Chapter 9: Chapter 9Notes:(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter TextA meeting of four people was going on in the office of the Hogwarts headmaster.
Albus Dumbledore himself, with his young professor Harry Peverell, the assigned Auror for school safety, Amelia Bones, and the head Auror Alastor Moody, were present in the room.
It was the last of November, and it had been a month and a half since the Hogsmeade attack, which was why Moody was here to give his report on the activities of Death Eaters since then.
Dumbledore was sitting on his throne as usual with his chin on his joined hands as he listened, immersed in the reports of his one-time student and now friend.
"Hmm," the old wizard hummed, scratching his long beard, "so it would seem that there has been silence from our enemy side since that day."
"Hmrp," Moody snorted from where he was sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk. "Those evil wannabes have pissed their pants after only one major loss against us, just like I told you, Albus. They are cowards; just like their master, we shouldn't fear them," the best Auror in the British land said with a bloodthirsty grin.
"We can't be arrogant like that, sir." Amelia said from where she was standing at the shoulder of her senior, "They might be nursing their wounds right now because this is the first time they have lost so badly, but they will be back."
"Amelia is right, Auror Moody." Harry agreed with the pretty red-haired girl from where he was leaning on the headmaster's desk lazily. "Never, ever expect Voldemort to accept his defeat so easily. He will fight back, and it will be our biggest rookie mistake if we sit relaxed with overconfidence that they won't."
"You are getting old, my friend; these two younglings are sounding more mature than you." Dumbledore smiled playfully. "We have only won a small battle in a war; we should not be happy and oversure of ourselves, like Harry said. I thought you would know that."
"You don't need to be so snarky, Albus." Moody scowled, seeing Harry and Amelia fight back the smile on their faces. "And who are you calling old? Look at yourself first. You belong in a museum while I still have much to live."
At his comment, Harry and Amelia lost their fight and burst out laughing with Dumbledore lightly chuckling at his former student mock comment.
"On a real note, though," Harry spoke after stopping laughing as he turned to Moody. "Has there been a sniff of what Voldemort might be planning while hiding in the shadows? Because I'm sure he could be building his army, especially by bringing help from outside, so have you heard anything like that?" He asked seriously.
Moody shook his head. "Nothing like that. I have spread my aurors around the corner of our country to know if someone is entering illegally, so we will be the first to know if he is planning anything. But for now, there have been no activities like that."
"Good, but be sure to keep looking, Alistor." Dumbledore advised the head Auror, who nodded his head.
Moody then turned to his junior and asked, "How long have you been here? Is everything in your control like I told you to?"
Amelia straightened her posture and nodded. "Everything is under control, sir, just like you told me. I have been patrolling and covering the whole school, and till this day I have found nothing suspicious or a danger to school safety," she told him firmly.
"And what about Hogsmeade?" Moody cocked his singed eyebrow.
"I have been monitoring the village as well three times a week, sir, and everything is safe there as well." Amelia then looked at Harry with a smile and said, "And because of Professor Peverell, we have nothing to worry about for the school Hogsmeade week, as his new ward makes sure no one can attack the student again when they are in the village."
"Good." Moody smiled proudly at his junior prodigy. He then asked softly, with care, "And what about yourself? How have you been settling here back in the school again after two years since you graduated from it?"
Amelia was the pride of Alistor Moody. For a man who has no kids and no desire to have one because of his line of work, he sees the young woman as his daughter.
From the first time he saw her in Auror training, he knew she was special. By the first look at her on the battlefield and with how she commands people older than her, he knew she would be his successor in the near future and might even surpass him.
Which was the reason he was the hardest on her because he was aware of her true potential. And if he was a little biased and treated her with more care than others, he didn't care.
Which was why, as much as he believed in her, he was afraid of handing such a big and dangerous mission to her alone. But at the end of the day, he knew no one was better than her.
And now, seeing how she brightened up as he asked her, he knew he had made the right decision.
"It might have been a very busy and tiring mission protecting the school, but I have immensely enjoyed it, sir." Amelia smiled brightly. "I am loving being back here, where I have so many memories, and I was lucky that I got a quarter right beside Professor Peverell."
Moody narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he noticed the soft smile shared between the girl he thought of as his daughter and the young professor.
The treacherous voice in his head was whispering that there was something going on in between them.
"Harry has helped me very much, not only with settling down here but also with my mission. I wouldn't have done half of the things without him." Amelia said warmly, with her eyes on Harry, "He also didn't let me feel alone or awkward in here between the students who are younger than me and professors older than me. And Harry knowing how to make the best tea in the world also helped."
Dumbledore chuckled, and Harry shook his head with a smile on his bashful face from her praise. While Moody was squashing his fatherly tendencies, he realised he couldn't do anything about the relationship those two might be having if Amelia was happy with it.
But that still didn't mean he couldn't intimidate the boy who was trying to steal his daughter's heart.
"Well, that's pleasing to hear," he said while half-glaring at Harry, who frowned at him in confusion. "Is there anything else you want to know or say?" Moody asked Dumbledore.
"I do," Harry said before Dumbledore, who was going to deny it. "Keep an eye on your Aurors," Harry told the head Auror.
"And what do you mean by that?" Moody narrowed his eyes while Amelia looked at Harry in concern at his sudden question.
Harry, not backing down or fearing Moody, continued, "I am advising you to keep an eye on your department members; there could be an imposter among them who might be working against you right under your nose."
"Are you insinuating that there could be a betrayer among my rank?" Moody was seething in rage, feeling insulted. "Who would dare do that?"
"I am only warning you from my experience, Auror Moody." Harry said calmly, without flinching or fearing the raging head of Auror, "I have seen these types of things happen in the past, and they always lead to the biggest losses in the war."
"What experience are you talking about? Do not forget you are just 21-"
"Alastor!"
Dumbledore's loud, commanding tone stopped Moody from doing something he would regret.
It was unfortunate that they couldn't tell him of Harry's past because right now Albus knew that Peverell was more right than Moody, who was within his own right feeling insulted about the suspicions against his ranks.
"I believe Harry isn't wrong." With a single outstretched hand, he stopped Moody from opening his mouth again as he continued, "Think about this with a rational mind for a second. These types of things with having an imposter in your rank are insulting but also true, because it has happened many times in past wars."
"Take it from a man with whom something exactly like this has happened in the war against Grindelwald," Dumbledore said wisely and firmly to the scarred man.
Moody calmed down, and while thinking about his reaction, he realised that maybe he went a little overboard with his rage. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Harry and mumbled, "Sorry about that."
Harry shrugged. "You don't have to. I understand feeling insulted by what I was implying, but I was only saying that for your benefit so that you won't feel betrayed in the future."
Harry was aware he was being a little insensitive, but after what he had been through in his life, he knew he had to be tougher and more blunt with the people who needed it, or else they would lose many things.
After all, one of the reasons Alastor Moody—of his past—was so paranoid was because his own Aurors had betrayed him.
"I will keep an eye." Moody gritted his teeth, still feeling the anger.
He then turned to Dumbledore and said, "I think I should go now, Albus."
Dumbledore nodded. "You should. We have nothing else to discuss, and be alert to any movements in the shadow."
"Will do" Moody dipped his head, and then, with one last smile at Amelia, he flooed to his office with Harry's words ringing in his mind.
"I and Amelia must leave as well, headmaster." Harry said, pushing off the desk, "I have classes to teach, and Amelia has patrols to be done."
Dumbledore nodded with a smile. "Of course, Harry, and if you need anything, Amelia, my office door is always open for you," he said to the senior Auror.
"Thank you, Professor." Amelia bowed her head with a smile and left with Harry.
Once outside, they both walked in silence with their own thoughts until Amelia broke it.
"What did you mean when you said your experience?" Amelia asked, "Did the same happen in your past?"
Harry kept walking with his head down, thinking, and then, with a deep breath, he said, "I have seen many people change sides for a little money or because they were cowards. Which always only leads to broken trust and bloodbaths, which is something I don't want to see happen again."
Amelia took everything he told her, and deep down she knew he was right; she could see how much it was hurting him to say those words. It looked as if he were reliving those memories.
Regretting bringing such a depressing mood, she decided to change it.
"What classes do you have right now?" Amelia asked in an attempt to change the discussion.
Harry smiled, noticing what she was trying to do and feeling grateful for it. "Sixth year, Gryffindor and Slytherin," he answered heavily.
"Sorry," Amelia winced, "I feel really bad now."
"The smile on your face tells me you don't." Harry narrowed his eyes playfully at her, waving his finger.
"You're right, I don't," she smirked, "but I still don't know how you manage those pranking idiots and marauders."
"It's something we professors have got to do because we have no other choice," Harry sighed dramatically.
Amelia giggled, and then, with a hint of mischief in her eyes, she leaned towards him and asked, "You know, you still haven't told me about the Halloween party you went to."
Harry stiffened, remembering that night. "What are you talking about? I already told you all I did was meet with many influential people and have a boring time there." He tried to lie and divert her attention, like he has done for the last few weeks on this topic.
"Are you sure?" Amelia pressed, "Your facial expression tells me you're hiding something."
Fortunately for the sweating Harry, they reached his defence classroom, and seeing that, Harry's eyes brightened.
"Oh, look, we are here," he said loudly, pointing at his class. "You should go now, Amelia. I am sure you don't want to be late on your patrolling duties."
Amelia smirked, seeing his nervous face, and shook her head. "I will leave you right now, but one day I will find out what happened that night that had you so lip-locked."
With that said, she flipped her hair on his face and left for her duty, leaving behind a very relieved Harry.
As soon as she left, Harry took a breath of relief.
He had been avoiding this talk with Amelia since Halloween with every excuse he could find. After all, how was he supposed to tell her that he met and danced with a Veela goddess at the party, and not only did he dance, he also flirted with her?
All of that would have been fine if he hadn't found out that he flirted with a woman who was going to be the fiancé of another man.
Taking a deep breath while standing in front of his classroom, he straightened his robe and pushed open the door.
It was time to have the hardest class of the day.
-
As he was expecting, and it has been the same every time since he took this job, this class remains the hardest one for him.
Having Gryffindor and Slytherin—the known eternal rivals—together was always a recipe for disaster. So handling them and making sure no fight broke out was, in itself, the hardest thing you could do.
And adding marauders to that made this the hardest job in the world.
Harry had only heard stories about them from others in the past, so he had always thought there were all exaggerations about how ridiculous they sounded.
But seeing them with his own eyes and experiencing their nuisances himself, Harry accepted that marauders were even worse than the Weasley twins.
With how smart and intelligent they were, it helped them immensely with their pranking. Every day, they had new targets and a new way to prank them.
And they spared no one, not even the school's headmaster or professors.
Although that might also be because the headmaster himself was a child in his old heart who never reprimanded the marauders for their pranks unless they were harmful.
But this year, they finally faced a challenge they couldn't overcome. And that was Harry Peverell.
Harry, being ahead of the twins in pranking and having Potter and Black blood in him, was smarter and more skilled than marauders expected him to be.
He had become the only person they faced who they had been unsuccessful in pranking. And not only that, Harry made it more humiliating for them by blasting their pranks in their faces.
Which was why, feeling insulted, the marauders had one day tried to prank Harry when he was teaching them to catch him off guard. And that was the biggest mistake they had ever made.
For Harry, pranking outside the class was alright and something he could accept and laugh at. But pranking in his class was prohibited.
And when Sirius, James, and Peter tried it, Harry made them feel how stupid they were. Still to this day, those three could feel the pain and humiliation Harry had made them suffer through with his wand.
On top of that, Remus, their friend—who, being the calm head he was, had decided not to become involved in that one prank—acting disappointed with them didn't help.
And since then, they've stopped trying to prank their new professor.
But in class, it wasn't their pranking that had Harry pulling his hair; it was their rivalry and hatred against Slytherin that gave him headaches.
That's not to say it was one-sided because the students from the house of snakes also didn't help their side, especially the bat-like-looking Severus Snape.
Snape was someone that Harry had made sure he wouldn't be involved with anything related to that man.
Outside of this class, he had been successful. But in here, it wasn't easy because of the hatred between Snape and James Potter.
And the scene at hand was proof of that.
He had the sixth year across the whole room in a pair, one Gryffindor and one Slytherin. Which might have sounded like a good idea to him before, but not so right now.
Because even though the class just ended, a duel was still going on, and it was between none other than James and Severus.
He had no idea how those two were fighting when he hadn't even paired them up.
Marching towards the two rivals who were trading blows, he stepped in, and with a flick of his wand, he blasted the two off the ground, ending the duel.
"Enough, you two!" Harry shouted loudly. "I told you to keep it harmless, but you two can't help it, can you?"
"He started it, Professor," James said, pointing at Severus with blood coming out of a scratch on his cheek.
"No, he started it." Snape pointed at James in reply. And he looked like he came out of their duel worse off, evident from his bleeding lips and tattered robes.
"Enough!" Harry exclaimed, shutting down both of them.
"I don't have the mental strength to keep reprimanding you two every class," he said sternly, glaring at the two teens. "From now on, the only thing I am going to do is take points from you two, which will punish you when your house loses the championship because of you."
"And that starts right now. 20 points from both of you." Harry delivered the punishment that left the two boys eyes wide, who realised how big the 20 points their mistake cost were.
"Bu-"
"You can—"
"And a detention with Mr Flinch as well." Harry growled, daring them to reply, but smartly, they both shut their mouths. "Now the class is over, so get out before I give you a harsher punishment."
Knowing he would do that, both the teens who had bruised bodies but, more than that, bruised egos grabbed their bags and left the class. And with them, the others left as well, not wanting to suffer their normally calm professor's intimidating anger.
Harry calmed his face and smiled back at Remus, who was hesitantly looking at him as he left the class. And he shook his head at the concerned face of Narcissa, waving her away.
He knew she would be happy to have fun and help him relieve his stress, and Harry wouldn't mind that, but he wasn't in the mood for that.
When he returned to his desk, rearranging his documents, he thought he was alone until he heard a soft voice behind him.
"I am sorry about those two professors."
Turning around, Harry saw Lily standing with her fingers fidgeting nervously.
"You don't have to worry about that, Lily," Harry smiled softly.
"But still, you don't deserve what those two idiots put you through." Lily insisted, stepping closer. "I have tried so many times to stop them, but they never hear."
"Which is the reason after a few times you should stop giving them attention," Harry advised, crossing his arms, "but enough about those two. Did you need anything from me?" He asked why she stayed behind.
"I wanted to ask you something about some curses," Lily told him with a nervous smile.
For some reason, Harry felt she wasn't telling the truth, but for now, he let her "go on".
With his permission, Lily stepped closer into his personal space, and opening her book, she began asking him questions.
As Harry answered her queries, he noticed that even though her questions were legitimate and seemed as if she was really having problems with them, he still realised that all she was doing was just delaying her true intention.
Since he had come into this world, the one thing he had done was spend time with the girl who would be his mother.
And he was happy to see how eager she was to do that as well. And because of that, they both became a lot closer to each other.
Which was why Harry was very familiar with the red-haired beauty who was the fantasy of every boy in the school.
And he noticed small things as she asked him about her problems.
One of them was the stunning smile on her face with every question she was asking, which made him feel something he shouldn't for her.
She even giggled and laughed exaggeratedly at his jokes, which he knew weren't that funny.
It was when she leaned to be even closer to him, almost chest to chest, while touching his arm with his fingers and her breath on his chest. Harry finally stopped her.
"Lily, what are you trying to do?" He hoped his voice sounded strict, but there was no heat, and the beating of his heart didn't help.
"Professor," Lily whispered in a sinful tone, "I really like you."
Eyes widening Harry tried to move away from her as she leaned closer to him as he stood rooted in his spot in shock.
"Please, I want to kiss you." Lily bit her lips seductively, eying his lips, and stepped on her toes to close the distance between their lips.
Even though he didn't want to, Harry unconsciously leaned closer, his heart screaming to kiss her and his eyes losing themselves in hers, which were so like his.
But when he felt her breath on his lips and his eyes closing, he realised what he was about to do.
Jumping back from her, Harry stretched the distance between them as he stared at her with surprise and shock.
"Lily, what the fuck are you doing?" He said breathlessly, with his heart beating at full speed and his mind filled with confused emotions.
"B-but I-I thought you wa-wanted me just like I do you." Lily's cheeks were red with embarrassment, and her eyes were confused and hurt.
"I am your professor, Lily; we can't do that," Harry said, not realising how hypocritical he sounded.
That comment jutted Lily out of her embarrassment, and this time her cheeks burnt red with anger. "If it is wrong, then what about that bitch Narcissa and her sister?" she spat in rage.
Harry's eyes widened, and he tried to lie his way out. "What are you on about?"
"I know about you and the Black Sisters; hell, I have even seen you with them," Lily hissed at him. "So tell me why being with them is right, but not with me."
"I-it's not right, Lily." Harry looked away from her, not having the courage to face her hurt eyes.
"Why is it not?" Lily threw her hands in frustration and then narrowed her eyes at him. "Is it because I am not as pretty as then?"
"What?!" Harry's neck snapped back at her in surprise. "No! Of course not! You're as beautiful as them."
"Then why can't I be with you?" Lily yelled in anger and confusion.
"Because you can't, alright!" Harry shouted back.
"Why? Give me the reason!"
"I can't tell you, please; you have to understand," Harry said with desperation in his voice. "Please, I can't right now; it's hard for me," he added softly.
Lily, with her face red and her breathing heavy, stared at his face, searching for something. When she didn't find it, she huffed frustratingly, "Fine, then don't."
With her hand shaking in anger and her eyes tearing in pain, she picked up her books and threw them into her bag.
Flinging her bag, she left the room with one last look at Harry, and he thought she might say something when she opened her mouth, but Lily shook her head, rubbing her eyes, and ran away.
"FUCKKKK"
The scream of anguish boomed in the empty room as Harry swung his hand and destroyed all the desks and furniture.
He knew what he did was the right thing. Stopping Lily, the girl he was the son of, from kissing him was the most sensible thing for both of them.
And he hoped that once he told Lily, she would understand him.
But then why was his heart angry at him for following his mind and not kissing her like she wanted to?
Just like he wanted to do as well.
-
On the outskirts of England, there was a small village called Little Hangleton.
And in this small village where everyone was living their life peacefully, no one was aware of a big house that used to be on the side of the graveyard.
And the reason for that was that the house was under a Fidelius charm.
A charm that hides a property or anything from everyone. It even erases it from their memories so that no one knows about it.
No one except the one who put the charm on it.
The name of this hidden house was Riddle Manor.
Half a century ago, it used to be the house of a respected and rich Riddle family.
But then the scion of that same family murdered all the family members, which included his own father.
The same young man was now terrorising magical Britain.
Inside the Riddle manor was a big room in the basement of the house.
The room was big, wide, and filled with darkness.
There was a stench of blood and human bodies all around the big room. On top of that, a deep, oppressive, dark magic was surrounding the dark room.
And at the far side, in the middle of this room, was a podium, and on that was a throne.
The darkness shrouded the throne of the dark lord Voldemort, who was sitting with his hooded robes covering his face.
Also lying on his lap was none other than his familiar 'Nagini'.
Stepping into the room hesitantly was one of the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord follower.
And with his blonde hair and pointy chin, it was none other than Abraxas Malfoy.
Malfoy walked straight to the throne of his master with his head down and no nervousness in his step.
His master doesn't appreciate it if his loyal followers act like cowards.
Once he was in front of the footstep of the podium, he kneeled on one knee and said, "I have some news, my lord."
"I hope it's a good one, my dear Abraxas." A shiver went down Malfoy's skin every time he heard the silky voice of his lord.
"It is a good one, my lord," Malfoy answered with his head down.
"Do tell," the dark lord ordered while rubbing his familiar's head with his bony fingers.
"I have received the latest information from our members that we had sent out of the country for special reinforcements to our rank that you wanted," Malfoy began with excitement in his voice, "and my Lord, I am proud to inform you that they have agreed to serve you and fight for you."
Malfoy waited for his lord's answer, and he didn't have to wait long.
"And are you sure of that?" The Dark Lord asked with a dangerous edge in his voice.
"Yes, my Lord." Malfoy nodded. "I am very sure of that."
"Good, good," the dark lord whispered, and then asked, "But how are you going to bring them into the country with tight security all around it?"
"You don't have to worry, my lord. I have some of our trusty members in the Auror squad that are going to help us," Malfoy told his master proudly.
"Brilliant Abraxas, I expected nothing better from you." The dark lord praised his servant, who preened in pride, "Make sure that once they are here, they are ready to fight because, after sitting silent for the last month, we are going to attack and tell the wizarding world and their new hero who I, the Lord Voldemort, am."
Malfoy smiled like a child as he listened to his master, but he then sat rooted when he felt the overwhelming power of Lord Voldemort.
Looking up, he stared in fear as his master leaned, bringing his face into the small lighting of the room, making his scary red eyes visible.
"I hope you know that this mission shouldn't be a failure, my dear Abraxas." Voldemort whispered, staring intently at his servant, "You are very aware of what happens to the one who fails me. Aren't you?"
Malfoy's sweating face turned to the right side of the room, where the lifeless body of a Death Eater hung on the wall with his body splayed like an eagle. It was the body of the Death Eater who was the only one remaining who came back after the Hogsmeade attack failure.
And the proof of that was the one arm that Harry had sliced off his body as a warning.
Malfoy's scared eyes looked at the cuts on the face and all over the naked body of the dead Death Eater after the Dark Lord was finished venting his anger on him.
"I-I know, my Lord, and I promise there will be new failures this time." Malfoy promised his master not to want to end up like that Death Eater.
"Good, make sure you do." Voldemort smiled, leaning back in the shadow. "Now get out. I would rather not have your presence among mine any longer."
Malfoy crawled forward on his knees, and after kissing his master's robe, he fled the room as quickly as he could.
The dark lord put his head on his arm and chuckled evilly in the empty, dark room.
"I hope you are ready for what is coming, Harry Peverell."