New Beginnings

Chapter 35

Barty arrived at Hogwarts the next day and even though Aurora refused to have him hired without any credentials, he informally became the school wide tutor anyway. There wasn't much she could do about that considering that the Malfoys offered to pay for all his expenses, (which wasn't needed) but meant that he wasn't technically hired or being payed by Hogwarts so Aurora wasn't his boss.

Of course she did mention that if he turned out to be like Lockhart or Quirrel, or even Umbridge, she'd do a lot worse than fire him. No matter how many years he'd spent around people like Bellatrix, Barty knew for a fact she'd be worse than any of them and he'd watched Bellatrix test someone apart.

By the weekend, Barty was officially teaching under a false name - Barty Parker - and was already looking to be a favourite of the students. Especially with his glamoured cerulean eyes and black hair. It's been decided that he keep his first name, that way Severus, Harry and Draco clumsy accidentally let slip who Barty was.

Nevertheless Harry was less than excited when Barty decided to have their tutor sessions ever Thursday in the Defense classroom. He was a bundle of nerves as he trekked up to the empty room and almost turned away, because he wanted to spend time with his mum, just not when Harry had to act like they were practical strangers.

"Barty?" Harry found the room deserted but didn't trust Barty to not stage a surprise attack to see if he was prepared for any circumstance. 

Though the man had been pretending to be Moody, they were both too paranoid for their own good sometimes.

He let his wand slip out an arm holster, not raising it but with a spell ready anyways. Harry scanned the surroundings, not picking up in anything suspicious or out of the ordinary but he's never trusted either, not when he knew of people like the Dursleys who went out of their way to be ordinary when they were anything but.

Thankfully Barty was just late and wasn't testing him, although he did look impressed. Harry tried to ignore the glittery feeling it gave him, knowing he'd impressed his mum.

"I was thinking for today, we should figure out where you are." Barty sat on his desk, motioning for Harry to do the same opposite. "Its all well and good throwing you into training, which I can do if you want, but considering your teachers.... "

Harry nodded as Barty trailed off, "I know the unforgiveables."

There was a pause before Barty rolled his eyes and Harry snorted, both still unsure of how to act around the other for entirely different reasons. Harry still remembered crashing into Barty's desk vividly.

"What about basic dueling spells?"

"I think I know most." Harry honestly wasn't sure if the minor spells he'd been using in lessons for weeks counted, but he supposed a tickling hex could be seen as a distraction.

"Can you do them non-verbally?" 

Harry sighed, already prepared for two hours of non stop training that Barty would only end once he could do all of them non-verbally and maybe also wandlessly, given Harry's exceptional talent.

 
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"Sev?" Draco started, hoping that his godfather would have some useful advice. After all he had a husband and kid so he must've done something right. "How would one go about saying I love you?"