Chapter 8- Goodbyes
Isis was wildly distraught. Even her classes noticed it. No one, however knew what was going on. She assigned simple assignments, gave them class time to work on them, nothing like she had been the first couple of weeks. Finally one day she came out of her funk. "Ladies and Gentlemen." She greeted the class. The all sat quietly, staring at her, wondering what she would be like today. "You are now in the last few years of Hogwarts. For many years you have had the protection of this school, its professors, and most especially its headmaster."
She was tall as she stood there, rigid and stern. Her eyes were hard, the realities of life having sharpened them into metaphoric diamonds. Her jaw was set and the look she gave her students suggested that she had measured them up and found them severely lacking. It wasn't a happy thought, and it made the class as uncomfortable as they were in Potions. Never had they seen their Professor look so obviously like a Slytherin, and a Malfoy. "There is a reason Defense against Dark Arts has a practical aspect for fifth years and above. Because soon the only defense you'll have will be the one you can provide for yourself, and anyone depending on you. For most of you that day is still a little ways off. But for some of you, that day may come sooner than you expect." Her words were ominous and her gaze softened a bit as she paused to look regretfully at her nephew and the Gryffindor musketeers as she'd taken to calling Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
The four students shifted in their seats, realizing she was trying to pass on her wisdom, almost as if she felt she'd never get another chance. "She sounds like this is her last will." Hermione whispered.
She and Ron turned to Harry. "I don't know." He responded to the question in their eyes. "I mean, my scar has been hurting terribly, but all I know is that Voldemort is in the mood to kill."
"We have to talk to Draco. He may know something." Hermione suggested. Ron and Harry just stared at her. Then all three were called to the lecture by their professor's words.
"If you take nothing else out of this class, ever. Remember these few things. One. Trust your gut, not the prejudices you've been told, not the way things look, but that feeling deep inside. Especially when it tells you whether or not you should trust someone. Two. Dark magic has a powerful siren song, but in the end all it does is destroy you. Three. When it comes right down to it, any spell, any potion, any charm, ANYTHING, can be used against you. Even things you could never imagine could harm, can cause harm if the intent is to hurt. And Four. Love is the only force 100% stronger than evil." By that point the class was whispering in confusion. She sighed. "That's all I can really hope to teach you. Class dismissed. Enjoy the Halloween festivities."
The class filed out slowly, everyone stopping momentarily to stare at Isis. When Draco made it out the door, Ron and Harry strong armed him over behind one of the pillars before he could react. Hermione was already back there. "What's wrong with Professor Malfoy Draco?" She demanded.
He sneered at her. "What makes you think I would tell you?"
"Because I think you like her Draco." Harry pointed out softly. "Actually. I think you love her. And I think this has something to do to Voldemort. If it does, you and I both know that she has a better chance if Hermione, Ron and I are helping her, and you."
Draco wavered under the serious green eyes. "I don't know." He admitted to the floor. "But if it has to do with the Dark Lord then it'll probably happen tonight. Halloween is the New Years eve for dark magic."
Ron nodded, all business. "Right. So we need a plan for tonight."
They all nodded their agreement. "But right now we need to get to transfiguration." Hermione reminded the boys.
They ran off to class, barely making it in before McGonagall started the lecture.
Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk when they slid into the seats, mere seconds before the class was supposed to start. She didn't even chastise the four of them. Harry could almost swear he saw tears in her eyes. He and Ron shared a worried look, wondering what was wrong with their normally unflappable transfiguration professor. "Maybe she knows what's wrong with Professor Malfoy and it's upsetting her." Ron suggested, his face a mask of confusion.
Harry didn't get a chance to comment because McGonagall got up from her chair and crossed to stand in front of her desk. "Today I'm going to open the class up to questions." She told them. Her voice was deceptive, soft and stern. Normal. But every student in the class knew that today was anything but normal. "Today you may ask me anything, about the school, any of your classes, the other professors. Even me."
To everyone's surprise, Draco's hand was the first one up. Professor McGonagall pointed to him, almost masking her shock. "Why don't Professor Malfoy and my father speak to each other?"
She nodded her head, as if she expected the question. "Despite your grandfather's ministrations and rather through education in.certain areas, Professor Malfoy never really subscribed to the beliefs your father and grandfather hold so dearly, and things just got to tense between them when such intrinsic beliefs couldn't be compromised on either side."
Draco nodded thoughtfully and Hermione's hand shot up immediately. She barely waited for McGonagall's head to turn towards her before piping up. "Professor what's going on today? Why are all the Professors worried? Everyone's been acting differently."
"Differently?" McGonagall asked nervously. She was stalling, Harry could tell.
"Yeah." Ron jumped into the conversation. "Professor Malfoy sounded like she was saying goodbye."
"Like she wasn't ever coming back." Draco added.
"One of the Hufflepuffs said Professor Snape didn't take a single point from anyone in the double potions class." Neville offered.
"Even Professor Dumbledore has been acting strangely. He barely said anything to anyone at breakfast and he seemed so sad." Hermione pointed out. "Almost as if he had lost his most beloved possession."
Harry's head snapped up. "Professor has something happened to Fawkes?"
"Fawkes is quite alright Potter." She assured him softly. But he noticed she continued to watch Hermione. "I am afraid, however, that you have asked the one question I can't answer Miss Granger." She told them stiffly. "Class dismissed."
Isis was wildly distraught. Even her classes noticed it. No one, however knew what was going on. She assigned simple assignments, gave them class time to work on them, nothing like she had been the first couple of weeks. Finally one day she came out of her funk. "Ladies and Gentlemen." She greeted the class. The all sat quietly, staring at her, wondering what she would be like today. "You are now in the last few years of Hogwarts. For many years you have had the protection of this school, its professors, and most especially its headmaster."
She was tall as she stood there, rigid and stern. Her eyes were hard, the realities of life having sharpened them into metaphoric diamonds. Her jaw was set and the look she gave her students suggested that she had measured them up and found them severely lacking. It wasn't a happy thought, and it made the class as uncomfortable as they were in Potions. Never had they seen their Professor look so obviously like a Slytherin, and a Malfoy. "There is a reason Defense against Dark Arts has a practical aspect for fifth years and above. Because soon the only defense you'll have will be the one you can provide for yourself, and anyone depending on you. For most of you that day is still a little ways off. But for some of you, that day may come sooner than you expect." Her words were ominous and her gaze softened a bit as she paused to look regretfully at her nephew and the Gryffindor musketeers as she'd taken to calling Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
The four students shifted in their seats, realizing she was trying to pass on her wisdom, almost as if she felt she'd never get another chance. "She sounds like this is her last will." Hermione whispered.
She and Ron turned to Harry. "I don't know." He responded to the question in their eyes. "I mean, my scar has been hurting terribly, but all I know is that Voldemort is in the mood to kill."
"We have to talk to Draco. He may know something." Hermione suggested. Ron and Harry just stared at her. Then all three were called to the lecture by their professor's words.
"If you take nothing else out of this class, ever. Remember these few things. One. Trust your gut, not the prejudices you've been told, not the way things look, but that feeling deep inside. Especially when it tells you whether or not you should trust someone. Two. Dark magic has a powerful siren song, but in the end all it does is destroy you. Three. When it comes right down to it, any spell, any potion, any charm, ANYTHING, can be used against you. Even things you could never imagine could harm, can cause harm if the intent is to hurt. And Four. Love is the only force 100% stronger than evil." By that point the class was whispering in confusion. She sighed. "That's all I can really hope to teach you. Class dismissed. Enjoy the Halloween festivities."
The class filed out slowly, everyone stopping momentarily to stare at Isis. When Draco made it out the door, Ron and Harry strong armed him over behind one of the pillars before he could react. Hermione was already back there. "What's wrong with Professor Malfoy Draco?" She demanded.
He sneered at her. "What makes you think I would tell you?"
"Because I think you like her Draco." Harry pointed out softly. "Actually. I think you love her. And I think this has something to do to Voldemort. If it does, you and I both know that she has a better chance if Hermione, Ron and I are helping her, and you."
Draco wavered under the serious green eyes. "I don't know." He admitted to the floor. "But if it has to do with the Dark Lord then it'll probably happen tonight. Halloween is the New Years eve for dark magic."
Ron nodded, all business. "Right. So we need a plan for tonight."
They all nodded their agreement. "But right now we need to get to transfiguration." Hermione reminded the boys.
They ran off to class, barely making it in before McGonagall started the lecture.
Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk when they slid into the seats, mere seconds before the class was supposed to start. She didn't even chastise the four of them. Harry could almost swear he saw tears in her eyes. He and Ron shared a worried look, wondering what was wrong with their normally unflappable transfiguration professor. "Maybe she knows what's wrong with Professor Malfoy and it's upsetting her." Ron suggested, his face a mask of confusion.
Harry didn't get a chance to comment because McGonagall got up from her chair and crossed to stand in front of her desk. "Today I'm going to open the class up to questions." She told them. Her voice was deceptive, soft and stern. Normal. But every student in the class knew that today was anything but normal. "Today you may ask me anything, about the school, any of your classes, the other professors. Even me."
To everyone's surprise, Draco's hand was the first one up. Professor McGonagall pointed to him, almost masking her shock. "Why don't Professor Malfoy and my father speak to each other?"
She nodded her head, as if she expected the question. "Despite your grandfather's ministrations and rather through education in.certain areas, Professor Malfoy never really subscribed to the beliefs your father and grandfather hold so dearly, and things just got to tense between them when such intrinsic beliefs couldn't be compromised on either side."
Draco nodded thoughtfully and Hermione's hand shot up immediately. She barely waited for McGonagall's head to turn towards her before piping up. "Professor what's going on today? Why are all the Professors worried? Everyone's been acting differently."
"Differently?" McGonagall asked nervously. She was stalling, Harry could tell.
"Yeah." Ron jumped into the conversation. "Professor Malfoy sounded like she was saying goodbye."
"Like she wasn't ever coming back." Draco added.
"One of the Hufflepuffs said Professor Snape didn't take a single point from anyone in the double potions class." Neville offered.
"Even Professor Dumbledore has been acting strangely. He barely said anything to anyone at breakfast and he seemed so sad." Hermione pointed out. "Almost as if he had lost his most beloved possession."
Harry's head snapped up. "Professor has something happened to Fawkes?"
"Fawkes is quite alright Potter." She assured him softly. But he noticed she continued to watch Hermione. "I am afraid, however, that you have asked the one question I can't answer Miss Granger." She told them stiffly. "Class dismissed."