The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor
The sky poured with all its might that night, with the wind howling furiously. Lines upon lines of Second years up entered the Great Hall with four very long tables for the four houses of Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Unfortunately, the First Years who had to cross the lake by tradition were shivering to the bones with cold and fear.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter sat side by side on the Gryffindor table. James was buried in this own thoughts about the incident, too buried to take notice of the Sorting of the first years. Sirius nudged him when the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose from his seat and a congenial smile accompanied the slight twinkling of his eyes behind his half-moon spectacles. James looked at the headmaster and listened at the coming speech.
Dumbledore looked at the students and cleared his throat. "I would like to make some very important announcements before all of you would be befuddled by our feast. The Ministry of Magic had just this summer passed certain curriculums to every school and I have to say that the fifth and seventh years would have to undergo more serious studying since they raised the levels of your O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s to ensure a more successful future careers for your sake. Unfortunately, your Defense against the Dark Arts mentor, Professor Benningfield, could not carry the load by himself,"
James snickered and whispered in Sirius's ear "About time. He's already antique and is near to becoming prehistoric."
Sirius looked at the Staff table and stared at the said teacher. Professor Benningfield was a feeble and skinny old wizard with glasses sufficient for a ten-wheeler truck's window. He stuffed his knuckles in his mouth to stop it from laughing.
"So I introduce to you your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the fifth, sixth and seventh years, Professor Lucian Sinclair." Dumbledore continued.
Many heads looked up to see the new teacher. The other teachers also looked about them but saw no one new. It seems everybody was befuddled in this announcement. There were scattered murmurs and whispers in the students that the headmaster rapped his goblet once. The school hushed instantly.
Dumbledore, sensing curiosity, cleared his throat. "Due to inexplicable circumstances, Professor Sinclair is not with us tonight. Not to worry, your new teacher will be with you tomorrow. Might I remind the students that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds and Mr. Filch would like to say that magic in between classes is not allowed and no one is allowed outside their dormitories when past the curfew. Let the feast begin!" the headmaster finished grandly as hoards of food appeared on the plates.
Feeling suddenly ravenous, James brushed away his thoughts and heaped food on his plate, mindless of the incident, the missing new professor and Lily Evans who glanced at him ever so quickly as he chewed his large piece of steak in the most barbaric way possible, cramming meat, gravy and unfortunately the bone which made him choke hopelessly. And he also missed the gleam of laughter that passed through her eyes as she watched him do that. But still, she chose not to look long as someone might see her.
What had gotten into her, staring at him like that? Lily reprimanded herself as she climbed to the Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory. James Potter, she reminded herself, was the biggest prick she encountered in her whole life. She wanted to bite back at him but she decided that it wasn't the right time since it was evening and all. Morning would be a better time to settle something. Yes, she thought. Morning would be better. Feeling wicked, she settled in her four-poster bed in the girl's dormitory room. But she heard someone whispering.
"Evans? He actually said that to Evans?" a voice hissed from afar.
The other must have nodded an assent as she said "Do you think that she really likes him?"
"Why not? After all, why would James talk to her like that.? Eww. She likes him. What a turn off! She's a geek."
Lily bristled furiously and stomped towards a bed with its curtains closed. With one sweep she opened it and saw the two whisperers in shock to see her.
She smiled sweetly towards them "You are poor creatures, being led to believe a big fat lie like that by some nut-head whom you both obviously like. I don't like him. Severely neurotic mutated retards and autistic people are just not my type. And have you noticed, he also has awful case of hydrocephalus. Look at how big his head his. I just hope you'd change your taste in men. And if ever you want to talk about me, try not to be heard, ok?" She simpered at the both of them, her words dripping with venom and saccharine sweetness.
Lily plopped on her bed and closed the curtains hurriedly. She bit her pillow to fight the scream rising to her mouth. That awful, awful boy! He's going to pay for sure the next morning. She'd see to it that happens.
The next morning, the four of them skipped down to the great hall for breakfast. Rather, only James and Sirius skipped, looking quite foolish and singing a child's nursery rhyme and successfully butchering it. The fragrant scent of bacon lured them into the hall and they sat down and dug in the food. With toast in the mouth, James asked Remus: "What's for today?"
Reaching into his pocket, Lupin produced a small schedule.
Double Potions 9-11
Double History of Magic 12-2 Double Defense Against the Dark Arts 2-4
"What an ungodly schedule!" Sirius scowled.
"Hm. I might say that. Especially, Double Potions with Slytherins." Remus nodded in assent.
Peter groaned inwardly. "Potions, very first thing on the first day of the week and with Slytherins. Oh man."
"Double History of Magic on the hottest hours of the day. I think I'd better keep my eyes open with toothpicks." James groaned too as he sullenly looked at their schedule. "Defense should be able to make up to all this crap."
Catching the flash of red in the corner of his eye, Sirius suddenly shoved James under the table unceremoniously and held him for quite some time there. From under the table, he heard a feminine voice and Sirius's usual drawl. When Sirius let him go, James was bristling.
"What was that for?" he exclaimed.
Sirius pointed with his mouth to someone in front of him.
James followed the direction slowly, filled with sudden dread. He met the knife-like stare of Lily Evans, her foot tapping lightly in front of her. Suddenly, his mouth wouldn't budge a bit though he maintained a cool exterior.
Suddenly, she slammed her hands on the table. "Well. for starters, I'd like to tell you that it is just so impossible to drool over you when your head is like a mile wide. And you were quite mistaken. I'm the one who is too good for an autistic retard namely you." She prodded his chest hard with her finger in every word she said in the last sentence. A lot of students were staring at James hard. Now, he knew the word humiliated.
Sirius glared at some of them and said "What are you looking at?" they looked awfully scared as he looked at them. They dispersed as Remus shooed them to their own business.
"Thanks guys." James slumped on the table. If only he did not say those words to her at the train, maybe they'll do just fine as friends. But no. It was his fault why she was angry at him. But even so that she was furious at him, his curiosity for her was heightened.
Finishing his toast, they walked outside the building to bask in the sun before enduring almost one day shut in the classrooms.
Someone interrupted his mind-wandering suddenly. Looking at his side, it was Sirius.
"A penny for your thoughts." He said.
"It's nothing." James dismissed his best friend's inquiry with a slight flick of his head.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Sitting on the cool grass, Sirius said to him: "Why do you hide it from us?"
"What?"
"You like Evans. Its clear to all of us. It has been only 2 days since you met her and you are struck dumb at the sight of her. Well, not really dumb but awfully weird. Its hardly like you. What do you see in her? I mean, some of the girls who approached you last year were better looking than her."
"I don't like her, Sirius. I was just interested about her, being a muggle and all." James defended himself in an instant. Sirius frowned in disbelief and snorted. "All right. Let's put it that way. You're insatiably interested about Evans. So, why?
James picked a stone and absently skipped it on the lake's surface. "I don't know. Curious maybe."
"Don't give me that crap, James. I know when you are curious and when you aren't." Sirius snorted in disbelief.
"She's different."
"Everyone is different."
"Different from those girls. She hates me." James had a dreamy look on his face now.
Sirius laughed softly. "You are 'interested' in girls who hate you?"
"It's not like that. I mean, all of those girls except Evans judge me by my looks, popularity and stuff like that. She was the only girl next to my mum who actually told me that I am an asshole."
"She didn't say you were an asshole."
"Well, nearly."
Sirius sighed. "So you like her, in short."
James did not answer at his question so Sirius began humming a song in a way to tease him. James did not mind in any way, instead he said: "Nice song. What's that?"
"Complainte De La Butte" Sirius drawled.
"Excuse me?"
"It's French." Sirius told him and James mouthed an 'ah'.
'Aww. They're awfully mushy today. ' Remus thought as he eased himself beside James. "I thought that people had enough of silly love songs."
James grinned and threw himself on the grass. "What do you expect Professor Sinclair to look like?" he wondered openly, changing the topic quickly.
"Probably already an ancient artifact like Prof. Benningfield." Sirius replied.
"Most probably. C'mon. Double Potions is almost due." Remus snapped upright and promptly stood up.
"What's the hurry?" Sirius looked up at him.
"In case you have forgotten, I'm a prefect this year. I'm going for a walk to the dormitory. Want to come and get your things?" Remus dryly answered.
"I don't think so. We'll come to the class on time, don't worry. Why didn't you sit on the prefects' coach yesterday?" James closed his eyes and savored the warm sun as he said this.
"I thought I'd be bored without the rest. Its stuffy to sit there, only the two of you." Remus shrugged and walked away whistling but was thinking of how they were awfully sappy and mushy today, singing of all the things that song.
Double Potions and Double History on a Monday morning was torture for all of them. Even Lupin dropped his heavy eyelids to catch some rest, especially in Binns' class. The heat was stifling and the monotony of their teacher's voice was determined to make the fullest of the word Boredom.
On the corridor to the dungeons, where the new Defense was to be held, they were all yawning widely. Lily, as James observed, was like the rest of them. She read the book rather than to listen to Prof. Binns' soporific voice during the class and now, it took her two hands to cover her yawn. Even so, she still looked delightful to his eye.
The four of them sat on the back most seats and waited in semi-darkness. There were no windows on this room and the candles were few, and even those were blue-flamed. The dungeons were unexpectedly cooler than they expected it to be. A few heads were napping, a lot were chatting, everyone was in disorder, despite what the girl prefect did. Lupin was striding up and down the corridor to see if the teacher was there. A quarter of an hour passed when Remus ran to the back, hissing "They're here!"
Everyone was quiet and shuffled footsteps were heard, one lighter and more quiet than the other. To their surprise, Madame Pomfrey opened the door. They could hear her whispering "Are you sure you want to do this, child?"
The other was hooded and heavily robed. It nodded slightly and coughed. The other cast one last worried look at the strange figure and closed the door after her.
"Is that Professor?" James asked Remus.
"I don't really know. Maybe." He answered.
The teacher removed the hood and raven hair with many streaks of silver fell, shorn crudely in a manly way but long enough so the longest ones would reach the cheek. Cold gray eyes were piercing as they looked from one student to another. The face pointed and too pallid, and altogether much far from what they expected.
Lucian Sinclair was a woman. And she was not even old. She was about their age even! But her eyes showed maturity beyond her years.
She spoke softly but her voice was amplified by the walls. It was like quicksilver and there was no sweetness in it. "I am Professor Sinclair and I am your new teacher in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Sirius laughed aloud and all eyes turned to him, but Sinclair's was downcast. "You? You're kidding right? You're only as old as we are. Prof. Benningfield is already ancient but he could not even teach us properly."
Some voices laughed out too and there was a lot of whispering.
Remus was silent and was captivated by the silent figure of the teacher, bent as if carrying a burden and strangely grim. He was sorry towards her. Maybe she'll resign and the old one would teach them again. Odd, he didn't want that to happen.
At this, she lifted her head. Amidst the voices, her quiet ones hushed the others. "No, Sirius Black. The headmaster assigned me as your teacher personally. And as for age, there are things that you must never decide based on that fact. I am older than you think I am. Please take your seat and we shall begin our lesson."
"How will you teach us then?" Sirius haughtily asked her and ignoring her two last statements, but James was surprised how did she know Sirius' name.
"It is my problem and not your own." Her voice by now was stabbing. "And Mister Black, if you really doubt me, please raise your hand to the wall behind you."
Sirius took this as another joke and raised it lazily against the wall.
In one fluid movement, without even aiming, she removed one hand from her robes and made a throwing motion with not much effort. There were seven consecutive dull sounds of something embedding itself on the wall.
Sirius looked at his hand and saw five nine-inch knives dead center between the spaces of his fingers and two pinning his sleeve of the robe of his forearm on both sides. As Sinclair removed the knives on the wall, he commended loudly : "How did you do that? A charm? That was a great hit!" He said this coolly but he was already frozen inside.
She sniffed at the air and caught a familiar scent: the scent of fear. He was now afraid. He knew that he had come across a frightening enemy. There was no smile in her face as she replied: "No, Mister Black. It was not a great hit. I am not feeling well. It was so stupid of me that I missed. And I used a charm, you'd probably bleeding to death by now."
Sirius' eyes widened and his heartbeat became erratic. Cold sweat beaded his forehead and his arm that was her target once was twitching uncontrollably.
Every one in the class was quiet and greatly fearful and they much visibly respected her from then on. She removed her cloak and even through the cloth of her long-sleeved white shirt, her emaciated frame was visible. She drew from her pocket a thin gray wand and twirled it as she spoke.
"To know your enemy is to win the duel. In my subject, we are supposed to know how to defend ourselves from any form of the dark arts. In your first year to the second, you are taught the basic principles of protecting yourselves. From the third to fourth, the several dark arts creatures. You are exceedingly late on tackling the curses. This is very disappointing, since the most common form of the dark arts used is the curses. In a duel, you do not expect your enemy to argue with you on how right you are or that he would throw a gryndilow on your face. If you believe in that, you will not last long for more than, let say, 5 seconds in a real fight, unless your enemy would like to torture you by letting you live but experiencing a great pain for a short time before killing you. One flick of the hand," she said as she paused on a particularly inattentive student. She pointed her wand on the center of his forehead and his eyes went wide and fearful, just like Sirius's a few moments ago. "And you are dead. Just like that."
"But people, to die as instantly like that is a very blessed way to die, in comparison to those who died because of the dark arts. Some are most unfortunately to die after experiencing pain. Pain so great for so long a time, they would beg for death by then. They die because their bodies could not stand more of it and their spirits are as good us dead. Remember, there are more ways to suffer other than dying. Much worse than dying only. There are already shadows growing and you must protect yourselves. If you want to protect yourselves, stay on this class. Those with objections on our chosen topic, raise your hand and you may leave the room. The two doors are wide open. Or rather, I would leave the room and you are left without knowledge of anything to defend yourself. Anyone?" she finished.
All of them did not raise their hands but rather looked meekly at their desks as if they the desks had become so suddenly interesting.
"Good. Now, in your year we would tackle as much of the basic counters for hexes, curses and jinxes as we could. To learn the, we have to study the hex or curse associated with it. This is due to the fact that you would be able to perform the right counter for them, since the wrong counter- curse would do no good for you. But as long as you are in this institution, you are not to perform any of the dark arts you are to be acquainted with. Do I make myself clear?" she asked the terrified students.
James was listening intently to her but decided to ignore the part of not doing the hexes and jinxes. What fun would learning those be if you would not perform them. By the seriousness of her voice and the topic they were to take up, he knew they were in for some interesting years, if she did stay long enough.
"You are allowed to do whatever you want in my class. Eat, drink, sleep, do other homework, but I expect from you that the moment I call out your name you will be able to answer correctly and quickly. I do not give homework or tests, only your OWLS or the year-end exams. But instead I shall be grading each of you on how you execute the spells. Right now, at the beginning of your year, you have a flat 100. The challenge for you all is to maintain that grade as much as possible. Every mistake you make will be subtracted from your grade. Within this class you are not to open your Defense books. You are to learn by listening to the discussion since books may only lead to confusing the student by its numerous rules. Now class," she paused, taking her breath. "You may go."
Lily was surprised by the enormous change in everything. From the female teacher to her rules. As If a student would want to do anything else in her class if she demanded all their attention to learn. From afar, a fellow Gryffindor saw Lily.
"Over here, Lily!" she said as she spotted the smiling copper-head Lily from the crowd.
"Why? What's the matter?" Lily was wondering why did she wanted to talk to her
"Say, Lily. What do you think about Professor? She seems awfully sad and cold to me, mean too. Especially they way she threatened Black a while ago. But she talks as if she knows the Dark Arts so well, even though she looks our age only." The other said as they hurried to the dormitory.
Lily smiled at this. "What are you saying? She's the best thing that ever happened to me since vacation."
Lily's friend gaped at the figure crawling through the portrait. The thing she said was all too weird.
A/N: To those who want to know what Complainte De La Butte is, try to listen to the Moulin Rouge OST, sung by Mr. Wainright. It's not mine so please don't sue me! The lyrics are below. Try to listen to it! It's very nice!
La lune trop blême
Pose un diadème
Sur tes cheveux roux
La lune trop rousse
De gloire éclabousse
Ton jupon plein trous
La lune trop pâle
Caresse l'opale
De tes yeux blasés
Princesse de la rue
Soit la bienvenue
Dans mon coeur blessé
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings
Of the moulin
Shelter you and I
Petite mandigotte
Je sens ta menotte
Qui cherche ma main
Je sens ta poitrine
Et ta taille fine
J'oublie mon chagrin
Je sens sur tes lèvres
Une odeur de fièvre
De gosse mal nourrie
Et sous ta caresse
Je sens une ivresse
Qui m'anéantit
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings
Of the moulin
Shelter you and I
Mais voilà qu'elle trotte
La lune qu'il flotte
La princesse aussi
La la la la la
La la la la la
Mon rêve évanoui
Les escaliers de la butte
Sont durs aux miséreux
Les ailes des moulins
Protègent les amoureux
The sky poured with all its might that night, with the wind howling furiously. Lines upon lines of Second years up entered the Great Hall with four very long tables for the four houses of Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Unfortunately, the First Years who had to cross the lake by tradition were shivering to the bones with cold and fear.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter sat side by side on the Gryffindor table. James was buried in this own thoughts about the incident, too buried to take notice of the Sorting of the first years. Sirius nudged him when the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose from his seat and a congenial smile accompanied the slight twinkling of his eyes behind his half-moon spectacles. James looked at the headmaster and listened at the coming speech.
Dumbledore looked at the students and cleared his throat. "I would like to make some very important announcements before all of you would be befuddled by our feast. The Ministry of Magic had just this summer passed certain curriculums to every school and I have to say that the fifth and seventh years would have to undergo more serious studying since they raised the levels of your O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s to ensure a more successful future careers for your sake. Unfortunately, your Defense against the Dark Arts mentor, Professor Benningfield, could not carry the load by himself,"
James snickered and whispered in Sirius's ear "About time. He's already antique and is near to becoming prehistoric."
Sirius looked at the Staff table and stared at the said teacher. Professor Benningfield was a feeble and skinny old wizard with glasses sufficient for a ten-wheeler truck's window. He stuffed his knuckles in his mouth to stop it from laughing.
"So I introduce to you your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the fifth, sixth and seventh years, Professor Lucian Sinclair." Dumbledore continued.
Many heads looked up to see the new teacher. The other teachers also looked about them but saw no one new. It seems everybody was befuddled in this announcement. There were scattered murmurs and whispers in the students that the headmaster rapped his goblet once. The school hushed instantly.
Dumbledore, sensing curiosity, cleared his throat. "Due to inexplicable circumstances, Professor Sinclair is not with us tonight. Not to worry, your new teacher will be with you tomorrow. Might I remind the students that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds and Mr. Filch would like to say that magic in between classes is not allowed and no one is allowed outside their dormitories when past the curfew. Let the feast begin!" the headmaster finished grandly as hoards of food appeared on the plates.
Feeling suddenly ravenous, James brushed away his thoughts and heaped food on his plate, mindless of the incident, the missing new professor and Lily Evans who glanced at him ever so quickly as he chewed his large piece of steak in the most barbaric way possible, cramming meat, gravy and unfortunately the bone which made him choke hopelessly. And he also missed the gleam of laughter that passed through her eyes as she watched him do that. But still, she chose not to look long as someone might see her.
What had gotten into her, staring at him like that? Lily reprimanded herself as she climbed to the Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory. James Potter, she reminded herself, was the biggest prick she encountered in her whole life. She wanted to bite back at him but she decided that it wasn't the right time since it was evening and all. Morning would be a better time to settle something. Yes, she thought. Morning would be better. Feeling wicked, she settled in her four-poster bed in the girl's dormitory room. But she heard someone whispering.
"Evans? He actually said that to Evans?" a voice hissed from afar.
The other must have nodded an assent as she said "Do you think that she really likes him?"
"Why not? After all, why would James talk to her like that.? Eww. She likes him. What a turn off! She's a geek."
Lily bristled furiously and stomped towards a bed with its curtains closed. With one sweep she opened it and saw the two whisperers in shock to see her.
She smiled sweetly towards them "You are poor creatures, being led to believe a big fat lie like that by some nut-head whom you both obviously like. I don't like him. Severely neurotic mutated retards and autistic people are just not my type. And have you noticed, he also has awful case of hydrocephalus. Look at how big his head his. I just hope you'd change your taste in men. And if ever you want to talk about me, try not to be heard, ok?" She simpered at the both of them, her words dripping with venom and saccharine sweetness.
Lily plopped on her bed and closed the curtains hurriedly. She bit her pillow to fight the scream rising to her mouth. That awful, awful boy! He's going to pay for sure the next morning. She'd see to it that happens.
The next morning, the four of them skipped down to the great hall for breakfast. Rather, only James and Sirius skipped, looking quite foolish and singing a child's nursery rhyme and successfully butchering it. The fragrant scent of bacon lured them into the hall and they sat down and dug in the food. With toast in the mouth, James asked Remus: "What's for today?"
Reaching into his pocket, Lupin produced a small schedule.
Double Potions 9-11
Double History of Magic 12-2 Double Defense Against the Dark Arts 2-4
"What an ungodly schedule!" Sirius scowled.
"Hm. I might say that. Especially, Double Potions with Slytherins." Remus nodded in assent.
Peter groaned inwardly. "Potions, very first thing on the first day of the week and with Slytherins. Oh man."
"Double History of Magic on the hottest hours of the day. I think I'd better keep my eyes open with toothpicks." James groaned too as he sullenly looked at their schedule. "Defense should be able to make up to all this crap."
Catching the flash of red in the corner of his eye, Sirius suddenly shoved James under the table unceremoniously and held him for quite some time there. From under the table, he heard a feminine voice and Sirius's usual drawl. When Sirius let him go, James was bristling.
"What was that for?" he exclaimed.
Sirius pointed with his mouth to someone in front of him.
James followed the direction slowly, filled with sudden dread. He met the knife-like stare of Lily Evans, her foot tapping lightly in front of her. Suddenly, his mouth wouldn't budge a bit though he maintained a cool exterior.
Suddenly, she slammed her hands on the table. "Well. for starters, I'd like to tell you that it is just so impossible to drool over you when your head is like a mile wide. And you were quite mistaken. I'm the one who is too good for an autistic retard namely you." She prodded his chest hard with her finger in every word she said in the last sentence. A lot of students were staring at James hard. Now, he knew the word humiliated.
Sirius glared at some of them and said "What are you looking at?" they looked awfully scared as he looked at them. They dispersed as Remus shooed them to their own business.
"Thanks guys." James slumped on the table. If only he did not say those words to her at the train, maybe they'll do just fine as friends. But no. It was his fault why she was angry at him. But even so that she was furious at him, his curiosity for her was heightened.
Finishing his toast, they walked outside the building to bask in the sun before enduring almost one day shut in the classrooms.
Someone interrupted his mind-wandering suddenly. Looking at his side, it was Sirius.
"A penny for your thoughts." He said.
"It's nothing." James dismissed his best friend's inquiry with a slight flick of his head.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Sitting on the cool grass, Sirius said to him: "Why do you hide it from us?"
"What?"
"You like Evans. Its clear to all of us. It has been only 2 days since you met her and you are struck dumb at the sight of her. Well, not really dumb but awfully weird. Its hardly like you. What do you see in her? I mean, some of the girls who approached you last year were better looking than her."
"I don't like her, Sirius. I was just interested about her, being a muggle and all." James defended himself in an instant. Sirius frowned in disbelief and snorted. "All right. Let's put it that way. You're insatiably interested about Evans. So, why?
James picked a stone and absently skipped it on the lake's surface. "I don't know. Curious maybe."
"Don't give me that crap, James. I know when you are curious and when you aren't." Sirius snorted in disbelief.
"She's different."
"Everyone is different."
"Different from those girls. She hates me." James had a dreamy look on his face now.
Sirius laughed softly. "You are 'interested' in girls who hate you?"
"It's not like that. I mean, all of those girls except Evans judge me by my looks, popularity and stuff like that. She was the only girl next to my mum who actually told me that I am an asshole."
"She didn't say you were an asshole."
"Well, nearly."
Sirius sighed. "So you like her, in short."
James did not answer at his question so Sirius began humming a song in a way to tease him. James did not mind in any way, instead he said: "Nice song. What's that?"
"Complainte De La Butte" Sirius drawled.
"Excuse me?"
"It's French." Sirius told him and James mouthed an 'ah'.
'Aww. They're awfully mushy today. ' Remus thought as he eased himself beside James. "I thought that people had enough of silly love songs."
James grinned and threw himself on the grass. "What do you expect Professor Sinclair to look like?" he wondered openly, changing the topic quickly.
"Probably already an ancient artifact like Prof. Benningfield." Sirius replied.
"Most probably. C'mon. Double Potions is almost due." Remus snapped upright and promptly stood up.
"What's the hurry?" Sirius looked up at him.
"In case you have forgotten, I'm a prefect this year. I'm going for a walk to the dormitory. Want to come and get your things?" Remus dryly answered.
"I don't think so. We'll come to the class on time, don't worry. Why didn't you sit on the prefects' coach yesterday?" James closed his eyes and savored the warm sun as he said this.
"I thought I'd be bored without the rest. Its stuffy to sit there, only the two of you." Remus shrugged and walked away whistling but was thinking of how they were awfully sappy and mushy today, singing of all the things that song.
Double Potions and Double History on a Monday morning was torture for all of them. Even Lupin dropped his heavy eyelids to catch some rest, especially in Binns' class. The heat was stifling and the monotony of their teacher's voice was determined to make the fullest of the word Boredom.
On the corridor to the dungeons, where the new Defense was to be held, they were all yawning widely. Lily, as James observed, was like the rest of them. She read the book rather than to listen to Prof. Binns' soporific voice during the class and now, it took her two hands to cover her yawn. Even so, she still looked delightful to his eye.
The four of them sat on the back most seats and waited in semi-darkness. There were no windows on this room and the candles were few, and even those were blue-flamed. The dungeons were unexpectedly cooler than they expected it to be. A few heads were napping, a lot were chatting, everyone was in disorder, despite what the girl prefect did. Lupin was striding up and down the corridor to see if the teacher was there. A quarter of an hour passed when Remus ran to the back, hissing "They're here!"
Everyone was quiet and shuffled footsteps were heard, one lighter and more quiet than the other. To their surprise, Madame Pomfrey opened the door. They could hear her whispering "Are you sure you want to do this, child?"
The other was hooded and heavily robed. It nodded slightly and coughed. The other cast one last worried look at the strange figure and closed the door after her.
"Is that Professor?" James asked Remus.
"I don't really know. Maybe." He answered.
The teacher removed the hood and raven hair with many streaks of silver fell, shorn crudely in a manly way but long enough so the longest ones would reach the cheek. Cold gray eyes were piercing as they looked from one student to another. The face pointed and too pallid, and altogether much far from what they expected.
Lucian Sinclair was a woman. And she was not even old. She was about their age even! But her eyes showed maturity beyond her years.
She spoke softly but her voice was amplified by the walls. It was like quicksilver and there was no sweetness in it. "I am Professor Sinclair and I am your new teacher in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Sirius laughed aloud and all eyes turned to him, but Sinclair's was downcast. "You? You're kidding right? You're only as old as we are. Prof. Benningfield is already ancient but he could not even teach us properly."
Some voices laughed out too and there was a lot of whispering.
Remus was silent and was captivated by the silent figure of the teacher, bent as if carrying a burden and strangely grim. He was sorry towards her. Maybe she'll resign and the old one would teach them again. Odd, he didn't want that to happen.
At this, she lifted her head. Amidst the voices, her quiet ones hushed the others. "No, Sirius Black. The headmaster assigned me as your teacher personally. And as for age, there are things that you must never decide based on that fact. I am older than you think I am. Please take your seat and we shall begin our lesson."
"How will you teach us then?" Sirius haughtily asked her and ignoring her two last statements, but James was surprised how did she know Sirius' name.
"It is my problem and not your own." Her voice by now was stabbing. "And Mister Black, if you really doubt me, please raise your hand to the wall behind you."
Sirius took this as another joke and raised it lazily against the wall.
In one fluid movement, without even aiming, she removed one hand from her robes and made a throwing motion with not much effort. There were seven consecutive dull sounds of something embedding itself on the wall.
Sirius looked at his hand and saw five nine-inch knives dead center between the spaces of his fingers and two pinning his sleeve of the robe of his forearm on both sides. As Sinclair removed the knives on the wall, he commended loudly : "How did you do that? A charm? That was a great hit!" He said this coolly but he was already frozen inside.
She sniffed at the air and caught a familiar scent: the scent of fear. He was now afraid. He knew that he had come across a frightening enemy. There was no smile in her face as she replied: "No, Mister Black. It was not a great hit. I am not feeling well. It was so stupid of me that I missed. And I used a charm, you'd probably bleeding to death by now."
Sirius' eyes widened and his heartbeat became erratic. Cold sweat beaded his forehead and his arm that was her target once was twitching uncontrollably.
Every one in the class was quiet and greatly fearful and they much visibly respected her from then on. She removed her cloak and even through the cloth of her long-sleeved white shirt, her emaciated frame was visible. She drew from her pocket a thin gray wand and twirled it as she spoke.
"To know your enemy is to win the duel. In my subject, we are supposed to know how to defend ourselves from any form of the dark arts. In your first year to the second, you are taught the basic principles of protecting yourselves. From the third to fourth, the several dark arts creatures. You are exceedingly late on tackling the curses. This is very disappointing, since the most common form of the dark arts used is the curses. In a duel, you do not expect your enemy to argue with you on how right you are or that he would throw a gryndilow on your face. If you believe in that, you will not last long for more than, let say, 5 seconds in a real fight, unless your enemy would like to torture you by letting you live but experiencing a great pain for a short time before killing you. One flick of the hand," she said as she paused on a particularly inattentive student. She pointed her wand on the center of his forehead and his eyes went wide and fearful, just like Sirius's a few moments ago. "And you are dead. Just like that."
"But people, to die as instantly like that is a very blessed way to die, in comparison to those who died because of the dark arts. Some are most unfortunately to die after experiencing pain. Pain so great for so long a time, they would beg for death by then. They die because their bodies could not stand more of it and their spirits are as good us dead. Remember, there are more ways to suffer other than dying. Much worse than dying only. There are already shadows growing and you must protect yourselves. If you want to protect yourselves, stay on this class. Those with objections on our chosen topic, raise your hand and you may leave the room. The two doors are wide open. Or rather, I would leave the room and you are left without knowledge of anything to defend yourself. Anyone?" she finished.
All of them did not raise their hands but rather looked meekly at their desks as if they the desks had become so suddenly interesting.
"Good. Now, in your year we would tackle as much of the basic counters for hexes, curses and jinxes as we could. To learn the, we have to study the hex or curse associated with it. This is due to the fact that you would be able to perform the right counter for them, since the wrong counter- curse would do no good for you. But as long as you are in this institution, you are not to perform any of the dark arts you are to be acquainted with. Do I make myself clear?" she asked the terrified students.
James was listening intently to her but decided to ignore the part of not doing the hexes and jinxes. What fun would learning those be if you would not perform them. By the seriousness of her voice and the topic they were to take up, he knew they were in for some interesting years, if she did stay long enough.
"You are allowed to do whatever you want in my class. Eat, drink, sleep, do other homework, but I expect from you that the moment I call out your name you will be able to answer correctly and quickly. I do not give homework or tests, only your OWLS or the year-end exams. But instead I shall be grading each of you on how you execute the spells. Right now, at the beginning of your year, you have a flat 100. The challenge for you all is to maintain that grade as much as possible. Every mistake you make will be subtracted from your grade. Within this class you are not to open your Defense books. You are to learn by listening to the discussion since books may only lead to confusing the student by its numerous rules. Now class," she paused, taking her breath. "You may go."
Lily was surprised by the enormous change in everything. From the female teacher to her rules. As If a student would want to do anything else in her class if she demanded all their attention to learn. From afar, a fellow Gryffindor saw Lily.
"Over here, Lily!" she said as she spotted the smiling copper-head Lily from the crowd.
"Why? What's the matter?" Lily was wondering why did she wanted to talk to her
"Say, Lily. What do you think about Professor? She seems awfully sad and cold to me, mean too. Especially they way she threatened Black a while ago. But she talks as if she knows the Dark Arts so well, even though she looks our age only." The other said as they hurried to the dormitory.
Lily smiled at this. "What are you saying? She's the best thing that ever happened to me since vacation."
Lily's friend gaped at the figure crawling through the portrait. The thing she said was all too weird.
A/N: To those who want to know what Complainte De La Butte is, try to listen to the Moulin Rouge OST, sung by Mr. Wainright. It's not mine so please don't sue me! The lyrics are below. Try to listen to it! It's very nice!
La lune trop blême
Pose un diadème
Sur tes cheveux roux
La lune trop rousse
De gloire éclabousse
Ton jupon plein trous
La lune trop pâle
Caresse l'opale
De tes yeux blasés
Princesse de la rue
Soit la bienvenue
Dans mon coeur blessé
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings
Of the moulin
Shelter you and I
Petite mandigotte
Je sens ta menotte
Qui cherche ma main
Je sens ta poitrine
Et ta taille fine
J'oublie mon chagrin
Je sens sur tes lèvres
Une odeur de fièvre
De gosse mal nourrie
Et sous ta caresse
Je sens une ivresse
Qui m'anéantit
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings
Of the moulin
Shelter you and I
Mais voilà qu'elle trotte
La lune qu'il flotte
La princesse aussi
La la la la la
La la la la la
Mon rêve évanoui
Les escaliers de la butte
Sont durs aux miséreux
Les ailes des moulins
Protègent les amoureux