Chapter XI - Phillys and Bullets

Harry was finishing a quill with the full Quidditch Team layout and was exchanging ideas with Ron about the plays they should do next saturday. Ron even offered to knock out Malfoy just for kicks, but Harry wouldn't take it. He zipped a bit of alcohol and kept writing.

He was feeling better about himself, still, he couldn't let go of that tiny little bottle. He could hear Marie's voice in his head "you're not a murderer Harry" but he felt he was. Still, he was more cheerful than usual.

Hermione walked in and Ron demanded to know where she was, since it was so late at night. "I was with Professor McGonagall." Harry knew perfectly well what that was about. They were almost alone, except for Neville, who was reading in the airchair, practising telekinesis.

"So Hermione, what did you find out in Hogsmeade?" She went completaly pale, as if she had seen a ghost. She remembered the Marauder's Map. It was pointless to deny anything.

"I found a name. And there is no record whatsoever on our teacher." She said this last part whispering, and looking over the shoulder to Neville. He looked right at her and got up. "Look Hermione, I know you don't trust her, but if she's hiding something, don't you think Dumbledore probably knows about it? He's not stupid you know."

All 3 stared at him. He definetly knew more than what he said, still they knew he wouldn't talk.

Harry disregarded Neville's comment and asked Hermione what was the name. She told them about the footnote in the trial, but didn't mention anything about the children. "I'm sure she's related, I mean, they're called the same way, it cannot be a coincidence." Ron mentioned she might be Phillys' wife. "Maybe she found a way to hide, I dunno." But that made no sense. She wouldn't use the same name and she'd be as old as Lupin at least. "No, its not that Ron, but she has to do with it, I'm sure of that."

Harry remembered then what he had seen that same afternoon after the loud thunder.

It wasn't the same old Scabbers' nightmare he used to have, this one was different. It was a little girl, next to a crib, facing a Deadeater.

"Ask her tomorrow, we'll see how she reacts." Neville didn't approve of that but he had no way to let Maggie know.

***

The Auror Tests were around the corner and Maggie was to take them, like the other senior student that'll go to Auror College. The only difference was that she was their teacher, and didn't have to look like she was taking them as well.

Class started on thursday morning like any other class, talking about what they've seen the previous one and practising a bit. In this case, they wouldn't practise. She wouldn't let the guys throw the Drilling Curse on each other, nor Oblivion.

"So Draco, how do you get rid off those curses we saw last monday?" Draco didn't like so much attention in this class. He told the class there was no way to get rid off those curses, except having the person that threw them killed. Maggie didn't agree. "Well, that's not entirely true. With some rest and muggle medicine you can cure yourself from Sectusempra. Oblivion is a bit harder, you need a drop of blood of the one you love. But the drilling curse, well, you have to excercise TK in order to break the curser's wand. That's the way." She looked at him. "It was a good try though."

Hermione raised her hand, which was shocking. "Yes Hermione?" Maggie sensed she was after something. She looked at Hermione but she had learnt Occlumency, so, she couldn't look at her thoughts. "I'm doing a research for my Court Application." Silence followed. "I'll study Law next year, I'd like to work at the Ministry, and I've been doing some research on the Dark Trials."

Maggie kept listening, but she started writing the countercurses for Sectusempra and Oblivion. "I was wondering if you knew who Phillys Smith was." Maggie's chok broke. Silence filled the room. Maggie turned around and looked puzzled. "Where ehm, where did you hear that name?"

They knew they were on to something. "I read it in one of the Trials at the Library, do you know who he is?" Maggie sat down in the desk as usual. Harry's scar started hurting again, it had never stopped hurting actually, but no one knew.

Maggie put her hands together and started closing the right one, she seemed to be in pain. "I believe arm, that he was a Deadeater, like Snape. He turned and help the Order, which got him and his family killed. Is that good enough?" Hermione looked at her and saw pain in her eyes. After a while of looking at nothing, Neville asked her about the Auror Tests.

"I can't tell you when they'll be Neville, but you'll be fine don't worry." Then she looked at Hermione and smiled. "Hermione..." She knew that sooner or later she'll figure out who she really was. "What else do you want to know about him? Not that I know much of course." Hermione realized Maggie didn't care about it, it was as if she wanted Hermione to find out more.

"Well, what really got my attention was his wife's name." Maggie giggled "Yeah, she was named just like me, that always called my attention, ever since I first heard the story from Dumbledore." That was a magical word, naming Dumbledore would make anyone desist.

"Anyway, where were we?" Jean was telling her about the counterspells and deriving curses when they heard an alarm. "Jean, Draco, Nev and Harry, come with me. Hermione, lead the rest to their respective houses. FAST!" They took off separate ways. Neville was pale and Draco was eagered to finally see some action.

"Where are we going Professor?" Maggie didn't know what to answer. "You are to be Aurors, you'll help the teachers with this alarm, let's go."

***

After 10 minutes of wondering around the corridors and seeing no teacher besides Maggie, Draco told them it was probably the Auror's Test. Maggie didn't say anything but nodded. They came to a turn and split in 2 teams, Neville and Harry with Maggie and Draco and Jean on the other side. "Guys please, if anything happens at all, ask for help, please." Draco winked at her and took off.

Harry got slightly jealous at the gesture and Maggie a bit upset. "What the? Men... All the same." She hit Harry's arm and started walking the opposite way when she felt an excruciating pain in her right arm. It was too strong to bare. Harry tried to help her but his scar started hurting. Neville then looked up and saw a giant vampire, dressed as a Deadeater. His mind went blank and his friend and his favorite teacher were passing out.

Neville started fighting the vampire, keeping it away from them, which were an easy pray, slowly they started feeling better. Harry run to a chair and broke it and threw the wood to Neville, who catched it in a second and stabbed the vampire in the heart. It vanished in brown dust. They helped Maggie up and saw her hand all reddish. "I'm fine, it's just an old wound." She stepped next to the dust and she felt her heart stopping for a minute. "I dont think this was a part of the test, we have to find Jean and Draco."

They started running towards the Slytherin and the Ravenclaw but found a shapeshifter and a troll instead. "We'll take the Troll, you take the Shapeshifter." Harry was getting in charge and she couldn't be more proud. Harry and Neville took care of it in less than 5 minutes and though it fought back they left almost unharmed.

Still, on the heat of the fight, they had also lost Professor Matthews and the Shapeshifter. They decided to stick together, just in case something else like the vampire would come along. They entered the Trophees room and found two professor Matthews wrestling. They were more than puzzled. A weird demon grabbed Neville from behind and Maggie told Harry to help him but Neville told him to help Maggie.

Neville was taken away and Harry stayed on the room, staring at the Maries. They were both saying the other was the Shapeshifter and Harry knew that if he aimed at the wrong one, he could kill Marie. He thought of asking them what she had given him for his birthday, when the Marie on the floor told him "I gave you a Quartz Stone." He vanquished the one on top and helped her up.

She looked at him with dissapointment "Oh Harry, haven't you learned Occlumency two years ago?" She started walking faster to catch Neville, who was finishing off the Demon. She was very proud of him. They started walking slowly again, and Harry asked her about Draco and Jean. "Oh, don't worry about them, Snape should be with them by now." She didn't want to worry the guys, after all she was their teacher.

She started walking faster "So guys, that was the Auror test." She whispered in between their heads "You both passed." They both stopped and stared behind her and Harry's scar started hurting again. Maggie looked at his scar and their faces and was afraid of turning around.

When she did, she found Draco on the floor, surrounded by blood. Something was written on the wall, something the guys couldn't understand. "One by one they'll die." They run towards Draco and she checked his pulse. He wasn't breathing.

"Harry run for help, Snape HAS to be around, see if you can find Jean, go!" Harry looked at her. "Neville, remember what I taught you about CPR? Let's do that." Maggie looked at Harry again. "Go Harry, I trust you, you'll be fine, now GO! She might be worse than him!"

Harry run away through the alley and saw a path of bloody footsteps, that ended next to Jean's body. Next to her there was another note on the wall "First the Traitors, then the Heirs."

When he read that last word, he realized it will never be over.

***

Maggie was breathing air into Draco's mouth and Neville doing the compressions to his heart when Harry came to them carrying Jane. "She has a pulse, she's just unconscious." She was also bleeding. He didn't mention the last part of the phrase.

Draco was not coming back and Neville was about to give up when she breathed on his mouth one last time. She closed her eyes and put her left hand over his forehead. Draco started coughing and was very dizzy.

They all smiled "Draco, Draco, who am I?" Malfoy looked at her "The most annoying teacher I've ever met." Neville smiled. "You're right, can you get up Malfoy?" His arm hurt and itched. She hadn't paid much attention to his arm until that moment. She saw a burnt in his shirt and a round hole. She touched it and checked his back. "You don't have an exit wound, damn, you need a doctor." Neville helped her carry Draco and they all headed to the Hospital wing. She then checked Jane's belly (where she was bleeding from) and she had also been shot.

Neville asked her what were those things, but Harry answered instead. "They've been shot." Neville looked puzzled. "Someone used muggle things against them."

Jane was looking a lot worse than Draco and they both needed a muggle doctor. Madame Pomfrey tried to heal them but magic wouldn't work on that. Dumbledore refused to take them to the Hospital.

Draco was whining, begging for attention. Minerva was trying to talk senses into Dumbledore but he wouldn't. Maggie asked Harry to get her celphone from her room. "Go, the password is Ewan, go go." Dumbledore asked her what she thought she was doing when he saw her breaking Draco's and Jane's shirts. "I'm checking their wounds. Sarah taught me. Oh this looks bad, she really needs a doctor Albus, GET A FREAKING DOCTOR ALBUS!"

They all went silent. Harry came in with her celphone and was shocked about it. Maggie asked him to make compressions on Jane's tummy and asked Neville to look for medical supplies.

Professor McGonagall told Dumbledore she'll call Jane's parents and also Seamus's dad. He was a doctor. Dumbledore couldn't believe his ears. "Albus, Marie is right, this is serious."

Maggie dialed a number and started talking next to Draco. "Hi auntie, yeah it's me. I need your help, fast." Harry kept switching towels and tought of leading some energy to Jane, see if that helped her.

Once Neville brought her the supplies she asked him to hold the cel for her. "Allright, I'm listening. No, we don't have lidocaine." She took off her belt and told Draco to bite it. He looked at her with mistrust. "Look Malfoy, I'm the closest thing to a doctor we have right now. You're gonna bite that stupid thing and keep it together like a man. This won't hurt a bit." She said that last thing looking at the wound with disguse.

"Yeah, well, how do I remove the bullet? Yeah, I got it." She got some silver scissors, washed them with alcohol and sticked them in this wound. Neville was holding a handerchief around her mouth since she didn't want to spit on his wound or anything. Draco screamed in pain and Harry turned around. Jane was bleeding less and had more colour.

Maggie then realized what he was doing "Harry don't! Stop that right now. That's an order." But Harry wouldn't. "She still has a bullet inside of her, if you close the wound it will stay in. It might get infected." She looked at Jane and extended her hand "Petrificus Totalus."

If she was petrified, she wouldn't bleed, she'd stay catatonic for a while.

She finally removed the bullet from Draco's body. It was a small golden thing. Draco looked at it and her and felt like fainting. She cured the wound. She kept saying ok or yes to whomever was on the phone. After that she stitched is arm and put a bandaid on it. Then she smiled to Draco.

"I'm very proud of you Malfoy." She told Mme. Pomfrey to give him a painkiller and she moved to the next bed, not before washing her hands. She looked at Jane's wound, which was a lot smaller than before thanks to Harry.

"I don't get it. This was muggle inflicted, you shouldn't have been able to do this." Harry looked at her and told her maybe it was a muggle artefact but with some sort of enchantment. Besides that, he was Harry Potter after all.

"Yeah, you are the Golden Boy. Hadn't thought of that." Minerva came into the Hospital Wing saying she hadn't been able to locate Jane or Draco's parents but that a portal was ready to take them to St Mungo's. Seamus' dad will be waiting for them there. She looked at Draco's arm and heard Neville's short description on what just happened.

Minerva smiled with pride and took Jane to the portkey. They vanished after a while. She remembered the cel phone and picked it up. "Thanks auntie, I'll call you later."

"This was definetly not a part of the Auror Test." They sighed and sat on Jane's bed, which was next to Draco's. He had passed out now.

Everything was quite a mess for all of them. Dumbledore not wanting to get a muggle doctor, bullets in Hogwarts, Marie using a celphone to call someone... and that phrase written in blood in the wall...

Too many questions, and yet, no answers.

Chapter X - Oblivion

Maggie was sitten down in her armchair, with her legs over the coffee table. She kept staring at the phone she had next to her feet. She kept thinking she had screwed up, twice already.
She had been teaching there for almost a month and she hated pretty much every minute of it.

She missed her muggle highschool with her muggle friends, listening to old music and going to the soccer games. She was never much of a cheerleader or anything, but she enjoyed those games cos her friends were there, specially Timmy. Timmy was the geekest of all geeks. It was a muggle version of Neville, that was probably why she cared so much about Nev in the first place.

Tim was her best muggle friend. And Charlie Weasley was her only wizard friend. And she slipped that, in front of no other but Hermione. And she had also snapped in front of the whole class about Snape.

She couldn't remember precisely what she had said but she knew for a fact Hermione was gonna look into it. She had to let Charlie know. The last thing he knew was that she was joining the senior students, not that she was to teach them. She was scared. What if it was too late? She should've thought of this before.

She picked up the phone and dialed long distance. A male voice with a strong accent picked up. It was Viktor Krum.

Viktor had joined the Dragon's Colony after he busted his arm in his last Quidditch game of his school. He had always been the dark type, but despite what people thought of him, he never turned. He was a loyal friend of Hermione and he was an active member of the Order of the Phoenix.

He also happened to know Maggie.

"Hi Viktor, this is Maggie Smith, remember me?" Viktor said he did and they talked for a while. Then she asked for Charlie. Viktor put her through to him and she explained the whole situation to him. "Don't worry kiddo, if we get a letter from Hermione, I'll let you know Professor!" They kept giggling. "I'll lie to my in laws and family for you, don't worry hun."

She hanged up wishing to be older for real. Charlie...

***

It was passed midnight and the guys were asleep. Hermione sneaked into their room and took the Marauder's map and the Invisibility Cloak from Harry's belongings. She sneaked out and got to Honeydukes through the secret passage. It was over one already. She broke a glass in the store and sneaked out through there, heading to the Courthouse.

The Courthouse had specific hours of entrance but the library was opened to the public 24/7. The only problem was that she needed to be someone else. In fact, she had to be older in order to get to those Trial Records. She hid under a bush near the entrance and took a little potion from her left pocket. She zipped it quickly and felt like throwing up, but after a while it was over.

She took off Harry's cloak and walked into the Library.

The librarian looked up "Oh, Minerva, isn't it a little late?" Hermione smiled at the person and thought the polijuice potion was wonderful.

She went through the files of the hearings but couldn't find much on Snape. She casted a spell to highlight where Snape was named. The only thing that called her attention was a small footnote, written down in one of the trials: "Severus Snape and Phillys Smith were former Deadeaters that worked for the Order of the Phoenix. Snape retired to teaching and abandoned his Auror position at the Ministry when the latest was murdered along with his wife, Marie Anne Matthews. There is no information on their children's wereabouts. Albus Dumbledore. August 10, 1993."

It was too much of a coincidence.

***

It was 4 a.m. when she managed to restore the Cloak to Harry's belongings. She went to the Common Room to ponder for a while. She wrote down in her journal her findings (it was enchanted, no one could read it) and then got some quills and parchment and started the letter to Romania.

***
"Good morning class!" Marie seemed in an usual good mood. She started asking the guys about unforgivable curses and the ones that are not quite unforgivable.

She asked Draco to name at least 3 curses that weren't unforgivable but as damaging as those. Draco got up and looked straight into her eyes, she looked down. "Well, there is Sectusempra, Oblivion and, the other one, the one that petrifies you and extends your pain, but I can't remember the name."

Hermione raised her hand, which was normal in any other class but Marie's. She completaly disliked her. Maggie looked at her puzzled. "Yes, Hermione?" Hermione looked at her with dismay "The Drilling Curse." Maggie nodded.

"Very good Hermione, and very good Draco. Now who can tell me the difference between Obliviate and Oblivion?" Neville answered this time, followed by Jean. Obliviate will make you forget everything about an event, oblivion will make you forget who you truly love.

"If you ask me, that's the worst curse anyone can throw upon you. Just imagine what it'd be like, forgetting who is the keeper of your heart... awful. I'd take an avada kevadra any minute." Maggie was looking at nothing and then came back to the class, looking straight into Harry's eyes.

"I know you heartbroken kids will want to get a mirror asap and casted it on yourselves, but, remember, when a mirror gets in the way, nothing but bad things can happen. You have to swear you'll never cast it on yourselves."

Harry thought that'd make things so much easier on him, but, it wasn't worth it. She didn't like him, she didn't even want to dance with him at the Ball, so, it was her loss. He had got tired of feeling sorry for himself. He whispered something to Ron and he smiled.

Ron whispered something to Dean and the chain kept going on until Maggie questioned about it. Harry got up with a defiant look and told the class they were going to win the Quidditch Cup. Maggie smiled at the comment and Draco cursed at it. He was once again the Seeker of Slytherin, and not only that, he was also the Captain.

Maggie sat down in the desk as usual. Everyone went quiet though they wanted to keep cheering for their respective houses. "Guys, sit down please. If you like, you have the rest of the class off." Everyone started gathering their papers and stuff "But only to see a game between Gryffindors and Slytherins in the Quidditch Court." She smiled naughtily.

Hermione started talking with McGonagall's tone. "But we shouldn't! This only feeds the Houses hatred." Maggie looked at her wondering if she really meant it. "Our houses already hate each other, as much as Potter and Malfoy do. Relax Granger." She started walking out giggling with Neville and Jean, and the rest followed.

***

Dumbledore took his white pill. He waited 4 and a half minutes and took his red pill. He walked towards the Pensieve and left a memory there. A memory of him in a Muggle Hospital, getting tested.

Minerva rushed in and he knew Maggie had done something, yet again. He started walking slowly next to Minerva to the Quidditch Court. "You should retire Albus, this is not good for you."

Albus looked at her through her spectacles and caressed her face slowly. "Always looking after me... Well, I have to be here, you know perfectly well why, I can't leave Harry alone with his past. He doesn't know is not over yet."

Minerva sighed. "It'll never be over Albus, that's what you don't understand." Albus nodded approvingly. "You are right I know that, but I must stay."

Dumbledore called upon the Snitch and they all knew they were getting detention. "All of you, go to the Defense Room, Professor Snape will continue with the class. Professor Matthews follow us please." Maggie looked at Harry like a wet puppy and couldn't help but feeling sorry for her. Hermione was happy.

She kept remembering the footnote, she knew something was off. Maggie looked younger and terrified of Dumbledore's rage. Maybe things weren't what she tought they were.

***

"I trust this will be the last time you suspend a class for a match that is not even estipulated. You stole that Quidditch equipment? What's next?" Dumbledore was in rage, but suddenly he started lacking air. He sat down and zipped some water.

"You should relax Uncle A, it was just a game. Guys know perfectly well what to do, besides we are ahead of schedule and I thought it'd be fun to-" Dumbledore looked at her and then Minerva.

Minerva gave Dumbledore a reproving look. "Dear, I know what we asked to do was a terrible thing, I know you want to be a student more than anything but that's impossible right now Maggie, you'll have to accept it darling. Now go to your room." Maggie's eyes were full of tears, she walked out slowly and bumped into Harry.

"What's wrong?" He looked right into her eyes and saw that same young sparkle he had seen at Diagon Alley. The potion was wearing out and she was looking younger again, though she didn't notice. She just wanted to cry. She kept walking slowly towards her room and he followed her silently. When they passed the Passage Doorway he asked her to stop. He touched the witches' nose with his wand and the passage door opened. "Get in."

Maggie was confused but walked in without hesitation. Harry asked her again what happened but she couldn't talk. She just started crying and Harry held her really tight. When she was more calmed she smiled at him and thanked him. Before she started walking away, he held her hand and they both heard a loud thunder. They looked puzzled. She felt the soft rain hitting her face and the hatred inside. And she knew it wasn't her, it was him whom had felt that.

"That. I saw that same thing when we met. It's the night when you killed Scabbers, isn't it? That's been tormenting you ever since." He looked at her and said she was right. "Harry, you shouldn't feel sorry, you saved Dumbledore. Even if you wanted him dead, you had no choice but killing him. You are not a murderer." She kissed him in his cheek. He just feel like moving his face a little bit to kiss her but contained himself.

"I wanted him dead Maggie, I enjoyed killing him. That's what's tormenting me." Maggie knew perfectly well how he felt. "I know the feeling, you're not the only one with a past. Now, go to your House, I'll go to my room, is over 6, we don't want more troubles do we?" They splitted up, but he didn't go to the Common Room, he went back to the passage way. He was sure he had stepped on something that wasn't there before.

He found the Marauder's Map there. He had to talk to Hermione seriously.

Chapter IX - Silence

"Dumbledore, you wanted to see me?" Maggie was being formal towards her uncle since she was a teacher. The room was darkened and he was taking pills, once again.

"Why are you taking muggle pills Uncle A?" Dumbledore looked at her while she sat down in front of him. Fawkes came towards her (he always did that when she was around). Dumbledore smiled at its gesture and changed the topic.

"Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy and Jean Marx from Ravenclaw will taking private lessons with you, so please, handle your schedule to be able to see all of them, agreed?"

Maggie was upset. Why Malfoy? She hated Malfoy, all the pride and contempt she could feel coming from Draco, she had felt it before, years ago. She did not want to be close from him, further more teach him.

"Do you think that's wise? He's the son of a Deadeater, wouldn't it be harmful? Look at the Sucubus the other day... I'm not-" Dumbledore looked at her with piercing eyes and she shut up.

"Why don't you like him? He is in fact the son of a former Deadeater, but Lucius has proven himself to be worthy of our trust." Maggie looked at him in shock. What was wrong with Dumbledore?

He could never be worthy of anyone's trust. Albus knew that perfectly well. "Besides Marie, he's not his father, I believe Draco can, in fact, surprise you." Maggie looked at him with disbelief. "He reminds me of your father in many ways. He bullies Gryffindors and is extremely proud of his pure blood ascendance, still I'm sure he will do the right thing when the time comes. He's learnt to be fair and though he is most of the time reckless, well" Maggie breated heavily, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She got up thinking "Whatever" and walked towards her classroom.

***

"Have you picked the topic Hermione?" Neville was the one most excited about the DADA class, which was odd, the only class he had ever felt comfortable in was Herbology. They all looked at him with disbelief. "What?"

He started walking towards the class. Behind him, Harry was walking with a hangover and Ron, next to him, trying to talk him out of drinking. "You can't keep doing this to yourself, listen to me mate." But Harry wouldn't.

When everyone was in their desks, Maggie greeted them and gave the news. "As you might know by now, 4 of you will be taking your private lessons with me. We'll be focusing in attacks and defenses, which will be the first test you'll have to pass in order to get to the Auror Career next year." Everyone stood silent.

"The ones that would like uptrainings in different areas will be either with Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall." Maggie looked at Neville who was about to have a heart attack "Don't worry Nev, you and Harry are with me." Then she looked at Jean and Draco and told them the same. Draco was furious.

"Look Malfoy, when the class is over stay for a while, I need to have a word with you." He nooded, reluctantly.

"Now, have you picked the topics?" She had written down all of them in the blackboard, and started putting a bar next to every one that got a vote. Telekinesis training and Shimmering were the most popular ones.

Only 3 people were missing. Harry told her she'd like to be trained in Telekinesis, while Hermione whispered "Psicokinesis" without even looking at her. Maggie smiled at Neville, who was the last one to answer.

He got up and cleared his throat. Draco laughed at him but stopped when Maggie threatened him with detention. "You'll be spending the next 2 weekends with me and Potter, you want one more?"

Neville smiled at her. She made him feel comfortable with himself and the way he was. He was slowly gaining confidence. "Well, Professor Matthews, I know this is not in the list, but I was wondering how you healed me the other day, and if you could teach us that." He blushed a bit but started smiling when she told everyone that was a wonderful idea.

She gathered them in groups of four and started teaching them the basics of Healing. Grounding was the primary thing "No, under any circumstance, use your own energy to heal another. That will heal the person but might leave you unconscious for all time." When she was sure they all had learnt the basics of Grounding, she taught them how to lead energy.

She got Harry's right hand and apparated a knife. It was a nice athame, silver, double bladed, with a tiny blue stone in the hand. A second after that his hand was bleeding. "Heal him Hermione" Hermione looked at her surprised "You cut him! You're not supposed to do that to students!" Maggie looked at her and breathed out.

"For being one of the two brightest witches of your generation, you are extremely cautios you know?" Maggie then healed Harry's hand in a second and cut her own left hand.

Seamus Finnigan tried to heal her and was quite good, though it left her a scar. She cut it again, Jean Marx gave it a try, then Draco (who gave her a shock, having one himself). Draco looked right into her eyes, without contempt or despise, he was frightened. But not of her, just frightened. Then it was Harry's turn.

Harry just couldn't do it, furthermore, she started bleeding heavily. That was a side effect she didn't expect. Neville then put her hand in between his, like he had seen her do in the Quidditch Court.

Her hand was perfect and she was very proud of him. "Here you go, that's was perfect Neville! 20 points to Gryffindor, you're the only one who did it the right way! You watch people, keep doing that, you can learn a lot from a person just by seeing how they react to things" she said this last part looking right into Hermione's eyes.

Hermione had to find out what was this teacher about.

The class ended until that same afternoon, for the senior students starting this year had double shifts of Defense. This was the first time Defense against the Dark Arts was Neville's favorite subject. But Harry hated it.

***

"Draco please wait" Maggie closed the door of the Class, leaving him locked inside with her. "Look, I know we started with the wrong foot." He wasn't looking at her, he was looking down, nodding.

"I like this idea of teaching you as much as you do, still, is what Dumbledore wants" He looked at her eyes and then looked away. She knew something was wrong, something was definetly wrong since he tried to heal her.

"Are you allright?" He looked at her, trying to look proud and disrespectful. "Anything else Professor?" He said that almost spitting.

"Nope, that's all. We might learn from each other you know?" Draco walked away.

What was she supposed to do? Neville was feeling proud of himself and that was great, but Harry hated her... and Draco... what was wrong with Draco?

*** ***

"As you all know by now, this is a very unusual year at Hogwarts. The Quidditch Tournament should have started weeks ago, but it hasn't. There is no specific reason for it besides the fact that the Magical World has been through some radical changes last summer and so has this school. I'm glad to see progress on the Elder Students thanks to the kind help of Professor Matthews and the rest of the staff. I can only hope that the rest of the school year will be as gratifying as this first month." Dumbledore coughed a bit, Maggie gave him a glass of water and he went on. "Allright then, the Quidditch Tournament will start this weekend, so gather your teams. And since we have many things to party upon, the first Ball of the Year will take place in two weeks. So get ready and find your partners!" Dumbledore sat down and took his pill. Maggie got him some more water and kept asking him and Minerva what was going on, but she'd get no answer.

Maggie suspected the obvious, Dumbledore was very sick, but she couldn't quite figure out why he hadn't retired. It was meant to happen one day and everyone knew Minerva would be the Headmistress. It made no sense, he needed some rest.


"So, Harry, who's going to be on the team?" Ron was one excited Keeper. Harry had completaly forgotten he was the captain of the Quidditch team. He kept staring at the teacher's table and thinking on the private lessons they were getting. He just wanted the clock to work faster so he could get to the lesson they had that afternoon.

He knew in his heart she had feelings for him as well. He could see it in her eyes, could sense it whenever she came near him. "I'm not sure Ron, you pick the team." He kept playing with his food and the Gryffindors fear they'd lose the Quidditch Cup to Slytherin...

Neville was reading some of his notes and was carrying books, one was from Salem Witches. "Oh you have that book, I've been looking all over for it!" Hermione was determined to find anything that would give her a clue about the teacher. She had sneaked into Professor McGonagall's files and searched for any sign of Marie Matthews, but hadn't found anything.

"Well, I'm sorry Hermione, I'm doing a research on the way they perform magic, you can have it when I return it after the midterms." Hermione looked at him surprised. Ron asked what was all that about. Neville cleared his throat and told them that he was going to the Auror College next year and he wanted to be aware of his full potential. Then he got his books and walked away.

"I guess you're not the only one with a crush on the teacher Harry" Ron thought it'd be fun saying something like that, but Harry didn't take it that way. "Choose the team and let me know Ron, we'll meet for pratice on wednesday." He got up and walked away.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Things were so different between them.

"I'm sending a letter to your brother." Ron agreed with her. Marie was hiding something. Hermione thought of looking for Snape's file. "The Deadeater Trials files are public, we should be able to find something in Hogsmeade Courthouse." Ron wondered how they'd get there, but then he remembered the passages and Harry's cloak. "We can't take his cloak Hermione, we just can't, maybe she's just young. Why do you always have to think the worse?"

Hermione was very upset, she knew in her heart she was right. "Fine Ronald, I'll do it alone, as usual."

***

Harry went near the Forbidden Forest, where Marie had told him to go. He saw Draco cursing her and Marie putting a wall of blue light in front of her. His first instinct was running to help her, but then she realized they were just practising. Draco looked upset about the private lesson, but not as much as Marie.

"Allright Malfoy, you did good today. Remember to practice sneaking out and the right hook. I'm sure you'll find some Gryffindor to bully." Draco smiled at that last comment. She was a mudblood for sure, still she was cute and the only teacher under 30 they ever had. He decided to do some research on her as well.

Malfoy waved at Harry and said bye, which was odd, Malfoy would never assume he existed, unless he wanted to pick up a fight. Harry thought it might had to do with his father turning to their side in the end, or maybe Draco was changing. Either way, that wasn't important. Marie was looking at him.

"So Harry, been practising?" and she just hit him off guard and sent him away. "I guess not. Always on guard Harry, always!" She came closer to him to help him up but he cursed her away. She smiled "Good, I didn't see that coming."

She got up and they kept practising, she told him they were gonna get tested soon and that the test would be a piece of cake. "The other two are nightmares, but I'm sure Neville and you will pass them. You're my best students." They started cursing each other and avoiding eye contact, but somehow after a while they were very close from one another. She was making some notes on this handbook she had over a log and he came closer to her.

He was determined to kiss her, to show her how he felt. He didn't even think about getting expelled for making a pass at a teacher or the fact she might plain reject him. He knew in his heart she liked him.

She was sitting down in the floor and he sat right next to her and started mocking her handwriting. It was kind of messy, still, all lefties are messy. He started messing with her pen and she started laughing pushing him away and he started tickling her and she just didn't feel like stopping him.... just pretending she wanted him to stop.

After two minutes like that she was laying down on the grass, he was holding her hands above her head with one hand and tickling her with another. She looked right into his eyes and his powdy little lips and just wanted to petrify that moment and make it last forever. But she couldn't, it was too risky.

They stopped laughing and he kept looking right into her eyes and her sweet lips and was getting closer from her when she said "Harry stop it." He apologised and got up, helping her up as well.

She decided to finish the class early and went away. Harry stopped her and asked her to save him a dance "Oh, Harry, that's very sweet, but I'm a teacher, I can't dance with students at the Ball." She walked out. She was clear and concise. She was a teacher and he was a student. Nothing could change that, at least nothing she could do could change that.

Harry walked to the Lake and stared at the calmness of the water, regreting ever coming back to Hogwarts for his last year.

Chapter VIII - Go Potter Go

All the students were gathered around their new teacher, who was full of surprises. "Allright guys, I'll pair you up so I can teach you a few things about standard one on one attacks, the muggle way", she said this last thing smiling towards Draco, whom was quite upset.

"So Miss, why should we learn muggle fighting? We ARE wizards, we perform Duels", Draco said this last part showing off this Wizard pride. "Yeah, well, no one will expect you to right hook someone, it gives you an edge Malfoy" and she winked at him. "Ok, you team up with Potter, I'm sure you won't have a problem practising this".

She kept on pairing them up, even Neville who was definetly stressed out. Hermione got better at the right hook thing when she started remembing that Parvati kept on talking to her Ron. Maggie even had to break them up. After a while, Neville fell over his arm and she walked towards him, pretty much everyone stopped with the hitting except for Draco and Harry.

Maggie got Neville's arm between her hands and they all saw blueish light coming back and forth from them. After a few minutes Neville's arm was feeling better than ever and they were all intrigued about how she managed to do that.

"Oh, well, my mother taught me, I'll teach you one day, is quite simple. You just have to ground and direct energy" and she realized they were all smiling at her, stunned. She realized she was teaching them something they could use and she felt powerful and wanted somewhere. Even Hermione smiled at her.

Maggie's smile didn't last long though.

"BREAK IT UP NOW!" Harry and Draco were all mixed up with mud, blood and right hooks, you couldn't tell where the Slytherin ended and the Gryffindor began. Maggie got quite upset and tried to split them up but Draco pushed her down to the mud as well. Neville rushed towards her and directed her wand towards his friend and his foe, casting a freezing spell over them. Then he helped her up.

"Thanks Neville. You two are getting detention. In 5 minutes the spell is going to wash away and you are gonna BREAK IT UP" (she said this screaming in Draco's ear) and you are gonna go with me to the Hospital Wing while all of you guys are going back to the classroom, and please, pick up the subjects you'd rather see first. Neville, please lead them back". Neville smiled and Hermione and the rest followed (the Slytherins followed reluctantly).

The spell washed away and they got up slowly. Harry had a cut above his eye but she couldn't heal him. Her energy was drained. "I can't heal you, darn" She started walking behind them while Draco started cursing slowly. "If you keep saying those things, you'll spend the rest of your weekends in detention Malfoy. You should both be ashamed of yourselves".

She walked away, still close from them. Harry needed a drink.

***

"Magdaline! Gosh! Fist fighting? In the Quidditch court? What were you thinking?" Minerva was yelling at her like mad while Maggie slided in the chair with guilt. "Minerva is right Maggie, you were supposed to teach them about fake vampires, instead you did whatever you wanted! This is Unacceptable". That did it.

"Too bad Albus. I was supposed to be a Student!! You brought me here under false pretenses and now you expect me to do as YOU say? Think again". She got up. She could feel her energy rising around her and inside of her. For a moment she was afraid of what her bad temper could do. "Look, ok, I screwed up, teaming up Harry and Malfoy was not a good idea". Albus looked at her through her spectacles. "Picking up on Malfoy is not a good idea either, his father might be coming any minute".

Maggie couldn't believe Albus was afraid of Malfoy senior, and neither could Minerva.

"Well, I'd love to meet him". Silence filled the room. "I'll try to stick to the program and I will not teach them anything "harmful" without Minerva's consent, agreed?" They shaked hands. When she was at the door, she turned around "By the way, don't EVER send Snape to help me again".

***

Maggie was on the phone with Remus telling him all about her first day as a teacher, how sweet Neville was and how Hermione suspected her. It was pretty obvious that Maggie was hiding something, and that Hermione couldn't wait to figure it out. Also, she mentioned Potter. "Harry had a cut in his face and I couldn't heal him. And then I could feel energy rising when I got upset, I dunno". Lupin cleared his throat with a little cough, the moon had just changed from full and he was still weak. "Maggie, you are as powerful as your mother if not more and remember than later this year some of your gifts will part to your brother, is only natural that things change. Besides, I think being close to Harry is doing something to you. You like him, admit it". He was laughing inside, his little girl in love with no other than Harry.

Maggie was speechless. She couldn't answer and turned red, as if Lupin was next to her. "Maggie, are you still there?". She was, and yes, she liked Potter, but she wasn't allowed to like him, at least not like this. Someone knocked at the door "Look Remus, I gotta go, someone's at the door, take care, miss ya". She hanged up before Remus could tell her "I miss you too little lady".

Harry was at the door. "Afternoon Miss, Professor McGonagall told me I should come to see you since I'll be starting the Auror Training". He was cold and she could see he was slightly drunk. "Allright, come right in". She closed the door and put the phone back on top of the fireplace.

Harry sat down in a sofa that was next to it and looked around. It seemed nothing like Hogwarts. It was a small flat, very muggle like. The only witch element he could see was a wand, in a long black box. He picked it up "I take your wand found you, even if you don't like them". She put it away and looked right into his eyes. "Look Harry, I owe you an explanation, so, here's the thing-" He made her hush and mention he was just there for the tutoring, that he didn't need nor want any explanations. He was still cold.

"Ok I guess, so... tutoring. Give me your whisky, I want you sober". He looked confused and on denial, but had to give her the little bottle eventually. "This stupid thing can kill you Harry. Come this way". She led him through a door to another little room, with a wall full of books and a lot of space. She served him a coffee, dark with no sugar. "Bottom's up". They drank coffee and then she started asking him why he wanted to be an Auror. His answer, rather reluctant, was "why not?" She asked for an honest answer, but he couldn't give her one.

He was getting sober, and the Quartz stone lighter. He knew it was her who made it lighter. She made his life a lot easier to live in. He found himself looking at her eyes thinking this things and he couldn't really know why he felt so many things towards her. He didn't really know her, he just knew she lied to him, yet, he felt there was more to it. A part of him knew what she was about and couldn't help falling for her.

They stayed talking for a few hours until dinner time, when Ron came to her doorstep, worried sick about his friend. "Yes Ron don't worry, he's here." She looked at Ron, and though she dislike him for some reason (her first impressions were always right) she couldn't help seeing Charlie Weasley in him. "You are so much like your brother Charlie, Ron" and she walked away smiling.

Hermione heard that too. She had another clue.

Chapter VII - First Class

Hermione was rather distubed after the full report on the new teacher. Both Ron and her decided to do some research and not say a word about it to Harry.

They were drifting apart. Harry was absorbed in his own thoughts, was dizzy or sleepy most of the time and just sat in the common room or wonder around, not caring much about the classes coming up, or the quidditch games or his future outside the school.

None of them could wait to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts, who wouldnt take place until that afternoon. 5 full hours of Defense. Even Draco was intrigued. He kept mentioning outloud that his dad couldn't believe what a Salem teen witch could teach his son. Still, he wondered whether she'd use a mini skirt to class.

She didn't. Every male student turned their eyes to the door when she came in. Harry's face lightened up: she was wearing his tie as a belt. She looked pretty muggle like. Jeans, normal t-shirt, glasses. He couldn't help smiling when he saw his tie over her hips, at the same time Minerva and Dumbledore wanted to kill her.

Albus was suddenly turning red.

She sat at the table, next to Minerva as usual. She had a bandage on her arm. "Attention please" Minerva's voice filled in the room. Dumbledore got up and announced a minor change in the houses' co-heads.

"We've decided the best way to decide the co-heads that will suit better for each house was by using the Sorting Hat. Last night out co-heads tried on the Hat and some changes occured. Prof. Sprout will be the co-head of Hupplepuff, while Hagrid will be the co-head of Ravenclaw, Miss Mooney Penny will be in Slytherin and Prof. Matthews will be a Gryffindor. Now, do go on with lunch". He sat back down. Snape wasnt pleased at all and it was showing, but he wouldn't say anything.

Minerva however, wouldn't shut up. "May I ask when this "sorting" took place Albus?" Marie smiled at her and she smiled back "Not that I'm not pleased of course, having little Marie with me, no offense...". Prof. Sprout smiled at her from behind her huge hat "Non taken, I thought it was quite funny seeing Hagrid wearing the hat. Though darling, when did you got sorted?".

Marie was speechless. Think something fast, anything at all she thought. "Errr, last night, really late, I was reading school reports and Dumbledore paged me and well, got a tie!!". She waved the tie in a funny way.

They were all rejoicing with the new co-heads, all but Snape and Hermione, who couldn't stop staring at her. "I can't believe she pulled that off, you see what she's doing? They are all under a curse or something!".

Harry was more than please to annoy her with the news. He whispered to his friend "Look at the bright side, you get to work with her, you'll find out if she's as bad as you think she is". He kept on smiling until the class started.

***


When they entered the classroom, it was hard to recognise it. Prof. Matthews was writing words on the blackboard, using a chock and there was no ink on the desks. Instead, normal muggle pens and a handbook for each student, with either the gold lion or the silver snake on the front. Harry sat on the front desk with Neville, and next to them Ron and Hermione.

"What is this? Muggle things? This is Hogwarts!" Those were Draco's first words directed to his new teacher. Marie turned around and took of her glasses placed them on her desk, next to the chock. "Good morning to you too Malfoy. Now, if you please, SIT". Her expression changed, they all suddenly hushed. Harry tried to look at her eyes, but she would avoid eye contact. Of course she would, she is a teacher Harry thought. Harry felt cold inside, he had the quartz stone that she gave him around his neck, it felt heavier every day, but it was warmer at different times, like when he felt like drinking.

The teacher got up and started talking, walking around. "Hi, well, as you probably know by now I'm your new professor, my name is Marie Matthews and I'll be teaching you guys pretty much everything I know". Hermione raised her hand. "One minute and I'll let you talk allright?" and she winked at Hermione, who was pretty upset by that sign of sisterhood from the new professor. Harry giggled when he saw Hermione's disgusted face. He was amused by how obsessive his best friend could get.

"Well, this class is different from what you've seen before. To start, we dont use quills, nor ink here, you are 21st century wizards and WILL have to get along with muggles, at one point or the other, so, you better get acquinted with their stuff, hence the pen and handbook".

Draco was cursing slowly "Wanna share that with the rest of us Malfoy?" Draco gave her a piercing look. In these seven years Draco hadnt learnt quite yet that he wasn't his father and that Lucius couldn't save him from his own lack of sense.

"I think this whole thing is stupid! Why do we have to learn about muggles? It's stupid, we're pure bloods, we'll work at the Ministry-" Marie cut in "But right now you're at Hogwarts, in MY class, and these are Dumbledore's orders, if you DONT like it, that's your problem. Anything else?" Draco was speechless. He'd normally get a different sort of response towards his inquiries.

"So, as I was saying, this is Defense against the dark arts & we're gonna get in touch with normal muggle things, many of you that come from muggle families or who took muggle studies are gonna know some of this things, plus I'll try to teach you to apply what you've learnt so far and what I've learnt all these years. And there's one more thing". She looked right into Hermione's eyes and then looked away.

"Some of you might not like these 2 things I'm gonna say, but here they go: First, you won't know when the practical midterms will take place and the second one is we won't be using books nor wands in this class". She turned around and went towards the blackboard. She could hear them whispering around. Finally, Hermione spoke even though she wasnt authorized.

"Excuse me, Prof. Matthews, but I think that's farfetched. We HAVE to have supporting books! And know when the tests are gonna be, it's always been like that!". She was up and Ron was trying to make her sit down and hush but couldn't accomplish it.

"You are right Miss Granger, It's been like that forever, but Hogwarts is changing. Things are not the same. Though most of the threats are gone thanks to Mr. Potter here and all of you, there is still evil out there. It is my duty to teach you to apply the knowledge you've adquired in these last 6 years. You won't be able to grab a book when a shapeshifter comes your way, you'll have to think fast. I am aware that you're capable of it and you won't have any problems regarding that". She sat down and so did Hermione.

She did read the reports allright, plus Remus had told her everything about Hermione and Ron and Neville and Harry.

"Now, about the wands, you can use them if you want to, but there're other ways to perform magick, and no wands are needed. I'm gonna teach you those things". She smiled a tender smile towards Neville, who was shaking a little bit. He had improved, figured out the auror he had within but still he needed some reinforcement.

Marie started the class. She started explaining how it was gonna be, the different topics they'll go through and how she'll surprised them with the midterms. She also told them to copy the list of topic she wrote down in the blackboard. That's when the first question came out, from a Gryffindor of course.

"Excuse me Prof Matthews"- "Sure, hun, what is it?" He looked down embarrased. "You'll see, I've never been around muggles, How exactly do we use this?" He was holding the pen upside down. Draco laughed at him, saying how dumb he was for not knowing how to use it. Marie picked it up and felt as if it was a personal insult. "Now, Malfoy, if you're so smart, why dont you explain him how to use it? Come on, get here."

Draco looked at her in rage. He wouldn't get up. "I said get up and explain Malfoy" He still wouldnt get up and was even redder than before. "Allright, 20 points from Slytherin. Hermione, would you be so kind to explain?" and she smiled at her and kept writing down some notes. "Why should I explain? You're the teacher".

Marie looked at her over her glasses, in a very Dumbledore-like way. "Allright Hermione, sit down. Seamus, would you do me the honours?" Seamus explained to the class how to use the muggle pen. Gryffindors were excited and Slytherins were in rage.

It was pretty clear for Harry that Marie had a fixation on Malfoy. She was doing to him the same thing Severus did to Neville. He felt things were getting even, though he missed her, missed the idea, the hope of knowing her. He remembered how good he felt the first time he saw her smile and how much she seemed to know him.

"So, well guys, get up, we're going out". She smiled all excited. "You can put away your wands if you'd like, we won't need them". Just a few of them save them, the rest were holding them still. She turned around "I forgot something else guys, those of you who dont feel that comfortable with their knowledge and those in auror training can ask for personal tutoring, all you gotta to do is tell your house Head or Co-Head and they'll approve". Neville felt relief.

They were coming out of the classroom. Marie looked like one more of them, Harry wanted to say something, just a word, anything at all. But words failed him.

Nobody knew where they were heading to, but they got a hint when they bumped into Severus at the stairs "Hello Marie, Dumbledore sent me to help you with the Fake Vampires" and smiled. He was more creepy smiling than just having his usual abusive attitude. "Oh, well, help me, you're ten years too late. Come on class, this way, change of plans"

Marie was upset but wouldnt show it, still, somehow, Harry knew she was. Her eyes had a shadow casted over them. Finally, he decided to talk "Excuse me professor, are you allright?" Marie smiled at him "Been better, you can call me Marie, Harry" and she kept walking.

Harry & Hermione, for different reasons started wondering what Marie had meant with "you're ten years too late". Hermione had a place to start her search. Harry was more puzzled than ever. He just needed a quick drink.

Chapter VI - Switching Sides

Albus looked upset about Maggie obviously hanging out with Harry. He got up from the Teacher's Table and approached them in the middle of the Great Hall.

With a peering look, he asked them to follow him & they left, leaving everyone worried. The Headmaster, along with the new young teacher (which was bleeding from her arm) & the world known trouble maker Potter were leaving in the middle of the Sorting Ceremony.

They arrived to Dumbledore's office and Maggie explained the situation, while falling in a chair next to Harry. She sounded like a cop reporting a crime scene: "The sucubus was around 7ft tall, Harry tried a Crutio on him though I told him not to and -" Harry cut in "Well Miss, you weren't really doing anything, I had to do something". "Well, you didn't have to get in the way, lemme remain you you passed out right after that", Harry got upset "you passed out right after me & if it wasn't for me You will be in a comma!". Dumbledore knew that wasn't gonna end up in a good way.

"Allright, Enough both of you!" They shut up and stared at him. "Marie you could use some help sometimes and Harry, not all the problems in the school always require your help. Now, please take Prof. Matthews to the Hospital Wing since she doesn't know her way around yet".

They got up silently and when they were at the door, Maggie turned around and added "Something else was there, a succubus attacks you in other planes, I shouldn't be hurt" She looked at Harry, but suddenly it didn't seemed right to tell Dumbledore about Wormtail. It could have been just a bad dream.

They walked out and Dumbledore started pressing his forehead, it hurt, it always hurt.

***

They were silent all the way to the Hospital Wing, and avoided eye contact. "Well, here we are Professor, I should be heading back to my House". Maggie smiled at him shily "I'm sorry Harry, one day I'll be able to explain. Here" she was handing over his tie, but she realized it was soaked with her blood. "I'll wash it and return it to you as soon as I can". Harry giggled, he was holding her stone in his pocket. "No need to Miss, keep it as a souvenir of the first demon you faced at Hogwarts". And he took off.

"One day I'll tell you Harry, one day"... she whispered that while walking into the Hospital Wing.

***

When she got to her assigned room, more bad surprises where ahead. A letter was there, this time written by Albus telling her she had been assigned to Slytherin as its co-head. And that meant being close from the man she hated the most in this world.

She rushed (once again) to Dumbledore's chamber. She came in without knocking. Minerva left with a bowl filled with water, but Maggie didn't notice it, she was way too upset.

"No, no and NO Uncle A, this is way too much, I can't take it. You want me to teach them, okay, whatever, I have no choice, you promised I'll take those NEWTs anyway, fine. But THIS, NO! There's NO WAY I'll be with That guy, you hear? That's final."

Albus tried to talked her into it, but she was determined. "I was meant to be sorted, I was meant to be a 7th year and you just crushed all that for me 10 days ago" she started crying slowly, but tried not to. "I'll be a Gryffindor like my mother, I refuse to join the Slytherins, even as their co-head, FIX IT" and she walked out before she'd start crying for real.

***

"They've posted the time tables, Harry, Defense won't start until tomorrow, wonder how she'll manage with those many courses." Harry didn't really cared how she'll manage really. He was sitting next to the fire (which was off, it wasn't autumn yet), staring at the ashes, zipping from a small glass and staring to his quartz stone from time to time.

"She lied, why would she lie? And why wasn't she at the Teacher's Table this morning?" Hermione told him she saw her this morning at the Heads Meeting and she wasn't pleased at all with being assigned to Slytherin. "She seemed to hate him like we do Harry, there's definetly something wrong with her".

Harry got up and gave her a peering look, the same kind of look he gave her the day before. "Ron, let's go to see Hagrid, he's gonna tell us something". And they walked out, not even looking at the Time Table or Hermione.

***

"Well mates, you cannot stay here for long, remember the rules" Hagrid was embracing rules since he started seeing the Headmistress. "Well, you are a professor, so, we are safe". Ron was definetly getting smarter. As always, Hagrid shut up afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"So, Hagrid, what do you know about Marie, I mean, Professor Matthews". Hagrid smiled at Harry's question.

"You and little Mag-rie, little Mary Matthews, I always thought you'd end up together" and then he realized he shouldn't have said that. Ron catched up "Oh, you did? But, Prof Matthews is much older than us, isn't she? And she is a teacher, Harry couldn't be with her".

Hagrid coughed "Well, no one thought you could be with Hermione and you are, so" He looked sad for not being able to talk to them "I cannot say anything, I'm sorry. She's fine, her arm is healing like a muggle, just like her mom" and he smiled just like when he remembered Lily and James.

Harry asked him if he knew her mother and wondered why she wasn't there, but then he remembered that teachers don't ussually go with their relatives. Still, students do, and Chris was a student. "Her mom was beatiful, just like her, everyone had a crush on her when she was here, hehe" and he walked up from that memory he was telling, fortunately, before saying too much.

"Now, off you go mates, please, it's almost six and Malfoy is Headboy remember". They took off and they started talking over what they just learned. Marie's mom passed away obviously, and she was once a student at Hogwarts. Ron had to tell Hermione though Harry asked him not to. "She's going to start haunting Maggie, just like she did with Sirius, please". Ron said he wouldn't, but Hermione was his girlfriend.

A lot of things were changing between the three of them, and this was one.

Chapter V - Breaking News

Harry tried for hours to find either Marie or Chris, but failed, they both vanished. He was also trying desperately to avoid Ginny, who seemed determined to get through him & talk senses into him.

Both Ron & Hermione, though sitting next to each other, were avoiding eye contact, and just nodding when Harry or Luna said anything. It was the longest trip to Hogwarts ever... and he was out of alcohol. Shame.

When they reached Hogwarts it was a cloudy day, pretty much like the mood in all of the friends, and also the foregneirs, who spent most of the trip in Minerva's compartment, where no other students had access to, not even Head Girl Granger.

When the train finally stopped a soft drift was falling, pretty much like the one Maggie kept on feeling in her face when she saw things, it was odd & only helped her to be sadder. She waited until all of the students headed to the coaches & boats & then came out of the train. She drank a potion from a little bottle Minerva left for her before leaving the compartment. It tasted like rancid chocolate cake but she had to take it. It was the only way to finally be at Hogwarts. She walked out, sobbing slowly & got into Hagrid's coach.

"Good lord, you look more and more like your mother" it's amazing how love can get grammar into a man... "Thank you Hagrid, I see you're still with that principal" and she giggled among her sobbings. Hagrid was sad for her "It's called Headmaster here... I'm sorry about all this Maggi- I mean Marie, this is not fair for you". That was also odd, Hagrid would never question Dumbeldore's decisions, but I guess things were changing at Hogwarts.

***

"Harry, what's wrong with you?" Harry simply stared at Hermione for 5 minutes and then walked away. She knew she got into the compartment at the worst time. Harry took his quartz stone & held it very tight in his pocket, made him feel a little bit better.

He almost drops it to the floor when Chris bumped into him, chasing for Ginny "Oh, sorry dude", Harry looked astonished. "Hey, mate, wait, where is your sister?" Chris looked puzzled and upset. He didn't want Potter around her "If I know my sister, she's chasing a dragon or a demon, see ya dudes". Ron and Hermione looked at each other and Harry kept on walking further and further away from them.

"Oh, they are full of -" Hermione looked worried "No student can go around looking for demons, come on". And then it hit him, the same thing that hit Hermione "She might not be a student Ron".

Unfortunately, Harry wasn't thinking that.

***

The Great Hall looked gloomy also. All students sat down in their respective tables, except for the First Years & Chris, who stood by them. The four friends were quiet, though it was normal in Luna being like that.

Hermione was intrigued about the extra chair between Prof. Dumbledore & Prof. McGonagall, odd enough considering she is co-Headmistress with Dumbledore & has always sat beside him. This was only another confirmation that there was more to Marie Matthews than what she had said.

Harry was afraid of thinking what his friends knew already. She didn't come up with his brother and the first years for the sorting ceremony & Dumbledore said nothing. That was quite unusual. He seemed to be waiting for someone.
After a few minutes, Hagrid came through the door and behind him Marie, who oddly enough, looked older than that same morning. She was wearing a black cloak, had her hair tight up. Her face looked all red, as if she was crying during the whole trip. She nodded at the Gryffindor table and smiled shily at Harry, looking away soon enough. She walked right beside her brother and gave him a broad smile, then went right ahead to the teacher's table, took of her cloak & walked away, behind the Slytherin's table. Harry slipped through his own table & no one paid attention to him with all the noise from the Sorting.

Only other person was starting at Marie in the same way he was: Severus Snape.

***

"Your attention please" Dumbledore got up & waved his hands, closing the door right behind Harry. "Allright then, the person that just walked out of the room is Prof. Marie Matthews, your new defense against the dark arts teacher. Also, she'll be in chage of taking the NEWTs, along with Prof. McGonagall, Prof Snape & myself this year." A silent filled up the room & both Ron & Hermione realized Harry had taken off behind Marie.

"Also, the security measures are stronger than ever. No student is allowed in the Forbidden Forest, nor in the surroundings of schools after 6 pm withouth professor's supervision" Dumbledore coughed a bit and zipped some water Minerva gave him. "Excuse me, also, each house will have a co-head. Now, without further ado, let the feast begin!". Hermione got up quite upset & asked out loud why wasn't she informed about these measures (being a Head Girl she should have). "Head Girl & Head Boy & all Prefects will be informed about these measures later today". He went back and took his seat.

***

"So, you're a teacher. Why all the lying?" Maggie stood still and turned around. She did looked older, she was in her 20s for sure... Why hadn't he noticed it before. "So, you lied to me just for kicks? Was it fun?"
She looked guilty and worried. "Harry, please go back, there's a Sucubus on the loose and I need to get to it" Harry wasn't moving anywhere. "You don't get it Harry, this thing is dangerous and I cannot risk you, please go back", this last part was almost a whisper. Her eyes were red of having cried, but he was too upset to notice them.

"So, the teacher can't spare me. I want an answer.. Professor. And I want it now" She couldn't explain now. A sucubus was reported inside the school perimeter and she needed to get to it before that thing got to them. She came closer from him and spread her right hand close from his chest "I'm really sorry about this Harry, but is for your own good". Blue light came out right from the middle of her hand & hit him, knocking him unconscious. She grabbed him in the air and carefully laid him down there, leading some energy towards him so he'd be protected.
She started walking away, but she knew that was wrong. She knew (or thought she did) why she was there as a teacher. Allright, she thought. And walked closer from him, sitting at his side. "Allright Potter, I didn't hit you that hard" she was caressing his face slowly and he walked up with a startle, pointing his wand towards her. "YOU ATTACKED ME, You are out of your mind! I'm turning you in right now" She tried to explain what she had to do and why he needed to go back to the Great Hall, but he wouldn't listen. He tried to curse her, but she derived the curse. He was pointing the wand again towards her when they heard footsteps... big footsteps.

Harry grabbed her from the arm and tried to take her away, forgetting that he had tried to curse her two minutes ago. "Harry, what are you doing? That thing is heading directly towards the Great Hall, the whole point is to keep it away from it!" Harry stared at this big muddy-like creature, over 7 ft tall, that smelt pretty bad. "CRUTIO!" but the curse did nothing to the creature, it only started smelling worse. "Oh no, Harry, Harry listen to me, he just threw a lot of, fero-something, LISTEN Harry, fight it, you're gonna fall asleep otherwise and that thing will gain control, Harry, oh no, Harry!" but Harry had passed out, once again.

Maggie thought of cursing the creature the right way, like Remus had taught her, but that could leave Harry in a permanent comma. She laid next to Harry "Allright, let's see if this works, Harry, you have to let me in your dream please? I'm really sorry I had to lie, I had no choice, please" and she started feeling sleepy herself. She just hoped she got into his dream instead of her own.

***

"Arrrrghh!!" She woked up with a startle, but she wasn't in reality. An awful dementor was holding her restrained hurting her arm in the process. Through the cloudy midst she could see Harry's figure, talking cheerfully with someone else. "Harry, don't buy it, is a dream, is not even your dream!".

Harry looked at her for a second and then went back looking to what was in front of him. "Oh, Harry, is so great to see you son", Lily Potter held him tight and he felt happy, though he kept on hearing Maggie's plead for help.

"Mom, I've missed you so much". He was feeling lonely and dissapointed. "Harry, please, this is a D R E A M! Your mother is dead, she's been dead for years, please help me! Argh!" her arm started bleeding heavily. Harry looked at her worried and tried to go towards her, but his mother wouldn't let go of him. When he looked back at her, her face had shifted and was no other than Wormtail's. He was finally able to let go and come close from Mags.

He was holding his wand up and casted a patronus to release her from the dementor. He didn't really know whether that was going to work or not, but it was worth the shot. Still, lily/wormtail figure was still around and getting closer from them. Mags arm kept bleeding. "Now what do I do?" he was afraid of Wormtail's ghost back in his life.

"I dunno Harry, this is your dream, you choose, the sucubus is merely a guest like me, your call". Harry then closed his eyes and the fog got ticker, causing Wormtail's figure to vanish in ashes. The chains in Maggie's arms dissapeared as well.
"Thank you for that Harry" and she smiled. "We have to leave now, this is no safe place", she looked worried and in pain. Her arm kept on bleeding bad.

Harry was back to be upset "Allright then, show me the way out and I'll be happy to leave", he then thought how bizarre it all was. "Well, is not bizarre if you think of it Harry, i mean, you miss your mother and you're terrified of that short guy there, is pretty obvious that they're gonna be in your dreams". Harry looked at her puzzled and with contempt, and she was sounding more and more like Hermione.

"So, Miss, You can read my mind now?" she smiled naughtily "Wish I could... Nope, I can't, but this is Your dream inside Your head, you let both the sucubus and me in" then she added, looking at his wand, "im not the sucubus Harry, i'm bleeding okay? when you passed out I passed out right after you, and if you wouldnt had let me in, I couldnt have got in. I guess a part of you is determined to trust me." And she smiled again, knowing she was right.

"Well, after all, you are the one bleeding so, I'll just have to wake up then, cheers" and he closed his eyes, forcing himself to wake up, when she stopped him. If Harry woke up without helping her out of his head, she'd be the one in a permanent comma.

"Can't you just blink us out of here like you did on the train?" He was getting frustrated, and so was she "Nope, sorry, it only works in the earth plane... but... wait... you can blink us out of here!" He looked puzzled. "Look" she sat down and he sat beside her. "The only way for me to get outta here is if you get me out. So, you just need to give it a shot, believe that you can blink us out of here." he had a puppy look on his face now. "Harry, please, after all is just a dream, give it a shot... I mean, you can do anything in a dream, can't you?"

Harry got up and held her hand while she was getting up. "Unfortunately I can't Marie". He slipped his arm around her waist, like in the train, looked straight into her eyes and took them out of there.

***

Harry woke up with a startle and saw her head over his chest. Her long black hair smelt so good. Slowly she got up as well. They heard Professor Snape coming towards them screaming "Finito Incantatio" and the sucubus (who had shapedshifted into a huge grey tiger) smashed in a million pieces, leaving them filled with a mud like substance all around them.

They got up and Harry realized Maggie was still bleeding. Snape also looked worried. "I should have imagined, Potter got in your way, didn't he? Are you allright? You need to see that cut checked, I'll take you to the hospital wing". Harry finally found someone who obviously hated Snape more than himself.

"Potter helped me, we didn't need you here and I dont need any doctor. I gotta talk to Albus. And you better get out of my face Snape" Maggie looked at Harry and asked him to go with her "Sure miss". He tried not to laugh in his face.

That was the first time Snape looked worried about someone and the first time he noticed anyone despising him as much as they did. They didn't talk until the Great Hall's door. Her arm was still bleeding and she looked messed up. "You should get that checked Marie, here" he took off his tie and bandaged her arm with it. She looked grateful though she refused to go to the Hospital Wing. She closed her eyes, and though in pain said some words in sanscrit while holding his arm. Amazingly enough, their clothes were cleaned. "That's a trick my mom used to do all the time" and she walked into the Great Hall for the second time that night.

He followed her in, thinking she was one scary witch.