Chapter Five

Our first DADA tutorial was Friday evening. If I can be honest I was pretty excited about the whole thing. Ginny was speaking to me again in sentences of more than two words, Ron and been bouncing off the walls all day, and, well, then there was Neville. He looked as if he was going to throw up as we opened the doors and saw the crowd of people waiting for us. There must have been fifty students, and not all of them Gryffindors either. Every house was represented, even Slytherin, but not by Draco. I wasn't surprised, I had lumped him in with Pansy who couldn't be bothered learning anything a Gryffindor had to teach.

We tried to organize everyone in rows on the floor, surrounding us to start with; the smallest in the front, the biggest in the back. Parvati's brothers had shown up, she just rolled her eyes as they poked at each other in nervous excitement, waiting for the show to begin.

It was very much like the DA sessions. Ron and Neville and I demonstrated the spells on each other, starting with Expelliarmus, and then Accio, and then we tried to break up the group into pairs, which we lined up, five at a time to have a go. As with the DA, some got it, some knew it, and some were, well, less than stellar that first night. Some even moved on, the seventh/eighth years starting practicing levator spells too. But it was quickly obvious to us that there just wasn't enough space for all that in the small classroom, and at about that point Minerva showed up. I only noticed her because everyone else fell silent suddenly.

"Well good evening Professor." I addressed her from midway down the room where I was showing a third year how to hold his wand overhand for his obviously smaller opponent.

"Good evening students. Please don't let me interrupt your practice." A few of the more confident students went back to their practice, most did not. "You have quite a large group here gentlemen. I had underestimated your popularity. Perhaps it would be best to move the tutorials into the Great Hall?"

If Neville had looked ashen before, now he was positively green. Ron had that ridiculous smile plastered to his face that just screamed 'stupid happy'.

"If you think that would be best Professor." I answered for all of us. I'm sure it was just the opposite of what Neville wanted to hear, but I had plans for him, just to make sure he was comfortable too.

"I will make all the necessary arrangements for Monday then." She turned on her heels; long grey skirts swirling as she did, and walked out of the room with a contented look on her face. She was pleased with us. That made me feel very proud. I went back to teaching the third year Ravenclaw.

My plans for Neville were simple, the first and second years who had shown up were keen, but ill prepared, and I didn't want them to feel self-conscious in front of people who had already been in battle. So when we took a little break from supervising for a moment, I asked Neville how he might feel about keeping them in the DADA classroom for private sessions before they began dueling. He was quite keen on that.

Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to be patronizing to Neville, and he didn't take it that way. I knew he was as capable and talented as the rest of us. I'd seen him in battle, and the image of him leading the charge with Godric's sword is one I will never forget. When he had too, he could muster unbelievable courage and skill. But I knew he wasn't comfortable being the center of attention; I guess I was getting used to it, so I felt more immune to the jeers that could come from failure. I didn't want him to have to go through that, not when it wasn't necessary. So there, I'm not a jerk for sending Neville away with the little ones. Just wanted to clear that up.

So, we finished up with the last of the pairs and expected that most everyone would then head out, it was after nine o'clock, after all, but no one showed any signs of leaving.

"We want to see the Patronus." Came a small voice, one of Parvati's brothers. I later found out his name was Jasmir, his twin was Arvind. The look on her face was one of complete embarrassment. I smiled at her, then at him.

"Okay."

I called over Ginny, who was making eye contact with me again, and then Ron, because I knew they could perform the spell, and Hermione, who had also come for the class, came to the center of the room too.

"If there's anyone else?" I offered. Neville came forward with a little grin on his face, which prompted a big smile from me, and so did Luna Lovegood, who I confess I hadn't noticed because she had cut her wild blond hair down to a short bob, and was wearing normal black school robes. I couldn't help but smile at her as well.

"Everyone?" They nodded and our voices rose.

"Expectro Patronum!"

From the tips of our wands burst forth all manner of animals. My stag raised its head and shook its antlers for the assembly. I loved to see him because it was a connection to my dad. Hermione's otter cavorted in an invisible lake above us, and Ron's terrier ran about in circles. Ginny's horse was by far the biggest of the group, especially beside Luna's hare. I couldn't help but grin my pleasure at Ginny for her accomplishment. But there was one other Patronus I hadn't seen before, Neville's. A wolverine. I loved it. It snarled and snapped at the air, so unlike Neville, but so appropriate. We let them all prance around for a few minutes, and then they dissipated in a shimmering rain to a round of applause. I felt like bowing, but I didn't. I just smiled, and so did most everyone else.

Ginny let me hold her hand as we went back to the common room, we gave the day's password, verdant; not sure where the portrait lady was going with that one. But she opened the hidden passage and we were immediately assaulted; no perhaps assaulted isn't the right word, overwhelmed? in a good way, with the smell of fresh baking, and brewed tea. The inevitable arrival into our common room provided the source. Kreacher was standing in front of a table, loaded down with trays of pastries, and jams and clotted cream, and carafes, of what I assumed were tea. He was staring around at all the other Gryffindor students who were also in the room, eyeing the treats rather hungrily. Not in a mean way mind you, just like a maitre'd at a restaurant, just waiting for the right moment to roll out the dessert tray.

"Ah master, you have returned."

"What's all this Kreacher?"

"Harry Potter taught his first Defense class tonight, Kreacher thought he would be hungry after such work, made him and his friends a table full of snacks." Now I knew there was a smile on the wizened little face.

"Kreacher, how absolutely wonderful of you."

"Now that you are here you must eat Master, so that all of your friends may eat too." Smiles brightened up on a number of faces, I noticed, obviously happy to be included in the feast.

"Thank you very much Kreacher." I reached out and grabbed a croissant, which signaled the others that they too should come forward. "But you should have something too Kreacher."

"But this is not for me Master, it for Harry Potter and his friends." He seemed a little confused.

"But you are my friend too Kreacher. And I insist." His little eyes looked just a trifle misty as reached a hand up over the edge of the table that was too tall for him, and grabbed a raisin bun. With a little nod, he disappeared. I know I have often wondered how the house elves at Hogwarts seemed to get around the anti-apparition spells, a different kind of magic I guess. Hermione gave me a nudge and a smile, presumably for my actions with Kreacher, and helped herself to a muffin.

So that day had been pretty good overall.