~Chapter 4~Extra Lessons~
The next morning in the Great Hall, Harry was eating breakfast while listening to Ron talk excitedly about Quidditch when the post arrived. A barn owl came towards him with a letter.
Harry,
You are to attend special duelling lessons with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, I believe you have a lesson with her today as well.
Tonight, at 8.00pm, meet her in the Entrance Hall.
Professor Dumbledore
"What is it?" asked Hermione.
"I'm supposed to have duelling lessons with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher tonight,"
"Oh, who is it?" Ron said, "They haven't been in the Great Hall,"
"I'm not sure," Harry said "But it's a woman,"
"Gosh, I wonder who it is," Hermione said, "Dumbledore has been having trouble finding teachers for years, and with everyone looking for Voldemort…."
"Yeah well we have her for first lesson, let's go,"
They walked to their classroom still talking about the new teacher they were about to meet.
When they arrived in the classroom, a young, thin woman entered the room wearing a long black skirt and a grey shirt with a dark jacket over the top of it. She was tall, very pale and had jet black hair, just as Harry did.
"Good morning class, I am Professor Zats," she said "I will be teaching you Defence Against the Dark Arts."
Harry looked at her curiously, and wondered why Dumbledore had chosen her to teach them, and how he had found this woman.
"Today we will be practising how to disarm people and doing other practical work, as I'm not sure where you are up to in your studies."
Harry paired up with Hermione and they practised disarming each other, although Hermione was good, Harry was better.
Professor Zats walked around the room observing people, "Excellent!" she told Harry as he successfully disarmed Hermione.
"Well, I think all of you are quite good with your disarming charms," she said, "We shall do some slightly more advanced spells,"
The class did some other spells, although they were doing a bit of revision, they learnt about some new ones as well.
At the end of the lesson Harry, Ron and Hermione were the last to leave, when there was no one else in the classroom Professor Zats said "If you could just stay behind for a minute Harry,"
Harry walked up to her desk, she smiled at him, "Are you alright for tonight, 8 o'clock, in the entrance hall?"
"Yes," he replied. Harry new that he could be spending that time looking for a way to bring Sirius back but he knew how important this was.
"I'll see you then,"
*~*~*~*
That afternoon Harry went to the library again, he did his homework to get it out of the way, and then set out for books. He was slightly put off from last night but he tried anyway. He did find some interesting books, he read about rituals to bring back the dead but it didn't say how to and the texts were old and hard to understand. He would have liked to keep looking but he had to get to dinner.
"Where have you been?" asked Hermione.
"The Library again, I find it easier to work there," Harry said, he wondered how long it would be for her and Ron to find out about what he was doing.
*~*~*~*
That night as Harry waited in the entrance hall for Professor Zats, he thought about why he was doing this, he had to kill Voldemort.
Professor Zats soon walked in, "Harry, hello,"
"Hi Professor,"
"Follow me, we are just going to a classroom," she led him to an unused classroom with only a few chairs in it. "Please sit down, I want to talk to you first," Harry sat down on one of the chairs and so did she, "Duelling is very important for you to learn, I know about the prophecy and how you must kill Voldemort," Harry was glad she had said his name, "You must feel as though you have the world on your shoulders,"
"Definitely,"
"Now, it is important that your wand is the best it can be, you have no doubts about it?"
"No, not at all,"
"Good, now I saw how good you were at disarming, I heard you can produce a Pratronus charm, can you show me?"
Harry showed her his Patronus charm and she was quite impressed, after about an hour of trying out charms and spells Professor Zats pocketed her wand. "I think that'll do for tonight," she said.
"Uh… Professor?"
"Yes,"
"Why don't you eat in the Great Hall?"
"I-I….some things are best kept in the dark Harry," she said uncertainly, it was the first time she had seemed unconfident.
"Ok…"
"I'll see you next Wednesday, same time, same place. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Professor."
As Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower, he couldn't help thinking that there was something strange about the new teacher.
AN: 831 words! The longest chapter I've ever written! Hope you liked it, please review!
