Lessons Start

The week had flown by, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the professors were sat at the staff table, waiting for the new pupils to arrive and the old ones to come back. As the evening drew in the tables filled up with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th years, all waiting for the new 1st years to arrive. The students had settled and Minerva Mcgonagal walked through the grand doors with a group of cold and wet 1st years waiting to be sorted, however before this the sorting hat sang it's elaborate song, then went still again. Harry searched along the crowd of scared and excited 11 year olds. Professor Mcgonagal then held up a roll of parchment with a list of names on it and announced the name 'Eric Ashford'. A smart looking boy stepped up to the stool and sat down, Minerva placed the magical hat on his head, and it sprang to life, after a careful bit of thinking, the hat declared 'Ravenclaw!', Eric Ashford sighed with relief and walked over to the cheering Ravenclaw table, this went on for a bit then at last it reached Zebediah Zwich who was sorted into Slytherin. Dumbledore made his announcements and the feast began. There was much talk between the staff as to the changes to the house arrangements this year, starting with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw being permanently together, instead of Gryffindor and Slytherin, who had now been placed with Hufflepuff.

The feast had finally ended and the Prefects had escorted the new students to the house common rooms and settled them in, and while they though of their first day in the magical castle Harry reminisced about his.

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The Next Morning

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Breakfast had finished and the students were of to their first lessons. The first group Harry had were the first year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. He was dressed in a set of midnight blue robes with his hair how it used to be, messy. His robes were adorned with many runes, and a gold lightening bolt motif. He was sat in his chair at the front of the class, with his lesson plan in front of him. As they all filed in and took their seats an enchanted quill took down their names and positions. He tapped the board with his wand and the title 'DEFENCE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: LESSON ONE - BASIC PROTECTIVE SPELLS.'

"Good morning class, I am professor Potter and this is Defence Against the Dark Arts. Before I begin, can anyone tell me the difference between a Jinx and a Hex?"

A Ravenclaw girl placed her hand up in the air, Harry looked down at the sheet and saw that her name was Christina Owlingate.

"Yes miss Owlingate." said Harry

"Well sir, a Jinx is a type of spell that requires the user to never break eye contact with his or her target, this includes blinking. A hex is a spell that is fired from the wand usually with malintent." replied the girl.

"Well done miss Owlingate, five points to Ravenclaw."

"Yes as miss Owlingate correctly stated, the two are very different. However where there are counter jinxes there exists a simple charm to protect you from light hexes, it's called the shield charm. All you need to do to instigate this simple yet effective spell is hold your wand upright and annunciate 'protego'. Let's practice shall we? On three…1...2...3...'protego'."

There was a flash of purple as thirty different shield charms were summoned. Harry was amazed at their handle over it, even if it was only simple, it still meant that he was able to teach, he was better than Guilderoy Lockhart, and Umbridge, and he was looking to go along the same track as Lupin.

"Okay, here's another useful one I know, and it's dead simple and handy in a duel. The expelliarmus hex, all you have to do is aim and annunciate the hex's name, and your opponent's wand should be disarmed from them." lectured Harry

He swished his wand and the tables flew to the sides of the room, then he flicked it and cushions appeared in the middle of it.

"Lets practice, get into pairs, and alternate on the user and the receiver. On three…1...2...3."

Jets of light flew across the room, and wand flew everywhere, as well as some students. The rest of the lesson continued like this, Harry was happy at their mastery of these two basic spells, they were building blocks for more advanced things. The lesson was soon over quickly for the pupils who were having a brilliant time.

"Okay before you all leave I'd like to make an announcement. 50 points to each of your houses, you're a credit to your heads of houses and each other, I hope these lessons will continue as they have done today, and if they do, maybe I'll get you started on some meatier stuff."

The first years left the class with a distinct buzz of excitement above their heads, however Harry knew this wouldn't last once they met Snape.