And now, Lily giving lessons from her own perspective.

And she's also giving some personal advice.

LILY XXXVIII

She woke up in her office, taken from her brief sleep by the alarm of her clock she installed on the corner of her desk. Lily rubbed her eyes. She had fallen asleep in the chair behind her desk, with piles of parchments gathered on her study, waiting to be read, revised, written. She also had an exemplary of each book she ordered from Flourish and Blotts to replace Slinkard's work. Dumbledore had managed the exchange with the owner of the boutique, having been on very good terms with him for a long time. The owner was not happy to be returned hundreds of exemplaires of Slinkhard, for he doubted he would ever be able to sell them again, but Dumbledore managed to quiet him down by doubling the buying price of every book he already ordered from the shop for the next month. And considering how avid a reader Dumbledore was, the owner readily agreed.

At least, Lily didn't have to negotiate with the owner herself. She was already buried in work. And it was only Wednesday. Other professors, especially McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout, who all taught her back when she studied here, helped her the best they could, providing ideas and templates for the classes' plans, and even doing them for her sometimes. But the help they could provide was limited. They each had their own classes to manage. Furthermore, Lily always went through the programs they handled her and modified many details.

When Dumbledore came to Grimmaurd Place last week, offering her to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year, Lily had been first surprised, then believed that it was only a joke. But Dumbledore assured her it wasn't. He really wanted her to teach the hundreds of students of Hogwarts how to defend themselves against evil forces. Lily had refused in the first place. She had no experience in teaching, and she thought she would be way more useful working for the Order in the field, now that the Ministry sacked her, than behind a desk teaching to students. Especially now that she could chase after Bartemius Crouch Junior full time. Furthermore, she didn't see herself teaching to her own son. She didn't want to impose him the problems that would come if his fellow comrades saw his mother teaching them.

But Dumbledore, like always, had used very convincing arguments. First, Lily would not be able to operate freely for the Order. The Ministry had high suspicions about her, and he would be watching her every step. It would be difficult for her to chase Crouch or do anything if the Ministry's agents were always after her. She could get herself in trouble, but it would also make most of her work useless, as Death Eaters would always spot her if she had Ministry people following her everywhere. Second, they needed someone with experience to teach the students how to defend themselves, especially in these troubled times. Dumbledore considered Lily to be especially well prepared for this task, considering her personal experiences fighting for the Order, as an Auror, and against Voldemort in particular. Third, it would allow her to keep a close eye on Harry, which would definitely help him this year, and her son needed all the help he could get. Finally, it would prevent Dolores Jane Umbridge from becoming professor.

Lily had been flabbergasted, then horrified by the revelation. Through his network of agents and informants, Dumbledore had learned that Fudge was preparing legislation that would allow him to select professors in the future. He also knew that Fudge wanted to prevent students from learning any defensive spells. Lily had required a few days of reflection, but it was finally watching her son embark on the Hogwarts Express that made her take her decision. A decision she wished she had taken sooner. She would have had more time to prepare for this year, and Harry would not have been surprised when he first saw her in the Great Hall with the rest of the staff.

But it was done. Lily could not change it. And she had to focus on having lesson plans for all her years by the end of the week. From there, it would become a little easier. Lily was used to impossible work schedules, but she was eager to return to a normal one. It would, along other advantages, allow her to continue working for the Order outside her new professional obligations.

She looked at her schedule. This morning was the second lesson of her sixth-year class. It would be the first time she wouldn't be making an introduction lesson. Already a new challenge. She had not even finished reading their dissertations. She had given this exercise to do to all her classes, and she didn't plan to give them a score anyway. This exercise was mainly meant to make them conscious of the importance of this course, to make them think about what they could do and what they needed to learn to make the world a better place. Lily had taken inspiration from something her own professor in her last year of elementary school had done with her class, before she arrived at Hogwarts. It had marked her, and she thought it was a good way to start a year, especially given the subject she covered and their current circumstances with the return of Voldemort. Lily didn't want to talk about it in class, to not provoke the Ministry of Magic, but she wasn't to stay idle and let students be unprepared for the upcoming conflict. The first step was to make them conscious of how the world could turn upside down and dangerous in no time. And she had taken examples from the real world, from history, to make them understand this.

But today, she would have to actually start teaching them. With the second lesson of the sixth years, she intended to review what they learned last year, basing herself on their evaluations when they completed their O.W.L.s. There would be no theory, only practice. The most important was for them to remember how to cast counterjinxes, countercurses and protective spells, especially for students who had gone through their O.W.L.s.

In the back of her mind, Lily toyed with the idea of reinstating a duel club. There had been some through Hogwarts history, sometimes legal, sometimes illegal and clandestine. Lily herself had participated to illegal duels clubs back in her days as a student. It might have been against the rules, but it helped her to be better prepared when she joined the Order. She would need to discuss it with Dumbledore, probably at the end of the week, when she would have more time.

In the meantime, Lily went through what dissertations from sixth-years she didn't manage to read yet. She kind of cross-read it, to have enough time to look at each of them. It was regretful, but she preferred to have a general view of what all students thought, rather than a very precise view of what a few of them thought. She gave particular attention to what they wanted to learn. It could give her ideas about what to teach this year.

The door of her office opened. A small elf with a tray walked in.

"Breakfast for Lily Evans Potter," Dobby said.

"Thank you, Dobby," she replied, the elf smiling widely like each time she thanked him. He laid the tray on the corner of her study. She seized the cup of coffee right away. "How is Harry doing?" She asked the elf, like two years ago, to keep an eye on her son.

"Harry Potter is very well. But… Dobby hears a lot of people talking behind his back. Saying he's a liar."

Dobby obviously despised and disapproved those comments as much as Lily did. "I'm afraid this was unavoidable. With all the things the Daily Prophet is writing." She took a toast and bit in it.

"Dobby remembers how it was when You-Know-Who was there. If Harry Potter and his mother says he is back, then he is back."

"If only people at the Ministry had your insight, Dobby."

If an elf could redden, Dobby did. "Is there anything Dobby can do for Lily Evans?"

"No, Dobby. Thank you. Continue to keep an eye on Harry. Go back to work now. I'm not the only one who deserves a good breakfast."

Dobby left. Lily had to admit that she began to grow fond of the elf. As she took her breakfast, she read the remaining dissertations for her first lesson this morning. Copies of answers ranged from clumsy attempts to novels. There were also those who felt empty, as if they were a suite of memorized declarations to look good. When only a few minutes were left, she went through the last dissertation. She was about to put it aside when she noticed a few words hastily scribbled at the bottom.

I wish I could find a way to bring Cedric back to life.

Lily kept her eyes on those words for a moment. She smiled in empathy. Lily knew this feeling. She experienced it fourteen years ago, when she lost her husband. She verified the name at the top of the parchment. Yes, these words were sincere. There was no doubt about it.

Shaking her head, Lily left her office and headed for her classroom. When she arrived, only thirty seconds remained before the bell would ring. Most students were there. The last one walked into the classroom the moment the bell rang. Some professors might have removed points for arriving late, but Lily ignored it. He actually arrived inside the classroom in time, and she herself had been close to late. It wasn't the right circumstances to apply rules to the letter.

"So," Lily began, talking to her students. "I read your dissertations. I'll take into consideration what you think you need to learn for the rest of the year. Today, however, we're going to revise the most important spells and charms you learned last year and that you were asked to perform at your practical examinations. This is next week that real work will begin." A student raised her hand. She was sitting right next to Cho Chang. "Yes, Miss Edgecombe?"

"Sorry, professor. Only… I wanted to understand why you showed all those things yesterday."

Lily sighed internally. It seemed like someone had not understood. "So that you may understand that there are many dangers you could meet during your life, and that you need to be prepared to face them if it ever happens."

"Okay, but… What challenges? I mean, I doubt we are going to face a genocide in our life."

Lily approached the girl a little. "The Muggles thought the same thing in 1918, when the First World War was over. And yet, twenty years later, they were engulfed by a second war, even more devastating and deadly."

"Okay, but this is the Muggle world, not ours."

"Do you really believe that events in the Muggle world don't impact yours? When Grindelwald was defeated, the wizarding world thought he would never have to endure another dark wizard like him. And yet, less than thirty years later, a wizard even more powerful, more dangerous terrorized the whole country." Lily looked at the entire classroom. "We never know when things can get wrong. The world can be at peace, and the next minute, thrown into a war without end. This is why this course is important. So you may be ready for such an eventuality."

"Do you believe that You-Know-Who is back?"

Another girl from Hufflepuff had asked the question aloud. "Miss MacKay, we raise our hand before speaking. Next time you talk without doing it, I will not answer your question. But to answer you this time, I think you already know the answer to this question. This is not a matter that requires a debate, and I will not discuss it in this classroom. Now, unless someone has a question related directly to what we will do today…"

Marietta Edgecombe raised her hand again. Lily gave her the authorization to talk. "When are we going to receive our learning plan for this year?"

"You'll get them next week," Lily informed them.

"But, why don't we have them already? The other teachers gave it to us at the first lesson."

"I'm afraid those for Defence Against the Dark Arts are not ready yet. As I said, you will receive them on Monday. Now, as I said earlier, we are going to revise what you learnt last year and that you used at your O.W.L. examinations. We will begin with the simplest, yet most useful of all. The Disarming Charm. Expelliarmus."

"What?" a Slytherin said at the back of the classroom. "But it's a spell for beginners. We didn't even use it for our O.W.L.s."

"That doesn't mean it is useless. And please raise your hand from now on before you speak."

"We should start with something more complex, more recent," the student continued. "I don't know. Like fighting a Boggart. Or even stunning someone."

"Mr Anders…" Lily wanted him to shut up, but he continued.

"We are sixteen. We're no longer kids. The Disarming Charm, it's a waste of time. We're not going to let a Mu…"

Lily raised her wand, and she knew the tongue of each and every student stuck at this moment, stopping the one who wouldn't stop before he said something he would regret.

"Yes, Mr Anders. I am Muggle-born. This is the word you were about to use, didn't you?" The student nodded when he realized he couldn't talk. Lily lifted the charm. "I warned you to raise your hand before speaking, Mr Anders. Five points from Slytherin. And by the way, if I ever hear any expression of racism or hate towards anyone in this classroom, either a professor or a student, this will be an entire week of detention for the person who used the expression. Do I make myself clear?"

The students nodded. They seemed to have understood clearly. Lily turned back to the student at fault.

"Now, Mr Anders, perhaps you could explain us, calmly and respectfully, why you think that the Disarming Charm is a waste of time?"

The Slytherin hesitated. He looked irritated but also… ashamed, to a certain extent. He stammered when he spoke. "Well… I mean… I know it can be useful, but… It's an easy spell. We are in sixth year… Already preparing for our N.E.W.T.s. I think… I think we should focus on stuff that is more difficult, more… I don't think we should practice charms we all master already."

Lily nodded. "I see what you mean. But, all those who can throw a Disarming Charm, please raise your hand." Everyone did so. "Only keep it if you can assure me that you can throw it in all circumstances and that it will work. This means your charm never fails, no matter what happens."

Slowly, hands lowered as people progressively recognized their limits. Only a few hands remained in the air.

"You may lower your hands, the rest of you," she continued. "You may believe that because you've been able to throw a spell or a charm during your exam or in class, you are fine and this is the end of it. But in real life situations, when your safety, maybe even your life is threatened… This is not the same. You must not only be able to produce a charm in a safe environment like here at school. You must be able to cast it in situations of stress and danger, when you know you may not have a second chance if you fail. You must be sure that you can cast it quickly, precisely, efficiently, and without possible failure. This charm can literally save lives. Not only it disarms your opponent, but it does so without harming him, if you don't throw the charm with too much power. You prevent your opponent from harming you, and you don't do any harm to your opponent either. This is what makes this spell so useful."

Some of the students didn't seem convinced. So Lily used the best argument there was.

"You have a comrade who died last year. He was murdered. He knew this spell, but he failed to use it in time. If he had, he would still be alive today, with you, for his assassin would never have been able to use the weapon that killed him. So make sure you never find yourself at his place, if you don't want your parents to bury you."

That brought everyone's attention. But Lily also noticed the expression on Cho Chang's face. All of a sudden, she regretted referencing Cedric Diggory's death. But for now, she had a lesson to give.

"Now, take up your wands, stand up, and put your bags on the sides of the classroom."

The students did as they were told. Lily then made the tables move to the sides as well, freeing the space of the room.

"Form into pairs. Try to disarm your opponent. Only use the Disarming Charm. You are forbidden to use another spell for now," she instructed.

The students slowly created duos. When they were all paired, Lily instructed them to wait, then she gave the signal to start.

It could have been worse than she thought. The students really all knew to throw the spell. Only, many of them still needed two or three attempts to succeed. Their spells were also sometimes inaccurate, resulting in people sometimes disarming the wrong person, but more often touching the walls or objects attached to them.

Lily sighed internally. These were the best students of Hogwarts in this subject. They had succeeded at their O.W.L.s and yet, some of them still struggled with one of the most basic defensive charm on Earth. Lily would have to solve this problem. She had to make sure those children could leave Hogwarts with the undisputed ability to disarm any threat they might encounter.

She made them practice many charms and spells. The level of success didn't improve as they used more complicated and demanding ones. There was quite some damage done to the classroom. Those students were burned by their O.W.L.s last year, and they probably spent the entire summer trying to forget about these exams. Now they would have to learn about it again.

There was one student who Lily noticed struggled particularly. Cho Chang barely managed to cast any spell today. She was disarmed more than three times over four attempts when facing her friend, and this didn't get better when they moved to other spells. All in all though, she thought that the students quite enjoyed the lesson. She and Remus could now agree from personal experience both as students and teachers : practical exercises in Defence Against the Dark Arts produced the most interesting and enjoyable lessons. When the lesson was over, students looked quite satisfied, even more so since Lily again didn't give them any homework, aside from practicing the spells they just viewed.

Though, before the class disbanded, Lily discreetly made a sign to Cho Chang so she would stay behind when the other students left. Gen's daughter obeyed, and after sending her friend Marietta away, she approached Lily's desk.

"Yes, Professor Evans?" she asked.

"Are you alright, Cho?" Lily decided to call the girl by her first name, since the context was less formal.

"Yes, I'm fine." Her tone was not convincing.

"I looked at your results from last year. You came out from your O.W.L.s with Exceeds Expectations. But today, you struggled to cast the most basic of charms. I'm not trying to scowl you, Cho. Only, I think you can do much better, and I'm wondering what I could do to help you."

The girl hesitated for a moment. Lily remembered seeing her flying over the Quidditch pitch. This girl had looked so determined back then. But right now, she looked like a small animal who wanted to cower in a corner, away from prying eyes.

"I don't think you can help me." She made a sound that Lily recognized to be a prelude to tears.

"You may be right to a certain extent," Lily said after a moment. She then took something into her bag and handed it to Cho. It was the girl's dissertation from Monday. "I'm really sorry, Cho. I know what you're going through, but bringing back someone from the dead… This is something no one can do."

Cho looked at the work she gave two days ago. Her hand was trembling. "I don't think you can understand," Cho said in a weak voice.

Lily sighed. "You think that you're the only one who lost someone they loved to this man?"

Cho frowned, then slowly looked up to Lily from her copy. Then she looked confused, embarrassed, and ashamed. "I… I'm sorry. I…"

"It's okay," Lily interrupted her. She didn't blame the girl. She knew what she must be going through right now. "Look, I only want you to know that if you ever want help, anything, even only to talk, my door is always open."

Cho nodded after a while. "Thank you." Another moment of silence went on. "May I go?"

"Of course," Lily told her with a forced smile.

Cho walked away. But before she reached the door, she turned away and asked Lily. "You really think he would still be alive? If he had disarmed… him?"

"Maybe."

She told her students this to make them understand how important it was to know how to defend yourself, even with basic magic. But the truth was, when Voldemort decided to kill someone, this victim was almost certain to die, no matter what he or she decided. Lily and her son were among the few exceptions that, in many people's eyes, might simply confirm this truth.

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Next chapter: a view from within the Ministry