Last updated on January 14, 2003
Except for Mariannah who is obviously my own creation, all the other characters here belong to J.K. Rowling.
This chapter was revised! :-) Please check out the news on "Author's Notes & News updated every now and then" (which is usually the last chapter of this story).
I'd like to thank the Harry Potter Lexicon () for all the invaluable resource, which helped me make this fan-fic. I'd also like to thank John Williams for creating such an excellent score for the Harry Potter movies. They were fuel for my imagination as well. Finally, thanks to all the other song artists and fan-fic authors. Without them, this story wouldn't materialize at all.
Mariannah was fixing her cloak when she heard a knock on her door. "In a minute!" she called out. She made sure everything was all right with what she wore. More knocking on the door made her realize how long she's taken to make sure everything was perfect. She opened the door immediately. Severus was standing before her, just stopping in mid-knock. He was wearing his usual black teaching robes.
"It took you long enough," growled Severus. Mariannah ignored his remark.
"Well," Mariannah said, taking a deep breath. "Let's get to it then, shall we?" Severus nodded and stepped aside to let Mariannah pass. They were to do one last round of the grounds. A final check to see that all their new spells and enchantments were in place and stable.
As Mariannah walked in front of him, Severus took in her wardrobe. Her velvet cloak draped around her, covering whatever she was wearing underneath completely. The cloak was royal green in color with a silver cobra head at the back, just like the dress robes she wore before. Underneath the cloak came the dull sound of boots hitting stone. Severus could only guess what she wore underneath. "I bet you a hundred galleons that I know what you're wearing underneath that cloak," stated Severus, in his usual unfeeling manner. Mariannah chuckled. "Keep it. I'll probably lose." With that, they started their rounds.
The students had started to fill the Great Hall. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were surveying the High Table. "Snape's not here yet," noticed Ron. "Oh, he'll show up," said Hermione as she continued to look at the other tables. "I wonder who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would be?" asked Harry. "I heard we'll be having a female teacher this time," said Ron as he continued to scan the teachers. "Ron, sit down!" said Hermione. Ron was almost standing on his seat looking around. "The sorting ceremony is about to start!"
The sorting ceremony is a yearly event where the first years are sorted into their respective houses. This was usually done with the aid of a magical Sorting Hat. After a wonderful song and an hour of sorting, Harry noticed that the table was still missing two teachers. "What happened to Snape?" asked Harry. "Maybe he got sick!" said Ron, a big smile on his face. "Or even fired!" "Maybe," said Hermione. "He's been sent out on a special mission by Professor Dumbledore and hasn't come back yet!"
Their talk was cut short when the Headmaster called the students' attention. "As you know," began Professor Dumbledore. "We are entering a dangerous year. With Voldemort back, we need to take extra precautions to ensure your safety." The mention of You-Know-Who's name sent shivers to most of the students in the hall. Even the teachers flinched. "Which is why it is most comforting to know that our Potions Master and our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor have been hard at work the past summer making sure that Hogwarts is as safe for you as it has always been." As if on cue, the doors of the great hall opened. Severus walked towards the teachers' table as the doors closed behind him. His robes billowing in his wake. "We're sorry we're late, headmaster," said Severus. "But we had to finish some last minute checks on the school grounds."
"That's all right, Professor," said Professor Dumbledore. "I understand. I should have remembered that our Defense teacher still has that perfectionist streak in her. Very much like you, yes Professor Snape?" Severus just sneered and walked towards his seat.
The doors of the great hall opened one more time to reveal the new Defense teacher, walking with the same confidence and grace that the Headmaster saw during the Grand Halloween Ball years back. Her cloak flowed smoothly behind her but never opened to reveal whatever it was hiding underneath. Her expression was stoic. "Ah, yes!" exclaimed the old man. "Students, may I introduce to you your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Miss Mariannah Potter!"
Ron quickly glanced at Harry. "Did he say Potter?" he said in surprise.
Mariannah stopped a while in front of the headmaster and paid her respects with a curtsy. Then she continued to her chair. Severus was still standing, waiting for her to take her place beside him. He helped the newcomer to her seat before taking one himself. "Say," said Ron. "Did my eyes deceive me or did Snape just become a gentleman?"
"Professor Potter," the headmaster continued, "is a graduate of Hogwarts, having finished her studies here in just three years." The great hall was now buzzing. "She has the highest scores in O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in the last one hundred years, though I think we shall soon see someone beating her record in the O.W.L.s this year." Professor Dumbledore smiled as he glanced briefly towards the Gryffindor table. "She is a Slytherin house member, as you can see from her cloak." Draco Malfoy grinned.
The Headmaster continued. "She excelled in all her subjects, her best being in the Potions, Transfiguration and, of course, Defense Against the Dark Arts. In fact, I do believe she surpassed Professor Snape by a mere point when they both took on an extra Potions project years back." Mariannah glanced at Severus with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Severus put on his worst scowl. "Beaten by tea," he mumbled under his breath.
"Oh no!" groaned Ron. "If she's anything like Snape, it surely will be hell on earth in our Defense classes!"
"Finally, though she is a Slytherin alumnus, she is also very much loyal to the Gryffindor house." The Headmaster said this with a smile and a twinkle in his eye as he looked towards the Gryffindor table. Everyone was now mumbling in surprise and confusion. Draco's smile faltered. Professor Dumbledore nodded. "My students, Mariannah Potter is the last of her kind. She is a Gryffindor Guardian."
"Good morning, sir."
Professor Dumbledore looked up from his desk to find an older Mariannah in front of him. "Please take a seat, my dear," he said as he put away the papers he was working on. Mariannah took her seat and waited for her headmaster to speak. Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat before continuing.
"Now then, first question. Who told you that you are a Gryffindor Guardian?"
"You did, sir," answered Mariannah. "Oh?" inquired Professor Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"Well, you didn't exactly say it," said Mariannah. "I just somehow read it from your mind. You were thinking that I just might be a Gryffindor Guardian. But I don't really know what it means."
Professor Dumbledore stood up and walked towards his bookshelf. After a while, he found what he was looking for and took out a thin grayish book, which he gave to the girl. The girl opened it to find it contained information on the Gryffindor Guardian.
- The Gryffindor Guardian's origins are unknown. They are a special breed of wizards and witches that can never really die. They may grow old and "die" but their consciousness and powers are transferred to another wizard of their own choosing. This is very much like a phoenix being reborn from the ashes. They are called upon to protect the wizarding world from the emergence of very powerful dark wizards.
Mariannah looked at Professor Dumbledore. "So, there are more like me?" she asked.
"Alas, I'm afraid not," said Professor Dumbledore. "There are supposed to be only six Guardians, each having a particular talent that is more powerful than any other wizard. Voldemort knew about the Gryffindor Guardians and became determined to hunt each and every one down and destroy them permanently. The moment he is able to kill one, he would chant a powerful curse that would disintegrate the consciousness. I thought all six have been destroyed, until you came."
Mariannah thought a bit. "It says that the consciousness of a Guardian is transferred to another person. Wouldn't that mean I should remember who I was before? How come I don't?"
"Are you sure you don't remember anything at all?" said the Headmaster. "Try clearing your mind. Remove the clutter of your own personal thoughts." Mariannah reflected on this and stared down at the floor. Then her eyes widened at some sort of realization. "I remember some stuff," she said. "But, it's all jumbled like a puzzle. Only the pieces don't quite seem to fit." She looked at the Headmaster once again. Professor Dumbledore nodded. "I see. So Voldemort wasn't able to really destroy all of it after all. Might be that bits and pieces of each consciousness have all concentrated on you. Which explains why I observed that you used two of the special talents and not just one: transfiguration and telepathy." Professor Dumbledore smiled as he said this. "I will expect to see the other four talents to manifest themselves soon." He then stood up and walked over to Mariannah.
"Now, it's time for you to pull yourself together, so to speak," said Professor Dumbledore, putting his hand over her shoulder. "What I want you to do is concentrate on the pieces and try to fit them together." "How will I know if they do fit?" asked Mariannah. "Oh, you will know," answered Professor Dumbledore.
Mariannah nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating on her task. Little by little, she remembered how Voldemort attacked the Guardians. Voldemort had systematically hunted all of them down. Professor Dumbledore was right. For every Guardian Voldemort tried to destroy, a small part of the consciousness was always left behind. These had combined to form a new consciousness and found their way to Mariannah. Though the consciousness was fractured, the power of each Guardian was intact. So now she had the combined magic of six Guardians. Essentially, she was just as strong as Voldemort.
Mariannah opened her eyes and looked at Professor Dumbledore. The headmaster saw a different light in her eyes, like someone new has emerged from its depths. "I understand now," the girl said in her usual cool manner. "I see that one of the Guardians was an old friend of yours, sir." Professor Dumbledore nodded. She stood up and walked towards the window.
"Sir, I'm a bit overwhelmed by this," said Mariannah as she stared outside. "I feel like I have too much magic to begin with." "Do not worry," said Professor Dumbledore. "I will help you train and keep that power under control. We don't want you getting killed by your own hand now, do we?"
"We shall begin your training next week, after curfew. We can't let anyone know that a Gryffindor Guardian is alive and well. Will that be a problem for you?" asked Professor Dumbledore. "No, sir," answered Mariannah. "I don't think so."
"Good," said Professor Dumbledore as he returned to his seat. Mariannah faced the headmaster with a worried look. "Do you think I can control this, Professor Dumbledore? I mean, I'm just eight after all."
"You will be just fine, Mariannah," said Professor Dumbledore. "Just fine."
To be continuedDefense