Author Note: Future harry comes back to change things. He is not a happy person.
Dolores Umbridge sat happily in her house preparing to take over Hogwarts. She was very upset that little brat Potter had managed to escape her clutches at his trial but she would get him when she got to the school.
A knock at her front door interrupted her plotting, almost causing her to drop the special case she had for her black quill. Frowning she waddled to see who had come to visit her. As she had the place protected from muggle incursions it must have been a magical but why they hadn't floo called her made her annoyed.
The man standing on the other side of her doorway was tall and healthy looking. A full beard and mustache sat underneath deep emerald green eyes and long shoulder length black hair that was tied back in a pony tail.
"Can I help you sir?" She asked trying to sound coquettish.
The person at the door smiled, "Dolores Umbridge? The Dolores Umbridge?"
Feeling self-important at being recognized she nodded, "Yes. Yes I am."
"Good. I wanted to make sure it was you before I gave you the gift I have for you." The man said with a wide smile,unfortunately for Dolores she did not recognize that the smile never reached his eyes.
"Oh a gift for me? I'm not expecting a gift." She giggled happily as it must have been from Cornelius in thanks for her actions.
"I know." He swiftly drew a black bladed dagger with a rusty red stone handle and plunged it into her chest. The stone glowed crimson briefly with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs as Dolores felt all of her body fluids drained through the wound into the dagger.
The man pressed the dagger deeper into her to make certain there was nothing left but a dried husk when he withdrew the blade. Twisting it slightly he waited and let the husk fall to th floor.
Kicking it aside he entered the house and made certain the house elves she had tortured and abused were freed and given directions to a family that would take them in and care for them he placed a small glass sphere in the middle of her case she had been packing. Briefly picking up the black feather quill he glared at it before snapping it in half.
In the doorway to the room he said a simple single word as he pointed at the sphere which began to glow. Hastily leaving the man did not see the glow continue to brighten until it filled the room like a rising sun.
He had apparated away by the time the expanding ball of plasma eradicated the house and all of its contents and then faded and cooled leaving a small pool of melted rock in the bottom of a perfectly smooth bowl.
…...
Vernon and Petunia Dursley were entering their house with their son Dudley when Vernon stopped. A man was sitting in his chair drinking some of Vernon's favorite VAT 69.
"Here now. Who are you?"
"Don't you recognize me Uncle Vernon? We spent so many fun filled years together when I was growing up." The man said ina gravelly voice as he looked up at the fat man from the shadows. The only clear thing visible the glowing green orbs of his eyes.
"You. You freak! We got rid of you for the summer!"
"Let's just say I took the long way home." He said standing up.
"You're not Harry." Petunia said.
"I am, but I am not. Time travel plays merry hob with your sense of identity." he said wrinkling his nose briefly.
"You, you went through time?" Dudley managed to stammer out. "Why?"
"To save the three of you. This notebook has the next ten years of stocks, news headlines, dates of important events in the muggle world. I'm willing to give this to you Vernon, for a price."
Vernon swallowed at the way this Harry sounded. He had gray shooting through his hair, crows feet around his eyes, his voice was a low gravelly whisper at times. "Why? We've not been nice to you. Why would you help us?"
Harry laughed cruelly for a moment, "This is not to help you. This is to help him. As long as you live here Harry will be sent back. I could kill you, but while you are horrible people you have not crossed the line far enough to deserve that. So I will send you away. There are tickets to Australia in there. Grunnings has a sales division located in Adelaide. Guess who their new Senior Division Manager will be."
Vernon realized that he was being handed a golden ticket and would be getting away from Dumbledore, Potter, all of the freakish things in his life. He practically snatched the notebook from harry's hand.
"Your offer is acceptable. We'll leave as soon as possible." Vernon grinned.
"Good. Just realize I will know if you come back to the UK and then you will have crossed the line."
"Oh have no fear. I'll be more than happy to put this land to my back." Vernon practically danced he was so happy.
Petunia was looking at Harry with a strange concerned expression but joined her husband in leaving the room to prepare.
Dudley studied harry, "Was it that bad?"
"What?" Harry asked looking at his cousin. Thinking how young he looked.
"The future. Was it that bad?" Dudley softly asked.
Harry closed his eyes as he took several deep breaths, calming himself he finally opened them and said flatly, "Yes. It was that bad."
"I'm sorry. I hope I got to thank you for saving me from those things." Dudley swallowed and looked up the stairs his parents had traveled nervously.
Harry almost smiled briefly before he resumed his stoic expression, "You'll do okay Dudley. Now I have to go. I have more work to do."
"Where are you going now?" Dudley asked as harry opened the front door for the last time at #4 Privet Drive.
"I have an appointment at Hogwarts." He said without turning then strode into the gathering darkness.
…...
Minerva looked at the man with the gray streaked beard and hair with a frown, she felt like she should know him but her mind kept skittering over how.
"I'm sorry. You said your name was what again?"
"Wendell. Wendell Wilkins. I'm from Australia and was hoping I could get a position at the esteemed Hogwarts under Professor Dumbledore. I have heard a great many things about him. Even in Australia."
Minerva huffed under her breath as she thought that was all Albus needed, another ego boosting sycophant. But they did need a Defense Professor as the one the Ministry was going to send them had perished under mysterious circumstances.
"I hope I am not causing any difficulties?" Wendell asked with a sad puppy dog expression. Or as much as Minerva could tell with the dark black glasses he wore.
"Could you take off your glasses please?"
"No. I'm sorry I can't. You see I'm blind without them. Literally." Wendell said convincingly.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I was not aware that there was the ability to replace vision like that."
"I managed to find a very old man in the back of the Bagolong Magic District. He was considered a nutter by everyone else but it was his skills and talents that allowed him to restore my vision." He explained admiringly.
"I see." Minerva said then corrected herself. "Yes. Well. As we are in need of a defense professor I will provisionally hire you, provided that the Headmaster agrees."
Wendell nodded, "Spectacular. Do you want me to start right now or wait for the term to begin?"
"You may move into the quarters today. I presume you do not have very much to move?"
"All I own is in this case." Wendell said patting a large valise beside him on the floor. "I won't have much to unpack."
"Ahh. Very well. We do require professors to wear appropriate robes and professional clothing."
"Oh I have that ma'am." Wendell nodded eagerly.
"Well I'll show you to the quarters. I sincerely hope you may find your way around."
"Oh certainly ma'am. My vision is full color and as clear as say your best seeker on any team."
"Yes. Well. Let us discus your pay and other benefits while we walk." Minerva said rising.
…...
Harry felt a little bit bad about lying to Minerva. She meant well and tried to take care of her students, she was just bound by her contract to Dumbledore to not go against him actively. After she left he removed his smoked glasses and put them in his pocket.
A quick examination of the bed allowed him to find the Runes Voldemort had carved into them cursing the one who slept in the bed with bad luck. Harry burned them off and smirked that it had been that simple. Almost four decades of cursed professors and a simple first year fire spell had solved the problem. Hermione was right, no common sense.
Thinking about her he paused and closed his eyes to calm himself again. Opening his eyes he nodded to no one in particular and thought it was time to begin. Putting his glasses back on he left the room.
He walked swiftly through the corridors until he reached the Room. The Room had not worked properly after Crabbe had cast fiend fire within it helping to destroy a Horcrux. Harry had no intention of repeating that process.
Activating the room he moved quickly until he was standing in front of the accursed diadem. Pulling his wand he sneered at the ugly piece of jewelry and wove a spell he had found that would destroy the taint yet leave the original device intact.
At the completion of the spell the device was bathed in a golden light causing a screaming black cloud to issue from the very pores of the metal. The light faded and the diadem looked just the same as before when he cast the spell.
Harry gave it several seconds then cast several detection spells to confirm the taint had been removed. When they came back negative for the darkness he grabbed the jewelry and spun it as he left the room smiling.
Back in his quarters he laid his valise on the floor and opened it. Climbing down the ladder into the extra-dimensional space revealed he went to his office and opened a cabinet. He placed the diadem alongside the Gaunt ring. He had wanted to get all of the Horcrux before the school term began but as usual his plans had to be shifted.
The journey through time had strained something within himself and he wasn't entirely sure how long he would have to finish his goals. He knew he would reach at least the end of the year at the very least, but was not going to commit to anything beyond that. Hopefully he would get things secured for harry to grow up from this point onward safe and happy.
He had originally been aiming for further back, saving his parents and making sure young Harry grew up in their loving home, but had not been able to reach any further backwards than a few days after the end of the tri-wizard tournament.
Harry was upset but got over it quickly and adapted his plans. Immediately retrieving the ring and destroying its taint, he had wanted to get the locket and the cup but they were already hiding behind the fidelius. The Goblins were going to be a difficult one to crack and he would need to get Sirius to help with them.
Closing the cabinet he considered what to do now. Umbridge was gone. The Dursleys were on their way to Australia, the Grangers were not. He supposed he could take out a few of the Death Eaters but he didn't want to scare the rest of them into being careful. The nice thing about Umbridge was neither side liked her or wanted her around so they would just claim she had made a mistake in some spell research.
There had been a small official memorial service. Cornelius Fudge had said a few nice things, lies of course, and then the world moved on. That was actually more than she had deserved but they had to follow the proper protocols at least.
Walking around the castle to clear his head Harry saw a familiar figure striding down the corridor. Severus Snape had apparently come to prepare his dungeon potions labs. Harry grinned as he had an idea.
"Oh hello. You must be one of my fellow professors?" Harry asked politely. The man was not an idiot and would require careful manipulation.
"Who are you?" Snape demanded peevishly.
"Oh. I'm Wendell. Wendell Wilkins. I just took over the defense position." Harry smiled widely offering his hand.
Snape snorted in derisive amusement, ignoring the outstretched hand. "Ah. I hope you understand you shall not be here long enough for me to care."
"Well that's rather rude. Something stung your tail there Professor?" harry figured he had just come from an order meeting judging by the way he was acting.
"Nothing that is any of your concern." Snape snarled before starting to walk away.
"That's a really interesting aura on your left arm." Harry said quietly after the retreating figure.
As he suspected Snape stopped and turned, "What did you say?"
"The magical soul mark on your left arm. That isn't a requirement to work here is it? I certainly hope not. They are a pain to get rid of." harry said with a shrug. It had been only a few years ago by Harry's timeline when they had figured out how to remove such marks. All part of his plan to come back in time.
"This mark is unable to be removed."
"Really? I know of a way." Harry smiled in a friendly way he hoped. He did not feel very much friendliness towards this man so would not be nice to him. It took all of Harry's self control not to strike him down where he stood but that would tip off Dumbledore and things with Snape were complicated.
"You do?" Snape sneered doubtfully.
"Yeah. If I got rid of that thing for you what would you do for me?"
"As you cannot remove this it is a moot question." Snape dismissed Harry's statement.
"Could I at least try?" Harry smiled innocently, "It shouldn't injure you or do anything bad."
"And what makes me think that I should trust you? I do not know you." Snape sneered angrily.
"Well you know I'm not a fellow Death Eater. That I'm also not an Order of the Phoenix member either." Harry replied.
"So? That makes you a rogue element. That does not increase my desire to trust you."
"No it doesn't. However being the half-Blood Prince you should know that everyone has a self-serving motivation to do anything." Harry relied on Snape's desire to find his own path out of things.
Snape looked at him suspiciously "What did you call me?"
"You are the Half-Blood Prince. Son of Tobias Snape. And I can free you from your burdens." Harry intoned. "You serve two masters and yearn to be free. I can help arrange that."
Snape looked at him for a long few minutes then finally it seemed like he had come to a decision as he extended his arm. "Very well make your attempt."
Harry drew his wand and waved it a few times over Snape's arm before casting the spell. A silvery white light shot out of the wand bathing Snape's skin which seemed to scream and hiss as another black cloud seeped through his sleeve. After a minute there was no more smoke and Harry's spell stopped.
"There you go. Your soul mark is gone." Harry said in a jaunty tone.
Snape looked at his darkly before rolling up his sleeve to see bare unmarked flesh. The sudden look of shock on his face told Harry that he must not feel the tug and pull of the dark mark anymore.
"What? How?" Snape asked after struggling to find words. "What do you want?"
"Well Snape. It was a version of the Patronus. As for what I want. I want you to leave the UK. Leave this country forever and not look back. I hear they are looking for potions masters in Canada." Harry said.
"You are not who you claim to be." Snape said narrowing his eyes at 'Wendell'
"None of us are who we truly claim to be are we Severus Snape, Son of Tobias, Half-Blood Prince. And once known by many as Snivelus." Harry growled in his deep voice.
Snape paled as he took a step back, "James Potter?"
"That is a name I could be called." Harry decided to go along with the guilt that must be bubbling to the surface in Snape's mind. "Prongs is another. I have so many names."
Snape looked like he was trying to retain his composure with great trouble. "Canada?"
"I do not particularly care as long as you are out of this country by noon tomorrow. If I find out you have returned I shall not only return the dark mark to your soul but I shall ensure that your perfidy is well known to all on both sides of the veil." Harry intoned.
Snape pursed his lips as he took a long breath through his nose. Nodding he said, "If you will excuse me I have some packing to do."
"Good-bye Severus Snape. I give you back your life, do not waste it." Harry said then with a swirl of his robes turned and strode off.
Once back in his office he took a deep breath and said a prayer of thanks to his dad. Glad that Snape had thought he was a revenant come back for revenge or judgment. He supposed he might as well work on a lesson plan as school would be starting in a few days.
…...
Harry was sitting at the high table when the students started trickling in. He looked up to see the younger version of himself entering, Hermione walking beside him on his left like always. He watched them walk to the Gryffindor table where Harry paused while Hermione took her seat then he took his. How they had not seen the love and attraction for each other was more evidence of the interference.
At the Gryffindor table Hermione noticed the older man with smoked glasses staring at her. His face seemed to be impassive although it was hard to tell with the dark black lenses covering a portion of his face.
"Who is that? And where is Professor Snape?" she asked.
Ron looked up, "I have no idea. I wonder why we didn't hear anything about Snape."
Neville sat down beside them, "Gramma said Professor Snape walked off the job and left the country."
Harry and the others looked at him in surprise, "Why would he do that?" harry asked.
Neville shrugged, "They got Andromeda Tonks to take over for him. She's pretty nice. Even if she does look like her sister."
Lavender nodded, "Yeah she works at Saint Mungo's with mother. That's why she keeps her hair blonde."
Harry turned to look at the tall aristocratic blonde woman who was sitting next to the man with glasses. "So who is her sister?"
"She's Bellatrix Lestrange's sister." Neville said but did not elaborate.
Ron's eyes grew wide, "She was one of You-Know-Who's biggest followers. She got life in Azkaban for her crimes."
Neville frowned briefly at Ron before saying tersely, "Yeah she did. The guy next to her is the new defense professor according to gramma. His name is Wendell Wilkins."
Hermione looked closely at him, "I suppose the glasses are a affectation?"
Neville shook his head, "Gramma said he claims to be blind without them. That they somehow let him see."
Ron snorted, "I bet he's got like snake's eyes or something he's trying to hide. Either that or he's a vampire."
"He doesn't look like a vampire." Harry countered.
"Well that's how you can tell. They don't look like a vampire until they're ready to bite your neck." Ron declared stridently.
Hermione huffed at him, "That doesn't even make sense."
Old harry sat at the head table watching Ron get lectured by Hermione once again. He shook his head sadly at old memories before the headmaster stepped to the lectern to begin the new school year.
…...
Old harry walked into the owlry in the middle of the night. All of the students had gone to bed so he felt safe calling for Hedwig.
The owl recognized him and came to land gently on his outstretched arm. Consenting to being scratched and preened by Old Harry she leaned into his hand.
"Hey there girl. Long time no see. I've missed you."
The owl seemed to understand this was an unusual circumstance as she stared at him.
"I have a note for Sirius Black here. Make sure that he and only he gets it. Do not allow anyone else to take it. Understand?" Harry said imperatively.
The owl held her foot out as she seemed to nod slightly. Ruffling her wings as he tied it on.
"Thank you old friend." harry said holding his arm for her to take flight.
He smiled as he had thought of how to get Sirius to claim the contents of Bella's vault as well as the locket.
…...
The next morning Old Harry watched as Hedwig came back in with a note tied to her leg. She circled overhead then swooped towards the head table before Old harry shook his head briefly when she turned and landed at the Gryffindor table.
"What was that about girl?" Harry asked untying the note. Rewarding her with some bacon.
"She almost looked like she was going to deliver that to Professor Wilkins." Hermione pointed out.
"I know." Harry said reading the note with a frown. When he was done he passed it to Hermione who looked at it then with a tilt of her head. She folded it before returning it to Harry.
"So what's that about?" Ron asked quickly.
"Nothing major. Padfoot just being worried about the new defense professor and warning us about Professor Tonks." Hermione quickly said.
"Really. You didn't look too excited to get it." Ron off handedly said.
"Well its just another example of him worrying about minor things given the circumstances." Hermione declared before going back to her food and dismissing Ron.
"Harry?" Ron asked but Harry was staring at the head table in curiosity.
…...
Old Harry would have the fifth year Gryffindors in the afternoon, the one that made him most nervous was the Ravenclaws this morning. All because of one particular student named Luna Lovegood.
After things had gone badly with Ginny he had run into Luna who was single. She had come back to the U.K. after her husband Rolf had been killed with her twins and began being friends with Harry. Eventually they had married and she was the one who had come up with the plan. The plan to change things so that no one had to die, no one had to have the life they had after the war.
She had warned him that her younger self could be an ally or a problem. She wasn't sure which but that she would no doubt see through any disguise so to be ready for that.
The younger version of her sat in her seat staring at him without blinking. Those sky blue eyes never moving from him as he walked around the room. Pacing as he lectured the class he finally had them do some practice spells then dismissed them when the bell rang.
Luna remained in her seat until they were alone in the room. Harry stood patiently waiting for her to say something.
She stood up and studying him intently took her finger and traced over his scar. He had been covering it with simple muggle stage makeup so as not to set off anyone who might have examined him with extra magic.
"Hello Harry." She finally said.
"Hello Luna. You told me I'd have to tell you at some point." He said with a smile.
"So I was still your friend in the future?" she asked hopefully.
"Luna my love. You were more than just my friend." he said with a chuckle.
She nodded with her Mona Lisa smile, "I believe the age difference would be too great to renew any association of that nature."
"I'm sure you can find someone your own age. Besides I don't know how long I'll have to live here." he said coughing slightly.
She nodded, "I will have to consider my options, although your counterpart is already in love with someone else."
Old harry took a deep breath as he nodded, "I know."
She nodded, "I see. That is why you have returned?"
"One reason. Its sort of complicated." He said wryly.
"Time travel usually is." She agreed.
The students for the next class began to enter the room so Old harry swiftly made sure his makeup was still good and said, "We'll continue this discussion later Miss Lovegood."
"Very well professor Wilkins." she said turning to leave. Harry watched her go reminding himself she was forbidden fruit now. Even if her soul seemed to always be far older than even Dumbledore.
Seeing Ginny Weasley in the class he sighed, one hurdle crossed now to deal with the next one.
…...
Old harry had managed to keep part of his mind on teaching and the other calculating on what to do about Ginny. His marriage with her had never been a very strong one, and there were times he suspected she had cheated on him with someone. After the incident happened and their marriage was disintegrating he had confronted her about it. She had confirmed that she had never wanted to marry him, only doing so because her mother had pushed and manipulated and ensured that she would do so.
She was too scared to pursue who she really wanted to be with which was Abigail Perkwith, a young lady who had been in her class. Dark brown hair, glasses, a slender petite frame. She had barely managed to survive the war and Ginny had remained her friend. Eventually they began a relationship that Ginny had kept secret until the incident.
In the fallout from the incident Harry had helped her stand up to Molly, not entirely difficult given how badly her life had turned. She made a token effort to resist Ginny's decision to leave harry for Abigail but in the end she had accepted things.
"Miss Weasley could you stay after class a moment."
"Yes professor." Ginny replied with a bit of concern.
"Oh you've done nothing wrong. I just wanted to ask you a couple of things if you didn't mind." Old harry said gesturing towards the seat.
"Uh. I suppose." Ginny replied uncertainly.
"Don't worry I'm not going to ask anything too personal. I was just wondering how you were doing after what happened to you in your first year."
Ginny looked surprised and nervous. "Oh. I'm okay I guess."
"Alright. Well I know being possessed can lead to some problems and changes within onesself. Changes that a curse breaker may not catch." Old harry said with a kind smile. He remembered that Bill had checked her over but that she had never been to any healers.
Ginny looked like she was calculating something. "A curse breaker might not be able to reverse or catch everything?"
"Well no of course not. You see when a person gets possessed some aspects of the spirit that possesses them merge with the host. Things like memories, personality quirks. You haven't noticed anything like that have you?"
Ginny looked like she was going to say something before covering it with a smile and shaking her head, "Oh no. Not really. I haven't."
"Oh okay. Well if you ever need or want to talk about it I'll be willing to listen."
"Yes sir. I'll keep it in mind." She said.
Harry knew when she got like that it would take veritaserum to draw anything else out of her so nodded, "Okay. Well lunch is next so enjoy."
"Thank you sir." she said before leaving with a thoughtful expression on her face. Harry wasn't sure if he did something good or bad but at least she was thinking. Now to get harry and Hermione together.
…...
The fifth year defense class saw Old Harry watching the younger versions of himself and Hermione entering. Followed by that jerk Ron. Ron was watching Hermione's backside move under her robes without even hiding it.
"Mr Weasley. Eyes up. Miss Granger's backside is not an appropriate focus for your attention." He called out causing her to spin and glare at the redhead.
"I uh. I wasn't looking. Honest." He sputtered.
Hermione scowled and moved to sit beside Harry leaving Ron to find a seat beside Lavender. Old harry sighed as she looked at Ron with a side long glance.
Once everyone was settled Old harry stood up, "Good afternoon. As you are aware I am Professor Wilkins." When Hermione did not react OH knew she had not planned to do anything to her parents this far ahead at least.
"I am going to teach all of you a balance between practical and theoretical defense skills. We will not always follow the book exactly." He grinned internally when he saw Hermione frown. She always did love the book, even when she would bend the rules into a pretzel she did it in such a way she could claim to be following the book.
"Before we begin I want to see what some of you have done so we'll do a bit of dueling. Nothing that will do permanent harm, nor anything unforgivable. This is just to see how well you do and to get a feel for your styles. First one to yield, be unable to continue or if I blow the whistle is the end of the duel." He smiled briefly as some of the students looked concerned. "Potter you and Miss Granger to the front of the room please."
Harry and Hermione took their positions at the front of the room then waited for the whistle. Moments after OH blew the whistle Harry and Hermione began to cautious throw a few spells at each other. Minor stinging hexes and tickling charms which were easily parried into the ceiling.
OH looked around the room to see most of the Slytherins paying attention to Harry's technique while a few of the girls were paying attention to his physique. He shook his head wondering how he had been so oblivious when he was younger.
"C'mon Potter quit playing around." OH snorted after a few minutes of the two of them carefully dancing around each other. "Is this the way the boy who lived fights? Or is it because you don't want to hurt your girlfriend?"
Draco laughed as did his cohorts while Ron scowled OH noticed. He also noticed Harry got a sudden determined look in his eyes as Hermione blushed. So he must have hit a nerve as Harry began to increase the pace and diversity of his spells. Hermione began to struggle to keep up as he became more unpredictable.
Finally harry accioed her shoes off of her feet, causing her to fall on her backside, before he disarmed her and wrapped her in binding ropes.
OH blew his whistle before saying, "Good job. Very good Mr Potter. That is what I want to see from all of you."
Releasing Hermione harry gave her wand and shoes back. "Are you okay?"
"Yes nothing injured except my pride." she grunted.
"Miss Granger you are fortunate this is a classroom. If that had been a real fight against Death Eaters or dark wizards you could have come off far worse. They would not have had the slightest qualms about using much more painful and permanent spells. Ripping your bones from your flesh, expelling your organs through your anus, burning you alive from the inside out." He shuddered briefly as the memory of purple flames enveloping her briefly resurfaced.
"I didn't know you could accio someone's shoes." She said standing up.
"Accio is one of those spells that can be used quite interestingly if one applies some imagination." OH said with a chuckle. "Shoes, masks, hats, anything that is not easily attached will more than likely come off of the person. If he had accioed your bra though he would have more than likely pulled you towards him by it. Unless you dug your heels in, the clasps broke or he managed to overpower your grip on something keeping you from going to him."
Hermione glanced down her front briefly, "That isn't very honorable."
OH shook his head, "No its not. That's the point of a real world fight. The ONLY time you are going to get a fair fight is in a formal duel. Otherwise the enemy will fight dirty. If you are going against a beast they will fight on instinct. You have to become flexible, adaptive, and most of all be able to do all of that quickly."
The other students murmured in concern. Parvati raised her hand.
"Yes Miss Patil?"
"Are you going to dock us points if we use a spell not in the curriculum?"
"Miss Patil as long as the spell is not one of the unforgivables or going to do permanent harm that our Matron cannot heal I will not dock points. If it is something interesting enough I may even give you points and require you to show it to others. We are going to work to learn from each other so that when you leave here you will be able to protect yourselves and those you care about." OH stated walking to the front. "I may for the final ask Professor Flitwick to assist me."
The class that had heard rumors of the diminutive professor being a dueling champion made some brief murmurs of worry.
"Miss Patil since you seem to have an idea, how about you come up here and see if you can bring down Mr Potter."
Hermione and Parvati nodded to each other as they passed. Parvati standing loose and calmly across from Harry. Oh blew his whistle and Parvati moved sinuously as Harry began to throw spells. She did not so much parry many of them as she was not where they passed.
OH remembered how Parvati had gone back to her homeland after graduation and became a guardian. The last he had heard she was head of their entire protectore force. So it was not surprising to see her move like this to him. The other students though seemed to be reevaluating the girl.
Harry tried to accio her shoes only for her to jump out of them so he tried to do the same to her bra only for nothing to happen at all. Parvati grinned as harry paused in surprise, the next thing was that Harry's eyebrows had grown to reach his chin and he was dragged to her by his boxers.
OH blew his whistle. "Oh that was well done Miss Patil. A simple hair growth charm?"
"Yes sir." She said releasing Harry's wedding tackle with a grin. Old harry did notice Hermione was scowling slightly at the display while the other students laughed and a few whistled.
"Well could you please help Mr Potter not look quite so much like a sheep dog. And next time not be quite so hands on, at least not in public." OH wondered how this development was going to change things.
"Yes sir."Parvati said restoring Harry's eyebrows to normal revealing him blushing slightly.
"Alright Weasley you and Malfoy. Mr Potter I think you can take a seat to calm yourself."
Harry walked awkwardly to his seat beside Hermione while Parvati happily marched to her seat beside Lavender. The two girls putting their heads close together to hurriedly whisper a conversation while Malfoy and Weasley got ready.
OH expected Draco would react as soon as he put the whistle to his lips and was not disappointed. Ron barely had a chance to block the spell that came at him. It was a bone breaker hex, which was within the rules OH had to admit.
Draco was a skilled and practiced duelist who would be a rough opponent OH observed as Ron was forced to flail and jerk out of the way of spells. He was being backed slowly across the room, unable to throw so much as a single offensive spell. Draco's smirk grew wider as Ron reached the wall and was unable to back any further.
Draco made a flourish and sweep with his wand that dragged several pieces of parchment off of OH's desk and transformed them into swarms of spiders that landed on Ron. Everyone watched as the red haired victim began to scream and flail wildly. His bladder let loose as some of the spiders climbed into his open mouth and down his clothes. He dropped to the floor whimpering and crying.
"Stop it!" Hermione shouted. "He's defeated already!"
OH frowned as he had been enjoying the humiliation of Ron. Unfortunately he had to at least be somewhat responsible as a professor. With a wave of his wand the spiders vanished and returned to being papers.
"Mr Longbottom take Mr Weasley to the hospital wing then return. Miss Granger there will be no more outbursts like that. 5 points from Gryffindor."
Hermione's mouth dropped open as she looked like she had been slapped.
"Mr Malfoy I am going to assume you knew about Mr Weasley's Arachnophobia?"
"Yes sir."
"5 points to Slytherin. Using any knowledge you have about your opponent to defeat them is very good resource management."
Hermione was scowling at him as Neville half carried the twitching Weasley out of the room.
"Miss Granger I take it you are affronted and upset by my decisions?" Oh asked, "You may speak freely in this class."
"Yes sir. That was cruel."
"Yes it was. However it was within the rules I had established. A calming draught and some rest will restore Mr Weasley. If it had been the crucio, or some other torture spell it would have been different."
"But Ron was already losing. That was just humiliating him." Hermione protested.
"And Miss Patil grabbing Harry by the bollocks was not?" OH asked.
Hermione frowned, "That's not the same."
"Mister Potter did you give Miss Patil permission to grab you?"
Harry looked nervously at the floor before saying, "Uh no sir."
"But he wasn't harmed by it." Hermione argued.
"Oh so if say Mr Goyle were to grab you by your private parts that wouldn't be harmful?" OH sat on the corner of his desk. He had missed debating Hermione. She got so passionate about her position on things. Luna would just state her position and then stare at you until you gave up or agreed with her.
Hermione stopped talking as she considered things. "It would be a violation of my privacy yes."
"So Miss Patil grabbing Harry would be a violation of his privacy."
"That's beside the point. Covering someone with spiders when they are deathly afraid of them is cruel, its not at all the same."
"It was an effective tool though. And I am only cruel to be kind as the bard once said. Mr Weasley was in a duel. The only reason it was cruel was we are safe, we are in a safe brightly lit classroom, there was a professor and friends of his willing to intercede on his behalf. What if it was a moonless night, in the dark forest and a group of acromantula attacked him. His inability to fight through his fear would kill him. Even worse it could kill others that he would be responsible for."
Hermione frowned, "I still didn't like it."
"Why? Do you have feelings for Mr Weasley?" OH was curious about that.
Hermione looked surprised he would ask, "No. Not like that. He's my friend."
"So if I would have say had a vampire attack Mr Malfoy that would be acceptable to you? If I was cruel to Miss Bulstrode that would be acceptable behavior? What about a perfect stranger that you never met?" OH stood and walked over to stare at Hermione.
Hermione blinked several times as she was pinned by those inky black lenses. Her distorted reflection making her nervous. "No. I guess not."
"You guess not. Either it is or it is not Miss Granger. Cruelty for the sake of cruelty is always wrong. Regardless of who the victim is. Cruelty in combat, cruelty for the sake of defeating an enemy though. Cruelty for the sake of preventing a far greater cruelty is always right. There are few absolutes Miss Granger other than pain and suffering is the ultimate fairness, everyone feels it at one point or another."
Hermione frowned but she seemed to be thinking at least. OH walked back to the front of the room. "Try not to be so smug Mr Malfoy. If I wanted to I could literally smear your internal organs across the ceiling of this room in less time than it takes for you to blink. Just because you beat someone as unskilled and vulnerable as Mr Weasley does not make you superior."
Draco's face went from a smug grin to a scowl in a flash. OH was glad he hadn't said his father would hear about that at least.
Neville walked in and paused as he saw everyone silently staring at the professor.
"Ahh Mr Longbottom why don't you come here and avenge your friend Mr Weasley." OH suggested as he took his position again. Before Neville stepped to the front of the room though OH whispered something into his ear. Neville's face took a strange twist as he glared at Draco across the room.
When the whistle blew Neville began to send bursts of magic at Draco. Brute force unfocused energy that resolved itself as blasts and explosions. Draco was only able to reduce the brunt of the blows as he was knocked backwards. He himself was only able to get a few cutting charms off that left Neville's chest bleeding slightly.
Finally Neville sent Draco into the wall of the room with a roar that left Draco twitching on the floor coughing up pink frothy blood. OH had to blow the whistle several times before Neville calmed down. He looked at the wand in his hand then at Draco like he was just seeing them.
"Oh dear. It looks like one of your ribs has punctured your lung Mr Malfoy. Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing for those cuts. I'll be right back class." OH said levitating Draco carefully.
"Whoa. Neville's a beast." Seamus observed.
"I wonder what the professor said to set him off?" Lavender asked.
Parvati came to stand in front of harry, "I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have grabbed you."
Harry blushed slightly, "No its okay. Like the professor said it was all fair in the duel."
Hermione snorted, "Plus he probably enjoyed it."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck. Without saying anything he shrugged noncommittally.
"Still I hope you're not upset with me." Parvati said hopefully.
"No. Not upset at all."
"And I'm not upset you tried to grab me by the bra." Parvati said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
"You don't seem to be wearing one." harry said in a low voice.
Parvati bent over to say sotto voice to harry, "No I use a support spell. Much more comfortable that way."
Harry nodded as his eyes fought to maintain eye contact. Parvati chuckled.
"That's nice." Harry managed to say.
"Okay thanks." Parvati said going back to talk to Lavender.
"Are you okay Hermione?" Harry asked once the dusky girl had gone back to her desk and his breathing had returned to normal.
Hermione thought for a moment before saying, "I guess. I just didn't think it was very fair to do that to Ron."
Harry shrugged, "I guess not."
"You don't exactly sound very certain about that." Hermione pointed out.
"Well if I had to fight Ron I would do the same. Professor Wilkins is right. In a fight we would have to do everything we could to take out the enemy. They'd be doing the same to us." Harry said thoughtfully.
"I suppose." Hermione frowned.
Harry and her sat quietly thinking until OH returned. The rest of the class went through their duels without any more injuries.
"Alright everyone. I want an essay on the purpose of force. When you should use it and when you should not as well as how much force should you use. Plus practice the first spell in the book as we will be using it the next class."
Old Harry watched Hermione and harry leave, knowing their next stop would be to check on Ron, then to find Neville. He had better send Luna a note to initiate her help.
…...
Visiting Ron in the hospital wing Harry and Hermione explained what happened after he left.
"So you confirmed Parvati doesn't wear a bra?" Ron asked with a sideways loopy grin thanks to the calming draught.
"That's what you are focusing on?" Hermione huffed.
"Well yeah. I wondered about her. You know you'd look good if you did that too." Ron said serenely.
"You are a. No. I like wearing a bra." Hermione huffed crossing her arms over her chest.
Harry snickered, "Ron you're going to wind up in here a lot longer if you keep bugging her."
Ron shrugged, "Draco's another bed over. Apparently Neville beat him badly."
"Yeah he did." Harry agreed.
Hermione shook her head, "It happened because the professor whispered something in his ear. I wonder what he said."
"I have no idea. But as soon as he got his cuts healed he bolted out of here." Ron intoned sleepily. "I hope he's okay."
"Alright Ron. We'll go see what's going on with Neville and let you rest." Harry said.
Hermione nodded as she patted him on the shoulder before they left.
"I wonder what the story is with this professor. He seems rather odd." Hermione observed as they walked.
"I don't know. Although in comparison to the usual around here he seems downright normal." Harry shrugged. "And so far I don't think he will purposely try to kill me."
"Where do you think Neville is?" Hermione asked trying to change the subject as she gave a worried frown towards Harry.
"Where else the greenhouses." Harry suggested.
…...
They found Neville in the tropical greenhouse. He was taking an eyedropper and placing some bright red potion down the trumpets of several flowers.
"Hi Neville. Are you okay?" Harry asked as they approached.
"Yeah." he grunted softly.
"That was some display on Draco there." harry complimented the boy.
"Yeah." he repeated.
Hermione touched his arm asking, "What did the professor say to you that made you so angry?"
Neville scowled at her hand on his arm then at her until she removed her hand. "I don't want to talk about it."
"We're your friends Neville." Hermione gently pointed out.
"I know. But I still don't want to talk about it." he firmly stated.
"Oh. Is there anything we can do though?" Hermione asked.
"Just leave me alone right now." Neville demanded in an empty tone of voice.
"Okay. But if you want to talk." Hermione suggested.
Neville just nodded.
Harry and Hermione waited a moment longer but left.
"Well he's in a right funk." Harry observed.
"Maybe we should go ask Professor Wilkins." Hermione suggested.
"That would not be a good idea." a soft voice from the shrubbery to their left said.
Harry and Hermione stopped, "Excuse me?"
Luna stepped out of the shrubbery wearing a pair of ornate gold rimmed glasses with one red and one blue lens. She removed then and stood blinking at the pair in front of her for a moment before saying, "You are excused I suppose. Although I don't know what for."
Harry shook his head, "No. I mean. Uh who are you?"
Luna smiled, "I am Luna Lovegood."
Hermione nodded, "I've heard of you."
Luna tilted her head, "I am not surprised. People like to talk about me quite frequently. Usually in negative terms."
Hermione looked apologetically at the ground, "Well, uh, yes. Some of the things I heard were not very nice I suppose."
Luna reversed the tilt of her head then smiled, "I hope you will give me the opportunity to disprove those negative comments by being my friend."
Harry looked at the slender blonde and smiled, "Yeah. Sure we can be your friend. Right Hermione?"
Hermione took a deep breath before saying, "If you want to."
Luna smiled widely, "I would like to be your friend a great deal."
"Okay good. Now why did you say it wouldn't be a good idea to ask professor Wilkins about what he said?" harry asked.
"Because he does not wish you to know it." She replied.
Hermione scowled, "And you know this how?"
"He told me." Luna said calmly.
"He told you?" Hermione repeated in confusion.
"Yes." She simply said.
"Why would he tell you and not us?" Harry asked with a frown of his own.
"Because he has his reasons and I agree with them. Neville will tell you when he is ready. Besides this will be better for your friendship with Neville in the long run as it will show mutual trust." Luna explained.
Harry stopped frowning and looked in frank confusion at her. "Okay. I hope at some point you are going to explain all of this to us."
Luna tilted her head to consider things then said, "Perhaps."
The door to the greenhouse opened and Neville tiredly came walking out. He saw the three others standing there and sighed, "Were you guys waiting on me?"
"No I intercepted them. Hello Neville." Luna said with a gentle smile.
"Uh hello." Neville said politely, looking at Harry and Hermione for an explanation.
"This is Luna Lovegood." Harry said with a shrug.
"Oh well. Uh hello."
"You have already said that." Luna replied, "But hello."
The four stood quietly for a moment before Luna asked, "Are you feeling more like talking to harry and Hermione about what the professor told you?"
Neville frowned slightly but shrugging said, "He told me that Draco knows what happened to my parents."
Harry knew something had happened to Neville's parents as he was living with his grandmother but not what. He assumed they had died like so many others in the picture Moody had shown him.
Hermione though ,"Oh. So that's why you live with your Grandmother?"
Neville looked at her for a long moment before saying, "Yeah. Saint Mungo's isn't exactly the place to raise a child."
Harry looked surprised, "Saint Mungo's? The hospital?"
Neville scowled, "No Saint Mungo's the grocers."
Luna touched Neville on the arm gently, "Its okay Neville. Please don't be angry with us."
Neville looked at the small hand touching his arm and exhaled deeply, he seemed to deflate slightly before nodding, "Sorry. Please don't tell anyone. But my parent's are in Saint Mungo's permanent care ward because they got. They got tortured to the point they lost their minds. They don't know who I am. At least not really."
Harry's eyes grew wide briefly before he realized that Neville still had his parent's only in a cruel twist of fate he didn't have them. "Oh. I. I don't know what to say Neville."
Neville shrugged, "There isn't much to say."
Harry reached out and gripped Neville's arm in a reassuring gesture, "I understand more now though. And we'll keep it quiet."
Neville smiled, "Thanks."
Review Response:
DennisUD: Goes to show what good clean living and good genetics will do for a person.