Rodrick entered the history classroom, a bored expression on his face. It'd been a week since the war had started, Slytherins and Gryffindors alike had taken to the chaos like a moth to a flame. The first of the attacks had been small but consistent, so far none of the third years had been involved... Aside from Dumb and Dumber currently resting in the hospital infirmary, the first true casualties just had to be Slytherin...
It was mostly the younger years having their fun. Impromptu duels in the hallway had led many first and second years into a detention with Filch. Every now and then some random fourth year decided to try their hands on something more complex than simply hurling a hex at the opposite house. One example had been a Gryffindors attempt at potions, no doubt to copy the prank that had started it all... problem was they'd gotten it on the wrong table... They wound up accidentally turning Professor Dumbledore pink. As the man had been a Gryffindor, Slytherin had considered it win. They knew it was a Gryffindors work as the student had gasped quite openly when they'd realised they'd gotten the wrong target.
Astoria had tried something similar, she'd made a potion that'd turned the entire Slytherin table's feast into a candy fest. Daphne hadn't stopped bugging him about it, assuming he'd been the one that showed the girl how to make the potion... She wasn't wrong but Rodrick at the very least hadn't expected it to hit their own table. The older years had yet to join in, if they did, they'd certainly kept their actions hidden.
However, that wasn't what worried Rodrick most. Two Particular twins had been surprisingly quiet for the week. he'd been on edge trying to figure out what they'd been planning for a week straight. He didn't think they'd had that level of patience.
"Oh stop worrying," Daphne remarked exasperated.
Rodrick turned towards the girl behind, a confused expression on his face. "What?" he'd remarked.
Daphne blinked before turning to face the boy, "Not you," she spoke. He was about to ask before he was promptly pushed into the history classroom by Daphne.
Tracey had a sheepish smile on her face before she followed the two.
"Would you look at that," Rodrick suddenly exclaimed upon seeing Blaise already at his seat.
"Not now Rodrick," Blaise answered.
Rodrick chuckled before he took a seat to the boy's right, "Is there a reason you're here early?"
Blaise raised an eyebrow at the boy, "You even need to ask?"
Rodrick shrugged, "I don't really see how been early will help your grade,"
Blaise quickly lowered his head into his arms.
"There there, I am sure you'll survive," Rodrick deadpanned, patting the boy's head.
Blaise growled at the action, moving his head away. "Don't mess up my hair,"
"You don't have any," Nott spoke up having just entered, looking around trying to find an empty seat.
Rodrick heard Blaise mutter something quietly. "Language," he remarked, annoying the boy further.
"Rodrick, leave him alone," Tracey spoke up from behind him holding in a chuckle.
"He needs to focus on History," added on an amused Daphne.
"Yea yea," Blaise grumbled.
"Where's Malfoy?" Nott decided to ask, receiving confused looks in return. He took the free seat on Blaise's left.
"Late?" Blaise considered.
"Skipping?" Rodrick went with.
"Infirmary wing?" Tracey settled on.
"Helping someone?"
Three of the students turned towards Greengrass.
"Are you serious?" Nott asked with genuine surprise.
"Are any of you ever serious?" they all heard Potter grumble from the back before he'd quickly turned back to his own group of friends. Potter's group had been more docile regarding the war... Either that or they were working with the twins... That thought hadn't sat well with Rodrick, he hadn't considered the fact the twins had easy access to their year group through Harry Potter... It was even more irritating when he'd realised he didn't have one to the twins. All things considered, he should've been far more careful. The fact Harry Potter had been the first one in the class should've been the first sign of trouble.
"I think he's getting too comfortable with us," Nott whispered to Rodrick who shook his head.
"Malfoy ain't here remember," Rodrick answered back, bringing some sense back into Nott's world.
"How long are you lot planning to ignore the strange black box at the front?" they heard Pansy ask, the girl had decided to take the leftover seat by Tracey.
Tracey turned towards the girl unsure of what to say.
"That's Malfoy's seat," Daphne remarked from her side.
"I never thought I'd see the day where Malfoy was considered a better option..." a Shocked Nott remarked.
Pansy narrowed her eyes slightly before getting up with a huff.
"You guys can be so cruel," Tracey whispered.
Daphne turned towards the girl before rolling her eyes at the relieved smile on her face.
"Ok seriously, what is that black box?" Nott changed the subject. The five Slytherins turned towards the front, taking a good look at the box.
It was a simple black box in the middle of the teacher's desk, there weren't any designs on it... Nothing, it looked like a simple black, somewhat mechanic box.
Before anyone could say anything regarding it, however, Professor Binns had walked through, literally through, the wall.
"Bedtime?" Nott asked Blaise with a hint of mirth.
"Got to Hufflepuff" Blaise answered back.
"Fitting," Rodrick added on, a hint of approval lining his face. "Mixing hell and Hufflepuff,"
"Seriously where's Malfoy" Nott questioned again, completely ignoring Zabini's insult.
The Professor had been going through the roll call, the moment he reached Rodrick's name, his life was changed forever.
...
Elsewhere Malfoy had just left the great hall, intent on going to his history lesson... As slow as possible in any case. The moment he turned the corner, however, his eyes narrowed. Up ahead Warrington and two of his friends were currently surrounding someone. Malfoy had been about to ignore the older Slytherins before he'd caught a sign of blonde hair. He stood there for a second before sighing. He turned towards the group of four.
Luna had been on her way to the hall before the three Slytherins in front of her had surrounded her, they didn't look pleasant. It was made even worse when she'd supposedly insulted the middle one, telling him his head was infested with all kinds of magical creatures. She wasn't sure why a warning would be taken as an insult but figured it wasn't safe to ask, seeing as the three currently had their wands out. She made to move past them before one of them had grabbed her shoulder holding her in place.
"What's going on?" she heard someone else call out, looking past the three boy's she was somewhat relieved to see someone she knew.
"Malfoy," she heard the middle one growl, the two with him, however, had quickly put away their wands.
"I asked you a question," Malfoy remarked, a glint in his eye.
"What does it look like," Warrington snapped back, "Where teaching this little bird a lesson on insulting people,"
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, "Oh, yes I suppose you're probably the best example of an insult," he remarked, amusement lining his face.
He heard Lovegood start laughing at the words.
Warrington turned back to the second year, "What's so funny?" he growled.
"What Draco just said," Luna remarked without a hint of sarcasm, as if answering a child's question. That fact seemed to irritate the Slytherin, even more, seeing as he'd decided to point his wand at the girl directly.
"Careful now..." H,e heard the blonde behind him speak.
Warrington turned back towards Malfoy, "Or el-" he'd started before flinching. There was a predatory grin on the blonde boy's face. Almost daring him, Malfoy had his hand hovering over his wand.
"Hey, it aint worth it," one of the boys beside him spoke up. Warrington seethed before turning back to Lovegood, "This ain't over," before he started walking in the opposite direction.
Luna let out a relieved sigh at that before walking up towards Malfoy. "Thank you,"
Draco stared at the expression with mild discomfort before shrugging and walking away towards his lesson.
Luna decided to follow.
"I am going to History," he remarked trying to make the girl lose interest, inwardly cursing Warrington for putting him in that position, it would've ended badly for him if the blonde had decided to tell Rodrick that he'd ignored helping her.
"Oh, then Binns shouldn't notice," Luna remarked cheerfully before walking up beside the boy.
Draco sighed as he walked towards the history class. "Fine but no talk of your dad's newspaper,"
Luna nodded, "Then no talk of Harry Potter," she fired back amused.
Draco blinked at that, "Whatever," he grumbled shaking his head. Even a year later, he had no idea how to converse with the girl, he'd long given up on trying to figure out if she was pureblood, originally he'd only done so to try and excuse the fact she'd been a part of their group until he'd realised the Lovegoods were likely an entirely different species.
...
Draco Malfoy entered the classroom hesitantly, Luna practically skipping behind him. There was no way to talk himself out of this... 'Well, worst case is I could just call Nott out for being a Hufflepuff,' All hints of worry disappeared from his face however as soon as he entered the classroom, Luna beside him wide-eyed.
There was a large black mark covering the entirety of the teacher's desk and board, on top of that, there was a floating black box emanating smoke.
"What the hell happened here?" Draco found himself suddenly asking out loud earning the class's attention, everyone had a gobsmacked expression on their face.
'They didn't tell me it did that!' Harry Potter thought to himself as he shrunk into his desk avoiding notice.
If anyone noticed Luna beside Draco, they didn't say anything.
Rodrick was the first to break the silence. "Someone just exorcised Binns," before huffing and getting up from his seat.
"where are you going?" Blaise suddenly asked.
Rodrick furrowed his brows, "Headmaster's office,"
"Why?" Daphne asked this time.
Rodrick snorted, "That box activated on my name, Dumbledores going to send for me, I am just keeping it short," he finished before he turned towards the door, he raised an eyebrow at Luna.
"If he'll call you anyway, you might as well wait," Nott remarked, one hand covering a yawn.
"I'd rather go there innocent than a suspect," Rodrick felt a shiver down his spine... The sooner he was there the less suspicious he looked... Honestly what where those moron's thinking and he knew it was the twins... Only they'd be reckless enough to exorcise a bloody professor. He quickly packed his things before he made his way out.
Draco was still staring at the black spot on the desk. "Now what?" he heard someone question.
"Astoria's in the great hall," Luna decided to speak.
"Beat's sitting here," Tracey remarked, still shocked at the day's events.
"Does this mean there's no history exam at the end of the year?" Blaise questioned, a hopeful look on his face.
"You wish," Nott snorted, before walking towards the door. the others following behind him, Blaise sulking in the process. "Hello Lovegood," Nott added as he walked past the girl.
"He's really embracing his Hufflepuff side isn't he?" Tracey chuckled, shaking her head.
Draco looked confused as he watched the others slowly walk out of the classroom. 'What is wrong with my year?' he thought to himself absentmindedly, a teacher had just gotten killed... For the second time in his life and his class were acting like it was a normal day. It was then he realised the even bigger surprise. "Is no one seriously going to ask why Lovegood's here?"
"Oh right, Luna's not in our year," a bemused Tracey spoke up, she walked up to the girl and dragged her away from the class.
"Yes?" Luna questioned.
"Come on, don't need anything influencing you badly," Tracey answered amused, she stopped pushing when the girl had started walking on her own.
"She's friends with my sister, there's no hope,"
"she's friends with Rodrick" Blaise snorted.
...
"Horcrux," Rodrick gave his password to the gargoyle. Entering, he found the headmaster staring at a book, no doubt trying to solve something diffic-
"Are you doing a crossword puzzle!?" Rodrick questioned shocked.
Dumbledore raised his gaze, "Rodrick, I am surprised to see you here,"
Rodrick stared at the headmaster incredulously "You let me in... Nevermind," he shook his head before he took a seat opposite the headmaster.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Dumbledore questioned, putting aside the crossword puzzle. 'Perhaps he's received some information?' Dumbledore considered.
Rodrick stared at the headmaster, unsure how to even begin the conversation before to his relief or perhaps irritation a confused and bewildered look passed through the headmaster's face.
Dumbledore blinked a few times before trying once again to figure out why one of his professor's presence had disappeared. He got up from his seat before taking out his wand. "Excuse me for a second dear boy, I need to send a message to one of your professors,"
Rodrick nodded.
"That's actually why I am here"
Dumbledore halted on his action, "Oh, is there a reason I can no longer find Binn's in the castle?"
Rodrick nodded, "He's been exorcised,"
Dumbledore stared blankly at the boy.
"I didn't do it!" Rodrick suddenly raised his hands.
Dumbledore kept on staring at the boy.
"Honest!" Rodrick added on, wide-eyed. he felt relief go through when the headmaster had simply sighed.
"That is rather troubling I must admit..." Dumbledore remarked shaking his head.
"Hmm," Rodrick remarked turning away. "One of my friends wanted to know if the exam was still in place?"
Dumbledore didn't reply, his mind still processing the fact one of his teacher's had been exorcised. "Do you have any idea who might've done this?"
"Harry Potter," Rodrick answered immediately.
Dumbledore frowned, "This is not a laughing matter..."
"I ain't joking," Rodrick shrugged.
"Why would Mister Potter decide to exorcise his History professor?" Albus asked incredulously.
Rodrick raised an eyebrow at the words, "Probably thought he was Voldemort, he exorcised Quirrel for that,"
"Quirrel wasn't a ghost... And he was possessed..."
Rodrick shrugged, "I don't know why he did it,"
"Do you have any proof?" Dumbledore asked, completely tired.
"surprisingly none," Rodrick remarked, with a hint of respect in his voice.
"Of course.." Dumbledore remarked shaking his head. "Thank you for informing me..." his mind trying to figure out how he was going to replace the teacher in the middle of the year. "It will be difficult to find a teacher with the right qualifications in such a short time..." 'Not to mention the fact binns had practically been a free teacher...' History wasn't well known for offering good pay...
Rodrick snorted. "If you're looking for someone better then binns then anyone who can read a book will do"
Dumbledore frowned, "You should show more respect to your professors Rodrick, it's not a good quality,"
"He's dead, well permanently dead, aint my professor anymore," Rodrick shrugged.
Dumbledore sighed, "All the same, I cannot simply ask any wizard to join, it is too risky and not to mention difficult finding someone who would be willing to teach history,"
Rodrick had been about to respond before he saw a relieved look go over the headmaster's face. "Found someone?" he questioned amused.
"As it so happens yes I did..." Dumbledore remarked rather surprised... There was one person who would willingly teach history and who was available on short notice... The man could probably use a job and even better he would likely not be bothered by the meagre wage and was certainly a trustworthy member of society.
"Oh, I am sure Blaise will be happy to hear that," Rodrick chuckled.
"You still need to show more respect to your teachers..." Dumbledore remarked shaking his head. For every good quality, there was a bad one...
Rodrick nodded before turning to Fawkes. "Thoughts on binns?" he questioned amused.
Fawkes snorted.
Dumbledore had a passive look on his face. He was about to speak up before he watched as the boy reached into his pocket.
"I almost forgot," he'd actually been planning to visit the headmaster, now that he'd thought about it.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as he watched the boy produce parchment out of his pocket and unshrinking it. "This is?" he questioned as the boy handed over the paper.
"Can you look into my orphanage a little more closely?" Rodrick questioned, "There's something wrong with it,"
Dumbledore furrowed his brows as he turned back to the parchment, "Did you have a vision regarding it?" he questioned.
"Not really," Rodrick answered, "Read over the parchment and you'll see what I mean," he slowly got up and turned to leave.
Dumbledore watched the boy walk away before turning back to the parchment, as he read through it his eyes widened slightly. 'Peculiar... why doesn't she remember him?'
He turned towards Fawkes and was surprised to find the bird... Squirming? When he turned back to the parchment, his own eyes widened when he found traces of magic on the parchment... No, it was more accurate to say writing? Whoever had penned the letter had been under a spell... There was a sense of danger as he stared at the writing... Quickly the headmaster walked towards his fireplace before throwing the floo powder in. He out the woman's name. He was relieved to see her answer quickly... A little too quickly for that matter.
"Who is this?" The aged woman questioned.
"It's me, Albus," Dumbledore remarked easily, his expression quickly adopted a frown when he received no answer.
"What is this about?" Bathilda questioned apprehensively. She'd made no sign of recognising his name.
Strange. The headmaster stared at the burning face, there was something strange... 'Lenora...' he thought to himself, he'd never considered it before but why hadn't the woman ever sought her great aunt for shelter?
"Hello?" The woman questioned once again, a tone of irritation? In her voice... "Forgive me Bathilda, I've just remembered something urgent... Perhaps another time?" Dumbledore suddenly remarked. There was something strange going on.
"Very well," The monotone voice of the woman replied before disappearing.
Dumbledore felt a great deal of tension suddenly leave the room... "There's something strange going on..."
'Screech'
He heard Fawkes suddenly cry out. Dumbledore turned to his pet phoenix before his eyes widened at the state... The bird's bright coloured flames looked pale. "Fawkes... What's the matter?"
'Screech!' The phoenix's forceful cry came out, leaving a shocked expression on the headmaster... The man presumed to turn back to the paper before he suddenly felt the tension drop... Phoenix' magic revolved around their tears... Their tears to heal... They were sensitive to when things were in danger... The residue of dark magic on the paper had come from Bathilda's hands... Only it wasn't enough to do any harm... which meant that it hadn't been intentional... Or the woman hadn't perhaps even realised?
Dumbledore quickly went over to his pensieve before retracting a memory from years long into his past, memories of the woman she'd been...
A few moments later a pale Dumbledore had lifted his head out of the pensieve.
The memory had been off his time at Godrick's hollow when he'd first met Gellert... The woman in the vision wasn't the same person he'd spoken to... He understood why Fawkes had been uncomfortable... The woman in the vision had been fine... As Dumbledore prepared another memory... A memory of 12 Grimmauld place. He felt himself age almost a decade as he stared at the boy use the destructive magic... The magic eerily similar to the residue left on the parchment...
Someone had used that cursed magic on Bathilda Bagshot. Deep down, Dumbledore knew of only one person who had the access and means to do it... Only one other person had access to Grindelwald's vault... At least when she'd been alive.
'Lenora... What did you do?' He hadn't thought the lighthearted woman capable of such a thing... Bathilda Bagshot had no memories of the boy... She had no memories of him either it seemed... Dumbledore turned back to Fawkes. "What did you sense?"
The Phoenix answer would haunt him for the coming months. 'Death' Fawkes had sensed death surrounding the paper, death surrounding the woman... Dead but alive.
Bathilda Bagshot had died... How many years ago?' Dumbledore felt himself question... He knew she'd been alive following her great-nephews start of a war and imprisonment... Which meant whatever had happened to her was done after... Once again linking it to the boy's mother... He was slowly starting to understand the spell he'd seen, it's properties... Lenora Grace had never strived to the dark arts as far as he knew until she'd disappeared, months before her death... Whatever had happened in those months had led to Bathilda Bagshots current predicament... A living puppet dedicated to a most likely dead woman... 'What on earth am I supposed to tell the boy?'
Perhaps he was wrong... Dumbledore raised his wand, aiming it at the parchment before attempting to let off a spell to search for any signs of magic... The first scan he'd attempted resulted in a dark strange screech followed by the paper quickly burning itself... Dumbledore could only stare as the paper disappeared... Confirming the existence of a curse. The fact he couldn't even get a reading out of it made it even more terrifying to consider just how dark that magic had been... He blinked when he'd realised hed now lost that same parchment...
He thought about the boy's mother... If she had been responsible for such a drastic measure... How had he never seen it coming? The same woman he'd failed shamefully. He could still see it clear as day, the moment he'd practically drove the woman to her inevitable death... He had truly been too focused on the greater good.
Dumbledore shook his head at the thoughts.
...
(Flashback)
"Headmaster you are asking for too much, you cannot seriously expect me to teach defence," Lenora shook her head at the thought, Divination was the only subject she'd ever put any effort into, it was the easiest one to teach as well. That had been the main reason she'd sought to do it.
"Lenora, you must understand, It is too risky for Trelawny, she's in danger. You of all must understand the dangers revolving around a prophecy such as this,"
"I've never even heard of it," Lenora remarked rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I have a child Albus, you are asking to put my life at risk here," Rodrick... He wasn't even into his second year and already her life was spiralling out of control... She couldn't even consider how much danger the boy was in with his father's family... Honestly how chaotic can one family get? She shook her head exasperatedly.
"You are not the one in need of protecting, The dark lord will try to come after her for the prophecy, Hogwarts is the safest location there is, you have nothing to worry about,"
Lenora almost cursed, how could he tell her she wasn't in any danger- She quickly composed herself... She in retrospect had no real reason to be afraid... At least according to him. The man didn't know who her father was... She briefly considered his reaction before quickly getting rid of the notion. "The defence position is cursed and you know it,"
The man seemed to stumble for a moment and Lenora felt as if she finally might've won.
To her disappointment.
"I am only asking you to cover for a few months at most, until the end of the school year, you won't need to return to it the next year, I'll have found a suitable replacement..."
"I am getting fired?" Lenora couldn't help herself.
"If you wish to conti-"
"Like hell," Lenora scoffed. She stayed glued to the ground fidgeting before she shook her head. "It's too risky, I am sorry. You can have her take my job but I can't teach defence," she'd been about to leave before to her annoyance the headmaster spoke up.
"There is no one available on such a short period, as a professor even you must realise that..."
"And the fact it's Defence has nothing to do with it?" Lenora decided to add on, crossing her arms.
Dumbledore stared passively at the woman before sighing. "A deal then,"
Lenora showed no reaction.
"If you teach Defence for the rest of the year, I will have your husband removed from the order by the end of the year... Your family will have no responsibility following this year."
Lenora's eyes lit up at the words, a chance to escape... She'd been trying to get away from the castle ever since she'd gotten married, the headmaster had always managed to guilt her into staying, although as a divination professor most had just ignored her... The headmaster was offering her escape...Just a few months that's all... Even her stubborn idiot of a husband couldn't simply refuse the headmaster and his own wife, cursing the old man one last time for offering... She considered things carefully...
She, to the headmaster's relief, agreed...
...
(Flashback ends)
Dumbledore stared at his desk passively, remembering that deal... Her first term as the Defence professor hadn't even finished before Lenora had received news of her husband's death... She'd disappeared after that with her son... Noone had known what had happened, months later, on September... The boy's second birthday? Dumbledore shook his head at that thought, Lenora Grace had shown up on the papers listing her as dead. Nothing regarding her son although her in-laws had figured the boy had died as well. He was quickly brought back to the situation at hand... In those few months, something had happened... Something linking Bathilda's unfortunate circumstances... And no doubt the boy's orphanage! He could always start there.