Chapter 5: Harry
It's not until I was actually sitting at the head table in the great hall watching the student straggle in that it settled in that I'm here to teach. Grandpa had stopped by my office earlier as I was getting prepared to come to the great hall to reprimand me for my words to Severus, which had not been unexpected. However the majority of his frustration with me had not come from the fact that I had gone looking for an argument with Severus, but from the fact that I could have very easily told many people who did not know of Severus' darker past that their colleague was indeed one of Voldemorts illustrious death eaters. This fact alone had prompted him to give me a lecture on how I sometimes needed to engage my brain before I opened my mouth. I'd interrupted his lecture by telling him that if I had not engaged by brain before opening my mouth I would have never thought of saying that to him the only problem was I had not thought out all the consequences. Needless to say I wasn't Grandpa's favourite person at the moment.
A blond boy with an eerie resemblance to Lucius Malfoy took a seat at the Slytherin table and was quickly surrounded by the other student of his year.
Lucius' son, I thought grimly. I'd forgotten that some idiot had allowed Lucius to breed. Now I was going to have to be careful that I didn't give away the fact that I absolutely hated every member of the Malfoy line when I was teaching him.
Then I lay eyes on Harry for the first time in almost 16 years. He was most definitely James' son, that was obvious from a distance. I tried not to watch him too closely so I didn't attract any more attention to myself then was necessary given I was the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. But I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss in memory of Lilly and James.
- - - - -
As always I was up early the next morning to do some early callisthenics. McGonagall walked it while I was in the middle of one of my karate katas and commented;
"I would have never picked you to be one for muggle duelling."
"Well my father was a karate champion as a boy, and it's a useful art to know should you ever be separated from your wand."
I punctuated the end of this statement with a spin kick and saw McGonagall frown and shake her head slightly.
"After I have finished checking the sixth years courses I'll send Mr. Potter up to you so you can discus this Potions tutorial with him."
Still continuing the kata I replied, "I look forward to it."
- - - - -
I was going through my lesson plans when there was a knock on my door, or rather on the doorframe since the door was open.
I glanced up. "Ah, Mr. Potter, I've been expecting you. Come take a seat."
Looking slightly apprehensive he came in and sat down in the chair across from me. "Professor McGonagall said that you'd volunteered to tutor me in Potions."
I rested my elbows on the desk and steepled my fingers. "It's a tutorial, Mr. Potter. Which means that I take Professor Snape's lesson plan for the year and go through it with you one on one since you can't get into his class."
Harry nodded slowly, still looking apprehensive.
"I have a feeling you have questions."
"Well…how am I going to get the materials? I didn't buy them because I didn't think I'd be taking Potions."
I had a feeling that wasn't the question he wanted to ask. "You can order them through owl post. Until they get here I'll simply borrow some from the Potions storeroom for you to use. Anything else?"
There was a long pause before he burst out, "Why did you volunteer to tutor me anyway?"
"Let's just say I owe it to your mother."
He frowned at me so as an explanation I walked over to my bookcase and picked up the frame containing the pictures of Lilly and I. "You're mother and I were best friends at Hogwarts," I said handing him the frame. "When you were born she asked me if I'd look out for you if anything happened to her, James and Sirius."
Harry blinked a couple of times staring at the pictures, transfixed on the centre one showing Sirius, James, Lilly and I at James' and Lilly's wedding. "Then why haven't I seen you before?"
"I've been out of the country for many, many years now doing various work. Some of it Auror work."
His head snapped up and those eyes that are so much like Lilly's look at me with increased interest.
"But that fact that I'm an Auror should remain strictly between you and I. Now, if I'm not mistaken you have a class to attend."
It wasn't until a few minutes after he'd left that it occurred to me that I too have a class to go to.