Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm just borrowing it for a bit of nonsense.
No More Mysteries
by: MayorHaggar
Chapter 7: Getting Defensive
The instant that Harry and Hermione returned to The Burrow via the fireplace, Ron was right there to greet them. He looked back and forth between both of his friends, trying to gauge how their meeting went. They both looked exhausted, as if their talk with Dumbledore had taken a lot out of them. And yet, they didn't look altogether unhappy.
"Well?" Ron demanded, deciding to get straight to the point. They'd made him a promise, after all.
"I know, I know," Harry said, understanding that Ron wanted answers. "We're going to do what we promised. Let's go up to your room, yeah?"
Ron nodded in agreement and headed straight for the stairs. Harry and Hermione followed close behind him, ignoring the curious looks of the other inhabitants of The Burrow. Perhaps they'd give the others at least partial answers some other time, but right now, they had a promise to keep.
The trio walked in silence, and as soon as Hermione stepped into Ron's room and closed the door behind her, Ron pounced on them.
"So, what was all this about? Why did you make sure Hermione came with you?"
"Like you said before, Ron, Harry and I were "up to something" over the summer," Hermione said. "Before the end of last term, Harry said some things that caught my attention, so we spent most of the summer communicating with each other."
"Communicating? How? You didn't see each other until Harry came here yesterday," Ron pointed out, confused.
"We did it through the muggle post," Harry answered. "We didn't want anyone from the wizarding world to know about it, and we figured that would be a pretty good way to do it."
"I guess," Ron said, "but why not use those fellytone things? Wouldn't that have been faster?"
"Yes, telephones would have been faster," Hermione agreed, "but there were reasons we decided against using them. For one, Harry's aunt and uncle put up enough of a stink about us sending letters back and forth. Convincing them to let us use their phone would've been rather difficult. And aside from that, we thought there would be a greater chance of someone from the Order figuring out what we were up to if we used the phone, which could easily be overheard."
Ron nodded; he didn't know much about muggle things, but Hermione's explanation seemed to make sense. But wait...
"The Order? You didn't want the Order to know what you were talking about? But the Order are the good guys! Why would you want to keep secrets from them?" Ron asked, shocked.
Harry and Hermione shared a look, knowing that it was time to fill their other best friend in. Seeing that Harry seemed a bit tongue-tied, Hermione went first.
"It all started when Harry came to visit me in the hospital wing," she began...
--NMM--
Untold minutes later, they'd finished the tale of their summer. Ron had asked the occasional question and raised the occasional objection, but had remained silent for the most part. As his two best friends went through all of their points one by one, Ron's world changed bit by bit. His whole life, he'd been told how great Albus Dumbledore was. He'd revered the man, just like practically everyone else in the wizarding world did. But, with every mistake or poor decision that Harry and Hermione brought up, Ron's reverence of the Headmaster was diminished. By the time they got to the prophecy, and how Dumbledore had hidden its contents from Harry for all those years, Ron's opinion of the vaunted wizard had changed drastically. He now saw him in much the same light as Harry and Hermione did: a very powerful and cunning wizard who was sometimes too clever for his own good, and put absolute faith in his own judgement without bothering to consult anyone else.
"Do you understand now, Ron?" Hermione asked, after all three members of the trio had been quiet for several moments. "Do you see why we did this in secret?"
"Yeah, I do," Ron said. "You had to work out your feelings about Dumbledore without him knowing, and once you did that, you had to figure out what you were going to do. But I wish you would've told me."
"I wish we could have," Harry said earnestly, "but it would've been hard. For one thing, talking with you over the summer without Dumbledore or anybody else knowing would've been tough to do, since we wouldn't have been able to rely on any muggle means of communication. And besides, we weren't sure how you'd react to all of this. I mean, it was easier for me and Hermione to accept this, because we've only been hearing about how great Dumbledore is for the last five years or so. You've been hearing it all your life. We just didn't know if you'd be able to listen to what we were saying."
Ron nodded, showing he understood. "I get it, Harry. You couldn't risk talking to me until you'd confronted Dumbledore. And you're right; this was a bloody big surprise. I mean, he's Dumbledore! He's supposed to have all the answers, yeah? But I'm with you guys. Dumbledore's a great wizard, but he's cocked a lot of things up lately." Hermione scolded Ron for his language, but Harry just chuckled.
"He sure has," Harry said, nodding, "which is why we had to do what we did."
"Speaking of which, how did that go?" Ron asked. "I'm guessing you didn't wind up actually dropping out of Hogwarts, because you would've mentioned that first thing. So Dumbledore agreed to make some changes, then?"
"Well...not at first, no," Harry began. "There was a little bit there where I thought we really would be leaving, right after he said he was gonna give Snape the Defence job."
"Wait-what? Snape's going to teach Defence?" Ron interrupted hotly. "Are you bloody joking?"
"Yes, it was a terrible idea, wasn't it?" Hermione murmured. "Fortunately, Dumbledore backed down once he realised there was no way Harry would return to Hogwarts if Snape was given the job."
"Good. I don't think I coulda handled that greaseball teaching Defence," Ron said, relieved. "So if Snape isn't gonna get the job, who is?"
"We don't know," Harry said, shrugging. "Dumbledore was all set on Snape, so he didn't really have anybody else in mind yet. Guess we'll find out soon, though."
"Well, whoever it is, they can't be any worse than Snape. Or Umbridge, even," Ron mused. "How'd the rest of it go? Is Dumbledore going to stop hiding things from you, Harry? Is he going to help you get ready to fight You-Know-Who?"
"He says he will," Harry said, "but we'll see. I'm not going to just forget all the things he's hidden from me over the years, or the mistakes he's made. I'm not going to trust his word just like that."
"That's probably a good idea," Ron agreed. "We'll need to pay attention, and make sure he's doing what he promised. Still, he did agree to tell you things, and help you train?" he repeated. At Harry's nod, he continued. "Well that's good, at least. With Dumbledore helping you, you'll be able to take You-Know-Who down no problem."
Ron noticed that Harry looked rather uncomfortable, and looked at him curiously. "Something wrong, Harry?"
"You didn't really react to the prophecy earlier," Harry said quietly.
"I was still trying to accept what you two were telling me about Dumbledore," Ron said, shrugging. "It's not like it was a big surprise, anyway. Who else would stop You-Know-Who? I mean, of course it's going to be you. It's always been up to you, even back in our first year with the Philosopher's Stone. I didn't need some prophecy to tell me that you would be the one to beat him."
Ron didn't understand why Harry felt uncomfortable about this, but it was obvious that his explanation hadn't made much of a difference. Harry looked down at Ron's bed, avoiding eye contact with both he and Hermione. Ron looked to Hermione for an explanation. She seemed to have a better idea about what was bothering Harry, but the look she gave Ron told him that he would not be getting any answers from her.
Fortunately, he wouldn't have to.
"This doesn't...change anything?" Harry asked, still keeping his eyes locked on the bedspread.
"What do you mean, Harry? Why would this change anything?" Ron asked, gawking at Harry like he'd sprouted a second head.
"Knowing what I'm going to have to do, knowing I'm either going to be murdered or become a murderer myself...it doesn't scare you off? It doesn't make you want to get the hell away from me?"
Ron stared at Harry, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He glanced quickly at Hermione, but her glistening brown eyes were locked solely on Harry. She reached out and clasped his hand, offering whatever comfort she could. Realising he hadn't answered Harry, Ron shook his head rapidly, determined to work past his initial loss for words so he could reassure his best mate.
"Are you serious, Harry? You think I'm going to ditch you-over this? Look, mate, I wish you didn't have to do this. I wish You-Know-Who had never killed your parents. I wish you could've had a happy childhood, like I did. I wish you, me and Hermione could be normal teenagers, with no dark wizards to worry about. But we can't-and that's NOT your fault. I know you didn't ask for any of this, but I know you can do it. I know you can beat You-Know-Who. And me and Hermione will help you as much as we can. No matter what, we're gonna be there for you."
Harry still hadn't looked up, but Ron could see the small smile on his best mate's face. Ron smiled himself, happy he'd gotten his point across. Hermione smiled gratefully at him, and Ron smiled back, shrugging his shoulders to show it hadn't been a big deal. And it hadn't, not really. All he'd done was tell Harry the truth. Whatever danger awaited Harry, he would be right there with him. He'd stand with Harry to the end. And it went without saying that Hermione would do the same.
All three members of the trio were silent for quite some time after that, but it was a comfortable silence. All three of the teens were thinking about everything they'd been through together, and everything they'd yet to go through. No matter what lurked around the corner, they would face it together.
--NMM--
It had been an uneventful couple of days for Harry. Hermione had returned to her house not long after their meeting with Dumbledore, while he'd remained at The Burrow. The rest of the Weasleys had been very curious about the meeting, but Harry and Ron were selective with what they shared. They didn't go into great detail, but did mention that Harry and Hermione were able to convince Dumbledore that Snape would be a terrible choice for the DADA job. The rest of it, they kept to themselves, since they weren't sure how Ron's parents would react to such strong criticisms of the beloved Headmaster. Harry and Ron had spent the past two days at The Burrow, sans Hermione. Harry had enjoyed the company of Ron and some of his siblings, Ginny in particular, but he had to admit that he missed Hermione. He couldn't recall ever missing her as much as he had over the previous two days, which was strange. Perhaps he simply felt closer to her after all they'd shared over the summer. Whatever it was, he had been very aware of missing her presence over the past two days.
But that was about to change. Headmaster Dumbledore had informed them that he would be stopping by The Burrow, and asked that Hermione join them as well. They'd made arrangements for Dumbledore to stop by Hermione's house and temporarily connect it to the floo network, and the two of them would then floo to The Burrow shortly after lunchtime. And, as Harry restlessly noted to himself, that was right about now. The day had been going by excruciatingly slowly, but it was almost time. He would soon see Hermione again, and he couldn't wait.
As if on cue, his bushy-haired friend arrived via the Weasleys' fireplace, doing so far more gracefully than Harry had ever managed. The moment she spotted Harry sitting on the couch, her face broke into a wide smile. Harry smiled right back and stood to greet her, and barely had time to react before her body collided with his, wrapping him up in a tight hug. Harry wrapped his own arms around her body, returning her hug with just as much force. He had to say, he was becoming a lot more comfortable hugging Hermione. Maybe she'd just hugged him so often that he'd gotten used to it?
"Hello, Harry," Hermione said, finally breaking the hug, but remaining in very close proximity to her friend. For his part, Harry didn't mind that a bit.
"Hi, Hermione," he returned. "Good to see you. I missed you, even if it's only been a couple days."
"It's good to see you too, Harry. And I've missed you, also," Hermione said, a bashful smile on her face.
"Hello, Harry. I trust you've been well since we last spoke?"
Harry reluctantly tore his gaze away from Hermione to look at Dumbledore. He was still wary about trusting him, but figured he should at least be civil to the man (so long as he stayed true to his word.) "I have, Headmaster," he replied evenly. Dumbledore smiled in his usual grandfatherly fashion and walked forward, which allowed Harry to see that they'd also been joined by a third visitor: Remus Lupin.
"Remus? What're you doing here?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Headmaster Dumbledore asked that I come along with him today," Lupin replied. "As to why? I am just as clueless as you are, Harry." With that, Harry turned to Dumbledore for an explanation.
"Not that I'm not happy to see him, sir," Harry began once he had Dumbledore's attention, "but why did you ask Remus to come?"
"I'll get to that shortly, Harry," Dumbledore said, "but it appears we are one person short. Do you happen to know where our resident Quidditch expert, Ronald Weasley, is? I was hoping he'd join us."
"Mrs. Weasley called us in for lunch about an hour ago...so he's still eating, of course," Harry said with a smirk. Hermione snickered, and Dumbledore and Lupin both smiled in amusement. "I'll go get him," Harry finished, already heading for the kitchen.
Mere moments later, Harry returned, with Ron following close behind (and trying to covertly wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.)
"Ah, thank you for joining us, Mr. Weasley. Congratulations on being named Gryffindor's new quidditch captain, by the way," Dumbledore said kindly.
"Thank you, sir," Ron said, smiling proudly. "Guess I have Harry to thank for that, though."
"Perhaps that is true," Dumbledore began, "but let us not forget that Mr. Potter was not the only one who made a very selfless decision that day. Harry showed great maturity in declining the position for the reasons that he did. But you also showed great maturity in volunteering to relinquish your status as prefect so Professor McGonagall could give it to Harry, her original choice."
"Thanks, sir," Ron said. "Harry deserved it anyway. He'll be loads better at that prefect stuff than I was."
"Personally, I believe both of you will excel in your new positions, though I suppose only time will tell," Dumbledore opined. "Well, now that we are all here, I suppose we should get to the purpose of this visit."
"Good idea, Professor," Harry agreed, as he was eager to get whatever Dumbledore's business was out of the way so he could spend some time with Hermione. "Do we need to go somewhere with a bit more privacy?"
"That won't be necessary, Harry," Dumbledore said, waving his hand in dismissal. "We won't be discussing anything that is of a sensitive nature. I merely wished to discuss an important change at Hogwarts for the upcoming term. Let's all have a seat, shall we?"
Harry shrugged, and he and Hermione sat down next to each other on the couch. Ron claimed the chair beside the couch, and with a casual flick of his wand, Dumbledore conjured two more chairs for himself and Remus.
"So, you came to talk about Hogwarts? Did you find a new DADA teacher?" Harry asked, once everyone was seated.
"I believe I have," Dumbledore said, nodding his head. Harry leaned forward in his seat, much more attentive now, as Dumbledore continued. "I suppose I should clarify: I feel I have come up with a fine candidate for the position. However, there are certain complications that will make it difficult for him to accept the position. That is where you come in, Harry, should you agree to help me."
"So you're going to give it to that Slughorn bloke, now that Snape is going to keep teaching Potions? And you want me to go with you when you talk to him, like we were going to do before?" Harry reasoned. To his surprise, though, Dumbledore shook his head.
"No, Harry, I will not be offering the position to Horace. His expertise lies in the art of potions, hence why I had been planning to offer him that post originally. Convincing him to become the Defence instructor might have eased my concern about Horace's safety, but the quality of the course itself would have suffered. And, as you and Ms. Granger pointed out to me recently, an adequate Defence instructor is of the utmost importance, especially in these dark times. Thus, I thought long and hard on the matter, and I do believe you will be satisfied with my selection."
"Well, who is it? You make it sound like we know him," Harry pointed out. Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
"You do indeed know him, Harry," Dumbledore said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "His name is Remus Lupin."
That caught everyone else in the room by complete surprise, Lupin included. "Y-you must be joking, Albus," Lupin said uncertainly.
"Joking? Certainly not, Remus! Both Harry and Hermione recently commented on how much they learned during your previous stint as our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. And if I remember correctly, that was a sentiment that was almost universal among your students-well, those outside of Slytherin House, at least. You did an excellent job last time, and I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to do so once again."
Remus opened his mouth to respond, but Hermione beat him to the punch. "E-excuse me, Headmaster, but what about the supposed "curse" on the DADA post? I still say it's rubbish, of course, but..."
"And I say we find out if you're right," Dumbledore interrupted, smiling at her cheerfully. "We should not let Voldemort dictate the quality of education offered at Hogwarts. I believe Remus Lupin is the best man-or wolf, I suppose-for the job, so I will do whatever possible to ensure he gets it. Let us put this "hex" of Tom's to the test. If Remus is willing to accept, that is."
With that having been settled, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked back and forth between the two adults, as well as at each other. All three were in agreement here: they fervently hoped that Lupin would accept. They had all respected Lupin during his time as their professor, and the idea of him returning to that position was a pleasant one indeed.
Lupin, on the other hand, still was not convinced. He looked at Dumbledore as if he were overlooking something very obvious, and very important. "I would be willing to accept, Albus," Lupin began quietly, "but surely you realise that it's just not possible? I had to leave two years ago because word had spread about my...condition. The outrage from parents would be every bit as strong now as it was then. It might be stronger, even, thanks to the war. While I would like nothing more than to return to Hogwarts and start teaching again, there's no way the wizarding world at large will allow that to happen."
That soured Harry's mood a great deal, and he could tell Ron and Hermione were also very disappointed. Lupin had been an excellent teacher; Harry would have loved to see him return to Hogwarts. 'So much for that', he thought to himself. After seeing the glum expressions on his friends' faces, Harry glanced at Dumbledore, expecting to see the respected Headmaster look either chagrined at his failure to see a rather obvious flaw in his plan, or disappointed that he'd have to come up with yet another candidate for the job. To his surprise, though, Dumbledore looked as cheery as before. His eyes were twinkling merrily, and he had a pleased smile on his face. Harry continued to stare at the man, and wondered if he'd simply gone senile.
"You're right, Remus; convincing parents to allow their children to be taught by a werewolf would not be an easy task in most circumstances. In most cases, it would likely be an impossible one. Fortunately for us, though, we have something on our side that I believe will prove invaluable to us in this instance: public approval."
"Public approval? What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "The public doesn't approve of werewolves at all; they fear them."
"Quite correct, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore agreed, "but that was not the manner of public approval I was referring to. I was actually referring to the enormous surge in popularity and support that both Harry and I are currently receiving."
This was news to Harry. "What're you talking about? Everybody's been calling me a nutter for the last year," he pointed out.
"I take it you haven't been reading The Daily Prophet recently?" Dumbledore asked. Harry shook his head no; of course he didn't read that rubbish. "I didn't think so. I don't blame you, either, given all the things they wrote about you in the aftermath of Voldemort's return. I don't care for it much myself, but I believe we will be able to use the Prophet, and its current attitude towards us, to our benefit on this matter. Ms. Granger, you subscribe to the Prophet, do you not?"
"Yes, Headmaster, I do," Hermione confirmed. "I disagree with many of the things that they write, but I feel it is important to keep up with what they're saying. After all, most British wizards depend on the Prophet as their primary news source."
"I think that is a very wise idea, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said. "Now, have you been reading the Prophet since returning from Hogwarts at the end of last term? Have you read all of their comments about Harry and myself since Minister Fudge finally acknowledged that Voldemort has returned?"
"Yes, I have. They've been very kind towards you both. They talk about how courageous you two were to stand firm and continue to tell the truth, despite all of the criticism you received for doing so."
"That's a laugh," Harry said with a snort. "They were the ones who did most of the criticising. But now, after months of calling me a liar, all of a sudden I'm some kind of hero again? What rubbish."
"I understand your frustration, Harry, but I truly do believe that this fickle attitude displayed by both the Prophet and the Ministry itself will work in our favour," Dumbledore insisted. "It will help us return dear Remus to the post he never should have lost two years ago."
"How so?" Harry inquired. "Just because they like you and me again-for the moment, anyway-doesn't mean they'll be any more accepting of a werewolf as a teacher."
"They might not like the idea, that is true," Dumbledore conceded, "but they will like the people championing the idea. Your popularity, and mine, are both as high as they've been since Voldemort was defeated for the first time. Not only do people now see that we were telling the truth all along, they also feel profoundly guilty for their poor treatment of us over the past year. If the revered Headmaster and arguable leader of the war effort against Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore, and the Boy-Who-Lived and rumoured 'Chosen One', Harry Potter, both put their full public support behind him, how could anyone object to Professor Lupin's appointment?"
"You really think that would work?" Harry asked, sceptical. It was hard for him to believe that his opinion could now hold that much sway publicly, after that same public had spent over a year running his name through the mud.
"I think he's right, Harry," Hermione chimed in. "Now that everyone knows the truth about Voldemort, you and Professor Dumbledore are more popular and more respected than ever. I think the two of you working together would be able to silence any fears or complaints parents might have about Professor Lupin. You won't be able to convince them to accept werewolves in general, nor should you attempt to. All you need to do is get them to believe that this particular werewolf, Remus Lupin, is trustworthy. As long as they believe that their children will not be in any danger with Professor Lupin in the castle, they won't fight his appointment too hard. And if both you and the Headmaster declare your trust in him publicly, they'll be forced to give Professor Lupin a chance."
"What about the Slytherin parents, though?" Harry countered. "Most of those lot have hated me from the beginning, and they don't like Dumbledore all that much either. And they also seem to hold a lot of the important positions of power in our government, from what I can see. Wouldn't they fight it? Not to mention Fudge."
"Last year at this time, you would have been correct, Harry," Dumbldore said. "But at the moment, I believe those who would ordinarily have opposed us bitterly will be very wary of doing so. They realise how high our popularity is at the moment, and know that standing in direct opposition of us would be a very risky move at present. Given our respective roles in the war against Voldemort, any stand against us, however small, could make others suspicious of whomever was raising the complaint. And as for Minister Fudge-his time as Minister could very well be drawing to a close. Many people have been calling for his head, figuratively speaking, since the truth about Voldemort came out. With all the pressure currently on him, opposing us would be a suicidal political move."
Harry had to admit it: Dumbledore was making a convincing argument. If the public's perception of the two of them was really as favourable as Dumbledore and Hermione both insisted it was, they might very well be able to get Remus his job back. "So what do we need to do to make this happen?" he asked.
Dumbledore sat up straighter in his chair, eager to explain the particulars of his plan to Harry. "I was thinking we could contact the Prophet and ask them to put a story in the paper for us. I'm sure they will leap at the opportunity, as quotes directly from us would be a huge seller at the moment, regardless of the topic. In this article, we will declare my desire to bring Remus Lupin back to Hogwarts as the DADA professor. We will assure them that he will have an ample supply of wolfsbane potion on hand at all times, and also that we will take measures to ensure that he will be separated from all students during the full moon." Dumbledore paused briefly to make sure everyone present was following along before getting into arguably the most important part of his plan.
"Once those assurances are out of the way, we will go into great detail about all of the positive traits that make him such a fine teacher. I will speak glowingly of his time as a student at Hogwarts, including his close friendship with none other than James Potter. I will also mention how big a help he was to our side during the first war against Voldemort, and that I would put my life in his hands if necessary. Then, you could voice your own support of the idea, and give your reasons for wanting to see Lupin return. You could repeat what you told me in our recent chat at Hogwarts, about him being the best DADA professor you've had. If you were willing, you could also mention how he taught you the patronus charm, and how vital it proved later in the year when dealing with the Dementors.
"In addition to whatever you wanted to say, we could also include comments from some of his other former students, including Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger here, among others. Professor Lupin was quite popular among most non-Slytherin students, so I wouldn't imagine it would be very difficult to get positive statements from a variety of diverse sources. If we put all of this together and get the Prophet to publish it, I sincerely believe that we will be able to bring Professor Lupin back this term, with very little trouble."
"That's bloody brilliant," Ron exclaimed. "Harry, your fame will finally help you for a change, instead of just giving you problems!"
"That is one way of looking at it, yes, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore acknowledged. "The question is, are you willing to do this, Harry? I know how much you dislike the attention you receive, and I will completely understand if you wish to stay out of this. I will get the Prophet to publish the article with my name attached regardless. My name alone may be enough these days, but I believe that both of our names combined would make success almost certain."
Harry mulled over what Dumbledore had said. Dumbledore had been correct in saying that Harry disliked all the attention he'd gotten since entering the wizarding world nearly six years earlier. Frankly, he loathed it. But the way he saw it, the attention would be there regardless of what he did. So, if it was going to be there anyway, why not use it to ensure they actually had a quality DADA professor?
"As long as Remus really does want the job back, I'll do it, Headmaster," Harry said. "I'm OK with using my fame if it means we can actually have a decent teacher again." Harry, along with everyone else in the room, looked to see how Remus was taking all of this. To Harry's eyes, the old werewolf looked overwhelmed.
"Thank you, Harry. And you as well, Albus. It means a lot that you would go out of your way to help me like that," Remus said, sincere gratitude in his voice as he smiled at Harry.
"It's not just for you, Remus," Harry said. "You being our teacher again will help all of us out, too. And, besides...I'd like to be able to take you up on your offer."
"Offer? What offer?" Remus asked, cocking his head at the son of one of his best friends.
"Your offer to come and talk about...Sirius. Sirius, and other things. It'd be nice to know you're there to talk to, or to ask for help or advice if I need it."
Lupin gave Harry a heartfelt smile. "Ah, yes. I would like that very much, Harry," he said, a slight catch in his voice. "I hope that you two aren't opposed to my returning to the castle?" he asked of Ron and Hermione. They both shook their heads adamantly, causing him to smile before returning his attention to Dumbledore. "Very well, Albus. If you can manage it, I would be happy to return to Hogwarts this term."
Dumbledore smiled and clapped his hands. "That is most excellent, Remus. Now that that is settled, I suggest we get started on our correspondence for the Prophet. Start of term is rapidly approaching, and I have a few other changes I hope to implement between now and then, so time is of the essence. Let us begin with..."
Harry shared a quick smile with Hermione as Dumbledore began putting his plans into motion. He'd clearly taken their complaints seriously, and now had worked out a way to provide a quality DADA professor once again. It appeared that their confrontation with the Headmaster was already changing things for the better at Hogwarts.
--NMM--
Severus Snape threw the morning edition of The Daily Prophet into the fire, snarling as he watched it burn. It had been years since the Potions Master had been this angry-and that was saying something indeed.
How dare Dumbledore give the Defence job to that filthy werewolf, Lupin, again? And after the old man had looked him right in the eyes and promised him that this year, finally, he was going to get the job himself! He'd coveted that job for years. Far better to drill a healthy respect for the danger (and power) of the Dark Arts into the students' heads, as opposed to wasting his time teaching Potions to a bunch of clueless dunderheads who didn't possess the slightest aptitude for the art. Finally, he'd be doing something worthwhile!
But all that had changed just hours earlier, when Dumbledore walked into his office, all smiles and cheerfulness, and told him that "plans had changed." He said that, after "careful deliberation", he'd decided to offer the job to Lupin instead. When Snape forcefully reminded the Headmaster about the public outcry that would surely result if he tried to bring back someone with Lupin's...condition, the old bastard had just looked at him with those damn twinkling eyes and said that that little issue would be "taken care of."
And now, Snape had seen why Dumbledore was so confident that he would be successful, despite the public being aware that Lupin was a werewolf. It had been a very sneaky move, capitalizing on his renewed popularity in the wake of the public learning and accepting the truth about the Dark Lord's return. Snape had no doubt that the easily-manipulated public would go along with whatever their beloved Headmaster wished at the moment. Especially since Potter's name had been attached to the article as well.
That infuriated Snape more than any other aspect of this betrayal. He was positive that, despite what Dumbledore had said about the move being made "for the greater good of Hogwarts", it had been Potter's doing. Dumbledore must've told that arrogant brat about his plan to make him the DADA teacher. And Potter, being the self-absorbed, attention-craving wretch that he was, used his status as the 'Chosen One' to manipulate Dumbledore into giving the job to his father's beast of a friend. Together, the two of them had then hatched their little plot to appeal to the weak-minded public, and the deed was done.
After all the years he'd spent doing Dumbledore's bidding, to be denied a job he deserved because of that blasted Potter! The sheer insult of it all! That brat was his father's son, to be certain. Snape had already despised Potter, but this scheme of his had only strengthened his loathing of the boy. And as for Albus-he would never forgive the man for going back on his word.
Snape wasn't sure what his next move would be. At this point, after Dumbledore's betrayal and Potter's meddling, he wasn't even sure where his loyalties lay. But he knew this: Dumbledore would hear just what he thought of this decision. And Potter? If he saw an opportunity to gain some measure of revenge on that arrogant brat, he would seize it to its fullest.
--NMM--
A/N: I've mentioned this to a few people in review responses, but I'm going to repeat it here just so we're clear: there won't be any horcruxes in this story. I never liked that concept, which was one of the reasons I chose to start this story where I did. The horcrux plot device hadn't been introduced by the end of OOTP, so I felt like I could go in a different direction.
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