LAST TIME
"Exemption from homework," He said immediately. "I won't have the time to do the teaching in addition to homework and all the other stuff."
Dumbledore contemplated for a moment before nodding. "But, only on the condition that you would continue to do well in the class tests, Harry."
At that, Harry gave him a dry look.
"Not that you would have a problem with it," Dumbledore added.
"Thank you."
"Are you done or do you have more demands, Potter?" Snape sneered.
"No, I am quite done, thank you."
"Then welcome to the team, Professor Potter. Your first class shall be day-after-tomorrow. Good luck, Harry."
Ch. 68 Professor Potter
3rd January 1996
Great Hall, Hogwarts
"Good evening, students of Hogwarts," Dumbledore's voice boomed, as the ancient Headmaster stood on the dais in front of the staff table, with a serene smile on his face. "Firstly, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Holiday and wish you a very happy new year."
A hush fell across the hall as students waited for him to speak further.
"Now, many of you might have heard or read about what happened in the ministry of magic a few days ago. For those who might be unaware, Lord Voldemort and Gellert Grindelwald publicly revealed themselves in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Myself, alongside Harry Potter and a few brave members of the society, fought them and successfully thwarted them from raiding and conquering the ministry."
Not a single person in the Great Hall moved. Everyone had held their breaths, listening to every word Dumbledore spoke.
"But, they were merely thwarted. Not defeated. Lord Voldemort, Gellert Grindelwald, and their followers are at large again. They seek to disrupt our society and everything we stand for. So, taking recent events into account, security around Hogwarts has been drastically increased."
The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke.
"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened, and we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff."
Dumbledore gave every single student in the hall a measured look, his eyes lingering on the Slytherins and the Weasley twins for a moment longer than most.
"I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them — in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."
Dumbledore's eyes swept around the assembled students one last time before he smiled once more.
"On a happier note, Madame Umbridge, due to certain circumstances, namely her action of High Treason against the state, would no longer be capable of teaching classes."
Harry's lips curled into a smile at that.
'Great riddance'
"So, as a result, we have a few changes in the staff. I, personally, shall be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts to the fifth year and above. As for the first to fourth years, I am pleased to announce that we have a new member of staff, who is also a student. Professor Potter!"
Harry stood up and gave a short bow as hushed whispers and scattered applause filled the Hall.
Many were looking at him with varied expressions on their faces. Some showed excitement, some were puzzled and a handful of students glared at him. Malfoy in particular was giving him a hate-filled glare as if Harry had killed his father… which probably was the exact reason the ferret was glaring at him.
Dumbledore waited for a moment before clearing his throat, making a hush fall over the hall again. "I expect you all to give him the same respect as you would give me or another Professor. While in classes, Professor Potter will have the same powers as another professor on this table has."
With a sweeping look at the hall, he finally said, "Now, I think I have held you off long enough. A feast awaits you. Chop, chop!"
The noise level in the Great Hall rose dramatically as Dumbledore turned back and reclaimed his seat just as platters full of food filled the table.
"So, Harry," Flitwick called. "Have you prepared your lesson plans?"
"Not really," Harry replied carelessly, as he served himself a helping of mashed potatoes. "Professor McGonagall gave me the lesson plans Moody, or the imposter anyway, had planned for the first four years. I will largely follow that, with a few of my own lessons, of course. But I assure you, no single student of mine will have an iota of problems with Defense against the Dark Arts next term."
"You plan to cover material worth two terms in a single one?" Sinistra asked. "Because, as far as I know, Umbridge didn't teach anything."
"I might borrow a few lectures from Binns," Harry said. "History of Magic hardly needs any prior knowledge, even if you take it up directly in the fifth year."
'And no one pays attention to the ghost anyway. Even Hermione drowses off at times.'
"Students would definitely prefer attending your class rather than Binns," Flitwick mused. "If what I have heard of your Dragon Legion is any indication."
A proud feeling bloomed in Harry's chest. "Thank you, Professor Flitwick. Speaking of which, would you be comfortable taking a class or two, if I ever request you to?"
"Of… what? First to fourth years or—"
"The Dragon legion," Harry said. "It is usually me who teaches them, along with Hermione, Cedric, and Susan. But all of us might get really busy soon, with the OWLS and NEWTS coming up."
"I would say that it would be an honor to do so," Flitwick grinned. "You know, I was once a part of the original Dragon Legion?"
"I do," Harry smiled. "You joined toward the end of it."
"Indeed. A mighty fine warrior, your grandfather, and Arcturus Black. And that is not to mention the others who led the Legion. It is seldom that I encounter witches and wizards of their caliber in both wit and integrity."
Harry smiled but said nothing as he continued to eat.
"Nevertheless, if you need any help with teaching, either the Dragon Legion or your classes, do not hesitate to approach me, Harry."
"Of course, sir."
An hour later, the feast ended as the deserts disappeared off the table and the students began to shuffle back to their dormitories. Snape too, walked away from the staff table, a scowl marring his face.
"Harry, will you be going back to your dorms or—"
"Oh, heavens, no. Professor Dumbledore saw it fit to give me living quarters within the castle. The dorm might not be the best place for me to carry out my Professor duties alongside the apprenticeship under Dumbledore."
"What of your NEWTS?" Vector asked.
"I will be sitting for NEWTS at the end of the year with the seventh-years. Professor Dumbledore got special permission for me to get my NEWTS early. I will be the youngest person in history to sit for NEWTS."
"Another achievement to the list, Mr. Potter," Flitwick said. "But then again, Academic excellence pales in comparison to defeating Dark Lords, doesn't it?"
The teachers chuckled while Harry just gave the professor a smile.
"I think we all should retire for the night," McGonagall said. "We all have lectures to give tomorrow and in Mr. Potter's case, even attend."
"True," Flitwick agreed. "I have second years in the morning and I need to arrange pineapples for the lecture. So, I need to go to the kitchens. Good night everyone."
Soon, everyone went their own ways. As Harry walked to his quarters, he found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy and a bunch of Slytherins on the first floor landing of the moving staircase, waiting for him.
"How can I help you?" Harry asked, his eyes flitting to the wands they were clutching in their hands.
Malfoy glanced around - Harry knew he was checking for signs of the other teachers - then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, "You're dead, Potter. You will pay for what you did to my father."
"Ah, the late Lucius Malfoy," Harry drawled with a smirk.
Malfoy looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him; he felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale, pointed face contorted with rage.
Behind him, his cohorts were also looking pissed but no one dared to raise their wands.
"For all it is worth, I am sorry for the death of your parents," Harry said in a low voice. "But I warned you all at the start of the year. Anyone who serves Voldemort will suffer the consequences. I warned you all. So, do not blame me. Your parents were nothing but terrorists but I hope you can be better. If you aren't, well, you shall be joining them sooner or later."
Angry hisses sounded from the group in front of him but he was unfazed.
"You're going to pay," said Malfoy in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father… To all of our parents. We couldn't save them, but we will avenge them."
Harry smiled mirthlessly. "You all think you are a threat to me. Let me inform you that you are not. I have stared at Voldemort and Grindelwald in the eye and dueled them. I have drawn their blood. So, if you raise your wands against me, or take their mark, I will end you. That, my friends, is a promise in the name of Potters. So, decide what you want to do. And choose wisely. Now, I suggest you all go back to your rooms."
4th January 1996
Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, Hogwarts
The idle chatter and hushed whispers of students drifted through the closed door adjoining the DADA classroom to Harry's new office. Harry took a deep breath before pulling the door open and entering the classroom.
The chatter ceased, and silence descended on the classroom as students took in his presence.
The class consisting of fourth-year Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, thankfully, seemed to be in full attendance.
A part of Harry was completely unsurprised. Whispers of his legend had followed him through Hogwarts at every waking moment since he had returned. His fight with Voldemort and Grindelwald had apparently raised his status quo to greater heights than ever before.
And, most importantly, the students were incredibly excited to study under the 'Legendary Harry Potter, the fighter of Dark Lords'.
His fame was irritating, sometimes. Even though Helga and Salazar had helped him come to terms with that aspect of his life, his rise to greater fame was becoming more and more irritating by the day. The sheer number of people sending him letters was staggering.
Thankfully, his appeal to Sirius's godfatherly nature saved him from dealing with that particular problem. He didn't think that Susan, Daphne, or Fleur would like the piles of marriage proposals and other suggestive things people were sending him.
Harry's footsteps echoed in the dead silence of the class as students gazed at him. Colin Creevy, amongst many others, was at the edge of their seat.
'No need to be nervous, Potter. Treat it like it's just another Dragon Legion meeting.' Harry thought to himself, as his gaze swept around the class, taking in the familiar faces from the dragon legion, ignoring Creevy.
"A very good morning to you all," Harry smiled as he greeted the class. "Now, I am afraid that we would not be needing books much within the class. Especially not that book. You can do whatever you wish to do with it. What I will be giving you now, will be a list of books I expect you all to note down for reference. I will also be giving the main topics which I will be covering in this term. Anyone slacking in homework, or classwork, will be removed from my class."
He cast a serious look around the class, as students sat up straighter.
"Now, please note what I say."
The class scrambled for their quills as Harry paused for a moment.
He had been following McGonagall's advice so far. Give the class a glimpse of what was to be covered before getting on with a demonstration to excite them, before beginning the work.
"First, the syllabus. Curses, counter curses, detection of cursed objects, protection against harmful spells, applications of charms and transfiguration in defense, and non-verbal casting. Now—" Harry stopped short as a hand shot up. "Yes, miss—"
"Wenlock, sir. Griselda Wenlock." The Ravenclaw girl introduced. "Isn't the applications of charms and transfiguration in defense chapter a part of the fifth-year syllabus? And non-verbal casting, a part of the sixth year?"
Harry's lips curled into a distasteful frown. A rigid syllabus was the last thing he wanted to follow. He couldn't afford to get more rigid than he was already. Curses wouldn't be the only thing they would need to face a Death Eater if they came across one.
"Traditionally, yes, they are. But, as the headmaster said at the feast, we are living in perilous times. A Death Eater won't attack you by limiting himself to the fourth-year syllabus spells because you haven't studied beyond that level. They will be aiming to put you down. In such circumstances, a wholesome education is better to defend yourself. And those two topics aren't as hard as you might think. If you wish to know, ask some of your fellow classmates."
The girl looked ready to say more but hesitated, seeing people nod and grin at the statement. A moment later, she retook her seat.
"Now, as I was saying, the full list of reference books will be posted by the next class on the notice board outside. But, I will personally recommend 'Confronting the Faceless' and 'Standard curses and counter curses' by Professor R.S. Lutkins. The former is a bit advanced, so read it for additional reference."
People hastily scribbled down the names as Harry had spoken.
"Now, parchments, quills, and books away. Only wands are needed now."
A huge deal of scrambling ensued as people removed their bags and put the parchments, quills, and the book back before taking their wands.
"The Defense Against the Dark Arts is a subject you are taught in order to defend yourself against any peril that you might face, be it a magical creature, a wizard, or merely some cursed item. But, before you can defend yourself, you must know what you are facing."
Harry glanced around the class and was content to see that the students were paying attention.
"A huge part of the dangers you might face as a wizard are curses. There are two major categories of curses. One is the enchantment curses that are applied to an object, much like any other enchantment. But they are meant to cause harm to anyone who comes in contact with the object. If you take up a job as a curse-breaker, you will face such cursed objects frequently. There are methods to detect these curses and counter them as needed."
"Now, what I shall demonstrate is a standard blasting curse, the Reductor curse. Does anyone know its incantation?"
Quite a few hands rose at the question. Harry pointed at Colin, who looked like he was quivering with excitement.
"Reducto, Professor."
"Indeed. Take five points, Mr. Creevy. Class, I want you to watch carefully now." Harry instructed, summoning a dummy from his office. "I am about to demonstrate the Reductor curse on this Dummy. Reducto"
A bright orange light surged forth from his wand, and hit the dummy with an echoing bang, reducing it to splinters, and making many students gasp and take a few steps back.
A ringing silence filled the room for a brief moment before Harry cleared his throat and began to speak. "The Reductor curse is an explosive curse, much like the exploding jinx, Expulso. But as you are aware, the effect of curses is, as per the book definition, greater than a jinx or a hex. The same applies to the Reductor curse, which is more potent than the exploding jinx. Can someone tell me the primary difference they saw between the two?"
Harry looked around the class, waiting for someone to raise their hand. He pointed to a Ravenclaw boy who had raised his hand alongside some members of the Dragon Legion.
"Sir, Expulso always produced fire and a huge bang as it impacted. The reductor curse didn't have any fire or flash."
"Indeed. The exploding jinx does produce a blast of fire as it impacts, while the reductor curse just blasts the target apart. Furthermore, the reductor curse takes a few milliseconds after impact to go off, making the damage deeper, while the exploding jinx goes off on contact. Now, I have a question for you all. If I fire a reductor curse at you right now, how will you defend yourself? Miss Wenlock."
"By shielding, sir."
"And which shield shall you use?" Harry prompted.
"A Protego shield, sir," She replied. "Or the Aegis Protego."
"The Aegis Protego would indeed defend you against a Reductor curse. So would a Protego. And so would a mage shield. A bunker shield. And so would scutum protego, amongst others. Which would you use when?" Harry prodded, testing the girl's knowledge. She wasn't a part of the Dragon Legion and yet seemed ahead of the syllabus.
"It… depends, sir. For a lower curse, like a reductor curse, a Protego or Aegis Protego would provide a sufficient defense."
'A little like Hermione, then. Bookworm.'
"A verbatim answer from the standard book of spells grade four. Not bad. Take three points." Harry said, making her face fall a tad. "Any other method to protect yourself?"
A few hands went up, and Harry called upon Luna, who also had raised her hand while staring outside the window.
"Dodge the spell, Professor Potter. The spell cannot hit you if you are not in its path," she replied in her near-ethereal voice.
"Indeed. Highly effective protection against most curses is to simply dodge them if you can. Even the killing curse cannot kill you if it doesn't hit you." He let that sink in before continuing his lecture. "Of course, that doesn't mean you should be reliant on dodging. A skilled enough spellcaster will know where to cast spells, in order to limit you and take you out if they see you dodging too much. Yes?"
"Sir, but what about wide-area spells?" A student, whom Harry identified as Bruce Stebbins from the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, asked.
"Dodging is ineffective against those, obviously. Shielding is preferable against them. Or, nullifying the spell, which, admittedly, is quite advanced. Now, can you suggest any other method, Mr. Stebbins?"
The student who had asked the question hesitated for a moment before replying.
"Summoning something in its way. Or conjuring an obstacle."
"Crude, but effective," Harry agreed. "Though, I wouldn't prefer to do it against the Reductor curse. Can you tell me why, Mister Stebbins?"
"Because… the destroyed object will hit you?"
"Indeed. The shards of the object you would summon in the path of a reductor curse will hit you rather violently. But yet, it is a highly effective method against several curses, especially the Unforgivable Curses. Take five points, Mr. Stebbins. Anyone else? No, Mr. Creevy, you've already answered. Yes, Miss Weasley."
"Curse deflection, sir."
"Precisely. Curse deflection is another advanced method. Five points. Now, we shall practice this spell. The wand movement is on the board. I want you all to learn this spell by the end of this hour. After that, we will work on the Protego shield." Harry instructed, and a wave of excitement passed through the class.
"Now, get up and step out of your desk. Take your bags as well. Quickly."
As students scrambled to comply with his instruction, Harry flicked his wrist, bringing his Ebony wand out. With a sweep of his wand, the desks were transported into the adjacent classroom next door.
The students gasped, probably thinking he had vanished those desks.
'Not a bad conclusion. But I don't want McGonagall pissed at me, do I?'
With a flick of Harry's wand, the splinters of the dummy flew together, repairing the dummy before the dummy began to multiply rapidly until there was a dummy for every person in the class.
"Begin!"
Two hours later, Harry collapsed tiredly in a chair in his office. The first class had been mentally exhausting. It was perhaps a blessing in disguise that the group had a handful of Dragon Legion members who were competent enough to follow his directions and already knew the spells he had taught. Especially the shield charm.
Every single student had got the Reductor curse down within the first hour of practice. But the Protego shield, on the other hand, was not something every student could do by the end of the class.
'Perhaps this is not as bad as I am making it out to be,' Harry mused. 'Four-fifth of the class did produce a perfect protego by the end of it, and the rest had a flimsy shield as well. Not everyone's learning speed is the same, after all.'
Regardless, Harry was not sorry that he had given the students who had failed to produce the shield a good amount of homework. The rest, who were successful, had only been told to read up on the two spells he had taught, alongside a few other topics he had planned to cover in the following class.
There was a knock at the door, making Harry sigh softly before he straightened up and flicked his wand, opening the door.
A group of four Ravenclaw students, including Luna, stood outside the class.
"May we come in, Harry?" Luna questioned, skipping inside the room, and making him raise an eyebrow.
"You should refer to me as Professor, Luna. If the deputy headmistress saw you referring to me by name in my office, she would put both of us in detention."
Luna's eyes glimmered in the light of his office as she sat on the chair across from him, her smile unwavering. "But I am not here to see you in your capacity as the DADA Professor but rather in your capacity as Harry Potter, the leader of the Dragon Legion. Though, in that case, I should be referring to you as my lord."
Harry coughed. "Harry's fine."
Harry glanced at the door and added, "You three can come in, though."
"Thank you, sir," Griselda Wenlock said, eyeing Luna, who was humming some song while looking around Harry's albeit spartan office. "We wished to talk to you about the Dragon Legion."
"What about it?" Harry asked patiently.
"We three," Wenlock said, pointing to herself and the two students standing behind her. "Wish to join the legion, sir."
"And why's that, Miss Wenlock?"
The girl seemed to hesitate, so her partner replied instead of her. "We saw that the students in your club are rather advanced as compared to us in DADA. They were casting non-verbal spells and—"
"Yes, I am aware that they are far ahead of the school syllabus, Mr. Wilson. And there's a reason for it. We do not care about school studies. I am preparing them for what's out there. Do you know the origins of the Dragon Legion?"
"It was founded by Charlus Potter—" Wenlock said, before hesitating briefly. "Your grandfather in the war against Grindelwald and his men, the Knights of Walpurgis."
"Indeed. The new one has a similar function. Simple dedication to schoolwork isn't going to cut it. Also, I am afraid that the skills of the Dragon Legion are far more than those of fourth-year students. You will be lagging. Had you been a sixth or seventh-year student, I would've considered it. I am sorry, I cannot take you three into the Dragon Legion."
"But sir, we will work really hard. We understand—"
"Miss Wenlock, you are six months behind already. That is akin to missing two years of Hogwarts education and expecting to catch up. But, for those who wish to learn more, I will see if we can do something. I suggest you talk with the Head of your house and the deputy headmistress. I am sure that they will arrange a dueling club or something similar for the others who aren't a part of the Dragon Legion."
The boy behind Wenlock wrinkled his nose. "Like Lockhart's dueling club?"
"Yes, but with more… competency than Lockhart."
The two girls look a little offended at the competency part while Luna continued humming under her breath.
"Anyhow, I would advise you to practice the spells I teach in the class. I will be focusing primarily on spells you can use in combat. Like the Reductor curse and the Protego shield. Two simple spells but extremely effective. You can also look up the list of spells permitted in the Under-Thirteen and Under-fifteen categories of the Japanese Dueling Circuit."
"Ooh, the Under-thirteen have some good spells. Safe but very effective." Luna piped up all of a sudden, startling Harry.
"How do you know?" The boy asked.
"Daddy and I went to see the league two years ago when we were in Japan looking for crumpled-horn snorkacks. We didn't find those, but the league was fun to see!"
"Right," Harry said. "Anyhow, I suggest you take this up with the head of your house. He will advise you on what can be done."
"Sir, isn't there any chance of getting into the Dragon Legion?"
"No, Miss Wenlock. You will be unable to catch up if you join now." He replied, making the girl nod in defeat.
"Thank you, professor. We will check the things you recommended. And we will talk with Professor Flitwick as well."
Harry smiled before dismissing them.
Luna, too, got up and skipped outside behind her friends, making Harry shake his head.
5th January 1996
The Chamber of Secrets, Hogwarts
"I am back!" Harry's voice echoed through the chamber, as he greeted loudly, waking the two portraits up from their slumber.
"How was your teaching experience so far, my dear?" Helga asked as Harry hurried towards the bubbling concoction in the golden Cauldron in the corner of the room.
"It was good," Harry said, as he noted the time on the watch next to it before picking a small coin made of pure silver. "Tiresome, but good. The rigidity of the syllabus is a pain in the ass."
"You will get used to it," Salazar said dismissively. "Also, you did good work— can you not do that while I am talking to you!?"
"I have to," Harry replied, as he continued filing the silver coin to collect the fine silver powder. "Freshly powdered silver is necessary for this concoction. It has to be added in six minutes from now."
"I don't even understand why you are making the elixir of stasis. You have a phoenix companion and, not to mention, enhanced healing."
Hedwig chirped from her perch nearby.
"It is not for me," He replied shortly, as he continued to file the coin. "If someone gets badly injured, this will help them to stay put till we can administer proper medical help. Three milliliters and they will stabilize, despite the grievousness of their wounds."
"True, but it is ridiculously expensive to make it."
"If it saves even one life, it is worth it. And, it is not like I am short on money."
"Indeed," Helga agreed. "A person's life is much more important than money. How many days till the elixir is ready?"
"Well, most of it is almost over. I need to add moon fern, which I will harvest tonight from the Astronomy tower. It is a blessing that it grows so fast. Some student might've stumbled across it, had it been there for any longer."
"Moon fern harvested under the full moon. Indeed." Helga said. "And then you are going to make it rest for a week in a light-less room before adding a dash of Dragon blood to it and reheating and stirring."
"Yes," He replied. "That reminds me that I've got to buy the Dragon blood. Both for this elixir and the enchantment-rejuvenation runes for my vests."
Salazar rolled his eyes. "That is three runes you've to draw. A small vial of blood will do. Which you have."
"Yes, but you never know when you might need it. Dragon blood is a valuable commodity in most alchemical potions. And not to mention, runes drawn by dragon blood are very potent."
Salazar sighed. "Now that you don't have much to learn, you are obsessing over these alchemical potions."
"Well, I have nothing else to do. I cannot be flinging spells around all day, can I?"
Harry smirked as he weighed the silver powder he had collected before using a small spoon to remove a small portion. He tapped the spoon slightly, making a little of the taken silver fall back into the vessel before grinning.
'Perfect.'
"Let him be, Salazar. He is doing something unlike you! And you have the attention and patience of a toddler, anyway. Thank god Harry isn't like that!"
"Well, it takes annoyingly long for these things! And there are other magics that can do the same, if not more. A parselmagic stasis charm cast can produce the same results. Blood magic will also have the same effect. Why waste time making an elixir?"
"First, it is practice. Second, I cannot be everywhere to cast those spells. And most importantly, I do not think that me performing blood magic or parselmagic in the open would be appreciated. Especially the former." Harry replied.
"Plebeians," Salazar sniffed. "And complete idiots. Branding some of the most protective magic as dark."
"Blood magic does have a darker side," Harry said quietly, as he emptied the silver powder into the bubbling purple concoction in the golden cauldron. "Bloodline control, slavery, Blood-curses and whatnot."
Their heads snapped towards Harry while Helga narrowed her eyes.
"The Blacks weren't the most cheery bunch around," He shrugged, answering the unasked question. "Their practice and knowledge in blood magic was extensive. They have special books on how to use Blood Magic for all the wrong purposes. Fortunately, they, too, have little on Necromancy and soul magic. The latter is practically non-existent."
"Thank lord for small mercies," Salazar breathed. "But you do know of blood magic's… darker uses. Have you—"
"Never used them. But I know how to. And I've also devised a way to prevent those within certain boundaries."
"The blood ward you were working on," Helga said in realization. "I am impressed."
"Blood magic could potentially overpower Fidelius. In theory, anyway. So, I took measures such that tracking a person by blood magic will not work within the boundaries of—." Harry's voice struck in his throat. "Order's safe house."
"Indeed. That is good." Salazar nodded. "I was planning to introduce those to you later. Perhaps once you were of age. Alongside the studies into Necromancy and soul magic."
The emphasis on the word 'studies' left no doubt in Harry's mind that everything they were going to teach was strictly theoretical, and he was never to use those spells. They had done the same for his studies on Inferius creation. His knowledge in these fields was to prevent those magics from being used against him rather than him using the magics for his own purposes.
"Can't we begin early?" Harry asked. "My studies into curing—"
"No, Harry. We might start next year. But not now. You have more things to worry about. Believe me, some of the contents in those will give you nightmares. It is—" Helga shuddered.
"Gruesome. To see magic get corrupted like this is just… Let us leave it at that. Believe me, once you know, you will wish that you had never asked." Salazar completed Helga's thoughts.
Harry nodded before glancing at his watch.
"I have got to go. I have third-year Slytherins and claws post lunch."
"Indeed. What do you plan to cover?"
Harry's lips curled into a grim smile. "Why Helga? The very topic we were discussing moments ago. Inferi."
5th January 1996
Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, Hogwarts
"I hope the portion that we will be covering is clear to you all. A lot of creatures will be for self-study this term as we are short on time, thanks to your previous professor. But, we will be covering a few things which are not in the traditional syllabus, as you might've noticed."
The students nodded eagerly.
"But to defend against something, you must know what it is and which spells can be useful against it. We will be focusing on creatures that will definitely harm you if you face one. Infernus is one of them. Now, who can tell me what an Infernus is?"
Not a single student responded, remaining silent, as they looked around for someone to answer.
"I know it was mentioned in the Ministry guide published yesterday, and you all know of it," He prodded.
"Sir, is it true that you-know-who will use Infernies?" A brunette-haired girl asked in a high-pitched voice, nearly making Harry wince.
"The correct term, I believe, is Inferi," Harry corrected gently. "And yes. He used them in the last war. So did Grindelwald. It is best if you're aware of how to defend yourself against them. But what is an Infernus, young lady?"
"A… I believe that Infernus is very close to the muggle concept of zombies."
'I had told the same to Sal and Helga.'
"Indeed," Harry agreed, holding back a smile. "It is almost a perfect match. But, for those who don't know, explain."
"Dead bodies who have been brought back to life… but not completely. They are mindless and infect those whom they bite. The bitten people then convert into—"
"That's enough, thank you," Harry interrupted swiftly. "Take five points. To perfect her answer, the Inferius is a corpse that has been reanimated by a wizard through a branch of magic known as Necromancy. It is not alive; it is merely used like a puppet to do the wizard's bidding. Its bite is infectious and if bitten, the wound will be infected and the person would die before becoming an Infernus itself after a short amount of time unless measures are taken, namely, amputation of the bitten part."
As he spoke, the chalk wrote the important points on the blackboard by itself.
"Now, who knows how to combat an Infernus? Yes, Miss Greengrass?"
"Fire, professor. The Inferi abhor fire and even a simple fire-making charm will repel them."
"True. Take ten points for a perfect answer." Harry said, making Astoria beam. "A notable thing about the use of Inferi is that they will be in groups whenever they are used. Hordes even. A single Infernus is rather easy to protect against. But in larger numbers, they pose a great threat. Fire can be used to repel them and keep them at a distance. But normal fire-making charms will not kill them."
"Sir, if fire cannot kill them, what can?" A Ravenclaw girl questioned.
"Inferi are incredibly hard to kill… or, more appropriately, destroy. The Inferi are animated dead bodies in a sense. They are already dead. If you ever face one, or a horde, run. Use fire to repel them. Make them lose you. Anything. Because destroying them is beyond your capabilities."
A boy from Slytherin raised his hand and Harry gestured for him to speak. The boy stood up and asked, "Sir, but there are ways to destroy an Infernus. Like advanced fire spells."
'Fiendfyre. I don't think Dumbledore would appreciate me even naming the spell to them.'
"I never said there aren't. But those are beyond your level. Much beyond." Harry replied sternly. "I know the spells you speak of. And believe me when I say this. Even if you can miraculously produce those fires, the fire will kill you before the Inferi does."
The boy nodded in agreement before sitting down.
"But do not worry. I will give you means to hold them back substantially till you can get to a safe place. You can reliably use many spells against an Infernus that are not fire-based. Blasting jinxes and blasting curses are the most prominent spells that can be used. A banishing charm will also throw an Infernus away from you if it gets too close. And I will be teaching you the blasting jinx today. Can someone give me the incantation for it?"
"Expulso, sir," Someone piped up from the back of the class.
"Yes, take five points. The exploding jinx, or the blasting jinx, as it is aptly named, is one of the more powerful jinxes which is frequently used by both the auror force and duelers. Its incantation, as was rightly said, is Expulso. Now, I shall demonstrate the spell. Till then, copy down whatever I've written." Harry said before moving out of the room to his office to get the dummy.
He could've easily summoned or conjured one, but he needed to give the students a little time to write. Most had not even touched their quills when he was speaking.
He had decided to cover a blasting type of spell for each class of his, even the firsties. Even if it wasn't the best to teach them such a dangerous spell in the very beginning, he knew that blasting jinxes and curses were extremely useful when facing any enemy. It was like a blunt war hammer that could, if sufficiently powered, deal with most things.
Proper spells were better in a duel but firing a blasting curse was perhaps something that would down most dangers a student might face. Or at least slow an enemy down. Be it a death eater or Inferi. Hitting an enemy with a blasting curse was certainly better than hitting them with some jinx which could be batted away with ease.
He waited for a minute before levitating the dummy to the corner of the room and walking back into the class.
The scattered whispers ceased almost immediately as Harry walked in.
"You've written it down, good, good," Harry said absently as he placed the dummy in the corner of the room made to demonstrate spells. "Pay close attention, class. Expulso!"
An orange beam shot from his wand, before detonating with a sizable blast of fire, throwing the dummy onto the wall with a sickening crack.
Harry fired a flame-freezing charm at the dummy a moment later, so it wouldn't burn down completely, and yet, leave a visible fire burning on its chest.
With a flick of his wand, the dummy was levitated to the center of the class for the students to see the prominent cracks on the torso and its aflame chest.
"You can see what my spell did to the dummy, class. It is extremely dangerous to use and should only be used in real danger or controlled situations. This is not a spell you use in a schoolyard fight. If I see anyone firing exploding jinxes around, I guarantee that your punishment won't be kind." Harry warned, making his eyes glow.
Many shivered.
"Now, the wand movement for the spell is on the board. You all will be firing the spell at the dummy. Carefully. The wand movement is on the board." Harry said, as the dummy repaired and duplicated itself. "Now, put your books and parchment away. It is time for some practice."
AND… DONE!
Firstly, I would like to wish a very Happy New Year to all my readers. May 2023 bring happiness and success to your lives!
I also hope that you all liked this chapter. I know that it didn't have much to add to the plot, but I promise that there will be plot-heavy chapters soon. I feel that the last few chapters were incredibly plot-heavy, and there needs to be a chapter like this to balance it out.
The next chapter will cover the greater wizarding war and what moves Grindelwald and Voldemort will pull to start their reign of terror across the globe.
An important note is to keep checking the dates as the plot progresses, so things don't feel abrupt when I take a small time leap.
For instance, the next chapter will have scenes set in February 1996, when 5 weeks would've passed since the Dark Lords were revealed to the world. I am not taking BIG time leaps by any means, but a few weeks, I feel, is justifiable.
Also, a small leap is long overdue as chapters 62 to 68 are all set within less than 10 days(27th Dec. 1995 to 5th Jan 1996).
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A huge thanks to Mezox and Ultimate Gamer for betaing this chapter.
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Thank you for your reviews and support!
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Also, join my server, House of HP66, to interact with me directly, and see the pictures of the characters there, so you all can get an idea of how they look. I will also post descriptions and stuff for reference.
ALSO, the server has crossed 1000 users already! Join fast!
Link: discord . gg / 4qfP3fxdQ4 [Remove the spaces please]
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As of this moment, I have five main stories. They are:
1. The Rise of the Last Potter: My Novel length Harry Potter fic which is already 300k+ words long and it is a work in progress. Updated Regularly.
2. The Legend of the Son of Poseidon: A Novel Length Percy Jackson fic which is already 250k+ words long and it is a work in progress. Updated Regularly
3. Loved Ones Skipping Stones and Ice-cream: A fluffy Haphne one-shot. It is completed obviously.
4. SECRETS: Another romantic one-shot I published recently. Complete as well.
5. Agent Potter: The Wizard of W.A.N.D. - My new spy!Harry fanfic which I implore you all to read!
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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!
HPfanfictioner66