Out With the Old Professors, In With the New

Ch. 3: Those Who Can't Do

As soon as Professor Dumbledore had finished speaking, the tables filled with all sorts of mouth-watering delights. Harry was overwhelmed by all his favorite delicious British foods, such as kidney pie, haggis, and bubble-and-squeak. As the students began the start of term feast, conversation turned first to their classmate-turned-instructor. "I can't believe they made Hermione a professor!" said Ginny incredulously. "I mean, she's sure smart enough, but she's only a sixth year. How will she be able to teach and still take all her classes?"

"Well, Harry taught us defensive magic last term in our DA meetings, and he was taking classes at the same time," mumbled Ron, as he stuffed his face with toad-in-the-hole.

"Yes, but that was just once in a while, and to a small group," said Harry, carving into some grayish boiled meat of some sort. "And I was just showing you all how to do stuff that I already knew how to do. Hermione will have to set up lesson plans for different years, and teach everyone at Hogwarts, stuff like that. One thing I do know though, if anyone can do it, it'll be Hermione."

At that moment, Hermione came out of the back room and returned to her place at the table. All eyes in the Great Hall were turned to her as she took her seat. "Are, are you still going to sit with us, um, Professor Granger?" asked Neville.

"Don't be silly Neville, of course I'm going to sit here sometimes, I'm still a student and a Gryffindor," she replied, as she helped herself to some spotted dick. "You don't have to call me Professor Granger either, except in class."

Ron spat out pumpkin juice all over the tablecloth, and asked indignantly, "You're not going to ask everybody to call you Professor, are you?"

"Yes I am, when we are in class," she replied abruptly. "It's a sign of respect. In the same token, I'll refer to you as Mr. Weasley and Harry as Mr. Potter during lessons."

Harry and Ginny exchanged glances. "This should be interesting," thought Harry.

With a resentful look, Ron exclaimed, "Oh no, that's just too much. I can't take a class from you, Hermione!"

Hermione smiled nastily, and said, "You have to take History Ron, and don't worry, if you have trouble I'll just have to keep you after for remedial lessons."

Ron's ears turned pink and he grinned sheepishly, and Harry felt sorry for his friend. He must be embarrassed about Hermione being so much smarter than the rest of them. Of course, Trevor could give Ron a run for his money in a lot of their classes, thought Harry. In a valiant effort to come to the aid of his chum, he said, "Don't worry, Ron, if you need help you can study with me."

Ginny rolled her eyes over her pig's head pudding, and Hermione laughed and said, "That's OK Harry, I don't think you can provide the hands-on approach Ron needs."

Ginny and Hermione laughed uproariously, and Ron turned a nice shade of Gryffindor red. As the girls continued to laugh, he hissed, "Cut it out, Professor Granger." Harry and Neville looked at each other, and Neville had the same curious look Harry knew he wore.

"How are you going to be able to take your classes?" asked Harry, hoping to save Ron further embarrassment by changing the subject.

"Well, Professor McGonagall has got that all figured out," she replied. "I don't have to go to Ancient Runes anymore, since I'll be studying those while preparing history lessons. And I've already been granted a NEWT-level pass in History of Magic! So I'll really have an easier time of it than I have in the past. The only classes I'll still attend are Arithmancy, Transfiguration and Charms."

Ron looked concerned. "If you're not going to be in classes with us, how will we get by?" he asked.

"Well, you'll have to start taking your own notes for a change," she answered in her best lecturing tone. "And no more sleeping in History of Magic either."

"Will you still be staying with us in Gryffindor Tower? I'd hate it if you weren't there," said Ginny.

"Not much," said Hermione sadly, "I'm going to spend as much time as possible with you all in the Common Room, but I'll need to have a bit more privacy than I could get in Gryffindor Tower to prepare my classes. Professor Binns didn't have any quarters, I guess he just floated around the staff room when he wasn't in class. There's an office just off of the History of Magic classroom that will be converted to staff quarters for me, but I won't stay there much, I expect."

"Hmm, that sounds like a good place to meet privately with students," said Ron slyly. Hermione ignored this remark.

"You know we're behind you, Hermione," said Neville. "But what'll you do if the other students won't behave? I'd hate to have to deal with the Slytherins myself," he said with a shudder.

"Gosh, I haven't thought about that yet," Hermione replied thoughtfully. "I guess I'll just try to find a teaching style that works for me. There are some great teachers here, I can follow their examples."

"Yeah, you could pattern yourself after Trelawney," said Ron, raising his arms over his head and popping out his eyes. "Opennn your mind to your inner eye," he said in a distant voice, as everyone laughed.

Their feast had been excellent as usual, and when Harry had finally eaten enough, he excused himself from his friends to go speak to his new Professors. Lupin was talking with Professor White while they enjoyed their after-dinner tea, so Harry figured it would be a good time to meet him.

As he approached, Harry again noticed that Lupin appeared old for his age. And of course, careworn. Lupin greeted him with a broad smile. "Well, well, I wondered how long it would take you to come see us, Harry."

"Hi Professor Lupin, I'm sure glad you're back," Harry replied, returning Lupin's smile. "Hogwarts wasn't the same without you. And it's nice to meet you, sir," he said, turning to Professor White.

Lupin raised his eyebrows, and Professor White said, "It's OK Harry, no one's paying us any attention, you can call me Sirius."

Harry was dumbstruck. He stood gaping for a moment, then said, "But, you can't be, that is, you're, he's dead, I saw you, I mean him, fall through the curtain!"

Sirius shook his head and laughed, and said, "You always were a bit slow on the uptake, weren't you Harry? Sure, I fell through the curtain. Got myself a nasty knock on the head too. I guess I was stunned there for a bit."

"But, I heard whispered voices coming from behind the curtain, and Lupin said you were gone!" exclaimed Harry.

"That was me whispering, you great prat!" said Sirius. "I'd smacked my head so hard, it rang like a bell when I tried to talk, and I didn't even know where I was."

"Harry, I thought Sirius was probably dead, after that curse dear Bellatrix threw at him," explained Lupin. "After you and Dumbledore cleared out, I looked around the curtain, and there was old Padfoot, holding his head with his eyes crossed."

So Sirius is alive, thought Harry. He recalled the strange and frightening events during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. He was still curious about one aspect of Sirius' fall, though.

"So, what's behind that curtain, anyway?" asked Harry.

"Nothing, its just some old curtain," replied Sirius with an offhand wave. "I decided to lay low until the fight was over, since I was in no condition to defend myself," he explained. "After that, Lupin and I snuck out and hid at his place. Isn't that funny? I think that's the best joke I've played since I tried to send Snape up to meet Moony in the Shrieking Shack!" said Sirius laughing heartily.

Harry did not think Sirius's joke was funny. He had spent months of agony thinking he had as good as killed his godfather, and here he was just playing a silly prank!

"I've always said you have a really weird sense of humor, Sirius," said Lupin, shaking his head.

Looking at the angry expression on Harry's face, Sirius said, "Oh Harry, I'm sorry. I know it must have been tough for you, but this was the only way. The Death Eaters and the Aurors all thought I was dead, so they didn't look for me. We eventually contacted Dumbledore, and he cooked up this scheme where I'd come stay here as 'Professor White'. Once they figure out who I really am, it'll be too late, since they can't touch me here at Hogwarts. I just couldn't go back to Grimmauld Place, and now I get to be here with you and my friends. Can't you forgive your old godfather, Harry?"

Harry wanted to be angry with Sirius and Lupin for what he had gone through, but as he looked at Sirius smiling uncertainly, he realized he was very happy indeed that his godfather was still alive. "I'm really glad you're back Sirius," he finally said.

Sirius smiled and said, "I'll make it up to you Harry. You know, if you'd like, you can stay here with me now over the holidays. Not just Christmas and Easter, but the summer too!"

"What, and miss the hospitality of the Dursleys?" exclaimed Harry, and they all laughed.

"Hey, I've got another great idea! Lupin and I can help you in the prankster competition!" said Sirius.

Harry thought about that for a moment, and realized that he was not really interested in pranks anymore. Sirius had almost gotten Snape killed, and caused a summer of misery for him, for the sake of a couple of jokes. "You know Sirius," he said, "I don't think I'm going to try out for that. I've had my fill of pranks, and besides, I could never top the things you've done."

"Well, OK, but no hard feelings, right Harry?" asked Sirius.

Although Harry was not quite sure exactly how he felt yet, he smiled and replied, "Sure. I'm just wondering if 'Professor White' will be able to help me with my Quidditch game."

Sirius laughed, and said, "Well, I was never very good myself, but I've watched your dad plenty. 'Professor White' can try to give you some pointers if you'd like."

At that moment, Justin Finch-Fletchey came up and greeted Professor Lupin enthusiastically. "Excuse me professors, and Harry, I just wanted to say hello. Oh Professor Lupin, I'm so glad you've come back! I really missed you! I mean, I really missed your classes, that is. And I'm very excited about the new curriculum. Do you think I'd be allowed to take both your new classes?"

Lupin smiled, and said, "Thanks, Justin, I'm glad to be back. I missed you all here at Hogwarts too. If my classes don't conflict with others you're taking, you'd be welcome in both. I'll check with Professor Sprout if you'd like."

"Yes, thanks!" replied Justin. "I think its high time someone thought seriously about wizard fashion. In fact, I've been experimenting in Herbology with magical floral arrangements, but Professor Sprout isn't at all interested in them. Perhaps I could show you some of them sometime?" he asked shyly.

"Certainly Justin, I'd be happy to look at what you've done," said Lupin. Justin smiled and walked away beaming.

Sirius watched Justin walk back toward the Hufflepuff table for a moment. With a quizzical expression, he remarked, "You know, there's something a bit... different... about that boy. I can't quite put my finger on it."

Harry knew what Sirius meant. He hadn't gotten along well with Justin at first, and the events surrounding the Basilisk attacks did not help. Although Justin could be pompous at times, Harry had come to realize he was a nice person and a good friend.

"Oh, Justin can be a bit of a stuffed shirt, but he's really alright once you get to know him," he said. "He believed me last year when mostly everyone thought I was a nutter, and he's one of the founding members of the DA."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's nice to see that not everyone here is going to act strangely around me," said Lupin. "I noticed last time I taught here that I made many of the students, especially the boys, uncomfortable." He sighed. "Anti-werewolf prejudice is everywhere, I guess."

Harry thought back to the year that Lupin was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and realized that he was right. However, he also seemed to remember that some of his fellow students had regarded Lupin strangely before Harry had found out Lupin was a werewolf. Perhaps they had caught on before Harry, like Hermione had? He tried to remember exactly when Seamus and Dean had started to give Lupin the cold shoulder. Was it after the lesson in which Lupin sang Muggle show tunes to keep up the students' spirits before midterm exams, or when he did his impression of the Wicked Witch of the West when they were covering Hags? Harry was surprised that everyone had been so discrete about Lupin's secret if they knew well before he had found out. Of course, it was common knowledge that Lupin had been a great friend of Harry's parents and was something of a mentor to Harry, so maybe everyone assumed he already knew.

"Why don't you get back to your friends, Harry," said Sirius, interrupting Harry's musings. "I'm sure you've all got a lot to talk about, and we don't want them to suspect anything about me yet."

"OK, I'll see you later," he said, waving goodbye to Sirius and Lupin. "I'm really glad you're back. Both of you." They both smiled at Harry, and were soon engrossed in conversation with one another.

Harry returned to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ron, but he hardly heard anything his friends were talking about. Sirius was alive! It would take some time to come to grips with this knowledge, but all in all Harry felt a lot happier. Although he had been foolish to allow Voldemort to manipulate him, really it all worked out for the best in the end. His rescue attempt had not caused any permanent damage to any of his friends, Voldemort's return had been revealed to most of the wizard community, and several Death Eaters had been captured. When Harry finally rose at the end of the feast to return to Gryffindor Tower, he expected that he'd have the best night's sleep he had had in months.

5