Harry potter and the war of life

Chapter 16 The New Teachers

When Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione had settled them Ron wanted to know what was going on.
"Okay so why didn't you go trough with the plan? I wanted to see Malfoy's face when you were as teacher." Ron asked.
"I didn't want to steal the spotlight," Harry said. "Neville deserved this more than anybody because he always was shy and bullied. When I would have been announced he would be pushed back in the shadows just after his big moment." 

"I think it is wonderful that you think about me and that you think I do matter, but I would have loved to be pushed back in the shadows after all that attention." Behind them stood Neville. "Sorry professor," Said Harry with a smile, "I didn't see you there. But why are you here, don't you have quarters of your own now you are a teacher?"

"Well I do," Said Neville, "but when McGonagall told me you were all coming back I wanted to sleep in the dormitory and she let me. Said something I could not hear but sounded something like that is number two. I don't understand do you?"

"I do," Said Harry, he looked around to see if they were the last ones in the commenroom, "as you know the new dada teacher didn't show for the welcome feast."
"Well yeah, McGonagall said the teacher hadn't arrived yet." Said Neville.
"I can tell you for a fact that was not true." Said Harry.
"What do you mean?"Asked Neville.
"Well," Said Harry, "I just wanted to spend one last meal with my fellow students and with my friends."
Neville's mouth dropped to the floor.
"You mean you will teach us? Wow but McGonagall told me you were returning for your final year and how in Merlin's name are you gonna teach us?" Neville was stunned.
"Well I am not," Said Harry, "I will teach years 1 to 6 and I don't know who will teach us. But please keep it down I don't want that the whole school knows about it yet. They will see it tomorrow at breakfast, so if you guys don't mind I am going to bed because I have to be at breakfast as early as possible." With that Harry got up kissed Ginny goodnight and walked up to his dormitory and went to sleep.
The next morning Harry woke up when it still was dark outside. He got out of bed took a quick shower and put on his teachers robes.
"This feels weird." he thought but still there was no turning back now.
When he got down to the commenroom he found his two best friends his girlfriend already dressed and waiting there.
"You didn't thought we would let you walk alone do you?" Asked Ron. "Looking good mate those robes suit you." Ron added with a big smile.
The two men hugged and than Hermione and Ginny made it a group hug.
"Okay lets go." said Harry. "I want to see those faces when they realize I am the new teacher."
The four of them left through the portrait hole and went down to the great hall.
When they entered they saw that it was empty except for two chairs at the teachers table Neville was sitting in the same spot as yesterday and in the center was McGonagall.
Harry kissed Ginny goodbye and walked over to the teachers table.
"Good morning Minerva, Neville." Harry said as he walked up to them.
"Good morning Harry." Said McGonagall
"You two are up early something special happening today?" Harry asked with a smile. "So is there a seat I must sit or is it just take a chair and sit where you like?"
"You can sit on my right Harry," Said McGonagall, "and no you can not sit where you want. You will sit there with every meal. Yes you may sit with your friends with the Halloween feast and on some occasions but I would like you to sit here as much as possible. As head of Gryffindor house you should be available for the students and not hide among them." She explained her reasoning to Harry
"Wow Harry," Said Neville, "the dada teacher and head of house, you could have told me that yesterday in the commenroom."
"Sorry Neville but one surprise deserved another don't you think." Harry said with a smile as he sat beside McGonagall
One by one the students entered the great hall for breakfast not one noticed Harry sitting at the teachers table. One except Malfoy.
When he entered he looked at the table and stopped at once causing the person behind him walking straight into him.
He looked furious as he walked over to Harry.
"Oh boy this is gonna be fun." Ron and Harry both said in different places but at the same time.
McGonagall placed her hands on his for a second as to re-insure Harry that it will be all right
"What are you doing there Potter?" Malfoy sneered. "Thinking now you saved the wizarding world you are entitled to a seat with the teachers."
Harry looked at Draco and he was well relaxed.
"Mr. Malfoy as I told you on the train you will show some more respect, so if you don't want to be the first person I put in detention you will return to your seat and enjoy your breakfast." Harry told Draco as normal as he could. McGonagall and Neville had taken up their pumpkin juice to hide their mouths because they were at the point of breaking into a full laughter.
"You!! put me in detention?" Sneered Malfoy, "and on what authority do you think you can do that?"
"The same one that causes you 25 points if you go on at this attitude." Harry said coolly. 
"What do you mean Potter you are an idiot if you think that I will show you any respect."Draco spat.
"That will be professor Potter for you Mr. Malfoy and you will show him the respect you have shown me or any other teacher for that matter and now to your house table and eat your breakfast." Malfoy looked at professor McGonagall as if he had seen a ghost but did not move.
"Say that again professor, did I hear you say professor Potter?" Said the shocked Malfoy.
"You heard me correctly," McGonnagal said. "and now please return to your table because I have an announcement to make, or if you want what professor Potter said be the first he puts in detention and lose 25 house points I would say please stay and continue, if not than go and have your breakfast and you are not to speak of this news before I have a chance to tell the whole school is that clear." McGonagall snapt at young Mr. Malfoy.
"Yes mam." said Malfoy and he left as fast as his feet would take him.
"Thanks Minerva," Said Harry, "I don't know how much longer I could have contained myself."
"I must say Harry you handled it very well," McGonnagall told him, "and I must say that I am amazed that Mr. Malfoy didn't know you would be a teacher. His father is still a gouvenour of this school even everybody now knows he was a death eater." McGonagall said with sadness in her voice.
"Why wasn't he sacked as a governor?" Harry asked .
"I think the other governors are all scared," Minerva said, "and you need to have all signatures off all other governors to send one away and even the knowledge that he was a death eater the Malfoy name still means something for a lot of wizards."
"But then he must have known I would be a teacher," Said Harry amazed, "but when you told him he was really surprised. I wonder why his parents didn't tell him.
"I don't know Harry," Said McGonagall, "but if you don't mind all students are here so I think it is time for the big surprise, and I think I also have a surprise for you." She added with a small smile. Before Harry could ask what she meant McGonagall had gotten to her feet and the great hall went quiet.
"Good morning to you all," She started. "before we hand out the timetables for this year I want to introduce to you our new defense against the dark arts teachers." 
A murmur ran through the great hall. 
"Yes you heard correctly I said teachers because we have 2 new teachers. Our first new teacher will teach the 7th year students only. Now he needs a bit of explaining because a lot of you know him as a dark wizard who betrayed his friends. Also, he was the first to escape Azkaban." Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other as they now knew who McGonagall was talking about. Harry looked around the hall but he didn't see Sirius anywhere.
"I want you all to know that today there will be an article in the daily prophet in which the minister of magic himself apologizes to him because of the last 17 years he has been falsely accused of betrail and 12 murders. So from now on he has been cleared of all charges. I present to you professor Black."
The door at the side, where Harry went through for the Triwizard tournament, opened and Sirius came in the great hall,
Ron, Hermione and Ginny all rose and started clapping with all their might harry was so stunned he could hardly move. The rest of the school started with little enthusiasm but when Harry walked over and hugged Sirius the rest of the school broke also in a great round of applause. When the hall settled down McGonagall stood up again and started the introduction of Harry.
"Our second teacher will be teaching the first to sixth years. He needs not a big introduction as most of you here already know him. He will be part teacher part student but be warned he is first a teacher and second a student so expect from all of you that you show him the respect every teacher gets, and as some of you already know and encountered he is fully qualified to give detention, add or remove house points." This last line she said looking at Malfoy. "Now let me introduce Professor Potter."
At this the great hall exploded with cheer and applause, a lot of the students looked awed and amazed at Harry.
When Harry sat down again the great hall finally returned to a normal sound level as everybody started their breakfast and chatted with their house mates.
McGonagall smiled at Harry and said told him to get ready for the other surprise.
Sirius and Neville looked at him with questions in their eyes.
Harry just got up and left through the door Sirius had entered the great hall through.
In the room was an owl waiting with the newspaper, Harry paid and scanned the paper.
He smiled at the headline of the front page
"Harry Potter returning to Hogwarts for final year"
As he read the article the only thing he found out was that he was returning to complete his education. They wondered why but well if he wanted why not.
The other headline that caught his eye was about Sirius. They claimed that he was found after being presumed dead and that he was fully rehabilitated and that he would be teaching the seventh year at Hogwarts. The big question was who would be teaching the first six years.
They had some names listed and why they thought he or she would be a great candidate and also why not.
To Harry's delight, he didn't see himself listed so he also to his regret knew what the front page would be tomorrow. He walked to the teachers room and got the timetables for all Gryffindors. He had been studying hard on all the names of the second to seventh years with a photo so he should have no problem to get them their time tables, the first years would be more of a problem but his memory was quite well so he had watched very carefully who was selected in Gryffindor and wrote down their names with a small discription so he knew what to look for.
When Harry got back to the great hall he walked over to the Gryffindor table and gave the first and second years their timetables.
He when he came to Hermione and handed her timetable she didn't see who gave it to her, but that would be because he addressed her as Mrs. Granger.
When he handed Ron his timetable and she saw that it was him she looked at him.
"Harry why has professor McGonagall you handing out the timetables isn't that the duty of the head of house?" She asked.
"Yes it is," Said Harry, "but who said that professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor house?"
"What??" Came the shriek Hermione. "You are also head of house? That is wonderful."
"Well I must go on talk to you later." Harry completed handing out the timetables and when he looked at his he could see that he would have a class of first years after breakfast. His own classes would begin after lunch so he returned to the teachers table where McGonagall smiled at him. "I guess Mrs. Granger has found out I am not the head of house anymore?" She asked him.
"Yeah so I guess the rest of the school will know it pretty soon." Harry said.
"Well I think they will find out right now." McGonagall answered
As Harry sat down McGonagall got to her feet.
"I have some small announcements to make." She began as the great hall went quite.
"Professor Sprout has asked for help with the head of house duties for Huffelpuf house. We have found professor Longbottom willing to help her with these duties." The great hall clapped and cheered for Neville for the second time in two days.
"Also I have decided that for myself as headmistress of Hogwarts, McGonagall continued. I can not do the duties of head of Gryffindor house. The new head of house will be professor Potter."
At this the Gryffindor table exploded and the rest of the great hall clapped politely.
"Now you all have your timetables and classes will begin in 15 minutes so off you go and have a great year."
Harry got up and went by a short cut to his office. His first class was almost waiting for him. He was nervous but excited at the same time. He took his copy of The dark forces, a guide to self protection and walked out of the office. With his hand on the door he thought, "Well this is it. " and than it was time.