Death's Gift

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Teacher Troubles

Death's Gift - Chapter Twenty-Nine
Teacher Troubles

The next few days were a pain for Harry, his first class with Tom teaching had gone nothing like he thought it would...

"Let's start off this class by me telling you something. The last two years you have been learning about how to defend yourself against the Dark Arts, right?" There were murmurs of "Yes"s and students nodding their heads, "Well, here's the cold hard truth, if you really want to defend yourself against something then you first have to understand how it works, such as the expression 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'."

"So you're going to teach us the Dark Arts?!" Ron blurted out.

Tom glared at him, "Did I call on you Weasley?"

Ron snapped his mouth shut, his eyes widening. Harry and Draco both almost laughed.

"I thought so. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, in order to know how to defend yourself against something, you have to understand how it works. In this class we will be learning of dark spells, focusing in on some of the worst curses out there and the best ways to counteract them. Before we begin there is something you all must understand, it does not matter the type of magic you use, but the intent behind it."

"But Dumbledore says-"

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Tom snapped, "You will raise your hand if you want to speak."

Ron's face flushed and he shrunk down in his seat.

"If you could use your brain for a second then you would realize that Dumbledore has to approve all lesson plans. Perhaps you would benefit from having to write a three foot long essay on why the type of magic you use doesn't matter."

Ron's face became even redder.

Blaise raised his hand.

"Yes Zabini?"

"Will we have to learn how to cast the spells in order to completely understand them?"

"You will not be casting any in class since most of the ones we will be learning about are too difficult for those of your skill level. However, there are some lighter curses that are borderline dark that you will be able to learn and use without having any retaliation."

Almost every single Slytherin smirked.

"Now open your books to page one hundred and sixty seven."

Harry shook his head, ever since that first day Tom had been relatively ignoring him, only calling on him when he needed an answer to a question, purposefully only for the darker questions. Sometimes Harry would say that he didn't know, only resulting in Tom giving him a knowing look, after all, they both knew that Harry knew the answer. By now people had started to notice that there was a bit of tension between Harry and "Professor Vanidestine", Draco, Blaise, as well as Theo had all tried to bring it up before, but Harry always shot them down in some form. Because he was always questioned about it around his other friends, Harry had taken to spending most of his time with Luna, she never did ask him anything, most likely because she already knew it all.