Harry Potter's New Life

18) The First Signs

Harry sat in his classroom awaiting the first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to come in. Right before class was scheduled to start, all the students came pouring in at once.

"Ravenclaws on the left, Hufflepuffs on the right!" Harry spoke over the crowd. Immediately they sat and sat attentively, waiting for Harry to speak. "Right then. Please do the assignment on the board. If you have any questions, I'll be sitting here at my desk."

Harry settled into his chair as the students scrambled about, looking for partners. He set himself up with an essay he owed Snape for Potions. He didn't even see the young Hufflepuff standing in front of his desk.

"Uh... Professor Potter, sir?"

"Hm? What? Sorry, I got a little carried away in this blasted assignment."

"For us?"

"Oh, no! This is for my Potions class. Can I help you with something?" The child he looked upon was a mousy looking girl, reminding him strangely of a mix between Moaning Myrtle and Tonks.

"My name is Isadora Matthews, sir..."

"Please, don't call me sir. Always Professor."

"Sorry, s... Professor. I was wondering if you could, er, perhaps be able to move me closer to your desk or tell Billy and Red to stop teasing me?"

"What do they tease you about?"

"They call me Mousy, Shrimpette, and Mudblood."

"Tell me, Isadora, who are your parents?"

"Bell and Jon Matthews, Professor. Muggles."

"Isadora, have you met Hermione Granger? She has Muggle parents and is pretty much the smartest student in the sixth years. She hangs around with me and a tall redhead."

"Um, no. I'm afraid I haven't met her."

"Tell me, are you smart?"

"Yes. I have an easy grip on magic. Yesterday, Professor Snape said that I had made a pretty good example of some potion..."

"Severus complemented you? That's saying something, there! Do you like him?"

"Yes. He's my second favorite teacher next to Professor Sprout."

Harry burst out laughing. "I'm sure you'll change your mind within days about that. You may move from your seat to... hm..." Harry muttered the summoning charm and set an empty chair down in the front row.

"Thanks."

"If they bug you again, come to me, or Hagrid. He's the Care of Magical Creatures professor. He'll do something about it."

"He's not mean about that stuff, is he?"

"I know his size is deceiving, but he is one of the nicest professors you'll get."

"Thank you."

Harry felt better about himself after that. When the sixth yeas came in, he said hello to the people he knew, or rather, liked. When Melinda came in, he immediately busied himself with some papers on his desk.

Remembering last nigh, Melinda did likewise after choosing a spot close to his desk, in the second row. She stole a glance once or twice, and Harry met her eyes. They stared for a minute until Harry's head burned. He reached up and covered his scar and when he turned to look at her again, she was shaking her head. She looked at him and the fleeting hint of red was there. Voldemort.

As the lesson proceeded, Melinda kept shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. Harry watched her throughout the whole class time, and her expression never changed, though her actions did. Finally, she appeared exasperated and raised her hand twenty minutes before class was out.

"Professor Potter, I think I really need to go to the hospital wing. Please." She shook her head again and her eyes glowed ferociously red, the color of Voldemort's.

"Go on."

"Thank you." She got up and hurried out the door, but she didn't go to the hospital wing, she headed for the bathroom. She splashed her eyes in cold water and for a moment they dimmed, but flamed red again.

"You can't hide from me, Melinda. You look at him with love in your eyes, but does he feel that way about you? No, he doesn't. Destroy him before he breaks your heart!" a voice hissed in her head.

"Get out! Get out! Leave me alone!" she cried out desperately, clutching at her hair.

"You dare talk to your father like that?"

"My father is a load of crap! Get out!"

"You looked at the Potter boy with love in your heart! How dare you! Never again shall you look at him with the same eyes!"

"Then I won't ever look at him!"

"So be it," the voice hissed, and Melinda fell onto the floor, lifeless.