HARRY POV
This was the best summer of his life. Apollo is the coolest adult he's ever met. He's certainly the nicest. Nobody has ever done so much for him. Not even Hagrid. What's even more amazing, is that he's a complete stranger.
He isn't a friend of his parents like Hagrid was. He's amazingly talented at magic. He's never seen the professors at Hogwarts do such things.
That silver chain isn't the only thing he got from him. The Shrinking and Featherlight charms on his trunk and on Hedwig's cage are permanent. All he has to do is tap it with his wand and then the size adjusts.
He also made the trunk and cage bigger on the inside. In the case of the cage, much bigger. I didn't even know it's possible, or understand what he did, but there's an acre of forest inside the cage. Complete with small animals and a pond. It's amazing!
He'd never have to worry about Hedwig starving again. Nor himself actually. His trunk has a separate compartment for food now, that can be kept under stasis charms. Another new thing he learnt about. It's also been charmed so that muggles can't touch it. Amazing!
No surprise then, that not even Malfoy trying to mess with them on the train, could spoil his mood. After taking the carriages to the school for the first time, he was in good spirits as he entered the Great Hall.
He gasped though, when he saw who was sitting at the head table. Next to Professor Flitwick, was Apollo. His long silver hair, styled into a pony tail, gleamed in the candlelight.
It's actually kinda surprising but weird and cool at the same time. He's never seen a young person, with naturally silver hair. According to the twins, his hair was blonde just like Luna's is, but it started lightening in his teens, for no reason.
Aside from the hair, he looks different from the other wizarding adults he's met. Not only is he tall, but he's well built as well, with a handsome square jaw. Right now, he's wearing midnight blue robes. A nod to his old House probably.
Looking around the hall, Harry can see many of the students looking at Apollo. The girls especially. Chatter becomes louder when the Weasleys notice him and wave, which he returns. Then he looks at me. His lips twitch and he nods his head at me. I smile back.
After that, the rest of the evening passes by fast. Professor McGonagall arrives with the first years and they're sorted fast. I only really take note of two sortings. Ginny goes to Gryffindor and Luna goes to Ravenclaw.
After that, we stuff our faces with food. I mainly stick to roast beef, potatoes and pork chops. Two slices of treacle tart later and the feast ends. We all quiet down as Professor Dumbledore rises. He raises his hands and spreads them.
" Good evening, children. It gladdens my heart to see all of you back, hearty and hale. I'd also like to extend our warmest welcome, to our new students. I hope that you'll come to think of Hogwarts as your home away from home..."
I tune him out for a bit there, because he loves giving long winded speeches. I only refocus when he says the following. " I'd also like you to welcome, Professor Apollo Lovegood, who is your new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. "
I cheer alongside the Weasleys and the rest of the students offer polite applause. After that, we're dismissed and led to our dormitories. Once we're in our room, I quickly change into my new pajamas and fall asleep.
NORMAL POV
I didn't sit at the head table this morning. Still had to prepare a few things, as well as to see to the needs of Huginn and Muninn, my raven familiars,who decided to be extra fussy.
Now I stand before my desk, wand in hand, as my first class is about to start. I have a double period with the second year, Gryffindors and Slytherins. As they enter, I can see them looking around.
They're not quite sure what to focus on. My wand, my familiars or the posters on the wall, which display many dangerous creatures that they may come across. Strangely enough, it's my wand that most of them choose to focus on. I fight a smile.
" Good morning class. I am Apollo Lovegood, an Enchanter by trade and your new Defence Professor. " The purebloods start talking excitedly as they hear my trade. Not unexpected. Enchanters are rare. In fact, there are only two true Enchanters in Britain currently.
While there are a number of wizards who have the skill to enhance things that already exist with enchantment, Professor Dumbledore and Mr Weasley to name a few, I am one of only two that have true skill in the art, in our country at this point.
" I can see many of you are curious about my wand, so to ensure that there are no distractions, I will tell you. Some of you have already guessed, but no doubt think that you're mistaken. Let me put your fears to rest. It's true. This is a unicorn horn. "
Gasps ring out through the room. I hold it horizontally so that they can see. It's fourteen inches exactly. The bottom four inches are three inches wide, with the rest of the ten, being exactly one inch thick. Pure silver ran along the spiralling grooves of the horn.
" No doubt you're wondering how it's possible. The truth is that I'm unsure myself. This wand was crafted by my great grandfather, Aurelius Lovegood, a century ago, using an alchemical process that he was never able to replicate. "
" Despite his efforts however, the wand never produced so much as a single spark for him, even though he could feel it's power. Thus, it sat in my home in a chest gathering dust, until I found it as a child and picked it up. " I smile fully then when they groan, realising I won't finish the story.
" This is a vital subject. So many witches and wizards delude themselves into thinking that they should leave the fighting to the Aurors. That is a foolish and more importantly, a dangerous notion. "
" Aurors in Britain, during peacetime, can take an average of ten minutes to respond to a call for help. By that time, it's possible that you'll be dead. At the very least, when you've completed your seven years at Hogwarts, you should be able to defend your life for that amount of time. "
" I will allow no slacking in my class. Defence is a combination of a number of different disciplines, including Charms and Transfiguration. It's for that reason that I won't give you much in the way of written assignments..."
I had to wait for the cheers to die down. " I believe in a practical education. Therefore I will start you on a spell that is synonymous with Defence. The Disarming Charm. The incantation for which is, Expelliarmus. I shall demonstrate. "
I flick my wand at the trunk that's in the corner. A training dummy flies out, rapidly growing to human proportions. That's when gasps ring out again. This is like no training dummy that they'll have seen.
It's not made of wood. In fact, it looks exactly like a real human. Right down to the appearance of breathing. It has a wand in its hand.
" This is a training aide of my own creation. The human appearance is deliberate. The greatest threat you will face, will always be your fellow witches and wizards. "
" It is my job to prepare you for that eventually. Now, the spell I'm going to teach you, has two effects, as you'll observe momentarily. "
I walked away from the dummy then. Halfway to the door, I spun around, Expelliarmus. A jet of red light left my wand and hit ' him '. The wand in its hand immediately flew towards me and I caught it.
At the sound of murmuring, I throw the wand back. The moment the wand was grasped, I cast the spell again. This time, the dummy smashed into the wall and the wand flew towards me.
A number of the students clapped and cheered. " Now you will try it. I will pair you up at random and then you will come forward and try to disarm each other. "
Despite their excitement, none of them could grasp the spell quite yet when the lesson ended. I dismissed them. Despite my vague nervousness, I think my first lesson went swimmingly.
The rest of the week went by similarly well. There were only two standout lessons. The seventh years, which I started on the Patronus Charm and the fourth years, which Fred and George were in.
It was as the Gryffindor/Slytherin fourth year class ended, I asked Fred and George to stay behind, to the jeers of the Slytherins and groans of the Gryffindors.
As soon as we were alone, I flicked my wand and the door shut. A faint buzzing sound was heard as well. They looked indignant. No doubt their imaginations running wild. I raised my hand.
" Relax. The two of you are not in any trouble. The opposite in fact. I have an offer for you. You see, when Bill and I were at Hogwarts, we underwent a special training for something. "
" When we were in our seventh year and Charlie in his fourth, we decided to train him as well. Fourteen is when we originally trained ourselves. We didn't offer to train Percy because he would never have agreed to keep it secret. You know how he is. "
As I talk, I can see them looking more and more intrigued. As I mentioned Percy, they scoff. " You see boys, the three of us are Animagi. Unregistered Animagi as it were. Now I'm offering to train you two. "
"So are you interested? Just remember, nobody can know. Not even your friends. " They didn't even hesitate. Gleefully accepting. They rushed out after that. I shook my head but my lips were twitching.
Time flew by and weeks became a month then nearly two. I settled in to my position and found that I enjoyed teaching. I was dismayed however, by my fellow Professors. There is much going on in the castle, which they are woefully ignorant about, or rather they see what they want to.
Unlike them, I made it a point to wander around the castle and grounds. Luckily or unluckily, as I was nearing the Quidditch Pitch one morning, I saw the Slytherin team headed towards the pitch. Where the Gryffindors were currently practicing.
I already had a powerful Notice-me-not charm active, because I had been in the forest with Luna, checking up on the thestrals. I sent her back to the castle, while I headed towards what was sure to be a confrontation.
I didn't quite make in time. I heard the tail end of Draco Malfoy's rebuttal, " nobody asked you mudblood! " Ron drew his wand but I cleared my throat and they all looked towards me in surprise or fear.
I stared the blonde Slytherin down. " That will be twenty points from Slytherin for your disgusting language, as well as a week's worth of detention with Mr Filch. As to the matter of your training, Madam Hooch is the highest authority on quidditch matters at Hogwarts. "
" Not your Head of House. All teams are assigned specific times to train. Until eleven, the pitch is assigned to Gryffindor, so leave. " They look like they might be belligerent so I stare them down, until they leave.
The Gryffindor team immediately start talking excitedly as soon as they're gone. I turn to look at them. " Enough. Your first reaction to provocation from the Slytherins shouldn't be to draw your wands. "
" From my observations, the other Professors don't really do much to counter the blatant bias of Professor Snape. I however, will not tolerate such behaviour. If the Slytherins overstep again, then you come to me. Do I make myself clear? "
After their hesitant affirmations, I head back towards the castle. As I enter, I catch the eye of Snape, who's talking to the Slytherin team. He glares at me, which I ignore.
There are multiple minor issues that pop up after that. Nothing could have prepared me for Halloween however. My mind was wondering during the feast. Luna and Ginny seem to be having trouble adjusting.
A number of the Ravenclaw girls thought they could bully Luna. The punishments I meted out however, quickly dissuaded them. Ginny on the other hand, looked pale and withdrawn. I tried to speak with her and at my prompting, so did her brothers, to no avail.
I wrote to Mrs Weasley who was rightly worried, but who could do little but write letters. I enquired whether it was possible for her mother to visit, but was denied by Dumbledore which annoyed me.
I left the Great Hall before the other teachers and so quickly became aware of a commotion on the second floor. When I got there, several things caught my attention at once.
The floor was slightly flooded, most of the students were packed in the corridor. Mrs Norris, stiff as a board, was hanging by her tail on a bracket. Written in blood on the wall was a message. ' The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware. '
" You'll be next mudbloods! " I sighed internally. The boy will never learn. " Twenty points from Slytherin for your language Mr Malfoy, as well as a week of detentions. " He glares at me but I ignore him.
I had already reached the cat. With a flick of my wand, I levitated it towards me. I was in the process of casting detection spells when Mr Filch arrived. He let out a gasp of grief and anger when he saw his pet.
Before he could do or say anything however, I raised my hand to silence him. The detection spell I was using was delicate. It was at this point that the other teachers arrived. The whispering reached fever pitch.
Before this got any more out of control, I snapped my fingers. The sound amplified by a hundred fold and immediately silenced everyone. Thus, they all heard me.
" She's not dead. Merely been petrified. Not as the result of a spell either. There's no spell residue on her. " I gently floated her towards Filch who held her gingerly. " To the hospital wing with her Mr Filch. With the Mandrake Restorative Draught, she'll be cured. "
That's when I looked at the other teachers. Most of them looked worried and the Headmaster looked bemused at my promptness, but he nevertheless ordered all the children to return to their dormitories.
We teachers were instructed to patrol the passages. After a long night, I returned to the second floor and began casting detection spells in the corridor.
There was no magic cast, but something did this. What though, I cannot say. Late into the night, I read what books I could about the Chamber of Secrets.
The next morning, just as breakfast was winding down, I rose from my seat. The students had been tense throughout and I thought that I'd give them an outlet for it. I used the same trick I used the previous night.
A magically amplified finger snap and I had the attention of the entire school. " In light of last night, I've decided to accelerate a plan of mine. I had intended to start in January, but I decided move it forward to next week. "
" I will be restarting the Hogwarts Duelling Club and it shall be open to all years. Further details will be posted on the notice boards in your common rooms. Thank you. " Immediately, excited chatter broke out in the Great Hall and I smiled wryly.