Chapter Four
Sitting at the teacher's table next to Hagrid's empty seat was an odd enough feeling at the Sorting feast, but seeing the eyes of students that he had come to know and regard as his friends was something else. It was much like his first year at Hogwarts, except in reverse. Now instead of being the one looking at all of the wonders of the Great Hall and watching the teachers with trepidation it was he that was under the lunascope. There was that difference, but at least this time he had something to drink.
Hermione had stuffed herself away in the third floor laboratory until the actual feast itself, not wanting to make it seem that she was a teacher.
The upperclassmen started filing in after a long journey on the Hogwarts Express looking somewhat tired, but overall very happy to be back for their first year without the threat of a Dark Lord hovering above them.
McGonagall disappeared to bring in the terrified first-years and the transfer students from the various school's. Even though the older students were in sixth and seventh year, they too had to be sorted into the various houses. He noted the increased length of the house tables to accommodate the overflow and the satisfied look of Snape at having so many students from Durmstrang soon to be walking up the aisle. Granted, Durmstrang concentrated on the Dark Arts more than any other school of magic, Harry still hoped Slytherin wouldn't steal most of the newer students.
He noticed Ron and Ginny enter the Hall with Neville nearby with his eye on every move she made. And he also noted Ginny's gleaming prefect badge as well as Neville's Head Boy Badge. Luna wasn't kidding when she said Neville had changed. It looked as if he had, in the end, started to resemble his father, mostly in height. Neville found his long-missing growth spurt and the chubbiness in his cheeks and around his middle had all but disappeared.
Harry took note of Malfoy entering the Hall looking much the same as he remembered the previous year, except in place of the depressed and sunken face was a happy and a much more relaxed demeanor. They caught each other's eye and each of them nodded briefly, once.
Everyone had taken their seats and at long last the first-years and transfer students were escorted in behind the, once again, prim and proper Deputy Headmistress. The door behind Harry opened and Hagrid stepped forward and took his seat next to Harry.
"Everyone make it alive, Hagrid?"
He chuffed and settled in his chair raising a very large goblet to his lips. "Ne'er lost one of 'um yet, Harry. 'Though there was tha' Creevey kid a few years back. Fell into the lake. But the squid sorted em out jus fine."
The noise in the Great Hall quieted as McGonagall set a stool in view of all, and the weathered old Sorting Hat upon it's flat.
Frivolity was the tone set for the new year by it's song and the sorting began. Harry clapped politely at each of the scared ten and eleven year-olds that quaked in their shoes every time each of them were sorted into their houses. To his surprise the elder students were split fairly into each of the four houses as well. Harry saw Snape's face fall at the mention of Heidi Krum, sister of Viktor, going to Gryffindor. He knew Ron was about to fall off his seat at the thought of having a Krum on the Quidditch team. All of the French students were split between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and the two Americans were sorted into Gryffindor as well.
Dumbledore stood. "I have a few beginning of term notices. Be it known to the new and transfer students that the forest on the edge of school grounds is forbidden except for purposes of Care of Magical Creatures class. And to all students the third floor corridor is also off limits."
Harry heard the door behind him open again and the lithe form of his wife taking her chair beside him.
"In order to dissuade you from going there I will tell you all that Hogwarts is pleased to have a former student, Mrs. Hermione Potter, base her research into the differing fields of Magic on that floor. And in regard to that endeavor, if there are any of you that wish to participate as assistants to this project, please contact Mrs. Potter tomorrow morning after breakfast."
He looked at Harry and turned back to the floor. "We are pleased to announce the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts has been filled on a more permanent basis. Some of you may remember Mr. Harry Potter."
Harry lifted his goblet to polite applause and acknowledged each table.
"Enough of listening to me talk. Tuck in."
In the Defense office the next morning Harry looked at his schedule one last time before heading down the stairs to his first class.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1st Year
2-
2:50
Free
2-
2:50
Free
1-
1:50
2nd Year
10-10:50
2-
2:50
Free
10-
10:50
Free
3rd Year
1-
1:50
Free
1-
1:50
Free
8-
8:50
4th Year
9-
9:50
1-
1:50
Free
1-
2:45
Free
5th Year
Free
10-10:50
10-
10:50
Free
10-
11:45
6th Year
8-
8:50
Free
8-
9:45
8-
8:50
Free
7th Year
Free
8-
9:45
Free
9-
9:50
9-
9:50
Harry had such success with the size of his D.A. classes that he appealed to the headmaster to let him take on all four houses in one class, only separating them by individual year. He could use the extra time in-between classes to hold office hours for individual students that might have questions, problems, or were in need of private lessons.
The Defense classroom had been rearranged and enlarged to accommodate the increased size and storage for desks during practical lessons. His first class of the day was the whole of Hogwarts sixth-year, after you take out the students that weren't interested in taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, consisted of 138 willful and eager young minds. Harry breathed in deeply and let it go as he opened the door slowly.
He peered out among the large classroom, arranged in auditorium style seating and picked out several students that were keeping busy amongst themselves, talking or whatnot. Pulling out his wand he kept a low and even voice among all of the noise.
"Locomotor Mortis! Rictusempra! Tarantallegra! Scourgify!" He repeated each Hex and Jinx over and over again before someone noticed him at the top of the stairs, except by this time a good quarter of the class had been hexed and was causing enough of a disturbance that a good portion of the rest of the class couldn't respond.
Harry eyed the one student in the very back of the class that was watching him, unconcerned with his fellow classmates. He remember his photograph from the Durmstrang student list. It wasn't until Harry aimed a Leg-Locker Curse at him did he respond immediately with ...
"Protego!"
The shield was perfect and the curse was sent back at him. Harry was far enough away that he had enough time to dodge the rebound. He smiled and made his way down to the front of the classroom, sat a folder on a lectern, then made himself comfortable on top of a table while the students sorted though the counter-curses and restored order to the room.
Once the last student was cured of the Babbling Curse, and had the ability to actually close her mouth, the class was silent. Harry looked at his watch. It had taken almost twenty-five minutes to sort everyone out.
"Pyotr?" He stared at the Russian student that rebounded his curse. "Did I pronounce your name properly."
"Da, Professor Potter."
Harry raised his hand out. "May I present the only person in this class that would have survived unscathed from a Dark Wizard attack. Most likely the rest of you would be severely wounded, stunned and captured soon to be tortured or under an Imperious Curse, or most likely dead."
He scanned the class. "I was but one wizard, all by myself, using harmless spells against 138 students one year younger than me, and I stopped cursing you the moment one person acted to shield my first spell."
Harry leaned on the lectern. "Can you imaging the carnage I could have caused if I had used the Killing Curse instead?"
"Pyotr, you have earned twenty points for Gryffindor. The rest of you have earned twelve inches of parchment on common counter-curses and a practical quiz next class period on a simple Shield Charm. I would not want to be in your shoes if you fail that quiz."
He saw eyes close and heads fall in defeat. "Weasley, Lovegood, Creevey, and Pyotr, up front. The rest of you may go be attacked or something. Please have the courtesy to stay away from me until you learn the basic skills that every fourth-year should know."
A lot of the students were still sitting in their seats, stunned that their friend was treating them so ... unkind. Thirty minutes into their first class of the year and they were being dismissed for being incompetent. They were slow in putting up their parchment and quills, but eventually made their way out of the classroom leaving only the four students whose name he called out.
The tall and pale Russian approached. "Sir?"
"Pyotr, I need a sixth-year assistant, are you up to the job?"
The Russian looked at the other three and noticed the prefect badge on Ginny's robe. "Da," he replied nodding his head.
"Good, wait in my office upstairs and we'll go over the particulars in a moment."
Harry turned on the remaining three. "You were in D.A. and know to always be on your guard. You have no excuse for letting me down." He paused. "Voldemort is dead, but that is no excuse for letting yourself grow lazy."
Harry watched as Ginny seethed, her face was red with anger and embarrassment, Luna stood there and nodded her head as if she agreed with everything he was saying, and Colin looked as if he was about to cry.
It's official, I'm a unicorn's ass, Harry thought to himself.
He relaxed his posture and shrugged. "You made a mistake, it happens. Learn from it and don't make the same mistake twice. You know I'm proud of each of you, but I cannot let my friendship with you to risk your life. When you leave this class, you will receive an Outstanding on your Defense N.E.W.T. next year and you will be ready for anything. I promise you."
They seemed accepting of their scolding, and Harry saw that. "Forget the written assignment and practice your Shield Charm. You will still take part in the practical quiz on Wednesday."
Harry picked up his folder off of the lectern and made his way up the stairs. Pyotr Yudin stood washboard straight as Harry entered the Defense office.
"Nice Shield Charm, Pyotr."
The Russian nodded once.
"Are you up on all of your Charms, Hexes and Jinxes?" Harry said as he sat down behind his desk.
"Da. I am half-way through N.E.W.T. level 7 at the moment, Professor."
Harry had to know. "Why are you here?"
Pyotr looked confused. "Sir?"
Harry leaned forward and took a page out of Dumbledore's playbook by interlacing his fingers and looking thoughtful. "I asked you why you are here, at this school, to be more specific."
The sixth-year's eyes moved to the window behind Harry's back. "I am here to study Defense Against the Dark Arts with the person that destroyed the Dark Lord. Your name has been mentioned ever since I was a child in mother Russia and now it is almost legendary."
Harry quirked an eyebrow at that.
"Your English is excellent, almost no accent."
He nodded once again. "My mother was British, Sir."
"Was?"
"Both of my parents were killed last year, Sir."
He didn't remember reading about that in his file, and that item would have stood out in his memory. "I'm sorry."
"They were in law enforcement, something akin to your Auror's, Sir."
Harry thought it best to drop the subject and move on. He didn't like it when people he didn't know got on the subject of his parents and felt it probably prudent to give Pyotr the consideration that he would like.
"Your duties will be assisting me in practical magic as my opponent and also in general tasks in the classroom at my request. In return you have the option of ten additional house points per week, one tutoring session, per month or you can ask one question outside the realm of our curriculum per month."
Pyotr's thick brow furrowed. "A question, Sir?"
Harry nodded. "I'm very private about my personal life and the battles I've had with Voldemort. I assume that is one of the reasons you have come all this way ... to pick my brain?"
It was the first time Harry had seen him smile. "I'll take the questions sir."
Harry sat back in his chair. "One question per month, Pyotr. Think about it before you ask."
The Russian nodded. "Yes, Professor Potter."
"You can go."