Dumbledore smiled at the assembled class, resting his benevolent gaze on each student in turn.

"You may close your mouth now Mr. Cornfoot." he said to one of the Ravenclaw boys. Harry vaguely remembered seeing them around the school, but he had not shared a class with them yet.

"Now," continued Dumbledore. "I will only be taking this lesson until your new Defence teacher returns. Unfortunately, I am far too busy at the moment to return to teaching, as much as I would like to."

Ron's hand shot up almost faster than Hermione's, nearly knocking Harry's glasses off his nose.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" Harry could have sworn Dumbledore winked.

"Who's our new teacher going to be?" Ron blushed, "Sir."

"Ah, a very good question for your first class. I am afraid I have been asked not to reveal their identity before they return to school, although I am sure you will find them perfectly acceptable." Dumbledore turned to wave his wand at the blackboard, where a piece of chalk started writing in flowing script. "Today we shall be discussing defence spells. No doubt you know more than a few, especially those of you who partook in the Defence Association last year. Who can tell me the simplest defence spell? Yes, Miss Granger?"

"There's a two - in - three chance we'll actually get a good teacher this time." Ron snickered as Hermione told Dumbledore of the exact pronunciation, wand movement and properties of the Expelliarmus spell.

"One - in - five if you count the fact that 'Moody' was, in fact, in league with Voldemort." Harry whispered back.

"Excellent Miss Granger!" Dumbledore broke into their conversation. "Five points to Gryffindor. Now Mr. Weasley, if you have finished your conversation with Mr. Potter on the merits of your next defence teacher, would you please use that spell against me?"

Ron stood up, his ears turning as red as his hair, and proceeded to the front of the class.

"Now, I shall attempt to send a simple curse at you, and you shall rid me of my wand. Correct, Mr. Weasley?" Harry noticed the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye, and realised that this may not be quite as easy an exercise as Ron believed it to be.

The Headmaster stepped sideways to face Ron, and nodded his head. Ron raised his wand, and shouted "Expelliarmus" sending a jet of spell - light towards Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore merely flicked his wand, which caused the spell to boomerang back towards Ron, who was taken completely unawares as his wand flew out of his hand and landed on Hannah Abbot's lap.

"Now, can anyone tell me what my blocking spell may have been?" Dumbledore asked the astonished class. But even Hermione could not answer the question, despite some obvious thought she was putting into it.

"It is just another simple spell. Does that give anyone a clue?"

Harry racked his brains for a simple spell that deflected other spells. Something stirred in Harry's memory, and he raised his hand. Dumbledore nodded at him to answer.

"Sir, is it Protego?" said Harry doubtfully. "But Professor, I learnt that before the Tri-wizard Tournament, and it was not simple at all."

Professor Dumbledore's face lit up in delight.

"That is the exact spell. Another five points to Gryffindor. Of course, there is a simplified version of the spell, Protecto, which defends the caster from very minor spells. However, am I right to assume that the Protego spell you learnt, Harry, could not deflect spells back to their owner?" Harry nodded. "And why do you think that is?"

'Perhaps it was because you were under attack from ten Death Eaters, with no one else to protect you.' thought a vicious voice in Harry's head, but he ignored the thought, and waited for Dumbledore's explanation.

"Well, Protego and Protecto are both stemmed from the Protector spells. Manny are of a highly advanced and complex level, but some you will be learning in preparation for your NEWTs. Will you please take this down."

The class frantically scrambled for quills from their bags and proceeded to note down the exact use of Protector spells, with some examples for the rest of the lesson, as Dumbledore's enchanted chalk scurried across the board.

As the lesson drew to a close, the class put down their quills and stretched out their cramping hands.

"Now," said Dumbledore. "Next lesson we shall be doing practical work on the spells. I would like you to revise your notes from this lesson, and have a very good day." He smiled at the class as they began to file out of the door, his eyes coming to a rest on Harry. "Harry, could you stay behind for a few minutes, I would like to have a word with you."

Harry motioned to Hermione and Ron to continue as he slid behind a desk in front of Dumbledore, slightly annoyed that the Headmaster would make him late for his next lesson.

"Now Harry, this year you shall be having your occlumency lessons with me, as Snape appears to be unwilling to teach you again." Harry saw a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, as the old wizard continued. "Which days are you free, Harry?"

"Well, I will have quidditch practise again won't I, Professor?" Harry said, trying not to sound rude. Dumbledore nodded to Harry in answer. "Which I think Katie mentioned as being on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and of course I have DA on Friday…" he let the sentence tail off, conveying the fact that he was very much against being asked to teach the whole school without being told about it. Dumbledore seemed not to pick up on Harry's tone of voice.

"I suggest you come on either Thursdays or Mondays then, depending on your prior commitments of course." Harry remembered how at the end of last term, Dumbledore had looked so old, and so tired. Now there was none of that showing in his smiling face.

"Alright, Sir. Thursday it is." and with that Harry picked up his bag and walked out the door, feeling somehow uncomfortable in the Headmaster's presence. He knew he should be telling Dumbledore about the Dark Mark on his arm, but also had a feeling the he already knew. "Goodbye, Professor."

"Goodbye, Harry." he heard Dumbledore say as he left. "If there is anything you need to tell me, do not hesitate in coming to see me." but Harry pretended not to hear as he hurried to his next lesson.


Harry told Ron and Hermione of what had passed between him and Dumbledore after lunch, in their free lesson. Despite Hermione's hints that they should be spending this time in the library researching Protector spells, they had ended up in the Common Room, sitting in large chairs in front of the fireplace.

"Have you told him about your Dark Mark yet Harry?" said Hermione in a very low voice, after checking that no one could overhear them.

"No." he replied, shifting uncomfortably. "I know I should, but I need to think how first."

Hermione looked at him unbelievingly.

"Hmm…well, if you're sure I suppose." she sniffed. "How was Herbology?"

Glad of the subject change, Harry told them about the lesson spent with Neville helping him to cut Gillyweed in just the right way to ensure its magical properties stayed intact.

The portrait door swung open, making the three look up from their conversation. Katie Bell entered and walked over to them, the Quidditch Captain badge glinting against her black robes.

"We have try-outs after school today, and I expect the whole team to be there, ok?"

Harry and Ron nodded, Katie's tone of voice was completely different from a year ago. She sounded much more brisk, and focused and…

Ron said exactly what Harry was thinking.

"She sounds like Oliver Wood!"


Harry and Ron were exhausted by the time they met the rest of the team on the Quidditch Pitch. Harry looked curiously at the new team. It looked so different from the one he had played with for the last five years. Ginny was standing next to Katie, looking slightly bored with what was going on. She had told him at some point that she much preferred being chaser to seeker.

"More opportunities to score." she had said, with a peculiar grin on her face. Harry didn't even want to know what she meant by that.

Ron took up his place next to the two beaters, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper. They both looked more like Slyherins, Harry had thought privately. Perhaps they had some hidden quality. He continued past the beaters to his place at the end of the line, and looked at the raggedy line up of potential chasers. Only one seemed to stand out from the crowd, being of equal height and stature to both Ginny and Katie. She was a third year, not especially striking, but Harry could tell that she would be a good flyer.

Katie stepped forward holding a list of names.

"When I call out your name, would you please fly up with Ginny here, who will put you through your paces." she said, unfolding the list, "I will tell you now that practises will take place on a Tuesday and a Wednesday after school, and if these can't be met, please don't waste your time trying out." Harry shot Ron a sideways look, making Ron stifle a laugh. Katie glared at them, "And the rest of the team will answer any questions you may have. Can I have Euan Abercrombie first please?"

Ron sidled over to Harry as Euan was given a gruelling try-out by Ginny.

"Who's she?" he said, motioning to the girl Harry had spotted earlier.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Harry shrugged.

"She looks good doesn't she?" he raised his eyebrow at Ron, who blushed and stammered "I mean, a good flyer. I think." to which Harry just laughed.

Euan finally landed looking as pale as one of the Hogwarts ghosts. Katie sent him off to get changed before calling out "Natalie MacDonald!" Harry and Ron stood back to watch as the Third year stepped forward and mounted her broom.

Neither of them were mistaken; the girl could definitely fly, and would make a superb chaser with a bit of training. Harry saw Katie's face break into a delighted grin as the girl touched down on the ground again. On his other side, Ron had his mouth hanging open.


By the time Harry crawled into bed, his eyes could hardly stay open. He muttered a goodnight to Ron, and received only a grunt in return. Laying his head on the pillow, he slipped into sleep, and dreamed.


A/N: You lot are so wonderful with your reviews! Let's see if we can get it up to 100 eh? And sorry if things are moving a little slowly at the moment, Harry has not forgotten what will happen, but the first day back has taken his mind off things a little. Some action will be coming soon…I hope!

Thank yous:

Flying High: Dumbledore will not make the same mistake twice, but still believes in letting Harry sort things out for himself. And ten house points if you can guess who the new teacher is going to be!

CPegasus, odders, horsefly and Stardust girl, thank you for more kind words. As the tesco ads go…every little helps!

Circe: I was definitely thinking of GCSE results when I wrote that. But did anyone spot the deliberate mistake?(which I will change asap)

And of course, special thank you once again goes to fippets, who not only is a wonderful, patient beta, but a brilliant writer and a long reviewer! Have a biscuit my lovely.

Also my maths with the odds of a new teacher was appalling, but didnt want to spend ages trying to work it out. sorry!