Dolor Draconum

Chapter the First

The first week was hectic, as always. Snape almost managed to put them into detention, but Professor McGonagall breezed past and made it very clear that she could see nothing wrong with the state of their uniforms. The first formers were sorted, more than usual ending up in Slytherin, much to the other houses' trepidation. The timetables were given out and much discussion was given to the subject of who the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher would be, especially when Dumbledore made no mention of it at the Feast.

"You don't think..." Ron began nervously, as if merely saying it would make it true, "you don't think it's Snape, do you?"

"I doubt it," Hermione said reassuringly. "Dumbledore would almost certainly have said, and besides, with Potions and being head of Slytherin and his work in the Ootpea, where would he find the time?"

Harry sniggered. "Ootpea. Sounds so... weird. Like nothing else in particular."

"Are you going to restart the DA?" Ron asked.

"Only if the new teacher is as bad as the previous one."

"So if it's Filch, then?" Ron grinned. Harry laughed, but Hermione gave a horrified gasp. "What now?" Ron asked grumpily. "You're not standing up fo-"

"They've put us with Slytherin!" she wailed. "It's in the footnotes. All classes are now going to be mixed between houses, to promote 'sportsmanship', and since we've got even less subjects," Hermione had been very put out at having to drop some of her subjects, "it's to save teaching time."

"How do you know we're with Slytherin?" Ron asked imploringly. "Are you sure it's them?"

"Quite sure," Hermione showed them her timetable. Defence Against the Dark Arts was red and green, showing it was Gryffindor and Slytherin.

All three were doing Potions again, as Ron and Harry still wanted to be Aurors and Hermione had no intention of dropping any subject she didn't have to. Harry and Ron had dropped Divination, despite their curiosity as to what it would be like being taught by both Professor Trelawney and Firenze. Harry had failed History of Magic, and Ron had decided to drop it as well. Hermione, after much persuasion, had dropped as well, leaving her just enough space on her timetable for all of her subjects provided she didn't eat or sleep. After further deliberation, she also dropped Muggle Studies.

Hermione gave another wail. "I'm doing Arithmancy with Slytherin too! They're in all my favourite classes!"

Ron glanced at Hermione's timetable. "Blimey," he murmured, "They're in all of them!"

"Loads of people dropped Herbology, so all four houses are together," Hermione sighed. "Same with most of the subjects we've been doing since we arrived. I can't believe some people are only doing five NEWTs!"

"Most people only do three or four," Harry pointed out. "We have to do five if we want to be Aurors, but most jobs really don't require that many."

Hermione looked horrified. "But... but they'll have so much free time! What are they going to do with it all?"

"Oh god," Ron moaned. "What are we going to do, with almost no free time? All the teachers will set loads of homework, thinking everyone's got time to do it, and we've got less time and more subjects to get homework from! It's not fair!"

"You'll just have to do some actual work then," Hermione said firmly. "You can use those homework diaries I got you last Christmas. I'll get you both new ones this year."

"Please don't..." Ron sighed.

* * *

Their first Defence Against the Dark Arts was that afternoon, and the students arrived in fits and starts, trickling in from other lessons, still getting used to the new timetable. There was no teacher when they arrive, but written on the blackboard was 'if you know your enemy and know yourself you need not fear the result of a thousand battles'.

"Yeah," Ron said, "it's the thousandth and first that gets you."

Hermione ran in late, skidding to an abrupt stop when she saw the teacher wasn't there. She sat down next to Harry, panting slightly.

"Arithmancy overran... such a.... good lesson... damn sly...therins..." she gasped.

"What happened?" Ron asked. Hermione just shook her head, still trying to catch her breath.

"Have you seen... her?" she asked.

"Her? Who?" Ron looked blank.

"I think Ms Granger is talking about me," a voice at the back called out. It was slightly hesitant, and rather breathless. "My name," she said softly, "is Professor Kelp. I beg you, don't call me that. Please. Call me Aurora. I am an empath."

There was a mixed reaction to this statement. Some, like Hermione, seemed overjoyed, others, like Crabbe and Goyle, looked terrified, and Harry wasn't alone in looking blank.

"I can read emotions. This means I'll know when you're lying about your homework, passing notes, winding each other up and generally being bad students. I do not tolerate bad students. I know that there is a lot of bad blood between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and should any of that manifest itself in this room I will immediately deduct ten points from the culprit, whether they voice their feelings or not." She sighed, and went on with a note of pleading, "Look, I know that's not fair, and I can tell you know that too, but unless you want me to go insane before the end of the term, that's how it has to be." She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes for a moment. When she reopened them, her voice was firm again. "Right. I will call the register, and you will be grateful I don't make you wear name labels. I will get your names wrong, frequently so, but don't be offended. I called Professor Snape 'Minerva' yesterday." The class laughed. "Right..." and she was off.

The students didn't have to listen while she was calling the register, except Crabbe and Goyle who still needed to pay full attention to recognise their own names, so there was a chance for Hermione, Ron and Harry to study their new teacher.

"Hermione Granger."

"Here."

Aurora? What kind of name was that for a witch? It sounded like something teenagers would dub themselves as they lit candles and tried to summon hot guys from ages past. It was only one up from 'Nightsilva' or similar. She was young, probably in her mid-twenties. Her hair was tied back into a scatty bun and she was constantly pushing her glasses back up her nose. Her nails were stubby from chewing and covered in chipped green nail polish.

"Harry Potter."

"Yes."

Her clothes brought a few hushed snickers from the class. She was wearing the kind of dress you find in Muggle party shops, with a laced bodice, puffed sleeves and a great deal of embroidery. There were tiny bells sewn to the hem. It didn't fit particularly well, going in and out where she went out and in. And, to top it off, a huge black velvet cloak that trailed on the floor. The bottom was slightly frayed, and there was a footprint at around knee height, which was odd because she wasn't wearing shoes.

"Draco Malfoy."

Even her jewellery was outlandish, huge hoops and whirls of silver, cover in green and blue glass beads, that kept getting tangled in her hair. If she was in normal clothes she might have looked alright, but she did look like she was going to a costume party. Hermione hoped for her sake that she'd brought something else to wear with her.

"Ronald Weasley."

"Present."

Hermione bit her lip. Why wasn't 'Aurora Kelp' on the timetable? Why hadn't she been present at the staff table yet? Was she going to be a good teacher? She didn't have the instant authority that McGonagall had, and she had already admitted that the class could cause her problems merely by feeling bad. She looked too young to know enough to help them learn to defend themselves against Voldemort.

"Has anyone seen Draco Malfoy?"

Ron's eyes widened. She didn't have a wand. They were supposed to learn Defence Against the Dark Arts from a girl, not even a woman, without a wand?

"He was in Arithmancy," Hermione piped up as the class's attention finally returned to the lesson at hand. "He didn't look too well though."

Professor Aurora sighed. "Wonderful. What an impression to make on my first day. I suppose you've all already gathered your first impressions and judged me appropriately?"

No one knew quite what to say to this.

"Where's your wand?" Seamus asked.

"I didn't bring it. For the first few weeks, no one will need his or her wand. Have you all read the statement on the board?"

Harry's eyes widened. Not another Umbridge, surely?

"I applied for this job having only found out a few weeks earlier that I even had any magical talent. As far as I'm concerned, you all ought to be very glad I don't have my wand, since you might struggle to survive the lesson. I'm learning as much here as you are."

"How are you supposed to teach us if you can't do any magic yourself?" Hermione asked tersely.

"We will start with some psychology. I've been gathering fact, not rumours mind you, facts about Lord Voldemo- don't wince! - Lord Voldemort, and we are going to learn about him and his past. He won't expect you to know."

Babbling erupted as the class began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.

"He was born Tom Marvolo Riddle, and later rearranged the letters of his name to form his better known pseudonym, Lord Voldemort. Look, if you're all going to flinch each time I say that you may as well not bother turn up. It's a name."

"Names have power," Neville murmured.

"It's not his real name," Professor Aurora pointed out. "You'd do better to fear the name Tom than Voldemort."

The class was interrupted by the arrival of Draco Malfoy. Professor Aurora marked him on the register, but didn't comment.

"Why isn't she punishing him?" Harry hissed to Ron and Hermione. "If the class think they can get away with turning up that late..."

"Something to share, Mr Potter?"

"N-no, Professor K- Aurora."

"Good. You've met both Lord Voldemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle, haven't you? Perhaps you could tell us what impression you got of the boy and the man?"

In a halting voice, Harry began to describe his encounters with the Dark Lord, from Professor Quirrel to Sirius's death in the Ministry of Magic. He was about to mention that Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy's parents had been death eaters, but Professor Aurora held up a hand to stop him.

"Thank you, Harry. That's plenty of material to be going on with. Professor Dumbledore has also agreed to talk a little about Lord Voldemort, when he has time, so I expect promptness and good manners in every lesson, as you won't know when he decides to pop in." Aurora smiled wickedly. "No homework this week. See you all soon."