The next one and a half weeks until the first of September had passed quickly for Harry. He did his best to prepare for the lesson and felt like he was studying for his O.W.L.'s again as this was quite some work. Luckily for Harry, his predecessor hadn't been, like most of his teachers in this subject, a complete fool but quite a good teacher and his notes helped him a lot.

He had also made a few trips to Diagon Alley to get himself some clothes and other things he needed. Chronos had even managed to give him a fault in Gringotts full with money, not as much as he had in the future, but it was more than enough. Harry had also furnished his Chambers a bit as well as given his office some personal touch.

For others, the most surprising thing in his Chambers would be the piano that stood in one corner of the living room. Yes, Harry was playing the piano, he had learned in his early years as an Auror. It had something very calming for him; in rough times, music was one way for him to leave it all behind for a while. It had grown to be an important thing for him.

But settling down in Hogwarts hadn't been the only thing he had done; he also got to know his new colleagues. To say he befriended them would be too much, he liked them, enjoyed conversations and the time he spent with them, but rather kept to himself. Still, he got along well with everyone, even those who hadn't taught him during his time at Hogwarts.

The only exception to this was Minerva. Harry and Minerva had spent much time together, and she was one primary reason he had managed to pull up a curriculum for seven classes in under two weeks. The time they had spent together, though, was still not enough for him to understand that this fun, loving witch was the strict, no-nonsense, but still kind-hearted Professor he knew back in his time.

In the time they spend together, they learned that they did share some interests. They both love Quidditch, she was a Montrose Magpies fan, and he a fan of the Ballycastle Bats, both of them loved to read. However, Harry was more into good crime novels, and Minerva, though also enjoying a good novel, slightly preferred literature or Transfiguration Today. And according to Minerva, when Harry decided to make some jokes, they shared a similar sense of humour.

Minerva wasn't the only thing on Harry's mind though, his parents and their best friends would attend Hogwarts today, and he was also supposed to teach them! After 27 years, he finally had the chance to talk to his parents while they were alive, and he had to pretend that they were his students. Harry hoped that knowing about the Marauders and everything, James and Sirius would leave him alone regarding their pranks; he was James cousin after all. But a small voice in the back of his head told him that it was wish thinking. Being related to one of the unofficial prank masters probably would only make it worse.

This evening Harry left his Chambers shortly after the train had arrived at Hogsmeade Station, meaning the students would arrive in less than half an hour. As he walked around a corner on the second floor, he collided with someone who seemed to be late, considered the person's fast pace.

There was a surprised yelp, and the two fell to the floor. The second as they collided was enough for Harry to notice that the person was smaller than him. He spun them around so he would take the fall. Looking up, Harry saw shining, green eyes and a pretty face close to his own.

"Hello Minerva, how can I help you?" he asked, not able to keep the smirk off his lips.

"Oh- sorry! I-I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Are you alright?"

"Pretty good, to be honest," Harry answered and noticed, slightly confused and a bit pleased, that she did not make any movement to get off of him, and he wouldn't complain as it was pretty nice to be so close to her.

"What were you doing here anyway?"

"I- well, I was looking for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Err, I thought I could swing by and accompany you to the Great Hall," Minerva explained with a faint blush on her cheeks before she got off of Harry, who followed her lead, even though he missed her body so close to his. He noticed that a lock of her black hair had loosened from her bun, which was not as tight as he remembered, and hung in her face. Nearly automatically, Harry reached up and stroked the strand of hair behind her ear. Instead of pulling it back again, Harry's hand lingered on her smooth skin for a moment.

"But you were coming from the Great Hall," Harry stated in a low voice, his hand still on the side of her face and the red on Minervas cheeks darkened while she thought about an answer. But when the witch opened her mouth to do so, somebody cleared their throat behind them and then a slightly amused person spoke.

"Hello there, Minerva, Harry. Lovely evening isn't it?" Dumbledore said as he strode past them and down the corridor with a bright smile. Both Professors jumped away from each other. The thought of being seen in this rather close position by the Headmaster, was rather embarrassing. Even Harry felt a bit uncomfortable; he didn't want the Headmaster to think he was already trying to hit on the woman, who he knew, had been Harry's own Professor.

"Good evening Albus." both called after him at the same time and shared a smile, then there was an awkward silence between them as both waited for the other one to say something. Finally, Harry broke the silence.

"Well, now that you've found me, will you walk down to the Great Hall with me?" Harry asked, and Minerva nodded.

"I'd love to." so the two of them walked down and inside the Great Hall where they saw a far too happy and slightly out of breath Dumbledore sitting at the head table, and Harry had the feeling that Filius and Pomona weren't grinning like that because they were so happy to see them.

"Something tells me that our dear Headmaster sprinted down here and gossiped about what he saw," he mumbled.

"One day, he will get in much trouble for gossiping around," Minerva grumbled back as they reached the table and sat down next to each other under their colleagues' knowing smirks and looks. While Minerva looked quite uncomfortable and sent Albus a glare every now and then, Harry, on the other hand, ignored the stares and even leaned extra close to Minerva to murmur into her ear. He was barely able to contain his grin when he saw how Professor Sprout nudged Flitwick in the side and pointed at them.

"Don't you have to go and get the First Years?" he was quite pleased with what effect his low murmur had on Minerva, as she slightly shivered but choose to ignore it.

"No, not jet, and why are we whispering?" she asked back, and Harry chuckled.

"For no reason at all." was his answer and then continued to look as relaxed as possible. He couldn't deny the fact that he was a little nervous about meeting his parents. Soon enough, the older students started to enter the Great Hall and walk their house tables; some chatted with their friends and took no notice of the new faces sitting at the staff table. A few others looked up, and their eyes were fixed upon Harry. Many of them even pointed their fingers at him and whispered with their friends, but after sixteen years of being the Boy Who Lived, he was able to ignore that.

"This should be getting interesting; it seems like you already drew quite a few looks on you," Minerva said to him as she had also seen the stares, especially the ones the girls send him, but Harry only shrugged his shoulders. He then swallowed and sat straight up when he saw four students enter the hall.

They were laughing at something Sirius said, and his father ran a hand through his messy hair, leaving it even messier than before, and there were a few girls who looked at him dreamingly. Besides being a little taller and slightly more mature, the four of them looked like Harry remembered them from the pensive in his fifth year. When his eyes laid on the small Peter, a wave of anger washed over him. There was the traitor that not only caused the death of his parents but also killed Cedric. Merlin be damned if he wouldn't put the rat where it belonged.

Harry then saw how his father looked up at the head table, and their eyes met. James grinned brightly at him and waved; his heart jumped a little because of the happiness he was feeling at the moment, and he couldn't help but smile as he waved back. Remus and Sirius also looked up at him, then turned to James. Judging from their looks, they asked him something, he answered with a nod, and they exchanged high fives with each other, grinning.

"I can't help but think they are under the impression you will favour them to no end." the slightly amused witch beside him said; Harry chuckled.

"Oh, they are more than wrong. They won't know what's going to hit them." and he wasn't lying. Harry was known as one of the most demanding instructors the Ministry ever had, with only Mad-Eye Moody being rougher on the trainees than him. Harry also knew what was about to happen, he certainly wouldn't go easy on them when a war was going on outside these walls. They should be able to defend themselves, he would give them all a chance to survive this war.

Now it was Minerva's turn to chuckle before she got up to greet the First Years. Her hand laid on his shoulder and gave him a slight squeeze, and his fingers briefly touched hers before she left the table. Harry followed her every step with his eyes, and halfway through the hall, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him; he then watched how Minerva greeted a student when she left through the door.

Harry immediately recognized her. She had long, flaming red hair and looked really pretty. His mother talked to a pretty brown haired girl he didn't know and sat down a few places away from the marauders. Though she tried to hide it, Harry saw how Lily Evans glanced over to James once or twice while the brown-haired girl spoke to her.

A few minutes later, the doors to the hall opened again, and Minerva, followed by the First Years, entered the Great Hall. Harry followed the sorting with great interest and applauded every time a student was sorted, no matter what house. When Alice Bagley was the first to be sorted into Slytherin, Harry watched her take a seat, and three people away from Alice Bagley sat a pale, black-haired and hook-nosed teenager.

There was no hate left in Harry for Severus Snape. He admitted that he did not like him; he probably never would. But Harry was acknowledging him for what he did, yes he saved his life and helped him, but for Harry, the years of abuse he had gone through because of Snape wouldn't go away because he did something good on a few occasions. For Harry, he would always be the one who signed his parent's death sentence along with Pettigrew, and this was something Harry simply couldn't forgive him.

Once the sorting was finished and Minerva had returned to the seat next to him, Albus raised and held his speech to welcome the new and old students. The Headmaster then proceeded in introducing him and Cooper, starting with the latter of the two.

"And finally, please welcome your new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Harrison Potter! He was an Auror, and we are honoured that he is here." Dumbledore said, and the whole hall applauded for him. Harry noticed, quite happy that the Marauders were cheering and applauding for him the loudest, and he couldn't help the smile and bowed a little before sitting back down.

"Now, let the feast begin!" said Dumbledore, and the food appeared on the tables.

"It is quite fascinating," Minerva said after a while into the dinner, and Harry turned to look at her as he put the last fork of backed potato in his mouth.

"What?" he asked once he had finished chewing.

"The students, during their summer, many of them have to fear for their lives and the lives of the ones they hold dear, but when they return here, they can be children again. Even if it only means to be able to sleep somewhere save. Of course, they are scared that in the morning they will get a message that a family member died, but they know they are safe here." she said, and while the Transfiguration Mistress spoke, she'd let her eyes wander over the crowd of talking and laughing students.

"I just hope we'll be able to keep them save."

"You're right, but we will defend Hogwarts, so the students are safe. Hogwarts won't fall," Harry answered her, and Minerva nodded thoughtfully. "You can trust me," he added, and their eyes met.

"I already do."

"Welcome to the N.E.W.T. class of Defence Against the Dark Arts," Harry said as he stood in front of the seventy years that had qualified for the lesson. He saw James, Sirius and Remus in the third row to his right, probably because sitting in the first row would ruin their reputation. He was also quite pleased to see that Peter hadn't made it into the N.E.W.T. class. Snape, on the other hand, was sitting in a dark corner of the last row, as far away from him as possible.

"As you hopefully remember, my name is Harrison Potter, but Professor Potter will do for you. First of all, congratulations that you made it into this course, you will probably regret it before Christmas," he said and was pleased that everyone looked a bit shocked and that nobody dared to say anything.

"You will learn how to defend yourself, and you will pass your N.E.W.T. because I won't have any of you walk around and ruin my reputation in failing your exam when I have taught you. When I am through with you, you will be on the standard of a first-year Auror trainee. It will be hard, I won't deny that, but it will be worth it."

He then proceeded in telling them what they would learn this year. When he had finished, he looked at the students who didn't seem any less enthusiastic than before, maybe even more so. The brown-haired girl, whom he recognized as the one his mother had sat with the evening before, as well as she did now, raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss-?"

"McKinnon, Marlene McKinnon, Sir. I just wanted to know- as you were an Auror- why did you decide to teach? I mean, the Ministry will need every capable Auror, won't they?" she asked, and Harry nodded slightly, trying to come over the fact that he was talking to a girl that was going to die in this war alongside her whole family.

"Good question Miss McKinnon. As you said, I was an Auror, and I liked my job, but as you also correctly pointed out, we will need every capable witch and wizard to win this war. This includes you. When you leave this school and decide to fight, you need to be able to fight to survive. I wanted to teach because I want you to be able to defend yourself and the ones you hold dear." Harry said and looked at the students who had gone quiet. "Does that answer your question, Miss McKinnon?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Another thing, addressing me with Professor Potter or only Professor will be enough; there is no need to call me Sir."

"What about Harry, Harry?" James asked and a few giggled. Harry slowly turned his head towards his father. Knowing that he, his mother, Sirius, Remus and the other ones who would join the order needed the lesson, he wouldn't tolerate any silliness in his classroom, not even from them.

"Even though we are related, Mr Potter, please notice I will treat you exactly like anybody else, maybe even harder, so you live up to the Potter name. Consider this as your last warning, should you or one of your friends show any disrespect in my classroom, including making fun of any sort, I won't hesitate to take points from you or put you into detention. Did I make myself clear?" everyone in the class looked like Harry had made himself crystal clear.

He turned to the chalkboard but stopped and turned his head towards his father once more. "Before I forget, I won't take points from you because of that, as you didn't know, but any relative bonus you might have had is gone now." James looked surprised but nodded his head.

"Well, today, we will start with something simple. I want you to show me what you already able to do." Harry looked around the class, and his eyes fixed Lupin.

"Mr Lupin, would you please demonstrate me and the class the Expelliarmus Spell?" with a flick of his wand Harry caused the chalkboard to slide to the other end of the room, giving them more space. As expected, his request was met by many chuckles and more confident looks. Lupin, on the other hand, got up and stood in front of Harry but didn't look like it was a more than easy spell he had to perform on a teacher.

"On three, okay? One, two, three." Harry counted, and on three, Lupin raised his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" he said, and to Harry's delight, not that he had expected different from Remus, his wand flew into Remus's hand.

"Well done, Mister Lupin, who's next?" a Ravenclaw boy raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr.?"

"Greg Oswald. Professor."

"Come here, Mr Oswald, Mr Lupin, you can sit down." Remus handed Harry his wand before walking back to his seat while Greg walked up to Harry. But when he and the three other students after him couldn't perform a legitimate Disarming Charm, Harry decided to step in.

"I will count this as leftover laziness from the holidays, as I can't come up with another excuse as to why four seventh years weren't able to perform a good Expelliarmus. You are going to pair up and then practice the spell," he said and felt like a rebellious fifteen-year-old again, training his friends in a secret and forbidden defence group.

It seemed, though, like it had been the minority of the students who couldn't perform the spell. Both his parents, Sirius, Remus, Marlene and Severus, could perform the spell without any problem, but that didn't surprise him in the slightest.

Harry would let them practice a few more spells on each other to see at which level they all were, so he could organize the lesson in a way everyone would be able to follow, but still making sure the better students had a challenge.

"Okay, listen! I want you to practice these spells until the next lesson and a one-foot long essay on why the Expelliarmus spell could save your life in a Duel." Harry said when the bell rang, ending the lesson. "But if I catch any of you practising in the halls and on other students, you'll lose more than house points!" he added, and his glare made sure nobody would dare to find out what exactly they would lose.

The three Marauders stayed behind and waited until the rest of the class had left.

"That was an awesome first lesson, Professor Potter," James said and didn't sound angry or anything that Harry hadn't played favourites with him.

"Glad you enjoyed it, you can call me by my first name when we are alone, but besides that, I'm Professor Potter. I hope you don't hold that against me." was his answer, and the three smiled.

"No, to be honest, I hadn't expected anything different from you."

"But you hoped he would." Sirius started, grinning, and James glared at him.

"Anyway, we just wanted to say it's great to have you as a teacher. See you around." with that, the three left before Harry could come up with an answer.

"I'm also glad," he whispered to an empty classroom before he turned around and prepared for his next lesson. Maybe, only maybe, it wasn't that bad Chronos and Severin had sent him back in time.

Well, another chapter!

I planned to update last night, buuut as was down most of the day, I couldn't. I still hope you liked the chapter.

Please leave me a review and tell me what you think :)

Please, no hate for my opinion on Snape; he is a cool character, but also a big arse. He won't be the source of evil in this, but don't expect him to be the hero or even a good person. Harry also won't be Severus new Guardian, he won't bully him as Snape did with him (he did, you can't argue with that), but they won't be friends.

And yes, Harry still likes Dumbledore. I admit I like Dumbledore more than Snape; that's the way it is. Harry won't follow Dumbledore blindly, but he will have a good relationship with him.

XxDragon King DragneelxX pointed something out, I forgot to say. For me, Hogwarts was always a little bigger than in the films, not as big as J.K.R. said in early interviews, but there are around 500 students at Hogwarts. I always thought that there are more dormitories for each year. We only knew about Harry's one because it was the one he and Ron were staying in. :) Hope you don't mind.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed you're great!

Patti