Chapter 12

Incredulous Stares And A New Professor

Harry looked out the small window opening in his carriage while his friends watched him apprehensively. He hadn't spoken much during their train ride and the time in the carriage. He merely looked out the window while fiddling with his hands nervously.

"Harry mate, you alright?" Ron asked looking at his friend.

Harry turned his head slightly and gave a quick smile before looking out the window again.

Ron looked at Hermione and shrugged. The carriage ride went quickly in silence and the four in it crawled out and practically ran past the group. Harry trailed behind with his head still down.

"Man I wish I didn't come," Harry thought every second on the journey to Hogwarts.

Some people stopped and glanced at Harry who would merely pretend to scratch his face or he would run to catch up with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

When they reached the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione sent Ginny off and waited for almost everyone to file in. They waited for Harry who walked sulkily behind some fourth years.

"Come on Harry. You should be happy to be back and all," Hermione said lifting his head up to look at her. He smiled and walked into the Great Hall behind Ron and Hermione. He had sadly forgotten to keep his head down. As soon as he stepped foot into the hall, it became deathly quiet.

Hermione looked at Ron who in turn looked at Harry who looked close to running straight out of the hall.

Ginny looked desperately at the former D.A. in the Gryffindor house who nodded in agreement.

Dean and Seamus stood up and yelled to the group of Hogwarts students:

"NOTHING TO SEE HERE! COME ON AND STOP STARING! BLOODY IDIOTS YOU ALL ARE! GET BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE DOING!" they yelled across the hall. Everyone immediately broke into whispers as Harry passed by to his seat next to Ginny and Neville.

Neville gave him a sympathetic smile before turning to Seamus.

"Thanks," Harry said to Dean and Seamus who waved his apology away.

"No need Harry. We owe you a lot," Seamus replied.

"I am starving! When are we going to eat?" Ron asked and on cue Dumbledore stood up and shushed the whole school.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!" his voice boomed and the school erupted into cheers, "Once the first years arrive and are sorted, the feast shall begin."

Immediately, the doors opened and Professor McGonagall walked in with many frightened first years following behind.

She set the stool down in front of the staff table and the sorting hat sang its song. The song had the same warning as last year but it was nothing new for the students at Hogwarts.

McGonagall picked it up and unrolled her piece of parchment.

"Abilene, Gregory."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Who do you think the new DADA teacher is?" Neville asked pointing to the man sitting at the table before them.

Harry glanced at him and took in the man's appearance. His hair was a blackish-blondish color that made his face look paler than most. He seemed tall sitting in his chair and his face was in a small smile at all times. He was thin man with what seemed like long, lanky arms and legs.

"Interesting looking man, isn't he?" Ginny asked staring at the man.

Harry nodded and the sorting went on.

What seemed like hours later, the sorting ended with Zarona, Jean who was happily sorted into Gryffindor.

Dumbledore stood up and looked at all the students who were all staring at the "dead" Harry Potter.

"Now is the time to it I suppose! TUCK IN!" he yelled before food flew across the tables and everyone dug in still looking at Harry.

"I hate people looking at me," he grumbled grabbing some Yorkshire pudding and chicken.

"Don't worry Harry. I'm betting that it will blow over soon enough," Hermione said reassuringly from across the table.

Harry nodded and began to play with his pudding.

"Excuse me," a small squeaky voice asked from behind Harry.

He whipped around and saw a very short first year girl standing awkwardly behind him.

"Yeah?" he asked.
"Well… umm… are you really Harry Potter?" she asked getting more excited by the moment.

Harry sighed and nodded. The girl squeaked loudly before running back to her first year Gryffindor friends who were watching the whole time.

He shook his head and went back to eating his dinner.

"Mr. Potter doesn't look very happy to be back does he?" Minerva asked the new professor who was seated to her right.

"I know. I hope he isn't like this all year," he answered gruffly.

"Not that you SHOULD care, right professor?" Snape added as he grinned happily at his fellow professor.

"Sod off, Snape," he snapped and turned back to shoveling potatoes into his mouth and watching the young Harry Potter eat unhappily at his table.

"Potter's not dead?" Crabbe asked Draco Malfoy, whose face was almost red with anger as he watched Harry sitting at his table.

"No, he's dead Crabbe. He's just a ghost," Malfoy answered sarcastically.

"Oh," Crabbe and Goyle said in unison.

"Nit wits," Draco muttered before he went back to glaring at Harry.

When everyone's stomachs were filled up, Dumbledore stood up once again and addressed the students with a smile.

"And here we are for another year at Hogwarts! Now as you may know, the Forbidden Forest is, as it is named, forbidden . Mr. Filch has told me to remind students that any Weasley Wizarding Wheezes pranks that were found in possession of a student will result in numerous detentions. Now, we have a new addition to our staff! Since we no longer have Professor Umbridge," Dumbledore said and the school erupted into the loudest cheers yet.

"In the position of Defense against the Dark Arts we have Professor Hund. Please welcome him with open arms. Now that we are finished here you may proceed to your dormitories. Good night," Dumbledore said and soon the Great Hall doors opened wider and the students filed out.

"I guess I'll see you guys later," Harry sulked as he walked away, eyes following him every move he made.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other as Ginny walked up smiling.

"Where's Harry then?" she asked. Her smile disappeared as she caught sight of Harry going up the stairs avoiding all the questions thrown at him.

"Why won't people leave him alone?" Ron asked walking hand-in-hand with Hermione and Ginny to his left.

"Ron, we have our own "celebrity" here, not many schools have someone like Harry," Ginny said sadly.

"I guess," Ron agreed before he, Hermione, and Ginny walked to Gryffindor Tower.

Harry made a fast break for his dormitory. Students would turn and begin to yell at him for running but would stop short. They would look at him but once they did a double take, he was gone.

When Harry finally made his way to the dorm, he said the password (Enervate) and went straight to his dorm.

He sat on his bed and caught his breath. He looked around and fell backwards on his bed.

"Hey Harry," Neville said yawning as he walked into the room.

"Hey Neville, how's it going?" Harry asked lifting his head slightly to look at Neville.

"Good I guess. But can I ask you something?" Neville sat hesitantly on Harry's trunk which was positioned at the end of his bed.

"Yup, sure," Harry replied rubbing his eyes.

"Why did you try and save Sirius that day in the Department of Mysteries?" he asked quickly.

Harry sat up and looked at Neville.

"I had too. If I didn't try I would have rather died. I would have rather been dead than alive if it meant knowing each day I could have saved someone and I didn't try," Harry told Neville looking him straight in the eyes.

"Why do you do that Harry? You blame yourself for everything bad that happens to anybody?" Ron said walking in and sitting next to Neville.

"It is my fault though," he said looking at his room mates.

"It isn't Harry. You blame yourself for everything! I remember I fell off my bed that one time you had this one nightmare and I hit my head and got a bump. You felt guilty for almost two weeks and you kept saying sorry. You even put a special pillow next to my bed," Seamus said walking in with Dean who nodded in agreement.

Harry looked down and blushed a bit remembering when that happened.

"You need to promise to stop doing that then. Okay Harry?" Neville asked standing up and everyone looked at Harry.

He reluctantly nodded and once everyone was satisfied they changed into their pajamas and crawled into bed.

"Night all," Seamus said turning out his light.

Ron was already asleep, snoring like mad. Neville was murmuring something and Dean was trying to turn off his light without picking up his head.

"Night Seamus," Harry replied before turning over and falling into a fitful sleep.