Part 2

It was the day before the students arrived and Harry had yet to arrive. Draco was walking along the hallways when he heard someone singing. He stopped at the doorway to the defence classroom, he watched as she was polishing off the final touches to her lesson plan whilst singing to herself. He cleared his throat letting Dawn know that he was there. She looked up from her work and smiled, waving for him to come into the room.

"Well Professor Summers, have you come up with a suitable lesson plan?" Draco asked walking to the front of the classroom and sitting on one of the desks at the front.

"Yes in fact I have" Dawn said

"Well then by all means, please, do share" Draco said smugly thinking that this muggle-born couldn't have come up with anything good and wouldn't know where to start. Dawn shuffled through her papers putting them back in order.

"Lesson one is going to be on research" Dawn said and Draco had to bite back a laugh, "Do you have a problem with my plans so far?" she asked looking Draco straight in the eyes,

"Well what exactly does research have to do with defence?" He asked smirking. Dawn raised her eyebrows and then smirked back at Draco,

"Seven years of experience does Mister Malfoy" Dawn said but before she could explain or continue Dumbledore appeared in the doorway,

"Draco, Harry had just returned and he would like to speak to you in his quarters" Dumbledore said and Draco left the room in a hurry. Albus walked further into the room, "Well m6y dear how are you settling in?" he asked and Dawn smiled slightly,

"I'm okay I guess I just can't stand everybody questioning my position. You wouldn't have hired me if I wasn't qualified. I just don't get why Draco always questions my judgement" Dawn said a little exasperated.

"Well my dear you have to understand that Draco has grown up around the dark arts. His father was Voldemort's right hand man and most loyal follower. So the fight against evil is quite personal for him" Albus explained and Dawn nodded, "But you too understand that feeling" he said knowingly, "You are wise beyond your years Miss Summers, not only because of what you are but because of what you have seen in your young life" he finished and Dawn nodded again,

"I understand, I shouldn't let anyone make me feel like I can't do my job" Dawn said, "Buffy never has... thank you Albus" she said and the wise old man nodded and left her alone.

*~*

Draco pushed open the door to Harry's room revealing the young man inside. "Potter" he said going and sitting on the couch,

"Malfoy" Harry replied, "I hear you've been spending a lot of time with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor" he said smirking slightly when Draco glared.

"She's too young. I don't know what the old man was thinking, she's only 23, and what's she supposed to do? Teach the children to run away screaming?" Draco said bitterly and Harry looked at his friend in surprise,

"I remember when we were younger facing things which we didn't run away from" Harry said and Draco glared at the dark haired man once more,

"She's a muggle-born Harry; she only discovered this world a couple of years ago I'm told. How is she supposed to teach the kids about a world she hardly knows" Draco said angrily.

"Well all I can say is that Dumbledore must know what he's doing" Harry said, "Now about that I've been doing..." Harry trailed off for a second before continuing, 'I have no idea what we're up against, and all I know is St. Mungo's is starting to fill up with people who have lost their minds... literally. I don't know what it is but its big so I think we should be prepared with whatever it is out there... and I think... that we should probably tell the new Defence teacher" he said and when Draco looked at Harry in disbelief Harry had to glare at him.

"Why would you need to tell Dawn? Uh, Professor Summers" he added when Harry raised his eyebrow in interest,

"So that's her name? We should tell her because she is the student's defence teacher and at some time or another they should know" Harry said.

"Fine, but not just yet, I want to see what she's actually like as a teacher." He said and took a deep breath, "So... have you heard from Hermione lately?" Draco asked and had to bite back a remark when Harry looked questioningly at him, "I've heard from here but only in official mail" Draco said bitterly and Harry frowned,

Draco and Hermione had dated during their seventh year at Hogwarts and for five years after that. It ended when Draco had come home early one evening to find his then fiancé in bed with Ronald Weasley. Draco had been devastated and went into a long state of depression for a year. Both he and Hermione worked for the ministry of magic at the same time and still did even though Draco had been promoted.

"They're fine if that's what you're asking. Since you're here on assignment I guess you haven't heard that Ron's proposed and she's accepted. I'm guessing you won't be sending your regards" Harry said. Draco sat there in silence before both men heard a knock at the entrance way. Harry went to the door and opened it revealing Dawn standing there,

"Hi, I'm Dawn Summers, I just wanted to introduce myself before the students arrived tomorrow" she said and Harry broke out into a smile.

"Ahh, Dawn... Draco was just talking about you before. Do come in" Harry said letting Dawn in and turning around smirking at Draco, "So you're the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, its nice to meet you Dawn. I'm Harry, Harry Potter" Harry said shaking Dawn's hand.

"Nice to meet you too, hi Draco, so you two are old friends huh?" she asked looking at the two. They exchanged a look,

"Yes we were just catching up on old times weren't we Potter?" he turned to Dawn, "Harry here was just informing me that the former love of my life has just gotten engaged to his best friend, who happens to be the prick that she was cheating on me with after 6 years together" Draco said. Harry was silent and Dawn sat down quickly on the couch next to him.

"Oh" Dawn said breaking the awkward silence. "Well at least you have a former love of your life. It seems like everyone has once accept me. Buffy and Angel, Willow and Tara who dies, Xander and Anya who died and even Spike and Dru. So at least she's still alive you know" Dawn said and Draco stopped scowling... slightly.

"Well how about I get Dobby to bring us up some food because Dawn, there's something Draco and I need to discuss with you" Harry said and Dawn nodded but looked confused.

*~*

It was when they were eating dinner that Harry brought up the topic of telling Dawn about his... assignment for Dumbledore. "So what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Dawn asked and Harry looked to Draco.

"You know that I'm not a teacher here" Draco said and Dawn nodded, "I am the minister of magic for England and I'm here helping Albus because a new evil, we think, is preparing to attack the wizarding world. Harry seems to think that we should inform you as you will be preparing the students to defend themselves if needed" Draco said and Dawn took all this in before narrowing her eyes at Draco,

"And you didn't think it would be necessary to tell me? You still doubt my expertise in this area don't you? Will I'll have you know that I've faced more and seen more that you'd probably see in a lifetime" Dawn said and before Draco could say anything Harry intervened,

"Why don't you tell us what 'expertise' you have in the field of Defence against the Dark Arts?" Harry asked, Dawn looked at both Harry and Draco before thinking for a while. She sat there in silence before looking up,

"Okay, I'll tell you" she said softly but firmly, "I've had seven years of experience, I grew up on a Hellmouth, do you know what that is?" she asked and when they shook their heads she continued, "A Hellmouth is exactly what it sounds like, the mouth it's a mystical convergence of energy that draws all sorts of baddies to it, it's the mouth of hell and it was under my town. Well actually it was originally under the high school library and then my sister and her friends blew up the high school" both men raised their eyebrows in question but she just continued, "Of course then the Hellmouth was in the rebuilt hight schools basement but we were in a battle with the first evil and now Sunnydale doesn't even exist anymore. But during my time there I witnessed many attempted apocolyses which we stopped. I've seen vampires, werewolves, a hell goddess and too many demons to count, to me its just everyday life, my sister one of the two true slayers. Her best friend is one of the most powerful witches that I knew and to defeat the first she activated all the potential slayers in the world"

Dawn took a deep breath before continuing, "My sisters ex boyfriend now is in charge of a huge law firm that deals with the supernatural, he works with an ex watcher, a demon, a former higher being who recently woke up from years in a coma, two super smart humans and, Spike, his childe who together when they didn't have souls made up the scourge of Europe. So I think I have enough experience" Dawn finished, "Oh" she added, "and I know enough to teach the students that things aren't black and white when it comes to good and evil. It's all different shades of grey and depending on the person determines if you are good or evil but its all grey in the end" Dawn said, "Good cant exist without evil" Harry and Draco just sat there in silence,

"I guess you have enough experience" Harry almost squeaked, "I guess that we should tell you what's going on then" he turned to Draco,

"We don't know what it us but there have been whisperings of a new evil planning on taking over the wizarding world. Harry has been on a task for Dumbledore" Draco said before Harry spoke again,

"All I can figure out of that this bad is really big. St. Mungo's is quickly filling up with people who have just lost their sanity. Its like someone has just reached in there and torn it out" Harry said and Dawn went white, "Are you okay?" he asked Dawn and she just shook her head,

"Are you sure they seemed like they lost their sanity?" Dawn asked her voice laced with fear, something Draco hadn't ever heard in Dawn's voice.

"Not for sure but they all just sounded crazy... why? Do you know something?" Harry asked

"I might, but I need to talk to my sister before we say anything else" Dawn said and rushed out of the room.

Harry turned to Draco and simply said, "Well I guess we now know why Dumbledore hired her" and they both sat there. Harry a little stunned and Draco a little worried at Dawn's reaction.

TBC...

So what do you think?