This is mostly a filler chapter but the talismans will be important latter in story.
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It's after dinner and Mirari finally finished talismans for first and second years. She will do rest later. Now she is going to Slytherin's dorms to hand them out. Next will be Hufflepuff, then Ravenclaw and lastly Gryffindor.
She entered the common room and instantly everyone turned their eyes to her.
"Professor, what are you doing here?" asked one of the prefects.
"Can you call first and second years, please?"
"Yes professor," he said and walk away.
Mirari started to pull out the talismans. It draw curious students around her.
"Professor what are they for?" someone asked.
She looked up and smiled at her student. She had good relationship with Slytherins because she helped when her husband was unable. Mostly it was with emotional stuff like homesickness and they're tutoring them together in DADA. So, Slytherin is only house who knows their relationship.
"These are for protection. I'll explain more once first and second years come," she answered. To be honest she was suprise how good relationships are in this house. Older usually help and protect the younger, she even see one of the prefects teach third years about politics. It was sweet of her.
As they gather she started to explain.
"Ok. I know I may sound paranoid but hear me out, okay?" she asked and they nodded.
"I'm little spoke out after the attack and I want you as safe as possible. I made these talismans as precaution. If you're attack they will form a barrier around you as well as making counter attack that will distract the attacker. The barrier will hold for 15 minutes and is strong like Protega Maxima. You can run away from danger and send some nasty hexes while running. Only downfall is that the vision isn't clear, it's like looking through 4 inches of ice. Right now I made enough only for all first and second years," she said the last part in sad tone. "Any questions?"
"Yes. Why are you so nice to us?" asked Malfoy. "Yeah, I get it your married to our head of house bud you don't have to pretend to be nice to us."
There were some murmurers of agreement and some protests. Mirari raised one eyebrow.
"Why shouldn't I be nice to you?" she asked in confusion.
"Because no one is nice to us besides other Slytherins." answered Malfoy.
"Well, I may not be Slytherin but that doesn't matter. You are my students and I care about every one of you. Besides I think this whole house think is stupid, don't get me wrong I'm not against a little rivalry, but people change all the time. It's impossible to be ambitious your whole live or have undying thirst for knowledge. You can realise that what you thought was bravery was actually youthful stupidity. You can work hard but that's not always the best option because you may overwork your self. I think to fully mature and understand your magic and yourself is to socialize with all kind of people and tried to understand them. I'm kind to you because I want to understand you and help you grow," she stopped herself.
"Ops, I'm rambling again."
She give them sheepish smile and give away the talismans. After that she say her goodbyes and leave for Hufflepuff common room. She knock on one of the barrels where is the entrance and waited for one of the students to open.
"Ah, hello Mr. Diggory."
"Good evening, professor," said surprised Hufflepuff prefect. "What are you doing here."
"I made some talismans of protection for first two years and I want to give it to them." she held one talisman to show it to him. "May I come in?" she asked.
"Ah, yes, please come in." he stepped aside to let her in.
The room decorated in yellow and black and was giving off warm feeling. Ther was big fireplace and many comfortable chairs with tables, there were even muggle bean bags. It looked nice and Mirari liked it very much.
"Can you gather all first and second years?" she turned to Cedric.
"Yes, professor."
Once they were gathered she explained the talismans. No one had any questions so she made her way to the exit. In a doorway she stopped and turned around.
"I nearly forgot. I'm doing tutoring in DADA for now it only include Slytherins but I want to offer you chance to learn real defence. If you're interested please let me know."
They looked sceptical but agree to thought about it.
She made it to Ravenclaw tower and had quite the argument with the guarding statue at the entrance. It couldn't admin the riddle had more than one answer. She was tempted to blast the damn thing when a fourth year Ravenclaw opened the entrance. Everything went smoothly after, now Gryffindor.
She knock on the portrait frame and waited. A redhead boy with glasses opened. He looked up and sighed.
"What did they do this time?"
Mirari was confused.
"What do you mean Mr. Weasley?"
"You aren't here because of twins?" he looked surprised.
"No, I'm not. Does this happen often?"
"More than you think professor."
She looked at him sympathetically.
"I'm here because of the attack."
"You don't think someone from our hou-" he was cut off by her.
"No. No. You got it wrong. I want to give some protection to the students."
"Oh, then please come in."
She requested to call all first and second years and explain everything. Now she was waiting for the questions.
"How can we made them ourselves?" someone asked.
"Well, first you need to study how different materials react to magic and different spells. Then studying runs can help you to. Since they are often used to stabilise the magic. And not to mention the hours spent practicing. I can tell you my hands were never so sore," she said jokingly.
"Professor what team will you be cheering."
"I don't think I understand Mr. Wood."
"The Quidditch season is coming up. And the first game will be next weekend. Gryffindor vs Slytherin. You will be cheering for Gryffindor, right." he asked hopefully.
"Hmm, I was never big fan of Quidditch but I will be cheering for my husband's old team," she said cheerfully.
"Why aren't you cheering for your old team."
"I have never been in Hogwarts as a student. Actually I was never in school before."
That was shocking. Before anyone could ask anything she was leaving.
"Well, it's getting late. I'll be going now. Good night students." she said still in her cheerful tone.
...
With the trio
"How can she be teacher when she never been in school," said Hermione still shocked.
"In theory as long as you have O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams alongside some qualifications you can take the teaching position till the suitable teacher is found." said Percy from the neighborhood table.
"How can it be this easy to teach?" she asked.
"No one wants to do it." he replied.
"This make no sense!"
Percy just shrugged and turned to his previous conversation. And Hermione huffed in irritation.
"This must change. We can't have incompetent teachers. I'll write complain to the ministry."
"'Mione, ministry has no say in Hogwart's meter." said Ron. "Only headmaster and teachers had say in it. That's general knowledge."
Hermione blushed. "Then I will write to headmaster." She picked up quill and parchment in mater of seconds she forgot about her friends.
"Wanna play chess," asked Ron already preparing board.
"Sure," replied Harry.
...
The day of the match
The Golden trio was sitting at breakfast. Harry felt like he is going to throw up. It was the first match of the season and it was against the Slytherin. More precisely first match against Malfoy. He didn't know how good of a seeker Malfoy was.
"Don't worry Harry. It will be fine," said Hermione trying to calm him down.
"Yeah mate, you'll show him who's boss." encourage Ron.
"Yeah. I'll do my best." Harry smiled nervously.
"Look at the Slytherin's table," said Angelina Johnson.
They looked and were stunned.
"She married a Slytherin." Ron said disbelieve in his voice.
Professor Heron was at Slytherin's table talking to Slytherin quidditch team, probably cheering them up. Her skirt and headscarf clearly showing who is her team. Green and silver were nearly gloving next to her black jacket and boots. She even sit down to have a breakfast with some girls from sixth and seventh years. Her cheerful attitude never leaving.
"I was sure she married a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff with her attitude." said another chaser.
"Well this explains why is she close to Snape. Her husband must know him well," said Hermione.
...
At the match
Everything went well so far. Harry haven't saw a snitch so did Malfoy. But soon the bludger started to chase him like mad. He tried everything to get rid of the bloody thing but nothing worked.
Slytherins were laughing at him so he dived to their tribune hoping the bludger will scare them. But when he changed the course the bludger didn't follow him anymore.
He heard sickening noise of bludger meeting bone. He looked back and saw Heron holding the bludger next to her was very pale Pansy Parkinson and her friends.
It was deadly quiet. Heron's calm face was not giving away any emotions. No twitching of pain or struggle. Then she turned to the students.
"Are you ok? Is anyone hurt?"
Grunts of 'no professor' and 'are you ok professor' filed the aire around her. She looked relief. Madam Hooch was next to her on broomstick in a minute. She took the bludger from Heron. It revealed her left hand. Heron's wrist was completely messed up. Bones were sticking everywhere under her skin and it started to paint in dark purplish colour. It must be painful. She just smiled, took off he headscarf and cover her wrist by it.
Snape just appear next to her and assure her away while scolding her. She was smiling in sheepish unapologetic way and said.
"Better my arm then Ms.Parkinson's head." It was said quietly but nearly everyone could hear it in the silence stadion.
Other teachers quickly restarted the match. Unfortunately there wasn't spare bludger, so they had to play with this one.
After twenty minutes Harry spotted golden snitch right behind Malfoy. Poor Harry got hit by the bludger. His right arm was unusable. He done something crazy. He dive to Malfoy then he used his left arm to cough the snitch. Harry practically fall on the ground.
Luckily Fred and George manege to trapped in a chest. In an instant Harry was surround by his team and friends. Lockhart has decided to be, as usually, pain in ass.
"Coming through. Please step away. Step away."
"No. Not you," said Harry as soon as he saw him.
"Poor boy. Doesn't know what he's saying." Lockhart exclaim. "Don't worry Harry. I have done it many times before, as you could read in my books."
But Lockhart instead of repairing one bone, he vanished all bones in Harry's arm.
"Oh, that can happen sometimes," he tried to cover his mistake.
Harry stare in shock at his arm. Someone neer him throw up and others looked very uncomfortable.
A hand had appear on Lockhart's shoulder and he was thrown away.
"You should have left it for madam Pomfrey," said Heron. "Come on Mr.Potter let's get your arm fix." She held out her uninjured arm to Harry.
Harry hesitantly took her arm. He was pulled up with surprising strength. She guide him all the way to infirmary.
Madam Pomfrey started fusing over them once they stepped inside. Now they sat at neighboring beds. Madam Pomfrey was currently doing check up on professor.
"Come on, Poppy. I already took care of it with Severus," Heron was defending her self.
"I hate when he's treading his own wounds. It's usually not healed all the way. And who knows, you could reset your bones in wrong way and it will cause you pain," she was still muttering when she walked away for something.
Heron turned to Harry.
"You know. I never get how can she make feel like a child when I'm only two years younger than Dumbledore," she said with solom face. Before he could reply Pomfrey come back and continue her check up. Then she turned to Harry.
Once she finished Gryffindor and Slytherin students filed in and surrounded them. Heron could leave but Harry had to stay the night.