The Half-Blood Princess

So Long, Professor Binns!

"What do you mean, Binns crossed over?" Neville cried.

McGonagall had called an emergency staff meeting Sunday morning not long before winter break when their ghostly History of Magic professor had decided he really did want to be dead.

"I believe she means that he is no longer on the earthly plane, Longbottom," Harley said.

"That is precisely what I mean, Harley," Minerva said. "I have already found a substitute, but she cannot get here until the winter break is over. So for the next week, I need each of you to cover his classes." She passed out sheets of parchment.

Harley had two classes to cover, during what would have been her free period. First and third years from Slytherin/Gryffindor. The first years were to be taught about the Order Of The Phoenix, and the third years were doing a special report on former headmasters.

"Tell me something, Harley, is it only when your bloodline is in the school that these things happen?" Minerva asked.

"Good bloody question."

****

At least the lesson seemed simple enough, though it was going to be odd talking about the Order when she had been a member.

Needless to say, the class was stunned when they found out their professor crossed over.

Malfoy raised a hand. "But Father said he'd been teaching posthumously for decades!"

"Yes, well, it seemed he was finally ready for retirement. Now, take out quills and parchment. I'm going to teach you about the Order Of The Phoenix. Can anyone tell me what that was?"

Granger-Weasley, Malfoy, and Wood all raised their hands.

"Potter? Care to enlighten us?"

Albus gave a startled squeak. "Oh. Um...they were started by Albus Dumbledore in the nineteen seventies to combat Lord Voldemort, the Dark wizard."

"Very good. Can anyone name some of the members aside from Dumbledore? Granger-Weasley?"

Rose sat up straight and said, "Many relatives of current students were members. Albus' grandparents and parents, my mum and dad, all our extended family on the Weasley side."

Harley nodded and turned on the slide machine, where two photographs were shown: the Order then and the Order as it was before Voldemort's demise. She pointed her wand at each member as she introduced them.

"Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived." She couldn't keep a sneer from her face. "Son of James Potter and Lily Evans." She then ran down a list of Weasleys, managing to keep a straight face when pointing at Fred. "Fred Weasley was one of the casualties of the Second Wizarding War. As were Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks." Her wand made its way to the old photo. "Sirius Black was also killed, but not during the battle."

Albus' hand shot up. "Is that you, Professor? Next to Fred?"

"Yes, that is. I was the second double-agent we had, alongside my father, Professor Severus Snape, who was sadly another casualty of war."

She saw Albus' eyes widen, but he didn't say anything.

"The Order was an organisation determined to have the Light win and the Dark Lord defeated. And despite the fact that there have been no serious Dark threats that Aurors can't handle, every member is sworn to band together again if the Wizarding World is ever in need." She waved her wand and the slide closed. "Open your books to page seventy-three to learn more about the Order. You will be writing an essay at least eight inches long for me on the Order, their history, and what difference they made in the Second War. Anything copied directly from the book will earn you an automatic 'Troll'."