The Wandmaker's Granddaughter

The Wandmaker's Granddaughter Didn't Start It

The atmosphere amongst the students did not improve in the days to come. Side eyes and rude whispers became the day to day routine in the corridors and study hall. Rumors of what had happened between the first year Slytherins and Gryffindors spread throughout the school and everyone began to silently take sides. 

Through all of the tension, though, excitement could be felt as the first years eagerly awaited the reveal of the guest defense against the dark arts teacher. Ever since the school finished refurbishments from the Second Great Wizarding War a new defense against the arts teacher was hired each year due to the inexplicable deaths and firings that continued to occur in that position. Therefore, although the tension that existed between the Slytherin and Gryffindor first years was excessively high, that did not seem to have an effect on the excitement of the situation.

As the students sat restlessly they discussed the possibilities of who was to come through the office doors. So far no one had been able to discover the identity of the new teacher from any of the other students who had already had class with them. Perhaps a spell of secrecy had been placed over the previous classes. Perhaps they just wanted to mess with the first years. Whatever the reason, the first years that currently sat in class were as in the dark about the identity of their professor as they possibly could be.

The door clicked and the room went eerily silent. The door creaked open and a very tall dark wizard was revealed from behind the door. Dean Thomas, a well known member of the fight against Voldemort, made his way to the front of the class and introduced himself before them. There was a slight air of awe from the wizard raised Gryffindors while an inkling of disappointment crept over the Slytherins in the room.

Professor Thomas was a well spoken man who spoke of his time and experience with defending himself in the dark arts during the Second Great Wizarding War and his time as an auror after. The Gryffindor first years slowly grew more and more in awe with such an amazing professor. The Slytherins, though, became restless and tired of this new professor rather quickly.

"Now, let's begin," Professor Thomas said asking everyone to stand. The room filled with creaks and scrapes as the chairs and desks moved to the side and suddenly the students were standing in a the middle of an empty room.

"We'll learn how to defend ourselves, not only against other wizards and animals, but also against the elements themselves. I was on the run for sometime when the ministry was being run by Voldemort's followers and was hunting muggle borns. The spell I used the most, other than protection wards, was the spell to make fire."

Next to the professor a large fire appeared. A wave of heat hit the students and the front most took several steps back. Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappeared and the warmth seemed to be sucked from the room.

"However, fire itself is just as dangerous as almost any other spell I could teach you. It has to be controlled not just created. Waving your wand and speaking an incantation is one thing, having control of yourself and the fire is entirely another." Professor Thomas said moving the students away from the middle of the room. Twenty or so small piles of wood appeared in strategic spots throughout the room and students were assigned one each. He began reviewing the proper hand movement for the spell and once enough students had mastered it he said, "The incantation for this spell is incendio."

He let the students lose on their piles of wood. He moved around the room helping those who still had yet to master the proper wand movement. A few weak fires began to sprout and die quickly. Most of those in the room were intently focused on performing the spell. A few students, however, became bored rather quickly. Amelia, the only student with a nice proper fire going, was intently practicing on increasing and decreasing the intensity of the flame when there was a scream next to her. She looked over to see the tip of Lucy's pigtail a light.

"Aguamente," Amelia said quickly dousing the fire on Lucy's head. Amelia let her own fire die out as she turned to see a group of Slytherins snickering, Nero and Larry amongst them. Nero wasn't necessarily snickering with the rest but, Larry, who seemed to be the wand at fault for Lucy's smoking head, was laughing rather heartily. That was, of course, until he was doused by a column of water from Amelia who was far less amused. Now the group of Slytherins were laughing at Larry rather than with him. Professor Thomas began making his way over when, as Larry prepared to counter, Nero stepped in.

"Nice trick, where did you learn that one?"

"Hunting Phoenix feathers in Mongolia with grandfather," Amelia said before Professor Thomas reached the group.

"Alright, who would like to explain why Ms. Dursley is missing part of her pigtail and why Mr. Fisher is dripping wet?" Professor Thomas said.

"Larry set fire to Lucy's hair," Athena, who was standing near by, told the professor.

"It was an accident," Larry said with a smirk.

"Doubt it," James said louder than a whisper but quieter than were it to be to anyone in particular.

"Then why is he dripping wet?" Professor Thomas asked.

"I was trying to put out Lucy's hair," Amelia said quietly leaving the rest for Professor Thomas to interpret for himself.

Professor Thomas sighed and ran his hand across his face, "Be careful, everyone."

His glare lingered on the Slytherins a moment longer than the rest of the students before continuing class.  Nero, Amelia, Lucy, and Larry continued throughout the rest of the lesson to loose focus on their own fires and in turn glare at one another.  Professor Thomas, while seeing everything, chose to ignore it for the peace of the rest of the class and his own inner sanity.  The day finished with no actual work getting accomplished from the four people involved even spreading to the majority of each of their houses.  

That night, after complaining about the Slytherins for some time in the confines of their own dorm room, the first year Gryffindor girls fell asleep.  

When they woke up, Amelia was gone.