Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Ioci

Story Summary:
Harry is stuck at Privet Drive and has much to think about. A crazed wizard out to kill him. The death of his godfather and friend. The Prophesy looming in front of him. And not even one note from his friends. That's been Harry's summer holiday thus far, so can you blame him for wanting it to end? But should Harry really be looking forward to a year filled with surprises of all kinds and not all of them good? *HP sixth year fic following OotP and not incorporating HBP*

Chapter 09

Chapter Summary:
It's Harry first day of school and it starts out bad. The headache potion Madame Pomfrey gave him the night before knocks him out and he wakes up late. He goes to Charms, Tranfiguration, Potions, and his first class with Professor Black... Does the day end on a good note or a bad one?
Posted:
03/26/2005
Hits:
5,050
Author's Note:
A huge thanks to my wonderfully brilliant betas: Chris, Pixie, Babe, Reina, and DM! I think ye all greatly.


Chapter Nine: Photos on a Wall

But I know I must go on.
Although I hurt, I must be strong.
Because inside I know that many feel this way.
~Creed: Don't Stop Dancing

Harry woke up the next morning groggy from the potion Madame Pomfrey had given him. He put on his glasses and looked at his watch. It was 8:09; he had less than 10 minutes to get down to breakfast with just enough time to eat before classes began.

He glanced at the empty beds of his dorm mates and scowled. The least one of them could have done was wake him. He grabbed a pair of robes and took a quick shower. He hurried down the stairs into the common room and found it as empty as he had expected. He ran out of the entrance and down the flight of stairs until he was on the ground floor. He checked his watch: 8:21. He had nine minutes to eat breakfast and get his books for the first class.

As Harry hurried across the Entrance Hall, Hermione and Ron exited the Great Hall. They spotted him and hurried over to him. "There you are, Harry. We were getting worried," Hermione said as they reached each other.

"You won't guess what we have first every Monday," Ron said gloomily. Harry shook his head; he didn't have time to guess. "Potions, with Snape." Harry groaned; that was just what he needed. It was a great way to start the week.

"Go eat something, Harry. Ron will grab the books you need for the morning," Hermione said hurrying up the stairs.

"Which means I have your schedule. I hope you don't mind that I took it from McGonagall," Ron said before following Hermione up the stairs.

Harry glanced at his watch. It was now 8:25. He had five minutes before the bell would ring for classes. Harry ran into the Great Hall and took the first open seat at the Gryffindor table. He grabbed some toast and dished up some porridge. He was starving, which was odd because he had stuffed himself full last night. Because he was so hungry, he ate everything quickly.

"There you are, Harry," Ginny said, coming up to him from where she had been sitting. "We were wondering if you were going to wake up in time for class. Did you see Ron and Hermione?" Harry nodded his head and took a swig of pumpkin juice. "I see that you're hungry," she commented with a laugh. Harry scowled at her, but his mouth full of toast ruined the effect. She laughed harder. "Ron said that he had tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't. He left thinking that Madam Pomfrey gave you something that knocked you out. If he would have known that you wouldn't..."

"Brrrriiiinnnnggg!" The bell signaling the start of passing time cut Ginny off.

"I'll talk to you at lunch," she said before leaving. Harry took one more gulp of juice and exited the Hall. He caught sight of Hermione and Ron heading down the stairs from Gryffindor Tower and he pushed his way to meet them. They headed down the stairs, Ron handing him his book bag and schedule.

"So, you and I have every class together," Ron said as they filed down into the dungeons. "But Miss Smarty-pants, here, is taking Ancient Rune instead of Herbology, so we only have a few classes with her."

They entered the Potion classroom and took a seat at the back. Just a minute later the bell rang to signal the start of class. Professor Snape entered the room from his office door. There was instant quiet, but he felt compelled to say, "Quiet!"

"I welcome all of you to N.E.W.T. level Potions," he said mockingly in his oily voice. Harry could already tell that Mondays would be his least favorite day. "There were several surprises this past summer. Several of you managed to gain the necessary O.W.L score to gain admission into this N.E.W.T level class," he said glaring at Harry, "Quite astounding, considering many of you never showed any aptitude before. I must say, that normally such scores as those gained by two particular people," (Two people, Harry thought, who is the other?) "would have amazed and delighted me. But, instead, I find myself more than a little disappointed in the two of them. Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom, I want both of you to work to your full potential." Harry stared over at the slouched frame that belonged to Neville. It seemed both of them worked better without Snape breathing down their necks.

"Now, in this class we will study the antidotes for some the most dangerous poisons. Each antidote is difficult, more advanced than anything you have ever managed." He glared at them. "Also, as I'm sure several of you have noticed, the book for this class also contains the instructions for making the poisons themselves." Harry glanced over at Malfoy and saw the malicious smile on his face. "We will not be studying those, however. If you want to learn poisons, find another teacher at a different school."

"The first poison is, in my opinion, the worst in that book. Not because it causes death. No, for very few people actually die from it. Instead, it cause immense pain, pain that I am told rivals the pain caused by the Cruciatus." Harry would have to agree with Snape on this, if that poison could cause pain as strong as the Cruciatus then it had to be bad. "The pain goes on and on until the victim is fed the antidote or given a mercy stroke." There were a few murmurs of confusion.

"Professor Snape," one of the Ravenclaw girls asked calmly, "what do you mean by mercy stroke?" Harry glanced at his cauldron intently , he had an idea of what it meant.

"It means, Miss Fawcett, that those who administered the poison to the victim or the victim's allies killed the person out of mercy, for any number of reasons." Sarah Fawcett paled considerably, along with many of the other students. That was what Harry thought he had meant.

"That is also the reason why I expect you to memorize every step and ingredient for this antidote by the end of next week. You would not remember this, but this poison was a favorite of the Death Eaters. If you know the antidote, you will not have to cut the throat of a friend." Several people shuddered and Harry knew he was trying to scare them. He couldn't help but wonder if the poison was simmering in Snape's personal rooms to be used on some poor person.

"Now, you'll find everything you'll need in the cupboards and the instructions both in your books and on the board. Begin."

After fifteen minutes, Harry reached a point where he had to wait for the potion to simmer on low heat. He took out his schedule and looked at it.

Monday:

Double Potions

Charms

~Lunch~

Transfiguration

Double Defense Against the Dark Arts (D.A.D.A.)

Well, the end of the day would be good. He had a feeling that Professor Black would be an excellent teacher.

Tuesday:

Care of Magical Creatures

Double Herbology

~Lunch~

D.A.D.A.

Double Charms

Tuesday was better than Monday was for there were no Potion periods. And he had Defense again.

"Mr. Potter, I would suggest you take care of your potion and not read notes in my class. I will be forced to take points from the Gryffindors, otherwise and we all know how I hate that." Harry scowled at Snape, but turned back to the potion. He needed to let it simmer for another three minutes.

At the end of the double period, Snape asked for their homework from over the summer. Harry looked through his bag, but it wasn't in there. "Hey, Ron, did you grab my Potion essay?"

Ron looked at him guiltily and shook his head no. Harry sighed and looked up at Snape. He had actually finished that essay at the Dursleys and now he was going to get yelled at, just because that potion Madam Pomfrey gave him kept him from waking up on time. Sometimes the irony of his life made him sick.

"Professor Snape," Harry said walking up to his desk in the front. "I woke up late this morning and..."

"And didn't have time to write it at breakfast? Mr. Potter, you disappoint me."

"No, I woke up late because Madam Pomfrey gave me a head ache potion that knocked me out. Ron went back to our dorm to get my stuff so that I could eat. He forgot to grab it." By now the room was empty except for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Never your fault is it, Potter?" Snape whispered menacingly. "I would have thought that causing the death of the mutt would have ingrained some sense of responsibility in you. But I see now that this is not the case."

"Snape," Harry started, but he was interrupted.

"Professor Snape, Potter."

"Then it's Mr. Potter, Professor Snape. As I was saying, if you would just allow me to hand it to you at lunch, I would be grateful." Harry stared into Snape's eyes, not caring about Snape's Legilimency skills.

Finally, Snape answered in a whisper for the room was filling up with fifth year students, "Because the Headmaster has asked me to be kinder to you ungrateful Gryffindors," "I will allow this to go. Hand it in promptly at lunch. If it isn't the first thing you do, I will give you a zero. Now go, before you're late."

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

By the time the three of them arrived at Charms, they were five minutes late. They told Professor Flitwick where they had been and he told them to take a seat. Harry enjoyed Professor Flitwick's classes: he was a cheerful man and a very good teacher. The bell for the end of class rang and Harry sprinted up the stairs to get his essay. He didn't want to give Snape any reason to mark it down. He grabbed it and then sprinted down to the Great Hall. Well, he thought to himself, at least my running over the summer has come in handy.

He walked up to the teacher's table between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables in the middle of the Hall. He wasn't even breathing hard as the bell rang to signal the start of lunch. He reached the table and waited in front of the spot normally occupied by Snape. It seemed that he hadn't arrived yet from his class.

"Hello, Harry," a calm voice said a few spots away. Harry turned and saw Professor Black sitting there.

"Hello, Professor Black." Harry watched a shadow pass her face and wondered if Sirius had died thinking that she was dead.

"Please, Harry, call me Thia out of class. I was wondering how your head was." Harry looked at her confused and then remembered about his injury.

"Nothing Madam Pomfrey couldn't mend and all there was after was a head ache." Harry smiled at her and continued, "Professor Dumbledore just surprised me. I thought I knew his speech by heart, but I guess not. I didn't know your last name was Black."

"Potter," Snape's oily voice came from behind him. "I hope you didn't skip your last class so that you could beat me here." Harry handed him the essay.

"No, sir. I ran to the Tower and then to the Hall. Well, here it is, sir, and thank you for allowing me to hand it in late," Harry said politely. He felt that he should try to keep Snape as happy as possible.

"Yes, very well." He didn't seem very happy with the thank you though.

"Good bye, Thia. Thank you for your concern."

"No problem, Harry. Have a good lunch and I'll see you later this afternoon."

Lunch went by in a whirl. He talked with Ron and Hermione about their schedule. It seemed they had every class together on Mondays, but after that they only had two subjects together on each of the other days. They had every Defense class together, but that was the only class. Harry had no idea how he was going to get through Potions without her.

The bell rang and they headed off to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was her normal strict self and got them right to work. This year they would be studying human transformation, with a small section on the Animagus Transformation.

"What is the difference," she asked the class, "between a human transformation and an Animagus Transformation?" To no one's surprise Hermione's hand was the first in the air. "Miss Granger?"

"An animagus transformation is limited to one shape and can be done without a wand once the wizard or witch accomplishes the first transformation. Also, it is very difficult and few actually study that branch of Transfiguration. On the other hand, human transformations can take on just about any shape, as long as the caster knows the correct spell. You must always use a wand to perform one of these transformations. Also, for a competent witch or wizard it is rather easy once they get the hang of it." And as usual Hermione sounded exactly like a textbook.

"Very good, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor. You will be learning how to change the human body into something else. Our study on the Animagus Transformation will be brief, but slightly more in depth than our study in your third year." They went through theory until the bell sounded for the end of class. "Please read the first chapter for your next Transfiguration period. You are dismissed."

The sixth years hurried to their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The third and seventh years had been praising her teaching style at lunch. It seemed every sixth year that was allowed to continue with the class was waiting outside the door. "What's the matter?" Hermione asked taking over the situation as a Perfect.

"We don't know if we should enter," Susan Bones said from the front of the pack. Harry rolled his eyes and pushed his way through the pack. He got to the door and opened it. Sitting calmly at the front of the room was Professor Black.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," she said looking up. Harry walked to the front of the room and saved two seats for Ron and Hermione.

"Good afternoon, Professor Black."

"You have quite a following," she laughed. Harry turned around and saw that the pack had filtered in after him. Several were even surprised that she and Harry knew each other already.

Harry turned back and smiled at her. "Well, you could say that. It seems you have outranked a certain... greasy... professor as the most feared. They were standing outside waiting for some sign to let them know that they could enter."

"Please, you flatter me. I have done nothing, yet, to deserve that title. Please, give it back to the... greasy... professor." Now the students were staring, several laughed, and the Slytherins were scowling. Snape would find out about this from them. "Please, class, don't get comfortable. We will be moving to another room. Bring your stuff along; this will be last time we use this classroom." She led them out of the room with Harry, Ron, and Hermione right behind her.

They entered the last classroom on the hallway and she headed to the front where her desk sat. It was a large classroom; the largest Harry had ever been in. The desks where lined up along three of the sides and her desk was along the fourth. In the middle was a large open area. "Please take a seat." Harry grabbed a seat near her desk and Ron and Hermione sat on either side of him.

"Welcome to the D.A.D.A. Sixth Year Classroom." She waved her wand and a large sign appeared at the head of the classroom saying just that. "This means, you are allowed to decorate it in anyway you want, within reason. And the bookshelves must stay, along with the books on them," she said with a sly smile. Harry sat with the windows at his back and to the left of the door. There was a large window behind Thia's desk, so this classroom must be in a corner. The wall opposite him was lined with bookshelves that were filled with what seemed like hundreds of books. On the wall with the door hung several maps. There was a blank spot on that wall next to the door. "I also recommend that the maps stay, but if you really want them to disappear, they will."

"Now, onto business," she said smartly, for everyone was now sitting. "You are here to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts. I don't want to state the obvious, but you will need it. I was sitting in desks very much like the ones you are sitting in now during the first rise of Voldemort." The customary shiver went through the room, with a few muffled screams. "Please, control yourselves and get used to the name. Does anyone know what the idiot's strongest weapon is?"

"Do you mean You-Know-Who?" a Hufflepuff Harry didn't recognize asked.

"Yes, I am referring to that idiot. Now, can anyone tell me his most powerful weapon?" There was silence as everyone thought for a moment.

"The Killing Curse?" someone asked. Thia shook her head.

"The Cruciatus Curse?" Hermione asked next to him. Once again Thia shook her head.

"The horde of monsters that he has at his disposal?" Dean asked. And yet again she shook her head.

"Mr. Potter, do you have a guess?" Harry stared at her. He didn't have to guess; he knew what the answer was. She smiled, "Let me rephrase that, what is the answer?"

Harry ran his fingers through his hair trying to find the right words. The students watched as Harry thought back to every encounter he had ever had with Voldemort. "To put it simply, fear."

"Correct. In many ways those three answers were right, but not in the sense you meant. Why is that?" Harry raised his hand this time. "Yes, Mr. Potter."

"Because, well, with the Killing Curse and the hordes of monsters if you ever met them you'd be dead, for sure. Unless you're cursed to be me," he added under his breath and with a slight sardonic smile. "The Cruciatus Curse, well, I don't think anyone here has experienced that one, besides Neville and me.

"People don't know what to think about them: they don't know what to expect from them. So, instead, they panic and fear them. Voldemort," the shiver went through the class again, "doesn't even need to use them, he already beats people with their fear. He doesn't even need to be present to cause fear, someone simply using his name causes everyone within hearing distance to cringe," he added contemptuously. He thought for a moment. "No, it's not entirely right, about fear I mean. It's more like fear for the unknown that is his strongest weapon."

Thia looked at him sadly. "It is too bad that you should know that, Mr. Potter. There are many adults who do not have the experience you do with the Dark Lord and they fought during the First War. But you are correct with the change. It is fear of the unknown that makes Voldemort," this time she rolled her eyes at the shiver, "so strong."

She looked at them sadly and then continued, "As I said earlier, I was a student during the first rise. I watched as families were torn apart because fathers and/or mothers refused to serve him. Or were torn apart because fathers and/or mothers served him. Or sons and/or daughters fought and were killed and others served the Dark Lord and were killed. My friends lost older siblings or even younger siblings caught in the crossfire. I lost my parents and my best friends lost theirs. Some lost sweethearts, others lost fiancées." She had been pacing in the middle of the room not really looking at the students. She stopped and looked at each of the students before continuing.

"Then we passed our N.E.W.T.'s and were sent out into the world to do as we wished. My class in particular was very involved with the war. We either became Aurors, Healers, or gave loads of time and money to the resistance, or became Death Eaters, spouses of Death Eaters, or gave loads of time and money to their cause. Because of this, very few in my class are alive to this day. Many paid the ultimate price for their convictions, whether they were right or wrong. Several are in Azkaban with life sentences. Others are forever on the Closed Ward because of injuries that they survived." She rubbed her hand across her face; everyone could see the amount of loss on her face. "Others, live, but must live with betrayals against their first allegiances. Some were on our side, but then they turned against us. Others were supporters of Voldemort, but then turned against him. Now they all must live with the choices that they have made and the actions that they have chosen."

She turned her back to them and looked out the window behind her desk. "Others were accused of crimes they never committed. Several people were sent to Azkaban innocent of all charges against them," Harry knew that she was talking about Sirius, "and Death Eaters were killed because their master lost confidence in their loyalty."

"But, Professor, isn't that a good thing?" a Ravenclaw asked from beside the door.

"Loss of any life is always a tragedy," she informed them sadly. "But if I must choose between their lives and that of an innocent bystander or an Auror, I would choose to take theirs. And I have, unfortunately, had to make that choice." She closed her eyes and then turned to face them.

"I believe in what the Sorting Hat said. 'Only few are evil like most think, and each house has the same number of those who serve a different master.' Each house has those that someday will choose the wrong path. A good friend of mine took the wrong path. He betrayed my best friend and her husband and Voldemort killed them. He was a Gryffindor.

"The best Auror I've ever worked with was a Slytherin. And it wasn't because he knew every Dark spell, because there were times were I thought I knew more, but because he could think several steps ahead and see the solutions to problems that no one else could solve. He was a Slytherin in the truest meaning of the word." She looked out the windows behind Harry and waited.

"What house were you in, Professor?"

She smiled at the Gryffindors, who had sat on the same side as Harry. "I was a Gryffindor, as was my brother, all of my friends with one or two exceptions, and all of my brother's friends." She walked up to the front of the room and sat on the front of her desk.

"Eventually, we will get to one-on-one duels. That is why we have such a large room and such a large empty spot." She motioned to the area in front of her. "But first, we must plug the gaps created by the inconsistent teaching patterns. It will take a month or two, but we should manage it. I will also give you the whole class next Tuesday to decorate the room. Please have your ideas ready and all supplies here by lunch that day. I would suggest you use that open spot there," she said pointing to the spot near the door, "to place photos of those you or your family have lost. My class had the same opportunity and it was a good thing. Though, in my opinion it was too crowded. Please, let me stress, they do not have to be dead and they do not have to be on the side of light. They could only have suffered a scratch. Or they could have been a Death Eater, for all I care. And as long as you don't pick a picture of them in their robes, no one will know the difference. Mr. Potter, what are you doing?" Harry had been scrambling in his bag searching for the photo of his mum and dad and the photo of Sirius. He was now walking toward that bare space on the wall.

"I was just thinking that that idea was a good one and I wanted to put up my first two pictures." He reached the wall and took out his wand. After a simple sticking charm, they were up there. This picture of his parents was his favorite one. They were in a village and it was snowing. His father was behind Lily and had his arms around her. They were smiling and waving at those looking at the photo. The picture of Sirius was one from his school days. No one would be able to recognize him as the man who had escaped from Azkaban. A hand was placed on his shoulder and he realized tears were silently falling from his face.

"Where did you get that photo of Lily and James?" she asked curiously. "Oh, never mind, not now. I wonder if you even know the story behind it." Harry shook his head then headed back to his seat. No one was looking at him. He wondered what Malfoy would say at supper that night. He probably would say something along the lines that he was a crybaby. Harry sat down and noticed that Sephra had also stood. She had a photo in her hands and sobs shook her body, but no sound came out. She walked over to the wall and placed a picture with three people in it next to Harry's. Then she went back to her seat. Now several others were getting up and following their example. Harry was surprised at how many there were and so was Thia. She had not expected this. It had taken weeks for that wall to catch on when her class did it. But, here were 17 students with pictures in their bags of loved ones lost.

"It is too bad that your generation was so affected by Voldemort. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news," she said over the bell. The students returned to their seats and she started again. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but welcome to the Second War." And she swept out of the room. As Harry passed the wall he looked at the pictures. The people were waving and smiling. None of them would know that sometime after their picture was taken they would meet some unfortunate event, many even dying.

Harry saw his mother, father, and Godfather staring at him and waving. And right next to them was the picture Sephra put up. There was a man, a woman, and a young boy standing happily in front of a mountain with several heads on it. But it wasn't that mountain that caught Harry's eyes. No, it was the adults. He had watched them die earlier that summer. He had watched as Sephra's parents were murdered.

He felt his anger rise. Sometime soon Voldemort would have to pay for all these ruined lives. Professor Black was right, it was just sad that 17 students could put up photos just like that. And Harry knew that more would be added tomorrow, from those who didn't have photos with them. Voldemort would pay for this.


Author notes: Wow! I'm glad that chapter's finally up and done with... Not that I hate it, but it took me a long time to get it right.

So who exactly is Thia? Any guesses? She's very blunt about the position the wizarding world is in, don't ya think?

A huge thanks to those of you who have reviewed since last time: sherriola, liypad1218, AdiGallia, Violent_storm, KayStar, and Chris! It was nice hearing from all of you! Even if you don't like OC's! lol

What else... oh, yeah... promoting the next chapter!

Stay tuned for the next episode of Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence where Harry talks a bit about Thia and his past and has a disturbing dream...

~8-) Ioci (-8~