2 Dawlish
Ron and Harry alternately played Wizards Chess and exploding snap while Hermione furiously worked a piece of parchment. She finally put down her quill near the end of their journey to read the Daily Prophet. Hermione literally jumped in her seat. "Listen to this, you two."
"Not Rita Skeeter again," Ron moaned.
"Shush, it's by her, not about her. Listen: 'Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour announced today that Fenrir Greyback has been found dead but refused to divulge any details. The Minister asked that individual responsible for Greyback's demise to come forward.'"
Hermione seemed troubled by the news.
"Ron, something's wrong. Who could kill such a powerful werewolf?"
"I dunno Hermione, but good riddance I say. Not that it helps Bill any," Ron said bitterly, "who cares? He's gone and we're all a little safer."
"I do, there could be an even worse werewolf--"
"I think this is going to have to wait. The meeting in the prefect's carriage starts in just a few minutes." Harry said quickly.
Hermione checked her watch. "You're right Harry, we'd better be off."
Harry watched the compartment door slam with relief.
The Hogwarts Express steamed into view of the school at last. Harry's heart always leapt a little at the sight of the place he called home. His heart sank when his eye caught the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore's death at the tower would always be with him. Harry hated himself for feeling any joy at seeing the school.
The train lurched to a halt in Hogsmeade. Ron and Hermione hadn't returned from the meeting in the prefect's carriage. Harry jumped off as soon as the doors opened. He could hear Hagrid calling loudly for the first years.
Harry felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Come with me," Professor McGonagall commanded. Harry followed her inside the Headmaster's Office wondering how much she knew. Harry looked to Dumbledore's picture on the wall. He continued to slumber in his portrait. McGonagall had replaced Dumbledore's chair with one of her own. She sat down somberly in the heavily carved chair.
"Sit down Potter. For the time being I am the headmistress of Hogwarts. As such I am going to see to it that you are trained to the fullest extent possible."
"But Professor McGonagall, what about the horcruxes? I need to destroy them to weaken Voldemort--"
"There's no denying it, Potter. You need to be ready for the inevitable confrontation with Voldemort. For now, leave the horcruxes to me."
"But Professor-"
"Silence Potter! The training for the confrontation and for the seeking of the horcruxes is one and the same. Either way you will need to be ready."
"I'm not sitting around here with horcruxes just waiting to be found-- or maybe they won't wait!"
"Training first, Potter. You'd have no idea how to destroy a horcrux even if you were lucky enough to blunder into one."
"Don't you tell me what I can or cannot do! He had Dumbledore killed."
Harry kicked over a small table sending a sneakoscope flying.
McGonagall grabbed his wrist and drew him close to her.
"Headmaster Dumbledore is gone and we haven't the luxury of juvenile outbursts. You will do as I say or you'll be returned to the Muggles and to whatever fate awaits you. Do I make myself clear?"
Harry choked back his rage and nodded.
"I'm sorry Professor. So many people are gone because of him."
The glare in McGonagall's red rimmed eyes softened a little.
"You're the only one that can do this, Potter. It doesn't matter that this was not your choice. We will give you all the time and toil and tears we have to make you the victor over Voldemort."
Harry looked at McGonagall and knew she was right. She would stand by him to the very end.
"When do I begin, professor?"
"In the morning, Potter. The sorting is about to begin, I must be going. Off you go. Oh, and tell Mr. Finnegan I need to see him after the welcoming feast."
Hagrid and ghosts from the four houses escorted the new crop of first years into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling swirled pleasantly with red, orange, yellow and brown leaves. As always, the new students were in awe of the Great Hall.
With a grand and solemn dignity Professor McGonagall stood in front of the gilded throne-like chair long occupied by Albus Dumbledore. Professors Flitwick and Sprout brought in the Sorting Hat on a stool. The hat spoke as soon as it was set down:
Desperate peril you will face
Rise together beyond your place
Marked by the noble founders four
Stand with the one from Gryffindor
Everyone waited for the hat to continue but it said no more. A few of the younger students stared at Harry. Hagrid looked to Professor McGonagall for a second and pulled a scroll of parchment from his pocket. He cleared his throat loudly before announcing:
"When I call your name come up, sit down on the stool and try on the hat.
Don't be shy, it don't hurt to find out what house you belong to."
The students were sorted much quicker than in prior years. Slytherin House seemed to gather more than their usual share of new pupils.
McGonagall spread her arms in the manner of her predecessor and spoke:
"Good evening everyone and welcome to Hogwarts. Long before we lost Albus Dumbledore he made his wishes clear that the school remain open should he pass on. I believe Albus Dumbledore loved this house of learning above all else. Headmaster Dumbledore was most pleased with the extracurricular training students received through the D.A. As such, we are going to emphasize dueling and defense against the dark arts more than ever this year. To accomplish this we have on loan from the Ministry, Auror Dawlish for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Polite applause scattered across the Great Hall as Dawlish stood up.
McGonagall continued. "The Forbidden Forest is so named for a reason; no student shall go there under any circumstances. See Mr. Filch for the list of objects forbidden at Hogwarts. With that, let the feast begin!" Headmistress McGonagall clapped her hands twice and the gold plates in the hall were filled with all manner of good things to eat.
Despite everything Harry slept well his first night back at Hogwarts.
He dreamt of trains, flying motorcycles and times he spent at the Burrow.
McGonagall handed out schedules at breakfast. Harry looked at his schedule of classes to find the last two subjects of the day marked simply "Special Studies, Room of Requirement". Leave it to McGonagall to observe the niceties of administrative minutiae.
Harry and Ron showed up at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom a little early. The gloomy classroom had changed little since Professor Snape taught there. They were soon followed by Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. They all found their usual seats and began talking Quidditch. Hermione entered the class in the company of Lavender Brown and the Patil sisters. Dawlish bounded into the classroom and called for quiet.
"Good morning everyone, put away your books. This year's Defense Against the Dark Arts will be mostly practical," Dawlish said in crisp tones. He marched around the classroom as if it were a parade ground. "Defense is a serious business, sometimes life or death. You will learn the required spells and hexes until they are as natural as riding a broom. If things get sticky, your command of spells won't desert you. To that end, there will be plenty of wand drills and exercises for all of you." A murmur came from the back of the classroom.
"Yes it will be exactly like the army, Mr. McMillan. Dumbledore's Army." Ernie startled and wondered if Dawlish had ears like Mad-Eye Moody's eye.
"You will address me as Sir, Professor or Auror Dawlish. No sugar quills,"
He pointed his wand in an easy offhand manner. Lavender Brown's quill turned to powder. "Or gum," Pansy Parkinson's gum shot into a wastebasket.
"Or anything else I deem a distraction from the subject at hand."
Dawlish split them into pairs and handed them parchments.
Ron glanced at the sheet. "I know most of these already," he said happily, ever worried about getting more homework.
"Well I know all of them," Hermione said in a self-satisfied way.
"That's good Miss Granger," said Dawlish. "See if you can block them."
Hermione smiled confidently.
"From any three students at once."
She looked to Harry, Neville and Ron.
"Not those three, they might go easy on you," Dawlish rumbled as he motioned to the front of the classroom.
Hermione stood in front of the class while Dawlish looked among her classmates. He tapped three students on the shoulder. Romilda Vane, Zacharias Smith and Padma Patil joined her.
"Use any spell on the list, and if I think for a moment that you're holding back you'll go next. Begin now," He said firmly.
Zacharias Smith threw a jelly legs jinx at her. She blocked it with a Protego Charm. She returned a Confundus and he dropped his wand. Padma and Romilda cast spells at her so quickly she could return none of her own.
Hermione was slowly being forced into a corner as the two witches moved forward, one covering the other. Padma used a Finite Incantatum to bring Zacharias back into the duel. Coming to his senses, he grabbed his wand, and threw spells at Hermione as he moved to rejoin Romilda and Padma.
Hermione jumped sharply to the left. "Locomotor Mortis!" Hermione said quickly. Zacharias Smith tumbled into his two partners, knocking down Romilda and burying Padma. Hermione managed to stun all three of them but not before Romilda hit her with a tripping jinx. The duel ended with literally no one left standing.
"Well, nobody was holding back," Dawlish said dryly but he was quite pleased. "Ennervate," the three students rose to their feet. He put his hands on his hips. "Tell me one positive aspect of this duel."
"Padma's and Romilda's teamwork," said Ernie MacMillan.
"Granger's timing and willingness to take a hex to prevail," said Blaise Zabini.
"Zacharias Smith's ability to soak up jinxes," someone joked.
"Actually, yes, he did recover very quickly. And if anyone thinks Miss Granger's spells are wanting in power step forward now." No one moved. "I thought not. Mr. Smith's hexes have ample power as well, what he needs to work on is his timing. That's why we're all here. Every one of them showed strengths and weaknesses. I want two parchments; one on each by tomorrow."
The students groaned.
"Yes, tomorrow while it's still fresh in your minds."
Hermione raised her hand.
"Quality, not quantity Miss Granger, don't worry about length just give me a first rate analysis," he barked. "Class dismissed."
"Two years ago he was trying to shut down the DA, now he's using it as a model. You don't think we've got another Mad-Eye impostor on our hands do you?" Ron wondered out loud.
"I think it's really him and if we can get through the class we'll all be better for it," Harry replied.
Professor Dawlish ran his classes by the same rigorous academic standards as Professor Snape. The only difference was the lack of favoritism.
