Beings of Magic
Despite the fact that Pettigrew is probably high tailing it back to half dead Voldy The ministry still insists on sending Dementors to watch over Hogwarts. And the surrounding areas. So Nia's Fridays are far less eventful than they once were. The Hog's Head is mostly empty due to the fear surrounding the wizards of Hogsmead so she's been spending most of her time playing cards with Aberforth and writing lesson plans.
The front door to the bar opens with a chime and Nia looks up smiling brightly. Customers finally. The redhead is familiar looking, dark red but not quite ginger hair and bright blue eyes. For a second Nia thinks he looks quite handsome till he smiles back at her giving her a less than subtle check out. Nice try Weasley but no glamour can hide that signature smirk. She's about to kick him out before realising she'd never met the Weasley twins as Hope. Fuck, oh well. Let's see how far he takes this.
"Hiya handsome, what can I get you?" she plays up the ambiguousness of her accent a little American but not quite. Nothing like Petunia's meticulously practiced poshness.
"Not sure, what would you recommend?" He responds by taking a seat at the bar. His eyes linger on her chest for just a second before snapping back to her face a light blush on his cheeks. Bloody teenagers.
"The chef makes an excellent tuna bake, and it's cold out. I was thinking about getting myself a hot cocoa." She smiles, not even giving him a chance to attempt to drink.
"Sounds good to me, I don't believe I've had the pleasure. Gideon." He lies and Nia almost snorts. His fake name is his middle name? Not that she can say much in that department as she took her childhood nickname and switched the first letter, but still.
"Hope." Nia sort of lies just as smoothly, giving his order to the Chef and starting the drink. "What brings you to Hogsmead Gideon?"
"Well, a friend of mine told me the waitress at the Hogs Head has the voice of an Angel." Nia pauses for half a second. Hook line and sinker. Nia suddenly feels a wave of guilt over how easy it is to get her way. Hope shakes the thought from her head.
"You've got a kind friend, what's their name?" Nia responds finally trying to cover her momentary lapse.
"Nia Evans, teaches Muggle studies at Hogwarts."
"Ahh, Evans always has been a softie for me. I think she sees a lot of herself in me." Nia tries not to laugh at her own joke to little success.
"I was under the impression Nia's just a little soft." Gideon or rather Fred agrees with a charming smile.
"But scary when she wants to be." Nia adds, the glamour isn't that strong. His hair is slightly darker and the facial hair and slight age lines make him harder to recognise. If Nia hadn't catalogued the twins features to make sure she could always tell them apart she may have even been fooled. But the crook in his nose, the cluster of feckless on his left cheek in almost the shape of a star. Of course Hope has no reason to know this so she can't kick him out.
"Extremely. Does she ever look at you as though she knows your entire life story from a single glance." He asks and Nia's heart breaks a little. She does know his entire life story and it's a short one.
"Every second. So what can I do for you Gideon?"
"My nephews, Fred and George Weasley are starting up a muggle style rock band, Nia's idea and they're hoping to make some money which would be a lot easier if at least one member is of age." 'Gideon' Weasley explains and Nia raises an eyebrow.
"I've never met the Weasley Twins but I know them by reputation. Aren't they kids though?" She responds and suddenly realises she needs to be more careful now, Fred and George know her, her personality and quirks Hope has to be completely different or they will figure her out. George would hate her and Fred would propose. Neither were ideal situations.
"They’ll be sixteen in April, but smarter than they're given credit for.” he defends himself ignoring that fifteen is very much a child.
“Kids usually are. They any good?” she asks knowing the answer from the cassette tape of Hallelujah in her walkman under the bar.
"Wouldn't be here if they weren't." He says all seriously and Nia can't fake it anymore.
"I have no doubt, tell you what. Come back Hogsmeade weekend with a plan, your brother and your real face. I'll think about it." Nia responds with a wink as the bell signals his food is ready.
On Harry's first day back Nia hears rumours coming from mainly the first to third year girl about the scars peeking through the soft maroon cashmere sweater he’s been allowed to wear to minimise chafing. The item of clothing itself is getting a lot of attention as well. Harry seems completely oblivious to the popularity boost.
Ron is less so and quietly seething while Hermione is distracted with all her classes. They start with Muggle studies thankfully, where Nia starts the next book The Witch of Blackbird Pond and starts on the math and science work with percentages and probability. They run out of time as they always do and Nia calls back Blaise and Hermione. The latter of which is less than please at the delay.
“Blaise, the Weasley twins asked me to give you this.” She hands him the flier and he looks more than a little interested but it quickly turns sceptical.
“Why would they do that?”
“I suggested it, I think you’d appreciate the emotional release as would a mutual friend of ours. If you could convince him.” She answers as she gets the papers she needs for her chat with Hermione.
“I knew you wouldn’t leave him there, but I don't see how this will help.” Blaise admits and Hermione is quickly losing patience.
“Do you still doubt me Mr Zabini, I’m hurt. Now you should be off to class, Miss Granger, this will just take a moment. I have a note for professor Snape ready to go.” Blaise waves as he leaves with the bright orange flier. Hermione sits down silently checking the time with concern.
“I understand you’ve decided to take all available electives and Professor Mcgonnagal has given you a time turner to take each class. I have to tell you having seen how this plays out the first time it’s a bad idea. That being said, I know you won’t listen to me until you’ve already run yourself ragged so I’ve been preparing for this since first year.” Nia hands Hermione back the most recent test Nia gave her already marked with an O.
“I don’t understand?” A first for everything Nia smiles kindly.
“When you got caught after helping Norbert escape your First Year I helped minimise your punishment, do you remember what I said about you?”
“That i could easily mark homework up to third year,” she still sounds proud of that, as she should be.
“I Wasn’t just saying it. I started you on third year assessments Halloween that year, second you were doing fourth and that is the official OWL exam which you aced. You can take my class out of your busy schedule until I'd say in the fifth year we can start your NEWT work.” She says simply and Hermione's face goes blank.
"But, how, I?" Hermione Granger without words. Truly an accomplishment.
"You're the brightest witch of your age, that doesn't mean year level, that means generation. That being said. Divination is not meant for you. While there is some merit to it, it's not something that can be taught. Knowing the future is either a gift or a curse. You're going to wear yourself out and end up using that free pass i gave you to hit Malfoy." Hermione giggles as tears fill her eyes. Happy tears.
"I'll send that into a muggle school with the rest of the OWL'S at the end of the year. You should get your graduation certificate before school comes back next year." Nia promises and Hermione hugs her. It's almost odd Hermione was never Nia's main focus because with a few notable exceptions she's the only other one working to keep things on the rails. "You should get to potions, please remind Professor Snape we're having lunch in the staffroom. I'm trying to corner Remus." Hermione runs to her next class wiping her eyes and grinning.
Severus does in fact meet her in the staff room wearing a significantly more singed Cape then he started the day with. "Neville?" She asks warily and he glares back.
"Finnigan."
"Flames should've known. So how is our baby?" She asks and he just glares more at her wording. He loves her, really.
"The devil duo were on to something but none of the usual stabilisers are strong enough. I'm not sure if there's one that is." He says, taking out his own notes in a familiar black scrawl.
"What's close?"
"Phoenix tears have the right amount of power but too many other ingredients react aggressively. Your entire estate would go up in flames, Unicorn blood might but there's no telling the magical side effect it would have. There are consequences to hurting a being of true magic. Basilisk scale could destroy the version of you and recreate it in the past but there's no way of knowing if it would be alive or Petrified."
"So we're at a standstill till we can find a consenting being of pure magic to give us a piece of themselves. But the being has to have characteristics that at least go with the goal of the potion or it'll kill me and Harry when we try to use It?" She makes sure she's understanding his magic mumbo jumbo correctly.
"Essentially, I can work on the rest of the potion but we can't add the sands of time without the stabiliser or we'll be stuck in a time loop for the rest of eternity."
"Okay, well I need to get the time turner from Granger so we have time to think of something." She says positively and makes a mental note to grab the book on beings of Magic from the Chamber library. "That being said, are we on for Halloween this year? It's during a Hogsmeade Weekend anyway so I say we meet at the Hog's Head around sundown so Harry doesn't miss out on his first trip." He sighs but nods his assent as the bell for class rings. He has first years and makes no effort to move Nia technically has NEWT students, again a sixth and seventh year composite class but they're practice tests came back as good as Nia could hope for with only three years of study. She handed them personalised study sheets last lesson and gave them this period free. Mostly to see this one Defence lesson.
Remus walks in and avoids Nia's eye's like he has been at every possible chance. The chat they had on the first day of lessons was the first and only time she's managed to be alone with him. Harry's class follows him in and a horrible sneer covers Sev's face and Nia laughs at him
"Leave it open Lupin, I'd prefer not to witness this." Severus takes his books and walks away before stopping at the door. Don't do it Sev you're better than this. Instead of glaring at Neville however he looks back at Nia and pinches the bridge of his nose.
"I'll be taking dinner in my office if you need me Evans, I can feel a migraine coming on though so please do not." With that he stalks out and slams the door behind him. Dramatic but no unnecessary bullying of children, that's progress.
"Mind if I sit in Professor Lupin? I've never seen a competent defence class." She says and there's a light chuckle from the class.
"Of course Professor Evans," he answers but his voice is flat. What is his deal?
"It's just Evans," Harry corrects and Nia sees a flash of pain in Moony's eyes.
"I'm weird about titles. Please continue, I'm not even here." She keeps to her word and watches not Snape but Bellatrix Lestrange wear Augusta Longbottom's ridiculous outfit, Ron's spider lose its legs and Dean's Cousin It get mouse trapped. It isn't till the end of the lesson before what would have been Neville's second go does Remus look at her offering an opportunity.
"I've no magic of my own Professor," Nia reminds him trying to figure out what he's thinking. He got the same explanation the rest of the staff did.
"That's the thing with Bogart's Evans, it's not about the magic, this one has been weakened enough it's no danger you just wanted to see it, I assume that's why you wanted to sit in? It's a useful tool to know what you fear most." Remus is stone faced and sombre. After the fun lesson they'd had it was jarring to see the Professor like this.
"Just curious to see if it works. Magic is hit and miss with me, mainly miss."
"There are many kinds of magic. Soul magic is not so easy to fool. Neither are magical creatures, please." Lupin is watching her too closely to refuse without suspicion. She stands walking to the front of the class.
Slowly Professor Lupin opens the door to the cupboard and a dark smoke billows out onto the floor and a Diary takes form. The class is silent as it opens and Tom Riddle emerges with red eyes staring into her own. Nia Freezes in fear.
"You really thought you could win against me? Pathetic Muggle girl. You aren't special or powerful, you have no magic. You are nothing." Tom comes forwards and the kids scream freeing Nia from her shock as she places out a hand on his chest.
"Riddiculous." It's barely a whisper but the diary opens to another page and a singing dwarf emerges.
"His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, His hair is as dark as a blackboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
the hero who conquered the Dark Lord."at the end of the song the entire class laughs except Harry and the Boggart explodes into smoke, destroyed.
"That was an excellent lesson, five point to everyone who faced the Boggart and five to Harry and Hermione for answering my questions. Evans, do you have a house?"
"Slytherin ironically."
"Five to Slytherin then. You're all excused Petunia, a word." The student file out of class and Remus sits where Severus was.
"You're done avoiding me then?" She asks playfully but he just stares her down.
"You aren't a muggle." Remus accuses with surety in his voice. It took him a week but Dumbledore's going on three years and can't manage to clue up. The greatest wizard of our time Ladies and Gentlemen.
"Lily gave me a few gifts before she died," Nia starts reciting her lie but he doesn't listen.
"Bullshit. Lily would never have trusted Petunia with her son no matter what a prophecy said, especially given that she hated divination and there's no way she could do what you claimed she did. So drop the bullshit because you don't smell human, that was a wandless spell. What are you and why do you have Harry?" There's something other than anger behind his eyes. Something like hope but for what Nia doesn't know.
"I don't know, but I'm the only one who can protect Harry. That diary was a Horcrux that I was possessed by in an effort to save his life. Prove I can trust you and I'll tell you more but right now you've proven yourself as nothing but a coward. I know that's not true but you seem to have forgotten." She responds equally cold and storms out. Fuck!