Harry
"I didn't have to use it but I went into the bathroom. I sat there for a few minutes before I left." I recounted what happened to Hermione and Ron.
"You could have of said no, Harry." said Hermione.
"She was just pointing at the door. I felt obligated."
"You were right to leave when you did." Ron chimed in. "You can't say anything with her sister there. You have to get her when she is alone."
"Even when we were alone I barely got a word out. I don't know what to say. I want her to talk instead. The worse is, when she does talk it's about everything else but fancying me."
"Gosh, Harry, you can't expect her to confess her feelings out right to you. She's probably embarrassed. You should say it first." suggested Hermione.
"No." I told her flat out. "Is it wrong if I want Astoria to say she fancies me first? I need her to reassure me that I am not imagining it myself."
"Her letters are proof of her feelings for you." insisted Hermione. "A girl doesn't write to you every day for all these years and not have feelings for you."
Right after Daphne's Howler finished screaming, I found the piles of letters Astoria sent to me. She wrote to me every day since her fifth year. Some were short passages about her everyday life, some were long with humorous dialogue, and some were disturbing things she saw or heard during the war. Whether it was a good or bad day, her letter all end with the same note in the bottom. She wished I was safe. It was all she asked me for and nothing else. Although I treated her poorly, she didn't mind it, and she never forgot me.
"None of these say she fancies me. Besides, she wrote them but I don't think she sent them to me." I told them what I have been suspecting.
Both stared at me with large eyes.
I took out one of my favorite letters I enjoyed reading and showed it to them. Astoria wrote about learning how to cast a Patronus charm from Neville. She wished she could have learned it from me. "I read all of them over and over again and I noticed this." I pointed at the left side of the parchment. "All of them look like they were tore from something...a diary, maybe?"
Hermione took the letter from me to examine.
"I was suspicious if any of these letters was written by her at all. I spoke to Neville before I went to see her and asked him about it. He confirmed the events that she wrote about."
"That means someone ripped pages of her diary out and sent them to you." said Hermione.
"Why would someone do that? What do they want?" wondered Ron.
"Maybe someone is trying to play matchmaker?" said Hermione. "You have to get close to Astoria to figure it out. How about you volunteer to be the new Defends Against the Dark Arts teacher? The position is still open, you know, because no one dares apply for it."
"Don't do it, Harry. Look what happened to all of the other teachers. I mean, sure Voldemort is gone but you never know." said Ron.
"The position is not available. Since no one was willing to teach it, McGonagall grouped it in with History of Magic." I know this because I already asked. "Astoria is teaching it to her sixth and seventh years."
"It's a shame you can't teach it, Harry. You were great when you were teaching the DA." said Ron.
"Harry, you can offer to supervise her classes. You've got experience with the DA and you are an Auror." suggested Hermione.
I went with Hermione's idea. I owled McGonagall and made my offer. McGonagall's response could be considered good or bad. As an Auror, she thought it would be best for me to attend all of Astoria's classes from first to seventh years. I would have negotiated better terms for me but I wanted to see what how Astoria's teaching style was different from Binns. I agreed since it was just one subject I had to relearn. My superiors even allowed me the time off for it.
I returned to Hogwarts disguised as a first year and joined Astoria's class. She wouldn't notice me as long as I remain blended in with the other students and not bring attention to myself. Astoria's teaching style was very different from Binns just as I thought. She took the class out of the room and walked us about the castle. She told us interesting facts and events that occurred in particular areas and methods of how to find our way despite the classroom and stairs constantly changing. I already knew some of these things from when I was a student but the ones I was learning from Astoria were fascinating. I and the children were engaged during the tour and had lots of fun listening to her. There were times when a couple of the children tried to sneak off but Peeves was ready to throw whatever object available at them. It caused them to remain with the crowd.
Astoria stopped at the bottom of the Hogwarts Stairways and gesture for us to look at it.
"These massive stairs were concocted from the creative mind of Rowena Ravenclaw. As you know, they move at their own will and some steps do vanish. Remember to jump over those or you will sink. Don't worry after a while you will be used to them. The stairways are connected to every floor, including the dungeons. They also led to secret corridors, many not yet discovered." Astoria lowed her voice and winked at us when she said the last part. This caused a chaos of chatter around me.
As someone who knew first-hand about the abilities of these stairs I was tempted to share my experience. I had to hold my tongue or risk them discovering who I am. After Astoria showed us how to hop over the steps that sink, she led us back to the classroom and passed out sweets. As I ate I watched Astoria talking to the students that have gathered around her. She really was a great teacher.
After every class I went to the bathroom to changed my disguise and rejoin them. In her second year class we went outside of the castle to learn more information about events that happened there. That was just as fun to learn.
"On these very ground there was once a large mob of wizards and witches were divided. Fused by Salazar Slytherin, they protested against admitting Muggle born children into Hogwarts."
All of the Muggle born students looked uneasy by her lecture.
"He was out voted by the other founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff." Astoria paused when as student raised his hand. "Yes?"
"How do feel about Muggleborns in Hogwarts?"
"A person has the right to proper education no matter what their blood status is. I treat all of my students equally. I am here to teach you that there are multiple point-of-views you need to take into consideration before you make decisions." She told us. From the mouth of a former Slytherin it meant a lot to the students and to me.
With no more questions asked, she continued with her lecture. In the third year class, we learned about magical international history from each continent. For this we stayed in the classroom. Astoria used an Engorgio charm to enlarge her paintings of foreign landscapes. We got to go inside of them to interact and talk to the inhabitants of the paintings. They recounted important events that they personally witnessed. It was enlightening.
In our fourth year class, Astoria gave us goblin mask to design. She had trays of goblin accessories and soft rubber weapons for us to choose from. We put the mask on and dressed like goblins. We reenact the goblin rebellion while Astoria narrated.
In our fifth year class, Astoria rolled out large painting of a forest on the floor. Using a charm she made the forest landscape come alive. We got to know what giants feel like, having the trees barely reached out shoulders. We got to walk on top of the painting, feel the grass on our bare feet, touched the top of the trees. We learned the simple live the giants lived before the war started.I was enjoying my time in her class very much. It was a shame my History of Magic class was not like this when I was a student.
In our sixth year, Astoria stretched the defense aspect of the subject before getting started. She walked through the rows instructing the students how to properly rotate and flex their wrist. It was to relax our muscle before we perform actual spells.
I was flexing my wrist when Astoria came up to me. "Here, you do it like this?" She held her hand up to show me.
She was always a good distance away from me. Having her standing so close caused me to freeze on the spot. She noticed this and stopped what she was doing.
"Are you okay?" she asked me.
"I-I-I'm fine." I managed to choke out.
"Are you not feeling well?"
I said the first thing that came to my mind. "Allergies."
"You should see Madam Pomfrey for that. You are excused from class...I apologize I don't remember your name."
"Harry." I said out of reflex and bit my tongue after I realized my mistake. I accidentally told her my real name instead of a fake one.
"Well, Harry, you are excused to see Madam Pomfrey."
"Thank you, professor." I ran out of there like Dementors were chasing me.
While I hid in the bathroom, I splashed cold water on my face and wiped it before leaving the bathroom. I decided that I am not going back to her class.
"Harry! Thank goodness I found you. Are you, okay?" asked Astoria.
Oh, no. She followed me.
"You followed me?"
"You didn't return to class or went to the hospital wing. I was concerned."
"You are concerned about me?" This made my heart beat faster. "Thank you, but I don't need to see her."
"Are you certain, Harry? You are drenched in sweat."
Because of you.
"It's normal."
"Then sorry. I'll leave you now."
"Thank you, professor."
As soon as she was gone I went back into the bathroom to change remove my disguise. Taking all of these classes in one day was taxing but it made me realize one something. Whether Astoria was in love with me or not, I was completely in love with her. Worse. I don't believe I can face her now.