The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Five)

Chapter 12

I slipped into the Great Hall and into my seat, without too many people noticing. Luna, and Blake had gone to sit at their own tables. Dumbledore began to begin his comence of term speech but we were soon distracted by Harry hurrying into the Great Hall, and trying to slip into his seat inconspicuously. There was blood on his face, that had obviously come from his nose.

"Here, wipe the blood off your face," Hermione hissed, handing him a napkin, "What's happened?"

"I'll tell you later, long story," he muttered in response.

We avoided the topic while we were eating. There were enough odd looks and whispers directed in our direction as it was. We were sitting with harry, which was bad enough, but the rest of us had also been at the Ministry, and it was all over the news. Some people were looking at Harry as if they still didn't believe what he said, and some looked scared, as if he was the cause of all of this.

Once everyone was done eating Dumbledore cleared the plates from the tables and cleared his throat while making his way up to the podium for his real speech, "I am glad to see so many new, and familiar faces back for another year at Hogwarts. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to let you all know that all products from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are banned from this school. Those that want to play Quidditch should submit their names to their Heads of House. I am also pleased to welcome a new staff member to our school this year. I hope you all make Professor Slughorn feel welcome as he takes up his old post as Potions master."

"Potions?" the whispered immediately broke out, with people wondering if Dumbledore has misspoke, surely there was no way Snape wasn't going to be teaching Potions.

Dumbledore spoke a little louder to be heard, "Professor Snape will be taking over as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

This was not news to me or any of my friends. I was happy for Severus, for getting to finally teach what he wanted. My sentiments seemed to not be shared by the entirety of the student body. THe Slytherin table applauded loudly, but many students looked upset at this news. Severus merely raised his hand in response to the applause he received.

We were soon allowed to go back to our Common Rooms for the first time this year. We filed up the stairs, past the Fat Lady portrait, and took over one of the velvet couches in front of the fireplace.

"So Harry what happened?" Ron asked bluntly.

Harry sighed, "I went to spy on Malfoy, and see if he said anything about Voldemort. He was boasting about how he might not come to school next year because he might have moved onto greater things. I was under my invisibility cloak but I must've messed up at some point because once everyone left he body binded me and punched me a few times. I probably would still be there if Tonks hadn't come and helped me. She's stationed in Hogsmeade apparently."

I was glad when Ron, and Hermione looked as dubious as I was pretending to be, and even more glad when Ron said, "I dunno mate. None of that screams Death Eater to me. We can keep an eye on him for now though, we would've anyways."

Harry looked annoyed but let the subject drop. His nose already looked fixed, but there was some smelling so I ran up to my room and grabbed a potion from my own personal stories I had decided to keep in my room and gave it to him.

The next morning, we had to go get our schedules from McGonagall. We got there and took our place at the end of the line that stretched out the door and down the hall.

Sixth years took quite a bit of time to get right, because she had to make srue that everyone had the necessary O.W.L. grades for what they wanted to continue. Hermione, Ron, Harry , Neville and I waited patiently in line until we were at the front.

Hermione went up and got cleared for all the classes she wanted. Neville's took a little longer. I knew his gran was giving him trouble about taking Transfiguration, but he didn't have a good enough grade for it. He would have to take Charms instead. I knew he would excel at Herbology, and probably do something with plants in the future, so it didn't matter as much what he did with his other classes. Harry went up, and he ended up being able to take POtions even, since Slughorn only required an Exceeds Expectations. Ron took the same classes as Harry.

I went up and she looked down at her list, "Now what do you want to do? You an't take as many classes as you qualify for."

I had already discussed this with Severus, "I'm taking POtions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, Hex, Muggle Studies, and then I've talked to Professor Snape and he's going to teach me Alchemy one of the other periods, which isn't really a class, so those are like private lessons, but it'll count as a class. OTher schools offer it, so there's a test for me to take at the end, and since I'll probably go into something related to Potions, we thought that was a good idea."

She nodded, "You're all set to go then."

My first class would be Ancient Runes, which Hermione and I were taking together. Once we were ladden with school work we made our way to the second class of the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts, which we would be taking with the rest of our friends.

Seveurs had obviously redecorated the room to his own liking. It seemed darker, and gloomier; the pictures on the walls had been replaced by darker images, and he had put curtains over the windows.

Once were were all seated he strode into the room and said shortly, "I didn't tell you to tkae your books out, put them away. I want to speak, and to be paid attentoin to fully."

He gazed out over the class, and his scowl was unsettling to many of the students. There was only going to be two classes worth of D.A.D.A. and they were both mixed with studnets from all the houses, depending on whcih worked with each person's personal schedule the best.

"Now you have had a wide variety of teachers come and go during your time at Hogwarts,all with their own teaching style and directions. I'm shocked that so many of you were able to attain an O.W.L. in this subject, but even less of you will be able to keep up with the N.E.W.T. level work I'm sure," his voice lowered as he began to speak passionately, "The Dark Arts are a complicated, ever-changing array of spellwork. To become so good at blocking from this artform that blocking spells is as easy as breathing is not a skill easily attained, or something suited to everyone.  Your spells must be able to combat the very nature of the Dark Arts, not just a memorized incantation to block a single type of spell."

He spoke with such a love for the Dark Arts that it made me slighty uncomfortable, and obviously had the same affect on some of my friends. I also agreed with him however, the Dark Arts were something special, and always changing, and never easy to fight against. It was becuae of the tone of his voice that I was incredibly glad he finalyl got the job he had yearned for since he began teaching.

He seemed to come out of his trance and said, "Now, from what I've gathered from your past professors, you have had no exposure to nonverbal spell casting. Can someone tell me why non verbal spells would benefit you during a duel?"

Hermione raised her hand and once called on, answered, "They are useful because your opponent won't know what spell you are going to cast."

"Yes. To do this requires a level of concentration and skill that some of you will,,,lack," he looked pointedly at Harry, mostly likely as a testament of his failed Occlumency lessons, "Now divide into partners, and practice jinxing each other, without speaking."

We quickly divided into teams, with me working with Neville. I was already skilled at these, and we had taught a few kids non verbal spells. Harry was struggling, even Ron looked better than him. Hermione eventually got one to hit Padma.

After class Severus called out, "Potter."

Harry turned back, "Yes sir?"

Seveurs held out a piece of parchment, "This is from the Headmaster for you."

Harry took it and left the classroom with us. He read it in the hall, then turned the paper around to show the rest of us. It said that Dumbledore wanted to begin his private lessons tonight. He would be teaching Harry some protection spells, more advanced ones than the ones we would do in class. Harry had to try to be prepared if he was going to face Voldemort one day, like I knew he would.