Disclaimer: All characters and universe from the Harry Potter series belong
to JK Rowling and assorted corporations. Original characters and story
belong to the author.
Chapter One
Harry gazed out across the placid surface of Hogwarts ground's pond feeling sluggish and slightly sweaty. It was an unusually warm afternoon in late September and he, Ron and Hermione were whiling away some last few minutes of break time before their next class began.
"Why are we even meeting anyway?" Ron grumbled from the shade of the large cypress they sat under. "It's pretty useless without a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Dumbledore should just give us the period off; it'd be a nice break. We've been working like house elves around here getting back into the routine of things with schoolwork and all. Last year was a cinch compared to this year; it just keeps getting bloody worse."
In truth, the last few Defense Against the Dark Arts classes had been less than productive. The first month of class, Harry and several members from the D.A. club had taken the reins and caught the rest of their classmates up to speed with the spells they already had learned the previous year during their secret meetings under Professor Umbridge's reign of terror. However, the last two classes had shown them that their fellow students were slowly catching up. As a result, instead of practicing harder they spent half of the class spell casting and the other half chatting and goofing off. Harry wanted to say something but at the same time he didn't want to look like a self-appointed leader of the class so he mostly kept silent, practicing with Ron, Hermione or Neville Longbottom. As of late, Harry found that he enjoyed sparring with Neville the most. Secretly, he thought Longbottom was slowly moving ahead of the others in class. Since their fight against Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic last year, Harry had watched Neville's aim, power and speed all improve with unnerving results. Neville, Harry believed, was determined to never miss a single mark ever again.
But all that could not have been further from Harry's mind on this particular lethargic afternoon. He drowsed in the slow heat of the day, his eyelids drooping. Missing a class'd be nice for once. It feels so right, here- maybe just a quick nap-
"Didn't you hear at breakfast this morning? Dumbledore promised the new professor would arrive before the end of the day. She might come during our class and if she does I certainly want to meet her." Hermione's insistent voice broke Harry's reverie and jerked him back awake. He had heard the announcement this morning too, sitting next to Hermione at breakfast in the Great Hall. Harry also seemed to remember that Ron had been late getting downstairs as he couldn't find his wand.
"She?" Ron asked, curiously. "Dumbledore said it was a she? What'd else he say? Certainly not another Umbridge, I would hope."
Hermione shrugged. "That's all. He didn't say her name either."
"Well whoever she is, I just hope she's good. If we're gonna get Auror positions at the Minis-"
BANG!
The noise startled the three along with all the students who were lounging around the pond. All of them looked towards where the loud noise had come from. The bang seemed to have originated from a spot just over the school's front gates and was now replaced by a faint putting noise that was getting closer.
All eyes on the green lawn watched as a fierce black motorcycle screamed around the corner and entered the Hogwarts gates. Upon entering school grounds, the chopper reduced its speed considerably and chuffed up easily to the school's front entrance. The rider pulled to a slow halt at the base of the school stairs and a tall, shapely female form unfolded herself from the bike. The figure moved with an easy grace and wore what seemed to be a form-fitting one piece made from what could only be black dragon skin. Her legs were tucked into a large pair of clunky black biker boots that made her feet look twice their size and a sleek black helmet hid her face from view as a few second-years descended the steps staring at he, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Geez," Ron breathed, "did Dumbledore say anything about that?" Hermione's elbow somehow seemed to jab uncontrollably into Ron's ribs.
"Ow. Sorry." Ron grimaced and rubbed his side.
Harry rose and headed toward the front entrance with the two quickly falling in tow, just as curious as he was. As they approached, they watched Dumbledore appeared in the grand doorway and stop at the head of the stairs, beaming down at their new arrival.
"Praline," he said softly. Dumbledore smiled widely and he held out his arms.
While Harry and the others did not hear her name, her voice carried over to them when she looked up and saw Dumbledore.
"Grandpapa!" she called out excitedly. She tore off her helmet and a long tangled mane of auburn hair fell to her waist. Harry still had not seen her face but surprisingly, the rear view was almost as exciting. The woman ran up the steps taking them two at a time and into the waiting arms of their headmaster. The two met in the middle of the stairs and she threw her arms around him in a long hug.
Harry, Ron and Hermione quickened their pace at the scene, their curiosity propelling them. Dumbledore and the woman broke apart and began exchanging words rapidly, still smiling; her hand remaining warmly on his shoulder. They spoke only to each other for a few moments and then acknowledged the crowd gathering before them. The young woman smiled at the gathering children, greeting a few of them standing near her. Dumbledore noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione approaching and waved them over.
"Students, I'd like you to meet your new temporary professor for the next year. This is Praline Dumbledore. She is my granddaughter."
Harry was dumbfounded. Dumbledore had a granddaughter? The surprised look on Ron and Hermione's faces matched his own. He immediately realized he had never thought about the possibility that Dumbledore might have a real blood family. Harry had grown accustomed to the idea that the students at Hogwarts were his family. Feeling a little chagrined at himself for never having thought of this before, he smiled back at Dumbledore and the pretty woman standing right in front of him.
"Hello. Nice to meet you Pra- Professor uh, Dumbledore?" Harry looked from her to his headmaster, who he had always, before today, called Professor as well. The two Professors looked at each other and giggled.
"It seems that there are two Dumbledore's under this roof once more, my dear Pralina," said Albus Dumbledore with a glitter in his eye.
Praline hugged her grandfather's arm and smiled into his eyes. "As it should be granpapa, as it should be." She turned back to Harry and held out a hand. "How about Professor Praline for now, unless we think of something better later on."
Harry shook her hand and saw the look of recognition take place in her eyes. Praline grinned even wider. "Harry! I'd know that Potter hair anywhere. Nice tah meet'cha Harry, how are you? I feel like I know you already, granpapa speaks very fondly of you." Her grip was strong and firm and Harry felt a pleasant twist inside his stomach that made him smile and squirm at the same time. He felt her make a slow mental assessment of him with her eyes and wondered if he measured up.
"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too. Uh, this is-"
"You must be Ron and Hermione. Nice to meet you both," she reached forward and shook hands with them both. "Ron, I love Weasleys' Whizarding Wheezes. I go there all the time, your brothers are hysterical. They tell me you've become a fine keeper these days, eh?" Ron blushed furiously, completely taken off guard at the notion that this beautiful creature had heard of him.
"Yea, I, uh, like the Whizbie businee, I mean ness, business-" Ron broke off, mortified and settled on nodding and smiling, his face as red as his hair.
Praline gave no notice to his embarrassment but instead turned towards Hermione. "Hermione, Professor Dumbledore told me you've joined the Freedom of Magical Creatures Movement. I went to a grassroots rally not too long ago. Remind me later to give you some literature I picked up, I'd be happy to share it with you."
Hermione beamed, already completely won over. "Ooh, yes, that'd be lovely, thanks!"
The other children leaned in, eager to introduce themselves to the new professor and her bike. Harry took a moment to observe her. Praline seemed easy-going around the rest of the children, greeting the shy first- years that hung back while exchanging a few quick greetings with the taller, older students. Dumbledore's granddaughter, quite simply put, was gorgeous. She was maybe an inch taller than Harry, who had just shot up several inches over the summer and had become quite lanky. With her motorcycle helmet now clenched under her arm, Harry saw a smooth, olive- skinned face with almond-shaped green eyes that seemed to bore into his brain and rendered him stupid. Harry could not help but feel that there was something about her face that seemed just slightly out of place. Praline looked nothing like Dumbledore but almost like a fairy grown to human-size. Her face was heart-shaped and when Harry caught a glimpse of what he thought were her ears, he could have sworn they were slightly pointed at the tops.
His right hand self-consciously came up and smoothed his unruly hair down which popped back up again almost immediately. Ron and Hermione stood next to him and they moved forward with the rest of the crowd into the Great Hall.
"Come on, we'd better hurry, don't want to be late for class," Ron hurried ahead of them up the steps.
Hermione looked up and him and shook her head in wry wonder. "Well that's a bloody first."
In the entrance, Harry slowly worked his way forward until he found himself alongside Praline once more. She noticed him almost at once and laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. "So how's everything going, Harry? I just want you to know, I'm heartbroken about your godfather. Snuffles was a wonderful man and one of my closest friends," she spoke in a lowered voice closely above his ear so the other students could not catch what she was saying to him. They walked at a rapid clip through the halls to the DADA classroom. The new professor seemed to instinctively know where she was heading.
At her words, Harry's heart soared. She knew Sirius!, he thought to himself excitedly. Full of questions he turned to face her as they ascended the steps with a small crowd following them to class. Dumbledore walked in silence beside Praline, content to let her form a quick bond with his best student.
"You knew Sirius! Did you know my father-?"
Praline smiled what Harry thought was the most dazzling smile he had ever seen and she held up a finger to cut him off. She placed a warm hand on Harry's back to steer him towards the doorway of their classroom. At the door she turned to him.
"I promise you Harry, we'll have plenty of time to tell stories later and I promise, I will tell them to you," she said emphatically. "But now, we have a class to teach and I happen to know there is quite a bit you all should know by now that you don't . . . including you." Praline assumed a slightly more professor-like air and waved him into the classroom. "So let's use our time as best we can, shall we?"
Harry grinned wider than he had all year. He was satisfied that they would talk more at a later time and headed toward his seat with the others already filing into the class.
Even though she had just arrived, Praline promised to be an interesting professor. Upon entering the classroom, she immediately began with a hurried whirlwind of activity.
"Hello everyone, settle down, settle down." She spoke a few hurried words with Dumbledore outside in the hall before re-entering the classroom. The students fell silent almost at once.
"Alright, everyone. Sorry I'm late. For those of you who live entirely in the wizarding world, you should be sheer joyful of the fact that you never have to face Muggle traffic. It is, quite possibly, one of the most annoying things on the face of the earth. Now, who here has mastered a Petronus?" Their new professor took on a clipped, business-like tone that was not threatening but still prompted then to straighten up in their chairs somewhat.
Almost every hand shot up into the air. Praline gave a serious but pleased nod.
"Disarming spell?"
Every hand was raised now.
"Who here can perform at least five of the elementary hexes?" she asked.
Every hand stayed raised. Harry looked over at Neville who held his hand in the air, a serious look on his face.
"Very good. I can see this class has learned a few things. Well, I will slowly make my way through this class to make sure you're all truly up to par on all those things but for now since we seem on our game let's move forward. In the coming months some of you may find this class to be very challenging; you may not find yourself doing as you did perhaps last year. But if that is the case then most likely, that means you doing it correctly. Defense Against the Dark Arts should never be an easy subject to master. There is always someone out there who may be better, stronger and faster then you. In such a case, you must find other ways to overcome them." Professor Praline paced back and forth among the rows looking over each face and memorizing it. Mental photographing every person in the room was second nature to her and she did without even realizing it.
Ron leaned over and raised his eyebrows at Harry. They both grinned at each other. Now this kind of class sounded interesting. In between them, Hermione took copious notes with her quill.
"I have devoted my life to this subject and while I am here I will do my best to share what I have learned over the course of my life. But I expect much in return. I will need each of you here on time every day that we are scheduled to meet. Our time together is precious; I will expect you to treat it that way. Once here, I need your undivided attention which means things like notes," Praline flicked her wand and a small piece of paper on Lavender Brown's desk flew through the air and into her hand. She tapped her wand to it and the parchment disappeared in a small spark of fire. "Notes are a distraction we cannot afford."
"I am standing in this classroom today because the Magical World, as we know it, is at a crossroads . . ."
Chapter One
Harry gazed out across the placid surface of Hogwarts ground's pond feeling sluggish and slightly sweaty. It was an unusually warm afternoon in late September and he, Ron and Hermione were whiling away some last few minutes of break time before their next class began.
"Why are we even meeting anyway?" Ron grumbled from the shade of the large cypress they sat under. "It's pretty useless without a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Dumbledore should just give us the period off; it'd be a nice break. We've been working like house elves around here getting back into the routine of things with schoolwork and all. Last year was a cinch compared to this year; it just keeps getting bloody worse."
In truth, the last few Defense Against the Dark Arts classes had been less than productive. The first month of class, Harry and several members from the D.A. club had taken the reins and caught the rest of their classmates up to speed with the spells they already had learned the previous year during their secret meetings under Professor Umbridge's reign of terror. However, the last two classes had shown them that their fellow students were slowly catching up. As a result, instead of practicing harder they spent half of the class spell casting and the other half chatting and goofing off. Harry wanted to say something but at the same time he didn't want to look like a self-appointed leader of the class so he mostly kept silent, practicing with Ron, Hermione or Neville Longbottom. As of late, Harry found that he enjoyed sparring with Neville the most. Secretly, he thought Longbottom was slowly moving ahead of the others in class. Since their fight against Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic last year, Harry had watched Neville's aim, power and speed all improve with unnerving results. Neville, Harry believed, was determined to never miss a single mark ever again.
But all that could not have been further from Harry's mind on this particular lethargic afternoon. He drowsed in the slow heat of the day, his eyelids drooping. Missing a class'd be nice for once. It feels so right, here- maybe just a quick nap-
"Didn't you hear at breakfast this morning? Dumbledore promised the new professor would arrive before the end of the day. She might come during our class and if she does I certainly want to meet her." Hermione's insistent voice broke Harry's reverie and jerked him back awake. He had heard the announcement this morning too, sitting next to Hermione at breakfast in the Great Hall. Harry also seemed to remember that Ron had been late getting downstairs as he couldn't find his wand.
"She?" Ron asked, curiously. "Dumbledore said it was a she? What'd else he say? Certainly not another Umbridge, I would hope."
Hermione shrugged. "That's all. He didn't say her name either."
"Well whoever she is, I just hope she's good. If we're gonna get Auror positions at the Minis-"
BANG!
The noise startled the three along with all the students who were lounging around the pond. All of them looked towards where the loud noise had come from. The bang seemed to have originated from a spot just over the school's front gates and was now replaced by a faint putting noise that was getting closer.
All eyes on the green lawn watched as a fierce black motorcycle screamed around the corner and entered the Hogwarts gates. Upon entering school grounds, the chopper reduced its speed considerably and chuffed up easily to the school's front entrance. The rider pulled to a slow halt at the base of the school stairs and a tall, shapely female form unfolded herself from the bike. The figure moved with an easy grace and wore what seemed to be a form-fitting one piece made from what could only be black dragon skin. Her legs were tucked into a large pair of clunky black biker boots that made her feet look twice their size and a sleek black helmet hid her face from view as a few second-years descended the steps staring at he, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Geez," Ron breathed, "did Dumbledore say anything about that?" Hermione's elbow somehow seemed to jab uncontrollably into Ron's ribs.
"Ow. Sorry." Ron grimaced and rubbed his side.
Harry rose and headed toward the front entrance with the two quickly falling in tow, just as curious as he was. As they approached, they watched Dumbledore appeared in the grand doorway and stop at the head of the stairs, beaming down at their new arrival.
"Praline," he said softly. Dumbledore smiled widely and he held out his arms.
While Harry and the others did not hear her name, her voice carried over to them when she looked up and saw Dumbledore.
"Grandpapa!" she called out excitedly. She tore off her helmet and a long tangled mane of auburn hair fell to her waist. Harry still had not seen her face but surprisingly, the rear view was almost as exciting. The woman ran up the steps taking them two at a time and into the waiting arms of their headmaster. The two met in the middle of the stairs and she threw her arms around him in a long hug.
Harry, Ron and Hermione quickened their pace at the scene, their curiosity propelling them. Dumbledore and the woman broke apart and began exchanging words rapidly, still smiling; her hand remaining warmly on his shoulder. They spoke only to each other for a few moments and then acknowledged the crowd gathering before them. The young woman smiled at the gathering children, greeting a few of them standing near her. Dumbledore noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione approaching and waved them over.
"Students, I'd like you to meet your new temporary professor for the next year. This is Praline Dumbledore. She is my granddaughter."
Harry was dumbfounded. Dumbledore had a granddaughter? The surprised look on Ron and Hermione's faces matched his own. He immediately realized he had never thought about the possibility that Dumbledore might have a real blood family. Harry had grown accustomed to the idea that the students at Hogwarts were his family. Feeling a little chagrined at himself for never having thought of this before, he smiled back at Dumbledore and the pretty woman standing right in front of him.
"Hello. Nice to meet you Pra- Professor uh, Dumbledore?" Harry looked from her to his headmaster, who he had always, before today, called Professor as well. The two Professors looked at each other and giggled.
"It seems that there are two Dumbledore's under this roof once more, my dear Pralina," said Albus Dumbledore with a glitter in his eye.
Praline hugged her grandfather's arm and smiled into his eyes. "As it should be granpapa, as it should be." She turned back to Harry and held out a hand. "How about Professor Praline for now, unless we think of something better later on."
Harry shook her hand and saw the look of recognition take place in her eyes. Praline grinned even wider. "Harry! I'd know that Potter hair anywhere. Nice tah meet'cha Harry, how are you? I feel like I know you already, granpapa speaks very fondly of you." Her grip was strong and firm and Harry felt a pleasant twist inside his stomach that made him smile and squirm at the same time. He felt her make a slow mental assessment of him with her eyes and wondered if he measured up.
"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too. Uh, this is-"
"You must be Ron and Hermione. Nice to meet you both," she reached forward and shook hands with them both. "Ron, I love Weasleys' Whizarding Wheezes. I go there all the time, your brothers are hysterical. They tell me you've become a fine keeper these days, eh?" Ron blushed furiously, completely taken off guard at the notion that this beautiful creature had heard of him.
"Yea, I, uh, like the Whizbie businee, I mean ness, business-" Ron broke off, mortified and settled on nodding and smiling, his face as red as his hair.
Praline gave no notice to his embarrassment but instead turned towards Hermione. "Hermione, Professor Dumbledore told me you've joined the Freedom of Magical Creatures Movement. I went to a grassroots rally not too long ago. Remind me later to give you some literature I picked up, I'd be happy to share it with you."
Hermione beamed, already completely won over. "Ooh, yes, that'd be lovely, thanks!"
The other children leaned in, eager to introduce themselves to the new professor and her bike. Harry took a moment to observe her. Praline seemed easy-going around the rest of the children, greeting the shy first- years that hung back while exchanging a few quick greetings with the taller, older students. Dumbledore's granddaughter, quite simply put, was gorgeous. She was maybe an inch taller than Harry, who had just shot up several inches over the summer and had become quite lanky. With her motorcycle helmet now clenched under her arm, Harry saw a smooth, olive- skinned face with almond-shaped green eyes that seemed to bore into his brain and rendered him stupid. Harry could not help but feel that there was something about her face that seemed just slightly out of place. Praline looked nothing like Dumbledore but almost like a fairy grown to human-size. Her face was heart-shaped and when Harry caught a glimpse of what he thought were her ears, he could have sworn they were slightly pointed at the tops.
His right hand self-consciously came up and smoothed his unruly hair down which popped back up again almost immediately. Ron and Hermione stood next to him and they moved forward with the rest of the crowd into the Great Hall.
"Come on, we'd better hurry, don't want to be late for class," Ron hurried ahead of them up the steps.
Hermione looked up and him and shook her head in wry wonder. "Well that's a bloody first."
In the entrance, Harry slowly worked his way forward until he found himself alongside Praline once more. She noticed him almost at once and laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. "So how's everything going, Harry? I just want you to know, I'm heartbroken about your godfather. Snuffles was a wonderful man and one of my closest friends," she spoke in a lowered voice closely above his ear so the other students could not catch what she was saying to him. They walked at a rapid clip through the halls to the DADA classroom. The new professor seemed to instinctively know where she was heading.
At her words, Harry's heart soared. She knew Sirius!, he thought to himself excitedly. Full of questions he turned to face her as they ascended the steps with a small crowd following them to class. Dumbledore walked in silence beside Praline, content to let her form a quick bond with his best student.
"You knew Sirius! Did you know my father-?"
Praline smiled what Harry thought was the most dazzling smile he had ever seen and she held up a finger to cut him off. She placed a warm hand on Harry's back to steer him towards the doorway of their classroom. At the door she turned to him.
"I promise you Harry, we'll have plenty of time to tell stories later and I promise, I will tell them to you," she said emphatically. "But now, we have a class to teach and I happen to know there is quite a bit you all should know by now that you don't . . . including you." Praline assumed a slightly more professor-like air and waved him into the classroom. "So let's use our time as best we can, shall we?"
Harry grinned wider than he had all year. He was satisfied that they would talk more at a later time and headed toward his seat with the others already filing into the class.
Even though she had just arrived, Praline promised to be an interesting professor. Upon entering the classroom, she immediately began with a hurried whirlwind of activity.
"Hello everyone, settle down, settle down." She spoke a few hurried words with Dumbledore outside in the hall before re-entering the classroom. The students fell silent almost at once.
"Alright, everyone. Sorry I'm late. For those of you who live entirely in the wizarding world, you should be sheer joyful of the fact that you never have to face Muggle traffic. It is, quite possibly, one of the most annoying things on the face of the earth. Now, who here has mastered a Petronus?" Their new professor took on a clipped, business-like tone that was not threatening but still prompted then to straighten up in their chairs somewhat.
Almost every hand shot up into the air. Praline gave a serious but pleased nod.
"Disarming spell?"
Every hand was raised now.
"Who here can perform at least five of the elementary hexes?" she asked.
Every hand stayed raised. Harry looked over at Neville who held his hand in the air, a serious look on his face.
"Very good. I can see this class has learned a few things. Well, I will slowly make my way through this class to make sure you're all truly up to par on all those things but for now since we seem on our game let's move forward. In the coming months some of you may find this class to be very challenging; you may not find yourself doing as you did perhaps last year. But if that is the case then most likely, that means you doing it correctly. Defense Against the Dark Arts should never be an easy subject to master. There is always someone out there who may be better, stronger and faster then you. In such a case, you must find other ways to overcome them." Professor Praline paced back and forth among the rows looking over each face and memorizing it. Mental photographing every person in the room was second nature to her and she did without even realizing it.
Ron leaned over and raised his eyebrows at Harry. They both grinned at each other. Now this kind of class sounded interesting. In between them, Hermione took copious notes with her quill.
"I have devoted my life to this subject and while I am here I will do my best to share what I have learned over the course of my life. But I expect much in return. I will need each of you here on time every day that we are scheduled to meet. Our time together is precious; I will expect you to treat it that way. Once here, I need your undivided attention which means things like notes," Praline flicked her wand and a small piece of paper on Lavender Brown's desk flew through the air and into her hand. She tapped her wand to it and the parchment disappeared in a small spark of fire. "Notes are a distraction we cannot afford."
"I am standing in this classroom today because the Magical World, as we know it, is at a crossroads . . ."