Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any way shape or form. I do not claim to own him or anything else that may in fact be the thought of the lovely writer Jo Rowling is, please don't sue me. I do however own all original characters in whole or in part that appear in this story. This story is not HBP compliant, though quite a few things are taken from that book; again I own nothing except for the plot and original characters. Thank you for reading! –Gypsy Jade

Summary: Not fully HBP compliant. Harry starts having strange dreams and they all end the same, with unearthly silver eyes haunting him. Something is going on and for the first time in the last 10 years if not the history of Hogwarts two new teachers grace Hogwarts.

Author's Note: The first theory I'm putting forth is as follows. All Halloween Balls and events were cancelled as a show of respect for the murders of James and Lily Potter, Harry not really thinking about it has yet to make this connection. The second is as follows, because of the type of magical creature Yamele VanHouten is, there is a pull between her and one Harry James Potter, one that we will see in this chapter can lead them to trouble. Have fun kiddies and I dedicate this chapter to bladeofakira, you have no idea how you made my day by reviewing. –GypsyJade

Chapter 8

A Common-knowledge Secret

Harry woke up feeling refreshed, and as the cobwebs of sleep slowly dispersed themselves he vaguely remembered seeing silver eyes in his dreams again. He doubted they were anyone but Professor VanHouten, and yet this time it wasn't at all like the dreams he had over the summer. The eyes were sad and if Harry focused properly he was willing to bet they were also scared, this slightly unnerved Harry but only because he felt as if she were scared for something or someone else, not her own safety. But who's safety could she fear for…with such…passion?

Harry vaguely remembered going through his morning classes before Ron and Hermione pulled him into Potions. Neither Professor Snape nor Professor O' Riley were anywhere to be seen. Harry felt a nudge to his left and turned to see Ron holding out a piece of parchment, obviously a letter from the Weasley twins.

Harry,

Ron has dutifully informed us of our dear cousin's need to include you in one of her pranks. Now you (and really everyone else who's ever known us) know we enjoy a good prank, especially if we're pulling it. But we don't think you should get involved. Jasenia isn't the only one that knows Yamele, she dated Charlie for awhile and he's told us of her temper. He also told us that unless you truly like Professor VanHouten not to ask her to the Masquerade Ball.
We think if you truly did like her you should go for it, that way we can rub it in Jasenia's face that her plan backfired. She's aiming to embarrass her and annoy Draco Malfoy, though personally we think turning the little blonde git's robes into ferret pajamas with feet and tail would work much better in that department, but there's a better chance of Snape getting laid than either of us helping Jasenia with that one.

Well Harry we need to open up shop, do remember to come down and pay us a visit next Hogsmeade weekend.

Mischievously yours,

Gred and Forge

Harry shoved the parchment away in his bag just as Professor O'Riley walked in to start the lesson, but once again he felt eyes boring into him and during a lull in the lecture he chanced a look around to find Malfoy and Zabini looking at him; the former with a disturbed look on his face and the latter with a very Dumbledore-esc twinkle in his eyes. Turning back to his notes, Harry wondered if part of being in Slytherin was being a pain in everyone's arse. The potions lecture went on without much disturbance; that is until an extremely sour looking Professor Snape billowed in, tapped the blackboard where the rest of the notes appeared and cast a bubble type charm around himself and Professor O'Riley, glaring at her the entire time.

Harry, Ron and Hermione chanced looks at each other, this could not end well. What they could only assume to be shouting followed, a lot of it. Angry and snide remarks obviously came from both parties and as the end of the period came around they all left the two Professors still at each other's throats.

"I'm not sure we should have left them alone." Hermione was the first to break the silence as they made their way out of the drafty cold dungeons.
"And what would you have had us do Hermione? We may be Prefects but I'm sure getting in the middle of a Professor's quarrel would be a bad idea." Ron looked at Hermione as if she had gone mental. Whatever retort Hermione was about to give the youngest Weasley boy, was held back as another much cooler voice interrupted them.

"I'm warning you Potter. Stay away from my cousin. You can't handle her and I will not allow you or anyone else to embarrass her." Draco Malfoy had appeared out of seemingly nowhere, and though his words were an obvious threat he was only standing in the corridor, without his goons, though accompanied by Blaise Zabini.
"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Harry decided now would be a good time to pretend he had no idea what the Slytherin was talking about.
"As much as it pains me to admit it Potter you're not daft. She's the only thing I have left now, don't mess with her." Something that Harry never thought would happen did, Malfoy had a bit of emotion flit through those cold grey eyes of his. Before he had fully walked out of earshot Harry was compelled to answer him
"I wouldn't hurt her Malfoy." Blaise gave Harry a nod that they heard him and punched his blonde haired friend on the shoulder as if to say 'I told you so'.

Defense against the Dark Arts came too soon for Harry; it was a love hate relationship at the moment. He loved DADA and the teacher wasn't too bad to look at either, but Malfoy looked like he wanted to choke Harry (which was actually quite normal) and Zabini looked as if he had switched personalities with Dumbledore. Harry was seriously considering how much time in Azkaban he would have to do if he hexed the Italian boy.
"Please take out your homework." Professor VanHouten's voice interrupted his musings and Harry felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of her. Professor VanHouten wore low rise jeans once again, the dagger on her right hip as usual, and a corset style top without sleeves. She had four necklaces on today along with her gothic cross but it was her right wrist that drew his attention, Harry couldn't be completely sure as she also wore fingerless gloves that turned out to be arm warmers but he was almost certain she had something akin to a tattoo on her wrist. With a flick of her wand the parchments went up to Professor VanHouten's desk and sorted themselves, no one had written over or under.

"Now, let's see what spells and tactics are most common shall we?" with an almost lazy tap of her wand on the first stack of parchment she transferred the most common answers to the homework to the blackboard. She then repeated the same action with the other stack. Harry noticed one thing; at the top of both lists were the Unforgivable Curses.
"Well that certainly has not happened today, unfortunately for those of you that want to hear nothing more of the Unforgivable Curses, you will. In fact, I'd like for all of you to put everything away and set your bags and robes in the corner please." Professor VanHouten had a strange glint in her eyes. As they got up to do as she said, she piled the desks away in another corner of the room. The class watched her flick her wand again and candle light glowed softly, while large pillows filled the floor in a circle for them to sit on.

"Make yourselves comfortable. This will be both a lecture type class and a practical lesson; don't worry Hermione you won't need to take notes." Professor VanHouten smiled at Hermione as she seated herself on a large crimson pillow with silver embroidery. Hesitantly the class moved onto the pillows all waiting for the Professor to begin her lecture, Draco took a seat next to his cousin and Blaise sat next to him. In part to annoy Draco and in part to be closer to the Professor, Harry took the seat remaining next to her.

"All set then?" Professor VanHouten smiled around the class and began her lecture.
"I realize that many of you were left, for lack of a better word, traumatized by the unorthodox teachings of your then Professor. But you will have to revisit the Unforgivable Curses. I'm sure you all understand the reason they are unforgivable. Yes Neville?" The lecture was interrupted slightly as Neville raised his hand.
"Professor, why do we need to go over them again? Professor Moody showed us what they did…w-we don't have to do that again do we?" Harry watched as Professor VanHouten gave Neville a warm smile shaking her head.
"No, I won't subject you to either the Aveda Kedavra or the Crutatius Curse. You will decide for yourselves if you would like to learn to throw off the Imperious Curse. The reason why we must keep talking about these curses is simply because the best offense is a good defense. The more knowledge you have about these curses the more likely you are to understand them, and in turn those wizards who would use them. I'm sure this knowledge will help all of you in the future." Pausing to stretch out her legs Professor VanHouten allowed the class to think over what she said.
"Agree with it or not. Like it or not. Want it or not. You are all in the midst of a war. The Wizarding World at large is in full out war. But I want you all to understand that this is a war that will be fought everywhere. This war is not simply, good vs. evil, pureblood vs. half-bloods and muggleborns, light vs. dark, magical vs. muggle. This war goes beyond all of that. This isn't a war that your parents will fight, this is a war that has and will call on all of you to fight, often times not caring whether you are ready or not. There comes a time when innocence has to end, unfortunately for many of you it's already happened, for the rest of you that time is now." The gravity of her words settled upon the class, many falling into an uneasy silence.

"But what are you going to do about it?" Pansy Parkinson was the one to break the silence. The Slytherin Princess, as she was often referred to, had outgrown her pug like appearance, and now was the very beauty that often left boys and men speechless.
"I'm going to force you to think outside of your proverbial boxes. Pansy stand up please." Professor smiled at the girl and stood with her.
"I want to show all of you exactly how much you know about each other." Leaning in so that Pansy was the only one who could hear her Professor VanHouten instructed the girl. With a nod that sent some of her dark hair across her porcelain skin Pansy stood with the infamous Slytherin stance.
"Neville, what do you know about Pansy?" not being fully prepared to be called on Neville startled before answering.
"Well…she's a Slytherin; she's at least 16…" Professor VanHouten stopped him.
"I meant besides the rather obvious" Neville looked from Pansy to Professor VanHouten, as if unsure about what to say.
"Well…I saw her over the summer. When my grandmother took me to France, we met her and her mother there. I think she said…she has a cousin there." Pansy offered Neville a small smile before nodding her head to Professor VanHouten as indication that what he said was true.

"Mr. Weasley? What do you know of Pansy?" Harry watched Ron start to blush at being called on.
"She's dating Draco Malfoy…?" Pansy raised a perfectly kept eyebrow and shook her head towards Professor VanHouten.
"They broke up. Come now I'm sure you know something about Pansy" Harry watched as Ron squirmed in his seat.
"Well, I know there's a Parkinson that works at the Ministry with my dad." Ron seemed to breathe again as Pansy nodded.
"Very well Ron, Ms. Patil do you have anything to add?" Harry and quite a few other students, not all Gryffindors, groaned as one of the school gossips was called on.
"She's a death eater's daughter, just like her parents I'm sure." Professor VanHouten wrapped an arm around Pansy's frame as the girl attempted to lunge herself at Parvati.
"I do believe Ms. Patil, I asked for things you knew about Pansy, not things you assumed, or thought you knew." Realizing Professor VanHouten would take care of it; Pansy stopped struggling and stood still again.
"25 points from Gryffindor for slander, and Ms. Patil you will be serving a week of detention with Professor Snape. Pansy, if you would?" At this Pansy quite reluctantly pulled up her left sleeve to reveal, perfect porcelain skin.
"I am no more a death eater than Granger is a pureblood." The class sat in shock; this was not what they had expected.

Professor VanHouten dismissed them shortly after but not before presenting a new assignment, they were to find out about each other, and it had to be in Gryffindor/Slytherin pairs that she would later post. Harry wondered though, he wondered about this woman who had managed to take everything they had known, and shown them there was more to every story with a simple question. Putting his robe in his bag Harry looked up as the sudden realization hit him, he not only had a full grown crush on his Defense teacher, he was about to ask her to the Halloween Ball.

"Professor?" Harry could practically see the hatred rolling off of Malfoy as he approached them. For a brief moment he wondered how many spells Malfoy knew that could just kill him in a sense.
"What can I do for you Harry?" Those silver eyes entranced him as she turned to him, and for a moment Harry fought back shivers. If only Voldemort knew that Professor VanHouten completely threw him off, he'd be a dead man for sure.
"I was wondering if you would do me the honors of being my date for the Halloween Ball." Silence stretched out after his request, and Harry wondered if he had said anything at all.
Professor VanHouten dropped the papers in her hand and Harry assumed she heard him, of course the look on Malfoy's face could have told him that, he just hoped Malfoy would wait before hexing him to oblivion. Those students that had yet to leave watched in anticipation for the much sought after Professor's response.

Harry watched as she blinked slowly as if processing what he had said, jade eyes met silver in a gaze that Harry knew reached his soul, he wasn't sure what she was looking for but he hoped she would find it. Being the first to blink, Harry noticed Professor VanHouten's eyes dilate slightly before a sigh escaped the crimson lips that haunted him so.
"Yes, I'd be honored to be your date" The room remained silent as Draco Malfoy launched himself at Harry. Just as quickly as he had felt Malfoy on him Harry felt him being pulled off. Not that either came away unscathed, Harry was sure Draco had given him a bloody lip and bruised jaw, and Malfoy was now sporting the beginnings of a black eye. Hermione and Ron helped Harry off of the floor and Yamele had a firm grip on Draco.
"You ok mate?" Ron looked Harry over as their attention was drawn back to the cousins. "Pourquoi le faites-vous? Pourquoi lui? Yamele vous ne pouvez pas! " (1) Draco screamed at his cousin with the look of a desperate man about him, something in Harry boiled, Draco didn't believe him when he said he wouldn't hurt her.
"J'ai peu de choix Draco. Je ne peux pas dire, je suis son…et il est mon copain…il n'y a rien d'autre pour être fait" (2) Her words were melodic and Harry would have given anything to understand what she had just said, Draco didn't seem pleased, though the wide eyed look obviously spoke volumes about how much he did not want to hear what she was telling him. Reluctantly Draco looked away and in a very motherly action Yamele pushed his chin to look back at her.
"Draco, vous fiez-vous a moi? Fiez-vous alors à mes décisions. Je ne peux pas juste dire, il me rend pris de vertige. Et ne faites pas vous osez, Draco Malfoy, arrivez dans la voie de ce désordre. Je dois m'en occuper en conséquence."(3) She let him go and waved her hand over the papers, watching them flutter and restack themselves on her desk, clearing her throat quietly she drew Harry's attention back to her and rewarded him with a small smile.

"Like I said before Harry, it would be my honor. But I have to say I'm surprised you are even attending the Masquerade Ball" Professor VanHouten walked with them down to the Great Hall. There was a study session going on before the last classes of the day would let out for dinner, they had been on their way to get Ginny and apparently Professor VanHouten was escorting her cousin there as well. Harry gave her a puzzled look as they reached the doors and Hermione walked over to get Ginny.
"Why wouldn't I Professor?" Harry felt a bit awkward calling her that since he had been using her first name in his head, he'd have to ask what she would like him to call her for the Ball. At the moment the woman in question was looking at him solemnly and seemed to think twice before answering him.
"I thought you had realized…Halloween is the anniversary of James and Lily's murders, though many people in the Wizarding world celebrate it as the night you stopped Voldemort." Harry felt as if he had just been sucker punched, or had a bludger knock him off his broom. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back at those mercury orbs that did not pity him but held understanding and sympathy.
"You know where my office is if you ever wish to speak to me Harry. And if all else fails I'm sure you can find my private quarters just the same…if anything you can ask Fred and George" she gave him another small smile and made her way towards Professor O'Riley.

No one really heard what was going on, and The Golden Trio suspected that Professor VanHouten had cast the same spell as Snape had earlier. What proceeded was a hellish argument and that was without being able to hear what was being said. It seemed to end when Professor VanHouten walked away from Professor O'Riley, with a resounding ' pop' the spell was broken and the latter's voice rang through the deathly quiet Hall.
"This is the Wizarding world Yamele, are you afraid they will call you a cradle robber? Or just how eerie it is for a prediction to come true even if it came from the mouth of a then 4 year old half-breed…" if Professor O'Riley had anything else to say no one knew for her rant came to an abrupt halt as the startling sound of flesh hitting flesh was heard.

"Your mouth Jasenia, has always led you astray. Keep your pureblood nose out of my business; you know not what matters you trifle with…enfant" Professor VanHouten walked out of the Great Hall, and Harry was sure if she had been wearing robes they would have billowed better than Snape's. In her wake she left a very stunned Professor O'Riley, who realization seemed to dawn too late and whose eyes begged Harry's own, though for what he did not know.

Author's Note: The translations I used, the last one is a bit messed up so anyone who knows French and can decipher it for me I would love you forever! lol

(1) "What are you doing? Why him? Yamele you can't do this!"
(2) "I have little choice Draco. I can't say no, I'm his...and he's my mate. There is nothing else to be done"
(3) Draco, do you trust me? Trust my decisions then. I cannot just say... And do not dare, Draco Malfoy, to get involved in this. I must be consequently in charge of it."