Disclaimer: Yes I know I've been neglecting my other stuff, please forgive me! I had to get these out of my system! Well, anyways, Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, don't sue! Updated Version: 13 November, 2004
In the Quiet Seclusion
Chapter Three
Let the Classes Begin
It was raining again. Professor Potter listened to it mix with the swishing of his robes and the steady clicking of his boots while on his way to the Great Hall. It had been raining sporadically for the past few weeks and had turned the grounds into sludge while the water level of the lake had risen considerably. No one could explain the sudden change in weather but spells were being developed to help decrease the risk of flooding.
Opening the door behind the High Table he quickly took his seat on Albus' right the seat next to him empty. Albus tried to strike up a conversation as the students filed in, taking their seat respectively and Harry obliged as far as hello. Listening to the students loud murmuring occasionally broken by a robust laugh the newest professor allowed his composure to soften a little. After all, it wouldn't do to scare the students. Much.
His sharp hearing caught the muffled click as the same door he had entered through opened and shut. A scowling Severus took his place between Harry and professor Sprout, warding off anyone who looked remotely interested in conversation with a glare. Harry, for one, largely ignored him.
The heavy wooden door creaked open and behind a stern looking Minerva came two rows of wide-eyed first years. For the most part the students looked up and blinked owlishly at the younger kids, some even going so far as to try and spook them with sneers and exaggerated whispering. Harry noted that these were all Slytherins.
He was also aware that he himself had been drawing quite a few stares and whispered conversations. Staring down a few obvious rebels with his murky green eyes he inwardly grinned with satisfaction as they quickly looked away.
He watched while the Sorting Hat was placed upon the stool and almost smiled at the confused expression of several faces when the Deputy Headmistress announced that the sorting would begin. Those would be the muggle borns. After the sorting was finished Albus stood up smiled and gave the usual announcements that were recited every year.
"…Forbidden forest is off limits to everyone, hence it's name…Filch…no magic is to be performed or attempted in the corridors…" Harry observed the student body taking note of every trouble maker in each house and class. He could see a Slytherin boy with sleeked back brown hair and sparkling blue eyes looking around the room his gaze pausing at the Gryffindor table before moving on, drinking in everything in sight. A few Gryffindors, with violent red hair, were sitting next to each other trying their best to behave and listen but occasionally would exchange whispers and funny faces until someone invariable laughed out loud and they all went innocently quiet.
When the first term notices were all recited with impeccably boring precision Albus remained standing and flashed his ever-benign smile. "And lastly, I would like to introduce our newest staff member, Professor Potter, who will be taking over the Defense position this year. Professor, would you like to say a few words?" Almost before he had finished saying 'Potter' the entire student body had broken into a million whispers, the sound like rushing water. The sight reminded Harry of his first appearance at Hogwarts, the whispers and reverent, if not full blown scared looks he had received for weeks.
"I think not, Headmaster, the students will have ample time to listen to my useless drivel in class. Let them enjoy their freedom while they can." Harry raised his empty class to the Headmaster with a half smile.
After his usual moment of nonsense Albus clapped his hands and in the blink of an eye the tables were filled with mouth-watering dishes. Harry placed his napkin over his lap and carefully placed a few mashed yams and slices of meat on his plate. The food was, as always, delicious and left him slightly hungry for more. But, instead of refilling his plate, he put down his silverware and excused himself from the table.
Monday Morning, HOGWARTS, Astronomy Tower
Harry climbed the stairs to the astronomy tower with ease. Opening the rickety door he took a deep breath of the fresh air. Standing at the edge he ran a hand restlessly through his black hair and sighed. How was he going to pull this off? He wasn't a teacher. His stomach felt like a herd of centaurs had stampeded through it, and his nerves were itching to explode like a game of Weasley's Magical 'Snap'.
He could hear the door open behind him, and turning to leave he froze.
"Severus." He greeted, fingering his wand uncertainly.
"Potter." The man said levelly.
"What are you doing out here? Don't you have class?"
"I could ask the same about you." Was the dangerous reply.
"But you won't." It was more of a statement than a question but Harry answered anyway.
"No. I am out here for a breath of air; Hogwarts has a tendency to be stuffy every so often. Class is in fifteen minutes."
"You don't have a watch." Severus pointed out.
"You don't miss a thing."
The two professors stared at each other unblinkingly, the tension around them mounting. Neither looked away until a spotted brown owl had had enough of being ignored and screeched, drawing the attention of both adults. Satisfied the owl stuck its' leg out to Harry and chirruped.
"Good morning to you too, Aries." He muttered softly, retrieving the note and reading it thoroughly. If Harry was at all perturbed by the contents of the letter he didn't betray it. Folding the letter he placed it in his inner breast pocket thoughtfully before turning his attention toward the dark man still standing by the door. "If there was nothing else, Severus? I have to get to my class."
"You still have twelve minutes." The potion master stated, a flicker of curiosity in his black eyes.
"I was always one for showing up a little early." Harry said airily, already halfway through the doorframe.
Severus watched him go before watching the brown owl preen its feathers on the stone barrier.
Harry stormed through the hallways, irritated that he was going to be late for his first class. How he hated Snape'ish' entrances.
Spelling the door in front of him open he almost smirked at the looks on his students' faces. He watched as they each took a seat, all conversations stopping on a breath. Reaching the front of the room he lamented at not having everything completely set up. He recognized the box on his desk as being the boggart he had instructed Filch to catch for him. It rattled at the sudden lack of noise in the room but he ignored it, picking up a roll of parchment that had been placed on his seat. Running his eyes over it he glanced up at the deathly silent students who were looking at him with interest.
"No, this will not do at all." He murmured out loud, half to himself half to the class. Looking over the parchment once more he tossed it back onto his desk carelessly. Folding his arms and leaning against the desk he studied his, now very nervous class, like a map.
If it didn't irk him he might have found it humorous that the two houses had seemingly automatically divided themselves right down the middle. Slytherins on his right, Gryffindors on his left. Perfectly divided.
Once again picking up the list he glanced up and said, "When I say your name stand up and move to the right side of the room. My right, your left. Jessica Miller, Douglas Times, Jacob Trowels, Laine Feirst, John Keller, and Stephanie Long." The aforementioned students stood up and moved to the side of the room, books in hand, bags slung over shoulders. Professor Potter proceeded to direct students into the empty seats, turning a blind eye, so to speak, to all the indignant and slightly confused class.
"Now, the rest of you take a seat. No Mister Trowels, I believe that seat in front of Steven will do. Patrick please move back to where you were sitting. Jessica if you could switch places with Alexander? Thank you ever so much. Miss Weasley please refrain from setting off any of your Uncle's manufactured items in my class."
A girl with red hair, cropped short, and freckles looked up from a firecracker, obviously startled at being caught. Quietly replacing the artifact into her handbag she folded her hands on her desk and stared at her new professor owlishly.
Harry hid his amusement from the class with ease. Weasleys… He mentally shook his head.
When the class was finally seated Harry nodded in satisfaction. "That is much better. In this class, you will strip yourselves of all former house rivalries. I don't care what you do outside of my class, as long as it is within the school limits of course, but inside these walls, and under my instruction I will not hear of any class racism. Is that clear?"
A broken chorus of 'yes, sir' was echoed back at him but he was relieved he had managed this much without starting a third world war that he didn't push them.
Opening a drawer Harry pulled out a stack of parchments and handed them to a dark haired Slytherin to pass out. He watched as about everyone's faces scrunched up in a grimace.
"Er, professor?" Another boy with red hair, this time tied back into a short pony tale, also with freckles raised his hand awkwardly.
"Yes, Mister Weasley?" Harry queried, marveling at the resemblance to his childhood friend's older brother Bill.
"We have your class all week, why isn't there anything assigned on Wednesday or Thursday?"
"Excellent question Mr. Weasley, but on Wednesdays and Thursdays we will be doing other things, and the assignments are not a sure thing. Don't worry, Mister Weasley, you'll still have plenty of time for quidditch practices." A few of the students snickered. Weasley was only a fourth year year but notorious for his obsession with quidditch, most likely inherited from his father, Bill Weasley.
"Now, today I would like you to pair up with the person on your right, those of you who sit on the end will pair up with each other. No, Miss Feirst, we will not be needing our text books today although you may need your wand."
"Now everyone please vacate their desks, thank you." Harry recited a spell under his breath and waved his wand twice, all the desks, save his own, disappearing with a POP. With another spell a mannequin stood several paces away from him-wearing wizards' robes and a pointed hat, his right arm extended holding a long thin stick resembling a wand. "Now I want you to watch me carefully," Harry said. "Expelliarmus!"
A jet of light streaked from his wand and hit the mannequin in the chest, sending him careening into the wall. His 'wand' however was caught in Professor Potter's open and waiting hand.
The Gryffindor half of the class stared, open-mouthed for a moment before breaking into cheers and whistles. A few Slytherins raised their brows, and a few, scattered clapped once or twice. Harry arched a brow at the students, quieting them down with a movement of his gloved hand. Don't tell me…?
"Am I to understand, you have never done magic before, in this class?" he questioned with menace and irritation.
A chorus of 'no's' and 'not really's' met his ears and he sighed.
"All right, forget the partners you have now, go pick someone you know and trust." Who had been their last professor? Surely it couldn't have been Lockhart? Or Umbridge for that matter. Albus must really be getting old…
The students shuffled around a bit, leaving their partners for someone of their own house and standing awkwardly, separated from each other. Harry spotted a Gryffindor with auburn hair streaked with heavy eyeliner. She was the personification of Hermione gone wrong. Another boy caught his eye. A Slytherin with a kind face. This was going to be an interesting school year.
"Miss Feirst and Mr. Times, could you step forward please?" Harry took them aside and explained carefully what to do. "The rest of you watch very closely," he warned. "Proceed."
The students watched each other warily. The girl was the first to move, flicking her wand and pronouncing the incantation perfectly. The boy, caught unawares was sent sprawling.
"Very good, Miss Feirst, now Mr. Times?"
The Slytherin retrieved his wand and the scene was played out again.
"Now," he said, turning to the class expectantly, "I want you to copy the same thing your class mates did just a moment ago. Elect someone in each group to say the spell and from there alternate. Any questions? Good, begin. And do be careful of that Massopondylus model, would you? Well? What are you waiting for? A whistle?" he asked with a sneer.