Chapter 3: The first lesson
The following day, the three friends found themselves in the Great Hall eating breakfast. Harry and Ron were eating in great, bit mouthfuls, while Hermoine looked on in disgust.
"Honestly you two! Eat a bit slower, I don't want you to choke!" Hermoine exclaimed.
Ron looked up and said, " Sorry, Hermoine…I just want to hurry up so we can get to class."
This surprised Hermoine greatly.
"You want to get to class?!"
"Well yea…today we get Professor Snape, " With that remark Ron got quizzical looks from both Harry and Hermoine. "His brother!"
"Oh," Hermoine and Harry both said in unison.
"I really hope he's not a rude, selfish, git like the Snape we know, "Harry added.
"You know, I was thinking…its going to be really confusing, having two Professor Snape's around, "Hermoine said thoughtfully.
"Yea, good point, " Ron said.
"Well, let's get going you two…we have him first!" Hermoine said standing up. Harry and Ron followed her out the Great Hall doors, and down the corridor. They arrived at the DADA door, but to their surprise found no one standing outside the door waiting for class to start. Ron shrugged, and Hermoine looked confused.
She then decided to open the door. All three of them looked inside to find an empty classroom.
"That's weird, " Hermoine observed.
"Where do you reck…." Ron trailed off, for the caretaker had just arrived on the scene.
"Aha!" Filch exclaimed triumphantly. "Finally caught you three late for class! Oh, Dumbledore will be happy to see you, yes he will."
"No, you don't understand…"Hermone tried to explain. But Filch would have none of it.
"That's enough missy, now follow me!"
The three looked at one another. They had no choice but to follow Filch. At least they could explain why they were late to Dumbledore.
As they neared Dumbledore's office, Professor Severes Snape was walking through the corridor. He spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, and a devilish grin overcame his face.
"Ah…what may I ask did these troublemakers do, Filch?" His cold black eyes glinted.
"Oh, Professor Snape! I found them waiting in front of an office, exactly 5 minutes late for class," Filch answered pleased.
"No, wait Professor…we didn't know where the new DADA room was…you see we looked where the old one was located, but no one was in there, " Hermoine said giving Snape her most innocent look.
"I see…Ms. Granger, tell me then…shouldn't a prefect like yourself know where all the classes are located?"
Hermoine now looked embarrassed.
"That's what I thought…" Snape answered for her.
Suddenly the statue that lead to Dumbledore's office moved, in order to reveal a very tall, aged wizard.
"Headmaster!" Filch exclaimed. "I have three rule breakers here for you." He gestured to Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.
Dumbledore looked quizzically at the three students, and his eyes twinkled.
"Please tell me Mr. Filch, what were they doing?" He asked.
"Well they were lounging about in the hallway, 5 minutes late for class!" Filch answered.
"I see…" Dumbledore said quietly, eyeing Harry. "What were you doing, Harry…it is vital to let you defend yourself, of coarse."
"Well, you see sir, we were on our way to defense against the Dark Arts class. And we thought that it was still located where it was last year, but it wasn't. We don't know where to go…" Harry finished.
"Well that seems perfectly innocent, "Dumbledore answered. "The new class is located in the dungeons…right below Professor Snape's office."
All three of the student's eyes grew in wonder. There was a floor below Snape's?
Dumbledore continued, "Now, since everything is cleared up, you three may get to class…now you are 10 minutes late," He said eyeing Filch, who looked away ashamed.
Snape just rolled his eyes, and stormed back through the hallway.
"Thankyou sir, " Hermoine finished. Then the three of them quickly walked towards the dungeons.
"BELOW?" Ron was the first to break the silence as they made their way down the corridor. "How can he have a classroom below Snape's cold office? It must be freezing down there!"
"I have no clue Ron…" Hermoine answered.
Finally they made it to the classroom, out of breath. It was a long walk and it had taken them a good 5 minutes to reach it.
"Should we knock? Or just walk in?" Harry asked.
"Hmm, let's…" The door opening to reveal none other than the younger brother of Professor Snape interrupted her.
"Ah…finally you decide to show!" He exclaimed in a joking manner, much to their relief.
"Sorry Professor…we sort of got…lost, " Hermoine managed to say.
"Quite alright, this classroom is a bit of a long way from upstairs, " He said, then he moved aside allowing them to pass. "Please, join us…"
They entered to find their fellow Gryfyndor's and Ravenclaws eyeing them with confused faces. They had a chance to view the new classroom. It was…classy. It was a rather large room, with an area for students to seat themselves at desks, and another large arena sort of area. Harry guessed that it might be used to practice magic.
They sat themselves in the front, and prepared to listen to the new Professor Snape.
"Alright, now that everyone is here…let me take roll…" He picked up a scroll from off his desk and read the names out loud.
"Aiken, Raven."
"Present!" A ravenclaw girl shouted.
He continued to announce the names, when he came to Harry's.
"Potter? Harry?" He looked almost fearful at the name.
"Er…here, " Harry answered, wondering why Professor Snape looked so shocked. Whatever it was seemed to disappear, for he quickly regained from his trance.
"Ah, Mr. Potter…good to have you in my class!" He said.
Harry nodded politely.
When roll taking was over, Professor Snape began to tell the class about himself.
"As you all know, I'm Severes Snape's younger brother. Now, I've thought about how this might be confusing to have two Professor Snape's in this school…so from now on students will refer to me as either Blane, or Professor Blane.
"Now, I've talked to Dumbledore about your previous…er teachers, and how they taught. It seems that you've only received one fine education year, from Professor Lupin, " Harry smiled…finally someone who appreciated Professor Lupin.
"And your last teacher of course…" Harry's smile quickly vanished, and turned into a frown, as did every other student.
"Yes, I was very pleased with Professor Umbridge's teaching ways, and I am going to follow in her foot steps!"
There were plenty of gasps around the classroom, and a lot of moans.
"Now, now be quiet! As she taught, we are not going to be using wands this year, " He said this with a mischievous smile. Students were complaining throughout the entire classroom.
"Calm down, calm down!" Blane shouted. "I'm only joking!" A confused look now played the student's faces.
"Don't worry, I was just kidding…a little humor to get started. Infact, I will be doing exactly opposite of what Umbridge did. Everyday you will be using your wands…infact, you will rarely use your books at all in this class!"]
There were cheers throughout the classroom now. Hermoine was the only one looking a little disappointed.
"Wow! He's great so far!" Ron exclaimed.
Blane put his hands up to silence the class.
"Now that doesn't mean there isn't going to be any work to do, " He added. "You'll be learning about tons of things this year. You'll learn how to defend yourself from any creature, for starters. And how to attack it…now, I am aware that this is defense against the dark arts…but it wouldn't hurt if you all knew how to attack just a bit, now would it?" He paused as there was another loud cheer throughout the class.
"Now, onto your homework…" The students looked disappointed again. "Don't give me that look! It is the Hogwart's law that I give out homework for the first day! But I'll tell you what…I'll make it fun, okay? Your homework for tonight is to write an essay about all the things you want to learn about. It can be as long or as short as you like…just a little more than a word, okay?"
The students were more than thrilled about Blane's homework.
"Alright, are there any questions for me that you have?" He asked.
Hermoine's hand shot up.
"Ah, Ms. Granger…yes?" He eyed her with his sharp blue eyes, making Hermoine blush a bit.
"Err, well I was wondering, Professor, what exactly are we going to learn about this year that is new?"
"Oh, good question…well, the main thing that we will be focusing on is defending yourselves from Voldemort, " Here there were gasps, but Blane chose to ignore them. "And this year is when I will be choosing three hard working students to train for a certain Auror position," He finished. Harry, and Ron looked utterly astonished.
Hermoine's hand once again popped up.
"Yes, Ms. Granger?"
"Um…well do you mean to say that three students could have a chance to be an auror?"
"Ah, that Ms. Granger shall be decided later in the year…" Blane said with a grin. "Well that's about all for today I suppose, class dismissed!"
Everyone eagerly made their way to the door. But Harry hung back just for a little bit to steal a look at his new professor. Blane noticed this, and quickly sat himself at his desk and wrote on some parchment. He again looked fearful of Harry. Harry just shrugged it off and ran to catch up with his friends.
The staff room was surprisingly cheerful. Everyone was gathered in a circle with Blane in the middle. He was telling some childhood stories.
"So then Severes looks at me and says, is it wrong that I wet myself again?" At this the entire room exploded with laughter.
Then the doors opened, and none other than Severes Snape himself walked in.
"What's so amusing?" He asked with little care.
Minerva McGonagal walked up to him.
"Oh we were just listening to some…childhood stories from your dear younger brother…" She winked at him.
"What did he say?" Severes demanded. Then he spotted Blane and marched right up to him. "What did yout tell them you no good asshole?"
Blane didn't look worried in the slightest way.
"Oh do calm down Severes! We were only having a mature conversation…"He looked around the room. "Right?"
The room burst into laughter once more. Severes gave a yell, and stormed out of the room.
"Oh, do you think we've upset him?" Blane asked sarcastically.
Finally the end of the day came, and Blane found himself inside his private chambers. He was lying on his leather couch gazing into his blazing fireplace. He was thinking deeply, about Harry Potter. Suddenly there was a knock at his window. It was his falcon, Aarock.
He quickly got up and unlatched the window, letting his friend in.
"Ah, Aarock my fine feathered friend…" Blane greeted.
"Blane…sorry I was late, the weather was just too nice to zoom through, " Replied Aarock. Now most people would be stunned to hear a falcon talk, but not Blane. When he was just a boy he received Aarock, a gifted falcon who had been passed down from generations. The first Snape, thousands of years ago, had blessed Aarock. He could talk, and he never aged not died.
"Quite alright…" Blane answered.
"So how did you first day go, master?" Aarock pried.
"Hmm? Oh yes, very good."
"I sense there is something that you're not telling me."
"Your senses have never failed you Aarock. Today I was surprised to find that none other than Harry Potter is in my 6th year class."
"Oh? How grand!"
"Err…yes, grand indeed."
"You are not pleased, sir? To me, it would be an honor to teach such a fine young man."
"Hmm…well to me it marks a terrible fate."
"Sir? You don't mean…no, surely not!"
"Yes, Aarock, it's the boy I foresaw. Harry Potter is a threat to me, and my plans. I tell Voldemort that it is Harry Potter who could, and might stop me."