Chapter Four: Harry Potter
The sun shone brightly down on the lush green grounds of Hogwarts, reflecting off the lake,and creating sparkles that looked like millions of small diamonds floating on the water. The loud bell gonged, sounding through every last hallway and tower within the large castle, summoning the students to yet another day of school.
Harry James Tallon Potter rubbed his eyes as he made his way towards the Great Hall, where breakfast would be served in a few minutes. Reaching the hall, he took his usual seat at the head table where, for the past two years since Voldemort had been killed, he had sat as a Professor. Hagrid had departed for France so Harry, his desire to be an Auror having vanished after the war, had been called on by Dumbledore to take the post of Care of Magical Creatures instructor, and, ironically enough, as head of Gryffindor house; Harry had agreed.
It was a rather nice job, seeing as how he got to see Remus everyday and also Alex, who, along with managing her broom line sales, had taken the post of Caretaker; Filch's absence was not missed.
However, it was odd for Harryto see himself appearing only several years younger than the other professors. He'd been surprised to find out that, due to the magic in their blood, witches and wizards lived longer and thereby aged more slowly when they reached adulthood.
"Good morning Harry," the Headmaster greeted him with a smile.
Harry nodded in return; it still amazed him that Dumbledore could be so cheerfully awake so early. "'Morning Albus." He replied sleepily.
It had taken quite a bit of time to get used to calling the Headmaster by his first name, but he had insisted upon it. In fact, all of the professors called each other by their first names, with the exception of Snape and Splikvin anyway,only Harry and Alex still referred to them as Professor.
Soon, the other staff began to arrive, and the students a little while after. The food appeared, and Harry slowly began to fully wake up; he missed being able to sleep in. He sat in between Moony and Alex. "Sleep well?" Alex teased.
He mock-sneered at her in return; he'd had detention duty with a group of Slytherins late last night. "Perfectly well." He replied stiffly.
Alex chuckled and ate her own meal; it had been her who had caught the Slytherins deliberately mucking up a passage with Peeves late at night two days ago.
Tallon held conversations with his god-father/uncle and Alex while he ate, but occasionally talked with the new charms professor, a quiet fellow who had just arrived last year, who also sat nearby.
When breakfast ended, Harry made his way outside to Hagrid's Hut; it was still called that even though the friendly half-giant had departed with Olympe to be married, Harry still smiled at his memory of the wedding; it had been an interesting one. Going to the pen behind the hut, Harry checked up on the creatures he had prepared for the fourth years: Sakens. They were snakes ranging from one foot to three in length, with feathered wings that carried them through the air, andlong, sharp,curved fangs that were merely used for carving out the trees in which they made their homes. "Hello," he said, unlocking the paddock to let himself in.
Their musical hissing voices rose to greet him in return and he soon found himself surrounded by scales and feathers. He smiled as they rubbed against him, asking to be stroked. He complied with their wishes, running his fingers along the spines of those that were in his reach. He explained to them what was going to be going on today, and they were only too happy to help him. He smiled, and exited the pen as his first class, Ravenclaws and Slytherins, jogged down to the area.
The Ravenclaws were rather excited today, something that was odd to him. It wasn't the "we're-going-to-learn-something-new" excitement, but the gossiping kind of excitement; that didn't bode well with Harry.
He waited for them all to arrive out in front of the hut, fully awake now that he'd eaten and was outside in the fresh morning air. "C'mon to the back," he said, "We're starting on Sakens today." Obediently, the students followed him, though Harry could hear a few of the Ravenclaw girls giggling; Merlin, he hated it when girls giggled.
There were a few gasps as the Sakens came into view, and a few shrieks as well. "Who can tell me what a Saken is?" Tallon queried. Most of them raised their hands. "Mr. Whyte?" he called on the Slytherin wizard.
"They're serpents that tend to guard some of the old ruins in Africa." He replied. "They make music too."
Harry nodded. "Very good, five points to Slytherin. Now, what we'll be doing today is…" And so the lesson went on, Harry instructing the students on how to feed and groom them, while making sure the Sakens didn't get rowdy with all the attention; they were playful but rather vain.
Near the middle of the lesson, he walked up behind a group of Ravenclaw girls who were looking at something other than the Saken they were supposed to be taking care of; the creature's complaints alerted Harry. "What is it that requires your undivided attention?" he asked, causing them to jump in surprise.
"Nothing Professor Tallon," the girl named Clarisse answered.
He raised an eyebrow, "I doubt that very much Miss Flae; what is it?"
Shyly, one of the other girls held out a card, a chocolate frog card to be exact. His eyebrow raising further, Harry took it and looked at the back. He bit back a groan.
Harry Potter
Currently Professor at Hogwarts
Also known as the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter is
Famous for defeating the Dark Lord Voldemort in
1999, developing the Soul-Shield, discovering the
Portraits of the four founders of Hogwarts and for
Maintaining friendships with several Werewolf
And Goblin clans. Professor Potter enjoys Quidditch
And does not like reporters.
"When did you get this?" he sighed quietly.
The girls giggled once more. "They came out yesterday Professor," Clarisse answered, "We got it from the owners of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes during the Hogsmede trip."
I am going to seriously hurt those two, Harry thought with annoyance.
Coming Up:
Ron Weasley