Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Eight: Professor Black

I pictured I could bring you back.
I pictured I could turn back time.
'Cuz I can't find my way.
I just can't find my way.
Without you I just can't find my way.
~Simple Plan: Perfect World

Harry got off the train and listened for a moment, hoping to hear a familiar voice.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Harry smiled and waved to Hagrid. "How yeh doin', Harry?"

"Fine, Hagrid! See you at the Feast?" Harry hadn't seen Hagrid all summer. It looked like he was in one piece, but there was one large bruise on his face.

"Yeah." He turned to the timid first years and started shouting again, "C'mon, follow me! Firs' years follow me!"

"Miss Carrigan, could you please come here. I need to talk with you.!" Harry heard a very familiar voice shout over the noise.

"Who's that?" Sephra asked him.

"Oh, that's Professor McGonagall," Harry informed her quietly. "She's deputy headmistress. You should hurry up, you don't want to keep her waiting." Sephra hurried over to talk to the older woman.

"Let's get a carriage and get up to the Great Hall," Ron said to the group. "The Sorting can't start 'til everyone's there; and the feast can't start 'til the Sorting's done."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, but Harry nodded and the four of them grabbed a carriage. They were surprised to find Neville already in it.

"Hey, Neville," Hermione greeted the reserved boy.

"Hey, Hermione. Everyone. How was your summer?" he asked absentmindedly.

"Oh, it was alright, yours?" Harry asked. There was something different about Neville, but he couldn't seem to place it.

"Oh, it was good. Did loads of stuff," he replied waving his hand dismissively.

They talked all the way to school, but Neville hardly added a word to the conversation. Harry could definitely tell something was up with him.

Once they arrived at the front entrance, they all got out and hurried into the Great Hall. It was breathtaking, as always. The wonderful hangings with the House crests on them were swinging from the ceiling. Hundreds of candles were floating several feet above the tables. The gold plates and cutlery that they used for feasts were glistening in the candlelight. Harry once again realized how much he had missed Hogwarts.

"Where are those pip squeaks?" Ron asked as his stomach growled.

"Ron, they aren't pip squeaks." Hermione scolded.

"If you say so, 'Mione. But I just want the feast to start. I'm starving"

As Ron finished saying this, the first years were lead into the Great Hall and up to the front by Professor McGonagall. She left and returned with the Sorting hat. Everyone stared at the beat-up old hat, the first years completely confused. Suddenly, the flap near the brim opened and started to sing:

"Where to start, where to start?

The beginning would be best!

And yet, that story I've told before,

Of brave Gryffindor,

Of sweet Hufflepuff,

Of bright Ravenclaw,

Of shrewd Slytherin.

And so I'll start a different tale,

One not told so often.

Years ago, the house feuds

Were not as they are now.

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw versus

Gryffindor and Slytherin.

And yet, the feud was only friendly banter.

Slytherins and Gryffindors

Better friends you couldn't find

Or maybe it was,

Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs,

It is hard to say!

But today the feuds have changed.

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw

All against poor Slytherin.

And the feud is no longer

The friendly banter of old.

No! Now it is vicious,

Now it is cruel duels when

The teachers' backs are turned.

And yet I can't help but think,

Of those poor Slytherins:

What did they ever do?

Only few are evil like most think,

And each house has the same number

Of those who serve a different master.

Please, please take heed my warning.

Ignoring this plea, as you did last year's,

Will only result in this school's end.

Please, please take heed my warning.

Not all are to be hated,

Not all are to be trusted.

Make your choice, but please,

Do not base it on which house

I am obligated by bonds of old

To sort that person into."

Everyone stared at the hat as its flap closed again and it remained silent. Dumbledore started to clap and the other teachers followed his lead. Most of the students clapped too, but there was a buzz created by their whispering and speculations.

"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall said over the whispering, "please come forward and place the hat on top of your head. Once you have been sorted, please head to your assigned house table." She took out a long list of names and read the first one off, "Baker, Carry."

A short girl with long black hair hurried forward. She placed the hat on and sat patiently. But it was only a moment before the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry clapped with the rest of the house, but his mind was elsewhere. What had the hat meant? What did it know that the rest of them didn't?

"Brown, Kevin!"

"That's my brother," Harry heard Lavender whisper to Parvati.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Good job, Kev!" Lavender said, patting her brother on the back.

The Sorting went on and on and, in Harry and Ron's opinion, took forever. They started playing Hangman and Tic-Tac-Toe to pass the time before the feast. This earned several disapproving looks from Hermione, but they just ignored her. Finally, "Zerman, Jessica!" was sorted into, "RAVENCLAW!" and the Sorting was finished.

"If I could have everyone's attention?" Dumbledore needlessly asked once McGonagall had removed the Sorting Hat. "We still need the Sorting Hat for one more Sorting. We have a new student for our sixth years to meet. I thought it would be rude to not give her the same chance to be sorted as you all have had. So, please, Professor McGonagall, could you bring the Sorting Hat back out?" She came back with the hat and placed it back into the middle. "Miss Sephra Carrigan, would you please place the hat on your head."

Harry saw Sephra for the first time, since entering, off to the side of the Hall as she made her way towards the hat. There was some whispering, for new students above the first year were extremely rare. She sat down and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Everyone waited patiently for the hat to make up its mind. It seemed that it was a hard choice. Finally with little confidence in its loud voice it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and Sephra walked slowly to the table that was clapping for her.

"Miss Carrigan," Dumbledore continued, "has come from the United States to attend Hogwarts. I'm sure she'd be more then willing to tell you all about it and I'm sure you all will make her feel welcomed. I think I will save the rest of my notices until after the feast. Enjoy!" He sat down and everyone started to heap the food in front of them onto their plates.

"Well, she turned out to be a true Malfoy after all," Ron said sadly. He had liked her.

"So what if she's a Slytherin, we all know she's nice and not like that. And the Sorting Hat's right, we shouldn't be so biased," Hermione said patiently.

"She's still a Slytherin and a Malfoy," Ron stated as if this made the most sense.

"I thought her last name was Carrigan," Dean Thomas inquired.

"Yeah, it is," Ginny answered. "But her mum was Lucius Malfoy's sister and Sephra's stuck living with them 'cause her parents were killed." She turned to her brother and asked, "And Ron, what does it matter if she's in that house?"

"It matters 'cause by the end of the week she'll be hexing all of us to smithereens just for the fun of it," he answered between mouthfuls.

"Ron, don't be so childish," Hermione scolded him.

"Hey, Hermione, are you and Ron going out?" Parvati asked her.

"Yeah. About time he asked me out, don't you think?"

"I wish she wouldn't talk about me as if I weren't here, mate," Ron complained to Harry.

"So what? It is the truth," Harry said unsympathetically to Ron. "I think we should still be nice to Sephra. Even if she's in the Slytherin house, we all know she's completely against Voldemort," many of the people listening shivered, but Harry just rolled his eyes. "That had to have been a horrible summer holiday, stuck at the Malfoy Manor. And now she's stuck in Slytherin with Draco."

Harry's statement seemed to end that conversation. Seamus, Dean, Ron, and Ginny started to talk about the Holyhead Harpies and Hermione started to talk to Lavender and Parvati about Ron. Harry just ate and listened, watching Ginny from the corner of his eye. He had wanted to ask her out for a week or two now, but every time he gathered his courage, he chickened out. To make matters worse, he couldn't ask Ron for advice, because it was his sister Harry wanted to ask out.

Harry wasn't sure how Ron would react if they started to date. Harry had thought he would like it, but with the way Ron acted that first morning at the Burrow, Harry wasn't sure anymore. Harry watched Dean talk to Ginny. They had broken up soon after school got out. Seamus let it slip that Dean had a girlfriend at home and Ginny had been furious. But it seemed that Ginny had forgiven him.

Harry's eyes wandered over to the students from other houses. There was Susan Bones from Hufflepuff talking with Hannah Abbott. It seemed that Michael Corner and Cho Chang were still going out. And there was Sephra, sitting with Blaise Zabini. She looked completely bored and sad. Draco was sitting several seats down and he was ignoring his cousin.

Soon the meal was over and everyone sat back stuffed. Dumbledore stood up again and raised his hands for quiet. The Hall became silent and he started to speak. "Another year has come, and my, has the summer flown by. Mr. Filch would," Harry leaned his chair back and closed his eyes barely paying attention, "like me to tell you all that all but a few of the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes products are illegal on school grounds and if caught with any of said contraband you will be punished severely. I must, though, assure you that he will not be hanging you up by your toes, as he wanted to do."

There were a few nervous laughs and Harry, Ron, and Ginny gave each other worried looks. All three of them had trunks filled with WWW stuff. Harry shrugged and Ginny whispered, "Oh well."

"Also, I would like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest, is just that, forbidden. If any of you would like to know why, please go visit Dolores Umbridge at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She is currently in the closed ward though, so you may have a hard time reaching her." Harry closed his eyes once again. He was hoping to catch a quick nap.

"And speaking of last year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's unfortunate demise, I would like to introduce you to your new one. Professor Black." Harry lost the balance of his chair in surprise and fell backwards, hitting his head hard on the floor. Ron, Dean, and Seamus started laughing hard at him, as were many others. "Mr. Potter, are you quite all right?" Dumbledore asked with a slight smile on his lips.

"Yeah...yes, sir." Harry mumbled as he picked up his chair. He had been positive that Dumbledore had introduced Sirius, but that couldn't be, he was dead. He wasn't coming back. He couldn't come back, no matter what Harry wanted. And even if he could, Sirius couldn't be a teacher.

As soon as he was sitting again, Harry looked up to the teacher's table for the first time that night. There was Hagrid at the end, laughing but looking a little worried; Harry smiled at him. Down a ways was Professor Flitwick and he was brushing tears of laughter from his eyes. Sitting a few seats away from him was Snape, who had a large smirk on his face; Harry glared at him. Sitting next to him was Professor McGonagall who was looking at him sternly but concern filled her eyes. Next to her was Dumbledore, with that slight smile on his face and twinkle in his eyes. And next to him was:

"As I was saying before Mr. Potter fell, this is Professor Black. She will be teaching you all everything you will need to learn for the future. I hope..."

"Harry, your head is bleeding," Hermione said a little too loudly in the silent hall. Harry felt the back of his head and his fingers came away bloody. He just rolled his eyes and shrugged. He'd be spending the night in the hospital wing if Madam Pomfrey had her way.

"Mr. Potter, do you need to leave?" Dumbledore asked, his smile growing.

"No, sir. I'll wait until you dismiss everyone. It's not bleeding too hard." Dumbledore nodded and continued.

"Professor Black was an Auror, before going undercover. I must ask you all not to ask her too many questions about her past, for she can't tell you much. Alas, most of her best stories are classified, so you will miss many good ones. One thing that I should add is that Professor Black is the sister of one of your previous DADA professors: Professor Lupin's to be precise and is not in any way, shape, or form a werewolf. Am I missing anything, Synthia?"

She winced at the use of her full name but said in a calm, confident voice, "No, nothing else."

"Very well then, off to bed. Tomorrow's a busy day. Mr. Potter, I'm sure Professor McGonagall will walk you up to the hospital wing."

Harry glared at Hermione. "Couldn't you have healed it and then I wouldn't have to go up there?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so loud," Hermione apologized as McGonagall showed up to lead Harry up to the hospital wing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the infirmary, Madame Pomfrey was more than a little angry at seeing Harry so soon this year. "My goodness, Mr. Potter. Barely here for more than three hours and you've already managed to get yourself in here. This is going to sting," she said as she applied a cleaning potion to the cut. It wasn't just a little sting, but Harry kept his mouth shut. "I've never had a student who ended up here so often. Never in the thirty years I've worked here! Don't move your head, dear, I'm going to heal it now." She said a spell and Harry felt his skin pull together.

"Now I'm going to have to get all of that dried blood out of your hair. You should have come up here the second you cut it open. I don't know what the Headmaster was thinking. Letting you stay down there injured. He should have sent you up to me immediately." She was rubbing his scalp far harder than she needed, but Harry didn't complain. He didn't want to stay up here longer than necessary.

"Now, how do you feel?" she asked him, walking around to face him.

"I just have a headache," he answered her truthfully.

"Then I'll go get you something for that, just wait a second." Harry was about to stop her, but she was gone before he could. She came back with a smoking goblet. "Drink it all and then I'll let you go." Harry swallowed it quickly and then left the hospital wing. He was thankful that he hadn't needed to spend the night there.

He arrived in front of the Fat Lady, when he realized he hadn't found out the password from Professor McGonagall before she had left him. He stood staring at the Fat Lady blankly. What should he do?

"Madame," he said politely to her. She looked at him surprised. "What do I do if I wasn't told the password?"

"Talk to Professor McGonagall," she said in her prim voice. Harry cursed his luck and headed down to McGonagall's office. She told him to enter once he knocked.

"What do you need, Mr. Potter?" she asked him.

"I wasn't told the password," he told her softly. He yawned; he had gotten tired suddenly. It must be a side effect of the headache potion.

"The password is 'WWW,'" she told him. "I believe it stands for Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, but I'm not quite positive about that."

Harry nodded and slowly walked the many stairs back to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Once he was there, he gave her the password and entered the common room. It was empty. He tiredly walked toward the stairs leading up to his dorm. He tripped over several stairs as he climbed up the stone stairwell. He couldn't make his feet lift high enough to get up and over each step.

Finally, he reached the dorm and saw the other boys were already asleep. He got into his pajamas and climbed onto the bed. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.