Chapter Seven; Professor Torr

The Great Hall was decorated for the Welcoming Feast; each of the four house banners displaying their colours and symbols. Hundreds of levitating candles were floating above each of the four house tables and the staff table at the far end of the Hall. The enchanted ceiling showed the dark storm clouds rolling angrily across the sky as the first drops of rain began to fall.

'Just in time,' Ron muttered, leading Harry and Hermione over to their table. 'I seem to remember we got caught in a downpour last year.'

'Peeves didn't help either,' said Hermione, recalling the one-sided water-balloon fight the poltergeist had started in the entrance hall.

'Our timing must be improving,' Harry said, sitting down between them as the second years and above filed into the Hall.

Ron gave a snort and threw a disgusted look over at the doorway. Draco Malfoy had just swaggered in, flanked, as always, by Crabbe and Goyle.

Harry chose to ignore them and the sudden rush of burning hate in his stomach. Instead, he turned to look up at the staff table.

Professors Vector, Flitwick, Sinistra and Sprout were all there. Hagrid was probably on the lake by now with the new first years on their traditional journey before the Sorting Ceremony. Professor Dumbledore was sat in the centre of the table watching the students coming in. On his left was Snape.

Harry was actually quite shocked at the difference in the Potions Master's appearance. His long, greasy black hair hung practically lifeless, framing a grey-white face. The only paler faces in the whole Hall were those of the ghosts. Even his eyes looked different; sunken, blank and staring.

'Hey, guys, look at Snape!'

'Whoa! Is it my eyes or there a corpse sitting in Snape's place?' Ron said under his breath.

'My goodness!' Hermione whispered. 'He looks terrible! I wonder what happened to him?'

As much as they detested Snape in general, all three of them felt more than a little disturbed by the unexpected change.

Harry's thoughts flew back to Dumbledore asking Snape to do what Harry suspected at the time as being to return to Voldemort. To go undercover as a spy. A double agent.

Harry swore under his breath in frustration. He'd completely forgotten about talking to Remus about the situation. Now he was going to have to wait for him and Sirius to get to Hogsmeade. Looking up at the dark storm clouds and heavy rain, Harry hoped that they would be all right trying to fly in this weather.

Just then, Professor McGonagall entered the Hall leading a long line of first years, all of whom looked terribly nervous and soaked through. Hagrid came in behind them and went to sit at the end of the staff table. His beetle black eyes swept over the Hall to the Gryffindor table. Spotting Harry and the others, he gave a small wave and a cheerful smile.

Professor McGonagall put a four-legged stool before the frightened-looking first years and placed the old, battered Sorting Hat upon it. The rip near the brim opened up and the Hat started singing, much to the amazement of many of the new students. Once the Hat had finished, it bowed to each of the four tables in turn as everyone applauded.

Professor McGonagall took a long roll of parchment out of her robes and addressed the newcomers.

'When I call your name, you will step forward, sit on the stool and put on the Hat. When your House is announced, you will sit at the appropriate table.

'Adams, Christopher.'

A small blond boy inched his way slowly out of the line to the stool. He sat down and put the Hat on his head, which fell down over his wide frightened eyes.

'Ravenclaw!' shouted the Hat.

A look of immense relief on his face, Christopher almost ran to the Ravenclaw table as the students there applauded him.

'Anderson, Rachelle.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Astor, Danielle.'

'Gryffindor!'

Harry clapped with the rest but was concentrating more on the staff table, trying to see if there were any new faces there. Unfortunately, the line of first years blocked his view.

'Banks, Andrew.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Bennett, Julia.'

'Hufflepuff!'

'Carlin, Ruby.'

'Ravenclaw!'

'Dawson, Wayne.'

'Slytherin!'

As the first years were Sorted, the heavens opened up and thousands of gallons of water came pouring down upon the castle and grounds.

'I'm getting a strong feeling of deja-vu,' Ron groaned, looking up at the ceiling.

'Can either of you see the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?' Harry asked.

Ron leant back in his seat, trying to see around the line of first years.

'Don't think so,' he said. 'Oh, hang on,' He strained his neck and leaned back a little further. 'Yeah, we've got someone new up there. Can't see them very well, got their back to me -'

Ron abruptly threw himself forward, grabbing hold of the table, saving himself the embarrassment of falling backwards onto the floor. Harry was sure the McGonagall was glaring at Ron out of the corner of her eye as she continued to call names.

'Hunter, Selene.'

'Gryffindor!'

'Johnson, Elizabeth.'

'Hufflepuff!'

When at last the ceremony was over, the Hat and stool were removed and Dumbledore rose from his seat to address the students. His blue eyes sparkled and he smiled warmly around at them all.

'Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone. It is a great pleasure to see so many young people so eager to return to their studies -' Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. 'But I'm sure that you won't want to listen to me ramble on before you've filled your empty stomachs … nor afterwards if I'm much mistaken, but never mind. Enjoy the feast!'

Everyone clapped and cheered as the golden plates filled with food.

Harry ate heartily with the others but kept turning to look up at the staff table. Snape was picking at his food and not eating anything. Dumbledore spoke to him, looking concerned. Snape shook his head, muttering something distractedly.

Hagrid was draining his goblet with loud slurps, leaning back in his chair. Professor Sprout, who was sitting next to him, rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. Hagrid obediently shifted over a bit and put down his empty goblet.

Professor Trelawney was nowhere to be seen. She was undoubtedly entombed in her North Tower room, gazing into her crystal ball and peering at mushy tea leaves, trying to figure out why Harry hadn't dropped dead yet.

When the last crumbs disappeared from the plates, everyone turned to face Dumbledore as he stood up again.

'Now then, I'm sure that everyone will be pleased to hear that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will take place this year,' The whole Hall rang with applause and cheers. Dumbledore gave them a minute before raising a hand for silence. 'I'd like the members of each House team to report to their Head of House after the feast, please.

'We have a new member of staff joining us this year; Professor Torr, who will take the position of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

Professor Torr stood up as the students clapped rather enthusiastically. Ron's eyes widened, his mouth falling open.

Professor Torr was nothing short of gorgeous. She could have passed off as a super-model with her long hair, a stunning shade of copper, shining in the light of the candles. Her almond shaped eyes were a peculiar violet colour. She smiled warmly around the Hall, showing off perfectly straight white teeth between dark shaded lips.

The entire male population of the room was gazing at her as though she were a Veela. Even the girls seemed impressed. Hermione was clapping just as much as everyone else, an approving look on her face.

Harry stared.

It felt a bit strange to find that they had a female professor when the last four had all been male, but that wasn't why Harry instantly felt a little wary of this stranger. So far, out of the four professors they'd had, two of them had been in league with Voldemort and one had been an egotistical con man.

Remus Lupin had been by far the best of any of the teachers, but he had been forced to resign when everyone found out that he was a werewolf. Or to be more accurate; when Snape told the entire Slytherin house what Remus was and word had spread like wildfire. Remus knew that very few of the parents would not object to him teaching their children, so he handed in his resignation before he was forced to do so by parental outrage. The vast majority of the students were sad to see him go for he had been the only competent professor for that subject up until that point.

Snape basically loathed Remus, Sirius and Harry's father, James, which explained his general attitude towards them and Harry. He also had his heart (assuming that he had one) set on getting the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. Harry glanced over, expecting to see something along the lines of distaste for missing out on the job for the fifth year in a row, but Snape seemed completely indifferent to what was going on around him.

Professor Torr gracefully sat back down as Dumbledore spoke up again.

'Just a reminder that the village of Hogsmeade is out of bounds to all the first and second years, and the Forbidden Forest is, likewise, out of bounds to all students.

'Now, off to bed, all of you! Remember, Quidditch teams to your Head of House immediately please!'

Hermione leapt to her feet, Prefect badge gleaming.

'First years follow me please!' she called down the table to the new students. 'See you two later,' she added to Ron and Harry.

'Hang on, Hermione, what's the password?' Ron asked, grabbing her arm before she could dash away.

'It's "Hesperides", got to go!' And she left, proudly leading a line of new Gryffindor first years off to the Tower.

'I'd better see what McGonagall wants,' said Harry.

Ron nodded and followed Dean and Seamus out of the Hall.

Harry slipped through the crowd, met up with Fred and George then set off to find McGonagall. They reached the staff table and found Alicia and Katie waiting for them.

'We have to go to her office,' said Katie. 'She'll be there in a minute.'

The team went and sat in her office, wondering what was going on. They chatted freely until she arrived.

'Right then, you are probably wondering what this is all about.'

Fred and George nodded simultaneously, perked with interest. McGonagall settled herself behind her desk.

'Well, first of all, as I'm sure you're all aware, we are two players short. We need a new Keeper and Chaser assigned. Not to mention a new captain.'

Harry suddenly felt as though he'd swallowed an ice-cube, but couldn't for the life of him explain why.

'While Madam Hooch and I do have some say in the matter, what the final decision is will be up to the five of you.' She looked at each of them in turn with her penetrating gaze. 'So, I want each of you to think which of you here, apart from yourself, would be the most suitable for the position of captain.'

Harry immediately thought of Katie. She had all the right qualities to perform the duties that came with being captain.

McGonagall gave them a few minutes to think about it, and then turned to Alicia.

'I think Harry should be captain,' she said.

Harry stared at her in amazement. Him?

''Why?' asked McGonagall.

'Because he has good leadership qualities.'

McGonagall nodded and looked at Katie.

'Harry, definitely, he's really dedicated to Quidditch.'

Fred and George answered simultaneously.

'Harry!'

Professor McGonagall actually smiled as she fixed Harry with her steely gaze. Harry felt quite overwhelmed. He hadn't exactly taken Fred and George seriously when they had mentioned the possibility of his being captain on his first night back at the Burrow.

'Well, Potter, I think the team has spoken and I must say that I agree with their choice. Will you accept the role of captain?'

Harry's throat and mouth seemed to have dried up. The others were watching him, waiting on tenterhooks.

Mutely, Harry nodded.

'Very well, we have a new captain,' McGonagall stated proudly.

The rest of the team cheered and clapped enthusiastically.

'Moving on, I am sure you will be pleased to know that this year we have a professional Quidditch coach at Hogwarts this year. She will undoubtedly be dropping in on your training sessions and matches.'

Everyone sat up straighter, giving her their full attention.

'She will be looking for talented young players, such as yourselves, to be considered for a national team if you so wish.'

'Cool!' Fred burst out, a wide grin on his face. 'Who is it?'

Professor McGonagall's smile faltered slightly.

'Professor Torr. She has kindly consented to give up a few years of coaching so that she can teach here instead.'

The team instantly brought up numerous questions, eagerly wanting to know more. But McGonagall insisted that they ought to direct their questions to Professor Torr. When she finally dismissed them Harry hurried off upstairs to Gryffindor Tower, half in a daze.

A professional Quidditch coach, here, at Hogwarts! A wonderful fantasy played with his thoughts, envisioning himself on his Firebolt, speeding through the air and making a spectacular catch of the Golden Snitch almost without any effort. The daydream progressed to Professor Torr introducing him to a large group of Quidditch League champions, welcoming him to their team.

Harry was just visualising himself zooming around the Quidditch World Cup stadium when he walked straight into the Fat Lady's portrait.

'Watch it!' she squawked indignantly. 'Do pay attention to where you're going! Password?'

'Hesperides,' said Harry, rubbing his nose. 'And sorry about that.'

'That's okay, just be a little more careful next time,' said the Fat Lady, as she swung forward to let him inside.

Ron was already asleep by the time he'd got to the dormitory. Harry got changed into his pyjamas and climbed into bed. He was sure that Ron would be just as thrilled to hear about Professor Torr. After all, if Ron managed to get onto the team he wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like this one. Harry snuggled down between the sheets, his daydream self back on his broom, soaring high on the wind.

The Golden Snitch was glittering far below - he dived, the wind whipping at his robes and hair. He reached out a hand - No, wait, someone else was flying alongside him - fake it, pull up! Performing a flawless Wronski Feint, Harry's mind abruptly conjured up another image. The Dark Mark. Death Eaters - marching across a field of tents, blasting them out of their path as a family of Muggles were levitated high above them.

The wonderful fantasy faded in an instant. The Quidditch World Cup. Maybe not such a happy memory in that respect. Harry shivered and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. He felt guilty in a way; fantasising about a successful Quidditch career while there was a war going on. Surely that was more important right now. With the Dark Lord returned, it was unlikely that anyone's dreams were going to come true for a long time. The nightmares would surely take precedence.

And yet, Harry mulled it over, here he was, stuck at Hogwarts while Professor Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus were already doing what they could to prevent Voldemort from trying to take over a second time. There didn't seem to be much Harry could do whilst he was still in school. Sirius would no doubt insist that Hogwarts was the safest place for him. Harry was less confident. If Voldemort was able to snatch Harry from Hogwarts once, he could do it again.

Harry frowned. While he couldn't deny that he'd really rather not come face to face with Voldemort again, that didn't mean that Harry was incapable of helping with the war effort. There had to be something he could do to help.

But until he knew something of what was going on, Harry knew there was very little he could do. So, in the mean time, there was still room for Quidditch dreams. Finally, Harry drifted off to sleep, the faint sparkle of the Golden Snitch just out of reach.

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To Be Continued

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Please review.

All comments and constructive criticism are appreciated.

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Authors Notes

Evil spapple pie – I think the trick is not to have dialogue like that going on for too long, otherwise it would end up sounding silly.  Glad you liked it – I enjoyed writing it!  Ah, you don't like toads?  Okay, food off limits, fair enough, but I like them anyway.  ^_^ 

Lil Lupin – Oh no, I need my sleep.  I like it too much to deny myself a minimum of seven hours.  All my notepads and stuff are right by my bed.  To tell the truth, they're balanced rather precariously.  One of these days the whole shelf is going to collapse and everything will hit me in the head.  Still, it's not likely to do any damage.  ^_^  I'm sure the doctors will let you have a light pen.  And if you ask extra nice, they'll let you have the room with the rubber wallpaper!  Great fun!  *bounces manically round the room*

Evol norgura – Hello there!  Glad you approve.  I've tried to avoid using too much 'snogging and fluff' in this fic.  Personally I feel that too much spoils an otherwise good fic.

Christy – A fair point.  Maybe someone ought to let JK Rowling know.  ^_^  Having said that, I wonder if anything like this will crop up in Order of the Phoenix?  Be weird if it did!