CHAPTER 6
Harry slept a bit better that night, knowing the first impressions were over. Every student recognized similarities between Harry and James, but little did he know, that was not the worst of it. The first day of classes proved to be a long one. Each class he had people seemed distant, as if not sure whether to trust him. He overheard some of the students later talking about how James didn't trust him, so why should they?
'Well, it seems dad had quite an impression on the rest of the students. I guess I'll just havge to try harder to win his approval.' When Harry told Remus his thoughts, he told him not to worry about it, and his dad would come around.
The next day, his first class of the morning was the sixth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. He was quite nervous and asked Remus to come along. He said he would have loved to, but he didn't want to cause anymore trouble if someone recognized him. So how Harry stood at the front of the classroom alone waithing for the class to arrive.
Lily Evans was the first to arrive with a group of friends. He smiled warmly at them all, and they smiled back a bit unsure. "Hi I'm Lily Evans," she said.
"Professor Porder, but I'm not sure how long you all will be calling me that. I don't really like the sound of it much, what do you think?" He was trying to inniciate convesation, but the girls just seemed a bit startled.
"I think it sounds just fine," Lily commented, still a bit unsure. They took their seats and waited with him in awkward silence until the others came. The class slowly filled, and the Maraurders arrived as the bell rang.
"Perfectly on time, like always," Sirius commented.
"Yes, very good, but take your seats. My name is Professor Porder, but in here you all can call me Harry." Whispers broke out for a bit. Never in the history of Hogwarts were the students allowed to call the professors by their first name. "But when you see me outside of here," he continued. "I think the other professors would appreciate if you call me Professor."
"Okay, Harry," James emphasized. "Tell me why you're gonna let us call you by your first name. I mean... that's just weird."
Harry had already thought of an excuse for this, so he smiled and answered. "Well, as you can probably tell, I'm not any older than most of you. I'm only sixteen. My birthday was in July. So I thought it might be weird if you called me professor."
James looked thoughtful for a minute as if trying to find something wrong with that, and just as his face admitted defeat, Remus spoke up. "If you're only sixteen, how are you a fully qualified wizard?"
"Well, I would tell you my life story if that's what you want, but there isn't enough time in the day. If you want to make sure I am qualified enough though, I'm sure Prfessor Dumbledore would have no problem showing you my application." This surely was never offered to a student before either. Each and every student now had their own impression of him, most of which were shocked.
"Alright, now that that is over, I'm going to take roll call." There were many names he recognized especiall last names of fellow students, including Frank Longbottom, Paul Patil and others.
"Okay, the first few weeks will be full of review from things you've since first year though fifth year. Some of it will be quite tedious, but I've never worked with you guys, and I don't know your style. After review, we'll start on curses that are good to know. A bunch of distraction curses will be in there, I've found them useful in duels. Then for a good part of the year we'll be dueling. Then we'll start reviewing what we learned this year. Any qusetions?"
"I've got one," Remus said while raising his hand. "Where did you get your experience you referred to if you're only sixteen? You couldn't have dueled too much."
"First, am I right in assuming you're the one your group over there depends on for the brains of you 'operations' I've heard so much about?" Remus nodded and James Sirius and Peter looked a bit offened. "Well, to answer your question I've had a bit of practicing with dueling. And yes, they were real opponents. I'm pretty sure you're all aware of the people who call themselves Death Eaters? But if you want to talk about them in here, I would appreciate if you called them Voldemort's Slaves, because that's all they treally are." A shudder passed though the room as he said Voldemort's name. "Some of them actually have skill in dueling to tell you the truth. Others are quite pathetic though," he said with a look that showed he thought the Death Eaters really were pathetic.
"You've dueled Death Eaters at the age of sixteen?" James asked, clearly showing that he didn't beleive Harry.
"Voldemort's Slaves? Yes."
"And you're still here to tell the tale? Because from what I've heard, Death Eaters are quite nasty. And I've heard from first hand sources, my dad is an auror, you know."
"I do give some credit where credit is do, but some of Voldemort's slaves are really quite pathetic. Oh and tell you dad congratulations about being an auror for me." James looked quite upfronted.
"My dad is highly respected, and I won't have you mock him!"
"I'm not. I simply give him my congratulations."
"And you dare say You-Know-Who's name? The only other person's mouth that I've ever heard that name come from is Dumbledore's. Do you say it because you aren't afraid. Because if you do, you are quite foolish."
He could see Remus and others glaring at James for insulting a teacher, but he answered anyways. "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." They stared at each other not blinking until James broke it due to Remus digging his elbow into his side. "Okay let's get started. Pair yourselves into twos and stand up." When everyone was standing, he vanished the desks and chairs. "Put yourselves into duel stance with your wands at the ready. I'll come correct your grip if it's needed."
He walked around and corrected quite a few grips. Lily and all of the Marauders had it perfect, but hewasn't surprised. When it came to Peter, Harry didn't even touch him. Who knew if he were already one of Voldemort's Slaves.
"Okay good, now those of you whose grip I changed, try all this review with it like that. We're going to start simple with the Expelliarmus. Your are to disarm your opponent only, and the opponent is not to put up a sheild. Ready? Go." As soon as 'go' was muttered, wands were flying through the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wand pointed at him, and heard the spell muttered. He immediately put up a sheild wandlessly.
He spun around as the spell hit him and saw a surprised look on his dad's face. "I thought you said no sheilds," he said with an attitude.
"Yes, I did say that, didn't I? But I think I also said you were pointing your wands at your opponent, not your professor. Ten points from Gryffindor. Good Job." That last sentance slippe dout before he could help himself. Lily glared hard at James from across the room for getting points taken off from their house.
The rest of the class period went mostly smoothly, but Harry couldn't help but shame himself. He had decided ebfore that he wanted to get on his dad's good side, but it seemed like that would never happen. He was still the same person he was in Snape's penseive.
At the end of class, Lily stayed to talk to him. This time she was alone. "I want to thank you for today."
"I may be wrong, but it isn't normal for a student to thank a professor for a lesson."
"No not that," she said a little sheepishly. "What I mean is you put Potter in place today. He has no right talking to you like that , and before you came here, no one his age could put him in his place and make him shut up. I think having you here hopefully will help him mature a little." They started walking to the Great Hall together. "And as you can see, he needs it."
They went the rest of the way to luch talking lightly and then split when they entered. "So you and Lily are getting along nicely then, are you?" Remus asked as Harry sat down.
"Actually yes we are, for your information."
"I thought you would."
He told Remus about his first class with his parents while eating lunch in the Great Hall, and he just laughed. "Don't worry," he told him. "He'll come around. I promise."
"So what did you do with yourself this morning, while I was teaching, all alone?" Harry asked accusingly. He still didn't think it was fair that he had to teach while Remus could do whatever the hell he wanted to do.
"Actaully I was looking throught some old documents. And then I was looking for something in my stuff, and I found a random notebook completely full of notes." Harry paled. He had lost his notebook soon after they got here. "I looked through it a bit, and then I recognized the handwriting." He paused as if waiting for Harry to say something, but was greeted by silence. "Why didn't you tell me that's what you were doing in the library last year! Do you know how valuble these could be? I mean making up your own spells and charms is a big deal, Harry!"
"I know, but I don't want people to know about them. At least all them, which is why I kept them a secret. It'll help in the war, but they'll work against us too if they fall into the wrong hands. I'm going to teach some of them this year, but not all of them. I don't want all of my secrets out." He looked at Remus as if begging him to understand, and then he saw it on his face.
"You're right. I'm sorry, but for me to keep this a secret, you have to do me a favor," he said with a smile.
"What do I have to do?" He asked a little worried.
"You have to teach me them." At this Harry laughed and agreed. They enjoyed the rest of their lunch in less important discussion. Little did they know that Dumbledore beside them had heard their entire whispered conversation, and wanted to know more.
He made a mental note to ask Harry about the notebook some time, and ask why he is so into the war.
After the rest of classes, Dumbledore called Harry up to his office to talk to him about this notebook of his. If it would really help the war then why didn't he at least show him? That would make sense. There was a knock at the door and Harry entered.
"You wanted to talk to me, sir?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but before we start, please call me Albus. We are on the same staff. You are not one of my students, but I have heard that students call some professor by their first name, so this should not be odd for you," he said with a wink. "But yes, Harry I did want to talk to you about something other than what your students call you. I overheard you and your friend Remus this afternoon during lunch. A few comments sparked my interest."
Before he could continue, Harry interupted. "I'm sorry to say sir, I don't think I can tell you much about it. It is supposed to be kept a secret. It was a bit of an accident that Remus even found yout, you see. I've been trying to keep them a secret for my own use."
"Yes, yes, I heard. I understand as much, but what I don't understand is why you are so interested in being a part of this war. You are only sixteen and there is no such reason for you to be so involved. Unless there is a reason that I am unaware," he said in an accusing tone
"I'm sorry, sir, there is a lot you don't know about me and there is even more that I can't tell you. This is one of those things that you will find out eventually, but not now. Not yet. I'm sorry." With that, he got up from his chair, and left.
"See I told you, Remus. I hae to keep these things secret." Harry had just finished telling him what happened in Dumbledore's office that evening, and was now trying to convince him how important it was to keep quiet about this notebook.
"Your right," Remus admitted. "I'm sorry for bringing it up then. But bow that that's over, teach me something from that book of yours." He said with a wolfish smile.
So sorry about the long wait from the last update. Sorry! I got a new computer! YAY! So maybe I'll be able to update a little faster, but then again I have to fight my sister for it. There were a few reviews that I got that had some questions, so instead of me boring you with the answers here, I'll try and get them into my bio soon. That's not a promise...but I'll try! umm...just keep reviewing I guess...PLEASE!