Swept From the Past

Chapter 5: A stormy partnership - part two

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on the way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, after their first, puzzling Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. They had half an hour free before their next class, and an interesting subject to discuss: Professor Burns.

"Whaw!" Ron exclaimed. "I think I'm in love with her! Have you heard what she said to Snape?"

"Ron!" Hermione replied. "She didn't have the right to speak to him like that! It was unprofessional! There are rules at Hogwarts, even for teachers!"

"And Snape strangely forgot about them, when he spoke about Lupin in third year!" Harry retorted.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "It was not as mean as what Professor Burns said!"

"Really?" Harry replied with a smirk. "Do you remember that day he replaced Lupin in class? He told everyone how incompetent he thought Lupin was! And he did the same today! Moreover, he revealed to everyone that Lupin was a werewolf!"

"That's right," Hermione retorted, "but Professor Burns humiliated him completely today!"

"And what do you think he did to Harry and Neville this morning?" Ron asked ironically.

"Don't you think it was a great revenge, Hermione?" Harry queried. He stopped and stared at her reproachfully.

"I guess it was," she admitted finally.

"Yeah," Ron continued, "I even saw you laugh, when she mentioned Malfoy's parents."

At first, Hermione looked offended, but she eventually smiled slightly. "I must admit," she said, "that I was rather pleased. Since Malfoy insulted Harry's mother this morning and my parents... well, I guess... he deserved a little lesson."

"What a relief, Herm'!" Ron exclaimed. "For a minute, I thought that you had betrayed us and chosen Blondie Junior's side."

"Even if I laughed a little, I still think that Professor Burns crossed the line today!" Hermione got a grip on herself. "I have never seen a teacher behaving like that!"

"She told us she was not an academic teacher," Harry responded.

"But she's so rude!" Hermione retorted. "What she said at the ceremony... the way she commented on the Sorting Hat's speech... that was scary!"

"Yeah, but maybe she was right," Ron said. "She's the only one who tells us the truth! The Sorting Hat's speech was boring! Everyone thought it was!"

"Yes, but--" Hermione uttered.

"Dad told me how it was during war," Ron continued. "If we don't fight back, we'll be killed for sure. We almost were not long ago. I don't care if she's direct, as long as she's a good teacher! Do you prefer Umbridge?"

"No, but I mistrust Burns," the girl replied. "She even called You-Know-Who 'Mister... You Know What I Mean'! Even Dumbledore has never used this name! And You-Know-Who fears him!"

"I can't imagine Dumbledore calling anyone 'Mister Voldie'," Harry retorted, as a defence.

"I really think that's strange," Hermione uttered. "And Professor Burns can't be that powerful! That would be impossible! I'll try to discover information on her. Since she studied at Hogwarts, I guess I'll be able to find something."

"I wonder what Neville thinks of Burns," Harry said. He looked around. "Hey, Seamus, where's Neville?" he asked, when he saw Seamus in the mass of students.

"Professor Burns told him to stay after class," Seamus replied. "Poor Neville! If we don't see him back at dinner, we'll know he was killed!"

***

The Great Hall was filled with the chattering sounds of the hungry students. Everyone ate the delicious food that had appeared on their plates. Everyone, except a group of anxious Gryffindors. Neville hadn't come back yet.

Hermione cast several discreet glances at the teacher's table. Professor Burns sat at her place and didn't speak to anyone. Snape was as silent as she was.

"Hey, Neville's here!" Seamus exclaimed, relieved when he saw that Neville had entered the Great Hall.

Hermione sighed.

"Where have you been the whole afternoon?" Seamus asked. "We thought Burns had killed you!"

"Yeah, and Hermione worried all the time!" Ron added sarcastically.

Neville blushed.

"There was no need to," he replied. "She demanded twenty minutes of my time, then I went to Herbology. Professor Sprout asked me to help her after class. That's why I'm late."

"You went to Herbology?" Seamus exclaimed. "Hey, Finch-Fletchley!" he called. He took a piece of bread and threw it at a student seated at the Hufflepuff table. The student turned around. "Why did you tell us that Neville hadn't been in Herbology?" Seamus asked.

"Did I say that?" Justin responded vaguely, "Ok, maybe I was wrong. I didn't really pay attention." He turned back to the Hufflepuff table and continued to dreamily observe a girl seated to his right.

"I think he was more interested in Susan Bones," Harry said.

"What did Burns tell you, Neville?" Ron asked.

"Well," Neville replied, "she wanted to talk to me about the attack at the Ministry. She had heard that I had problems defending myself. But she wanted to see for herself what had happened, to analyse my weaknesses. So she asked if I would agree to put my memory of that night in a Pensieve."

"What did she ask?" Hermione queried, an eyebrow raised.

"Er... to put my memory in a Pensi--"Neville responded.

"You didn't accept, right?" Hermione exclaimed, alarmed. "You know that Professor Burns is a Dark Sorceress! She could harm you or use your memories for the side of You-Know-Who! You must warn Dumbledore immediately...!"

"But Dumbledore already knows!" Neville interrupted, awkward.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"She said that Dumbledore had a Pensieve and would deal with it," Neville uttered. "She accompanied me as far as his office and left me downstairs."

"So Dumbledore took your memory?" Hermione demanded, still anxious.

"Yes," Neville replied. "Dumbledore put my memory in his Pensieve. Then, he told me to come back to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class after Herbology to take it back. Professor Sprout let me return there before coming back to help her."

"So," Hermione demanded, "have you got your memory back?"

"Yes," Neville replied. "Professor Burns told me she had an idea of why I hadn't been able to fight better. She thinks we'll clear it up together as soon as possible."

"So, she didn't try to kill you?" Hermione said, a little disappointed.

"Er... no," Neville replied.

"Does it bother you?" Harry asked Hermione teasingly.

"What?" the girl responded. She blushed suddenly. "Oh, no! Excuse me, Neville, I didn't mean it! I just mistrust her, that's all!"

***

After dinner, Professor Burns, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape were in the Headmaster's office for an unexpected staff meeting.

"Professor Burns," Dumbledore said, "I have heard that you mistreated one of your colleagues today. This is not the way to teach at Hogwarts. As a teacher, you have to set an example for the students."

Professor McGonagall agreed. In her whole carrier, she had never seen a teacher behaving like that. She was scandalised. She nodded at the Headmaster; then she looked at Professor Burns severely. What had happened to the shy, kind, and attentive girl that studied in her classes many years ago?

Professor Burns sat comfortably in a chair, looking idly at the sharp dagger she held in her hand. She looked bored.

"That's why you can't express what you feel about your colleagues in front of your class," the Headmaster uttered. "And you can't insult the parents of the students either..."

"Permission to yawn, sir?" Burns said suddenly.

"You... what?" Dumbledore replied distractedly. McGonagall stared at her. So did Snape.

"I'm sleeping, Headmaster," she responded. "Your speech is boring... Sooo boring..."

"I see..." Dumbledore replied.

Had she been in Dumbledore's place, Professor McGonagall would have replied sharply. She would have dismissed Professor Burns and proposed someone else to take her post. But Albus Dumbledore was a strange man. He continued speaking softly, as if he hadn't noticed Burns' remark. As if he didn't want to bother her.

"Professor Burns," the Headmaster said, "I understand, but you should not forget why you are here... The boy--"

"I don't care about the boy," Burns replied directly.

Was it really true? Or was it a lie? McGonagall couldn't tell.

"I'm here because you have begged me to come," Burns continued, "because I am the only one who can protect the school from a great attack by Voldemort and his bloody shit Death Eaters. And I'm in this office now, because little Sevvie has complained about me, am I wrong?"

Professor Snape smirked. Professor McGonagall thought that the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher had gone too far.

"Professor Burns," she interjected, furious. "You are here because Hogwarts needed a new teacher. You were hired because you were at this school when you were young. Hogwarts is safe without you, as long as the Headmaster is here to protect it."

"Silly old woman!" Professor Burns interrupted, standing up.

Professor McGonagall was shocked. Snape was bewildered, too.

"Professor Burns," Dumbledore uttered, " At the very least, I expect you to be polite with your colleagues."

"Polite?" Burns laughed. "I don't have the time or the energy to be polite! Especially when people don't know what they're talking about! Is the school safe? Oh, yes! I think I'll ask Professor Quirrell/Voldemort or Professor Moody/Crouch their opinion about it. Tell me, Headmaster," she said, turning to Dumbledore, "where were you when they tried to attack Harry Potter? Weren't you at school? Wasn't it well-guarded by you? And where were you last year, when that boy left Hogwarts and went to the Ministry of Magic with his friends? I think I would ask Sirius Black what he thinks about it, but he can't answer, because HE'S DEAD!!!"

"Yes, Katarina, he's dead..." Dumbledore replied.

"Katarina died too," Professor Burns retorted, "she died fifteen years ago in a dark alley, when she understood the truth. She used to follow the rules. She favoured pity. She favoured generosity. She favoured love. Always polite. Always kind. Always stupid! She's dead now!"

Many objects started to shake. Professor Burns took a little bottle out of her robes and took a drink. Then, she continued. "I will not be taught a lesson by any of you! If you don't accept my methods, I leave you right now. I didn't want to come back anyway. I just did it because of a pledge. But now... I don't care! You have a Sorting Hat! Then sort out your problems by yourselves!"

She stood up and went to the door to leave.

"Professor Burns..." Dumbledore said. "You are right. Hogwarts is not safe without you."

McGonagall was startled to hear this. Snape looked the same way.

"Your power is a chance for us," Dumbledore continued. "We can't let you go, we need your help. That's why I pleaded with you to come, and that's why you have to stay with us."

"Very well," Burns replied. "I'll stay. But I'll fix my own rules!"

She went to the door and stopped in front of a great mirror that was propped against the wall. She stepped forward and raised her eyes to read the inscription carved around the top. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," she said. Then, she contemplated the glass in front of her, as if she was intrigued by something. "Hmmm," she snorted. "What on earth is the use of having a mirror which doesn't reflect anything?" she commented, before leaving.

"Headmaster, I don't understand," Professor McGonagall said finally. "Why...?"

"I have offered her the post many times, Minerva," Dumbledore interrupted. "Every year, I sent her an owl, and every year, she refused. But this year, she has accepted. We can't risk losing her now. Voldemort is more powerful than ever. Something happened during the holidays. Something bad for our side. And if my suspicions are true, Professor Burns will have her role to play in this war."

"Headmaster!" Snape complained, "You can't let her act like that! The students don't have to see this! You have to do something!"

"Severus," Dumbledore replied, "I can't do anything about her."

"But you are more powerful than she is!" Snape continued. "You can stop her! Bring her back to reason!" he pleaded.

"I don't have such a power, Severus," Dumbledore uttered. "This is beyond my competencies. Far beyond."

"But you're the most powerful wizard in the world!" Snape exclaimed. "You're the only one the Dark Lord has ever feared!"

"Maybe I am, Severus," Dumbledore retorted. "Maybe Voldemort fears me, but the case of Professor Burns... is different. I don't want to make the same mistake that I did once."

"The same mistake?" Professor McGonagall asked. She blanched. "Do you mean that...?"

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. He sighed. "History could repeat itself; everything could happen like it did once. Like in 1945."

Professor McGonagall gasped. "So, is that why...? Oh, poor girl!" McGonagall exclaimed, shocked. Now, everything was clear, terribly clear. She quickly looked at Snape.

"She has suffered a lot," Dumbledore continued. "She has become terrible, hard like ice, not because she wanted to, but because of fate... She is the victim of a curse which can either lead her to death or to happiness. I don't have the power to intervene in her choices. There is only one person who can. The one by whom everything began."

"I don't understand anything, Headmaster!" Snape rejoined angrily. He looked both intrigued and terrified. "What happened in 1945? You have to tell me!"

"Something I can't talk about with you, Severus," Dumbledore responded gently.

"But you know that--" he replied.

"You are much too involved," Dumbledore retorted. He cast a knowing stare at Snape to stop the discussion.

***

One week later, the Defence Against the Dark Arts class met in the Great Hall, as it had when Gilderoy Lockhart formed his Duelling Club four years ago. All the students were gathered around a very long esplanade that ran the length of the room. Professor Burns was standing on it, practising gymnastic movements before the lesson started.

"Well!" she said, when everybody had arrived. "Let's start! Today, we will study the effects of a spell in a real situation. You've studied many things in books, but this is not enough. To realise the effects a spell can have on someone, and to be ready to react, you must be confronted by it. Professor Snape," she asked, "could you please come here to assist me?"

Harry saw that Snape flinched; he looked suspicious and nervous. It was not very surprising. Since the beginning of the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, Burns had never talked to Snape that way. She had either ignored him or humiliated him. And now, she had said 'please' to him. What was she about to do? Nevertheless, Snape mounted the esplanade.

"Ok," Burns said. "Like in a Duelling Club, Professor Snape and I will have a little fight. A simple spell will do, for the moment. Maybe Expelliarmus?" she added.

"Who are you betting on?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"Burns," Harry replied.

Harry noticed Snape's face. Unlike the time that he had duelled Lockhart, Snape did not look confident at all. His upper lip wasn't curling anymore. Facing Burns was not as easy as facing Gilderoy Lockhart. In contrast, Burns wore a slight smile on her face.

Burns and Snape turned to face each other and bowed. No twirling of the hand or superfluous movement. Just a simple bow. Then, they readied their hands in the usual combative position.

"Let's do this," Burns said finally. "Master Finnigan, could you count, please? At the count of three..."

"One... two... three," Seamus said loudly.

" Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted.

A dazzling flash of scarlet light escaped from his wand and hit Professor Burns with force. She was projected in the air and fell down violently a few feet away. She hit her head badly on the left edge of the esplanade. For some strange reason, she hadn't done anything. No attacking or defensive spell. She had just waited to be hit by her adversary's curse.

Everyone was bewildered. Harry saw that Snape was puzzled, too.

Burns stood up and laughed.

"That was very good, Professor Snape!" she exclaimed.

She was bleeding slightly on the left temple. She strolled over and picked up her wand on her way back to the esplanade. It had flown away, when she had been hit by Snape's spell.

"See, class, that was Expelliarmus!" she explained. "If a Death Eater used this Disarming Spell on you, you'd soon be dead. Not because of the shock caused by the spell, or because of the fall, but because of your inaction. Your opponent will use the element of surprise to his or her advantage. Be sure you'll hear "Crucio" just after! Now, we'll start again... Master Finnigan..."

"Professor Burns," Snape replied. "I don't see the usefulness of that little game."

"Professor Snape," she retorted, "you'll see soon! Don't forget to protect yourself," she added. "Master Finnigan..."

"One... two... three," he counted loud again.

"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted for the second time. The scarlet jet of light hit Professor Burns with force. She didn't try to stop the attack and was projected in the air again. She lost her wand. However, when she was about to reach the floor, she landed on her hands, did a front hand spring, followed by a series of back flips. She landed on her feet. Then, she spun around, took another wand from her robes, and yelled "Expelliarmus!", while Snape had just started to say "Proteg...". He was hit hard by her spell and flew a few feet away, disarmed.

"I told you to protect yourself..." Burns said with a soft and ironical smile. Snape tried to recover his spirits and stood up.

"So, class, what do you learn from this little demonstration?" Burns asked.

"You must never be disarmed," Susan Bones responded.

"Yes, Miss Bones... Five points to Ravenclaw! But that's not all. Any other suggestions?" Burns demanded.

"You must always react quickly when you're attacked..." Hermione replied.

"Sort of, Miss Granger..." Burns uttered. "Five points to Gryffindor! What else? Master Longbottom?"

Neville didn't say anything. He looked very awkward when the attention of the whole class turned to him.

"I... I don't know, Professor," he stuttered.

"Come on, Master Longbottom," Burns replied encouragingly, "I'm sure you can try a reply..."

Neville watched her and seemed to think hard. Then, he responded "Never underestimate your adversary."

"Good, Master Longbottom," Burns replied with a smile. "Five points to Gryffindor!" Neville blushed.

"These answers are correct," Burns continued. "It's important to react quickly, and be conscious that every adversary can be stronger than he looks. But it's also very important to practise. If you're attacked by someone for the first time, you don't know how to react. Your mind is surprised, so your body is surprised. But if you've practised, your instinct prevents you from being disarmed. You're prepared to fight, and you can gain the advantage and surprise your enemy. You can then reverse the course of the fight and use the Cruciatus Curse on the one who wanted to kill you. That's the part I prefer..." she added. "Don't worry, I won't use it now, Professor Snape... At least... not today," she continued.

Snape smirked. "It is forbidden to use this curse, Professor Burns."

"Of course it's forbidden!" she laughed. "That's what people call a 'forbidden curse'," she said slowly.

Harry repressed a smile. Burns was making fool of Snape again. Snape jaws clenched, but he didn't say anything.

"But that's not forbidden for me!" she replied with an amused stare. "It has never prevented me from using it... Torturing someone can be fun, when the person has done very, very bad things, Professor Snape... I guess you think the worst thing ever is to be kissed by a Dementor... I've practised the Dark Arts for a long time now, and I can assure you that the Dementors don't know the best way to make someone suffer!" she burst into a satanic laughter. "Now, back to the lesson, class!"

***

Later in the day, the sixth years were about to leave their Transfiguration class, when Professor McGonagall called for Harry and Neville.

"Potter, Longbottom," she said, "I have to speak to you. Come with me to my office."

Harry and Neville exchanged glances and followed Professor McGonagall. Snape had surely received the response from the Academy. He had told them it would take a week, and it had been a week. Were the results bad? Harry felt nervous. He knew Neville was, too. He had shared his apprehensions the whole week. After the remarks Snape had made about his mark, Neville had started to believe it a mistake.

"Sit down," McGonagall said. "This morning, Professor Snape received your Potions O.W.L.s results. I'm glad to tell you that you are allowed to return to your Potions class."

"Really?" Neville exclaimed, surprised.

"Well, Longbottom," McGonagall responded, "I think that your 'Outstanding' mark is proof you can go back to your Potions class."

Harry pictured Snape's face when he had opened the letter and seen their results. He must have been furious.

"However," Professor McGonagall continued severely, "I've been told by Professor Snape that one of you had wanted to fight in class." She stared at Harry. "Potter, I can't tolerate such an attitude!"

"But, Professor, Malfoy had--" Harry uttered.

"It doesn't matter what Draco Malfoy did," McGonagall interrupted. "The rules are clear. Students are not allowed to fight. I warn you that next time, you'll be given detention! You can leave, now."

Harry and Neville stood up.

"Oh, by the way," Professor McGonagall said, when they had reached the door, "congratulations, to both of you!"

***