Harry Potter and the House Divided

Chapter Nineteen In Defence of Potions

Considering that he was headed for Potions, Harry's grin at the exchange

of barbed comments with Ron didn't last long.

After going on an unauthorized trip into a penseive and looking at some of

Professor Snape's worst memories, Harry could certainly understand why the

Potions master hated his father and godfather. However, after thinking

about things a great deal over the summer, he decided that he couldn't

understand why Professor Snape had transferred his hatred of Harry's

father to Harry as easily as he had.

Harry was driven to perform in Potions not because he was particularly

good at it, not because he was particularly bad or disruptive but rather

simply because he was Harry Potter, "The-Boy-Who-Lived".

Harry's musings stopped when he entered the dungeon where the N.E.W.T. Potions class was to be held. He immediately saw that this was a very different sort of

space than that where he had learned about Potions for his first five

years at Hogwarts.

Each workstation had two seats and a solid stone table. There were also high

dividers between the stations and each table had a high front that looked

thick enough to stop a muggle artillery shell or even a curse from a

powerful witch or wizard like Professor Dumbledore or Lord Voldemort. The

work spaces themselves were slightly depressed so that one could work with

materials without fear that they would splash onto the floor.

Harry saw Hermione sitting near the front of the room as always, but was

disappointed to see that Terry Boot was next to her. He glanced around

the room and saw that there were students from all four houses already

there, with all of the work stations occupied by two people, save for one

at the centre of the room at which the tall dark-haired Sytherin who had

not been sneering at him last night sat. She glanced up at him, jerked

her head as if to say "Well, come on," and then turned her eyes back to

the front of the room where Professor Snape was standing, his black eyes

locked on Harry.

"Well, Potter?"

"Uh," Harry said, "I didn't hear the bell."

"You haven't heard it because it hasn't sounded yet. But if you aren't

sitting next to Miss Greengrass when it rings, I will take ten points from

Gryffindor for every second that it takes you to get to your seat."

"Right," Harry said, walking slowly toward the open stool at, was it

Daphne Greengrass?' table.

"Hello Potter," she said quietly while giving him a look that was far friendlier than the nasty looks that he'd got used to from most Slytherins.

Harry returned Daphne's greeting but had no more time to learn about her

before the bell sounded and Professor Snape was off, lecturing about what

N.E.W.T. Potions would cover this year.

The more Harry heard the more horrified he became.

Ten potions commonly used in medicines, several by the Ministry, a few

that he suspected were restricted in some way and at least one that seemed

downright dangerous. Happily, they would be trying to do Wolfsbane but...

"I doubt seriously that any of you will be competent to brew it," Snape

said, eyes fixed on Harry as he spoke. "After all, doing so requires an

attention to detail not present in most students in my classes. I suspect

that it will be nearly impossible to find in some of the students that I

have the misfortune to see sitting before me this year."

Harry said nothing, knowing that any response that he might make would

only lose Gryffindor loads of house points and probably get him a

detention too.

"We will often be working on several potions at once as many of this

year's projects will require weeks or even months to age or stew as

required. You will therefore be expected to read ahead as I will not have

time to remind you of the steps that you must take in order to complete

your work. Incomplete work will receive a grade of zero and two zero

grades will be sufficient to cause your dismissal from this class."

Again, Harry said nothing, though he did promise himself that he would be

sure to order extra sample flasks and fill at least two every lesson.

Hopefully this and some Unbreakability Charms would be enough to keep him

in the class in spite of whatever the Potions master might do to get rid

of him.

"Today," Snape said, drawing Harry's attention back to what was happening

in the room, "we will prepare ingredients for the Stomach Settling

Solution, Dilating Drops, the Disappearing Draught and the Temper

Tincture," he said, while long lists of ingredients appeared on the

blackboard, each headed by the name of the potion for which they would be

needed. "All can be useful in the home or to the school. The Disappearing Draught is restricted so all samples of that will be monitored. Should any of them leave this room you can expect to lose status at Hogwarts or go to Azkaban if you are of age," Snape said, looking at Hermione who would be turning seventeen in a little more than two weeks.

Fortunately, Hermione was as calm as ever and only gave Snape a bland look

in return.

"Questions?"

There were none.

"Then get to work!"

*-*-*-

Harry was surprised when the end-of-lesson bell sounded. He wasn't used

to doing Potions with someone other than Ron or Hermione but found that

Daphne was both efficient and skilled at her tasks. She had always been

something of an enigma, never being fully involved in the gang of

Slytherin girls that followed Pansy Parkinson, but never fully refusing to

stand with them either. It had taken him a while to remember this much as

she never spoke and worked silently in the Potions classes that they had shared since first year. She also didn't go out of her way to insult him, Ron or Hermione outside of the classroom. She hadn't taken Care of Magical Creatures and Harry supposed

that she must be in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy with Hermione.

As it seemed that he would be spending the year working with Daphne, Harry

decided that it would be worth asking Hermione what she knew so that he

could work with her as effectively as possible. The last thing Harry

needed was to have trouble with a partner whose head of house was the

professor who hated him most.

Thinking about Daphne and the problems that Potions would pose for him

this year was enough to carry Harry out of the dungeons and some distance

down the corridor toward the entrance to the castle. He wouldn't have

been aware of Hermione's presence had she not poked him in the ribs.

"What!" he barked, spinning to see what she wanted.

"I was saying that I'm sorry that I didn't wait for you this morning.

Snape made me sit with Terry and there wasn't anything that I could do

when I realized that we wouldn't be able to work together."

"Don't worry about it," Harry said, smiling in response to Hermione's

obvious concern. "Daphne seems all right and she's never done anything to

any of us as far as I can remember."

"She hasn't," Hermione said coolly, "but I've heard that most of the

Slytherins think that she's really nasty."

"I don't see how they could," Harry said, mystified.

"From what she was doing today, I can't either," Hermione said, pensively.

"But people say that she's really quick with a wand and not afraid to hex

anyone that so much as looks at her funny."

"Well, I'll just have to be sure not to look at her funny," Harry said,

trying to comfort his friend.

"How much chance of that is there since she's a Slytherin and you're in

Potions?" Hermione asked, shrewdly.

"I don't know," Harry said as they began to climb the stairs out of the

dungeons. "I was thinking that Potions will be bad if I have to deal with

a nasty partner and Snape too. I'm going to try to keep a lid on if I

can. If it gets too bad I'll probably hex Snape and get thrown out."

"You certainly will be thrown out," Hermione said, worriedly.

"Probably expelled too."

"Probably," Harry said, not yet ready to say that he suspected that he

could commit; would have to try to commit; murder and Professor Dumbledore

still wouldn't throw him out.

"Well, you'll just have to work really hard to keep your temper in check."

"Yeah," Harry said, knowing that much as he might want to control himself

and hard as he'd worked on learning how to this summer, there was a very

good chance that he would lose control sooner or later.

"What were you talking about," Ron's curious voice sounded from behind

them as he hastened down the great marble staircase.

"We'd better talk about it later," Hermione said. "You need to hurry if

you're going to get to Hagrid's and I've got to get to Arithmancy. What

are you going to do, Harry?"

"Dunno," Harry said. Probably go up to the common room and try to get

some reading in for the D.A."

"You should come with me to Hagrid's, mate."

"Can't," Harry sighed. "I need to read up on some shields that Tonks said

might help the younger students since they'll not be ready to conjure

things."

"Conjure a shield?" Ron asked, amazed.

"Voldemort did," Harry said, ignoring Ron's gasp when he used the Dark

Lord's name.

"Right," Ron said as he turned toward the castle's front doors. "I'll see

you at lunch, then."

"See you," Hermione agreed, voice still somewhat chilly as she spoke to Ron.

Harry, who decided to put the whole thing out of his mind until he could

talk with Hermione about it, turned his attention to getting to Gryffindor

tower.

He was sad that he couldn't join Ron at Hagrid's but he had too many other

things to do in order to be ready to talk with Professor Veridian after

Defence.

Harry spent a quiet hour and a half in the Gryffindor common room,

practicing a shield that should deflect a spell from it's target. Though not as powerful as the Protego Charm, it was enough to protect someone from most stunners and other curses that first, second and third year students might use. Since most of the Death Eaters had used them against Harry and his friends at the Ministry of Magic, he thought it would be a good idea to teach the younger students how to use this shield.

With luck, the older students would pick up the Protego Charm. Harry had been the only one to master it last year and he knew that it would have saved

Hermione and the others a lot of bother if they'd been able to get it

right.

Students pouring in through the portrait hole shook him from his studies

and made him realize that lunch must be ready in the Great Hall.

By the time he had put Tonks' book away and got to the Great Hall,

Hermione was already sitting at one end of Gryffindor table, Ginny

directly across from her.

"Hello Hermione, Ginny," Harry said, sliding into the seat directly to

Hermione's right.

"Hi Harry," Ginny said, with a grin for him and Ron who was sliding onto the bench between Hermione and Lavender Brown who was in conversation with Pavarti and some fifth year girls, sharing the latest gossip.

"How were things at Hagrid's?" Hermione asked, coolly.

"You wouldn't believe what Hagrid's got us working with this year," Ron

said, shivering in disgust.

"What?" Hermione demanded face caught between curiosity and something that

looked a bit like fear.

"A manticore."

"A manticore?!?" Hermione cried, face white.

"Yep," Ron said grimly. "Makes me wonder if he'll figure out a way to get

us to work with his brother or a dragon next year."

"Naw," Hagrid's voice boomed. "Yeh'll not have to work with any dragons..."

he said, leaning over them, beetle black eyes twinkling.

"Thank goodness," Hermione said, glancing up at the half-giant.

"...but I am hopin' to get Grawpie in for a class or two later in the

term."

"Oh," Hermione said, fearfully.

"You should plan come down ter see 'im, Hermione," Hagrid said happily.

"He's been talkin' about ya all summer and I know 'e'd be really glad ter

see ya."

"That's really nice," Hermione said, weakly.

"He's not that bad," Hagrid said, beard twitching as if he were smiling at

Hermione's response to his "little" brother.

"I'm sure he isn't," Hermione said, nervously. "But I've got a lot of

classes this term so it may be hard to make plans to see him."

"That's too bad," Hagrid said, disappointed. "You shouldn't be workin' so

hard that you don't 'ave time fer the people that care about you,

Hermione."

"I'll manage," Hermione said in a disturbing reprise of the words that

she'd used to describe how she planned to get on when she was using the

time turner to attend extra classes during their third year.

"I'm sure 'bout that," Hagrid said, slapping her on the back so hard that

her face nearly collided with a large bowl of soup that Harry was barely

able to move out of the way.

"Thanks, Hagrid," Hermione said, breathlessly.

"No problem," Hagrid said. "You'll come down ter see him at least, won't

ya, Harry?"

"Uh...yeah, I'll make it," Harry said, determined to be supportive of

Hagrid even if he did think Grawp was a full-fledged menace.

"Good!" Hagrid said, happily.

"Well, I'd better get off ter the teachers' table since I've got new third

years comin' down just after lunch. Wouldn't want them to get to close to

me hut with what's down there and all."

"Bye Hagrid," Harry said, with a wave as their teacher moved off up the

great hall.

"So I take it you're not planning to go down to Hagrid's for a bit,

Hermione?" Ron said, grinning.

"No," Hermione replied, airily. "I'll wait until I'm pretty sure not to

see Grawp."

Ron seemed ready to have a go at her but before he could she turned to Harry, her expression as serious as he'd seen it so far this year.

"I wanted to be sure that you're OK working with Daphne in Potions."

"Who's Daphne?" Ron asked, curiously.

"Harry's working with Daphne Greengrass in Potions."

"And?" Ron said, piling lamb chops and carrots on his plate.

"She's that really quiet Slytherin girl that is supposed to hex you as

soon as look at you."

"Y frrnt u werkng tugeffer?" Ron demanded around a piece of bread that

he'd grabbed from a nearby basket.

"What?" Hermione asked, staring in disbelief at Ron's bulging cheeks.

"Why aren't you working together?" Ron repeated after chewing for several

seconds.

"Because I went down ahead of Harry this morning and Snape made me sit

with Terry Boot."

"Greasy git," Ron said, disgusted.

Harry wasn't sure why Hermione didn't say anything about Ron's attitude

toward Snape but thought that it was likely that she agreed with him more

than she wanted to be angry with him for criticizing a teacher.

The rest of the meal went quietly, exchanges of news and discussion of the

Death Eaters' attacks flowing up and down the Gryffindor table. Harry was

glad that people seemed to be willing to hold off on asking him about the

things that they would be working on in the D.A., as he wasn't sure yet

and thought that Professor McGonagall was right to suggest that he talk

some things over with Professor Veridian before he made too many

decisions.

Happily, the period after lunch was free for him and he went up to

Gryffindor tower with Ron who quickly challenged him to a game of chess.

Though he thought that he should probably read for Defence or the D.A., he

decided that it wouldn't hurt to take some time for a game or two before

he got started.

Surprisingly, all the work on concentration and tactics that he'd done

over the summer seemed to pay off with Ron as well. Though his best mate

did beat him, the games were far closer than they'd ever been in the past.

Ron, who was thoroughly impressed by Harry's improvement, complimented him

on it several times as they walked toward Defence Against The Dark Arts.

Ron was so busy praising Harry's progress that he didn't notice the

Stunner that came streaking toward him the moment they entered Professor

Veridian's classroom. Harry was barely able to shove him out of the way.

He then dived to the floor, whipped out his wand and fired off a hex of his

own that blasted a chunk from the teacher's desk before spending itself

against the chalkboard. Professor Veridian appeared from behind her desk

and fired a stunner at a target to Harry's right, the spell hitting Malfoy

in the face as he walked through the door, obviously laughing at the

seemingly unjustified fall that Harry had taken. Crabbe and Goyle barely

caught him on the way down.

"Sit down," the professor said, ignoring Malfoy and waving her wand at the damage that Harry's spell had done to her desk and the chalkboard. Both returned to the state that Harry'd glimpsed them in before he'd moved to protect his best mate.

After a few moments' confusion everyone seemed to settle down, eyes fixed

on their new professor.

"Enervate," she said, waving her wand at Malfoy who lay like a sack of wet

cement at his cronies' feet.

Malfoy jerked awake and rose to his feet, brushing his robes off once

he'd realized his undignified position. He glanced around, saw Harry, Ron

and Hermione sitting calmly at the centre of a large group of students,

many of whom were laughing at him and slammed his books onto the desk that

Crabbe was sitting in. The shorter of his bodyguards didn't seem to take

this out of turn and moved so that Malfoy could have the desk that he

wanted.

"Now that everyone is settled," the professor said coolly, "I want Mister

Weasley to tell me what mistake he and Mister Malfoy made before entering

this classroom."

"Uh," Ron said, embarrassedly. "I was too busy talking to Harry and wasn't

paying attention to what was happening."

"Correct," the professor agreed with a nod. "Ten points to Gryffindor for

admitting it and twenty to Gryffindor for Mister Potter's quick thinking

and excellent reactions."

She paused, as if gathering her thoughts.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts has been very poorly taught in this school

for many years. You've learned about some of the dangers that you might

face but you know almost nothing about the dangers within each of you.

These are the greatest risk to all of you and these will be the focus of

this class. You are going to be taught how to think for yourselves

because the greatest danger that anyone can encounter is their own

stupidity."

"She's got that right, Weasley," said Malfoy, trademark sneer on his

pointy face.

"That will be fifty points from Slytherin and a week's detentions with the

Staff member of my choice, Mr. Malfoy," said Professor Veridian as if she were talking about the weather.

The Slytherin seemed close to saying something before subsiding, the red

spots on his cheeks slowly becoming the pallor of pure shock.

"Though I was a Slytherin while here, I do not hold with students' use of inappropriate language. If I hear the typical pure blood pejoratives for

muggleborn students I will take twenty points and assign detentions. It

is unfortunate that Lord Voldemort is forcing you to grow up before your time but that's the way of things and we all are going have to deal with it. Those who learn how to defend themselves against their own thoughtlessness and inattention to everything that they see will ultimately die while people who think for themselves, whether current supporters of Lord Voldemort or desirous of civilized discourse on the problems that we face will survive this conflict and have a chance to make a better world once it is decided."

Harry stared, shocked. This certainly wasn't what he'd been expecting

since the reading for today had been the first five chapters of "Curses

and Counter-Curses". Harry had seen this amazing book on his first trip

into the magical world and had been pleased to see that it was by someone

named Vindictus Veridian whom Harry thought must be related to the Defence

professor.

"I can teach you how to use every curse in the readings for this year,"

said the professor as she paced back and forth across the front of the

room. "But defending yourself against those curses is more about using

your mind to protect yourself than it is about Shielding Charms, ducking

or flat-out running away. It is the use of wards to make sure that your

home is safe. Defending yourself against the Dark Arts is about being aware of your environment so that the second something odd happens you're ready to respond to it. Most importantly, it's about asking 'Why do I believe what I believe and am I really right to think that way?'" she said, eyes focusing on many on the Slytherin side of the room before flicking toward Ron and a few other students as well.

"Professor Dumbledore thinks that you should be allowed to make your own

choices. He says that the most important of these is deciding between

what is easy and what is right. I agree with him about this, but how can

you know what is right if you don't have all the facts? The short answer

is that you can't and it's up to you to be sure that when you make a

decision you know everything that you can about a choice that you're being

made to make. Therefore though you will certainly get to do a lot of

hexing of each other in this class this year, your primary job will be to

focus on the study of topics that I will hand down to you after I've

determined the limits of your awareness. You will write twenty feet of

parchment on that topic by the end of the year and use the last month of

class meetings to present your conclusions to the class using any spell,

Charm or other magical tool that you need."

"Twenty feet of parchment?" Ron gasped, horrified.

"I'd be glad to make it more if you like, Mister Weasley," the professor

said, amiably.

"No thanks," Ron said, embarassed.

"I thought you'd say that," replied the professor, giving Ron a very small

smile.

"Will these be individual projects?" Hermione asked, giving Ron and Harry

a thoughtful look.

"Absolutely," the professor said, pleasantly. "In fact if I am given to

believe that students are doing more than getting background information

from others on their projects I will be sure to speak to them."

"Good," Hermione said, her attitude becoming more than a bit

self-righteous.

Ron shot her a nasty glare but Harry thought that she was probably right

to ask, even if she had been a bit rude with her method of asking.

"For the rest of the period I want you to start your homework which will

be as many feet of parchment as you need listing every Hex, Charm or Jinx

that you've learned that might be used either in self-defence or for

attack, with one sentence per spell on how it might be used. This assignment

will be due on next Monday."

Harry couldn't resist giving the professor a shocked look on hearing the

assignment. He'd learned hundreds of Charms, Hexes and Jinxes last year

for the D.A. and many more to deal with the Tri-Wizard-Tournament. Writing all of those down would probably take at least fifty feet of parchment, maybe more and there was no way that he could finish the assignment in a week.

Hermione shot him a commiserating look and then turned to pull a large roll

of parchment out of her bag.

Harry settled down to making at least half of his magical knowledge into a

list but suddenly found his light blocked by Professor Veridian who

dropped a note on his desk before turning away to do the same to

Neville, Ron and Hermione.

Harry opened it and smiled with relief.

"So long as you pretend to work on it the rest of the period you will be

excused from doing this assignment. If they plan to continue in the D.A.

this year, your Ministry friends will not have to complete it either."

Harry grinned at Ron whose face was split by one of the biggest smiles

that he'd ever seen. Neville seemed relieved at not having to do the work

and, Harry noted with an internal sigh, Hermione was overtly disappointed

that she wouldn't get the chance to demonstrate her encyclopaedic knowledge

to a teacher.

"You could still do it if you wanted," Ron whispered. "Maybe you can get

extra credit."

"No," Hermione sighed. "With what Harry needs me to do for the D.A. this year

I'll be busy enough without taking on something else."

"I don't want to hear anything other than quills scratching the rest of

the period and it will be thirty points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff if

Miss Brown and Mister Finch-Fletchley can't keep their hands separated and

above their desks."

Lavender Brown shot the professor an angry look but did let go of Justin's

Hand, though Harry noticed that they were touching again when the bell

sounded for the end of class.

"If you could stay a minute, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded and sat back, waiting for the room to clear.

"Oh, and Mr. Malfoy, I'll notify Professor Hagrid that he has some assistance in his duties for the next five school nights."

Malfoy glared but didn't dare speak out against a teacher who had already

disciplined him.

Ron and Hermione glanced at Harry who also wondered whether they should

stay. As the professor didn't make them leave, it seemed that she was

sincere in her desire to see them help organize the D.A. for this year.

Once the room cleared, Professor Veridian closed the door, putting several

Charms on it including one that Harry thought would sound an alarm if

anyone tried to listen to their conversation.

"We need to discuss your plans for the Defence Association this year," she

said, eyeing them coolly.

"Professor McGonagall said that you'd want to," Harry replied, guardedly.

"We will be working on many of the same things and I want to be sure that

we don't overlap too much. I've heard through sources that you worked

with students on a number of things until it became clear that the

Dementors might go over to Lord Voldemort."

"That's right," Harry said. "After the Death Eaters got away I thought we

should work on the Patronus. Everyone really wanted to but Hermione and

Cho Chang were the only ones to actually conjure a corporeal one."

"Not surprising," the professor said. "Most students, in fact most

witches and wizards, aren't able to conjure a corporeal patronus with a

Dementor around and only half of them are able to when standing in a room with no threat present. You should work with students to give them practice. Most won't be able to conjure a corporeal Patronus now but more will as you practice and they get older. Never count on any of your friends' Patroni until they've used them in battle."

"Right," Harry said with a sigh. "I'd already figured something like

that since I had trouble conjuring one when they attacked me last summer.

I had to try three times before I got it and I'd had a lot of practice

before then."

Harry saw Hermione glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He knew

that she was thinking about the Patronus that he'd conjured at the end of

his third year.

"I want to be sure that all students in fourth year and above know how to

shield themselves. They need to know simple spells like the disarming and

Stunning Charms. If they can defend themselves with a Shield Charm or two

they can protect themselves against most minor hexes and jinxes long

enough for help to arrive."

"Shouldn't we learn some stronger offensive stuff in case we need it?" Ron

asked, avidly.

"No," the professor said flatly. "Offensive spells that inflict injury do

no good except for making you feel that you've hit back at someone

who's tried to use one of them on you. It's much more important to stop

your enemy long enough to get away than it is to get into a fight that

you'll probably lose given your relative lack of experience and training.

You've already seen that training reflexes to dodge spells and increasing your

awareness of your environment is much more important than a bunch of truly

nasty curses. Realistically, if you're ready to respond fast either with

a dodge or a spell, simple Charms will be enough to keep you alive until

you can get away, while using a nasty curse will just slow you down and

makes you look like a Death Eater."

"But what about the Unforgivables?" Ron asked, determinedly.

"It's illegal to teach you how to use them and they can't be blocked under

most circumstances, so it wouldn't do much good to do more than you had

during your fourth year with Crouch. The only way to defend yourself is

to have a physical barrier strong enough to withstand them or the luck to

deflect an incoming spell with one of your own. Mr. Potter won't even

be able to count on the Priori Incantatem effect next time since Lord

Voldemort will be ready with another wand that he can use against him if

needs be."

"But professor," Hermione said, glancing at Harry. "Couldn't Priori Incantatem protect someone using a wand with the same core as Harry's

has?"

"No," the professor said, giving Hermione a small smile. "I'm sure that

Mr. Ollivander has told you that a wand chooses a wizard. This means

that any other witch or wizard using a wand with a core like that in

Harry's would be overwhelmed by Lord Voldemort who is attuned to his wand

whereas his opponent would not be able to exert their full strength

because he or she wouldn't be attuned to the wand that they were trying to

defend themselves with."

"Oh," Hermione said, disappointedly.

Ron, who also seemed to be disappointed that he couldn't take on their greatest

enemy in this way, returned to his earlier topic.

"But aren't there spells that a Protego Charm won't help us with?"

"I just said that you can't block an unforgivable with that spell," Professor Veridian said, glaring him.

"You sixth and seventh year students should try to learn how to conjure a strong physical shield or transfigure an object so that it will take the dangerous spells for you. Professor McGonagall and I will work with you on that. Potter here should be concentrating on getting your reflexes up and helping you with situational thinking. At some point I want to go over your fight in the Ministry and break it down with you. The Headmaster told me that he's already done a bit of that with Potter but every move you made needs to be broken down so that you won't make mistakes again and will do the things that you did properly if you have to fight again."

Hermione ducked her head, and Harry thought that she was blushing from

embarrassment for some reason. He couldn't understand what she had to be

embarrassed about since she'd told him that he was leading them into a

trap.

Ron also seemed a bit uncomfortable, squirming in his seat as if he didn't

want to continue their conversation.

Professor Veridian seemed ready to leave the battle for now and aside from

his own pleasure at leaving something behind that he would never want to

remember, Harry wasn't sure whether her willingness to do so was because

she recognized his friends' discomfort with talking about the events in

June or simply another manifestation of the restless intellect and

forceful personality that she seemed to have in equal measure.

"So, Potter, are you willing to work with your students on simple defensive

spells and dealing with the kinds of situations that you faced in June?"

"Yeah," Harry said quietly. "I don't think that we could've survived if

they'd really meant to kill us but it was the simple spells that seemed to

help the most. If we can do it I'd want to try to learn more spells like

Colloportus since it really slowed them down when they were trying to get

at us."

"That spell is good when you can get a door between you and someone

following you. Nox and a good Reductor curse will also help since the dark will keep your enemy from seeing you and a Reductor can put rubble in the way of someone who's chasing you. If it's dark and they fall on something you've left for them you'll pick up two or three seconds' time while they get up again.

With luck, you may get the drop on them and stun them. Definitely a good

thing for the younger ones to learn those kinds of combinations."

"Right," Harry said, thinking of all of the things that Tonks and Remus

had taught him over the summer.

"I think that it would be a good idea to meet at least once more before

you start the club. Professor Dumbledore told me that you have a way to

notify your members about meeting times?"

"Yes," Harry said. "But I'm not sure if we'll need it since we're allowed

to meet openly this year."

"Keep it," the professor said thoughtfully. "I don't want to have you

taking too many members and I do think that you should be careful about

who you let in, Dumbledore's attitudes about openness be damned. That's

what nearly sank him last time and it got your parents killed. I'm not

going to make his mistakes again if I can help it."

"He told me that I should let anyone in."

"I'll talk to him about that. If you have to let anyone in I'll make sure that we know something about what they're doing with what you're teaching them."

"Uh..." Harry said, unable to keep himself from glancing toward Hermione.

"I see," the professor said with a small smile. "Ms. Granger, how would

you like to do a long assignment for extra credit that deals with wand use Monitoring Charms?"

"That would be brilliant," Hermione said with an ecstatic sigh. "Can I

start right away?"

"Certainly," the professor said with a nod. "I'll expect weekly updates

on your work as well as copies of the tools that you develop to monitor

the students in the Defence Association."

"OK," Hermione said, agreeably.

"Well, it's been a bit since I had a bite and I'm sure you're hungry too."

said the professor as she began walking toward the door.

"You got that right," Ron said, stomach rumbling.

"Then I won't hold you up any longer. Eat well and I'll look forward to seeing you lot on Wednesday morning."

"Thanks for your help, Professor," Harry said, reaching out to shake her

hand.

"No problem, Potter," she said, giving him a full fledged smile. "I'm

just glad that I can do a bit to help out this year, and seeing how

James and Lily's son has grown up is one of the bigger benefits to the

job."

"Uh, thanks!" Harry said, realizing that Professor Veridian must have

known his parents but not ready to ask about them with Ron and Hermione

waiting for him.

"We'll talk about that part of things later" murmured the professor as

she nudged Harry through the door. "But for now let's get down to the

Great Hall and see what the house elves have for us this evening," she

said loudly, gaining a nasty look from Hermione for her comment.