Sunlight filtered through the windows, capturing the dust that hung in the air. Harry awoke, much sooner than he would've liked, but late enough to be blinded as his eyes opened. Squinting, he wiped away the sleep, and climbed out of bed. Even Auror Training didn't demand the students be up at this time.
Of course, Harry had been awake past midnight. His conversation with Hermione had lasted quite some time, far after the footsteps in the hall died down. She had explained the plan for that day, which he agreed would be quite interesting for both the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms students. After she was through explaining, the pair stayed up in the library, simply letting the conversation stray where it willed. He truly hadn't had a conversation like that with Hermione since the days of Hogwarts. Now, it always seemed that Ron was always there. Not a nuisance, of course – Ron was Harry's oldest friend. Put simply, Harry liked spending time with alone Hermione as well as Ron, and this allowed it.
Harry was buttoning his robe up when a knock came at the door to his room. He strode over and opened it a crack, seeing Professor McGonagall. He fastened the rest of the buttons with great haste before opening the door wider.
"Good morning, Harry," she said, taking sudden notice of the robes draped over his trunk, which had contents strewn across the floor. Harry's room was connected to his office, which was on the sixth floor. Upon arriving there the night before, he hadn't the energy to tend to the condition of his quarters. "I just wanted to wish you well for today's lesson. You've nothing to be afraid of."
"Oh, thanks professor," Harry said with a quick nod.
"Harry, call me Minerva. We're colleagues now, and it's only normal you greet me like one. You'll find the other teachers and staff will expect the same."
"Okay, Pro—er... Minerva."
She tilted her head towards him, the tight bun in her hair remaining as stiff as he'd ever seen it as she departed. Mad woman, Harry thought, shaking his head. Professor McGonagall had always made it clear that students address her and the rest of the teachers by their professional names. Well, she was right: they were colleagues, fellow teachers. They were no longer teacher and student.
As he entered the Great Hall, Harry was met by a wave of chatter. Several of the students, all of whom he had never seen in his life, greeted him cheerfully as he strode over to the staff table. It was normal for Professor Trelawny to be absent from most meals, as she often took to gazing into her crystal ball and deciphering the remains of tea dregs over dining with students. Harry took her seat, which was at the left side, right next to Hermione. She gave him a weak greeting; the bags under her eyes said she had been here since the break of dawn.
"Excited?" she asked, absent-mindedly impaling the slices of bacon before her with a fork.
Harry fought back a grimace. Excited definitely was not the word – nervous was a much better fit. Nervous more than his first Sorting ceremony. Nervous more than he was when he asked Cho Chang to the Yule Ball. In fact, he couldn't remember his nerves like this since his NEWTs, or possibly his Auror Training finals. He let out an indistinct grunt, deciding not to answer Hermione's question.
She laughed, though, peering at him with one of her knowing smiles. Harry really hated those. "It's obvious, Harry. You're scared." Harry shot a betrayed look at her before she continued. "I'm afraid, too! How could I not be? It's just with us working together today, we'll be able to share the blame when we mess up."
Harry smiled at her weak joke. "Thanks, Hermione. It's not really today I'm worried about. It's just that I'm going to be teaching these students for so long. I'll have to teach them about everything in this subject, and a lot of it I don't know. I'm going to have to make tests, too, and make sure they know enough not to fail them, but really have to think to get the answers. It's the Slytherins, too. I have seven class of those gits to teach."
Hermione merely laughed. "Oh, Harry! You went to Auror Training to learn about this subject more so you would know more than enough to teach these kids, and you do! You'll have me to help you if you're stuck, and it's not like you don't know how to deal with Slytherins. You could always take a leaf out of Professor Moody's – Crouch's, I mean – book and transfigure them."
Her attempts at cheering him up seemed to be working. Before he could say more, Dumbledore dismissed the students to their first class and sent the teachers off to their classrooms. Hermione hurriedly told Harry she'd bring the Gryffindor sixth-years down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class as soon as possible. She kissed him on the cheek before hurrying off.
By the time Harry made it to his classroom, also located on the sixth floor across from his office, half the students had already arrived. Harry wasn't expecting much trouble from the Ravenclaws. Many of them prized education atop all else, and wouldn't think of barring themselves or their peers from that. By the time Harry had found the attendance parchment, the remainder of the class had already seated themselves.
As he could remember all of the first classes of his years of Hogwarts, Harry started class by calling out the attendance. In his memory, only Snape, McGonagall, and select few of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers didn't do so, so he deemed it a fit way to start the class. Once he'd done that, Harry swallowed deeply before introducing himself.
He stepped up before the class, watching them stare at him with what appeared to be mild interest. "Er... well, hello. My name's Ha—Professor Potter. This term, I'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now... er... I'll start by—"
"Introducing me," Hermione said as she stepped through the door, followed by nearly a dozen students. "Good morning, I'm Professor Granger. Professor Potter and I will be instructing you in Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Harry felt a strong pang of envy. Somehow, inexplicably, it came naturally to her! She had spent much of her Hogwarts days assisting Neville Longbottom, not to mention the help she often offered Harry and Ron, but it still was a shock to Harry that instructing these people came with such ease.
"Professor Potter and I have spoken and agreed upon an interesting lesson for you," Hermione explained she walked between the desks, while Harry stood stiffly at the front. "We've decided to show you the uses of curses and charms in a duel."
The students' faces were lit. Harry was anxious to make a lasting impression on these students, and Hermione's plan was perfect. "Right. So, He—Professor Granger and I will be dueling each other, but she'll only use charms and I'll only use curses."
"That's right. First, we're going to need some room. Two points to the house of each person who can charm their own desk over to the corner."
Harry reluctantly charmed his own desk against the back end of the wall, leaving the rest of the room for the duel. How does she do it? he asked himself in thought. It was those small things that got him, such as giving away the house points. He watched as she helped repair a desk that had been smashed against the stone wall. Well, at least he'd be able to prove his worth in a duel.
"Okay," said Hermione, striding to the center of the room where she faced Harry. "Standard duels begin with a bow—" they bowed "—before it commences. Starting... now!" Focusing, she cried out, "Wingardium leviosa!"
Hermione's wand swishes through the air, casting the spell. Her Levitation Charm made its mark; Harry could feel his own wand lifting out of his hands. He tightened his grasp on it, only to feel himself be drawn from the ground with it. The students perched upon their desks couldn't stifle their laughter.
"Relashio!"
Harry countered, unleashing a cascade of crimson sparks. They propelled him to the ground, where the Levitation Charm faded.
Hermione paused a moment to address the students. "As you can see, my simple Levitation Charm was informally-countered by Harry's Flash Curse. An informal-counter is when one uses a spell to oppose their opponent's, which can be compared to a formal-counter, which is when one uses a Counter- Curse."
She turned to Harry, as if expecting him to add something else. He drew up a blank, and only forwarded to continuing the duel. "Odiscurso!"
Harry's wand did not burst with light, though he knew the Babbling Curse had been cast. With a well-timed "Protego!" his curse was rendered useless.
"Care to explain that, Professor Potter?" she asked him with a subtle grin, showing slight pride in reflexes.
Harry nodded, turning to the students, some of whom were taking notes on the lesson. The rest where watching with considerable interest. "Right. Okay... well, I cast a Babbling Curse on her, which would've stopped her from saying any spells, but she protected herself with a Shield Charm. Oh, and you three, the ones taking notes, just earned five points apiece for doing so without being told."
Hermione's smile widened at that. She thrust her wand forward, calling out "Reducio!"
A flash emanated from her wand, then coursed through the room, jetting over the scrubby floor. Harry scrambled to hold his wand forward, nearly dropping it to the floor. He grasped it in its middle, calling out, "Refumo!" At that, a thick mist leaked from the tip of his wand. The flash met the mist, which appeared to envelope it. Soon, Hermione's spell had been devoured.
"That," said Harry, taking notice of the confusion on Hermione's face, "is a Focus Curse." The mist, still hanging in the air, seemed to glow with some inner-light every odd moment. "It's higher-level magic that sort of eats another spell, but spits it out a moment later, but much more powerful." Harry spoke truth, for at that moment, a blinding light shot from the smoke. It was Hermione's Reduction Charm, magnified. The charm shot through the air at twice its original speed. It broke past Hermione's hastily-conjured Defensive Charm. "Hermione's Reduction Charm would've made me shrink to half my size, but this one is twice as powerful." As he spoke, Hermione began to rapidly shrink to a miniscule size. The class hooted at this one. Harry swished his wand, muttering an incantation, allowing Hermione to return to her original size. Judging by the frustration on her red-cheeked face, she wasn't happy.
"Confundum!" she called out, flicking her wand forcefully in his direction.
Harry scrambled with his wand again, though the Confundus Charm came too quickly to defend against. His stomach lurched and his head spun as the spell came in contact.
"That is a Confundus Charm," Hermione said, pointing in Harry's direction with her wand. "A standard Confundus Charm works similar to a Memory Charm, but it distorts the victim's vision and mind as well as making events seem disoriented. However, I found a way to alter the proportions of this charm, making it perfect for a wizarding duel. Watch the effects on Professor Potter now."
Harry straightened, for his head had suddenly stopped spinning. In fact, he more or less the same before Hermione's charm had its effect. It must've messed up, he thought confidently. He saw this as a perfect opening for a spell – the Reductor Curse against her wand would work. Pointing his wand forward, Harry cast a Reductor Curse.
"Riddikulus!"
With widened eyes, Harry listened as a crack like a whip sound through the air as the Boggart-Defense Spell was cast. Having no Boggart target, it was rendered useless. The onlookers exchanged confused whispers, though Hermione seemed to be expecting this. I screwed up the incantation! Harry thought to himself furiously. I'll try another Reductor Curse.
"Avis!"
Following a gunshot, several yellow songbirds appeared, filling the room with their call. Harry could only watch, stunned, at what he had conjured. What's the matter with me? he thought, suddenly wild with frustration. Why can't I cast these spells?
Hermione offered an explanation. "The altered Confundus Charm makes it impossible for the victim to cast a spell. The spells in the victim's memory are randomly cast in place of the intended spell. Of course, I can undo the effects of this at the end of the duel."
The students were applauding now, though many were doubled-over with laughter to the extent where they couldn't. Harry wouldn't let this stop him. He pointed his wand at his temple, and opened his mouth to say, "Finite Incantatum!" However, no words came out. A different spell had been cast! His mouth curved into an exaggerated smile, and a sense of well-being was mixed in amongst the frustration. He had fallen victim to a Cheering Charm.
"Harry," Hermione said so the students couldn't hear, "stop resisting. You'll only end up hurting yourself."
Harry tried desperately to stop, though it was futile. Harry placed the tip of his wand against his skull. The spell had set in, and he couldn't stop. The Confundus Charm had him in its clutches.
"Expecto Patronum!"
At this, the students' laughter was cut off. They watched with intent, hoping to see Harry's fabled stag Patronus gallop around the room. They were only disappointed as naught but fog wafted from his wand. That particular spell required a strong feeling of happiness, something that was absent from his thoughts. Only the Cheering Charm fueled the spell to its sub-standard degree. The students exchanged unimpressed mutters.
"Harry!" Hermione pleaded. "Stop this! I can't counter the Confundus Charm if you keep casting spells."
Harry tried to obey her – wished it, willed it – though it was beyond that. He pointed the wand forward and uttered another incantation.
And the next sequence followed at a creeping pace, allowing Harry to see it as if it was not with his own eyes.
Harry mouthed the incantation. As he did, he fought against himself to stop. Though, as the last syllable came out of his mouth, his wand tip lit.
"Crucio."
The crowd gasped, though they were penetrated by Hermione's scream. She collapsed to the floor, writhing. Harry waved his wand through the air, trying with ever mite of willpower he had to lift the spell. Hermione's scream continued, accompanied by tears streaming across her cheeks.
Out from the corner of his eye, Harry could see, through the open classroom door, a figure. He turned his head, seeing Professor Sprout with her face aghast. She paused only moments before pointing her wand at him uttering a spell, unheard over Hermione's stricken cries. A stream of fiery sparks burst forth, knocking Harry off his feet. Before he could even hit the wall behind him, he was unconscious.
Of course, Harry had been awake past midnight. His conversation with Hermione had lasted quite some time, far after the footsteps in the hall died down. She had explained the plan for that day, which he agreed would be quite interesting for both the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms students. After she was through explaining, the pair stayed up in the library, simply letting the conversation stray where it willed. He truly hadn't had a conversation like that with Hermione since the days of Hogwarts. Now, it always seemed that Ron was always there. Not a nuisance, of course – Ron was Harry's oldest friend. Put simply, Harry liked spending time with alone Hermione as well as Ron, and this allowed it.
Harry was buttoning his robe up when a knock came at the door to his room. He strode over and opened it a crack, seeing Professor McGonagall. He fastened the rest of the buttons with great haste before opening the door wider.
"Good morning, Harry," she said, taking sudden notice of the robes draped over his trunk, which had contents strewn across the floor. Harry's room was connected to his office, which was on the sixth floor. Upon arriving there the night before, he hadn't the energy to tend to the condition of his quarters. "I just wanted to wish you well for today's lesson. You've nothing to be afraid of."
"Oh, thanks professor," Harry said with a quick nod.
"Harry, call me Minerva. We're colleagues now, and it's only normal you greet me like one. You'll find the other teachers and staff will expect the same."
"Okay, Pro—er... Minerva."
She tilted her head towards him, the tight bun in her hair remaining as stiff as he'd ever seen it as she departed. Mad woman, Harry thought, shaking his head. Professor McGonagall had always made it clear that students address her and the rest of the teachers by their professional names. Well, she was right: they were colleagues, fellow teachers. They were no longer teacher and student.
As he entered the Great Hall, Harry was met by a wave of chatter. Several of the students, all of whom he had never seen in his life, greeted him cheerfully as he strode over to the staff table. It was normal for Professor Trelawny to be absent from most meals, as she often took to gazing into her crystal ball and deciphering the remains of tea dregs over dining with students. Harry took her seat, which was at the left side, right next to Hermione. She gave him a weak greeting; the bags under her eyes said she had been here since the break of dawn.
"Excited?" she asked, absent-mindedly impaling the slices of bacon before her with a fork.
Harry fought back a grimace. Excited definitely was not the word – nervous was a much better fit. Nervous more than his first Sorting ceremony. Nervous more than he was when he asked Cho Chang to the Yule Ball. In fact, he couldn't remember his nerves like this since his NEWTs, or possibly his Auror Training finals. He let out an indistinct grunt, deciding not to answer Hermione's question.
She laughed, though, peering at him with one of her knowing smiles. Harry really hated those. "It's obvious, Harry. You're scared." Harry shot a betrayed look at her before she continued. "I'm afraid, too! How could I not be? It's just with us working together today, we'll be able to share the blame when we mess up."
Harry smiled at her weak joke. "Thanks, Hermione. It's not really today I'm worried about. It's just that I'm going to be teaching these students for so long. I'll have to teach them about everything in this subject, and a lot of it I don't know. I'm going to have to make tests, too, and make sure they know enough not to fail them, but really have to think to get the answers. It's the Slytherins, too. I have seven class of those gits to teach."
Hermione merely laughed. "Oh, Harry! You went to Auror Training to learn about this subject more so you would know more than enough to teach these kids, and you do! You'll have me to help you if you're stuck, and it's not like you don't know how to deal with Slytherins. You could always take a leaf out of Professor Moody's – Crouch's, I mean – book and transfigure them."
Her attempts at cheering him up seemed to be working. Before he could say more, Dumbledore dismissed the students to their first class and sent the teachers off to their classrooms. Hermione hurriedly told Harry she'd bring the Gryffindor sixth-years down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class as soon as possible. She kissed him on the cheek before hurrying off.
By the time Harry made it to his classroom, also located on the sixth floor across from his office, half the students had already arrived. Harry wasn't expecting much trouble from the Ravenclaws. Many of them prized education atop all else, and wouldn't think of barring themselves or their peers from that. By the time Harry had found the attendance parchment, the remainder of the class had already seated themselves.
As he could remember all of the first classes of his years of Hogwarts, Harry started class by calling out the attendance. In his memory, only Snape, McGonagall, and select few of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers didn't do so, so he deemed it a fit way to start the class. Once he'd done that, Harry swallowed deeply before introducing himself.
He stepped up before the class, watching them stare at him with what appeared to be mild interest. "Er... well, hello. My name's Ha—Professor Potter. This term, I'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now... er... I'll start by—"
"Introducing me," Hermione said as she stepped through the door, followed by nearly a dozen students. "Good morning, I'm Professor Granger. Professor Potter and I will be instructing you in Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Harry felt a strong pang of envy. Somehow, inexplicably, it came naturally to her! She had spent much of her Hogwarts days assisting Neville Longbottom, not to mention the help she often offered Harry and Ron, but it still was a shock to Harry that instructing these people came with such ease.
"Professor Potter and I have spoken and agreed upon an interesting lesson for you," Hermione explained she walked between the desks, while Harry stood stiffly at the front. "We've decided to show you the uses of curses and charms in a duel."
The students' faces were lit. Harry was anxious to make a lasting impression on these students, and Hermione's plan was perfect. "Right. So, He—Professor Granger and I will be dueling each other, but she'll only use charms and I'll only use curses."
"That's right. First, we're going to need some room. Two points to the house of each person who can charm their own desk over to the corner."
Harry reluctantly charmed his own desk against the back end of the wall, leaving the rest of the room for the duel. How does she do it? he asked himself in thought. It was those small things that got him, such as giving away the house points. He watched as she helped repair a desk that had been smashed against the stone wall. Well, at least he'd be able to prove his worth in a duel.
"Okay," said Hermione, striding to the center of the room where she faced Harry. "Standard duels begin with a bow—" they bowed "—before it commences. Starting... now!" Focusing, she cried out, "Wingardium leviosa!"
Hermione's wand swishes through the air, casting the spell. Her Levitation Charm made its mark; Harry could feel his own wand lifting out of his hands. He tightened his grasp on it, only to feel himself be drawn from the ground with it. The students perched upon their desks couldn't stifle their laughter.
"Relashio!"
Harry countered, unleashing a cascade of crimson sparks. They propelled him to the ground, where the Levitation Charm faded.
Hermione paused a moment to address the students. "As you can see, my simple Levitation Charm was informally-countered by Harry's Flash Curse. An informal-counter is when one uses a spell to oppose their opponent's, which can be compared to a formal-counter, which is when one uses a Counter- Curse."
She turned to Harry, as if expecting him to add something else. He drew up a blank, and only forwarded to continuing the duel. "Odiscurso!"
Harry's wand did not burst with light, though he knew the Babbling Curse had been cast. With a well-timed "Protego!" his curse was rendered useless.
"Care to explain that, Professor Potter?" she asked him with a subtle grin, showing slight pride in reflexes.
Harry nodded, turning to the students, some of whom were taking notes on the lesson. The rest where watching with considerable interest. "Right. Okay... well, I cast a Babbling Curse on her, which would've stopped her from saying any spells, but she protected herself with a Shield Charm. Oh, and you three, the ones taking notes, just earned five points apiece for doing so without being told."
Hermione's smile widened at that. She thrust her wand forward, calling out "Reducio!"
A flash emanated from her wand, then coursed through the room, jetting over the scrubby floor. Harry scrambled to hold his wand forward, nearly dropping it to the floor. He grasped it in its middle, calling out, "Refumo!" At that, a thick mist leaked from the tip of his wand. The flash met the mist, which appeared to envelope it. Soon, Hermione's spell had been devoured.
"That," said Harry, taking notice of the confusion on Hermione's face, "is a Focus Curse." The mist, still hanging in the air, seemed to glow with some inner-light every odd moment. "It's higher-level magic that sort of eats another spell, but spits it out a moment later, but much more powerful." Harry spoke truth, for at that moment, a blinding light shot from the smoke. It was Hermione's Reduction Charm, magnified. The charm shot through the air at twice its original speed. It broke past Hermione's hastily-conjured Defensive Charm. "Hermione's Reduction Charm would've made me shrink to half my size, but this one is twice as powerful." As he spoke, Hermione began to rapidly shrink to a miniscule size. The class hooted at this one. Harry swished his wand, muttering an incantation, allowing Hermione to return to her original size. Judging by the frustration on her red-cheeked face, she wasn't happy.
"Confundum!" she called out, flicking her wand forcefully in his direction.
Harry scrambled with his wand again, though the Confundus Charm came too quickly to defend against. His stomach lurched and his head spun as the spell came in contact.
"That is a Confundus Charm," Hermione said, pointing in Harry's direction with her wand. "A standard Confundus Charm works similar to a Memory Charm, but it distorts the victim's vision and mind as well as making events seem disoriented. However, I found a way to alter the proportions of this charm, making it perfect for a wizarding duel. Watch the effects on Professor Potter now."
Harry straightened, for his head had suddenly stopped spinning. In fact, he more or less the same before Hermione's charm had its effect. It must've messed up, he thought confidently. He saw this as a perfect opening for a spell – the Reductor Curse against her wand would work. Pointing his wand forward, Harry cast a Reductor Curse.
"Riddikulus!"
With widened eyes, Harry listened as a crack like a whip sound through the air as the Boggart-Defense Spell was cast. Having no Boggart target, it was rendered useless. The onlookers exchanged confused whispers, though Hermione seemed to be expecting this. I screwed up the incantation! Harry thought to himself furiously. I'll try another Reductor Curse.
"Avis!"
Following a gunshot, several yellow songbirds appeared, filling the room with their call. Harry could only watch, stunned, at what he had conjured. What's the matter with me? he thought, suddenly wild with frustration. Why can't I cast these spells?
Hermione offered an explanation. "The altered Confundus Charm makes it impossible for the victim to cast a spell. The spells in the victim's memory are randomly cast in place of the intended spell. Of course, I can undo the effects of this at the end of the duel."
The students were applauding now, though many were doubled-over with laughter to the extent where they couldn't. Harry wouldn't let this stop him. He pointed his wand at his temple, and opened his mouth to say, "Finite Incantatum!" However, no words came out. A different spell had been cast! His mouth curved into an exaggerated smile, and a sense of well-being was mixed in amongst the frustration. He had fallen victim to a Cheering Charm.
"Harry," Hermione said so the students couldn't hear, "stop resisting. You'll only end up hurting yourself."
Harry tried desperately to stop, though it was futile. Harry placed the tip of his wand against his skull. The spell had set in, and he couldn't stop. The Confundus Charm had him in its clutches.
"Expecto Patronum!"
At this, the students' laughter was cut off. They watched with intent, hoping to see Harry's fabled stag Patronus gallop around the room. They were only disappointed as naught but fog wafted from his wand. That particular spell required a strong feeling of happiness, something that was absent from his thoughts. Only the Cheering Charm fueled the spell to its sub-standard degree. The students exchanged unimpressed mutters.
"Harry!" Hermione pleaded. "Stop this! I can't counter the Confundus Charm if you keep casting spells."
Harry tried to obey her – wished it, willed it – though it was beyond that. He pointed the wand forward and uttered another incantation.
And the next sequence followed at a creeping pace, allowing Harry to see it as if it was not with his own eyes.
Harry mouthed the incantation. As he did, he fought against himself to stop. Though, as the last syllable came out of his mouth, his wand tip lit.
"Crucio."
The crowd gasped, though they were penetrated by Hermione's scream. She collapsed to the floor, writhing. Harry waved his wand through the air, trying with ever mite of willpower he had to lift the spell. Hermione's scream continued, accompanied by tears streaming across her cheeks.
Out from the corner of his eye, Harry could see, through the open classroom door, a figure. He turned his head, seeing Professor Sprout with her face aghast. She paused only moments before pointing her wand at him uttering a spell, unheard over Hermione's stricken cries. A stream of fiery sparks burst forth, knocking Harry off his feet. Before he could even hit the wall behind him, he was unconscious.