Chapter Four
First Lesson
A determined walk later, Slatero and Isaac
were approaching Dumbledore's office. The gargoyle jumped aside as the words
"Chocolate truffles." from Slatero. Dumbledore's latest favourite. He
forced Isaac to walk before him up the stairs. There were voices coming from
inside the office, but Ginsing knocked.
"Come in." Albus called. Inside the office was Arthur Weasley. He
introduced himself before Dumbledore could.
"Nearest department available Professor Quirrell, Arthur Weasley, head of
Misuse of Muggle Artefacts." They shook hands, Slatero slightly suspicious.
Another Weasley... he thought reminded of the bat the previous evening.
"Isaac Ginsing, owner of the book. I only just got to hear this morning, so
please excuse me if I'm behind the times." Arthur nodded at Slatero's
introduction of the student.
"Isaac, please explain how the book came to be snatched." Dumbledore
asked. The seventh year sat down, pale faced and nervous. Slatero folded his
arms and stood to one side of Isaac.
"We'd forgotten to buy it, so my mother hurried off to Diagon Alley to
fetch one. She managed to bring it all the way to the station, but she tripped,
and the book flew up in the air. I didn't know it would grow wings and teeth! A Muggle
made a run for it and grabbed it in his bag. That was the last we saw of him,
and the book." Isaac trailed off. Arthur picked up.
"The book then bit anyone who looked at it. The Magical Reversal Squad and
the Muggle Task Team have both been deployed to help." He filled in for
Slatero.
"What book was it?" Dumbledore asked.
"Elvin Wolf's Defence Against the Darkest Arts, a Guide to Ultimate
Protection for the Seventh Year. It was reprinted this year, or even last year,
and I considered it more up to date and useful than last year's book. I had no
idea it was capable of such things. I've had my copy for almost six
months." Slatero refolded his arms, his discomfort showing as his mouth
twitched at the corners.
"Last report they were still after it. The Literature and Education Offices
have gone to visit the author. They wish to repossess the whole batch."
Arthur carried on.
"You're joking! As long as they are not thrown into the sky, I don't see
why we should bother immediately. It could be a one off. My own copy is
fine!" Slatero summoned his own copy to his hand, it popped gently onto his
hand from the air. He held it out to Arthur Weasley, who declined.
"I'll be back later. Until then, I wouldn't use the books." He gave
his regards to Dumbledore and left.
"Have the two of you eaten?" Dumbledore enquired. Isaac nodded.
"Yes Professor."
"I'll survive." Slatero answered, ignoring his semi-empty stomach as
the bell rang to end breakfast.
Minutes later the young professor had descended
the spiral staircase to his classroom, and had passed Silcon the Sempko without
even bidding him good morning. He sat at his desk, scribbling notes down. He
could hear the seventh years approaching down the stone steps outside the door.
Charlie Weasley was first through the door.
"Come in and sit down quietly." Slatero called, scribbling more down,
referring to a page in the book with a frown on his face. Suddenly he snapped it
shut and realised Silcon was staring at him through the glass of his tank. He
sighed, retrieved a giant locus from a tank behind him and dropped it into the
tank with the huge lizard. Two minutes of frantic scrambling, Silcon was happily
feasting on the locus. A couple of female Gryffindors were looking disgusted at
the Sempko. Quirrell raised his eyebrow as if to say "What? It's
natural!" to them and they busied themselves with their books. The
Professor sat back down at his desk overlooking the class and opened the
register. As he called the names of the class they looked around themselves at
the familiar classroom, with the odd bat, to the huge cauldron by the desk and
the tanks of animals. Silcon was eyeing up a couple of the students before
curling up to sleep. The nearer of the two Gryffindor girls to the tank shuffled
towards her friend, staring at Silcon. Slatero was oblivious to the behaviour
and continued to call the names. He paused at:
"...Ginsing, Isaac..." Hearing no answer. He looked up, and saw a
student hurry through the door.
"Sorry Professor." Isaac apologised, sitting down quickly. Slatero
carried on until the end. ("...Weasley, Charlie...") the head boy
answered and Slatero put down his quill. He cleared his throat, glancing at the
giant lizard, now asleep and then back to his class he began.
"This may sound absurd, but under Ministry instruction, we are strongly
advised to handle the books you require this year carefully, and not to throw
them in the air." The Slytherins began to laugh, pointing at Ginsing.
Slatero cleared his throat again and continued explaining. "If it wasn't
for Mr Ginsing's incident, several of you could have had limbs bitten off by
now." He put the register on the shelf behind him, stretching back.
"Read pages one to five of your textbook and then make notes. You can ask
questions if you have problems. It should be revision. Please answer the
questions on the board to finish. Mr Ginsing please fetch a spare copy from
me." Isaac got up and walked to where Slatero now was, by a tall bookcase.
The Slytherins were twittering behind Isaac.
"You were late because of Dumbledore?" Quirrell enquired. Isaac
nodded.
"They caught the book they think." Slatero nodded and handed a
battered copy of the last print run to Isaac.
"Should be the same." He told him, and saw that no sooner was the book
in the student's hands, it lurched, pulling him across the classroom. Slatero
removed the curse with a flick of his wand. He then had great pleasure in
watching Mr Burke, a Slytherin grin at his friends who burst out laughing. The
rest of the class followed, pointing at Burke. With a smirk, Slatero summoned a
mirror and Burke saw his face and hands had been stained purple.
"That is what happens to those who curse books in this classroom. The
effects last twenty-four hours. Madam Pomfrey will not remove it, she knows it
is a punishment. You'll have to suffer." The Gryffindors, especially Isaac
thought it was hilarious.
"To work everyone, come on." The young Defence Against the Dark Arts
teacher called, waving his wand over the board for the questions.
Severus Snape was a slave driver when it came
to Quidditch. He'd recruited Slatero, Davina, Sinistra, Vector, Kettleburn and
Filch to his team. They were assembled late evening after Slytherin Quidditch
practise, two weeks into term.
"You all know how competitive the students are during their games. That is
precisely how all of you should be several times multiplied. Slatero- you and I-
beaters, Davina, Sally (Sinistra) - Chasers, you too Argus. Tzana (Vector) -
seeker, Nicholan (Kettleburn) - Keeper." Davina looked determined,
concentrating on every word Severus spoke. Slatero glanced round. Sally Sinistra,
astronomy professor, was tall, thin with long dark hair. Tzana Vector,
arithmancy professor, was shorter, black hair, large square glasses, thickly
built, but light. Nicholan Kettleburn, care of magical creatures professor, was
the veteran, probably almost a last resort. He had a fake leg from the knee down
and appeared to lose limbs each year.
"It was him of Trelawney." Severus told him later as they smacked
bludgers across the pitch in the growing darkness. A cheer was carried across by
the wind as Davina 'scored'. Above them, Tzena Vector was practising feints.
"What's the enemy like?" Slatero called.
"Nothing. Minerva has a team with the combined ages of her house ghost by
three times, Sarah Sprout has a load of soft things like Sybill, Fillius is the
only enemy to speak of." He glanced at the horizon, seeing the sun finally
disappear and blew his whistle. Davina wasn't wrong about its strength when
everyone peeled their hands off their ears they heard Severus announce the end
of the practise. They trooped to the broomshed and then up to the staff room.
