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"That aside, I am here for another reason." Fudge said as he sat in a chair conjured by the headmaster. The professors and Harry had been told to leave: "I have a referral for your next DADA professor."
"I'm afraid, Cornelius, that I only ever appoint my staff if their ability speaks fo-" Albus tried to retort when Fudge waved his hand like it was a nuisance: "I'm sure when you hear his name, you will have no doubts about his skills against the Dark Arts."
"I don't think there is anyone left right now about whom you can say that." Dumbledore conjured a jug of lemonade.
"What if I tell you that there is a man who is as capable, if not more, as our top aurors?" Fudge accepted one of the hovering glasses and took a sip.
"I have to admit, Cornelius. Now, I'm intrigued."
"Cheers to your undying health, Dumbledore!" Cornelius Fudge raised his glass before gulping it all in one breath.
-
Diablo had slithered out of Harry's sleeve since after he'd read Sirius' letter, and so; when he entered the common room and saw the house gathered together again, he became nervous.
'I can't subdue them all alone.' And when Marcus Flint approached him, his hand gripped the wand strongly. But...
Flint hugged Harry, and said: "How the hell did you fight Professor Quirrell alone?"
So, the story of the night had already been announced here.
Phew
Harry pulled back out of the hug and looked around coldly. He didn't know how many of them were sincere with him, and how many of them were just some filthy hypocrites, waiting for a moment to strike.
He started moving back towards his dorm.
Meanwhile a certain boy sitting on his bed in the hospital wing sighed. Harry's glory was hurting him more than his slight injuries. His moment was shared by Terrence Higgs and two Slytherin first-years.
-
Somewhere in the dark forest;
Quirrell had always been a feeble one, but even being so; he was quite knowledgeable about the Dark Arts. Though he had no intentions of following the Dark Lord in his deadly pursuits, the man had always been a guilty pleasure to root for deep down.
And when he met Voldemort in the forest of Albania, he couldn't help but start to follow his orders. Not because of fear, of which he had plenty, but because of admiration, he followed Lord Voldemort's orders so that he could help him return back to glory. Evil, but glory nonetheless.
The Dark Lord did not deem him a worthy ally, yes. But in times like these, he had decided not to bargain. If Harry had managed to body-bind Quirrell that day, he wouldn't have hesitated to leave his body, showing him no more mercy than to an enemy.
But he and Quirrell were both alive, and fugitives.
'I have no other option now.' Quirinus thought as he sat under a tree, scared by the constant howls of direwolves.
"There is a ritual, my lord, that may be of use to you." He told Voldemort.
"What kind of a ritual, Quirrell? Why did you not tell me of it up until now?" Breathed Voldemort.
"I was afraid you might not want to use a body like mine for yourself." Voldemort rose his eyebrows at the mention of a body.
But this was not the case. The reason why he had not tell him up until now is because he was scared. Scared of what might have happened if the two of them fused. 'What if his memories no longer remain intact?' But he couldn't bargain, not now when he had nowhere else to go.
"I acknowledge your devotion, Quirrell. And as such, I accept your proposition."
-
The next morning, Diablo exempted Harry from physical training and taught him more wandwork. Harry couldn't guess what he was thinking, but the snake was visibly upset by something and was taking it out on Harry: *Just go and be a squib if you can't do such a simple jinx!*
*I have seen ferrets doing better than you, Harry!*
*What is up with you, today?* Harry tried to retort.
*We don't have enough time left, Harry.* His voice dropped.
*What do you mean? We still have at least an hour though.*
*Shut up! And do your work! There's still one spell left for today!*
-
When he came back to the castle, heaps of students were huddled in front of the notice board.
"What is it?" He asked Hermione who was coming back with a smile brighter than ever.
"Oh it's you!" She smiled even more.
"Yes, its me. But what is the notice about?"
"I just told you. It's you. The ministry is going to award you formally this monday." She said, still smiling.
"What? But I didn't do something big. I couldn't even catch him!" He replied.
"Oh, don't be so modest!" Draco wrapped an arm around Harry: "You beat a blimey professor, Harry. Be the devil proud of it."
"But an award! That's too much!" Harry tried to retort.
"Oh come on! You did a job full-grown aurors have a hard time with! Do you think some house points and a house cup make the cut for a reward? Think about it."
He didn't see Hermione and when he did, he said awkwardly: "Oh. Hey. Granger. Didn't see you there." Hermione frowned: "Oh it's alright."
"Draco Malfoy." He straightened himself and introduced.
"Pleasure." She quickly turned to Harry: "Oh and do you know?"
'Was I ignored just now?' Draco thought, frozen. 'I think I've heard this pleasure before.' Harry thought. Hermione had indeed said "pleasure" just this much half-heartedly to Ron on the train.
"What, Hermione?" Harry snapped back to reality.
"Guess who the new DADA professor is?" She said.
"Who is it? Let me guess, Gilderoy Lockhart?" Draco tried to sound like an intellectual.
"Well, he would have been a great choice too, I think. But no-" Her voice became dreamy but she quickly recovered herself: "-It's your godfather, Harry! Yes, It's Sirius Black!"
"Oh am I jealous of Slytherin... You guys have it all." She said as she started leaving for the Hall.
'Having Harry really is beneficial.' Draco thought: 'That is why, I must stay by his side forever.' He clenched his fist and resolved.
Diablo had again gone out somewhere. If Fudge had recommended Sirius, it must mean that he was tipped off about Quirrell by Sirius too. If so, then Diablo must have told him.
'But how did he talk to him?' Harry thought. Sirius was not a parselmouth. Maybe Diablo was just special, he decided.
-
'Things are getting too out of hand.' Albus thought worriedly. Sure, it was a good thing that Harry was strong enough to fight Voldemort. But this changes everything of what he thought he knew about both Voldemort and Harry. Albus' plan had been destroyed.
If it had come to fruition, Quirrell and Voldemort would have died. If not Voldemort, then it would have at least ended by the death of Quirrell and Voldemort would have again become helpless, thus buying Albus more time to confirm the existence of a horcrux.
But now, he could not know what both of the helpless and dangerously knowledgeable people would do to stay alive. If worst came to worst, Voldemort might rise again.
Bang Open
The door opened and Severus entered the office, huffing and sighing to catch his breath. "What happened, Severus?"
He put forward his wrist to show a dark mark of a skull and a snake raging on and on: "He's back! The Dark Lord is back!"
Dumbledore tried to think straight while Snape struggled with standing upright.
All of this was because of him. That damn snake! And whoever was behind him! Dumbledore resolved to first kill the most pretentious variable!
"Call Minerva! Tell her to contact the order" He gave out his orders to Snape: "And when you're done, Severus. Do what you promised. Go to him. Gain his trust, again."
Severus looked at him like he would kill him, but who was he kidding. He turned back around and headed towards McGonagall's office.
After a while, she came in hurriedly only to see a sulking Dumbledore.
"So, it's true, Albus?" She tried to sound calm.
-
Hey guys! It's me, the author.
The moment of truth is approaching! Diablo is finally going to have his moment to shine. We are slowly going to go full-on against Dumbledore in a few chapters!
Just, bear with me!
Let me know you're here by typing some comments! I appreciate it a lot and it gives me the drive to write!
Thanks, everyone.
OutClaw, signing out!