Title The Fake Professor / / / Rating T
Warnings Contains mild swearing in this chapter
-The Fake Professor-
Previously on The Fake Professor…
"I have already had my Head of Accounts look over it and it is iron clad, no loopholes for either of us to use to claim breach of contract." Harry said, smiling at his former enemy-cum-political opponent. "It is completely up to you.
"Fine Potter, I shall get my Head of Accounts to look over it, discuss it with Astoria and I shall let you know." Draco said, shaking his hand. "Are you all set for the meeting later? I believe it's your turn to be bad guy at it."
"Yeah, I am. I love our games at the Council meetings." Harry said, trying hard not to laugh. "All these political games we play are winding Granger and Percy up something chronic."
Suddenly an owl swooped down to Harry, who grabbed the letter attached to it. He looked at the letter and then frowned. "Is everything alright Potter?" Draco asked, confused at Harrys facial expressions. "What's wrong?"
"I need to head to the Ministry. This surely has got to be someone's idea of a sick joke." Harry growled. Harry left the platform, leaving Ginny, Susan and Lily to make their way back to Grimmauld Place.
Minister's Office, Ministry of Magic, London, England
1st September 2017
Harry walked down the corridor of the Ministry of Magic, heading to the correct door, ready for his meeting. He knocked, waited a few seconds, then entered.
"Good afternoon Harry." the Minister of Magic, his brother-in-law, Percy Weasley, said, pointing to a chair by his desk "Do sit down. You needed to see me?"
"Yes Percy." Harry said, dropping the file on the desk, "I've consulted with the DMLE, but I need your authorisation, and your advice too."
"What's up Harry? You seem to be tense." Percy Weasley said, worried about his brother in law. "If it's something to do with Ginny then you're best off speaking to Dad about it."
"It's not just Ginny." Harry said, pulling out a note from the file. "It's Albus. My son is in trouble!"
Percy read the note, his face turning into a frown.
"Potter,
By the end of the school year, your youngest son will fall at our hands. You will not have a chance to stop us, as we know your next moves. Tell your son and we will kill him sooner. Tell your wife and she will be targeted.
We know everything.
The Dark Lord will be avenged
The Cruciform"
"I need to get some help," Harry said, dropping into the seat that had been suggested to him by the Minister.
"Hermione suggested something which is not just risky but could make things worse. She suggested that I get Neville Longbottom and Ronald to help."
"But they've been out of the game for over 5 years!" Percy said, shocked at the suggestion. "I bet she wants you to reactivate them?"
"She does" Harry said, pulling some more files from the folder, "She suggested having Auror Longbottom at Hogwarts keeping an eye on Albus there, with on going inside them.".
Percy read the files and came to a decision. "Ok then Harry, you've got your approval. Just don't tell Ginny as I can't bear to see my sister targeted by these bunch of criminals! I just hope my successor in the next few weeks will see things the same way as me!"
The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland
1st September 2017
The First years came through the Grand Entrance, having braved the winds battering the lake, to find themselves standing in front of Professor Longbottom, who was waiting there with a sheet of parchment.
"In a minute, I am going to take you through the doors into the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your houses, but first I need to remind you that from this point forth, you represent the school in everything you do. Now let's enter to see the Sorting Hat.
After what felt an age, Arthur, Albus, Rose and Scorpius, along with the remaining First Years walked into the Great Hall in pairs following Professor Longbottom, looking at the ceiling in awe at how even though they arrived in rain, the ceiling was reflecting that.
"Why does the ceiling look like it is going to rain on us?" Arthur asked Rose, pointing up.
"It's because it is bewitched to look like that," Rose replied, "I think the founders did it, but I'm not sure why."
"I think Aunt Hermione told us the reason," Albus, who was behind them, said, "I'm sure you'd find it in one of your books Rose."
They walked through a sea of red hair on the one side of the Gryffindor table, signifying the mob of the Potter/Weasley family of various relatives, until they reached a stool with an old wizard's hat on it. The hat came alive upon the sight of the first year students and decided to sing out.
"I've been here years,
Or so I have learnt,
My flaps covered many ears,
But nobody I've burnt.
The founders, they made me,
To help them to sort,
Every year they let be,
Whilst a poem, I thought.
Gryffindor took the courageous,
And with bravery and might,
Whilst Slytherin took outrageous,
With the cunning and fight.
Ravenclaw took the clever ones,
And made them more smart,
Hufflepuff took everyone else's sons,
And took them all to heart.
But listen to me, a silly old hat,
The ickle First Years are starting to squirm,
Oh, watch out for Filch's cat,
As we start this whole new term!"
Professor Longbottom took the hat and turned to the First Years, pulling out a scroll of parchment from the pocket inside his robe. "I'm going to call your names out, one by one, and the hat will sort you into your houses. The first one up is Abbot, Minerva."
Minerva Abbot flinched upon hearing her name, but moved forward through the throng of First Years, until she reached the hat. Professor Longbottom put the Sorting Hat on her head and suddenly it shouted "Slytherin!"
Minerva Abbott ran to join her house while Professor Longbottom called for "Bones, Arthur". He didn't even need to put the Sorting Hat on his head when it shouted "Gryffindor!"
Professor Longbottom ran through the names of the First Years, until he came to Malfoy, Scorpius. He placed the Sorting Hat on Scorpius. After what felt to everyone like forever, it decided to speak. "You are like your father in some ways, but are completely different. Bravery and Courage run in your veins, hence I'm putting you in GRYFFINDOR."
"What!" Some of the Gryffindor table shouted as Scorpius went to the Gryffindor table. They did not expect a Malfoy to join them.
Professor Longbottom looked at his parchment and said, "Potter, Albus." The Gryffindor table were looking at him like a goldfish in a fishbowl, hoping, anticipating, wanting him to join their ranks.
Albus shuffled to the Sorting Hat, nervous, worried. Professor Longbottom put the Sorting Hat on his head, Albus's fingers crossed that it would take his opinion into account. "Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin" he whispered.
"Not Slytherin eh young Potter? Your father was the same as you, scared that he was going to be put there. Oh well, I may as well stick with tradition put you with your brother in Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat said, the Gryffindor table cheering at the fact that they got the second son of the Chosen One. The Potters were a bit of a celebrity family at Hogwarts so it was only fitting that Albus joined Gryffindor.
Albus ran over to his brother who gave him a hug. "I bet you were scared squirt?" James asked him, smiling at the young Gryffindor. "I know Father and Mother will be pleased to hear that you are in Gryffindor!"
Albus nodded, stuck for words ran to join the rest of the First Years, listening to the sorting going down to "Wallace, Anthony" being sorted into Slytherin. Then Professor called the final First Year, "Weasley, Rose".
Rose edged forward to the Sorting Hat, knowing the obvious result. The Sorting Hat sat atop her head and said, "I've sorted 18 generations of Weasley family members and they all have one thing in common, one thing I am going to do with you, and that is...Gryffindor!" She ran to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Albus, Scorpius and the rest of the first years.
Professor Longbottom took the stool and Sorting Hat and moved it to the Headmaster. Professor Flitwick stood up; holding onto the lectern and said "I know you're hungry so I shall say this one thing. Enjoy."
Albus looked at Rose and then at the table, noticing the amount of food on there. Rose turned to Albus and said, "Mother tried to get the house elves to unionise when she was here, saying that it was slave labour. Personally I don't care because I'm hungry!" She grabbed a chicken drumstick and a few roast potatoes and placed them on her plate to eat.
Albus turned to her and said, "You are so like Uncle Ron, eating everything you see! I am surprised that he hasn't put loads of weight. There again he must not do so as he was an Auror at one stage, just like Father."
One of the other first years nudged Albus's ribs, trying to get his attention from his cousin. "I'm Sean Sloper, my father used to be a Beater for Gryffindor, but my mom is a muggle. You must be Albus Potter and the good looking redhead next to you must be Rose Weasley."
Scorpius groaned at the part where Sean told Rose that she was good looking. He turned it into a laugh when he saw Albus looking at him, but Albus winked at him, accepting that Scorpius was more of a match than that Sloper boy.
A girl shuffled up to Albus, turning to the others, "Hey Al, Rosie. Did you enjoy your summer? I was helping in the Greenhouses a little bit!" she said, pointing to Professor Longbottom.
"Hey Alice, we went to the see the Harpies in action and went to their after match party. It's good having a mother who used to play for them!" Albus said to Alice. He turned to Scorpius and Sean, pulling out a signed photo of Ginny Potter from her Holyhead Harpies days. "Anyway Scorpius, Sean, this is Alice Longbottom. Her father is Professor Longbottom and her mother is Healer Longbottom, who works in the Hospital Wing."
"Pleased to meet you Alice," Sean said, "How do you know that Albus? It's your first year at Hogwarts and you know half the staff!"
"Half of them have been mentioned by Bat-Face" Albus said, noticing a confused Sean, "My brother James I mean."
"How come you call him Bat-Face?" Alice asked, "Surely he's not so bad?"
"It's because he tried to wind Al up," Arthur said, "And ended up with a Bat Bogey Hex for his troubles!"
"You know how to do a Bat Bogey Hex?" Sean asked, interested in Albus and his skill, "Isn't that forth year stuff?"
"Trust me Sean, Aunt Ginny is good at doing them," Rose said, eating a giant Yorkshire pudding at the same time, "She taught both Albus and Arthur how to do them over the summer, just in case James wound him up."
Desert came and was eaten, some of the students ravenous for extra, but Professor Flitwick climbed the pile of books to the lectern and the food disappeared. He took out his wand and then suddenly light flew to the lamps in the Great Hall, ready for his address.
"To our First Years, I want to welcome you to Hogwarts. To our returning students, I want to welcome you back. First things first, the Forbidden Forest is, as by the name, forbidden, even First Years are banned. Mr Filch, the Caretaker, has put a list up of the 498 items that have been banned from this school, which I have been forced to remind you. We have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Cho Chang, who will also be taking the flying lessons and Quidditch refereeing for this year. Finally, in January we will be having some special guests come in from the Ministry. Now I think it is time to get to bed, chip chop!"
The prefects for the Gryffindor table went up to the First Years in order to gather them up, ready to take them up to the Gryffindor tower. They walked up to the tower, avoiding a trick step on one of the staircases, eventually coming to a portrait of a lady known as The Fat Lady.
"Right first years, the password is Golden Snitch – which is ideal for those who follow Quidditch to remember," Dominique Weasley, one of the Prefects, told the Gryffindors. The portrait opened to reveal the common room, into which they all clambered. They came into the common room where they were presented with two staircases. "Boys are the one on the right and girls on the left. Your dorms are at the very top of the staircases."
"Albus, Arthur, Rose, can you stop behind for a second," James said, lounging on the sofa by the fire. Rose, Arthur, Albus and Scorpius stopped to listen to him, allowing the rest of their year to go up to the dorms, "I want to apologise to you."
"Whatever, Bat-Face," Albus said, "You'll probably get a Howler in the morning off Father for your destruction of the Hogwarts Express!"
"Bat-Face eh? At least I'm not friends with a Snake Head!" James said, forgetting the truce that he was about to form with his brother. "You should be in Slytherin with Malfoy and his Snake Head mates."
"Get lost Bat-Face," Scorpius said, turning from the dormitory staircase, "At least we didn't get detention from one of the Professors for every night this week for blowing up the Hogwarts Express."
"Guys, guys, stop the arguing. It's getting on my nerves, you're like Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron!" Arthur said, trying to keep the piece.
"Whatever Snake Head, go moan to your Death Eater father." James snarled, "You are going to get it!"
Albus and Scorpius climbed the stairs to their dorm to join Sean and two other lads in their year. Albus climbed onto his bed, reaching for a piece of parchment and a quill. He turned to Scorpius. "I am going to write to my folks, get them to talk to James."
"Dear Mother and Father,
Sorting was great. Me, Arthur, Rose and young Scorpius Malfoy have all been sorted into Gryffindor. I almost ended up in Slytherin but thanks to the tips you gave me, the hat took it into account.
James has been a little git, he's blown up the Hogwarts Express and got himself a weeks' worth of detentions!
Hope Lily is ok and that Teddy is getting through his Auror training great too. Vic was missing him so much, but there again what can you do with an engaged couple like them pair.
You wasn't lying when you mentioned the amount of food at the meal!
Love you so much
Al and Arthur"
Albus took it over to the point where his owl, Snowy, was perching in the dormitory and attached it to her leg. After the much-needed introductions to his dorm mates, he lay in bed and had a good night's sleep.
-The Fake Professor-
Coming Up in Chapter 04 – Owl Post is received by some people…
Disclaimer I don't own the Harry Potter series. Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. Any text used from the Harry Potter series is used under the fair use allowances of various copyright acts
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Type Multi Chapter / / / Status WIP
Distribution FFN, AO3, GryffindorTom Online
Story ID 066 / / / Publish Date 07/03/2017