Chapter Eleven

Hermione

All I kept thinking about was poor Sybil, I mean someone managed to get to another one of the faculty. Minerva was blaming herself and can only hope the research Narcissa was planning on doing could restore the woman's memories or at least bring her out of her prophecy trance.

Classes resumed today and as I pulled on my own work clothes Minerva waltzed in with full teaching robes on ready to start her classes.

"I thought I would miss you before you left. I am going to miss you. I have opened the fireplace for you to floo home." I pulled her close to me as she started closing up my blouse buttons for me.

"I am going to miss you too, and thank you. Do me a favour and keep an eye on Harry, I have no doubt he is going to smash it but he is his own worst critic. " She nodded and kissed me bofore I gathered up my things and left through the floo. Not even stopping other than to check my mail I made my way straight through to the Ministry.

Bypassing the lifts down to the DoM I went straight for Draco office. All of them knowing me at this point means that no one batted an eyelid an me marching through the DMLE to Drcos office.

Swinging open the door and he jumped with a pile of papers in his hands, with a lazy wave of my wand I had them all sorted on his desk again.

"Fuck Granger! Don't you know how to knock you savage." I shook my head and lifted out all of the intelligence I had gathered from Azkaban conversations since Minerva attack.

"I have been pouring over these reports for weeks trying to find connections. I am leaving for China tomorrow and you need to appoint a new liason to go through the Intel I have coming from Azkaban. I can feel it in my gut Draco, seriously you need to trust me that Azkaban is connected." He nodded to me and lifted out a file before holding it out for me to read.

"I had a hunch too, so I went to do a mandatory check on Azkaban. Hermione, we're missing two prisoners." Fuck! No, as I opened the file two pictures sat in front of me. Lucius Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov.

"How was this missed? Have they been missing since Minerva was attacked?" Draco nodded his head and I felt all of the blood rush out of my legs as I sat down on one of his chairs.

"We found two Muggles in their cells instead, look a likes. So far we suspect a guard who was, targeted to help for some reason. I guess that is the down side to having human beings as guards as opposed to dementors." He sat down across from me at his desk and pinched his nose.

"I have reinforced the townhouse and the only three people allowed in is you, my mother and Tori's mum. Now I have to be the one to tell my mother that her abusive ex-husband and his dirty sidekick have escaped and she could be on their hit list." I came over and hugged him close to me, Draco had became a good friend over the years and I knew he hated his father but still cared for his wellbeing. Even his care for his father won't save Lucius Malfoy if he goes after Narcissa.

It just might end up being a fight to the death but who would get there first? Draco or Harry? My brothers growing feelings for Narcissa might complicate things. I feel bad leaving for China for a week but I realistically have been requested and foreign diplomats tend to take it thick when you say no.

"Look, your mother can handle herself Draco, I have seen her first hand make her way across a battlefield wandless and holding her own aswell as helping Luna. Tori will be safe in Fort Malfoy OK. You will find them and bring them back to Azkaban." He nodded and with a goodbye from him before I go on my trip I left him to his case.

Today is going to suck so bad.

-/-/-/-/-

Harry

My first class was a Fifth Year Hufflepuff and Slytherin Class, considering I was too hungover to go to the Great Hall yesterday when everyone got back I had the whole Sybil thing to deal with also. No one had seen me yet but apparently the castle is running rampant with rumours.

Some of the students who seen me over Christmas in the castle had spread I was here and this morning Minerva announced my appointment just as I walked into the Great Hall. Every single eye snapped around to me and some of the other teachers found it incredibly amusing.

I took my seat at the head table and noticed the space usually occupied by Narcissa was empty. I knew she had lots to do but I couldn't help the bad feeling in my stomach. Breakfast passed quietly and as soon as I was finished I excused myself to await my first class at nine.

Slower students on the go passed me in the corridors and many were gawking at me but some were brave enough to say good morning. It felt good being at Hogwarts, a sense of relief and calm always hit me when I visited.

Now that I was living here I could feel it even more, the magic flowing through the castle was a bit overwhelming at times. All of the different energies buzzing around, I didn't realise the difference between juvinile magic and mature magic. When I was a student At Hogwarts I was used to all the chaotic energy but once I left I realised that adult witches and wizards had a level core.

Juveniles haven't balanced out yet, feeling kids rushing to breakfast and the trail of chaotic energy they left behind them was feeding into the floors of the castle. Hermione and Luna always talk about the castle as if it were its own entity. I never understood what they meant till now.

Once I reached my classroom I found an overeager Hufflepuff with an Apple in his hand. Purple hair today and looking oh so grown up in his uniform.

"What are you doing here Ted? Didn't you get breakfast?" My godson at least had the decency not to lie to me because he handed me the apple with a small smile.

" Well I wanted to wish you luck with your first class, I don't have defense till tomorrow. I have a house elf friend who brings me breakfast in bed, apparently she knew my parents." I nodded and had a sneaking suspicion that was Winky. Such a kind little elf, loyal but still a little sad.

" Well thank you Ted, I appreciate the apple." A quick hug and he left me to get ready for the masses to descend. A little bit of nerves kicked in as I rearranged the chairs and desks into a large semi-circle. We had a large area at the front for practical lessons and I can move the blackboard into the area to let them see better.

Soft footfall and murmering of voices getting closer to the door I shifted into my animagus form and lay on the large Transfigured dogbed observing. One by one green and yellow uniforms started filtering in the door. Once the last stragglers came in I sat up and walked up the stairs to my private quarters.

Changing back into my human form I stepped out of the door and every eye snapped to me. Trying not to look like that prick Lockhart walking down the steps I got to the bottom without saying a word.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts, I am Harry Potter and I am your new instructor. Professor Black has taken over for Professor Slughorn who decided to retire. Now having recruited a lot of Professor Blacks ex students I know what calibre of teacher she is. I will try my best not to mess that up. Fifth Year is tough and basically a big overview from the entire four years of school so far." Some looked nervously around the room to their friends and realistically between Voldemort and Umbridge I have no idea how I did in my exams.

" It's OK don't look so worried, Professor Black is following along the revision very well so you are more than half way through. So I am implementing the buddy system, this will be in the run up to your exams we dedicate one night a week to meet for one house and study together." The nerves seemed to get worse as I said that and I realised I was didn't have to act like Snape to have the children's attention so I did want to do something to ease their fears.

" Ok so since you don't know me, I don't know you this first lesson is just introductory OK?" Once they all nodded to me and I sat down at the first of my desk on the edge. With a click of my wrist I had their attention as the music in my ipod dock.

"Now, I will start, my name is Harry Potter. Up until recently I was an auror. My favourite drink us coffee and my favourite food is MAC n Cheese and I think Lord of the Rings is the best book series ever." A few smiles from obvious muggleborns or half bloods that clearly understood my opinions.

"Now when I call your name, tell me about yourself and then I will assign you to a buddy OK?" After reading through the kids, files I tried to match up people who I thought would help each other. One person who is better at practical and one who is better at the written work. One by one each of my class stood up and introduced themselves. Pairing one hufflepuff off to one Slytherin at a time until everyone had. Buddy.

"Ok everyone, that is the end of the session please read chapters 1-3 of your textbook and I will be checking in our next lesson." Slowly they put their books in their bags and made their way from the room. All in all a good group.

Three more classes that day and something similar until I got to the Seventh year class. Once they read through the curriculum aims and information about their final project they all seemed excited about the Patronus Charm.

Once classes ended for the day and the last student excited a gentle knock startled me as I spun around. Minerva stood with a smile at me and I exhaled a breath of relief I didn't even realise I was holding up to this point.

"I am hearing good things Professor Potter. All of the children at lunch couldn't stop talking about you. The famous Harry Potter being their teacher and how excited they all are for your lessons." Offering her a cup of tea from the pot that one of the elves has sent up she nodded and I directed her up the stairs to my quarters.

She seemed shocked by the amount of bookshelves around her that were also filled to the brim of books. Trailing her hand over them slightly before coming and sitting down on the armchair in front of the fire.

"I thought I was walking into Hermiones for a second with the amount of books around. Since when did you turn scholarly Potter?" After making her up her tea and offering it to her she leaned back in the armchair to scrutinise me slightly.

"I wasn't for the longest time and I was doing some research for work and remembered all the books in Grimmaild Place, it helped me solve the case, so Hermione started a sort of boozy bookclub. We would get drunk together once a week and pick out a book each to read. Sirius left her a whole ton of books also so we split between her and mine." Both of us sipped our tea and took the afternoon just to chat and catch up.

" How are you doing? Still adjusting?" I flicked my eyes across her and she rolled her eyes at my abrasiveness.

" In some ways yes, in others I don't think so. Hermione helps in that regard. I don't feel as out of place with her as I do with others. Then Sybil, I just... I have been thinking about the whole thing, over an over again. Why would someone risk breaking into Hogwarts to attack a Professor? I mean the person who poisoned me could have had an easier target in Aberforths pub." It would be interesting to hear her theory because realistically I had came up with nothing solid as of yet.

"They didn't, they risked detection by coming into the school grounds and poisoning you in the castle. It was the same with Sybil they broke into the school again to turn her mad why?" She was tying herself up in knots about this and it broke my heart to see. Hermione is in China for the next week or so on assignment, I think evening tea with the headmistress is one of my favourite things.

"I can't help but think about different rituals that need specific ingredients. This is as far as I have gotten and I wanted to pick your brain before presenting it to Draco." I took the book she had just pulled from her robes and opened it on front of me, thankfully I wasn't as dense as when I was a student and actually understood a good bit of what she was showing me.

So Minerva has had her age stolen from her essentially and now Sybil has had her wisdom, her memories everything that makes her smile, feel and think. If I am right, there will be one more attack and a reason they are doing it here. There is something they need here and I think that is why they stole Sybil memories." So as if attacking teachers wasn't bad enough they had to have some sort of nefarious scheme against the castle.

" Who do you think the third target would be? "Age, Wisdom and what's missing? I mean what does need age wisdom.

" Well they need power, they might try and steal someone's magic. What for I have a theory on that too." Of course she does, why wouldn't she, Minerva McGonagall was a fierce witch but jesus the woman was like a walking encyclopedia. Kind of like hermione in that regard.

"Ok so what's your theory?" She took a sip and sat back to get comfortable, glancing out the window a shadow from the moon was reflecting over the lake and the lights surrounding Dumboedores tomb was clearly visable.

"When the war was over I was delivered a letter, it was from Albus. He left me very specific instructions for Tom Riddles body. It was to be cremated and placed in an urn buried beside his casket. Only four people know the whereabouts and that ls me, you, Narcissa and Kingsley. Or so we thought." Oh no, please god no. My brain was now firing on the same wavd length as Minerva.

"Voldemorts ashes, your age, Sybils wisdom and someones power. Who is the most powerful in the castle? Some stupid bastard is trying to make himself some Frankenstein Humpty Dumpty version if Voldemort." What the fuck can't this fucker not stay dead? I mean how many times have I got gotta kill him? Is there a limit on like the lives of a cat or is he just gonna keep coming back like a fucking boomerang.

"Who is the strongest in the castle? Who has the most power?" She looked nervously for a second before looking over the water again in contemplation.

"Well in any other place I would say you but you're not going to like this Potter. Narcissa has you beat by a mile in that department." I never had any doubt as to Narcissas skills, she just had to hide alot of her skills throughout her marriage and the war. Passing herself off as a trophy wife all these years was the perfect cover for them both to have any expectations.

"The Aurors are here and stationed and it seems Professor Black has her own personal shining Chosen One armour." Her smirk was anything but funny, it was mean.

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be a bit bitchy Minerva" She looked jokingly offended for a second before standing up and excusing herself.

"Come by for tea anytime Potter." After extending her the same courtesy we parted ways promising to catch up later on. As I sorted through my correspondence before dinner I had received word of a storefront I owned in London becoming available again.

It had been rented out on and off over the past ten years and the current tenants were retiring and didn't need it anymore. Alarms bells were ringing in my head for a very good lucrative business idea which might also help convince Narcissa of something important.

Donning my new teaching robes that Hermione got for me, I made my way down to the Great Hall, disappointed again at not seeing Narcissa. I hope she wasn't avoiding me? What if I made her uncomfortable? My anxiety riddled brain was firing on all cylinders, so much so that I barely spoke to anyone at dinner.

"No Narcissa this evening?" Charlie asked Minerva and the Headmistress just shook her head at the table and said Draco was here and they opted for dinner in her chambers together. A sigh of relief calmed me down a good bit which made me be a little bit more sociable.

"So how was your first day Potter?" Rolanda asked from a couple of seats away. Everyone seemed interested in me in that point and I just nodded my head at them with a smile.

"It was good, granted I didn't teach them much, just an introductory chat for them to get to know me and me to try and pin the faces down. So far so good though, I haven't been ran off screaming yet." That earned me a few chuckles and I could see the students glancing at me occasionally and I could tell it would take a while for the novelty to wear off at my teaching here.

"What do you think the first prank they are going to play on him then?" Neville asked the staff as a whole and I was curious as to what they were talking about. Minerva picked up on that and tried to explain it as best she could.

"Each new member of staff get pranked, we are usually lenient enough because it has never escalated beyond a little bit of harmless fun." Oh god Lockhart would have been amusing, Umbridge too.

"Excuse me, there will be none of that, I am the son and godson of a marauder, it would have to take an extremely skilled Prankster to catch me out." Minerva rolled her eyes as did Charlie who knows my sense of humour. As the children finished eating Minerva sent all of the plates and things to the kitchens.

"Now, I hope we have all had a, great first day back to school. A few announcements to make, Professor Trelawney has taken ill, as you might have heard through the gossip she was attacked. Now before we all fly off into a panic we have Aurors stationed on the grounds and patrolling around the castle. Classes will continue as normal in preparation for the exam period." They were all enraptured by her and some of the boys seem sufficiently distracted by her.

"Until that time a new teacher is appointed those lessons will be used for Study Hall. As there are only a few Divination Newt students this year only what you have studied so far will be on the exam. No new material will be covered from now so please focus hard on your studies and everything is going to be fine. I promise." Only time will tell at this point.

Finishing off my own patrol of the castle I was, heading down to see Narcissa when Draco appeared coming from the bowels of the castle. He looked sad, worried and stressed, not a good mix of things in any way.

" Malfoy, you OK?" The man shook his head and looked like he needed a beer, whatever was going on seemed personal.

"Not really, Susan is now going to be the lead of the case. It's a conflict of interest for me now." What the fuck was going on, how could he have fucked it up so, quickly?

"My father and Antonin have escaped custody..." Everything after that trailed off in a blur of sound and the anger set in. Antonin Dolohov was running around and had been in this castle, attacked Minerva and Sybil and now she could be the top of the hit list.

The only saving grace we have now is that a large part of the time Narcissa was married to Lucius she downplayed her power and ability. Let's hope they don't try anything because I will kill them both.

"How are you? How's your mother?" He clocked his head to the side in contemplation for a second before he started crying. Other than the war I have never seen him cry, seeing the memory last night so fresh in my head first off was filling me with anger.

"She told me she confided in you Potter, about what happened, the night I got the mark. I am glad she has a friend in you, I mean Hermione and my mother have a weird albeit special bond but it's mostly built of Scholarly quests and respect. She has your friendship so I thank you for that, please keep an eye on her for me?" I nodded and watched him walk away, one thing is for sure when Hermione gets back, I am reinstating the Order, we will catch these two pricks.

That's another chapter finished. Please Review and let me know what your thoughts are. See you next time.