The Talk

Inus decided to give the talk to his fifth year Gyffindor/Sytherin class first because Hermione, Ron and Neville knew him as Harry Potter. He said to the class, "You won't be needing to open your books today. As you remember, I was possessed by Voldemort. He left me and possessed Harry Potter's body."

Neville looked at him like he wanted to raise his hand.

"I didn't remember anything that happened before I woke up at the hospital. Headmaster Dumbledore had to tell me my name," said Inus. "I now remember at the loss of other memories. It appears I can't remember being two people at the same time."

Having her hand raise, Hermione looked like she would burst if Inus didn't call on her. He asked her to speak.

"Professor Quirrell, don't you remember being Harry?" asked Hermione.

"I remember the past three years," said Inus. "Back to the subject at hand, Headmaster Dumbledore says possession and body theft are Dark Arts subjects."

Millicent raised her hand.

Inus pointed to her. "Miss Bulstrode?"

"What was it like being possessed by someone?" she asked.

"Terrifying," said Inus. "I feared he would push me out at any time. He was always telling me what to do. He made me feel incompetent and weak. He needed me. I was the one in control, only I didn't feel that way at the time."

"Are you Potter or Quirrell?" asked Draco Malfoy.

"I'm Professor Quirrell," said Inus. "Harry Potter died with Lord Voldemort. His destiny was to vanquish the Dark Lord."

"That portrait is of Professor Quirrell," said Malfoy. "He fainted like the original fainted from his own troll."

"I have Harry Potter's soul," explained Inus. "The original Quirinus Quirrell died of a heart attack during his battle with Harry Potter."

Neville raised his hand. "Aren't you Harry?"

"I was until I forced Professor Snape to unlock Quirrell's memories. Then I made the choice to be Quirrell. I chose my path," Inus said. "Body theft isn't a subject that people like to talk about. It is too personal, too scary. Even learned professors whisper about it in darkened corridors."

The students appeared to be listening to his every word.

"We need to define terms first. Body switching can be done by potion or magical item," said Inus. "This usually lasts less than a day and is fairly harmless magic. Possession or body theft is considered dark magic. Possession is usually done by a spirit or ghost. Someone in a deep trance can also possess someone. Voldemort was able to possess Potter and myself because he was spirit. Body theft is when a spirit forces the original owner of the body out. Voldemort stole Harry Potter's body."

"And you stole Quirrell's," said Pansy.

"Miss Parkinson, 20 points from Slytherin for speaking out of turn," said Inus. "I didn't technically steal Quirrell's body since he was already departed."

Pansy raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Parkinson," said Inus.

"We only have your word on that," said Pansy.

"I no longer remember the events in question. However, Madame Pomfrey and the hospital have records of how long my heart wasn't beating, and I refuse to argue on the subject." Inus needed to change the subject back to body switching and body thief. "When body switching normally occurs the souls involved tend to drift back to their own bodies within a day or less. I was out of my body for three days by the time anyone knew anything was amiss."

Lois Farmer, the new student, raised her hand. "Why didn't your soul return to its own body?"

"Lord Voldemort's magic must have been strong enough to keep me out," said Inus. "I went in and out of consciousness while on the stretcher and my first couple days in hospital. I could have been trying to get back to my own body. My first good memories of being in hospital are on my third day there. Dumbledore brought Lord Voldemort to hospital and attempted to switch us back and failed."

Pansy said, "Please, don't call him that."

"His name can't hurt you," said Inus. "Back to what I was saying. I want to see those quills moving; this is a dark arts subject. When body theft occurs, the first thing the body thief does is kill his original body. However, Lord Voldemort's body was already destroyed by Lily Potter's magic. Thus, his soul had nowhere to drift to, so my soul couldn't return to its own body no matter how often it must have tried."

"How awful," said Lavender Brown.

"I'm over it," said Inus. "I was told by the nurses at St. Mungos that this is what Harry looks like now. After three years, that portrait came as quite a shock."

Lavender asked, "Don't you want your body back?"

"This is my body as much as your body is yours," Inus answered, pointing to his chest. "I'm the person using this body; thus, it is mine. Wanting what you can't have leads to madness. Dumbledore talked about men looking at the Mirror of Erised until they waste away."

"It's been in the ground three years," said Hermione. "I don't think it's good for much more than worm food."

Inus laughed. "I think what is Miss Brown is asking is would I want my body back if I could have it in lifelike condition. Not really, I'm used to this body, even with its bad leg. Miss Brown, Mr. Black made me Polyjuice Potion, so I could look like Harry Potter. I can make more any time - I don't."

Draco said, "I put the hair in for him. He changed into Potter in front of the whole class. Farmer, you missed it. Bulstrode thought he was James Potter. It was a riot."

Lois Farmer asked, "James Potter?"

"My father," said Inus. "The Polyjuice Potion could restore my appearance, but since the Polyjuice Potion was made with my own hair, my age and scars remained. I don't care for my shoes not fitting and my vision being blurred."

Inus pointed to Dean after he raised his hand. "Mr. Thomas?"

"You sound like Harry when you talk," said Dean. "You shouldn't be forced to continue the life of someone who tried to kill you."

"It's Professor Quirrell," said Harry. "I call you Mr. Thomas in class. I would like you to like you to return the favour."

"We went to class together for four years and now you're teaching," said Dean. "It's a bit awkward."

"That's why I'm discussing the situation with all my classes," said Harry. "I planned to go straight into itinerary, but that portrait is unnerving to more people than just me. I have Professor Quirrell's memories and am Professor Quirrell all ways a muggle can test. However, according to magical objects, I'm Harry Potter."

Dean raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Thomas," said Inus.

"You shouldn't be forced to continue the life of a man who tried to kill you," said Dean. "If someone tried to kill me twice, I wouldn't be comfortable seeing his face in the mirror."

"At the time, I was more uncomfortable about Lord Voldemort's previous possession of this body than anything else," Inus explained. "I was under the mistaken belief that Quirrell was in my body. Then my fear that Lord Voldemort would realise I was Harry and not Quirrell terrified me so much that I didn't have time to be upset about who the former inhabitant of this body was."

Inus continued to talk about body switching. His other morning classes were easier since he wasn't talking to his former classmates. At lunch, Sirius walked over to the Slytherin table. Harry watched, telling himself he wouldn't intervene unless necessary.

Sirius said, "Draco, Harry can't run with me because of his limp. Would you like to jog with me?"

"Cousin, why are you asking me?" Draco asked.

Sirius looked at the floor. "You're family. I miss running every morning."

Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson laughed.

Draco said, "He's mentally ill. You wouldn't laugh at someone with diabetes or a broken leg."

Nott said, "Crabbe would."

Draco said, "I would be honoured to run with you. Did Harry meet you at your quarters or at the pitch?"

"My quarters," said Sirius.

"Your quarters then before breakfast," said Draco. "Be easy on me. I haven't been jogging on a daily basis."

"Thank you." Sirius smiled and walked away.

"Why did you agree to run with him?" asked Pansy.

"He's my mother's cousin," said Draco. "We're family. He has autism. My mother wants him to see a wizard therapist, but he insists on seeing a muggle. Mum says we'll have to care for him when he gets older."

"Doesn't Professor Lupin care for him?" said Pansy.

"Mum says werewolves burn out fast. He probably only live to fifty or sixty," Draco whispered.

Pansy said, "You marry someone; you marry their family. I can handle one crazy cousin."

Sirius has changed into a dog and Remus had put his food bowls on the floor for him. Now Sirius was eating his food and wagging his tail. He seemed totally unaware that Draco and Pansy were talking about him, which way odd because Harry was hearing Draco and Pansy talking by scanning Sirius's mind.

The smell of Sirius's bangers made Inus hungry for his. His didn't smell nearly as good. Then again, he didn't have a dog's nose. After taking one disappointing bite, he decided to eat a banana, instead. He needed to practice walking with the walker, use his cane more and hop less. He would be running with Sirius, again. He promised himself that.

His mind wasn't the peaceful place Sirius's mind was. Inus's thoughts went to dangerous places. Then a person who taught Defence Against Dark Arts was liable to think about dark things. He had more classes to talk to about his situation. He decided not to give the talk to his first years for two reasons: they didn't know him from Adam and possession was too heavy of a subject for a bunch of homesick children. He didn't want to give them nightmares their first week. The nightmares could wait until later in the year.