Death at Hogwarts: The Next Generation

Chapter Four

I stood, staring at myself in the mirror, fidgeting nervously. Today was the first real day I would take charge as Professor Dean Lovegood. All the teachers had agreed to send me classwork from all my lessons. Where Hermione, Neville and Horace Slughorn were concerned, they had offered me private lessons with them. Other than that, I was on my own.

Straightening my robes, I made my way to my first lesson; teaching Shaun's class on History of Magic. He had no idea I was to be his teacher - none of the kids did. I hadn't told them. They'd certainly be surprised, at least.

I walked into the classroom, placing a beaming smile on my face.

Avery Strode stared at the egg, unmoving. He'd been there since the egg had caught his eye, unmoving for hours now. Finally, his hands twitched, he moved, reaching for the egg.

"Dean?!"

"Hello Shaun. Hello everyone. I am Professor Lovegood. I'll be teaching you all on History of Magic this term."

"Why?" Shaun asked.

"Because I happen to have some knowledge of magical history."

"Well duh, Dean, you did -"

Once again, Shaun caught himself just in time.

I smiled to myself and began the lesson, using magic to change my voice and look to show them how history really would have happened.

"And with a blood thirsty roar!" I shouted, leaping forward with a sword, causing blood from an unseen enemy to fly all over the room. "he severed his enemy's head. . .and won the battle."

The class erupted into cheers, grinning. Each student had written pages and pages of notes on my retelling of two wizards, who had once fought using magical swords, rather than wands.

"Alright guys, time's up for today."

There was a chorus of groans.

"I want ten inches of parchment on today's battle, but I want it in two parts - one part on how you think they would have lived, what they would have worn, etcetera, and the other half on giving me a good essay on the details of the battle, why it happened, what happened during, you get the idea. The student who gives me the best essay will win a prize of my choosing. Off you go."

The class got up and left, save Shaun, who walked over, grinning from ear to ear.

"That was amazing!" he said in a low voice. "I didn't know you'd seen so much!"

"I was Death, Shaun. I saw everything there was. I lived everything there was. Pretty soon, I think everyone is going to find out who I am. I just hope it doesn't freak them all out too much. Now, go on, shoo. I need to prepare for Jase and James' lesson next."

Shaun left, beaming happily.

The egg wobbled once more, and Avery's hands twitched once more, an unseen voice silently communicating with him. His eyes never wavered from the egg.

I finished preparing for the next lesson, just as James and Jase walked in and stopped dead upon seeing me.

"What are you doing here? You're not in our year." James said.

I said nothing until the rest of their class came in.

"Come on, sit down. Class will be starting soon."

"Not until you tell us what you're doing here." James said, not budging.

"I'm your teacher, now shut up and sit down."

"What? No way! I'm not taking orders from you!"

"James Potter. You will sit down this instant, or I will take points from Gryffindor - or would you rather I wrote to your parents?"

He glowered at me and sat down.

"Now, today, class, we will be learning about -"

James yawned loudly.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you, James?" I said.

"A little. History of Magic is boring."

Quick as a flash, I was a huge, muscular, bushy haired warrior wizard with a glowing staff and a sword, roaring in his face, brandishing both weapons, sparks flying from the staff.

"Exciting enough for you now, boy?!" I roared. He yelped and leapt from his seat.

I chuckled and turned back.

"Tha - that was. . ." James gasped.

"Sorry," I said, concerned I'd scared the boy too much.

"That was awesome!" he yelled, grinning. I shook my head and got on with the lesson.

". . .and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we never anger a Grindylow with a sword."

Laughter rang through the class as everyone got up to leave.

"Okay everyone, homework is a five inch essay on why you should always keep your sword hand free."

Everyone left, except for Jase and James who bounded up to me.

"That was awesome!" Jase said, grinning.

"Totally!" James agreed.

 "I'm glad you enjoyed it," I smiled. "Now you two had better be going to your next lesson, I'll see you next class."

They left, and I finished gathering my things together, then left for the staff room for a nice cup of tea and a chat with Hermione.

When I arrived, she was sat, going over some of the homework she'd set her class.

 "Oh, hi Dean." she said as I walked in.

"Busy?" I sat down by her and nodded to a cup, which filled itself with tea from a nearby teapot, then floated over to me.

"Yes, I can't think why I set so much homework." she replied, looking harrassed.

"You're trying to be too much like Minerva," I said. "Don't. You're you. Set as much homework as you think is needed and -"

"But I did," she said, looking up in surprise. "They didn't seem to be learning anything, so I set them homework."

"They're first years, Hermione. First years. They won't be able to take it all in right away, you know.

"Oh. . .I hadn't thought of it like that."

"You, not thinking?" I said in surprise. "What's the world coming to?"

She glared at me and nudged me, telling me to shut up, then turning her attention back to the pile of homework in front of her.

I got up and left quietly with my tea, leaving her to it. So much for a nice chat.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp tug, this one was the strongest I'd felt since Voldemort had died. Someone hd died, and it was something big. Tapping into my power for the first time in nearly twenty years, I was horrified to discover that the death had come from the Department of Mysteries. Avery Strode was dead. . .and something in there had killed him. It didn't take a genius to work out that the egg was somehow responsible.

As if to confirm this, Death appeared, startling me. I dropped my cup, which smashed onto the floor, spilling tea everywhere.

"Sorry." he said.

"That egg." was all I could say.

"Yes." he agreed gravely.

"But we can't go fetch his soul if he's near the egg!"

"You know we must. If the egg hatches whilst we are there, then it must be in the Grand Order of all things."

I sighed and began walking with him.

A large crack appeared on the egg as Avery Strode's blood touched the pedestal upon which it stood.