Early the next morning found Harry and Ron patrolling the halls and assisting any new students with finding their way to the Great Hall for breakfast, as well as keeping their eye out for any troublemakers. Ron was ranting about his annoyance over the two-way mirrors that were a new solution devised by Headmistress McGonagall for the heads and prefects to more easily contact one another. Ron had been woken no less than three times the night before by some inept buffoon who couldn't figure out how to use their mirror properly. Harry held back a laugh at that. Ginny had prank called Ron on her two way mirror several times the night before in retaliation for something he had done to her while Harry was out on his auror mission earlier in the week. Just the thought of Ginny made him remember last night and their time up in the tower. It had been a seriously amazing reunion.
"Are you even listening to me?" Ron asked a minute later.
"Uh…no," Harry confessed, "Sorry, I didn't get enough sleep last night and I'm having trouble concentrating."
"I bet your lack of focus has more to do with what you and my baby sister got up to last night after you snuck out than a lack of sleep," Ron accused.
Harry smirked and said, "You would win that bet." Ron made a disgusted noise to which Harry replied, "Like I wouldn't be entitled to make the same sound about you and Hermione defiling the couch in our dorm after we left."
"Hey…how did you know about that?" Ron asked as he flushed deeply.
"I didn't, I was just guessing," Harry laughed at the discomfort on his friend's face.
Eventually the traffic in the hallways slowed and they headed into the Great Hall to eat some breakfast before their first class.
The heads of house were already distributing class schedules along the tables. The new transfiguration teacher, Professor Embers, had also taken over as the new head of Gryffindor house and was edging along the table toward where he and Ron were sitting.
"Mr. Weasley, here is your schedule. Mr. Potter, Headmistress McGonagall would like to see you in person about your schedule, you should meet her in her office in ten minutes. The password is Dumbledore."
"Thanks," Harry said.
When he had finished his breakfast, he made his way to the Headmistress' office. She was waiting for him and quickly directed him into one of the chairs before her desk.
"Potter, I wanted to go over your schedule with you personally. As you are teaching a class and taking auror training as a class your schedule is quite a bit different than anyone else's." She placed his schedule between them on the desk before beginning, "You will be in Herbology, Transfiguration, Potions and Charms with the rest of the seventh years from your house. Additionally you will teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class for all the seventh years twice a week. Finally you will have auror training three times a week, but the times vary to fit them between all the rest of your classes. Additionally, since you have so much on your plate this year you have been granted a time turner. It will allow you to go back and do hours over again to help accommodate all your classes, homework, teaching, auror, Quidditch and head responsibilities, not to mention the time you'll want with Miss Weasley. Do you know how it works?"
Of course he knew how it worked, after all that been the key to saving Sirius and Buckbeak back in third year but to protect Hermione he said, "No, explain it to me."
She explained to him how to use the time turner and all the rules surrounding it. Then when she had finished she wrote him a note and sent him to his Potions class, which was already underway. When he arrived Professor Slughorn greeted him heartily despite his late arrival interrupting the class. When he settled into the seat that Ginny had saved beside her she whispered, "Ron said McGonagall wanted to see you."
"Yeah, my schedule is a little complicated and she wanted to explain it in person," Harry said.
"Do we have most of our classes together?" Ginny asked.
"Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and Herbology, we do. And you're a student in my Defense class. I have auror training on my own. Any other classes you have are on your own," Harry whispered back.
"Just arithmancy and astronomy then," Ginny said happily.
Despite Slughorn's admiration of Harry he shot the couple a warning look as he continued on with his lesson about medically healing potions. Together Harry and Ginny brewed a potion that stopped internal bleeding and received high praise from Professor Slughorn.
When the class was over Harry escorted Ginny to Arithmancy before returning to his dorm. He had a free period in which to prepare for the first Defense class he would teach. Harry lay on his bed and tried to think about what he should teach and was coming up blank. After some serious thought Harry decided that he would run the class how he had run the DA, informally. He would let the students dictate what they wanted or needed to learn. Before he let his mind move to other topics he wondered if he should ask Headmistress McGonagall if there was a list of topics he could work from, perhaps the things covered on the NEWT for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He glanced at his wristwatch and saw that he had nearly an hour and a half until his lesson. Ginny was going to come fetch him from the dorm just before. Maybe he would take a little nap, he really hadn't gotten much sleep last night; he and Ginny had spent a lot of quality time up in the astronomy tower. He let himself think back as he relaxed further into his pillow, a smile gracing his face.
Together they quietly left the dorm beneath the invisibility cloak. Harry smiled to himself. It seemed odd to be using it to sneak off and do something like snog rather than to rescue someone or something. Holding hands beneath the cloak they made their way to the astronomy tower, somewhere they had come to think of their place in the castle. When they arrived in the tower Harry conjured an armchair and tossed the cloak onto it. Ginny grabbed the end of his tie and towed him toward her saying; "Finally I can kiss you like I have wanted to all day without worrying about prying eyes." Tenderly she removed Harry's glasses and tucked them into a pocket of her robes. She leaned her forehead against his; looking into his emerald eyes and said, "I love you, Harry." Unable to resist any longer Harry closed his eyes and gently touched his lips to hers as he pulled her body flush with his own. Her hands threaded into his hair as her tongue ran along his lower lip. He pulled back just enough to say, "I love you too," before they crushed their lips together. For a while that was enough, their lips and tongues dancing together. But soon Harry felt Ginny's hands loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt beneath. She worked to un-tuck his shirt from the back of his pants before sliding her hands up his bare back and lightly raking her nails down his spine, eliciting a shiver and a groan out of Harry. In response Harry's mouth moved to a spot beneath her ear as his hands moved to the buttons of her shirt. In her haste to have his hands upon her Ginny tried to help and instead managed to pop two buttons off her shirt; as they clattered nosily to the floor in the silent tower Harry's hands slid around her waist and his mouth moved to the apex of her neck and shoulder where he sucked her beautiful freckled skin. Ginny took Harry's hands under her own and slid them up to her breasts. A thrill ran through Harry as he imagined unclasping her bra and touching her the way he really dreamed of. Instead he handled her through the material and knew that there would be plenty of time for that later on. If he let himself get carried away now there might be no turning back. They wanted to wait for their wedding night; he didn't want one night up in the tower to deprive them of that. He kissed her with abandon and when he removed his hands from her chest, to show her that it wasn't because he didn't want her, he drove her against the wall and ground against her, letting her feel how turned on he was. Ginny gasped in appreciation and groaned into his mouth. Usually it was Harry who halted things around this time but it was Ginny who said huskily, "We have to stop. I don't want to, but we need to." After a few more pecks they separated to straighten up before climbing into the armchair together. "So, tell me what you can about the mission in Scotland," Ginny said in an effort to move past their urges and back into safer territory.
Fifteen minutes before Defense Against the Dark Arts was due to start Ginny leaned over Harry's bed and kissed him awake. "Dreaming about last night?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact…" Harry said drowsily before switching directions and asking, "How did you get in here?"
"You told me the password last night, remember?" Ginny replied.
"No," Harry said, "I mean, you are in my room."
A look of comprehension crossed Ginny's face and she said, "I have no idea, come see if you can get into my room."
Harry grabbed his bag and followed Ginny through the panel in the study area to her room. She flopped gracefully onto her bed and beckoned to him flirtatiously. Harry dropped his bag outside the door, rushed through the barrier and settled beside her on the bed. With a grin he kissed her.
"Maybe it was a fluke?" Ginny asked.
"I doubt it," Harry said, "I'm sure McGonagall is behind it, there is some kind of trick to it."
"You'll have to ask her about it next time you meet with her. But now, we need to go, you have a class to teach, Professor Potter," Ginny said.
Harry groaned in response. How had he let himself be talked into this? He wasn't going to be able to teach a class. Outside the classroom, which was already noisy with students, Ginny kissed him and whispered, "You'll be great," before she walked into the class alone. Harry stood in the hall for a moment wondering how to approach this. Outside of Ron, Hermione and Ginny none of the seventh years knew that he was teaching this class. While he planned to run his class like how he had run the DA, this was different. The DA was voluntary and they had asked for his help. Now he was being forced upon them as a figure of authority and this class would include Slytherins and students from other houses who weren't necessarily friends of his. The bell sounded through out the corridors and Harry entered the classroom. He slung his bag onto the desk and nervously faced the class, his class.
"Harry," Seamus called, "Just because you are the hero of the wizarding world doesn't mean you can pick ANY desk in the classroom."
Harry chuckled nervously along with about three quarters of the students. When they realized he wasn't moving the room became quiet and they gave him their attention. "Actually Seamus, this desk up here is mine. By an interesting turn of events I am the instructor for the seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts class this year."
A few people hooted, Harry was unsure if it was in glee or disbelief. The Slytherins, as usual, glared at him from the back of the room. Ron, Hermione, Ginny as well as nearly everyone else that had been a member of the DA beamed up at him; Dean was of course the exception.
"How?" Neville asked finally, speaking what seemed to be on the mind of everyone in the classroom.
"Headmistress McGonagall contacted me over the summer to ask if I would be willing to take on the class. It seems that they were unable to find a new teacher to take on the Defense job. Six of the current teachers are taking on one year apiece and that left one year without a teacher. She knew that I taught many of you in DA and as I'm an auror now I'm qualified to teach….so, here I am," Harry explained.
"Brilliant," Neville said happily, "I learned more from you during fifth year than I did from most of our other Defense teachers combined. Outside of Lupin, that is."
"Is there an assigned textbook?" Padma asked, "When I bought my books there wasn't one listed."
"No, there isn't," Harry said, "The reason being that I'm going to run this class similar to how I ran the DA. It is going to be very informal. If there is something that someone wants to learn I will teach it. Otherwise I'm going to get a list from Headmistress McGonagall of what is covered on the Defense NEWTS so that I at least cover all of that. Any questions?"
Chatter buzzed through out the classroom but no one actually raised their hand or called out a question, Hermione used this as her cue to ask, "What are you teaching us today, Harry?"
The room fell silent again as they all waited for his answer, "What do you want to learn?" he asked in return.
Harry's eyes nearly fell out of his head when Pansy Parkinson raised her had and asked, "Can you teach us how to produce a Patronus? I know that you and most of your friends can produce one and I'd like to know how to do that as well." Most of the Slytherins sitting around her nodded in agreement. Harry had to wonder just how much of an influence Malfoy had had when he was here. Perhaps it was just that the war had changed everyone. Still, he hoped that if Malfoy returned to Hogwarts after his trial, provided that he didn't end up in Azkaban, that things would not revert to how they used to be.
"Sure," Harry said, "That would be an excellent place to begin. It will be a good refresher for those of you who were in the DA as well." He perched on the edge of his desk and continued, "The Patronus Charm is most commonly used for warding off or shielding against dementors. There are few other uses as well such as delivering messages and warding off or shielding against Lethifolds. I assume that everyone here is aware of what a dementor is. A Lethifold is a similar creature but is only found in the tropics. The incantation is 'expecto patronum'. When you cast the spell you want to be thinking about the happiest memory you have. The patronus is actually an incarnation of your own positive feelings so the memory needs to be a very strong happy memory. The patronus cannot feel the despair and depression that the dementors incite which is why they can protect us."
"Harry, can you tell us why everyone's patronus takes on a different form?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Harry replied, knowing that she knew this answer herself but was trying to help him as he'd been starting to get a bit long winded before, "A corporeal, or full-fledged, patronus takes on an animal form that is somehow significant to the witch or wizard casting the spell. Typically it reflects some characteristic of the caster. It is rare, but it has been known to happen that sometimes a person's patronus will change forms out of love for another person."
"What do you mean by that last bit?" Ron asked.
"I know personally of a few cases where a person's patronus has changed to match the patronus of the person who they were in love with," Harry explained.
"What is your patronus?" Pansy asked interestedly.
"A stag," Harry said.
"How does that reflect your personality?" Pansy asked.
"Well, my Dad was an illegal animagus. He turned into a stag and that was the shape of his patronus as well. He died when I was only one but when I started school here at Hogwarts I heard all the time how much I looked and acted like him so I suppose that influenced it," Harry explained. "Maybe some of the DA members who managed to cast a corporeal patronus can tell us what form it took and why that is reflective of you."
Hermione raised her hand first, Harry nodded at her and she said, "My patronus is an otter. Otters live in groups and value leadership. One otter is always the leader and I feel that I identify very strongly with taking the lead."
Luna raised her hand and said, "Mine is a hare. Hare's are naturally graceful and inquisitive animals; both of which are characteristics that I also possess."
Ron didn't bother raising his hand but when Luna finished said, "Mine is a Jack Russell Terrier because of how loyal I am to my friends and family."
Seamus added, "Mine is a fox because I'm crazy like a fox." The whole class laughed at this before Seamus added, "Just kidding. It is a fox because I can be sly and cunning when I want to be."
Harry directed his gaze at Ginny but she shook her head minutely at him. Not sure why she was resisting he persisted, "Ginny, isn't your patronus a horse?"
She narrowed her eyes at him before quietly saying, "It used to be."
"It changed?" Harry asked in awe.
"During the final battle at the castle it was a horse, the next time I cast it, it was a doe," Ginny said. Her eyes focused intently on his before adding, "It changed to match yours, like you were talking about before."
"Oh," Harry said as his eyes remained locked on hers and a small smile played around the corners of his mouth. Ginny flushed under his gaze and smiled back.
"Honestly you two," Ron muttered, "Harry, are you going to cast your patronus for us or not?"
Coming back to himself he said, "Sure, sure." Not having to look far for a happy memory he drew his wand and yelled, "Expecto Patronum." The silver stag burst from his wand and cantered gracefully around the perimeter of the classroom before returning to stand beside Harry for a moment before disappearing. "Does anyone else want to demonstrate their patronus?"
Hermione, Ron, Seamus, Luna and reluctantly Ginny came up to the front of the classroom and cast the Patronus charm. Seamus' fox patronus chased Ron's Terrier and Luna's hare around the front of the room. Hermione's otter swam lazy circles around her head and Ginny's doe, which Harry was most interested in, proudly trotted around the room apart from the others. After a round of applause from the rest of the class they took their seats and Harry said, "Do not be fooled by the examples you have witnessed here today. The Patronus charm is a very difficult piece of magic. Many witches and wizards who are finished with school struggle with it. For the rest of the class why don't we practice, perhaps those of you who are proficient at this charm could help others."
Harry wandered around the classroom assisting where he could and giving encouragement. He was glad to see the Slytherin bunch participating and looking so content to be there. The only person who looked like they'd rather be anywhere but here was Dean. Harry vowed that he would take Dean aside after class and get to the bottom of this. He was tired of someone who he'd considered a friend for so many years looking at him with such utter dislike. By the time the bell rang to signal the end of the lesson Neville had succeeded in casting a Patronus and several of the Slytherins were managing feeble non-corporeal ones. Harry asked that for homework everyone practice on their own. "Dean," Harry said as the class filed past him out the door, "Can I have a word?"
Ginny looked at him in surprise and he shook his head at her, indicating that everything was fine. She left the room with Hermione and Ron. When he and Dean were the only two left he rose to close the door before sitting back on the edge of the desk.
"You wanted to see me?" Dean asked.
"I just wanted to talk to you about this anger you have with Ginny and I," Harry said, "I want to understand and I just don't. You and Ginny broke up before she and I got together and now, a year and a half later, you are lashing out about she and I being together. I've considered you a friend for too long to just let it go."
Dean sighed and said, "I just want her back."
"I can understand that to some extent," Harry said, "But she's with me now. You have to let it go."
"What if I can't?" Dean asked.
"You need to try. Ginny and I are against it but Hermione noticed your behavior and wanted to report you to McGonagall. After the things that happened here last year McGonagall is not willing to put up with anything that threatens another student. She will put you on a train back to London so fast…"
Dean cut in saying, "It's not so much that I'm in love with her and that is why I want her back. I mean, part of me is still in love with her but there is more," He stopped and sighed heavily before saying, "The last good times in my life were when Ginny and I were dating. I just want to go back to that and be happy again. We broke up and I had to watch her with you. Then the castle got attacked and Dumbledore died. Then I had to spent my seventh year on the run from snatchers…it just seems like everything went downhill after that. I still have nightmares about my time on the run. It just seems like nothing is ever going to be good again."
"I know what that feels like," Harry said sympathetically, "I mean, my life was rubbish up until Voldemort finally died. I mean, no parents, living with the Dursleys, Voldemort constantly trying to kill me….but it was worth it to be as happy as I am now. Dean, I have to believe that things are going to look up for you. You're a great guy, there's a girl out there for you and I think being back in the castle this year is going to go a long way toward healing all of us."
"You're right Harry, of course," Dean said and flashing a smile that looked more like himself than Harry had seen in a long time, "I'm sorry that I've been taking things out on you and Ginny. She and I never would have worked anyway, even when we were together I could see that she looked at you in a certain way; I just didn't want to believe it. I will leave the two of you alone, I swear."
"Just promise me two things," Harry said, "First, apologize to Ginny. Second, next time something like this is bothering you come talk to me, or someone, but don't let it fester until it turns into something like this. We're all trying to get over everything that happened last year; we can all help each other. Okay?"
Dean nodded and said, "Okay." He rose from his seat and held out a hand to Harry who shook it. Harry intended on walking with Dean all the way outside to the greenhouses for Herbology but when he pulled the door open Headmistress McGonagall was standing on the other side.
"Harry, can I have a word?" She asked. Harry nodded and she turned to Dean and said, "You may go, Dean." When the door closed behind Dean she turned to Harry and said, "First off, that just now with Dean was very well handled. I knew that you would make an excellent Head Boy. But that isn't why I came. That was a very good first lesson. You are going to be a wonderful teacher. I will leave the list of Defense topics covered on the NEWTS in your dorm."
"How?" Was all Harry managed to ask.
"We Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts have many secrets," Headmistress said with a wink, "Perhaps one day should you hold this post you will lucky enough to learn of them all."
"No offense, but that is a job I hope never to hold," Harry said.
She chuckled lightly and said, "Potter, you'd better be off to your next lesson; unless there was something else?"
"Can you explain to me the barriers on the bedroom doors in our Head dorms?" Harry asked.
"Why do you ask?" She said.
"Well last night when we moved into our rooms girls could not enter boys rooms and vice versa," Harry explained, "But just before this class Ginny came to wake me up from a little nap and she had no problem getting into my room and I could get into hers as well."
"How about Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley?" She asked curiously.
"I don't know, they weren't there with us," Harry said.
"Last year there was a lot of fooling around in the castle," She said, "While I realize that there are many places in the castle that students use to that end, I felt some extra precautions were necessary this year to try and curtail it a bit. There were many students who found themselves in a spot of trouble. I set up the bedrooms in the Head dorms with a spell that would block anyone of the opposite sex from entering as I did with all the dorm rooms in the entire castle. There was one exception; we have never had an engaged couple at the school that were also both Head students and therefore living in adjoining dorm rooms. The spell on you and your finance's dorm rooms was designed to allow you entrance into each other's rooms when it could sense that in your heart you didn't intend to use your bedrooms for illicit purposes."
"But last night when I tried to enter Ginny's room just to see it I was blocked and I had no illicit purposes then," Harry pointed out.
"The spell takes a little time to work, it didn't know your intentions yet," She explained.
"Will Ron and Hermione's doors react in the same way?" Harry asked.
"I did not build such a loophole into their spells," She said with a twinkle in her eye, "It didn't seem fair to me that an engaged couple so close to their wedding couldn't shut themselves into one bedroom or the other for a private conversation. Had you not proven that you didn't intend to engage in other activities then the barrier would remain."
"You are crafty," Harry said with a smile then blushing slightly he said, "Thank you."
"Just don't make me regret my decision," McGonagall said.
"No, we plan to wait…" Harry confessed embarrassedly.
"Very noble," She said somewhat proudly, "Off to class now, here is a note excusing you from being late."
As Harry walked out to the greenhouses he thought about how nice it would be to wake up to Ginny climbing into his bed and kissing him awake now that the barrier was down.
He wondered fleetingly if there was any way that the barrier would be reinstated once it had been removed.
Author's Note: First, to thank my beta who reviewed this chapter for me…since I am just terrible about finding my own mistakes no matter how many times I proofread, it was time to go in that direction. So…. lessxthan3maggie Thank you so much! You rock!!
Second, let me say sorry to those of you who thought I was not going to start with the reunion but instead used it as a flashback…and I miss-spoke in my last author's note…I wouldn't have had the entire chapter be the reunion….the story always needs to move forward, at least a little bit. I hope there was a good balance in this chapter. This is not the end of the first day. Harry still has auror training. This chapter was starting to feel a bit long to me and rather than cut the training short I'm opting to split the first day back into two parts.
As always I love to get feedback…so review and let me know what you think or if you have ideas for me! Thanks!
If you know what Neville's patronus should be let me know….I have a few ideas but I'm not sure I love them.
Best,
Tinkerbell