Disclaimer: Nope.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm really, really glad you liked Sturgis's Defense Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic lesson. That was one of my absolute favorite chapters to write. The real Sturgis, or in other words, the person he's based on - his influence was all over that chapter. Bringing him to life is extraordinary. He's certainly going to help Harry a lot.

Yes, this story does address a lot of PTSD and psychological issues. In the real series, that wasn't addressed very much, although obviously that wasn't what the story was about. But I honestly find that mental health leaves a lot to be desired in the wizarding world. At the end of every year, Harry faced some horrible ordeal, and he was just sent right back to the Dursleys with no regard for how anything affected him. His abuse at the Dursleys was rather downplayed too - it reminds me a lot of the Roald Dahl books, which I absolutely loved as a child. It's just that when you grow older, you see things you didn't before. This is one of those fanfics where psychology gets addressed a lot. I just feel like it's so important.

Anyway, as I promised, we head back to Hogwarts in this chapter. I wonder what you'll all make of Professor Fiona Giddens, our latest Defense teacher.

xxxxxxxxxx

If there was one thing that Ron Weasley absolutely did not want to do today, it was attend a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson with yet another teacher. He was already tired of classes today - in fact, he was tired of Hogwarts altogether.

There were no words he could really use to describe what it was like being here without Harry. He was so thankful that he still had Hermione - the two of them had spent the entire weekend by each other's side. The stares and comments they had received were too much for them to bear, but whenever Hermione looked at him, he drew strength from it. He felt like he was lost, adrift in a stormy sea, and Hermione was the one anchor he had left.

All anyone ever talked about was You-Know-Who. The conversation was all about the series of attacks and the missing students who were attending funerals for their loved ones. Ron would never forget seeing Angelina and Alicia in the common room, sitting together with their heads down. They looked just as lost without Katie as Ron felt without Harry. It wasn't fair, not at all.

There was a lot of other conversation, however, that revolved around Harry and when, or if, the school governors would allow him to return. Ron couldn't count the number of times he'd been asked how Harry was doing. He and Hermione treaded carefully, telling people that Harry was doing okay and taking things one day at a time. They would never betray his confidence and tell them that Harry wasn't up for Hogwarts right now anyway.

The worst, however, had happened on Saturday morning, Ron's first day waking up in the dormitory. As he, Neville, Dean, and Seamus got ready for the day, Seamus had begun to speak, and what he'd said made Ron so angry that it was a wonder he hadn't throttled him on the spot.

"Me mam is very happy that Potter's staying away," the boy had said. "What happened to Diggory last year was terrible. Mam completely agrees with the governors. I know you're his best friend, mind, but surely you're worried about your family too?"

Ron had glared directly into Seamus's face. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Finnigan," he snarled.

"No?" Seamus had stared back challengingly. "There are a ton of other students in this school, Weasley. You can't deny that Potter's You-Know-Who's prime target. Me mam's scared. So are many other parents. And so are we." He looked at Dean beside him. "I know what Potter means to you," he said in a tone that begged Ron to see reason. "And Dean means the same to me. If Potter was responsible for something happening to Dean ..."

"No, mate. I can't let you do that." Dean looked at Seamus with a hint of anger in his eyes. "We've talked about this. Harry wasn't responsible for what happened to Diggory. Just like he wouldn't be responsible if anything happened to me. You can't blame Harry for You-Know-Who's actions. It's not fair."

Seamus had looked at Dean in a rather betrayed fashion, and Ron knew he had expected him to agree wholeheartedly. Ron gave Dean a small smile, and he smiled back.

"Well, then." Seamus flushed, trying to recover. "It's ... well ... Potter's not the be-all and end-all," he spluttered. "I just don't want to see more deaths in this place. And you and Hermione walk around like it's the end of the world that Potter's not here. Why don't you spare a thought for Diggory's friends? They'll never see him again. Potter's away. He's not bloody dead."

"That's uncalled for, Seamus." Neville's soft voice was the only thing that stopped Ron from starting a physical altercation with the other boy - his words stirred up equal guilt and fury. He remembered Cho Chang's face as she stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express. He could remember the empty faces of the Hufflepuffs. Seamus was right - how could Ron possibly compare him and Hermione's situation to those of the people Cedric had loved?

But at the same time, Seamus seemed to be rather pleased that Harry wasn't here, and not at all ashamed of showing that to Ron. "What's Harry ever done to you?" Neville was continuing. "And why are you being so nasty to Ron?"

Dean shot Ron a quick look of apology before turning to Seamus. "Let's go," he told his best friend quietly. "This isn't a way to start our first morning here."

Seamus shot Ron another angry glare before allowing Dean to escort him out of the dormitory. Needless to say, relations had been rather frosty between them since. It didn't help that Hermione had told Ron that she'd had a pretty similar conversation with Lavender Brown. Hogwarts was not as it should be - and Ron already wanted to do nothing more than go home.

If people weren't shooting Ron and Hermione strange looks in the hallways, they were also asking them about Sirius's trial. Some of them had attended, and several told Ron that they admired him for his testimony. If he'd been told the same thing a year ago, he'd have straightened his shoulders and puffed himself up. Now, the thought of doing this made him sick. How could he have possibly wanted his ego stroked? He'd only wanted to do the right thing - to make sure that a man who had suffered for years for a crime he didn't commit was cleared of all charges, and that his best friend was allowed to stay with him and be a family.

He liked it best when people avoided talking to Ron and Hermione. The looks they got were either of sympathy or hostility - there seemed to be no in between. The only people who avoided looking at them at all were several of the people who had thought Harry had murdered Cedric. Bunch of cowards, Ron thought disgustedly. They couldn't even face the fact that they'd been wrong. There were no apologies, and there was no regret. They just kept their heads down. Ron couldn't look at them without feeling furious.

All in all, Ron felt bloody miserable as he stood outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, waiting for yet another teacher. The mood of the school had been slightly lighter over lunch, as several of the students had had their first lesson with her and were talking animatedly. It seemed as though they rather liked her, and one of those people was Ginny.

She'd spent the entire weekend looking pale and drawn, but there had been a bit more life to her as she'd sat at lunch with Ron and Hermione. "I think you'll like her," she proclaimed. "She knows what she's about, and isn't afraid of saying anything."

From a few seats down, Colin Creevy agreed. "I think we're going to have a really good year with her," he'd said as he spooned some mashed potatoes into his mouth. "You'll see."

And now, as Ron and his classmates saw her coming down the corridor, he could only hope to have the same opinion. If there was ever a year when they needed a good Defense teacher, it was this one.

"Come on inside," Professor Giddens said, smiling at them. "It's okay - I know you're all nervous. Hopefully, I'll be able to help with that."

Slowly, reluctantly, they walked inside the room and sat down. Ron sat with Hermione, both of them looking apprehensively at each other, neither knowing quite what to expect.

Once everyone was seated, Professor Giddens looked at the class and smiled at them. "Good afternoon," she said in a voice that sounded very welcoming. "My name is Professor Fiona Giddens, and it's obvious what you're all thinking. It's completely understandable, because if I was in your position, I'd be thinking the exact same thing. Oh, no, not another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Is she going to attack me? Is she even going to know how to teach properly? Is she going to turn into a monster and eat me?"

The class stared. Professor Giddens let out a melodic laugh that somehow eased the discomfort in Ron's stomach slightly. "It's perfectly okay to be wondering those things. If I'd been a student here during your time, I'd have absolutely no faith in any more Defense teachers. I'd look at someone like me with complete and utter mistrust. To be honest, I might not have even shown up for class at all."

The woman had the entire class's attention. Some people had started the lesson fiddling with their quills or looking down at their hands, unwilling to listen to this woman who had, for some reason, come all the way from America. The accent was one that Ron didn't normally hear, and it was definitely interesting. But it was her words and the frank tone of her voice that perked up his ears.

"There were some very legitimate questions asked at the Welcoming Feast, although I don't think it was any of you who asked them," Professor Giddens continued, still smiling. "But I will answer them anyway, because I think it important that we start off on the right foot. Yes, I am here all the way from America. I have lived there my entire life, and have worked for the American magical government for years. No, there is currently no war there. Why would I want to come here, where it's unsafe and Voldemort could attack me?"

Most of the class gasped at hearing the name. "Professor!" Lavender Brown squealed. "Don't say the name!"

"Why not, Miss ..." the woman asked, sounding rather curious.

Lavender was taken aback by the simple question. "Brown. Lavender Brown. Because ... because you can't!" she cried out. "It's wrong! Something bad will happen if you do!"

"Ah." Professor Giddens nodded. "Voldemort," she said loudly and clearly. After a few seconds of silence where students continued to give her horrified looks, she said, "Nothing bad happened, did it? The ceiling didn't come crumbling down. You are all still sitting here. And Voldemort did not just walk in this classroom."

That gave the entire class pause as they stared open-mouthed at their professor. "But ..." Lavender spluttered. "But ..."

"Names only have power if you let them," Professor Giddens said simply. "And that is all I will say on this subject for now. I just figured I'd give you a little food for thought." She looked out at the gobsmacked class. "Anyway, as I was saying, there is no war in America. So why am I here?" Her eyes were full of passion when she spoke next. "Because Britain needs all the help it can get. Because witches and wizards from other countries have their own experiences, backgrounds, and histories. They can offer advice during trying times. And helping others in need is very important to me."

"Even though you're putting yourself in danger by coming here?" Seamus blurted out. "You just came to help? No other reason than that?"

"No other reason than that," Professor Giddens smiled. "A war has begun. Yes, we are sheltered here at Hogwarts, and you, as children, are not expected to fight in the upcoming battles. If the war is still going on after you have graduated Hogwarts, you may choose to fight if you wish. But the reason I am here is to prepare you, because no matter how sheltered we are here, I won't lie to you and say that there is no chance that you can be attacked. To say otherwise would be doing a disservice to all of you. Look at what happened on Thursday night. Individuals and their families were caught unawares, and people were brutally killed."

"Well, there's less of a chance of it happening to us here now, since Potter isn't here," Lavender had the utter gall to say. "I think the governors made the right decision. What do you think, Professor?"

"Well, I don't," Hermione practically snarled while Ron felt his entire face going red. "Can't you go for one minute without getting in a dig at Harry? And how dare you try to get the professor involved!"

Professor Giddens raised a hand. "How you feel about Harry Potter is not to be discussed in this classroom." Her light, jovial tone from earlier was gone, to be replaced by one of sternness. "It is not my place to tell you how to feel about him. And no, I will not be answering your question, Miss Brown."

Her voice grew more gentle as she continued speaking. "I know that this is a scary time, and all of you worry for your loved ones," she said quietly. "But using another child as a scapegoat is wrong. Unfortunately, when tragedies have occurred throughout history, many people have looked for someone to blame. It's a coping mechanism, and it is much easier to blame someone else than to really face what has happened. Think of why the Statute of Secrecy exists in the first place."

Hermione raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Giddens asked. It was obvious that due to what she'd heard about current events, she knew exactly who Hermione was.

"The witch burnings," the girl whispered. "Many of the people killed in those weren't witches at all - they were innocent Muggles who were blamed for things that had absolutely nothing to do with them. Witches could use flame-freezing charms to survive those attacks. Muggles couldn't."

"Very good, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor." Professor Giddens gave Hermione a smile. "There were, unfortunately, many innocent victims who suffered for no reason at all."

"But it's true, though," Parvati said plaintively. "This situation's different. Diggory died because You-Know-Who wanted Potter for his resurrection."

"If you're going to talk about the war, you will call him Voldemort in this classroom," Professor Giddens said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Is that understood?"

Seamus stared, horrified. "You can't be serious!" he exclaimed.

"I am very serious." Professor Giddens didn't budge, and Ron felt equal parts admiration and fear. "And ... okay. If we're going to address the hippogriff in the room, then let's do it. I do not normally find it appropriate to discuss another classmate when they are not here to defend themselves, but I can see that this is a big concern for many of you, and therefore, we need to talk it over.

"As I have said, I'm not going to spend time talking about whether the governors are right or wrong. What I am going to say, however, is that I think it very important that you put yourself in Mr. Potter's shoes and think about this from his perspective."

"He didn't bother to show himself at all after Cedric died," Parvati said in an almost petulant manner. "People were accusing him of murder, and he didn't tell us that he didn't do it. I never honestly thought he did it, but it would have made it easier for others in the school to believe him if he'd just come out and said it."

"That is the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard you say, Parvati," Hermione growled, and Ron's eyes flashed with anger at the sheer absurdity of Parvati's statement. "What did you expect him to do? He was injured, both physically and emotionally. Were you at Fudge's trial?"

"No," Parvati snapped. "My parents wouldn't allow me to go."

"Well, that's the thing." Neville spoke up then, and there was a resolve in his eyes that Ron hadn't seen before. "If you'd gone to Fudge's trial and seen that memory, you wouldn't be saying what you are, Parvati. I was there ... and it was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. If you think Harry owed you, if you think he should have shown his face to the entire school after what he went through ... well, that says more about you than it does about him."

Ron smiled at Neville's audacity, admiration shining in his eyes. Parvati flushed, looking supremely indignant. "What's gotten into you, Neville?" she demanded shrilly.

Professor Giddens spoke up, and Ron had honestly forgotten they were in class at all. Her expression had morphed into one of sadness. "War is a very unfortunate thing," she said in a whisper. "I attended Cornelius Fudge's trial, too. All of us who were there, who witnessed what Mr. Potter was put through ... I cannot speak for you, but I felt much older when I left that courtroom than when I entered it. And Mr. Potter was only fourteen and lived through such an ordeal."

She looked closely at all the students. "I know you are scared. You're fearful for your friends, for your families, for yourselves. It's normal to feel that way," she said. "You would do anything to protect the people you care about. You know that Voldemort is after Mr. Potter, and will stop at nothing to find him. It's understandable that without him here, you might think you're safer." She gazed at the students with eyes full of wisdom. "But Mr. Potter is not the only thing Voldemort seeks to destroy."

"He wants me and my family dead too, and not just because Harry's my best friend," Ron murmured.

"He and his supporters hate people like me," Hermione agreed. "He'd want me gone whether I was Harry's friend or not."

"I want to fight in the war," Dean proclaimed. "I want to protect the people I love."

"Can you teach us how?" Neville asked quietly. "I'm tired of being scared."

Professor Giddens smiled, but there was sadness behind it. "That, I can do," she said. "It won't be easy. And I know that your trust in me will need to be earned."

"Do you know who our last Defense teacher was?" Neville asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Professor Giddens looked at Neville with compassion. "Yes, I am aware of exactly who he was, Mr. Longbottom," she said simply.

Neville's eyes were old when he looked at her, and Ron was reminded of Harry by that look. There was something more to Neville's words that Ron couldn't put his finger on - some kind of hidden meaning.

But Neville said no more on the subject. He only added, "I want to be brave like Harry. I know I'm rubbish at magic, and ..."

"Who, exactly, told you that you're rubbish at magic, Mr. Longbottom?" Professor Giddens asked, surprised by his harsh statement.

"Er ... everyone knows it," Neville said, his entire face flushing. "Some people are just too nice to say it."

"Nonsense, Neville," Hermione piped up at once. "That's not true."

"Miss Granger is right. That is nonsense, Mr. Longbottom." Professor Giddens sounded very uncompromising. "Belief is a very important part of magic. If you believe you're rubbish, then you will be rubbish. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy." She straightened, her eyes suddenly dancing with delight. "Right. Enough talking. Today, we will be duelling one another."

Ron felt excitement bubble within him. Duelling. He could only hope that this would be much more engaging than it had been with bloody Lockhart.

Neville's mouth opened in horror when Professor Giddens realized that there was one student who did not have a partner. Ron and Hermione would be duelling one another, as would Dean and Seamus, and Lavender and Parvati. "You will be working with me, Mr. Longbottom," she said promptly.

"Oh no. Oh no. You wouldn't want to work with me. You'll regret it," Neville babbled. "You'll hate me when we're finished."

"If it's the last thing I do, I will train you out of that mindset, Mr. Longbottom. Now quit speaking such nonsense and stand up," Professor Giddens said.

Shakily, Neville got to his feet, and Professor Giddens smiled. "That's more like it," she said, her look changing to one of reassurance. "This is a very important lesson for this class. Being afraid of the name Voldemort only gives him more power. Telling yourself you're rubbish at anything only feeds that belief and makes it true. Now come on, all of you. We will take it in turns - I'd like to see what you can do."

xxx

The rest of the class passed in a blur of duels. After each pair duelled one another, Professor Giddens critiqued them, telling them what they had done well and what they could do better. Ron was honestly surprised - he'd expected Hermione to wipe the floor with him, but they'd been more evenly matched than he thought.

Neville, much to Ron's delight, seemed to have taken what Professor Giddens said to heart and performed better in his duel than anyone thought. It took far more time than Ron had imagined for her to take him down with a simple Expelliarmus.

"Sorry," Neville panted, still looking disappointed in himself. "I told you that I'm not good at this."

"Oh, come on, Neville! You were amazing!" Hermione proclaimed. "Stop focusing on what you did wrong and think about what you did right, for Merlin's sake!"

"Miss Granger put it rather colorfully, but she's right," smiled Professor Giddens. "You should be proud of yourself, Mr. Longbottom. Ten points to Gryffindor, and I shall not hear anything else." She looked at her watch. "Well, it has been a very engaging first class with you all. I can only hope for more lessons like this in the future."

The bell rang, and everyone got up out of their seats. "There's one more question that was asked of me at the Welcoming Feast that I never answered," she said. "No, I am not a vampire. Look." She opened her mouth and gave the class her biggest smile yet. "See? No fangs," she grinned. "Class dismissed."

xxx

"She. Is. Amazing," Hermione beamed as they left the classroom. Ron hadn't seen her so animated in a very long time, and it made him smile.

"Yeah," he agreed as they moved down the corridor. "That duel was bloody brilliant."

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, you were quite good, although bragging about it isn't attractive," she teased.

Ron laughed. "You know very well that I meant you were bloody brilliant, not that I was bloody brilliant."

Parvati brushed by them then, scowling. "What're you two so happy about? Has Harry been replaced so easily?" she muttered.

"Ignore her," Hermione whispered as Ron opened his mouth furiously. "She's just sore because Professor Giddens actually made her think."

Ron's smile had disappeared, though, with the reminder that Harry's absence was still like a big dark hole in their day. "I wonder what Harry would have thought of her," he whispered. "She reminds me of him, with the whole You-Know-Who thing."

"Yeah," Hermione whispered back. "I reckon we have to start saying the name if we want to get anywhere in her class."

Ron scowled, but knew Hermione was right. "Neville was right about Harry," he said quietly. "He didn't owe the school anything that night. He didn't show himself and tell the school the truth - what a joke."

"Parvati should count herself lucky that she never saw that memory," Hermione said quietly, her brown eyes shining with sadness. "I ... I felt decades older, too, when I left that courtroom."

"Me, too," Ron said, his heart aching as he remembered his best mate's bravery.

"I think Professor Giddens is right about us all being scared," Hermione said as they took a staircase that would lead them to the seventh floor. Classes were over for the day, and they were about to return to Gryffindor Tower for awhile before venturing to dinner. "Because I am, Ron. I've tried to hide from it, but I am. And without Harry here ... things feel a lot scarier."

"I know, Hermione." Ron laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But Harry will always be a part of us. I don't care if everyone in this bloody school feels that him not being here is safer. I think the day will come when something bad will happen and they'll all be wishing he'd show up. That's always how it goes."

Hermione nodded as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "I can feel it," she agreed, her voice sounding certain. "I think you're right. I just hope we're strong enough to weather the storm."

"We are," Ron said definitively, so grateful to still have one of his best friends beside him. "We still have each other."