4 – The New Kitchen Staff

Hagrid's disappearance was sudden and unexpected. He wasn't on another mission for Dumbledore, and he certainly hadn't told anyone where he was going. The start of term was tomorrow and Hagrid had only been gone for a few hours. None of the Order knew where he was and they had all headed back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. The house elves had said that they'd seen him leaving his cabin at 4amthat very morning. The rumours had reached the ears of Hogwarts that the Shrieking Shack's 'ghosts' had returned. This news had caused Harry to smile for a short while. He knew better than to believe these rumours as did many of the other students. There were many smug grins passed from pupil to pupil as they remembered who was back teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again and also that it had been a full moon that night.

The feast was as wonderful as ever and even Hermione had to admit that the house elves had surpassed themselves this year. It was after the feast that Dumbledore stood up and rung a small bell to get everyone's attention.

"I would like to draw your attention to the magnificent feast we have had put in front of us this evening. I would also like to congratulate our brand new kitchen staff. Although I regret to announce that some of the house elves were killed in an ambush on Hogwarts near the beginning of the holidays. We have hired some new staff that were desperate for jobs. They are skilled cooks who were fired from the ministry last year for supporting me so, naturally, I hired them for Hogwarts. We still have our house elves to cook meals on our cooks' days off and they will still be at Hogwarts. I would like a moment of silence for the house elves that were mercilessly murdered as they tried to protect the school."

He raised his glass and there was a minute of complete silence save for the whispering of the Slytherins. The minute ended and the students began filing out of the Great Hall with their timetables in their hands. Malfoy was making snide remarks behind Harry and was being his usual slimy self.

"I don't know what this school is coming to…I really don't! Dumbledore's as potty as ever, re-instating that filthy werewolf…and I hope that that giant oaf never comes back. I mustn't get my hopes up though; I was disappointed last year wasn't I?! And a minutes silence for a bunch of greasy little house elves…what are they thinking?! And as for potty Potter, I still don't see why he's walking round with that Weasley. He ought to have learnt that nothing good can come of being friends with a low-down piece of scum. And as for the mudblood…well, what can be said bout her? Or should I say 'it'. It's the worst kind of wizard on this planet!" Malfoy saw Harry freeze and he sneered. "I can't believe my luck in one area though." Harry spun round.

"What area's that then?"

"The part when that filthy mutt died! He deserved everything he got!" Harry was shaking with rage at this point. Malfoy took pleasure in this and continued, "That werewolf will be next to join your stupid parents and your pet dog!" Malfoy smirked triumphantly.

"NEVER!" Harry lunged at Malfoy and slammed a fist into his face. Crabbe and Goyle stepped forward to restrain him. "My parents were a great deal better than yours! At least mine were decent, hard-working folk! Yours are filthy, slimy, ugly, evil prats! And your father is a DEATH EATER! If you think that's a noble profession then you've got another thing coming!"

Malfoy made a feeble attempt to punch Harry but failed. He raised his fist to strike again when a mild voice spoke and Lupin emerged from a shadow.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle. You will let him go this instant. Hermione, you can let go of Ron and Ron is not to do anything stupid. If I see you threatening Harry again then you will be in serious trouble. And yes, I heard every last word you said!"

"But Potter punched me in the face, sir."

"Good."

"What? You can't say that! You have to punish him!"

"No I don't! You deserve everything you get! Now get out of my sight!"

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle fled and Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at their teacher in astonishment and awe.

"I think you'd better go too, Harry." Lupin said shortly before turning to go himself.

"Not so fast, Lupin. I want a word." Said a voice behind Harry. It was Snape, accompanied by a smirking Malfoy and his two bumbling minions. "Potter, Weasley, Granger! You too."

They all followed Snape back to the dungeons where Snape turned to Harry and his friends and started to grill them.

"You attacked my student without any motive whatsoever!"

"He insulted my parents!" Harry retorted.

"That is no reason to cause an injury! You have just earned yourself your first detentions! Every day this week you will be coming to the dungeons at five o'clock in the morning. You will do two hours of solid work in this dungeon and I am expecting it to be ready for the first lesson and not a speck of dirt anywhere."

"Severus! You cannot just give him a detention without punishing Malfoy as well! He is as much to blame as Harry in this! It's not fair!" Lupin said defensively.

"Lupin, I will deal with you in a minute! In fact I will do it now. You do NOT threaten my students. I should get you fired! In fact, I will take the case to Dumbledore and see what he says."

"Severus, you know as well as I do that Dumbledore would never get rid of me! Nothing you can say or do will change that. However, he may lose his faith in your being changed if you do anything drastic," Lupin said a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"That's as maybe…but I can make yours and Potter's lives a complete and utter misery! Now get out of my office! I SAID GET OUT!"

"Gladly." Lupin snapped, "Come on Harry, Ron, Hermione. We don't need to stay here any more."

He strode out of the office and up to his own office with the trio in pursuit. Harry couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"Professor Lupin?" he whispered when he felt that Lupin would've cooled down enough so as not to bite his head off as soon as he said anything. After all, Lupin had never been the type to lose his temper with someone like he had with Snape only moments before.

"Yes, Harry?" Lupin turned round and his face seemed to relax.

"He wouldn't try anything dangerous would he?"

"No…he just wants to try and make me resign. He won't try anything dangerous because he would lose Dumbledore's trust and the Order would never speak to him again. He wouldn't have our protection and would be forced to rejoin Voldemort. He would be thrown into Azkaban for being a Death Eater and giving secrets about the ministry to Voldemort and would be forced to live with the guilt of betraying Dumbledore." Lupin smiled at them. "Now go and get some sleep and I'll see you in lessons tomorrow."

Harry and his friends left Lupin's office and Lupin watched them disappear around the corner before turning to look at a photo on his desk of the four marauders. He watched the figures wave up at him. Lily was knelt on the floor with a baby Harry and Peter was still in his work clothes and Sirius was covered in soot from head to toe as he'd just exploded some wizarding fireworks that were a bit faulty. He himself was in-between James, who was laughing at Sirius' appearance, and Sirius. Lupin and James looked tired as it had been the full moon the night before and James had been with him. That was the last time Lupin had seen Harry's dad alive before Voldemort had ruthlessly murdered them and attempted to murder Harry too. Lupin sighed. He wished he had his friends back. He felt alone now and there was no way he could bring them back even for only a day. Magic couldn't raise the dead. He gave a small smile as he remembered all the good times the marauders had had together over their years at Hogwarts and the few precious years they had had afterwards. He made himself a cup of tea and went to bed, hoping that things would improve soon at Hogwarts……the future of the school depended on it……but it was only too obvious that before things could get better they would have to get worse. Wherever Harry was trouble wouldn't be far behind.

At that moment, in a deep cavern not too far from Hogwarts, Voldemort's Death Eaters were gathering ready for their next, and most deadly, ambush yet.

A/N: - I'm really sorry that the chapters are so short compared to those of some of my other stories but I am hoping that soon I will be able to make my chapters longer…but I can't promise for the moment.