ruins ; harry potter [1]

twenty two ; the potions master

Their lungs were compressed and bodies squished through a tunnel as they Apparated away from Privet Drive. Diana, of course, was used to such a feeling, but Harry wasn't, so they had to take a few moments to allow Harry to regain his composure.

"I'm fine," said Harry finally. "But I think I might prefer brooms..."

Dumbledore and Diana smiled, and the two teenagers followed Dumbledore down the lane in a brisk walk. Diana watched the second hand travel on a clock on a nearby church. It was nearly midnight.

"So tell me, Harry," said Dumbledore. "Your scar...has it been hurting at all?"

Diana watched Harry unconsciously rub his forehead out of habit. "No," he said, "and I've been wondering about that. I thought it would be burning all the time now Voldemort's getting so powerful again." Harry glanced at Diana after saying Voldemort's name, quite conscious of their relation. She nodded at him with as smile, as if reassuring him that she wasn't offended. He smiled lightly back.

"I, on the other hand, thought otherwise," Dumbledore commented. "Lord Voldemort has finally realized the dangerous access to his thoughts and feelings you have been enjoying. It appears that he is employing Occlumency against you."

"Well, I'm not complaining," said Harry, and Diana laughed.

They kept walking, passing a telephone box and a bus shelter. "Professor?"

"Harry?"

"Where exactly are we?" he asked, peering around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"This, Harry, is the charming village of Budleigh Babberton."

"And what are we doing here?"

"We are here to seduce a professor," Diana piped up, repeating Dumbledore's words from earlier. "We are one staff member short, now, remember? This is an old colleague of Dumbledore's who we are apparently trying to convince to come back and teach."

"How can I help with that?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I think we'll find a use for you," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Both of you. Left here," he added, and they turned.

They made their way up a steep, narrow street lined with quaint little houses. The windows were dark and there was an odd chill here, like there seemed to be in the rest of the country. It was the same in Hogsmeade, where Diana was staying, and in Diagon Alley, where she had made a few visits. She even noticed it earlier in Privet Drive. Voldemort seemed to be affecting even the muggle areas.

"Professor, why couldn't we just Apparate directly into your old colleague's house?"

"Because it would be quite as rude as kicking down the front door," Dumbledore replied. "Courtesy dictates that we offer fellow wizards the opportunity of denying us entry. In any case, most Wizarding dwellings are magically protected from unwanted Apparators. At Hogwarts, for instance--"

"--you can't Apparate anywhere inside the buildings or grounds," Harry said quickly. "Hermione Granger told me."

"And she is quite right. We turn left again."

The church clocked chimed midnight behind them. Diana jumped, startled. Harry looked at her oddly, but she avoided his eyes.

"Sir, I saw in the Daily Prophet that Fudge had been sacked..."

"Finally," Diana commented. "It was about time."

"He has been replaced, I'm sure you also saw, by Rufus Scrimgeour, who used to be the Head of the Auror office," Dumbledore added.

"Is he...Do you think he's good?"

"An interesting question," said Dumbledore. "He is able, certainly. A more decisive and forceful personality than Cornelius."