Chapter 12: Back to Hogwarts
The next morning, Harry burst through the door. "Professor wake up, Professor Lupin is here!" Page quickly got dressed and ran down the stairs, out of breath and not looking at all tidy, she smiled briskly at him. "Hello Remus, you didn't turn up last night. Is everything OK?" Remus didn't smile at her. Page's face dropped like stone. "It's Mad-Eye and Shacklebolt. They are in a very bad way. Harry, Page will have to stay with you the whole time on the train, and in Hogsmead as well." Harry nodded; he knew that it was for his own good. But the fact that a teacher will be with him mostly all the time was; he thought a little childish. Page and Harry were to leave the cottage at eleven o'clock that morning, to go back to 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry's trunk was packed and Hedwig had flown over to London, before they left. "Right Harry, we are going by floo, you first." Harry stepped into the fireplace and grabbed his trunk. He threw some floo powder and shouted "12 Grimmauld Place" and vanished. Page then followed suit a couple of minutes after. Brushing off soot, she climbed out of the fireplace dragging her trunk behind her. Harry was there to help her. "Thanks Harry." Remus and Tonks took her trunk out of her and Harry's hands and placed it down next to a chair. "Right then Harry, Molly has bought your new school things, and also new dress robes." Said Tonks cheerfully. This time Tonks had long, bright curly orange hair. Page and Harry looked at each other and suppressed their laughter. Hermione ran downstairs and rushed towards Harry, she was crying with joy. "Harry, I've been made head girl I cant believe it! I got the letter yesterday. Isn't it wonderful." Ron came rushing downstairs to meet him. "She can dock points from Slytherin!" Ron cried, "That's not the point Ron. It's to make order within the school, and I am not about to blow my position, just by making it your task to dock points from every house but our own." Ron's ears went pink. "It's not my task Hermione, its for showing Malfoy who's boss. Hang on, who is head boy?" Ron suddenly was shocked. "Ernie MacMillin. And besides Harry can take Malfoy, anytime he wanted. He doesn't need me to be there for him." Hermione was poised, and looked very sophisticated. "I have learnt some new spells anyway. Professor shows me some yesterday. Want to learn some?" Said Harry in a proud way. Page and Harry spent the morning teaching Hermione, Ron and Ginny the spells that Harry had learnt the previous day. "Wow, I can see that I have to be on my guard when duelling you lot. Which reminds me. Dumbledore told me that you had the err... privilege of learning a bit of duelling with Professor Lockhart. And he has given Professor Snape and me the permission to teach you...again. What do you say?" Page beamed at them. "Well, we wouldn't mind you teaching us Professor, but Snape doesn't like Harry, and well wouldn't it be better if you could teach us by yourself?" Hermione asked timidly, not looking at Harry. Ron and Ginny nodded truthfully. "No, I am sorry, but I do need help. Its not going to be easy teaching the whole school you know." Page saw their disappointed faces, and tried to cheer them up. "Look I know about Harry and Malfoy. And well how about the first chance we get, we can test the new spells on him? Huh?" Harry and Ron laughed, but Hermione scowled at them. "Professor, wouldn't that be unfair?" Harry cut in. "Hermione shut-up. If I get any chance at all without Snape there to take house points off me, I'll get him back by sending Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle to the hospital wing." They had a very pleasant evening watching Tonks change her appearance, and Remus' theory on Ware-wolf transformations. By the end of dinner, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny all trounced off to bed leaving the members left, to wait for the start of the meeting. By quarter to ten, all had arrived except for Mad-Eye and Shacklebolt. "I must insist that six people should take Harry to the train. Myself included." Said Hestia Jones, who was introduced to Page before the meeting started. "I quite agree." Severus Snape had appeared from the shadows of the room. "Potter thinks he can take care of himself. Over the past weeks he has proven himself to be just another boy. A careless one at that." He spat. Page was very angry, but tried to keep her cool. Harry was right; Severus didn't like him. She shouldn't do anything rash. They spoke deep into the night, planning everything, even the Hogsmead trips. When and were Harry might go, the places where people should stand watch, just to be sure he's safe. By half past mid-night the meeting was over. Harry and the others had to be up bright and early. And Harry would be taken in a car to Kings Cross station with four watchers, Page included. That morning at half past eight, Molly rang from downstairs for people to be up for breakfast. It was bedlam, people running around looking for things that hadn't packed the following evening. "Mum, have you seen my socks?" Said a rushed Ginny. "No Ginny! And for the last time hurry up!" Molly shouted back. By half past ten, they were all ready. All the cars were outside, trunks were in, and the cages, plus a squirming Crookshanks were all wedged inside. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were to go ahead, followed by Harry, Page and the other watchers. Soon enough they had all reached the station, and on the train. Molly, Tonks, Remus, Arthur and Hestia Jones all waved goodbye then disapperated. They got a compartment to themselves. Hermione had to go around the train making sure people had settled down. She got back ten minutes before the train entered into Hogsmead. They all got off the train, and went to get a carriage together. Page could see that Harry was looking at the Thestrals, when they got into the carriage she asked him. "Harry, who did you see die? I saw you looking at the Thestrals" Harry was a little taken back, by the question. "Cedric Diggory. He died by Wormtail's wand." Everyone was silent. "Who did you see die then Professor?" Asked Harry. She knew that he was going to ask her that and she was prepared. "My mother, Penelope. She died at St. Mungo's ages ago." Since then no one talked, but either looked out of the window, or was starting at their feet. The carriage pulled up outside the gates. And Page was told to get off, and make her way to the Castle. "See you soon." She closed the door, and hastily walked to the doors. Minerva was waiting for her. She showed her to the table, and sat her down two seats to the right from Dumbledore. She was a little nervous. Then she saw the three-legged stool on which sat upon the Sorting Hat. "All right there Page?" Dumbledore sat down at his seat. Page had seen him sitting in her seat when she was at school. She thought it weird to be at the teacher's table at Hogwarts. "A little nervous." She said in a choked voice, he smiled at her. "I would like you to talk to the students about the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, and of course, the Duelling Club. Last time, as you know didn't go very well. But I am sure with two fine teachers, the students will know a lot more defensive spells." Then the doors flew open, and the students filed in, making their way to their tables, and taking quick glances over at Page. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Severus enter the Great Hall through a side door. She looked at him as he gave her a weak smile and then sat down in his chair. She saw Harry, Hermione and Ron rush towards her. "Good luck Professor." They said and went to rejoin their fellows at the Gryffindor house table. After a couple of minutes or so, silence fell across the hall as its doors suddenly burst open with new first years. They followed Minerva to the teacher's table towards the Sorting Hat. They stopped in front of Dumbledore, then the Sorting Hat suddenly burst into song:
Great magic's as they were by four, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, They all had magic within their hands, And as they wanted, welcomed each pupil from across the lands. I was made to sort them each and every one, To help those in need of danger when I had come. When Slytherin lest departed, The three were very downhearted, The houses had to stay together, All the same, like birds of a feather. They all decided to teach all their ways, And made me, when past their days. Provided by our ancestral founders, To sort you all into your houses' A word of caution to my song, All must stand together to be strong. With the dark arts that are dwelling upon us, Don't stray away, and simply because, For Hufflepuff, the act of kindness, Should be comforting to those around us, For Ravenclaw of noble height, Knows the rules, will battle with might. For Gryffindor, the bravest of us all, Will come to help when the others will call, For Slytherin, a powerful lot. Will know what do to when they have got, The other three to stand by their side. And all of us must offer a guide. And help those, all who seek, The good, the kind, small and meek. BY standing firm, upright and tall, We will triumph one and all.
Everyone clapped. Although it was a bit strange that the Sorting Hat was giving them a warning. But because the Hat sits in Dumbledore's office, it must hear a lot of things that go on. Page heard the teachers whispering, "That was a bit short wasn't it?" "It gave another warning. Something must be bad." Then the Hall had quietened. The Hat was sorting the first years. Minerva held out a long piece of parchment to her face and read the first name, "Allen, Amanda" A small girl came out through the crowd and put on the hat after a couple of seconds the hat shouted "Hufflepuff". She ran towards the Hufflepuff table. "Slytherin" the hat shouted once more as a tall boy with dark rimmed glassed stepped down from the tool, and strode towards the Slytherins. At the end Page had counted sixteen new Gryffindors that she would have to teach. Dumbledore then stood up. The whole room was quiet, waiting for him to talk. "A couple of things I would like to announce." He paused and looked at Page. "A new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Quinn." Everyone clapped, and whistled at her. Page felt her face go red with embarrassment. "There are also other things, but that can wait until after our feast. Dig in!" Page caught Harry's eye and winked at him. After the feast, Dumbledore stood up again. The hall went silent once more. "New happenings are upon us. I must ask you all to be careful when going about the school grounds, and Hogsmead. Also I have asked Professor Quinn, to talk to you about some important new issues she would like to discuss with you." At this he sat down, and Page very reluctantly got up to face her captive audience. "I am aware that a few years ago, there was a duelling club that didn't last for more then a week." There were little giggles of laughter at this, which made Page feel more relaxed. She continued. "So by permission of Dumbledore, Professor Snape and I will be teaching you. Even the first years." She stopped talking, as there was a tremendous applause. "Also, also I would like to tell you that my classes will be very different. In other words, more practical and less theory." As Page could see most of the students were standing up, clapping at her. Page smiled and then sat down. Some minutes later the Hall started to empty as the students were heading back to their dormitories. As Page walked up to her office, she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for her. "Wow, you can't get much better then that can you Professor?" Ron was laughing. "Well done Professor. I can't wait for your lessons. We have to go. I have to give the first years the password to our dormitory." They quickly walked off, leaving Page pleased with herself.
The next morning, Harry burst through the door. "Professor wake up, Professor Lupin is here!" Page quickly got dressed and ran down the stairs, out of breath and not looking at all tidy, she smiled briskly at him. "Hello Remus, you didn't turn up last night. Is everything OK?" Remus didn't smile at her. Page's face dropped like stone. "It's Mad-Eye and Shacklebolt. They are in a very bad way. Harry, Page will have to stay with you the whole time on the train, and in Hogsmead as well." Harry nodded; he knew that it was for his own good. But the fact that a teacher will be with him mostly all the time was; he thought a little childish. Page and Harry were to leave the cottage at eleven o'clock that morning, to go back to 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry's trunk was packed and Hedwig had flown over to London, before they left. "Right Harry, we are going by floo, you first." Harry stepped into the fireplace and grabbed his trunk. He threw some floo powder and shouted "12 Grimmauld Place" and vanished. Page then followed suit a couple of minutes after. Brushing off soot, she climbed out of the fireplace dragging her trunk behind her. Harry was there to help her. "Thanks Harry." Remus and Tonks took her trunk out of her and Harry's hands and placed it down next to a chair. "Right then Harry, Molly has bought your new school things, and also new dress robes." Said Tonks cheerfully. This time Tonks had long, bright curly orange hair. Page and Harry looked at each other and suppressed their laughter. Hermione ran downstairs and rushed towards Harry, she was crying with joy. "Harry, I've been made head girl I cant believe it! I got the letter yesterday. Isn't it wonderful." Ron came rushing downstairs to meet him. "She can dock points from Slytherin!" Ron cried, "That's not the point Ron. It's to make order within the school, and I am not about to blow my position, just by making it your task to dock points from every house but our own." Ron's ears went pink. "It's not my task Hermione, its for showing Malfoy who's boss. Hang on, who is head boy?" Ron suddenly was shocked. "Ernie MacMillin. And besides Harry can take Malfoy, anytime he wanted. He doesn't need me to be there for him." Hermione was poised, and looked very sophisticated. "I have learnt some new spells anyway. Professor shows me some yesterday. Want to learn some?" Said Harry in a proud way. Page and Harry spent the morning teaching Hermione, Ron and Ginny the spells that Harry had learnt the previous day. "Wow, I can see that I have to be on my guard when duelling you lot. Which reminds me. Dumbledore told me that you had the err... privilege of learning a bit of duelling with Professor Lockhart. And he has given Professor Snape and me the permission to teach you...again. What do you say?" Page beamed at them. "Well, we wouldn't mind you teaching us Professor, but Snape doesn't like Harry, and well wouldn't it be better if you could teach us by yourself?" Hermione asked timidly, not looking at Harry. Ron and Ginny nodded truthfully. "No, I am sorry, but I do need help. Its not going to be easy teaching the whole school you know." Page saw their disappointed faces, and tried to cheer them up. "Look I know about Harry and Malfoy. And well how about the first chance we get, we can test the new spells on him? Huh?" Harry and Ron laughed, but Hermione scowled at them. "Professor, wouldn't that be unfair?" Harry cut in. "Hermione shut-up. If I get any chance at all without Snape there to take house points off me, I'll get him back by sending Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle to the hospital wing." They had a very pleasant evening watching Tonks change her appearance, and Remus' theory on Ware-wolf transformations. By the end of dinner, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny all trounced off to bed leaving the members left, to wait for the start of the meeting. By quarter to ten, all had arrived except for Mad-Eye and Shacklebolt. "I must insist that six people should take Harry to the train. Myself included." Said Hestia Jones, who was introduced to Page before the meeting started. "I quite agree." Severus Snape had appeared from the shadows of the room. "Potter thinks he can take care of himself. Over the past weeks he has proven himself to be just another boy. A careless one at that." He spat. Page was very angry, but tried to keep her cool. Harry was right; Severus didn't like him. She shouldn't do anything rash. They spoke deep into the night, planning everything, even the Hogsmead trips. When and were Harry might go, the places where people should stand watch, just to be sure he's safe. By half past mid-night the meeting was over. Harry and the others had to be up bright and early. And Harry would be taken in a car to Kings Cross station with four watchers, Page included. That morning at half past eight, Molly rang from downstairs for people to be up for breakfast. It was bedlam, people running around looking for things that hadn't packed the following evening. "Mum, have you seen my socks?" Said a rushed Ginny. "No Ginny! And for the last time hurry up!" Molly shouted back. By half past ten, they were all ready. All the cars were outside, trunks were in, and the cages, plus a squirming Crookshanks were all wedged inside. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were to go ahead, followed by Harry, Page and the other watchers. Soon enough they had all reached the station, and on the train. Molly, Tonks, Remus, Arthur and Hestia Jones all waved goodbye then disapperated. They got a compartment to themselves. Hermione had to go around the train making sure people had settled down. She got back ten minutes before the train entered into Hogsmead. They all got off the train, and went to get a carriage together. Page could see that Harry was looking at the Thestrals, when they got into the carriage she asked him. "Harry, who did you see die? I saw you looking at the Thestrals" Harry was a little taken back, by the question. "Cedric Diggory. He died by Wormtail's wand." Everyone was silent. "Who did you see die then Professor?" Asked Harry. She knew that he was going to ask her that and she was prepared. "My mother, Penelope. She died at St. Mungo's ages ago." Since then no one talked, but either looked out of the window, or was starting at their feet. The carriage pulled up outside the gates. And Page was told to get off, and make her way to the Castle. "See you soon." She closed the door, and hastily walked to the doors. Minerva was waiting for her. She showed her to the table, and sat her down two seats to the right from Dumbledore. She was a little nervous. Then she saw the three-legged stool on which sat upon the Sorting Hat. "All right there Page?" Dumbledore sat down at his seat. Page had seen him sitting in her seat when she was at school. She thought it weird to be at the teacher's table at Hogwarts. "A little nervous." She said in a choked voice, he smiled at her. "I would like you to talk to the students about the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, and of course, the Duelling Club. Last time, as you know didn't go very well. But I am sure with two fine teachers, the students will know a lot more defensive spells." Then the doors flew open, and the students filed in, making their way to their tables, and taking quick glances over at Page. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Severus enter the Great Hall through a side door. She looked at him as he gave her a weak smile and then sat down in his chair. She saw Harry, Hermione and Ron rush towards her. "Good luck Professor." They said and went to rejoin their fellows at the Gryffindor house table. After a couple of minutes or so, silence fell across the hall as its doors suddenly burst open with new first years. They followed Minerva to the teacher's table towards the Sorting Hat. They stopped in front of Dumbledore, then the Sorting Hat suddenly burst into song:
Great magic's as they were by four, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, They all had magic within their hands, And as they wanted, welcomed each pupil from across the lands. I was made to sort them each and every one, To help those in need of danger when I had come. When Slytherin lest departed, The three were very downhearted, The houses had to stay together, All the same, like birds of a feather. They all decided to teach all their ways, And made me, when past their days. Provided by our ancestral founders, To sort you all into your houses' A word of caution to my song, All must stand together to be strong. With the dark arts that are dwelling upon us, Don't stray away, and simply because, For Hufflepuff, the act of kindness, Should be comforting to those around us, For Ravenclaw of noble height, Knows the rules, will battle with might. For Gryffindor, the bravest of us all, Will come to help when the others will call, For Slytherin, a powerful lot. Will know what do to when they have got, The other three to stand by their side. And all of us must offer a guide. And help those, all who seek, The good, the kind, small and meek. BY standing firm, upright and tall, We will triumph one and all.
Everyone clapped. Although it was a bit strange that the Sorting Hat was giving them a warning. But because the Hat sits in Dumbledore's office, it must hear a lot of things that go on. Page heard the teachers whispering, "That was a bit short wasn't it?" "It gave another warning. Something must be bad." Then the Hall had quietened. The Hat was sorting the first years. Minerva held out a long piece of parchment to her face and read the first name, "Allen, Amanda" A small girl came out through the crowd and put on the hat after a couple of seconds the hat shouted "Hufflepuff". She ran towards the Hufflepuff table. "Slytherin" the hat shouted once more as a tall boy with dark rimmed glassed stepped down from the tool, and strode towards the Slytherins. At the end Page had counted sixteen new Gryffindors that she would have to teach. Dumbledore then stood up. The whole room was quiet, waiting for him to talk. "A couple of things I would like to announce." He paused and looked at Page. "A new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Quinn." Everyone clapped, and whistled at her. Page felt her face go red with embarrassment. "There are also other things, but that can wait until after our feast. Dig in!" Page caught Harry's eye and winked at him. After the feast, Dumbledore stood up again. The hall went silent once more. "New happenings are upon us. I must ask you all to be careful when going about the school grounds, and Hogsmead. Also I have asked Professor Quinn, to talk to you about some important new issues she would like to discuss with you." At this he sat down, and Page very reluctantly got up to face her captive audience. "I am aware that a few years ago, there was a duelling club that didn't last for more then a week." There were little giggles of laughter at this, which made Page feel more relaxed. She continued. "So by permission of Dumbledore, Professor Snape and I will be teaching you. Even the first years." She stopped talking, as there was a tremendous applause. "Also, also I would like to tell you that my classes will be very different. In other words, more practical and less theory." As Page could see most of the students were standing up, clapping at her. Page smiled and then sat down. Some minutes later the Hall started to empty as the students were heading back to their dormitories. As Page walked up to her office, she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for her. "Wow, you can't get much better then that can you Professor?" Ron was laughing. "Well done Professor. I can't wait for your lessons. We have to go. I have to give the first years the password to our dormitory." They quickly walked off, leaving Page pleased with herself.