Chapter 8: The Test
As he approached the stone gargoyles hiding the entrance to the headmasters office, he began to think about why Dumbledore hadn't told him before that he was to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He walked up to the stone gargoyles and began saying all types of candy which came to his mind. Finally, after a couple of tries the gargoyles jumped aside and allowed Harry passage to the headmaster's office. Pausing before he reached door, he tried to listen to the conversation taking place in the room.
"Do you suppose that he knows the great power he has?" the first voice began, "What if he doesn't realize it and he does something that will ruin him? The world? He could cause grave danger."
"I think that we should end this conversation. I believe that you have a guest outside, Albus." Harry could tell that this was definitely the voice of Moody.
Harry started to think about what he was going to ask Dumbledore when the door to the office opened.
"Come in, Harry" said Dumbledore, "I believe that you have a very important question that you need to ask me, judging by the look on your face."
"Yes, Professor. I was wondering why you didn't tell me that I would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts when I left the Room of Requirement this morning. When McGonagall told me, I wondered why you hadn't told me before. I mean, don't you usually tell the teachers?"
"Yes, Harry. I thought that you might be wondering that. I decided to let Minerva tell you because, well, actually, I forgot the tell you. I had other things on my mind at the moment."
"Yes, thank you Professor. I will go now and let you return to your conversation with Professor Moody."
"Harry, are you sure that there is nothing else that you want to tell me? I can always tell when you are holding something back."
"Yes, well, when I was standing outside your door, you were talking about me, right?"
"We were Harry. Continue please."
"Well, what powers do you think that I have."
"Harry, I don't think that you have powers. I know that you have special powers. As to your other question, however, I don't think that I know the answer to. You will find out in your own time. Is there anything else."
Truthfully, Harry wanted to know what was on Dumbledore's mind. What was it that would forget to tell him? Looking at him, Harry could see that he looked distressed and worried. What could possibly make him so tired and worried? Why were all of the teachers so tired and preoccupied?
"No, sir."
"Harry, I will see you tomorrow at the same time and place. Have a nice night."
As he reached the Great Hall for lunch, he heard a voice behind him.
"Sir, um, I am sorry to disturb you, but will you please help me with the homework you assigned me? There is one spell that I need to find, but I can't seem to find it."
"You don't need to call me 'sir' you know. I am still the same Harry that you always have known. But, why do you need to know a certain spell you need to know?"
"Well, I remember my parents telling me about it and I thought that it would be a very good spell to learn."
"What is it called?"
"The Blasting Curse."
"Yes, that can be a very useful curse to use when in a duel. However, it can be very complex as it does not have any incantation. The person just needs to point his wand and concentrate very hard on the object."
"Wow, you seem to know a lot about this curse."
"Well, that what friends like Hermione are for." Harry said, just as Hermione was walking toward him.
"What did you just say about me?"
"Hermione, I just said that having a friend like you is very helpful and is sometimes great fun."
Not looking very pleased, Hermione sat down next to Harry. "So," she said, "Do you know who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is? I have him this afternoon, and the last class just got out. I hope that I can ask one of them."
"Well, Hermione, I am afraid I do know who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, and no, I won't tell you."
Hermione shut her mouth. That indeed was going to be the next question that she would ask. He always knew everything. Rolling her eyes, she started to dish up her food. Something, or someone was missing at the table.
"Hermione, where is Ron? I thought that he just had class with you."
"He did, but Snape kept him late to tell him where to meet him for detention. Well, I need to go Harry. I need to get a good seat for DADA. I can't wait to meet the new teacher. I wonder why I haven't seen the new teacher? Hmp. I still can't believe that you won't tell me who the teacher is. But, do you know what is great? We have DADA without another class. All of the Gryffindor are on Monday, Hufflepuff on Tuesday, Ravenclaw on Wednesday, Slytherin on Thursday, and on Friday, all of the classes get together and duel in the Great Hall. First years, first period. Second years, second period, and so on."
"Hermione, if you don't hurry up you will be late! You have been talking to me for such a long time!"
Hurrying off, she ran to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. This would be a very interesting day. Already, he was dreading Thursdays. All day with Slytherins. He shrivered. Just the thought was enough to make anyone sick. Deciding that he should hurry up, he started to set off at a brisk pace.
Finally reaching the room, he hesitated before opening the door to the classroom- his classroom. When he walked into the room and proceded up to the front of the room, Seamus yelled, "Harry, have you gone mad? The teacher is the only one who is sopposed to teach us."
"Yes, I realize that. I would like to introduce you all to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher- me."
Yells of "Oh, give me a break!" and "What are you talking about?" echoed through the room.
"Yes, I am the new DADA teacher. Will you please take your seats. Because we didn't really learn much last year with Professor Umbridge as a teacher, we will start off with a little test. Each one of you will come up to the front of the classroom and duel with me. Try to win in the shortest amount of time. To win, you need to recover your opponent's wand. Alright? Who would like to go first?"
No one raised their hand. Finally, Hermione got up and walked to the front of the classroom. It couldn't be any different than dueling Harry before he went through the Phoenix Transformation, could it?
As he approached the stone gargoyles hiding the entrance to the headmasters office, he began to think about why Dumbledore hadn't told him before that he was to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He walked up to the stone gargoyles and began saying all types of candy which came to his mind. Finally, after a couple of tries the gargoyles jumped aside and allowed Harry passage to the headmaster's office. Pausing before he reached door, he tried to listen to the conversation taking place in the room.
"Do you suppose that he knows the great power he has?" the first voice began, "What if he doesn't realize it and he does something that will ruin him? The world? He could cause grave danger."
"I think that we should end this conversation. I believe that you have a guest outside, Albus." Harry could tell that this was definitely the voice of Moody.
Harry started to think about what he was going to ask Dumbledore when the door to the office opened.
"Come in, Harry" said Dumbledore, "I believe that you have a very important question that you need to ask me, judging by the look on your face."
"Yes, Professor. I was wondering why you didn't tell me that I would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts when I left the Room of Requirement this morning. When McGonagall told me, I wondered why you hadn't told me before. I mean, don't you usually tell the teachers?"
"Yes, Harry. I thought that you might be wondering that. I decided to let Minerva tell you because, well, actually, I forgot the tell you. I had other things on my mind at the moment."
"Yes, thank you Professor. I will go now and let you return to your conversation with Professor Moody."
"Harry, are you sure that there is nothing else that you want to tell me? I can always tell when you are holding something back."
"Yes, well, when I was standing outside your door, you were talking about me, right?"
"We were Harry. Continue please."
"Well, what powers do you think that I have."
"Harry, I don't think that you have powers. I know that you have special powers. As to your other question, however, I don't think that I know the answer to. You will find out in your own time. Is there anything else."
Truthfully, Harry wanted to know what was on Dumbledore's mind. What was it that would forget to tell him? Looking at him, Harry could see that he looked distressed and worried. What could possibly make him so tired and worried? Why were all of the teachers so tired and preoccupied?
"No, sir."
"Harry, I will see you tomorrow at the same time and place. Have a nice night."
As he reached the Great Hall for lunch, he heard a voice behind him.
"Sir, um, I am sorry to disturb you, but will you please help me with the homework you assigned me? There is one spell that I need to find, but I can't seem to find it."
"You don't need to call me 'sir' you know. I am still the same Harry that you always have known. But, why do you need to know a certain spell you need to know?"
"Well, I remember my parents telling me about it and I thought that it would be a very good spell to learn."
"What is it called?"
"The Blasting Curse."
"Yes, that can be a very useful curse to use when in a duel. However, it can be very complex as it does not have any incantation. The person just needs to point his wand and concentrate very hard on the object."
"Wow, you seem to know a lot about this curse."
"Well, that what friends like Hermione are for." Harry said, just as Hermione was walking toward him.
"What did you just say about me?"
"Hermione, I just said that having a friend like you is very helpful and is sometimes great fun."
Not looking very pleased, Hermione sat down next to Harry. "So," she said, "Do you know who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is? I have him this afternoon, and the last class just got out. I hope that I can ask one of them."
"Well, Hermione, I am afraid I do know who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, and no, I won't tell you."
Hermione shut her mouth. That indeed was going to be the next question that she would ask. He always knew everything. Rolling her eyes, she started to dish up her food. Something, or someone was missing at the table.
"Hermione, where is Ron? I thought that he just had class with you."
"He did, but Snape kept him late to tell him where to meet him for detention. Well, I need to go Harry. I need to get a good seat for DADA. I can't wait to meet the new teacher. I wonder why I haven't seen the new teacher? Hmp. I still can't believe that you won't tell me who the teacher is. But, do you know what is great? We have DADA without another class. All of the Gryffindor are on Monday, Hufflepuff on Tuesday, Ravenclaw on Wednesday, Slytherin on Thursday, and on Friday, all of the classes get together and duel in the Great Hall. First years, first period. Second years, second period, and so on."
"Hermione, if you don't hurry up you will be late! You have been talking to me for such a long time!"
Hurrying off, she ran to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. This would be a very interesting day. Already, he was dreading Thursdays. All day with Slytherins. He shrivered. Just the thought was enough to make anyone sick. Deciding that he should hurry up, he started to set off at a brisk pace.
Finally reaching the room, he hesitated before opening the door to the classroom- his classroom. When he walked into the room and proceded up to the front of the room, Seamus yelled, "Harry, have you gone mad? The teacher is the only one who is sopposed to teach us."
"Yes, I realize that. I would like to introduce you all to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher- me."
Yells of "Oh, give me a break!" and "What are you talking about?" echoed through the room.
"Yes, I am the new DADA teacher. Will you please take your seats. Because we didn't really learn much last year with Professor Umbridge as a teacher, we will start off with a little test. Each one of you will come up to the front of the classroom and duel with me. Try to win in the shortest amount of time. To win, you need to recover your opponent's wand. Alright? Who would like to go first?"
No one raised their hand. Finally, Hermione got up and walked to the front of the classroom. It couldn't be any different than dueling Harry before he went through the Phoenix Transformation, could it?