Spur of the Moment

Chapter 23

"Welcome back. I hope you all had a pleasant holiday," Dumbledore greeted. It was dinnertime and all the students had returned to Hogwarts that afternoon. Well, not all of them. Several students were missing. They were mostly from Slytherin, but a few were missing from the other three tables as well.

"Where do you suppose all the missing students are?" Ron asked quietly and Harry stared at him, his look clearly saying, 'are you seriously asking that question?'.

"Ron, you can be so thick sometimes," Harry muttered.

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed.

"Now, I do not usually make announcements at dinner in the middle of the year. However, since Professor Sallon's departure--" Dumbledore was cut off as the hall exploded into cheers. Clearly no one had liked the man. "Since his departure, I have been forced to find a new Defence professor."

"Please not Snape, please not Snape, please not Snape." Ron was repeating it like a mantra and Harry rolled his eyes.

Honestly.

"It's not Snape, Ron, calm down," Harry said, taking a bite of his dinner.

"Good. Wait, how do you know that?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows.

Harry mentally shook his head. "Ron, I was here over holidays. He told me."

"Please welcome Professor Alastor Moody who has agreed to teach for the rest of the year. Next year, Kingsley Shacklebolt has agreed to teach. He was going to take the position now, but he is, unfortunately, busy," Dumbledore explained and everyone applauded.

Yeah, busy working for you. He's probably freezing in Mongolia or something right now, Harry thought bitterly, reminded of how much he missed his surrogate older brother.

"Let's see how the real Moody teaches, eh, Harry?" Ron said with a chuckle while Harry paled at the memories of his fourth year. He unconsciously ran his fingers over the scar on his left forearm, hidden under his robes. He shut his eyes, pushed his dish away, and got to his feet.

"Harry?" Ron and Hermione looked at him curiously.

"I'm not hungry. I'll see you later," Harry said and left the Great Hall, unaware of the black eyes following him. He rushed through the Entrance Hall and ran out into the grounds. For January in Britain, it was an unusually warm day. He headed straight for the large oak tree by the Black Lake and threw himself onto the ground despite the snow.

He thought he had accepted what had happened in fourth year with the tournament and Cedric, but apparently not. He pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around them, and buried his face in his knees.

"Your absence was noted, Mr. Potter," a familiar silky voice said, and Harry smiled into his legs before raising his head and looking up at Severus who was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"By everyone or just you?" Harry said and Severus snorted quietly.

"Just me and possibly Draco," Severus said. "What's going on in that head of yours that made you leave dinner so abruptly?"

"Nothing. Ron just made an offhand comment." Harry shrugged.

"Clearly it was something or you would not be sitting in the snow," Severus said, conjuring a bench and sitting down by Harry.

"Maybe I like the snow," Harry countered.

"Perhaps, but I know that is not why you are sitting here," Severus said and Harry rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Harry."

"Honestly, it's nothing. It's stupid."