Chapter 13 – Let the Lessons begin

“What a great start of term, our first lesson Harry is with Karis, this should be very interesting.” said Hermione while scanning her new timetable with awe.
“Excellent, can’t wait to see what she is going to teach us.” replied Ron, looking very pleased.
“She will work us hard, that’s all I can say, I’ve still got a headache from our last occlumency lesson.” moaned Harry, while rubbing his forehead in a bid for sympathy.
Hermione laughed. “Harry, you love having lessons with her, don’t lie!”
“I’m not lying, I really admire her, she is very cool actually. I’d never thought I would say that about a teacher, but she is, and yes she is attractive, but it’s not what you think, how could it be, she’s my teacher and well I’m sixteen, so end of story!”
“We know Harry, Hermione was only joking.” replied Ron.
“I wasn’t actually Ron!” replied Hermione. “Our Harry here has a crush on his teacher!”
“No I don’t Hermione, stop saying that!” Harry was getting agitated at her mocking.
“Yes, you do, but it’s completely normal, she is stunning and well…... you’re a hormonal sixteen year old male – it’s completely understandable!”
Harry and Ron looked at each other with a look of pure amusement; they couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Hermione’s last statement.
“Well, I think Hermione might just have a point there Harry!” mocked Ron.
“Whatever, I don’t care what you say, she’s a good friend and I can really relate to her, maybe because she’s older than me I dunno, but it’s not the done thing is it, dating your teacher!” laughed Harry.
“No, it isn’t but you won’t be her student forever Harry!” replied Hermione while winking at him.
“Talking about hormonal, just look at you two, don’t you think about anything else?”
“Uh, well come to think of it, no actually Harry, but you’re only sixteen once right!” replied Ron, nudging his friend playfully in the arm.
Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione; he could tell they were so happy to finally be able to express themselves. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at their relationship though, not because they were his friends, but because he had never felt what they were feeling.
Sure he had a crush on Cho, he thinks Karis is great too, but he had never been able to express his feelings to anyone. He had never had a girlfriend, not someone he could relate to in that way.
“Your only sixteen once right!” rang through his head, Ron was right of course but Harry felt older than his years, after what he had seen and learnt about the prophecy, he didn’t feel sixteen and one of his biggest fears is that he might not even reach his next Birthday.
However Harry resumed himself to the fact that it was his duty, and he would do everything in his power to fulfil it, even if it meant not feeling love, because right now all Harry felt was numb.
'Sixteen and already secretly training to fight an impending war. Who needs love and complications when you have that to deal with'. Harry thought silently to himself.
They entered the classroom, Harry noticed that Karis’ ancient scrolls had been rolled up, no doubt to protect them from prying eyes.
“Welcome everybody, please come in.” said Karis, with a welcoming smile.
Everybody took their seats. Harry however was disheartened to see that they had to share this class with Slytherin. Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle were sneering over at Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville.
“Ignore them Harry, they ain’t worth it!” said Neville, patting Harry on the shoulder.
“I know Neville. So how are you since Diagon Alley? We haven’t had a chance to really talk.” asked Harry.
“I’m alright, was more concerned about you really, how’s the head?”
“Oh, it’s alright, you know…”
Neville nodded in understanding.
Harry leant forward to his friend and spoke quietly. “Neville, you know what you said to me at Diagon Alley.”
Neville looked at Harry with surprise. “Yeah, I do, and I meant every word of it!”
Harry smiled, but continued nonetheless. “Well it’s me who should be thanking you, thanks for sticking by my side, I would have been strangled to death by that Rookwood if you didn’t stab him in the eye with your wand.”
Neville laughed, yeah, it was a bit mad what we did wasn’t it, and my Nan still hasn’t forgiven me entirely for breaking Dad’s wand, but I have a new one now, I guess I will test it out soon, haven’t had a chance to use it yet.”
“Well maybe you can hex Malfoy. That would be a good place to start!” whispered Harry.
They both laughed together at the pleasing prospect.
Karis approached the front of the classroom. “Now, everyone, as you know there is already a Professor Dumbledore present in this school, so to avoid confusion, please call me Professor Karis.”
“Right, well moving swiftly on…” Karis continued
Malfoy moved closer in to Crabbe and Goyle. “Yeah, like one Dumbledore isn’t bad enough!” he muttered under his breath loud enough for Harry and Neville to hear.”
Harry scowled at him. Karis noticed his turned attention to Draco.
“Mr Potter, are you present in my class or do you feel it beneath you to listen while I am talking?”
Harry looked at Karis in shock; he was not prepared for her to scold him in class.
Draco laughed along with his overgrown beastly friends.
“And what’s your name?” she demanded, looking directly at Draco.
“Draco Malfoy, I’m sure you may have heard of my family, Professor.” He shot back, sounding quite pleased with himself.
Karis narrowed her eyes, Harry could tell she was angry at his remark, something told him though she already knew who he was.
“Oh wait it rings a bell, hang on…. Uh…. Nope sorry, don’t recall Malfoy.”
Draco went red in the face; Crabbe laughed out loud, and then fell immediately silent at the look of disgust he received from his group leader.
Harry could hear Ron and Hermione trying not to laugh; as he turned to look at his them he could see their heads hanging low and their shoulders were shaking in a desperate attempt to keep quiet.
“Now pay attention the pair of you, I may look young, but I certainly am not stupid, and you say anything under your breath again Mr Malfoy I will hex you myself!” said Karis.
Harry was surprised she had even heard him, Malfoy now looked embarrassed, which made a nice change from his usual cocky self he showed only moments earlier.
“Right, well as I was saying, I would like you all to please set yourself up into pairs, we will be doing some duelling practice, as you have had the summer term to chill out and do things you teenagers do, you may be a little rusty and well we can’t have that, plus I want to see what you’re made of.”
Harry automatically teamed with Neville as they were seated together, Ron and Hermione were inseparable anyway and Harry noticed to his amusement that Crabbe and Goyle practically linked arms, leaving Draco without a duelling partner.
“Ah, Well this day is turning out pretty well, Mr Malfoy, you can partner with Me.” said Karis, with a pleasurable childlike grin across her pretty face.
Harry felt a pang of jealousy, Draco was teaming with Karis, and he couldn’t quite fathom the idea.
“Now, firstly I want you to just start off by disarming your opponent, I know this is easy stuff but trust me, it’s helped me out a few times I can tell you.”
“Right, well I hope you all know that the blocking spell is Protego, but there is a spell which should always be used before any fight or hex, especially if you want to calm the situation, because fighting is always the last alternative, can you tell me what it is?”
Everyone looked dumbfounded at the question, even Hermione didn’t raise her hand which was a first!
“Oh come on, this is very disappointing, I am talking about disarming only, can you not think of one spell to disarm your opponent?” Karis was looking quite incredulous at her class.
Harry even looked confused. 'What could be more important than blocking?' He thought.
“Oh for goodness sake! Draco, point your wand at me and pretend you want to hex me!”
Draco smiled, slowly his face turned to pure hatred, Karis felt quite taken aback but still she continued to smile. She lifted her wand with her right hand and held out her left, and said clearly “Accio Wand”
Suddenly Draco’s wand shot out of his hand, he looked quite shocked at the prospect, yet she looked at him with the same friendly smile, her expression not changing, once.
Everyone started laughing, Harry could see Hermione was fuming with herself, it was something so simple.
“With all due respect Professor, we already knew that, that’s kids stuff!” shot Draco.
“Yes, it is first year stuff and yet you all failed to remember the basics, you are so preoccupied with wanting to learn the advanced, you forget the first rule of Protection. What more protection do you need then to seize your opponent’s wand?”
Everyone in the class started muttering, they all felt completely dim-witted, especially Harry!
“Remember, whenever possible a feud is the last resort, if you can stop it, than please do so!” said Karis, looking at her new recruits, while slowly walking from one side of the room to the other.
“The smartest thing that any person can do is collect themselves and walk away. But only whenever possible! If facing death then obviously that’s a different matter. But the protection spells you learn when you are young, you tend to forget when you grow older. A favourite of mine is Petrificus Totalus. So I suggest everyone grab a cushion and start practising the spells you know. But If I see anything untoward, there will be serious consequences!”
There was a burst of excited chatter in the classroom.
“We have never done this before” Harry heard Millicent Balstrode say from across the classroom.
“Hey Harry, this is just like the DA.” whispered Seamus Finnigan.
“Yeah, but keep your voice down Seamus, we don’t want any Slytherins to know about that.”

“Oh yeah, sorry!” replied Seamus “Hey, this Karis seems pretty cool, quite fit too, about time we had a decent looking Professor for once!”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at Seamus’ remark, because deep down he was relieved, after all he wasn’t the only one who thought it. He felt quite normal, just for those few moments, Harry actually felt like a teenager.