Chapter 4
The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, 20th August 2011
Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore approached the back door of the Burrow, which was surrounded by the familiar litter of old Wellington boots and rusty cauldrons. Dumbledore knocked three times and Harry saw sudden movement behind the kitchen window. Harry's mind was still reeling from today's events. Meeting Slughorn had been strange. He was an old colleague of Dumbledore's and back in the day had worked in Hogwarts as the Potions Professor. Slughorn disguised himself as an armchair, paranoid that Death Eaters were after him.
"Who's there?" said a nervous voice he recognized as Mrs Weasley's as they approached. She was peering from behind the door.
"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry." The door opened at once. There stood Mrs Weasley, wearing an old green dressing gown. She was slightly plump, with shoulder-length red hair with kind features that lit up the moment her eyes caught sight of Harry.
"Harry, dear! Merlin, Albus, you frightened me." Molly's eyes darted around in the darkness as she fanned herself trying to calm her nerves.
"Slughorn proved much more persuasive than I had expected. Harry's doing, of course," Dumbledore said as they walked inside.
"Harry, give me your bags, go and sit by the fire. You must be freezing. Albus, would you like some tea?" Mrs Weasley asked.
"Mrs Weasley, I'm fine," Harry answered as he carried his trunk and owl cage in and put them on the table. Hedwig hooted happily from inside the cage. She was grateful to be out of the harsh weather.
"Are you sure dear? How about some soup?" Mrs Weasley replied with a smile. "It's no trouble at all," she added, pulling out her wand and pointing it at the dishes in the sink. An iron pot hovered in the air for a bit before settling down on the stove.
"That would be great Mrs Weasley," Harry said gratefully. "Thanks."
"No bother at all," Mrs Weasley smiled back. She bustled around the kitchen, humming to herself.
"Honestly, you and Ronald..." she sighed, looking him up and down. "Both of you look as though you've had stretching jinxes put on you. I swear Ron's grown four inches since I last bought him school robes."
As Harry sat down, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face lumped onto his knees and settled there, purring. He grinned at the familiar feline, asking "So, Hermione is here then?" as he tickled Crookshanks behind the ears.
"Oh yes, she arrived the day before yesterday," said Mrs Weasley, tapping the large iron pot with her wand. It began to bubble immediately. The smell of onion soup wafted towards Harry's nostrils, and he smiled. He hadn't realized the trip would make him as hungry as it did.
Mrs Weasley handed Harry a bowl of soup with a few slices of brown bread.
"Thanks, Mrs Weasley," Harry smiled.
"Harry?" a voice called, and they turned to see a tall, freckled, red-headed figure come down the stairs. "Hey mate!"
"Hey Ron," Harry said, but was cut off by a shout of "Harry!" and a blur of brown as he felt Hermione's arms encircle his shoulders.
"How have you been? We've been looking forward to seeing you for ages!" she said rapidly. Dumbledore chuckled.
"Molly, I know it is late, but I need to call an Order meeting. I would ask that the children are allowed to attend," Dumbledore said.
"Albus, the Order meetings have-" Mrs Weasley began, but Albus held up a hand.
"Please Molly," Dumbledore began. "It concerns the new teachers I have arranged for this year."
"Slughorn? But we already know," Molly said in a confused tone.
"I will call the meeting, and it will be revealed," Dumbledore said calmly and raised his wand with his uninjured hand.
It took around ten minutes for the members of the Order of the Phoenix to arrive. Soon, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Tonks, Lupin, Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, Severus, Hiesta Jones, Mad-Eye Moody and Mundungus, along with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were sitting around the table. They waited for Dumbledore to speak.
"It has come to my attention that we have some new business to attend to." Dumbledore directed his attention to Professor McGonagall. She set her teacup down and addressed them.
"Under the instruction of Albus I have paid a visit to the United States of America."
"The United States?" Hermione questioned.
"What were you doing there, Professor?" Harry wondered what she would be doing on that side of the world. It was certainly not for a pleasure trip that's for sure.
"Fancy a holiday?" Ron snorted. "The last place I would expect you to pick would be America Professor." He stopped smiling when his mother gave him a stern look.
"I was meeting our newest staff members." Professor McGonagall replied, trying to keep up a look of indifference.
"New Professors?" Ron groaned. "And that means another subject that I'll probably fail."
"Be quiet Ron." Hermione hissed, eager to hear about the prospect of a new class. "What subjects will these new Professors teach?"
"Demonology." Professor McGonagall sipped her tea as the others processed this.
"As in the study of demons?" Molly asked in a concerned tone.
"Yes Molly, I'm afraid so," Dumbledore answered her. "With Voldemort," -everyone but Dumbledore and Harry shuddered at the name- "gaining new members into his ranks, the possibility of the demonic variety is great. I thought that it would be to our advantage to have a skilled demon hunter on our side to instruct our students on the proper way to dispose of these creatures."
They all sat in silence and absorbed everything that Dumbledore had said.
"So, will these new Professors be teaching us spells and counter curses?" Ginny wondered.
"Well, not exactly Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall tried to find the right words to use.
"You see, these new Professors were not brought up in a magical learning environment."
"So, they are Muggleborns?" Hermione guessed.
"Well, not really. They are-"
"They are Muggles," Dumbledore revealed, cutting Professor McGonagall short. "Average Muggles."
"Muggles? How fascinating!" Mr Weasley was astounded. "I can't wait to meet them!"
"But Professor, there hasn't been a single Muggle teacher at Hogwarts since… well… since forever!" Hermione exclaimed, quickly going through the roster of the administration at Hogwarts.
"Which is precisely why I am bringing them in, Miss Granger," Dumbledore told them. "I have heard what they have been through in their lives, and I can think of no one better to instruct this new class."
"So, you think they can teach us to fight?" Harry asked, thinking of the possibilities of using hand-to-hand combat with the Death Eaters, smiling in satisfaction at the thought of punching Malfoy.
"Yes, I believe they do," Dumbledore replied. "I was originally going to ask their father to come too, but I discovered that their father passed away as of around four years ago," he finished sadly. "They've been travelling aimlessly ever since."
"Their mother must be devastated," Mrs Weasley said sadly, heartbroken over the loss.
Dumbledore patted her on the hand gently. "Their mother passed away when they were children."
"Oh, those poor dears," Mrs Weasley gasped.
Harry looked down at the table, the irony wasn't lost on him that the two men had nearly the same upbringing as himself.
"Yes, their lives have been difficult, but after their mother died, their father, John Winchester, raised his sons to fight demons and other supernatural creatures," Professor McGonagall explained.
"He raised them to fight, is he mad?" Ron exclaimed. The elder members of the Order shared glances briefly with each other at his statement.
"How fortunate to be born in an era of peace…" Moody grumbled under his breath. "Never having to fight for everything you had."
"Some may say that, but John Winchester raised his sons in that life to protect themselves," Dumbledore said simply, fixing Moody with a cold stare before turning his attention to the deputy headmistress. "Were they difficult Minerva?"
Professor McGonagall smiled curtly, remembering the guns drawn on her at the motel. "They were as to be expected. As you said, they have been through a lot, and they acted as I anticipated."
"But Muggles at Hogwarts? The Daily Prophet will have a field day," Bill muttered.
"I am not concerned about what the Daily Prophet has or will print. I think they may have printed a story already," Dumbledore said. He turned to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
"I need you to support the Professors this year. There will be a lot going against them. Surely the students will have something to say about this, but John Winchester was the best hunter America has ever seen, and his sons have been trained to be the current best." Dumbledore said. "I'm counting on the four of you to put your best foot forward."
"We'll do that sir," Harry replied, and his friends nodded. Ron was anticipating the agony of learning yet another subject he was doomed to fail. Hermione was mulling over the challenge of learning another subject Ron was sure she'd ace.
"Headmaster, if I may say a few words." The one person who had not spoken took this opportunity to speak.
"Of course, Severus, this is an open discussion." Dumbledore smiled warmly. "If you have something to add, please do."
"I think it would be more beneficial to the students if we would hire someone who has more experience," Snape said, using his most superior tone. "I mean if you can't have this… John Winchester… that you wanted in the first place. Need we address the issue again that he couldn't even save his wife- why would you choose his son's that don't have as much experience."
Harry's nails were digging deep into the palm of his hands by the time his least favourite teacher finished speaking. He was going to say something, but Hermione put a firm hand on his shoulder, and he held his tongue. It was one thing for Snape to bully people while they were at school. But he didn't even know these people and was already passing judgement on them.
"Severus, my old friend, I wouldn't dream of offering this job to anyone else. Though they are a little rough around the edges, as I recall, there was another situation similar to this that turned out fine." Dumbledore reminded him. No one wanted to look, but everyone knew he was talking about Professor Lupin's short term that Snape had spoken out against. But against Snape's wishes, Lupin was still hired and, in Harry's opinion, taught more about Defence Against the Dark Arts than any of the other teachers combined. Snape glared at Lupin, who wisely kept his face expressionless. Tonks took his hand under the table and squeezed it lightly.
"Also, there was no way John could have saved his wife. From what I have discovered, Mary Winchester was murdered by a demon. John found her and began hunting the supernatural as the circumstances were strange. I have not found out why, unfortunately," Dumbledore explained.
"Pathetic, couldn't even protect his family. The lazy arrogant man couldn't do his duty." Snape sneered. Everyone glared at him. Harry remembered Snape's words from the previous year. Lazy, arrogant, speaking of his father.
"And just because their father was 'lazy' means that they are just as bad?" Harry challenged him. He couldn't stand it anymore, he pushed away from the table and started towards Snape. "You don't even know them! Their mother was killed when they were children, regardless of whose fault it is you-"
"That is enough Harry." Dumbledore put his hand up to stop any more protests from him. "There is only one person who is to blame for Mary Winchester's death, and that is the only reason that the Winchester men became hunters. Which gives them the passion that they need to teach this course with fire." Snape scowled, defeated.
Harry sat back and frowned. How dare Snape make fun of someone for what a demon did to them? The family had their lives torn to shreds and his Potions Master was criticizing and insulting them for it? He knew all about what it was like, growing up without a parent. He grew up without both. They had grown up with one, but John could have died at any point in their lives that would have left them alone. He felt a rush of sympathy for the Muggle brothers who had been treated so wrongly by fate but shook off the sympathy. He knew that they would not want it. People didn't need sympathy, well he didn't anyway. He was sure that how these men grew up, they would not like it either.
"Those poor men," Mrs Weasley fretted again. "They have lost so much."
"Minerva, how are their preparations going?" Dumbledore turned to the Professor.
"I will be going to collect them within the next few days, and I will be taking them directly to Diagon Alley to get them prepared for the start of term." She tried not to let Dumbledore see her rolling her eyes at the thought of taking the two of them through the streets of London.
"Excellent. Everything is proceeding according to plan." Dumbledore smiled and pulled out a package of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and popped one in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Hum…. Vomit, I haven't had one of those in a while…. Would anyone else like to try their luck?"
Everyone present tried not to vomit themselves. Mrs Weasley however recovered enough to speak.
"I wouldn't spoil your dinner with all those sweets Professor Dumbledore!" She gave a short little awkward laugh.
Everyone else joined in the laughter and concluded the meeting, shortly after they were filling into the kitchen to get something to eat.
"You will have to excuse me," Snape sighed in a bored tone. "I have a prior engagement that I have to be off too." And with that, he was out the door in a flash.
"Good riddance…." George muttered.
"Me as well, Molly." Kingsley truly looked sad to miss out on Molly's cooking. "The Minister starts getting suspicious if I'm gone for too long."
"Of course, Kingsley!" Mrs Weasley pulled out her wand and waved it. "I fixed this especially for you!" She smiled as a covered dish wrapped in what looked like a picnic blanket flew through the air and landed in Kingsley's waiting hands.
"Oh, Molly, you spoil me too much!" Kingsley laughed and went through the door with the biggest smile on his face.
Everyone ate in silence, mulling over what had been said. After everyone finished and dinner was cleaned up, Molly put her hands on her hips.
"Right! Off to bed now! Harry, you'll be sharing with Ron," Mrs Weasley smiled.
"Night everyone," the teens replied and went upstairs. Harry followed Ron to his room. He gestured for Hermione to follow
Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat down. Harry told them of Dumbledore's plan to give him private lessons, and they were as bewildered as him. What could Dumbledore want to teach him? Hermione even looked jealous. They heard a sharp voice, interrupting Ron and Harry's teasing. It was Mrs Weasley, telling them to go to bed. Hermione left, blushing.
"So, what do you think, Harry? Muggles at Hogwarts…" Ron trailed off in bewilderment.
"Never heard of such a thing."
Harry thought it over for a minute, remembering his astonishment when Hagrid came to visit him on that rock in the middle of the ocean. He was sure the Winchester brothers had the same kind of reaction he did. "I think it's a good idea. I mean the last person they would expect Dumbledore to hire would be two Muggle hunters." He replied. He looked up at the ceiling and wondered how the lessons would go.
"Suppose," Ron shrugged, settling down in his bed with a frown. "Wait till Seamus hears about it. He'll go mental."
"What do you think about it, Ron?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.
"About the new class? I think Dumbledore has lost his bloody mind," Ron replied. "But he's done something like this before and everything has worked out okay, so I guess it will work out this time. Anything has to be better than that dolt Lockheart…."
"Yea…" Harry snorted out a laugh and looked out the window. "I wonder what they are like."
"Well, you are the Muggle expert," Ron said then paused. "Don't tell Hermione I said that. You know all about them since you've lived with them for so long."
"Yea, but the United States of America is a different place than London." Harry remembered the one time that the Dursleys 'rewarded' him by letting him watch television with them, from the kitchen.
The news anchor was reporting about a story in the United States that had gotten national attention.
"… and sources say that the man is still at large, and the streets are no longer safe." The news anchor spoke.
"That's the problem with those Americans." Vernon Dursley said the word 'Americans' like it was a curse. "Fires, shootings, earthquakes, they should never have split from England in the first place."
"Yes, I'm so glad that we live here!" Petunia sniffed. "I would shudder to think what would happen to my Dudders if we sent him there!" she tried to pinch her son's cheeks.
"Shove off Mum!" Dudley slapped her hands away.
"Harry, are you alright?" Ron pulled Harry from his memory.
"Sorry, mate. I was thinking about something," Harry apologized. He would never forget the sadness he felt for the people he saw on the news, people who were dead from one thing or another. He wondered how many of those would have been related to demons or some sort.
"Well, I think it's a good thing to know more about demons. I mean with all the cruel things Voldemort has done, who knows what he could throw at us next?"
"Mate, don't say the name!" Ron shook the floors with his shivering.
"Fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself," Harry smirked as he quoted Hermione.
"Shut up." Ron rolled over and left Harry to his thoughts.
"You're right though," Ron said after a few seconds. "Dumbledore's right. If You-Know-Who is rounding up demons and Merlin knows what else, it'd be best if we knew."
"Yeah, it might help slightly," Harry smirked, with an air of sarcasm.
"Shut it!" Ron snapped.
"Hey," Harry said. "I managed to grab the Daily Prophet."
"So?" Ron rolled his eyes. "What would you want to read that for?"
"It has an article about the Winchesters. I don't know how it got out," Harry said as he turned the light on. They looked at the article. The headline read MUGGLES AT HOGWARTS?
"Sources from Hogwarts say that there will be a new mandatory subject being taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this Autumn" Harry read aloud. "'Has Dumbledore finally lost his mind?' a concerned parent who wishes to remain anonymous was quoted."
"Probably that git, Malfoy if I had to guess," Ron commented.
"The class is not only teaching our children about demons but is taught by two Muggle 'hunters'. Dean Winchester along with his younger brother Samuel (pictured above) have a most outstanding record of avoiding the Muggle police forces and for the deaths of many at their own hands. Should we be subjecting our children to this kind of teaching style?"
Harry showed Ron the photos that the newspaper used, conveniently enough it was a moving picture from one of the brother's infamous mugshots.
"Nice, being taught by convicted felons," Ron smirked. "Mum will love that."
"That's what we have to prevent from happening," Harry remarked. "There's more to the article." He handed Ron the paper.
"Our reporters spoke with Tom, the keeper of the Leaky Cauldron in London, inquiring about the Winchester brother's appearance at Diagon Alley. 'Yea, I saw 'em.' Tom recalled. 'Big brawny brutes they were. Had Muggle weapons and was askin' if they had the right place. Sketchy fellows if you ask me.'"
"Well, that's a load of rubbish," Harry commented. "This is fake. Professor McGonagall said that they haven't been to Diagon Alley yet."
"And besides, Old Tom is a few needles short of a haystack," Ron agreed. He continued reading.
"There are talks on how to remove these vicious killers and to keep our children safe.
Vicious killers, Harry thought. Thinking back, he thought of Professor Lupin, realizing how similar this situation was. The prejudice, rumours.
We asked Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore for a comment but didn't hear back from him in time to add his thoughts in this article. Stay tuned for more information in the days and weeks to come."
"What do you think about the article?" Harry asked.
"I'm with you mate. This is a bunch of rubbish. But there's just enough junk in here to make even Mum and Dad wary of them."
"I don't think they'd believe it," Harry disagreed. "Especially after hearing everything today. There must be a reason behind this. They're hunters. Maybe the people who died were possessed by demons," Harry suggested. "Plus, most people don't bother with the Daily Prophet anymore."
"Yeah maybe," Ron replied. "The Quibbler is getting more reliable at this stage. That's saying something. Besides, they always lie about this kind of stuff. Could you imagine if they'd found out about Lupin?"
Harry nodded. Lupin decided to leave, luckily before word got out about his lycanthropy.
Ron yawned. "Let's get to sleep. I hear that the letters are due to arrive any day. They're late this year."
"They would probably have to be. We probably need things for that class. Night."
But Ron was already snoring.