The Stubborn Old Headmaster

21

At dinner, Harry anxiously watched the students, eagerly waiting for them to drink their pumpkin juice. However, everyone was listening intensely to Minerva, who was explaining that from point onward Professor Riddle would be the new headmaster of Hogwarts, while she was going to be his deputy headmistress.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering what is going to happen with the second school building, which we were able to break the old charms that were hiding it until just a few weeks ago. Well to answer your question, beginning in September it will house the Hogwarts Primary School, and Professor Gryffindor will be the headmaster, and Professor Lupin, who is going to become a teacher at the primary school, will act as his deputy headmaster."

Seeing that everyone was listening intensely, Minerva continued, "Professor Sirius Black will remain our permanent professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Riddle has kindly been able to remove the curse, which for many years hindered our Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers from staying on their position for longer than a year, so that we hope to have filled this position for many years to come."

While everyone was clapping their hands enthusiastically, Harry couldn't help shifting impatiently in his seat.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Poppy asked surprised, giving the child a concerned look.

"Ah nothing; um... I'm just a bit hungry," Harry lied hesitantly, noticing that Severus was observing him in clear amusement.

A few minutes later, many students greedily reached for their glasses, gulping down the cool pumpkin juice with devour, and Harry couldn't help giggling, when their heads, one after another, transformed into parrots' heads.

After dinner, Bill and Charlie, who had wisely waited to drink, knowing that their mischievous twin brothers had sent Harry a whole box of strange potions, searched the boy out. "Harry, thanks to your prank we're thirsty. Could you please ask your house elf to bring something to drink for us? We can't go to the kitchen, because on the first night back at Hogwarts we always have to return to the common room immediately after dinner."

"Ah, of course, I'm sorry about that," Harry apologized profoundly and quickly called Teddy, glad when his friend arrived instead of his mother or father. "Hey Teddy, are you feeling better?" he asked concerned, noticing that the small elf looked very pale, his cheeks were feverishly flushed, and he had a runny nose.

"Yes, Teddy is buch better, sorry Master Harry," Teddy replied hoarsely.

"Sorry, Teddy, could you please ask some of the older elves to put something to drink into the common rooms tonight? And then I want you to go back to bed immediately. Come back to me when you're back to full health. Until then I won't call you anymore," he told the small elf in a stern voice that would have made Poppy proud.

"Thanks a lot, Harry," Bill and Charlie said gratefully and quickly left the Great Hall.

Only now did Harry notice that all teachers had remained seated at the head table and had been eagerly observing his conversations with the Weasley brothers and with Teddy.

Harry quickly sat down again, averting his eyes to the floor. 'Oh no, what have I done?' he thought, horrified. 'Are they all angry at me now?' he hesitantly thought to Severus.

'No Harry, I believe they were admiring how well you solved the situation,' Severus replied calmingly, before he gave his colleagues a pointed glare, sneering, "Do you all have to stare at Harry?"

"Yes Severus, if your godson thinks he has to prank hundreds of students when they've just returned to the castle, he has earned himself a multiple glare," Tom replied, smirking.