A little overly dramatized though, and I don't know where the bridge metaphor came from." Death held up the cloak. "This was a pretty good piece of magic, if I do say so myself."
"You made my cloak?"
"One of your ancestors must have been Ignotus Peverell."
"What about the other hallows? The wand and the stone?"
"Dumbledore has them both. His wand is the elder wand and the ring on his finger is the resurrection stone," Death mused as he ran the cloak through his fingers. "I need you to be vigilant with this. If the headmaster asks you to meet him and bring your cloak, come to me first and don't give it to him."
"What would happened if he got them all?" Harry asked, concerned for his friend. "What does it mean to be the Master of Death?"
"Frankly, not much anymore," Death smiled with a wry laugh. "I'll need to explain that to you at some point, but I'm not sure you're ready. It has to do with the soul bond we talked about after the dementors. For now, I'll just tell you that I made the three hallows for the Peverell brothers after they did a service for me. I consulted Fate on the gift before I made the items, and she said they would return to me one day through my interactions with someone very important. That's all I feel like I should tell you now though, or your mum would probably have my head, and it would add even more onto your already burdened shoulders."
After a minute of studying Death's face, Harry decided. "I'll trust you for now," he warned. "You know I don't like being kept in the dark though, but I will watch out for Dumbledore."
"Thank you," Death handed back the cloak. "This belongs to you." Harry frowned at an extra note of meaning Death seemed to infuse that statement with. He figured it had to do with whatever his friend wasn't ready to tell him yet though.
"Another thing," Harry shrugged. "You need to start saying Voldemort. I understand why you don't, but 'the abomination' is a little strong, don't you think?"
"I'll not glorify that creature with a name," Death sniffed. "How about I go with the standard You-Know-Who?"
Harry shrugged, "Suit yourself, but avoid abomination."
"I refuse to call his followers anything besides minions though. Their name is too disrespectful."
Harry laughed. "Please do, and right in front of Malfoy too!"
"Imp!" Death laughed as Harry collected his bag off the floor. "Keep me updated on Dumbledore."
"Kiss goodnight?" Harry asked with a smile and a bat of his eyelashes.
"Out demon!" Death laughed and threw a throw pillow at Harry's retreating back.
The next DADA class was even more gossip-worthy than the first of the semester. The sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins set down for a lecture class with a serious looking professor at the chalkboard. "Welcome class. Today I want to talk with you about classifications in our world of creatures and magic. Can anyone tell me what classifies magic as dark or light?"
Hermione, of course, raised her hand. "Yes, Ms. Granger?"
"Light magic pulls on nature or the elements but dark magic deals with ritual, blood, soul, or mind magics."
"Very good! 5 points to Gryffindor!" Professor Osiris smiled, which didn't cause Hermione to beam as she normally would. "Now that we know the classifications, I would like to start talking about a powerful dark creature. This dark creature deals in soul magics, similar to the magic that dementors draw on though they use it differently. Would anyone like to guess which creature I'm talking about?"
Blaize Zabini raised his hand. "A boggart, sir?"
"Wonderful guess, Mr. Zabini! You are right, boggarts do use soul magic, though many believe them to use mind magic and are mistaken in that, 5 points to Slytherin. However, that is not the creature we are discussing. This creature is much more powerful than a boggart. This is the creature…"
Death waved his hand over the chalkboard and a cartoon-style image of Hedwig appeared. "Um, sir, that's an owl," Hermione tentatively said as several others snickered behind their hands throughout the room.
"That's correct, Ms. Granger," Death smiled at her. "Owls use soul magic to identify and track those they deliver letters to. How do you think an owl can find someone when we constantly are moving and traveling? Let's look at a light creature next to help you see my point…"
Death waved his hand once more and a cartoon-style image of a basilisk appeared on the chalkboard beside the owl. "Magical snakes solely use light magic of nature to interact with the world around them. The basilisk uses magic from the earth and the air almost exclusively."
Harry raised his hand. "So, you're saying the classifications are crap?" He asked his friend with a smile, already having had this lecture before many times over the years.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Harry," Death returned the smile. "Classifications change and are based on many arbitrary rules. Mostly, it seems that creatures are labeled dark if the person doing the labeling is scared of them and light if that person thinks they are cute. Where creatures are concerned. I would like us all to face our misconceptions this year and learn the abilities and the traits of the creatures we study instead of their classifications. Knowing that a creature uses light magic, will not save you if the basilisk is staring you in the eyes."
"Spells are different though, right?" Ron spoke up, actually interested in a class lesson, surprisingly. "Dark spells are dark for a reason."
"Thank you for the transition, Mr. Weasley," Death laughed. "Our next subject is definitely spells. Can anyone tell me a dark spell that could kill someone?"
Hermione's hand shot up again. "The killing curse!" She stated.
"Of course, Ms. Granger," Death agreed. "Avada Kedavra is a dark spell than can kill a person. Can someone tell me a light spell that could kill someone?"
The class was quiet for several seconds before Harry raised a hand, remembering a story Death had told him once years ago that was definitely not appropriate as a kid's bedtime story. "Yes, Harry?"
"Stricta viverra," Harry smirked, a little gruesomely.
"The wrinkle removing spell?" Pansy Parkinson snorted from behind Harry.
"Yes, Harry; Ms. Parkinson, he is actually correct. Though the wrinkle removing spell works wonders on your robes, you do realize that your intestines are folded over each other within you in many, many folds. If they were all suddenly straightened at once…well, it would be a horrible way to die. Much worse than Avada Kedavra," Death explained, with a sideways glance to Harry who knew Avada Kedavra wasn't really a good way to go, no matter what anyone said.
"What I will be teaching you this semester is defense against intent, not just against dark spells. Even light spells with enough power and intent behind them can maim and kill. Just because a spell is light, like Scourgify, doesn't mean it can't harm you. A powerful enough scourgify can skin you alive. And, just because a spell is dark, doesn't mean it's dangerous. For instance, there is a blood magic spell that helps plants to grow faster and stronger. That is all it will do. It cannot maim, kill, or affect anything besides the plant it is cast on. If this spell had been used in your second year on the mandrakes, those who were petrified would have been healed from their statue state in a fraction of the time. We are at war, and I feel it is important for you all to know how to defend yourselves against others, no matter what kind of spells they are using."
"So, you are saying that the spell itself, or the type of magic, isn't evil by nature, but the intent behind it is what makes it dangerous or not?" Harry asked, knowing this was something Death cared a lot about, especially that they were not being taught this at Hogwarts.
"Exactly, Harry," Death agreed. "Witches and wizards have magic that learns towards either light or dark by the nature of their magical core. They can use all kinds of magic, but they will find either light spells or dark spells easier. So, a light wizard would need stronger intent and more magic to make a dark spell work for them, even though it is possible. As an example, Dumbledore is one of the most powerful light wizards of our day. He has enough power, and with the intent, he could easily kill someone with a Scourgify spell. It would be harder, not impossible, but harder for Dumbledore to kill someone with Avada Kedavra."
Malfoy snorted. "So, you're saying it'd be easier for the headmaster to kill someone with a cleaning charm than with the killing curse?"
"As a light wizard, yes," Death nodded. "Now, I have a talent that I've developed over the years where I can see the leanings of a person's magic. As you are all sixth years, and we are in a war, I will always be upfront with you about spells that will work better for you than others. You probably will all be unsurprised to know that Ms. Granger here is a very light witch."
Death nodded at Hermione and no one looked surprised at all. "Also, unsurprisingly, as her family has historically been dark, Ms. Parkinson is a dark witch." Pansy smirked at those around her and Zabini just rolled his eyes. "I would wager your owl is very loyal to you, Ms. Parkinson?"
"She's my best friend," Pansy agreed with the professor.
"Now, to be frank, there are some of you that are less stereotypical in this class. For you, I would suggest talking with your family or an advisor about approaches to magic to best use your natural tendencies to your advantage. Unfortunately, we do not teach dark magic at Hogwarts, but there are approaches that you can use to help boost your magic and intent with light spells if you have a dark core. So, a couple of you that should probably consider this, Mr. Malfoy, you are a light wizard."
Draco Malfoy paled and sputtered in denial. "You are, and I would suggest maybe reaching out to Professor Flitwick as a powerful light wizard and world class dueling champion as one to give you pointers. The spells you learned as a child in your dark family will never be as powerful as light spells could be for you."
The Slytherins in the room looked over at Malfoy in confusion as Harry smiled from behind his hand and quietly snickered.
"Also," the professor continued. "Mr. Longbottom, you are a dark wizard. I doubt you will have learned the necessary approaches to take for light magic in our family for one who is working against his natural talents. If you ever want to succeed in Charms or Transfiguration, I recommend getting help from another with a dark core like Ms. Parkinson…or Mr. Filch is a strong dark wizard here at the school."
"Erm, Filch is a squib," Theodore Nott laughed with several others joining in. "I think you need to work on that talent of yours."
Death glared at Nott, making him abruptly stop laughing. "Mr. Nott, I think you are the one misinformed. The house elves here at Hogwarts only work in the kitchens and the dorms. Mr. Filch is the caretaker for the entire rest of this enormous castle and has a powerful, dark familiar in Mrs. Norris. There is no way, one man without magic can care for this entire castle, inside and outside, cleaning, repairing, updating, and preserving without constantly using magic. I don't know how the squib rumor got started, but I would wager Mr. Filch encourages the rumor as it helps to have you students underestimate a person sometimes. So, I may have just outed him, but he would be a good one to talk to about using your dark core most effectively in a light environment."
"What are you professor?" Ron asked, still seemingly stunned about Filch though genuinely interested in the professor.
"I'm dark," the professor said simply. "I, however, and not a good one to teach others to use light magic most effectively as it is something I have less experience with."
"So, you're saying you actually use dark magic?" Ron asked through narrowed and suspicious eyes.
"Indeed, but the administration will not let me teach that to you at this school, so we will be staying on the light side, though I disagree with this policy," Death sighed.
"Well, I think there's one question that we'd all like to know the answer to," Malfoy spoke up again pompously. "What is Harry Potter?"
Death smiled at Malfoy, knowing this question would be coming and having already talked it over with Harry. "Oh, Harry is dark," Death said nonchalantly with a dismissive wave of his hand before smiling at him again as if having a thought. "I think that your father would be very interested to know that his son is a light wizard and the Boy-Who-Lived is dark. It does break down some of the normal misconceptions and prejudices, right?"
"Nah, they all have thought I'm dark multiple times, but they always equate it with evil," Harry laughed and look around at his classmates. "I can assure you all, you are more in danger of Malfoy trying to scourgify you all to death than of anything I would do."
"Well, said, 5 points to Gryffindor," Death smirked at his Harry. "Now, for homework, I would like 3 feet on what you believe your magic core to be and your advantages and disadvantages in a duel with a light wizard using the intent to kill and one with a dark wizard also using the intent to kill."
The students all began packing up, looking more dazed than usual at the end of the class. "Mr. Longbottom, if you would give me a minute," the professor called as the rest of the students started leaving, though Harry was slowly packing his bag in order to hang back.
"Professor? Is that true? Is my magic dark?" Neville asked as Death sat on the desk in front of the concerned looking student.
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom," Death said with a kind and sympathetic look on his face, usually only used when someone died most unexpectedly, he was still working on the human emotions thing. "You are a powerful wizard, but I'd wager no one is helping you meet your potential here with Hogwarts' prejudice towards solely light magic. Your family may be able to help. I seem to remember your great-grandmother was a dark witch."
"I'd never heard that," Neville said, looking slightly more reassured that a member of his family also had a dark core.
"I hear you have a talent for Herbology?"
Neville finally had a smile cross his face. "Yes, sir. I love Herbology and making things grow."
"Then, you didn't get this from me," Death said, taking an ancient book from a pocket in his robes. The title across the front said The Dark Gardener in large, silver letters.
Neville looked at the book as if he was afraid of it. "There are no evil spells in there," Death assured him. "I'm sure you could do some damage with your intent using a few of them, but nothing is inherently evil about what is in that book."
Neville smiled again. "Thank you, sir," he said as he put the book in his bag and left the classroom.
"That was very nice of you," Harry said, sitting on Death's desk at the front of the room.
Death propped his feet up on the desk beside Harry. "I've heard countless professors complain about that boy's spellwork ability since I started here, but not a single one of them tried to help him connect to light magic more easily. He's a powerful wizard, but this school is failing him."
"Filch is going to be so mad at you," Harry laughed. "I can guarantee it's going to spread across the school by lunch, and he'll be bothered by dozens of students."
Death scowled unrepentantly. "This is a war, and he's a powerful wizard. If the castle is attacked, he'd best be planning to help protect the students, or he's going on my List. I have nothing against acerbic and sarcastic personalities, I've been told I lean that direction myself. It is no excuse for not protecting the lives of children though."
Sure enough, on his way to lunch, Harry passed a grumbling caretaker growling to himself about meddling DADA professors and interfering Death Eater kids who wouldn't know dark magic if it bit them. Harry just laughed as he rushed forward to join Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall. If being outed kept him off Death's List, then it was better for the caretaker to have more headaches now than when he had an entire eternity of dealing with an irate Death.
Up next: Winter holidays and Dumbledore meddles.