𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇

Chapter 12

It was amazing, given the speed of the usual school gossip mill that no one spoke about or asked Harry about what had happened in the Room of Requirement. Seamus asked him why he and Malfoy had been absent from classes that day, but Harry just gave the hurried excuse of not feeling well. He didn’t make excuses for Malfoy and he was confident that no one was going to ask the Slytherin. Considering that Malfoy was normally the source of the gossip that had dogged Harry’s time at Hogwarts, Harry doubted that for once, Malfoy would be spreading rumours.

He continued with his lessons. He was failing badly at potions, and briefly wished he still had the Prince’s book until he remembered what had happened last time he had seen it. Professor Slughorn was extremely disappointed with him and, after their first lesson where Harry not only blew up a cauldron, but drove all the students from the room coughing and choking on the foul stink he had managed to create, his enthusiastic praise of Harry ceased completely (much to Harry’s relief).

DADA was another matter. Hexam was a good teacher, as far as Harry could see. He set small tests in the first lesson that week, to see where each student was in terms of defence, then spent time with each giving them their own personal work plan. Those who had not been members of the D.A he spent more time with. Those who had, he left to work on their own for most of the lesson.

“No idea what you were on about when you said he was creepy,” Ron said as they left the first lesson for lunch. “He’s great.”

Harry nodded. It was true that Hexam knew what he was doing, that he was perfectly inoffensive, that he did not, like some teachers had, single Harry out for anything special, but still, he didn’t like the man. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Maybe it was his resemblance to Lucius Malfoy that was the problem.

“We had a great teacher in fourth year, if you remember,” Hermione said. “And he was a convicted Death Eater in disguise.”

“Don’t mind me,” Harry said. “I think maybe I’m just wary of our Defence teachers. We’ve not exactly had a good run.”

“Well that’s because of the curse,” Ron replied. “Stands to reason, doesn’t it? Now Voldemort’s gone, the curse has lifted, but we’re still expecting something to happen. It’s become a bit of a habit.”

Harry managed a snigger, but Hermione looked disapproving. “How can you joke about it?”

Ron regarded her seriously. “Don’t we owe it to all those who died to start laughing and enjoying ourselves again? Fred would have wanted it. I figure we should start small and work up to really big jokes.”

There wasn’t much Hermione could say to that.

As they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Harry glanced over to the Slytherins. Once more, Malfoy was absent. Harry had no idea where he went during meals, but he had not seen him anywhere but in lessons since the incident in the Room of Requirement. In lessons, Malfoy sat at the back of the class, much as he had done in sixth year, and worked silently. As far as Harry could see he ignored everyone around him, and Harry assumed everyone ignored him right back.

As Hermione had persuaded Ron to join her in ancient runes, the pair went off to their lesson after dinner. Harry had the afternoon free and decided to have a walk around the grounds to enjoy the late sunshine. Maybe he might even hop on a broomstick and have a fly about.

There was a slight chill, but the sunshine was warm on Harry’s face. He wandered down towards the lake to the tree where so many pupils had lazed in summer, including his father. The leaves were beginning to turn, bathing the ground in golden dappled light and Harry took a deep breath of crisp air and lifted his face to the sun. For maybe the first moment since Voldemort’s defeat, he was utterly alone, with no human within shouting distance.