Author's Note: After talking to GingerDixie, I, finally, returned to rewriting my Harry Potter stories. Sorry about the long hiatus. I, hopefully, will be updating regularly. BTW, I still don't own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

xxxx

Don't call me Harry

Draco came back a bit after dinner and must have arrived in the common room after giving his mother her clothing because he didn't have a trunk or suitcase in tow. "Harry, the leg a bit sore?"

"A bit," said Inus. "Mr. Malfoy, you should call me Professor Quirrell around the other students. After the past two years, that will take some getting use to, so I'll be lenient on you."

Draco sat down on the chair beside him. "I found Riddle's diary. Dumbledore has it."

"Four down. One to go," said Inus. "I'm glad not to be in the number."

"Harry was a horcrux," said Draco. "My father has only been possessed a few months. You were possessed most of your life."

"I don't remember being Harry," said Inus. "I can recall my memories of being him, but I don't have any first-hand memories. Let's say I have more first-hand experience of defending against the dark arts than a professor should. You're lucky Dumbledore is removing the horcrux. Seeing a book scream must be nearly as entertaining as watching a cup scream."

"I wonder what's keeping Professor Snape?" said Draco.

"You called me Potter when I was your classmate. How about the next time you call me Harry I have you do lines or better yet clean the Slytherin boys' shower without magic?"

"You just told you you don't remember your first year."

"But I remember my second, third and fourth years perfectly."

"I prefer the lines."

Looking at his leg resting on the cushion, Inus smiled. "Showers it is."

"Professor Quirrell, you enjoy this professor thing a bit too much."

"I'm in constant pain and Dumbledore just lectured me on ethics. I want Professor Snape to return, so he can watch you prats. I love teaching; it's the babysitting I could do without."

"Sir, we never have been mates, but I'm appreciate you helping my father."

"Mr. Malfoy, you're putting it on a bit thick."

"Pansy can keep them in line," said Draco. "Professor Quirrell, can I talk to you alone?"

After moving his leg off the cushion, Inus got himself to a standing position. "Let's go to Professor Snape's office. My office is a bit of a walk."

Inus followed Draco to Severus's office then opened the door. "Please, sit down, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco shut the door then took a seat. "You miss being in the Gryfinddor common room. You miss your friends. I saw you and Ron talk after the second task. I have to call you Professor, but you have to call them Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. That must suck."

Inus sat on the sofa. "It does."

"Goyle and Crabbe are total twits and you need someone to talk to. My father isn't himself and my mum is bunking with Professor McGonagall." Draco wasn't going to admit that he needed someone to talk to, especially not admit that he lowered himself to talk to Harry because he needed the company.

"You have Miss Parkinson."

"Pansy and I have the snakes to discipline, especially with Professor Snape's absence. It's not like we'd be doing too much talking."

"I know that you're frightened about your father. Professor Snape is getting the last one," Inus said.

"When he left, Quirrell died." Draco looked at the floor.

"Quirrell had a weak heart."

"Even if we get a good result, my father could still die. He isn't going to be mauled by a wild beast like Potter, but the odds aren't in his favour."

"I'm here. I'm pretty banged-up and have a bad leg, but I survived." Inus forced a smile. "That should give you some hope."

"That happened to you is a freak occurrence. We can't count on blind luck."

"Professor Snape will destroy the last horcrux and your father will be his same better-than-thou self."

"Professor Quirrell, I couldn't do what you do."

"Headmaster Dumbledore is a slave-driver. Don't tell him I said that."

"What I mean is you handled yourself so well. Here You-Know-Who was in your body and you give Nott and I detention without flinching. I would have been screaming 'I'm Potter; kill me now' or something just as brill."

"I repeated 'I'm Inus Quirrell' in my mind a hundred times that class." Inus laughed because Draco would yell kill me now if his beautiful face was scarred much less seeing someone else's face in the mirror, especially a face with less than perfect reconstructive surgery because the medi-wizard claimed he didn't need to look pretty for the dementors. "I was scared shitless, but that was in character."

"Isn't You-Know-Who a Legilimens?" Draco made eye contact with Inus.

"You need eye contact to get a good reading," Inus smiled. "Mr. Malfoy, you won't be left penniless. You and Miss Parkinson will not be living in Miss Parkinson's father's house and especially not the basement. And she knows about contraceptives. She won't have that many children."

"Blimey." Draco lowered his glaze.

"See surface stuff. Professor Lupin taught me how to focus my mind and I didn't allow him eye contact. Still the one time he came to my office, I was more terrified that my usual state of I'm going to faint any second."

"Can you teach me that?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore will have to give me permission. I don't know if it can be taught. I think Professor Snape awakened a lenient ability inside me. I shield my mind against random thoughts most of the time. My thoughts trouble me enough. I don't need other people's. I like Sirius's thoughts."

"He's mad."

"No, he's the only sane person I've met. His thoughts are like a beautiful clear lake. He gives back what he takes in. I distort reality. Your fears of being penniless with a mob of children to support are distortions, too."

"You must think I'm awful. My father is compromised and my mind goes to crazy places."

"Crazy places are safer than thinking that your father might not survive the cure if Professor Snape manages to get the last horcrux. Normal ego defences."

"You don't talk like a teenager."

"I'm not. I'm Inus Quirrell with amnesia. I'm recovering now. I don't remember everything before the heart attack. I probably never will, but as Professor Lupin told me 'tricky things - memories.'"

"Professor Quirrell, you're OK for a teacher."

"Thanks." Inus knew he was blushing, but after peeking in Draco's mind, he could let the fifth year see him blush.

"I better help Pansy before she makes all the first years stand at attention while she checks to see if they brushed their teeth."

"A Legilimens always knows when you're lying." Inus started laughing. Pansy did have a bit of drill sergeant in her.

"Professor Quirrell, thanks again for talking to me. I'll see myself out. Rest your leg." Draco waved good-bye to Inus and left the office.

xxxx

Several hours later, Inus was called to Dumbledore's office. He decided to let Draco let sleep. Good news would wait and bad news would refuse to leave. When Inus arrived, Dumbledore and Severus were sitting down waiting for him.

"That good of news," said Inus. Their glum faces said it all. Four horcrux found and released meant nothing without the fifth one.

"The last one is protected by powerful wards," said Severus. "I can't get to it. I plan to take a party back tomorrow. I need you to fill in for me. Grubbly-Plank can cover your class since you wrote those detailed notes between the second and third task."

"I collected two horcruxes," Inus stared at Severus. Hopefully, Severus would read in his thoughts that he wanted to be part of his party.

"Inus, you would slow us down," said Severus.

"You should take three members along," said Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter had Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger along when he ventured past the trapdoor. Even three first years knew wards shouldn't be tackled alone."

"Albus, you may company me. I'll need your wisdom," said Severus. "Do you think Minerva would care for a bit of adventure?"

"You and Inus wait here," said Dumbledore. "I'll talk to Minerva."

After Dumbledore left, Inus said, "Moody would consider being called crippled fighting words and would win the fight."

"You can go, but I'd like to you manage my classes. Inus, I take potions very seriously. Consider it a great compliment," Severus said.

Inus smiled. "I understand all that, but I don't want to be waiting here, not knowing if you have the horcrux. I feel helpless waiting while you're in the Riddle House."

"You retrieved two yesterday." Severus walked over to Fawkes's cage. "You helped a great deal. We cancel class tomorrow; all hell will break loose. You have to see the big picture."

"I'll be a good boy and teach your class while Grubbly-Plank teaches mine," Inus sounded defeated. Severus appeared immune to guilt trips, but it was worth a try.

"That's my boy." Severus smiled at the phoenix, not at Inus. That was OK because Inus knew the smile was for him. "We cancel class with the headmaster and the assistant headmistress gone, do you know what kind of panic with ensue?"

Inus frowned. "I get all that. Big picture."

Severus sat down on a sat beside Inus and put an arm around his shoulder. "Inus, I'm too stubborn to die."

Inus closed his eyes. "I love you."

Severus put his hand on Inus's hand. "I love you, too."

What felt like over an hour later, Dumbledore returned. "Minerva is going over her lesson plans with Sirius. He's a bit nervous about teaching, but she's giving him a bit of a pep talk."

Inus said, "He's great at transfiguration, probably better than Minerva, but he's never taught before. And students can be cruel to a supply teacher. He could leave or transfigure within the first five minutes."

"Minerva is reassuring him," said Dumbledore. "Inus, Severus, get some rest. Severus, we leave at 9 o'clock sharp."

Severus watched Inus manage the stairs on his own. After the muggle London and the stairs to Dumbledore's office, Inus felt up to using his cane for the Potion classes. A room with 18 to 36 students and dangerous chemicals was no place to be hobbling on crutches.