AN: I know this story hasn't really been much to start out with, but I
promise more romance and other things in the next few chapters! Thanks for
being patient! Please review!
Chapter 4: Some Answers
Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for the Gryffindor 5th years were held on Tuesdays. Harry walked into the room with Ron and Hermione by his side feeling a little apprehensive about the plan he had formulated. Miss Figg was already in the room when they arrived. They took a seat in the front of the room as Hermione always insisted. Harry took the few minutes they hadbefore class started to examine Miss Figg more closely.
Her dull brown hair was up in a bun, not unlike Professor McGonagalls. He noticed that she was actually pretty young. Perhaps an aging charm had been used on her when she lived on Privet Drive? Harry wasn't sure and added that to his mental list of questions he was planning on asking her. She was wearing robes of plain black, as Harry knew most teachers did, except for Lockhart of course.
He snickered and looked at Hermione at this thought. She, having no idea what he was thinking about, gave him a weird look.
He looked back at Miss Figg. Her arms and legs no longer had that scrawny appearance that they had had every time Harry had seen her in previous years. She actually seemed to be a very strong woman and Harry wondered if she was part of wizard law enforcement in some way. He put all his questions in the back of his mind for later, and listened as Miss Figg began to speak.
"Hello class! As Professor Dumbledore has already informed you, I am Professor Figg." Harry would have to get used to calling her Professor. She was still Mrs. Figg to him. This also confused him. Dumbledore had introduced her as Miss Arabella Figg, but he had always known her as Mrs. Figg. Perhaps another change made to cover things up? "I will be continuing your education of Defense Against the Dark Arts. You will need it now more than ever." She ended dramatically.
They began taking notes on popular curses used by Death Eaters Voldemort's first time around. Everyone knew the Unforgiveables were always used, but there were others as well. They were lesser known, but used to cause death and destruction as great as the Unforgiveables. The Expecto Destructo curse was used to make homes collapse. The flamoian curse would allow you to shoot fire from your wand up to about 20 feet away. Death Eaters used this curse to set their victims or their victim's property on fire. The list went on and on and was composed of some 20 curses. Harry was amazed at the wide variety of magic used for such horrible things and tried to shove the thoughts of people being burned alive to the back of his mind. Soon the class was over, and Harry feeling a little less confident than before, went up to Miss Figg's desk after everyone else had filed out of the room and he had told Ron and Hermione he would catch up with them.
"Er….Mis…Professor Figg?" Harry questioned hoping she wouldn't she just turn him away.
"Ah…Mr. Potter? What can I do for you?" She smiled at him and Harry was positive that she knew exactly what he wanted.
"I want some answers." He stated, surprised at his own abruptness. Professor Figg however did not look surprised or shocked at all.
"Certainly, Mr. Potter." She sat down at her desk and motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her. He did so and looked up at her. She was obviously waiting for him to speak.
"Why were you my neighbor, at the Dursleys I mean? Why didn't you ever tell me that I was a wizard? Why do you look so different? And why are you here now?" Harry rapidly interrogated Professor Figg, not really giving her a chance to answer each individual question before asking her another one.
"Well, Mr. Potter…to answer all of your questions is quite a long story. I suppose you want to hear it?" Harry nodded motioning for her to continue and she did. "Well you know after your parents died, it was left up to Dumbledore to arrange your future. He chose to leave you in the care of your aunt and uncle so you could grow up away from the fame the wizarding world had provided you with. Along with some ancient enchantments and protection spells, Dumbledore thought it wise to have someone to watch over you. A sort of guardian angel. I was picked to go undercover. I was a new auror at the time. Fresh from the academy and only a few field experiences. Dumbledore supplied me with an aging potion, and told me to adopt a muggle identity. I made myself a Mrs. to live as a widow with cats." She smiled wryly. "Of course you already knew that. I was forbidden to tell you that you were a wizard. Imagine if I had told you about your wizard background when you were 8 years old! You would have wanted to leave the Dursleys at once and you would have wanted answers that I could not have provided for you. There was no other place for you to go. So we just let it go. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth." She looked at him again, wanting to hear his opinion, wanting him to say something.
Harry was actually amazed that this woman had devoted practically her entire life to watching over him. It was overwhelming. He voiced this thought out loud. "So, your whole life consisted of protecting me?"
She chuckled. "Occasionally I was called upon to do other missions, but I never left Privet Drive for more than a day or two. Your life was my main task."
Harry was in awe. 'What about your personal life? Not to be rude." He added quickly. "But didn't you ever want a family? Why would you give all that up?"
For the first time during their conversation, Professor Figg looked a little downcast. "Yes, well I did want a family with children of my own. My job came first though. Besides! There is still time for that. I am not that old at all, especially by wizarding standards! And I have come to teach here this year because Dumbledore said that you students needed a real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher now that Voldemort has returned." She once again resumed her cheery disposition.
"Are you part of the resistance, Professor Figg?" Harry was just guessing. He didn't even know if there was a resistance or who would all be in it, but perhaps he could get some information.
"What resistance?" She asked looking confused.
Harry wasn't convinced. This was a skilled auror. She was probably taught how to lie and keep a secret. "The resistance against Voldemort. The resistance that held meetings at the Weasleys house over the summer." He said finally after studying her for a minute.
Professor Figg sighed. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this." She began. "But yes I am." She looked a bit flustered and Harry thought maybe he shouldn't have asked the question in the first place, but when she spoke again she sounded normal. "Well…anything else Mr. Potter?"
Harry thought for a second. It seemed like there had been a lot more too it than that when he had been sorting questions out in his brain. "No that's all." He got up to leave and walked towards the door. "Oh and Professor?"
"Yes Mr. Potter?" She questioned looking up from her desk.
"Thanks." Harry smiled at her and started on his way to the Gryffindor common room.
After he had informed Ron and Hermione of everything, they were quite surprised. Hermione in particular was shocked about the same thing that had stunned Harry.
"This woman watched over you your entire childhood! She protected you and gave up parts of her own life. She was a little like…" Hermione looked down, and seemed to be embarrassed.
"A little like what?" Harry asked, now very curious.
Hermione met his eyes. "well..a little like…. your mother." Harry let his brain process this information and realized with a jolt that she was right. Professor Figg had been there for his childhood days and had given up her life for him…in a different way then his mother had. Hermione was looking at him expectantly. Harry could tell that she was hoping she hadn't upset him.
"Yeah, I guess your right." He muttered.
Ron was amazed that his parents were actively involved in the fight against Voldemort. "I knew that they would do anything in their power to help, but I didn't think they would play this big of a role." He seemed proud that his house was where plans for bringing down Voldemort were being constructed. Harry was still wondering why they had not been allowed in these meetings. Did Dumbledore and everyone else think that they were too young to be mixed up with this even after everything they had did? Harry had a nasty feeling that he was involved with the war against Voldemort whether he liked it or not.
Chapter 4: Some Answers
Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for the Gryffindor 5th years were held on Tuesdays. Harry walked into the room with Ron and Hermione by his side feeling a little apprehensive about the plan he had formulated. Miss Figg was already in the room when they arrived. They took a seat in the front of the room as Hermione always insisted. Harry took the few minutes they hadbefore class started to examine Miss Figg more closely.
Her dull brown hair was up in a bun, not unlike Professor McGonagalls. He noticed that she was actually pretty young. Perhaps an aging charm had been used on her when she lived on Privet Drive? Harry wasn't sure and added that to his mental list of questions he was planning on asking her. She was wearing robes of plain black, as Harry knew most teachers did, except for Lockhart of course.
He snickered and looked at Hermione at this thought. She, having no idea what he was thinking about, gave him a weird look.
He looked back at Miss Figg. Her arms and legs no longer had that scrawny appearance that they had had every time Harry had seen her in previous years. She actually seemed to be a very strong woman and Harry wondered if she was part of wizard law enforcement in some way. He put all his questions in the back of his mind for later, and listened as Miss Figg began to speak.
"Hello class! As Professor Dumbledore has already informed you, I am Professor Figg." Harry would have to get used to calling her Professor. She was still Mrs. Figg to him. This also confused him. Dumbledore had introduced her as Miss Arabella Figg, but he had always known her as Mrs. Figg. Perhaps another change made to cover things up? "I will be continuing your education of Defense Against the Dark Arts. You will need it now more than ever." She ended dramatically.
They began taking notes on popular curses used by Death Eaters Voldemort's first time around. Everyone knew the Unforgiveables were always used, but there were others as well. They were lesser known, but used to cause death and destruction as great as the Unforgiveables. The Expecto Destructo curse was used to make homes collapse. The flamoian curse would allow you to shoot fire from your wand up to about 20 feet away. Death Eaters used this curse to set their victims or their victim's property on fire. The list went on and on and was composed of some 20 curses. Harry was amazed at the wide variety of magic used for such horrible things and tried to shove the thoughts of people being burned alive to the back of his mind. Soon the class was over, and Harry feeling a little less confident than before, went up to Miss Figg's desk after everyone else had filed out of the room and he had told Ron and Hermione he would catch up with them.
"Er….Mis…Professor Figg?" Harry questioned hoping she wouldn't she just turn him away.
"Ah…Mr. Potter? What can I do for you?" She smiled at him and Harry was positive that she knew exactly what he wanted.
"I want some answers." He stated, surprised at his own abruptness. Professor Figg however did not look surprised or shocked at all.
"Certainly, Mr. Potter." She sat down at her desk and motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her. He did so and looked up at her. She was obviously waiting for him to speak.
"Why were you my neighbor, at the Dursleys I mean? Why didn't you ever tell me that I was a wizard? Why do you look so different? And why are you here now?" Harry rapidly interrogated Professor Figg, not really giving her a chance to answer each individual question before asking her another one.
"Well, Mr. Potter…to answer all of your questions is quite a long story. I suppose you want to hear it?" Harry nodded motioning for her to continue and she did. "Well you know after your parents died, it was left up to Dumbledore to arrange your future. He chose to leave you in the care of your aunt and uncle so you could grow up away from the fame the wizarding world had provided you with. Along with some ancient enchantments and protection spells, Dumbledore thought it wise to have someone to watch over you. A sort of guardian angel. I was picked to go undercover. I was a new auror at the time. Fresh from the academy and only a few field experiences. Dumbledore supplied me with an aging potion, and told me to adopt a muggle identity. I made myself a Mrs. to live as a widow with cats." She smiled wryly. "Of course you already knew that. I was forbidden to tell you that you were a wizard. Imagine if I had told you about your wizard background when you were 8 years old! You would have wanted to leave the Dursleys at once and you would have wanted answers that I could not have provided for you. There was no other place for you to go. So we just let it go. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth." She looked at him again, wanting to hear his opinion, wanting him to say something.
Harry was actually amazed that this woman had devoted practically her entire life to watching over him. It was overwhelming. He voiced this thought out loud. "So, your whole life consisted of protecting me?"
She chuckled. "Occasionally I was called upon to do other missions, but I never left Privet Drive for more than a day or two. Your life was my main task."
Harry was in awe. 'What about your personal life? Not to be rude." He added quickly. "But didn't you ever want a family? Why would you give all that up?"
For the first time during their conversation, Professor Figg looked a little downcast. "Yes, well I did want a family with children of my own. My job came first though. Besides! There is still time for that. I am not that old at all, especially by wizarding standards! And I have come to teach here this year because Dumbledore said that you students needed a real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher now that Voldemort has returned." She once again resumed her cheery disposition.
"Are you part of the resistance, Professor Figg?" Harry was just guessing. He didn't even know if there was a resistance or who would all be in it, but perhaps he could get some information.
"What resistance?" She asked looking confused.
Harry wasn't convinced. This was a skilled auror. She was probably taught how to lie and keep a secret. "The resistance against Voldemort. The resistance that held meetings at the Weasleys house over the summer." He said finally after studying her for a minute.
Professor Figg sighed. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this." She began. "But yes I am." She looked a bit flustered and Harry thought maybe he shouldn't have asked the question in the first place, but when she spoke again she sounded normal. "Well…anything else Mr. Potter?"
Harry thought for a second. It seemed like there had been a lot more too it than that when he had been sorting questions out in his brain. "No that's all." He got up to leave and walked towards the door. "Oh and Professor?"
"Yes Mr. Potter?" She questioned looking up from her desk.
"Thanks." Harry smiled at her and started on his way to the Gryffindor common room.
After he had informed Ron and Hermione of everything, they were quite surprised. Hermione in particular was shocked about the same thing that had stunned Harry.
"This woman watched over you your entire childhood! She protected you and gave up parts of her own life. She was a little like…" Hermione looked down, and seemed to be embarrassed.
"A little like what?" Harry asked, now very curious.
Hermione met his eyes. "well..a little like…. your mother." Harry let his brain process this information and realized with a jolt that she was right. Professor Figg had been there for his childhood days and had given up her life for him…in a different way then his mother had. Hermione was looking at him expectantly. Harry could tell that she was hoping she hadn't upset him.
"Yeah, I guess your right." He muttered.
Ron was amazed that his parents were actively involved in the fight against Voldemort. "I knew that they would do anything in their power to help, but I didn't think they would play this big of a role." He seemed proud that his house was where plans for bringing down Voldemort were being constructed. Harry was still wondering why they had not been allowed in these meetings. Did Dumbledore and everyone else think that they were too young to be mixed up with this even after everything they had did? Harry had a nasty feeling that he was involved with the war against Voldemort whether he liked it or not.