"I expect a 12 inch essay on trolls on my desk by the next week" I say to the 3rd year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff class Infront of me.
The students start shuffling out of the classroom and I'm about to make my way to my office when I spot a student coming up to the dias.
Luna looks a lot better, it's only been a few days since the whole incident and she has that dreamy smile back on her face.
"Anything I can help you with miss Lovegood"
She's looking down at her shoes shyly, a small smile comes to my face. Then as if summoning courage from deep inside she looks straight into my eyes.
"I just wanted to thank you for everything, the whole week my housemates have come up to me to apologise, they treat me a lot better now" she says happily.
"As they should you are a great person Luna, anyone would be lucky to know you" I smile at her.
Tears appear in her eyes and she steps forward to envelope me in a hug.
"Thank you" she mutters quitely. I can feel my shirt start getting wet.
Her head only comes to below my chest. I put my arms around her.
"It's okay, you are a strong girl. From now onwards everything will be fine and if someone trys something, I will deal with them personally"
Her arms tighten around me and the flow of her tears increases.
A satisfied smile comes to my face, instead of dada I should teach emotional manipulation 101.
0000
"But how will I catch up to a whole year of studies" Harry asks me.
"I will help where I can and Hermione can I ask you for a favour, will you please help my nephew with your old notes and a bit of personal tution every week"
I am trying to convince harry to drop divination for Runes and Arthimancy. I thought that I had convinced him with my repeated lectures on their importance but alas a lazy bum like Ron always held him back. Even now he is standing off to the side, happy with his easy routine.
"Of course professor, I will do my best" Hermione excitedly agrees, both so she will have a partner in her classes and to appease me.
Normally students have to take two extra subjects in their 3rd year, Hermione here takes 3, care of magical creatures, runes and arthimancy. I am increasing the load on Harry but I know it will be better for him in the long term.
"I will make it worth your while, any books you need or any kind of clarification for any studies, I'm always available" I sweeten the deal for Hermione. She gains a big smile on her face.
"There is no need I'm happy to do it" she says.
"I know you are but I can't just ask you to drop your own tasks and do something for me can I"
"Do I have to take an extra subject" Harry dejectedly says.
"I know it seems like unnecessary extra work but believe me you will thank me in the future kiddo" I rub his head, messing up his hair. He smiles and agrees.
"Anything I can do to change your mind Ron?" I ask him.
"I'm fine professor, I like the way things are" he says.
"Suit yourself then, now I have some detentions to take care of, would you like to join" I smile at them.
They hurry off. Hah, only if they knew the real horror of my detentions.
0000
"Oh so many gifts, I didn't know it was your Birthday today" Lavender Brown says to Hermione.
Hermione just woke up, it's the 19th of September today, normally her birthday is a small affair. She just gets some gifts from her parents and friends, the day is not exactly that special.
Today her bed is filled with tons of gifts, there are the usual ones from harry, the Weasleys and her parents then there are multiple others from her favourite teacher. Those are the first ones she opens. Most of them have books on interesting topics like advanced runes, introduction to duelling and the basics of Warding. There is even a never ending journal which she can take infinite notes on. All of them are accompanied by a small note.
'Happy Birthday to the brightest witch of her generation'
A big smile comes to Hermione's face.
"Yeah it's my birthday" she says.
"It's our 4th year together and it's the first time I have seen presents on your bed??" Lavender questions her.
"And who gave you so many books" she starts going through her gifts.
"Hey a little privacy please" Hermione stops her.
"I'm only curious you know" lavender defends as she moves away.
Hermione never quite liked lavender, her and Parvati were the gossip types, she remembers these types of girls from her years before hogwarts. They had never taken any interest in her, even when she tried to make friends.
None of her dorm mates could even be called friends, all the girls had their own small groups, they never included her in it.
"They are from professor Pettigrew" Hermione informs her.
"Oh, professor Pettigrew sent you presents, why do you guys know each other, how is he really like, is he rich, is he....."
Hermione tunes her out. Lavender has gone on to her usual gossiping tirades she never likes. She just has a small smile on her face, happy that Professor Pettigrew remembered her Birthday.
0000
"Where are we going professor" Hermione asks me.
"It's a surprise" I smile at her.
She starts to brainstorm about what it could be, making a cute face.
After my daily dose of detentions I collected Hermione and we are walking towards my office.
"Did you like the books" I ask her.
"Yeah, I like them, thank you!!" She says shyly.
"No problem"
Finally we reach my office and Hermione is really surprised to see the two people inside.
She runs towards them and envelopes them in a hug.
"Mom Dad what are you doing here" she exclaims.
"We haven't celebrated your Birthday together for 3 years, dear. We wanted to be with you for your 15th" says Rose Granger, her mother.
"Professor Pettigrew brought us here to spend the evening together" says Hugo Granger, her father.
The whole family looks towards me with smiles.
"I'll leave you guys to it, you can take as much time as you want" I smile at them and leave the office.
Operation get Hermione Granger is a go, a dark smile comes to my face.
0000
"You called for me Headmaster" I say to Dumbledore as I enter his office.
"Yes Peter, I wanted to discuss a few things" he gives me a grandfatherly smile and motions me to take a seat which I promptly do.
"How is Hogwarts treating you" he ask me.
"Frankly it's going great, I never thought I'd enjoy teaching so much" I smile.
"It gladdens me to say that you have exceeded every expectation I had. The students like you, a lot of them now consider dada as their favourite class. I believe you might have found your lot at life" he suggestively says smiling.
"Are you offering me a tenure at Hogwarts professor" I jest with him.
"I might just have to if I receive more glowing reports about you from students and teachers alike. I was really happy with the way you treated the case of miss Lovegood. I heard a few snippets of your speech to the Ravenclaw house. It was quite moving and your exhibition duel with professor Flitwick, it was absolutely entertaining."
Hmm why is he praising me so much, I have done quite well but I don't think he has ever called a teacher to his office to heap praises on them. A bit of doubt appears in my mind, did he find something about me, does he know about Amanda, I have totally broken that girl. No he couldn't have I have been very careful with everything.
Thankfully I'm a master of occlumency now, none of my thoughts show up on my face.
"Thank you sir, but what is the main purpose of this meeting" I ask him seriously.
He takes a deep breath and his face takes on a sad but serious expression.
"You were a part of the last war, you know how bad things were, I have reasons to believe that the dark lord is not dead and he is trying to comeback."
A serious expression comes to my face, I had planned on having this conversation with Dumbledore in the future, when things would have progressed a bit. Now what remains to be seen is if he is trying to recruit me or something else.
"I do to" I say to him.
He seems a bit surprised, as if he was ready to convince me about his beliefs but I stumped him.
"I wasn't only on the run for 12 years professor, I carried out some investigations on my own and found out a lot of disturbing things"
Dumbledore leans forward and looks at me with the most serious expression I have ever seen on his face.
"What did you find out" he asks.
I too adopt a grimm expression on my face. Operation 'fuck Voldemort' is a go.
0000
"Is this the place" Dumbledore asks.
We are standing Infront of a little shack inside the woods, just outside the village of Little Hangleton.
I shared a lot of information with the headmaster, although he had inklings about a lot of events, I painted a clear picture for him.
I told him about how I researched Voldemort after interogating some of his death eaters, finding out he was Tom Marvollo Riddle, from there I continued investigating and found out about his Horcruxes.
This confirmed a suspicion Dumbledore had for a long time. I also told him about me taking care of some of them. The locket and diadem, I destroyed. Harry destroyed the book in second year. I told him about the Gaunt ring, Hufflepuffs cup and nagini.
Dumbledore had his mind blown, he had initially believed that if Voldemort had made any horcrux there would be 2 or 3 at most, not 6. I didn't tell him about Harry, but I have a feeling that he somehow knows.
After I finished telling him about everything, he was ready to kiss me. Again and again telling me how big of a service I had done to the world.
I was invited to join his order of phoenix, which I accepted, he had initially wanted me to patrol around hogsmeade as there were a few suspicious characters seen there, but those plans were put on the back burner due to the revelation about the Horcruxes.
We had quickly made plans, deciding to deal with the ring first and here we were two days later on a Sunday.
"I believe so, this is the last known residence of Morfin Gaunt, his uncle" I inform him.
There are multiple sets of wards and curses set around the shack which would have frankly taken me days if not weeks to undo.
Dumbledore simply nods and starts waving his wand. Half the spells he performs go over my head but the other half I recognise from the tons of books I went through.
Say what you might about his personality or the actions he took in his past but as a wizard no one comes close to him. It takes him only about half an hour to break through each and everyone of the protections Tom Riddle placed here.
"I believe it's safe to move forward now" he says.
I nod and follow him inside. As soon as we enter the shack I can feel a dark murky presence. It's similar to being in the presence of dementors, as if a weight is placed on your shoulder, the darkness eating at our psyche.
Dumbledore pulses his magic and the dark pressure is reduced a bit. I try to pulse my own magic like him and instantly feel a lot better. Both of us nod at each other and start searching.
Soon Dumbledore finds a box hidden under a loose floor board.
"I think this it" I say to him. He nods at me.
"Stand back Peter, I believe Tom might have a few more surprises for us" he tells me.
I'm all to happy to comply with him. Standing as far away from him I can in the small shack. I know what is coming, the curse on the ring. I can inform him, save him maybe, but I'm not that good of a person.
0000