A/N: First some thank yous to reviewers:
lilegyptiangoddess: glad you're enjoying it, was this update fast enough for you?
sweet as lemonz: are Adiran and Snape going to get together in the end, well if I told you now there'd be no point in you reading the story now would there?
Chapter 6: First Class
First years are absolutely adorable. They're quiet, shy, respectful and best of all they hang on to your every word. In contrast to that my second period class was sixth years, some of whom I'm sure were only there because they're parents insisted they take the class given the dark times we're facing. The upside is that there's only two Slytherin's in the class, the downside is that they are Draco Malfoy and his girlfriend Parkinson. Malfoy I'm sure was only there on daddy's orders so that Voldemort knew what was being taught at Hogwarts.
The first thing I did when class started was to take roll call in a vain attempt to learn some of the names. Then I started teaching.
"Books away, I want everyone's undivided attention for the next sixty minutes. Your instruction in this subject had been rather scattered, to put it nicely, so it is truly a miracle that any of you managed to scrape your OWL in this subject. Some of you may be under the impression that this subject is a joke and are only taking it to appease your parents, but I am here to insure you that this subject is no joke. If you are not prepared to do the course work and give this subject your all then you will find yourself failing it very, very quickly.
In this room you will learn how to recognise and defend yourselves against both spells and any dark creature the enemy may use to attack you. Mr. Malfoy since you are still talking there is a desk here right in front of mine that will be yours for the rest of the year." He started to protest but I cut him off, "As your professor I have the final say for what goes on in my class room, and if you refuse to behave yourself then you will very quickly find yourself having an audience with the Headmaster. That goes for anyone else in this room who might be thinking of misbehaving in this class. Now, wands out and partner up I wish to see what is the average level in this class."
It quickly became apparent that there was a large diversity between the best and the worst in this class. There were a large group of students who were at the level that they should be for their age but there were a few who appeared to have scraped through their Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL by sheer luck.
As the bell sounded for the end of class and everyone started packing up their things I called out, "Mr. Potter, may I see you for a moment."
He came up to my desk and I waited until all of the students had left then closed the door with a wave of my hand before I started talking. "I have been hearing things about your DA."
"That was just for last year," he said quickly. "Now we have a good teacher we don't need it."
"On the contrary, I want you to continue it." At his puzzled look I explained, "I have the son of a highly important Death Eater in this class room. The only reason he'd be here is to report to his father what is being learned here and that information will be relayed to Lord Voldemort. So I will teach spells in class but I will not check to see that everyone has mastered them, I'm asking you to do that with your DA."
Harry looked both shocked and pleased to have been given so much responsibility and agreed to it immediately. Then we set up a time for his tutorial before I waved him away so I could start my next class.
- - - - -
That evening, after much procrastination, I headed for the dungeons to see Severus. Due to the fact that he was the Potions Professor I had to follow his lesson plan in my lessons with Harry, which meant that I needed a copy of his lesson plan for the year.
Taking a deep breath I knocked on his door only to hear a very ominous sounding "Enter."
Putting on the same unconcerned look I'd used when reporting for detentions when I'd been a student I walked in a took a seat across from him. "I'm going to make this short since neither of us want to be having this conversation. I need the sixth year lesson plan for Harry."
"Ah yes, Potter who we are making the exception for."
"Look, we can do this the easy way, meaning you just give me the lesson plans, or we can do this the hard way, meaning I get Dumbledore to come down here for the lesson plans."
With a sneer he reached into one of his desk drawers and removed a stack of parchment. "I want it back by tomorrow night."
Giving him an ironic bow I took the lesson plan and left.
- - - - - -
Two days later I was giving Harry his very first NEWT potions lesson. It quickly became apparent that his problem with Potions came from the fact that he didn't quite take the time to do things as precisely as he should have. Once I had him slow down and double check everything he did, Harry preformed amazingly well. Though as soon as I told him this he simply replied,
"It's easier without Snape breathing down my neck all the time."