Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 63 - The New Potions Master

We quickly changed into our robes and made our way to the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast. There was a warm glow coming from the hundreds of candles floating in the air above the four long tables. Students were laughing and talking loudly but Ron, Hermione and I were silent as we crossed the room and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Where is he?" Hermione asked anxiously.

Ron simply shrugged. We barely paid attention as the sorting hat sang his new song before the first-years were sorted into their houses. There was still no sign of Harry as we ate dessert, which made me even more nervous.

"Will—you—stop—eating!" Hermione said whilst hitting Ron with her book. "Your best friend is missing!"

"Oi! turn around, you lunatic," he said, making us both whirl around to see Harry rushing toward us, his face covered in blood as he held a tissue to his nose. "Blimey, what've you done to your face?"

"Why, what's wrong with it?" Harry said making me shake my head.

"You're covered in blood!" Hermione said. "Here, Tergeo!" She waved her wand, siphoning off the dried blood from his face.

"Thanks," Harry said. "How's my nose looking?"

"Fine?" Hermione said anxiously. "Why, what happened?"

"I'll tell you later," he said as he noticed the people around us listening in.

The talk and laughter died down almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet.

"What happened to his hand?" Hermione asked as we caught a glimpse of the Professor's blackened hand.

"To our new students, welcome; to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you..."

"His hand was like that when I saw him over the summer," Harry told us. "I thought he'd have cured it by now thought... or Madam Pomfrey would've done."

"There are some injuries you can't cure," I said. "And there are poisons without antidotes."

"... and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Dumbledore continued. "We are also pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn," Slughorn stood up, his round belly hitting the table as he did so, "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

"Potions?" We all said at the same time.

"But that means—"

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," Dumbledore said, "will be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

A loud round of applause suddenly erupted from the Slytherin table.

"But, Harry, you said that Slughorn was going to be teaching DADA!" Hermione said.

"I thought he was!" Harry said. "Well, there's one good thing: Snape'll be gone by the end of the year."

"What d'you mean?" Ron asked.

"That job's jinxed. No one's lasted more than a year and Quirrell actually died doing it. Personally, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for another death..."

"Harry!" I said, making him look at me in surprise. He simply stared at me without saying a word. Thankfully, Dumbledore cleared his throat so we all turned our attention back to him.

"Now, as everybody knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength," he said, everyone completely silent. "I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them— in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything suspicious to report it to a member of staff immediately."