Chapter 6: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

"We'll see you tomorrow, Harry." Hermione hugged him goodbye. He picked up his trunk and stood it on end like he had so many times before. His mind wandered to the three D's as it so often did when he apparated.
The village of Hogsmeade was almost as empty as Diagon Alley. Harry was sure no Death Eater would bother showing his face here. As far as he knew, no one knew he was here. Even if they did, Hogwarts was still well protected. He looked into the various shops. Zonko's wasn't open yet. Harry supposed they didn't open until the first Hogsmeade trip. He had always showed up in the dark and rain on the first day of school. Then he realized that it was the day before the first day of school. He smiled. Muggle children usually dreaded the first day of school, but he liked it as long as he wasn't bored.
He opened the gate and walked up the strangely dry path to the school. He opened the great oak doors slowly and walked into the entrance hall.
"You're late, Potter." He spun around quickly to find Professor McGonagall surveying him through her square spectacles. "The other teachers arrived minutes ago. I believe you know where your office is." She smiled softly.
The corridors seemed emptier than usual when he had walked through them alone. His office was bare. He walked to the desk and opened a drawer, half expecting something to be there. Nothing. He sighed and began unpacking. He placed his picture frames on the desk and set his books in a neat pile that even Hermione would have been proud of.
A knock was heard at the door and Professor Flitwick walked in. "Meeting in the staff lounge, Professor Potter," he said, giggling.
Harry stood up and caught a glance of himself in the mirror. It had been so long since he'd looked at himself he had forgotten about his hair. Ron and Hermione had changed theirs back weeks ago. He tapped his head and glasses with his wand and smiled to see his hair messy and jet black again.
The other professors were waiting for him when he entered the staff lounge. "Finally, Potter. As we all know, there are very few students returning this year, but more than that would make me close Hogwarts. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher needs no introduction, of course. If there are any questions, I will be in my office." Everyone else had left when Harry reached the door. "Potter, you have a lot of responsibility this year. I do not expect your academics to fall because of your duties."
He was confused. "Duties?" he asked. He wasn't aware he had more than one. Surely she didn't expect him to do more.
"Yes. Your duties as teacher, student, Quidditch captain, Head Boy, and, ahem, duties outside of school. Miss Granger has already informed me of your searches for the Horcruxes. I understand if you need to leave for a few days every now and then, but it was your choice to return to school, so you will understand if I expect you to try to attend all of your classes, and to teach all of your classes. Mr. Weasley can help you with the Quidditch team and your Head Boy duties. Miss Granger is, of course, Head Girl. The other professors know your predicament, so they will excuse a few homework assignments. Will any of this be a problem?"
He thought for a long time. In a way, this was all he ever dreamed off. He just hadn't dreamed it all at once. His father had been Head Boy. He always wanted to be Quidditch Captain. Teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was like teaching the DA, only less illegal and more times a week. And his search was almost like being part of the Order or an Auror. "Potter?"
"No. No problem."

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. Hopefully it will be a fine year, even with so few students. Please see your prefects for class schedules after the feast. I must remind all of you not to go the Forbidden Forest or anywhere else out of bounds."
Harry stood in the doorway of the room to the side of the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall's speech was not nearly as good as Dumbledore's had been, but he couldn't blame here. "All mail will be checked entering and leaving the school. If there is any information we feel can not leave the school, we shall be editing or returning your letter to you. You are warned so it will not come as a shock."
There were no first years, so there had not been a sorting. There were also no Slytherins. Harry was glad about that.
"Professor McGonagall!" His head turned toward the voice. Ginny had stood up, her hand in the air. His heart was beating so fast he could hardly breathe. "Professor, where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Well, he's late, as he usually seems to be. Let the feast begin." She sat down and the food materialized on the now 3 long house tables and the staff table. When it appeared that everyone was so engrossed in the food, Harry snuck up to the staff table. Ginny was talking animatedly to Neville and Hermione. Ron caught his eye and smiled.
He sat next to Hagrid and managed to go unnoticed the entire meal. The students left and Harry went up to his office.
Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. "You have to admit this is pretty cool, mate. Your own office. Your own desk. Professor. Do you get paid? Head Boy too. And Quidditch Captain. At least I get to help you."
"At least you'll have time to do anything but work. Did Ginny see me?" They both shook their heads. He sighed. "Well, this year I won't have to deal with Malfoy."
"Oh, but if he was here! Detention with Filch…every night, just for being a useless scumbag. That'd be worth having to teach. Here's your schedule, by the way. You've got a class tomorrow. I kind of looked at it already." He smiled sheepishly.
Hermione looked out the window. "I can't believe there are so few students here. I thought more would come back. I was talking to Professor Flitwick and he said there are only about 200. Usually there are almost a thousand. At least the classes are smaller. Actually, they might be bigger, seeing as there are less people in other houses. What are you going to do about Quidditch? Katie left last year, but your beaters are still here."
"Hermione, Ron's the Co-Captain. Not you. We'll have tryouts again, just in case. I just hope people actually try out. That would be rather embarrassing to beg people to be on the Quidditch team. Especially if I got stuck begging Neville. Dean and Seamus would never let me heard the end of it." Ron laughed while Hermione scowled. They made a few more jokes about detention and some about Neville joining the Quidditch team until Ron stood up.
"I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow, Harry."
He and Hermione went to the door. Hermione stopped in the doorway. "Are you sure you can do this?" He smiled.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I… He stopped dead. There were only ten students in the room. They were all DA members and all 6th years. Ginny was in the front row, gaping. Luna looked dreamily past him. "Um…hi." He waved. A few people waved feebly back at him. "I was in Herbology. A bit far. Take out your wands please," he said. No one moved, as they had already taken them out.
"Luna, will you please get the cushions out of the back cupboard. I know you all worked on this stuff before, but I honestly thought there would be more of you. We'll start with stunning," he announced. Finally, he heard murmurs among the class.
They each grabbed a partner and lined up by the cushions. After a few minutes they were starting to have fun watching each other fall.
"Can we try disarming again?" asked Michael Corner, getting up from the floor, having missed his pillows. Harry nodded and moved the pillows to the other side of the room, away from the flying wands.
Harry tried to get their attention and ended up slamming a book down on the desk. 'Class is almost over. We're going to spend the first few classes reviewing, so if you have your book from last year, just skim through it. Then we'll start nonverbal spells." Half the class raised their hands. He sighed. "If you have questions stay after class or write them down or ask me later, okay?" They put their hands down and the bell rang for break, and everyone left.
He sat down at his desk and closed his eyes. It didn't go as bad as it could have been. He put his head on his desk and was there for 10 minutes before he remembered that he had Transfiguration next. When he started to get up, his door opened. He looked to see Ginny come in the room. For what seemed like hours, they looked at each other. He came out of his trance and looked at the clock. "We can't, Ginny. Not right now. I have to go to class. I'll see you later." He started to leave, but she just stood there. She looked sad. 'Ginny…" he said softly. She turned. "Here." He threw something silvery at her. His invisibility cloak. Then he left.
The halls were almost empty except for the few students rushing to their classes. Harry made it to Transfiguration just as the bell rang. Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom. "Well, well, I see you've decided to get here on time, Mr. Potter, though you were cutting it close. Take your seat." He sat down between Ron and Hermione.
McGonagall spent the entire hour talking about what they were going to be doing this year. It was their last year in Hogwarts, and the most important one. Harry tried paying attention, he really did, but as soon as he saw Hermione taking notes, he turned to the window and tuned everything else out. He was thinking of Ginny. She had looked kind of mad when he first walked into the classroom. Was she mad at him for not telling her? But if he'd told her she wouldn't have believed him. No, she wasn't mad. She was shocked. He was going to see her tonight. She was going to be in his office and they would sort everything out.
"Professor!" Harry's attention snapped back to the front of the room. "Well, at least that worked. Mr. Potter, please pay attention. These are some of the most important moments of your life, believe it or not. Now, back to your N.E.W.T. exams…"