Disclaimer: I make no claim to Harry Potter or it's related properties

Spear Of Christ

Teachings

"Evan, there you are. What's that you're working on?"
Harry looked up as Remus entered the room. "Just lesson plans, did you need me for something?" He was sitting in his new office, sheets of parchment spread all over the desk in front of him.

"I'd like you to meet the the potions mistress, she's in the Great Hall."

"Yeah sure, I could use a break." Harry dropped his quill and followed Remus out the door.

"Good, Hermione's been pestering me for weeks about hiring a Defence teacher, I'd like to show her that I managed to find someone. Something wrong Evan?" Remus seemed to finally notice that Harry was no longer following him.

"Uh, what did you say her name was?"
"Oh, Hermione, Hermione Granger. She's been with us three years now, Head of Gryffindor house."

Remus must have noticed the shocked look on Harry's face, because he added, "Yes, the Hermione Granger. One of The Trio that defeated Voldemort. We're very lucky to have her."

"You know, I really do have to finish these lesson plans..."

"Don't be silly, they can wait. I can assure you, there's no reason to be nervous, she's not that intimidating. But then, I've known her since she was thirteen."

Harry was nervous as hell to see Hermione, he had no idea she'd be teaching here. He was trying to think of an excuse not to meet her just yet, but then reasoned with himself that they'd have to meet eventually and there wasn't much he could do to prepare himself, so why not now? Still, it was all too soon in Harry's opinion that he was shaking hands with the woman who had stood by his side for seven years, who had fought with him right until the end.

"Hermione, this is Evan Baxter, Evan – Hermione."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Evan."
"Likewise." Harry shook the proffered hand, feeling that he was drenched in sweat and hoping she wouldn't notice.

"Remus tells me you're from America."
"I've been living there for a few years, yes."

"Originally from the UK then?"
"Yes."

He was worried that they'd notice something was up with him, but both Remus and Hermione seemed to put it down to the fact that it was the Hermione Granger. Although he didn't like people to think he was scared, he'd rather they think that than suspect the truth. He was saved having to fill the awkward silence that ensued by the loud 'crack' that signalled the arrival of a House Elf.

"Mister Baxter Sir, your James is asking so Tendra is bringing him to you."

"Thank you Tendra." Harry took his child from the small elf, hoisting him up to his shoulder.

"Hey buddy, I want you to meet someone." He'd always found holding James to have a calming effect on him, and was grateful to that he'd chosen this moment to appear.

"This is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is my son, James."

Hermione seemed surprised to see James, perhaps Remus had neglected to mention him to her. Harry wondered how surprised she would've been had she known that James' real last name was not Baxter, but Potter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, James." Hermione lent forward to pat the boys shoulder, using that sweet voice adults always reserved for young children. James didn't reply.

The next few weeks followed without incident, and it seemed like no time at all before it was the night of September the first and Harry was sitting in the Great Hall, awaiting the students arrival. He was at the staff table, talking Quidditch with the ancient runes teacher, Terrance Higgs, when the relative peace was broken by the sounds of a thousand students thundering through the doors. The children quickly spread themselves out amongst the four house tables.

They didn't have long to wait before the double doors opened once more and in came Hermione, trailed by a long line of first years. She retrieved an old wizards hat and a three legged stool, placing one atop the other. Harry, along with the rest of the hall, stared intently at the hat. A moment passed before a rip appeared near the brim, opening wide like a mouth and the hat started to sing.

"Once there were four wizards,

The greatest of their time,

They built this castle big and strong,

And taught this hat to rhyme.

Their names are still remembered,

Though it's been a thousand years or more,

Ravenclaw Hufflepuff and Slytherin,

And good old Gryffindor.

They used this castle as a school,

To share that which they knew,

The only question plaguing them,

Was not what to teach but who.

For they each had their own qualities,

which they looked for in the young,

So Gryffindor took me from his head,

And gave me this fine tongue.

They charged me with the task,

of sorting students out,

To place them into houses,

When they were not about.

I'll describe right now for all to here,

What the four founders sought,

What set apart the students,

That each one of them taught.

A Gryffindor's a courageous fellow,

He'll never let you down,

He'll charge ahead he'll fight today,

To ensure he takes the crown.

A Ravenclaw's a clever girl,

Wise beyond her years,

She'll rarely get a question wrong,

She'll excel amongst her peers.

A Slytherin's a cunning man,

His secrets hide within,

If it's plots or plans you're looking for,

Look no further than in him.

A Hufflepuff's a loyal lass,

Her mates are a lucky lot,

You're always safe with her around,

'Cause a true friend is what you've got.

So place me on your head young one,

Where I can probe your mind,

I'll look around and read your thoughts,

There's nothing I won't find.

I'll put in you in the house,

With others most like you,

There you'll stay for seven years,

And learn the whole way through."

The hall burst into applause as the hat finished it's song. As Hermione read their names off a list, each new student walked forward and donned the hat, which shouted aloud the house they were to be placed in. Harry was getting pretty hungry by the time Logan Verine had been placed into Slytherin, and was relieved when Remus stood up and announced,

"I'm sure you're all as hungry as I am, so I'll wait 'till the end of the feast to bore you with the notices."

At this the plates filled themselves with the finest of foods from the kitchens, and students and staff alike proceeded to tuck into the magnificent feast. It had been along time since Harry ate a feast at Hogwarts, and he'd forgotten just how good they could be.

Once the plates had been licked clean, and the tables cleared, Remus stood once more.

"Now then, I'd like to start by welcoming you all to another year at Hogwarts. For those of you who are new today, my name is Remus Lupin, and I'm headmaster of this school. I'm sure you'll soon find that the dark woods on the edge of the grounds are known to most as 'the forbidden forest', I hope I don't have to explain why. I'd also like to introduce your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Evan Baxter." Remus gestured towards Harry who rose from his seat and gave a polite nod. "He'll be taking over from Professor Heathguard, and I ask that you all give him the respect a Hogwarts professor deserves. Right then, that's all from me. Prefects, if you would please lead the first years to the common rooms and show them their dormitories."

The next day, Harry stood behind the desk at the front of his classroom, watching as the third year Ravenclaws entered and took their seats.

"Good morning everyone. I'm Professor Evan Baxter, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm aware that I will be your third Defence teacher in as many years, which is obviously not an ideal situation. Neither of your previous teachers have left very detailed notes, so to start with I would like to ask a few questions, simply so I can see where you all are at." For the next hour Harry quizzed them on curses and creatures and everything else he recalled learning in his first two years. It soon became obvious that the students had done a lot of theory, but little or no practical. Nearly everyone could tell him what a grindylow was, but only two knew what the spell protego did – and neither of them had ever cast it. As he watched the students shuffle out the door, he remembered Lockhart's pathetic attempt to set up a duelling club, and thought that it wasn't such a bad idea. And at least Harry actually knew how to duel. Children can be very competitive, and it would give them incentive to practice and learn knew spells. He decided to see where the rest of the classes were at, before bringing up the idea with Remus.

It was towards the end of his third day when he noticed Hermione slip quietly into the room. She leant against the back wall and observed him telling the sixth years about the Cruciatus Curse. After he dismissed the students, she approached his desk.

"You seem to know an awful lot about the Dark Arts." It seemed to Harry that it wasn't much of a greeting.
"As so I should, I'm the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"You've been avoiding me."
"What?" Had she always been this blunt? "I don't even know you, why would I be avoiding you?" The truth was that Harry had been avoiding her, but she didn't have to know that.

"I don't know but you are. We've barely even spoken since we were first introduced. You don't even have your dinner in the Great Hall."

"I prefer to eat alone."
"Save it. I spoke to Remus and he said that you had been taking your meals their before I arrived."

"I was just being sociable, getting to know the other professors. And now that I have, I thought it would be fine if I simply took meals in my room. James prefers it as well."
"Does he just?"
"Yes. Look, I'm sorry if it seems like I've been avoiding you, but I've simply just been busy. This is my first year as a teacher, and I don't want to stuff it up. All this, creating lesson plans and thinking up homework assignments, it's all knew to me."

"So you haven't been avoiding me?"
"Of course not. Like you said, we've barely spoken, I have no reason to avoid you."

"Some people are intimidated by me, they've read about the things I've done, and sometimes meeting me makes them nervous. I noticed you were nervous at our introduction, and assumed this was the reason. But after observing your lesson, you don't seem like someone who's easily intimidated."

"Well, I'd like to think that I'm not, but it's not every day I get to meet the Hermione Granger. I mean, you're one of those that destroyed Voldemort."

"Harry Potter killed Voldemort."
"Yes of course, Harry Potter. You were good friends with him, weren't you?"

"That's right."

"You know, there's a lot of rumours about how he did it. Voldemort was a very powerful wizard. I heard he used dark magic to destroy him." He was eager to find out what Hermione thought about what he'd done. She'd been right there with him, and was one of the only people that knew exactly what happened, the measures he had taken to hunt down and destroy Voldemort.

"Harry did what he had to."

"That's a pretty vague answer. You never told anyone exactly how he destroyed the dark lord, did you?"

"Like I told every reporter from here to Timbuktu, I don't know exactly how Harry did it, but he did and that's what counts." Hermione was clearly getting annoyed with his line of questioning, but now that he'd started he didn't feel like letting up.

"That seems pretty unlikely. You were best friends with him for years, right up until his death. Perhaps the truth is that you were scared of him, scared of what he did, of what he became."
"Shut up! Harry gave his life so arseholes like you could live in peace. What does it matter how he did it?"

With that, she turned about face and stormed from the room.

It hadn't been his intention to annoy her, but perhaps it was for the best. The more she avoided him, the less chance she had of finding out his real identity. He wondered if she had really meant what she said. When someone died, their friends and family tended to forget the bad things they'd done and remember only the good. Was this what Hermione was doing? Or did she really believe he'd only done what was necessary? Harry knew what he'd done, and at the time he saw it as necessary, but he'd never known what Ron and Hermione really thought.