Changing Everything

A Black's First Lesson

4 February, 2006.

DADA Classroom, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain.

"Welcome to your first Defence Against the Dark Arts class with me. My name is Carina Black, as you all probably already knew, and I look forward to working with you all. The first thing we need to establish are some rules." This was how Carina started her first class of the day, and of her career, which happened to be the fifth year Gryffindors/Slytherins. The students were all looking at her with a mix of awe, surprise, and respect as she wordlessly and wandlessly made books float to their desks and papers arranged themselves on the teacher's desk.

"First of all, no fighting between houses, I'm saying this especially in this class because I know how serious the Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry can get, even if I never understood it, being a Ravenclaw and all." She stopped for a minute, knowing that that would elicit questions. And sure enough, a Gryffindor raised her hand to ask, "I thought all Blacks were Slytherins?"

"Well, Miss...?" "Brown, Lavender Brown" "Well, Miss Brown, that is a common misconception. While yes, most Blacks have coincidently been Slytherins, a lot of Blacks were also Ravenclaws. In fact, the first Black to attend Hogwarts was a Ravenclaw. Also, my younger brother was a Gryffindor. So, it it's not necessary for all members of my family to be Slytherins." At the students' looks of understanding, she continued. "Secondly, if you have any questions, even if they aren't about DADA, you can ask me any time, I'd like to have a good relationship with my students, as I said in the great hall yesterday. But if it's a question unrelated to the class, please wait till the end of the class. And lastly, have fun! DADA is meant to help you protect yourself from anything you may face, it doesn't have to be boring or just for studying, you will use this stuff when you graduate. With that in mind, let's start with the first lesson. Who knows what the Patronus Charm is?"

A few students raised their hands, most of the slytherins, Harry, Hermione, and surprising to the students in attendance, Neville Longbottom. "Yes, Mr Longbottom?"

"The Patronus Charm is a spell conjured by thinking of good memories and solidifying them into an animal or creature that represents the caster, it is used to dispel Dementors."

"That is correct Mr Longbottom. Five points to Gryffindor. As Mr Longbottom said, the Patronus Charm is used to dispel and protect one's self from the effect of dementors. The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'. The tricky part is how to cast it. You need to think of your happiest memory to be able to expel the negativity that dementors usually use against you. There are two types of Patronuses, an incorporeal Patronus, a Patronus with no shape and that is usually very week, and a corporeal Patronus, a Patronus that takes the shape of an animal or creature that best represents you, or an aspect of your personality, which is commonly known as a guardian. Today, you will be learning how to cast a Patronus. One by one, each of you will come up and try to cast the Patronus, now I know some of you already know how but this will be a practice for you, and a lesson for those who don't know."

She first started explaining the origin of the charm, and how it's cast, which took about thirty minutes, with the students writing notes along. Then they all stood up and Carina wandlessly moved all the desks to the side.

"Alright, then. Now that we've got the boring theory out of the way, let's get to the good part. The implementation. First, I'm going to show you how to correctly cast a Patronus, then you'll stand in a line and try one by one to cast it." At their nods, she took out her wand from its holdster on her wrist and pointed it at the space in front of her. "Expecto Patronum" she said and a bright blue light came out of her wand before it took the shape of a Morrigan bird, the creature associated with war and fate, her marauder name. It took a lap around the classroom before landing on her shoulder, when it sensed nothing amiss, it disappeared in blue mist.
The class was stunned by what they had seen and sped to stand in a line to try it out.

They spent the rest of the class trying to successfully achieve a corporeal a Patronus, some, like Harry, Hermione, Ron and, surprisingly, Draco Malfoy, were already able to create one. Others, like Blaise Zabini, Neville and Theodore Nott were able to create incorporeal patronuses and spent the class trying to achieve a corporeal one. The rest were beginners that started from the beginning. By the end of the class, some of them had acheived a corporeal, while most had only acheived an incorporeal patronus.

"Alright, everyone. That's it for today, we'll continue in the next class. Congratulations to those that were able to achieve a corporeal Patronus. Any questions before you need to leave for your next class?" Carina said, clapping her hand to get their attention.

"What do you think about the war, Professor?" Dean Thomas asked in curiousity, getting everyone's attention.
"Well, I do think we should stay vigilant and prepare for the worst, but I'm sure everyone will make sure that you students don't get involved, or at least we'll try our best." She said calmly and expertly.

"Yeah, but do you think another war will start, like last time?" Seamus Finnegan asked bluntly, not known for his tact.

"That isn't a question I can answer with certainty. I don't want another war, I was in the middle of it last time and it was one of the worst times of my life. We were surrounded by betrayal and dishonesty, you didn't know who to trust or who was lying to your face. It was a time where even siblings turned against each other, and no one was right in the end. While I would never want you to live in a time like that, I can't say it isn't possible. All you can do is prepare for the worst and not take things for granted." That was as good an answer as she could give them, and fortunately for her, the bell rang signalling the end of the class. " Well, everyone. I'll see you next class. Of you go "

They all left in groups, discussing the class and their new teacher, no one noticed the group of unlikely allies that were talking quietly to each other about the class.

"Never knew you could cast a corporeal Patronus Malfoy." Harry said to the blonde that was walking next to him.

"I had aunt Bella teach me in the last Christmas break. I thought it would help. Let me guess, Professor Lupin taught you Potter?" Draco answered in the same tone, they didn't want 5o show their friendship to outsiders, but still wanted to talk.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Pretty obvious, to be honest."

"But I have to say," Hermione said, attracting their attention "Carina is a better teacher than Remus. It showed from just one class, but she has this kind of aura to her that has students unintentionally listen to her."

"I have to agree on that. I talked to aunt Carina a bit during the break and she was very patient with me. It's like she just naturally takes a teaching role when she's around those younger that her." Draco said quietly, peeking their interest.

"You're right. But you do realise that she's not gonna let our obvious lack of basic knowledge slide right?" Ronald said, getting nods in return.

"I wish the old man good luck. He's gonna need it." They laughed at Draco's off hand comment, continuing their way to potions, in a calmer state than they were before the Christmas break. The presence of Carina Black gave them a sense of safety that they hadn't felt in the castle in a while.

-

A Potter Household, Unknown Location.

"She's in Hogwarts." James Potter said to those gathered, getting their attention.

"How'd you know, Jamie?" Marlene McKinnon asked her childhood friend.

"She speaks to Her heirs. The castle has been telling me updates since we woke up. This is just the latest one."

"Yeah, but who's in Hogwarts, Lucille or Carina?" Fabian Prewett asked, even though the answer was obvious.

"Both." Regulus Black was the one to answer, smiling in obvious happiness and malicious delight.

"Oh. It's gonna be real interesting. The old man won't know what hit him, and by the time we get out of here, he'll have no choice but to surrender." Rosalie Lestrange-Potter said, laughing at the irony.

The rest followed suit, imaging Dumbledore's face when all his plans crumble in his face.

-

Miles away, in Hogwarts school, the headmaster sneezed suddenly, as he was looking over his plans. He was blissfully unaware of the fact that in a few months, everything he had worked hard to build would crumble in front of his eyes, and he won't be able to do anything to stop the wrath of the Order of the Black Wolf.