CHAPTER FOUR
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Recollections
It had been a fabulous sunrise – Andy had seen it from the Astronomy Tower doing Tai Chi – and she felt invigorated for the first time since she came to Hogwarts. She said a cheerful "good morning" to Snape when she sat down for breakfast and wasn't surprised when he didn't answer.
"Oh, I meant to ask you last night... Could I use your classroom for some potion making? I will of course use my own ingredients."
Snape had a thousand reasons to turn her down, everyone with a contemptuous remark attached, but he was also very curious of what she sort of potion she would conjure.
"I cannot let you use my classroom, Professor Parker," he said, "but my private office is at your disposal."
"Well, thank you! I won't get a hold of everything I need until Friday, so could I come then? I have a couple of hours before dinner."
"I will be there, Professor Parker."
Andy had been looking forward to the first class with Harry Potter, which also was the last for the day, since she had been appointed the DADA position. She had been sixteen the year that he had gone to Hogwarts and her History professor had told them all about The Boy Who Lived. She had also heard about what had happened during the attack at the Ministry in London earlier that year, when Harry together with five friends had fought back a number of Death Eaters as well as Lord Voldemort, and she admired the boy immensely. What she hadn't anticipated was that he wouldn't be the only student in her advanced DADA and that one of the other students would be Draco Malfoy. She recognized him immediately of course; he was a young copy of his father. Andy gripped the desk so hard that her knuckles whitened as she read his name of the roll, but managed to keep her voice steady, continuing to the next on the list.
"So," she began and started pacing the room, "you are here because you want a N.E.W.T. in Defence Against the Dark Arts. My aim is to help you all towards that goal and I am confident that you will – if you work with me." She let her gaze glide over both Harry and Draco without stopping at either.
"Now, Defence leading up to the N.E.W.T.s is difficult, I am not going to lie about it. It will require a lot from you, both in class but also outside of it. There will be more essays than before and I will have a couple of unprepared tests. If you think that it will be hard, it is nothing compared to what you will face in two years at the finals."
The students began to shift in their seats.
"I have also asked your respective Heads of Houses for the passwords to your dorms and will attack you in your sleep to see if you can work under pressure."
She mused at the dropped jaws, before she winked and said:
"Just kidding," and the room erupted in laughter.
As her students where copying from the blackboard, Andy sat behind her desk and looked out over them. Draco Malfoy, so much like his father. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Ronald Weasley with the telltale red hair of all the Weasleys; she had had his sister the day before. Neville Longbottom of the Longbottom Family, a diamond in the rough. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch in generations despite being a Mudblood. Draco Malfoy. 'Merlin, he looks so much like his father,' she thought and looked out of one of the windows instead.
"Professor Parker?"
"Hm?" Andy looked up.
"We're done copying the notes, Professor." The look Hermione gave her was a bit worried.
"Well, read them until next time and write a foot on the difference between the Cruciatus Curse and Transmogrifian Torture. Oh yes, we are starting a Duelling class next Wednesday at eight; I don't know if Filch has put up the notice yet. It is not compulsory, but it might be a help for your N.E.W.T.s, not to mention the obvious use of course."
"Yes, Professor Parker," they all said and packed together their books.
"Master Malfoy, a word with you, please."
The other students left, leaving Draco standing by his desk with books in his arms. Andy was still sitting behind her desk.
"How is your father?"
Draco flinched.
"He was well the last time I saw him."
"Thank you, Master Malfoy. You may leave."
Andy rubbed her eyes as the door closed behind Draco. She shouldn't have questioned the boy, but there was no other way for her to find out. She slammed a fist on the desk.
Madam Pomfrey immediately picked up on Andy's bad mood when they met in the door to the Great Hall.
"Bad day?"
Andy shook her head:
"No, I'm just a bit tired."
"I heard that you're borrowing Severus' private office on Friday," Pomfrey said as they entered the hall, "I don't think he has ever let anyone use it before since he started working here."
"Really," Andy said, not quite listening. She could feel the first familiar throbs of another migraine coming up and began to panic: second time in two days and there was no potion left.
"Listen, Poppy, I think I'll skip dinner tonight, okay? I'm too tired anyway." Andy stopped walking and Pomfrey turned around to look at her.
"Should I send up a house-elf with a tray?"
"No! No, that won't be necessary."
Andy almost ran out of there, pressing balled-up fists against her temples to keep the flashing lights away.
She locked the door behind her and cast an Imperturbable Charm around her rooms to keep any sounds inside.
"Nevermore, are you here," she croaked and stumbled up to her bedroom.
The raven came flying and landed on the pillow as Andy dragged herself up on the bed, crouching up in foetal position.
"It's happening and I don't have any potion left so listen carefully: if anyone tries to get in, you have to stop them, you hear? Jesus fuck!" Andy threw herself backwards as a sharp pain cut trough her brain like a knife blade. Nevermore looked at her with his beady eyes and began to recite the incantations.
Andy opened her eyes and lay still for a moment, looking up at the canopy ceiling. It was dark. She moved her head to the side. It was dark outside the window too.
"Nevermore?"
The bird crowed softly from the headboard.
"Thank you."
She closed her eyes again.
"I'm doing a new batch as soon as possible. It won't happen again."
"Nevermore."
