True Purpose

TRUE PURPOSE

Chapter 3
The New Teacher

As the dinner progressed Harry noticed there were still two empty chairs at the staff table. He quickly figured out there was no Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and no Snape. Professor Snape had always had something against Harry, but the previous year had been almost unbearable. Not only did Snape find something to take points off for, but he had also made certain Harry spent several days and evenings in detention. Harry glanced at Dumbledore. "Why would he trust Snape?" thought Harry. He turned to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny who turned their attention to the empty chairs.

"I hope Snape is gone for good as the Potions professor," said Ron.

"Don't get your hopes up Ron. He's probably just late or maybe he decided not to attend tonight," Hermione said in her usual calm voice.

"Well, whatever happened I'm still hoping for a new professor. Anyone or anything is better than Snape," sighed Ron.

"He is fairly nice to me. I guess it's because Draco helped me that one time," Ginny put in, blushing slightly.

Just as Ron was about to make a remark about Draco Malfoy, or ferret boy as he had been nick-named, he was interrupted by Dumbledore who stood up once again. The Great Hall went silent as they expected to hear another one of Dumbledore's infamous speeches.

"I almost forgot to introduce our new instructor at the school. I just received word that she has arrived from Beauxbatons and I believe she will be arriving here shortly."

Dumbledore had hardly finished his sentence when a young woman appeared at the entrance dressed in a black satin robe. Harry remembered his first encounter with students from Beauxbatons. It had been his fourth year and the reintroduction of the Triwizard Tournament. Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, and Cedric Diggory...poor Cedric. Once again Harry thought about that fateful day of Voldemort's rebirth and the death of Cedric. If only I would have taken the cup then Cedric would still be alive thought Harry. Ron and Hermione had tried to tell him that it was Voldemort's doing and not Harry's, but deep down Harry still blamed himself for Cedric's death. When Sirius had died all Harry could think of was how he had been the primary cause of the death of four people. He never got a chance to enjoy his childhood because his parents had died for him. Then Cedric...and now Sirius. The reason for his seclusion at the Burrow during the summer was partly because he didn't want to talk to anyone about Sirius. However, he had come to the conclusion that everyone around him was at risk of being seriously hurt, or worse face death. He glanced over at Ginny who was busy following the new teacher. Ron and Hermione had always been in danger as they were Harry's best friends, but Ginny had been down in the Chamber of Secrets where Tom Riddle had planned to kill her and Harry. There was no reason for anyone else to get hurt. He needed to face Voldemort alone and without anyone else in danger.

Ron had been following the new Potions professor as she strode across the floor of the Great Hall when he saw the look on Harry's face. He had seen the same kind of look at the Burrow during the summer. No matter what he had tried Harry had been careful not to be awake during the day. Obviously the death of Sirius, his godfather, had affected him, but there was something else about Harry that Ron could not figure out. Harry had been Ron's best friend for six years and he had never seen Harry this depressed for such a long period of time. He knew there was nothing he could do to get Harry to open up at the Burrow, but at Hogwarts he would have Hermione to help him get Harry in a better mood.

"Ah, good evening Ms. Duffet. How was your trip?" asked Dumbledore with a smile.

"It was quite unbearable professor. I am glad to finally be able to get into something more comfortable and perhaps something to eat," said Ms. Duffet with a bit of arrogance.

"Dear students," Dumbledore began. "This is Ms. Duffet. She will be our new Potions teacher this year. Her exquisite taste and knowledge of known and unknown potions will certainly make this year...interesting," Dumbledore said with a sly grin.

"Your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will be arriving in two days and he is returning to Hogwarts after an eventful summer. I am sure it will become one of your favorite classes with one of your...favorite...teachers."

As Dumbledore sat down the Great Hall burst into conversation as to who the professor could be. Most of them thought Lupin would come back as he had been a favorite with everyone except the Slytherins.

"That means Snape is finally gone," exclaimed Ron grinning from ear to ear.

"I guess so," said Harry just nodding.

Hermione looked at Harry with a slight frown on her face.

"I thought you would be jumping for joy with Ron. Snape has always hated you," Hermione said looking at Harry for some sort of response.

Harry just looked at Hermione and then continued eating, still deep in thought.

Hermione was not satisfied with being brushed aside, but she knew better than to argue with Harry. She had an idea of what was bothering Harry, but she wanted to talk to him alone.

Ginny had been sitting quietly taking in the news of a new Potions professor and the apparent Snape-free Hogwarts. She had never really thought of Snape as a nice person, but she had seen a different person during her classes. Sometimes she would look up from her cauldron or parchment and see the same kind of look that Harry had at the Burrow this past summer. She had known that Snape had been a Death Eater and that Dumbledore trusted him. For some reason Ginny had been able to see a glimpse of the "real" Snape hiding behind the black greasy hair. Her eyes fixed on the empty seat across the table and she wondered what had happened to Alexander. It was almost as if there was some sort of connection between them. She had felt like she could see into his soul. I guess I will have to do some reasearch and find out more about him she thought to herself. She would ask Hermione to help her tomorrow.

As the dinner ended the students quickly filed out of the Great Hall and made their way to their corresponding dorms. The Gryffindor students were led by Hermione who had been chosen as Head Girl. As they reached the picture of the Fat Lady Hermione uttered the new password "Dewey Decimal System,” Harry could only sigh and roll his eyes. Ron leaned over and asked Harry what was with the chosen password.

"It's a way of classifying books in a Muggle library. They put books in different sections and label them with numbers,” explained Harry.

"Go figures,” Ron muttered. "Always books, books, and more books."

"Well, you know how she is,” Harry said smiling.

Hermione had walked up to them and was glaring at them.

"If you two would ever open your books then maybe you would be enchanted by them too,” she said, turning around and stomping off into the common room.

Harry and Ron could hear her muttering something about "lazy" and "N.E.W.T.S"

Everyone hurried into the Gryffindor common room and soon made their way up to their home for the next year.