"That was extremely dangerous, child. Since Professor Lupin was with you, you should not keep putting yourself so close to danger—"
Professor McGonagall scolded Sean sharply, in a tone that made Harry instinctively shrink his head down.
"But no matter what, you did very well, child."
As she said that, Professor McGonagall stepped closer to the young wizard and gently kissed him on the forehead.
Harry felt a strange sense of unreality.
It was as though he were floating in midair, watching something he simply could not accept.
He began to wonder whether Professor McGonagall was actually some sort of impostor.
Sean froze too. He could see the worry and relief overflowing in her eyes.
He lowered his gaze to his robes. The silver-trimmed fabric was fine and elegant—Professor McGonagall had taken him to buy them herself.
All this time, she had restrained herself and done her best to play her role. Sometimes they all forgot that this was also the professor's first time becoming such an important part of a young wizard's family.
She always held herself back, always tested the boundaries—but feelings were not the kind of thing that could always be weighed and measured.
"I'll be careful."
Sean spoke softly.
"That will be enough."
Professor McGonagall smiled faintly, then turned to Harry, who still had not quite recovered.
"Professor Lupin also said you felt unwell on the train, Potter."
"Oh… I… I…"
Faced with McGonagall returning to her stern self, Harry was so dazed he could barely get any words out.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Madam Pomfrey hurried in.
"Where's Potter? Is he alright?"
she asked anxiously.
Harry snapped back to himself and felt certain that his face had gone red.
What exactly had he just seen?
Right, that was important—but he had other problems too.
Namely, he seemed to have fainted on the train.
Whether he had passed out or something else entirely, it was bad enough already. Seeing Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey making such a fuss over him only made him feel even more embarrassed.
"I'm fine,"
he said.
"I don't need anything—"
"Oh, Potter!"
Madam Pomfrey seemed not to hear him at all. She bent down and examined him closely.
"I suppose you were up to something dangerous again, were you?"
"It was a Dementor, Poppy,"
Professor McGonagall said.
They exchanged a grave look, and Madam Pomfrey began clucking in disapproval like a hen.
"Sending Dementors around a school,"
she muttered, brushing Harry's hair back and feeling his forehead.
"He certainly won't be the first person to faint.
Yes, he's cold and damp all over. Horrible creatures, they are—the effect they have on people who are already vulnerable—"
"I'm not vulnerable!"
Harry said irritably.
"Of course you aren't,"
Madam Pomfrey said absently, already checking his pulse again.
"What does he need?"
Professor McGonagall asked briskly.
"Bed rest? Perhaps he ought to spend the night in the hospital wing?"
"I'm fine!"
Harry said, springing to his feet.
The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to be hospitalized was unbearable.
"Well, at the very least, he should eat some chocolate,"
Madam Pomfrey said, now peering into Harry's eyes.
"I already had some,"
Harry said.
"Professor Lupin gave me some. He shared it with all of us.
And Sean gave me his pumpkin pie too."
"Green, you're here as well?
Very good. You really are a child who never gives anyone trouble."
Madam Pomfrey said approvingly.
"And even better, at last we have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who actually knows the proper remedy."
"Do you truly feel alright now, Potter?"
Professor McGonagall asked sternly.
"Yes,"
Harry said.
"Good. Wait outside for a moment. I need to say a few things to Shee… Mr. Green, and then we'll all go downstairs for the feast together."
Professor McGonagall said.
The door closed.
Sean met Professor McGonagall's gaze, stern and yet warm.
"He works as the manager in your bookshop?"
Professor McGonagall asked.
"Yes, Professor,"
Sean said.
"Lupin is certainly a very capable wizard, but you'd do best to keep your distance from him."
Professor McGonagall spoke after a moment's thought.
Sean, who never asked why, simply nodded.
"Go join the feast, child."
Professor McGonagall was always pleased by that.
The Great Hall was a sea of pointed black hats. Every long House table was filled with students, their faces glowing in the light of the thousands of candles floating overhead.
Professor Flitwick, a tiny wizard with white hair, came out carrying an ancient-looking hat and a three-legged stool.
"Oh,"
Harry said to Sean as they headed back to their table,
"we missed the Sorting."
"What happened?"
Justin popped up from nowhere the moment they sat down.
Which was odd, since this was the Ravenclaw table.
"Yeah."
Hermione popped up too.
They both looked curious. Before Sean could explain, Headmaster Dumbledore rose to his feet and began to speak.
"Welcome!"
said Dumbledore, candlelight sparkling on his beard.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to all of you, one of them most important, and I think it best to get it out of the way before you tuck into this excellent feast and your brains become too muddled…"
Dumbledore cleared his throat and went on:
"Our school is currently hosting several Dementors from Azkaban, sent here by the Ministry of Magic to perform their duty. You all doubtless know this already, as they searched the Hogwarts Express."
He paused.
Sean knew that Dumbledore had not originally wanted the Ministry to send Dementors to guard the school.
But Headmaster Dumbledore always observed the Ministry's rules. In truth, he could have refused outright.
Sometimes Sean thought this was because the headmaster was certain he had enough power to bear the consequences.
But for the young wizards, that hardly counted as a good thing.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds,"
Dumbledore continued,
"and I must make it quite clear that nobody is to leave the school while they are here. No trickery, no disguise, no invisibility cloak will fool the Dementors."
He added lightly,
"It is not in a Dementor's nature to understand pleas or excuses. I therefore warn all of you not to give them any reason to harm you.
I hope the prefects, and our newly appointed Head Boy and Head Girl, will make certain that no student comes into conflict with a Dementor."
Dumbledore paused again and surveyed the Hall with a very serious expression. No one moved. No one made a sound.
"Now, on to something a little more cheerful,"
he continued.
"I am very pleased to welcome three new teachers to our staff this term.
First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly agreed to fill the vacancy in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
A few scattered, rather lukewarm claps rose through the Hall.
Only those who had shared a compartment with Professor Lupin on the train clapped with any real enthusiasm. Sean could see Justin nearly clapping his hands off.
"As for our second new teacher,"
Dumbledore went on after the sparse applause for Lupin died away,
"oh, yes, let him come forward… Mr. Green, our dear Potions assistant, I'm afraid you won't be able to remain in your student seat tonight."
Dumbledore blinked and said it with a teasing smile.
Sean had not expected any such announcement. In the midst of the sudden silence, he could only stand and walk toward the staff table.
As he crossed the Hall, the silence slowly turned into frenzy.
The Ravenclaws erupted into wild applause, and Hufflepuff was not about to be outdone. Between the two Houses, the clapping nearly lifted the roof off the Hall.
At the Gryffindor table, Fred and George looked seconds away from standing up to applaud. Fred shot George a wink, and George could see that even a number of Slytherins were clapping with careful restraint.
"Oh, very good, isn't it? Mr. Green's ability is plain for all to see. Professor Snape and I both trust that he will perform this role admirably.
It may not seem like a particularly glamorous position, but naturally, all greatness begins with something small."
Dumbledore smiled brightly as he watched the young wizard approach the two empty seats.
One of them was near Professor Lupin, who was looking at him with open anticipation.
The other was beside Professor Snape, who was staring daggers at Lupin.
~~~
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