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Not As It Seems	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 4953 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Chapter 14

Harry heard nothing else until he and Draco went down to the dungeons for special Potions lessons.

When they entered the classroom, the door swung closed behind them, and they felt specialized spells activate. They looked around and saw that, except for Hermione, all of the students in the room were children of Death Eaters.

�A few announcements before you begin,� Snape said. �From this point on, Miss Granger is to be treated as one of us. I will not explain my reasons for such. Also, when you venture into Hogsmeade, you will go in groups of no less than four, and you will never leave the group. There is an unknown wizard of unknown abilities and intent staying in Hogsmeade, and we need to be on our guard. I expect everyone to take turns seeing to it that both Misters Von der Lippe, Miss Granger, and Mister Potter are never unaccompanied.�

�Yes, Professor,� they all chorused.

�Now,� he said. �So that there is no doubt about our purpose here, everyone will brew the potion on the board. It is a strong painkiller, sufficient to dull the pain from the Cruciatus curse. You have one hour. Those of you with less than exemplary potions skills should partner with those who are more skilled. For instance, Miss Granger should assist Miss Parkinson. Mister Potter should partner with Mister Malfoy. Everyone else partner accordingly.�

~*~*~*~

After the potions were made, Snape told each pair to go into the classroom across the hall. When Harry and Draco did, they encountered a double of the sitting room at the Manor. Aquila was sitting in an armchair with a tea service next to her. A house elf in a neat tea towel and a crocheted shawl approached them with a tray holding two teacups and two plates of sandwiches and butter cookies.

Harry eagerly accepted, and thanked the elf. He and Draco joined a mixed group of boys and girls that were discussing the current Quidditch season and possibilities for the World Cup coming up in only two more years.

When everyone had finished their potions, Snape came in and sat in a chair next to his wife. He accepted a cup of tea from her hands, and nodded to her.

Aquila picked up a small crystal bell and rang it until everyone stopped talking and turned to look at her.

�I have some information,� she said. �If any of you have any suggestions about what to do, I will pass them on. An unknown wizard is residing at the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade. When some of my father�s people attempted to find out his identity, they were hit with dark magic that they were unfamiliar with. When the wizard was approached by a werewolf, he drew a dagger made of silver. The man is informed and aggressive. I have been reliably informed that the Aurors were not called until Death Eaters were seen in the village.�

�You mean that this man can wander around at will, using dark magic,� Pansy said from where she and Millicent had settled with Hermione. �No one calls the Aurors until they see Death Eaters? What about this other man?�

�We need to force Dumbledore�s hand,� Aquila said. �He has avoided that by changing Hogsmeade days to Diagon Alley days. I wonder how long it will be before that wizard moves to London.�

�We could help force his hand,� Draco said, leaning forward. �I could sneak out to the Hogs Head with Blaise, Greg, and Vince. We could complain loudly that we can�t sneak away from the girls to drink at Diagon Alley, and we�re out to get a few firewhiskeys to fortify us for the shopping sprees.�

�How long have you been doing this?� Snape asked, deadpan.

�Since fourth year,� Draco said. �My first trip to the Hogs Head was after the Yule Ball.�

�How did you get out?� Harry asked, looking at his lover.

�The hidden passageway under the witch�s statue,� Draco said. �Father told me about it. He and some of the other Slytherins used to sneak out all the time. Just like then, we can get away with it if we bring Filch a bottle.�

�Of what?� Hermione wanted to know.

�Actually, he has a rather educated palate,� Draco said. �He only drinks a Hungarian red wine called �bull�s blood�. The Hogs Head keeps it in the cellar, and charges a premium for it.�

�Do that, then,� Aquila said. �If he tries to follow you, let him.�

�What?� Snape turned and looked at his wife as though she had lost her mind.

�Dumbledore thinks he can dictate what the Aurors see,� Aquila said. �If an unknown Dark Wizard gets into Hogwarts, then the Aurors will pay more attention.�

�That could be dangerous,� Snape said. �I will not risk the students.�

�The students are more than capable of ganging up on an adult wizard,� Aquila said. �The children I supervise alone could probably take him. I also understand that Harry was responsible for a group that they facetiously called �Dumbledore�s Army�.�

�Now it�s going to be �Dumbledore�s Adversaries,� Harry growled. �I know it won�t be all of the same group, but it will be most of them, especially if I don�t tell them about my change of purpose.�

�They should be trained, in any case,� Aquila said. �Your defense trainers have been for shite so far. You have to learn to do things for yourself.�

�You could always offer to teach Defense yourself,� Snape said. �You do have a Mastery.�

�My mastery is in Herbology,� Aquila said. �I have never attained a Mastery in Defense � or Dark Arts.�

�Nevertheless,� Snape said. �You could demonstrate that you have an extensive knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and therefore the ability to teach the subject.�

�I will see what I can do with Dumbledore,� Aquila said. �Excuse me children.� She rose to her feet, smiled at Snape, and left the room.

~*~*~*~

When Aquila came down later, she was smiling. She sat down in her chair again and freshened her cup of tea.

�I spoke with the Headmaster,� she told Snape. �I told him that I was worried about the children�s education, especially with my parents having escaped from Azkaban. He agreed that things were very serious, and asked if I had any suggestions.

�He said I couldn�t teach Defense,� she said. �He has been required by the Board of Governors to find someone with a Mastery in Defense, or Dark Arts. I pointed out that I could go to the Ministry tomorrow, and probably pass the written and practicals. He offered to request that the Ministry send someone to test me. He admitted that if he could find a competent teacher, he would feel much better. He said that if I could pass the tests, he would hire me immediately.�

�Does he know who you are?� Hermione asked.

�He suspects, I�m certain,� Aquila said. �He can prove nothing, unless he has a sample of my father�s blood before his resurrection. Now, a sample of my father�s blood would prove nothing, since none of it is his.�

***** *****

Three days later, the day that they would have their next special Potions lessons, Harry noticed at breakfast that the man who had been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was gone, and that Aquila was sitting next to Snape.

As soon as everyone was in the Great Hall, Dumbledore rose to his feet.

�Attention, please,� he said, and then waited until the whole room was quiet. �Starting this morning, we have a change of Professors. Your Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor is now Aquila Lestrange-Snape. To avoid confusion with her husband, she will be known as Professor Lestrange. I expect her to be treated with the same respect as any other professor. Now then, everyone tuck in.�

~*~*~*~

When Harry and Draco entered the Defense class with the rest of the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins, they entered a classroom transformed.

Gone were the rows of desks, the dragon skeleton hanging from the ceiling, and the jars and cages of creatures. Instead the classroom was empty except for bleachers on three of the walls, and shelves for book bags in the corners.

�Put your bags away and sit down,� Aquila said from behind the instructor�s desk. �All you need for this class are your wands.�

She waited while they complied with her request, and then found seats on the bleachers.

When all of the students were seated, Aquila stood up and walked to the center of the room.

�Your Defense instruction thusfar has been spotty or nonexistent,� she said. �You are now sixth year students. In one and a half years, you will be graduated witches and wizards. You will be adults, and your current status as juveniles will no longer protect you to the extent that it does. You will be expected to contribute to society, obtain employment, pay your bills, find a spouse, produce children, and be able to defend yourselves, your spouse, and your children. Very few of you are prepared to do such a thing.

�Last school year,� she continued. �I have been told that there was a student study group headed by Mr. Potter. What I want is for those of you here that were part of that group to step forward. I want you to show us what you know, and I want to pair you up with students who were not part of that group, and teach them as you were taught.�

She waited again while the students shifted around. Members of the DA grouped together with Harry and Hermione. When they were finished shifting around, one student stood separate from the DA.

Ronald Weasley.

�Mister Weasley?� Aquila asked. He turned to look at her, his expression mutinous.

�I�m not standing with them,� he said. �I don�t care what you say.�

�Fine,� Aquila said. �You are dismissed from class, Mister Weasley. I will speak with Professor McGonagall about removing you from the class entirely.�

�I can�t become an auror without this class!� he exclaimed. �That�s not fair!�

�I am your professor for this class, Mister Weasley,� Aquila said. �If you will not do as I say, then you will be removed from this class.�

�I�m not working with traitors!� Ron shouted.

�Out of my classroom, Mister Weasley,� Aquila said. She flung her hand towards the door and it opened without a word being uttered.

�I�m going to the Headmaster,� Ron said. He pushed through the DA group, deliberately pushing Harry and Hermione, and grabbed up his book bag. He threw Hermione a murderous look and stalked out of the room.

TBC
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Not As It Seems