A New Professor (1/2)

[Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts]

{Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore}

Needless to say, being blessed with a name of five word length, it took a while to sign documents. Especially ones that required the full name as a signature.

And given Fudge's continuous letters, having to write my full name had become a necessity.

``We would best keep this amidst ourselves, Professor. Dumbledore.``

The letter read.

``If what he said about he-who-should-not-be-named's return is true, we have to do our best to come with a plan to tackle the situation before it becomes a mess like in the past.``

Fudge was definitely not understanding the severity of the situation.

``But it is also possible that the children were a little disoriented. Magic imbued in the old chambers often had hallucinating effects worse than the strongest psychedelics. So, it might just be possible that what they remember is a trick of their mind.``

It wasn't. There was no such magic where Harry had gone to. But Fudge most certainly would rather believe his own story than Harry's. 

It was an issue, but there is no choice but to deal with this issue by myself. The others cannot know about it, even from the ministry Fudge is the only one that would have been useful rather than an annoyance.

But maybe I was wrong.

I will have to deal with this soon, now that Quirrell is gone, the school will be in a lot of chaos as well. The students cannot skip class, maybe I will have to ask Snape or Flitwick to cover the Dark Arts class for the time being.

Not that they are free, but sacrifices have to be made.

The rain outside had grown only heavier and the situation in Hogwarts had grown worse. 

I do hope the sun is out tomorrow. This weather can be tiresome for not just us but the students too.

However…

"In such weather nothing feels better than some cockroach clusters."

Not the best name, but certainly the best taste.

I even remember Harry being afraid of trying this the first time then getting addicted to the taste.

Ah, good memories.

"Professor?"

But of course, sitting on this chair meant work over rest.

"Come in, Hagrid." Hagrid never bothered coming here unless something that required instant attention had occured. "You know the password."

The password for today was of course Cockroach Clusters. What better one but that on a rainy day?

I heard him yell just that, which I have given up on ages ago.

The door need not be yelled at, but that's just how our Keeper of Keys was. 

"I'll enter now, professor."

I could only smile at his antics, habits that could never be hated.

But today, I did not expect to see anyone with him. It was rainy, no magical creatures had been out lately after the event with Quirrell, so there had to be a specific reason for him to come at this hour.

And that came in the form of a man beside him. Probably in his early to mid twenties and boring an appearance that was not native to here.

"And who do you have with you today, Hagrid?"

…

…

The old man was exactly how I imagined him to be — long beard that seemed common with old wizards.

Dumbledore, Gandalf and most wizards of old that I can think of have the same hat, cane and beard —almost comical. 

"And who do you have with you today, Hagrid?"

I did not jump to give an introduction, Hagrid was there for that.

"He is—" He froze for a second, exactly why I let him take the lead.

"I am Darius, Darius Safar." I said, recalling that neither have I given Hagrid my name nor had he asked for mine.

Even the letter that he read, he most likely brushed past my name.

"Darius…" Dumbledore looked at me, "I apologize but I do not recall a Darius that I had known before."

"That's because yer haven't." Hagrid answered on my behalf, "He said he is from a far place."

I did say that, just not from where.

"Well, now, 'e's lookin' fer a job at Hogwarts."

"I do not recall Hogwarts recruiting for professors," Dumbledore said. "You might have been a little early on it, Darius."

He was rightfully suspicious.

"I heard from Mr. Ollivander that Hogwarts recruits for professors at this time of the year." I had one trick, a few more but none as strong as this. "And so I hoped that maybe I could find an opening for a professor's post, even if it hasn't been listed yet."

"Garrick sent you?" This caught his interest, "What has he been up to?"

"He said he wanted to repair his shop, a few renovations here and there." The old man did say that, "And he seemed quite energetic about it."

Dumbledore showed a smile, pleased to hear that his old acquaintance was doing fine.

"It's rare for Garrick to send someone, no it is possibly the first time he had sent someone." He looked at me carefully, "He must have been impressed by something about you, which I have yet to see."

At this, Hagrid immediately walked closer before taking out the letter — that I had given him earlier — from his pocket.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I couldn't help meself—I opened the envelope before you. He just strolled right over the Black Lake, he did, couldn't exactly ignore that, could I?"

Dumbledore's eyes went wide for a split second, "You crossed the Black Lake with magic?"

That was not normal, was it?

"I did not know anyone to ask for the proper directions and neither did I know the timing of the boats and ships." 

I really didn't.

"So I chose the easier option."

"'Easier,' he says." Hagrid quipped while Dumbledore went over the letter.

"Ollivander has praised you, and says you have a good eye for the necessary things." Dumbledore read through the letter, "But neither does it list your qualifications nor does it affirm your magical capabilities."

How could the old Ollivander affirm when he didn't know much himself.

And I have been leveraging a simple letter for too long and will definitely need to prove my capabilities.

"It must have said that everything that I carried was stolen, including my documents." I gave a fake sigh, "If it is my identity that you are worried about, I have taken a test at the Auror post far down south and you may confirm the identity through them."

"Identity is difficult to confirm," Dumbledore said, "But if you have convinced the Aurors and even Ollivander then I cannot claim otherwise."

That was good. 

"But I have yet to see what you are capable of and how you may fit into Hogwarts."

Good Question, he wanted to know what I can provide the school and the students.

"I am skilled with quite a few things." Which I was. "Healing magic, Elemental Magic and even the Defenses Against the Dark Arts."

I left out the Mind Arts part for obvious reasons. 

And the Rune Magic because I don't recall that many rune related things from this world.

Thankfully this was enough to impress Dumbledore. 

"That is a bold list of skills." He said, "Not many who are proficient in Healing are proficient with the Defence Against the Dark Arts, and not many that are proficient in DADA are proficient in the pure Elemental Magic. While you claim to be good at all three."

What was going on in here was that I was selling myself, showcasing what I could offer so that the old man would be willing to buy me.

As horrible as it sounded, this is what happens in the corporate world —a person selling his skills and a corporation buying him for a fair or unfair price.

Not that it was bad, just not meant for everybody.

As for me, I had to do my best to sell myself as well as I possibly could.

"I would even go as far as to say that I have created many spells and charms in each of those fields that many might not have even thought of."

Even Hagrid was amazed at the claim, before mumbling something under his breath and somehow satisfying himself with his own thoughts.

"We do not necessarily need a professor for Elemental Magic, not to mention pure Elemental Magic is more of a higher studies subject while most children in schools learn of just elemental spells not the art of elemental control itself."

This I did not know.

"But we can work with a healer, we only have one matron at Hogwarts and children are getting hurt a little too often." Dumbledore rubbed his beard, thinking of posts that he might assign. "But I would say there is one post that needs an urgent recruit."

Dark Arts, obviously. He dragged the descriptions for so long and did not mention Dark Arts in that time for a reason.

And if what I remember is correct, one professor that was under Voldemort's control died in the first year and this was currently Harry's first year in Hogwarts if my calculations are not as bad as the weather outside.

And that professor taught the Dark Arts, didn't he? 

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor recently left his job so we have not yet found a replacement. Mostly because we have not been searching actively either."

Ah, so that's the tale he is telling.

"Then…" I spoke with interest, which he caught on.

"There might be a post available for you but I will need to be provided with some credentials, which in this case will be skills because of your lack of documentation." He placed his hands behind his back with my letter still in his right hand. "And I would also urge you to provide me with the Auror post's details so that I can confirm your identity better."

That wasn't him being stuck up, that was just the protocol. And if anything, I would say he was being too lenient considering a Dark Lord just threatened his favorite student.

Or maybe he has a plan. 

Old, long beard wizards always had a plan.

"I can provide the details, but how do you want to test my skills?"

I could summon horrors if I want, I have the knowledge of that stuck in some corner of my mind. The Dark Arts orb that I absorbed had a little too much information compared to the rest and most of that information was not something I could ever use.

It is not an exaggeration but if the world did not have restrictions, I could summon some Lovecraftian horror if I ever so wished. 

I would most likely be eaten by that as well, but just putting it out there.

It is also possible, just not in this world.

"What we teach in Hogwarts is not the Dark Arts but how one can defend themselves against the Dark Arts. So, I would be happy if you can show some ways to form dark spells and also counter or defend against them."

So... basically create, dissect and counter.

Got it.

"How big or strong of a spell do you want? At least for the Dark Arts part, not the defense."

If he said 'the bigger the better', his office would be a mess and my clothes would get dirty as well. So, I was glad when he decided against that.

"A spell that can possibly disorient someone or cause a little bit of physical harm is fine." He said, "I will use my wand in case you slip or miss, which I pray you don't."

"Certainly." I promised not to wreck the place. "So then I will go with a corrosion spell, it can corrode metal and rot flesh."

"That's most definitely a dark spell, it is." Hagrid shuddered hearing what the spell could do. Mostly like the flesh part was what spooked him. 

"And the counter?" Dumbledore asked, standing a bit away from me, just like Hagrid.

Of course, the old wizard could save himself from such a spell. But why get hurt if you can take precautions?

"I can counter it by redirecting it to the caster but in this case it would be back to me, so that would do me no good." I explained by taking out my beautiful blackthorn wand, "What I can do is cast a form of extra layer, not skin or metal but an elemental sort of layer that would take the hit and the damage instead of my skin."

Defense Against the Dark Arts was not just light magic or purification magic, but any magic that could defend against it.

"That can work, but what if multiple of those rot spells are thrown?" The old man asked a valid question.

"In most cases the defender would prefer returning the spell instead of taking the hit, so it should not matter how many spells are thrown." I would do that in a heartbeat. For no reason am I tanking a scary spell for nothing. "But in those rare instances that a defender may not be fortunate enough to return it and have to take the hit, they would be skilled enough to either do rapid casting like the attacker or form multiple layers on the first go."

To demonstrate this, I created three layers around my hand —earth, water and air. Of course I did it while casting a fake chant as my magic was a little different from the people here. In essence, I could use the magic directly to do those things that others required a spell to do.

But to not freak anyone out, I used the fake chant — "Elementum Defendum!"

"Brilliant." Even Dumbledore seemed amazed at the swirling elements around my arm, protecting my arm like a three layered gauntlet. All while not even touching my skin.

"As for the spell, I will first demonstrate what it can do on…" I looked around and found a broken piece of wood, possibly from some shelf on the ground. "on that piece of wood. And then on my hand."

Dumbledore stood watching, not uttering a single word.

"I will begin now." Taking a deep breath, nervous and focused enough to convince them —I casted another spell that meant absolutely nothing. "Carrion Feedus!"

And in an instance, a purple Haze like bullet shot at that wooden piece, hitting it in the matter of a single second. 

That bullet was constructed of pure Dark Magic which was a separate entity of magic in its entirety.

As I said before, my magic was fundamentally different from theirs.

Meanwhile the purple bullet? It had already eaten away the entire piece of wood, burning it away like acid on flesh, bubbling and erasing it entirely.

"That…" Hagrid had his jaw dropped, "That there's gotta be a forbidden spell, ain't it?"

"Well, it might be if I present it somewhere." I gave the man a smirk, "But it isn't since I created this spell and haven't shown it to the world yet…. Before today."

"Hagrid is correct." The old wizard said, amazed just as much as Hagrid. "That is just as amazing as it is terrifying. And I am glad not many know that spell, otherwise the number of injured people during quarrels would be too large."

More like dead than injured.

"That happens to be why I haven't used it in front of others." I then focused on the arm, "And now let me demonstrate this defense."

At their approval, I once again casted the same spell.

"Carrion Feedus!"

And once again, it erased something in its entirety —just this once though, it was a layer of earth that I had been spinning around my arm.

It vapourized even the solid earth that swirled around me, but it left the other two layers without as much as a slight burn.

"As I said, the spell can only rot away only one layer or target at a time, so I am fine and so are the other layers."

Saying this, I proceeded to throw two more spells —erasing the other two layers as well.

"And that should explain how I can counter rapid casting of this spell."

And as I looked ahead to wonder if they were satisfied, I could only see their astonished faces. 

"That…" Dumbledore muttered, "Is indeed more than I could ask for."

So, I guess that counts as a success?

What else could he even ask for? A ghoul attack on the kids?

Actually, that might not be a bad idea.

…

…

[Seven Hours Later — Auror's Post, Brighton]

{Nymphadora Tonks}

He did it, didn't he?

That crazy guy…

"That guy sure is something." Auror number 3037 mumbled —sue me, I still cannot remember his name. Something something Abney— surprised by the letter. "From getting robbed, left naked to ending up in Hogwarts as a professor. Either he is very skilled or very lucky."

"Or both." I mumbled out without even realizing.

"Definitely both." He said, "He is skilled enough to get into Hogwarts and lucky enough to do it in such a short time. Even luckier when Hogwarts wasn't even recruiting."

That's what I am more curious about. Did they lose a professor or two? They don't recruit unless absolutely necessary.

"But the headmaster asked for some testimonials." He frowned a little, "Directly from the Aurors in charge of confirming his identity."

"Then go through the cart or the Floo and confirm." Why was he even frowning? "You confirmed his identity."

"Yes but…" He sighed, "I have to go to the Ministry of Magic for five days and I will be leaving in an hour."

Huh? I don't think I was informed of that.

"Then any of the others can go." I suggested. We did have three more guys at our little post and two more girls. 

"The three guys will be out to escort Minister West to Minister Fudge, as for the girls they are on a deadline to submit some drafts."

Don't tell me…

"You mean…" I looked at him, hoping that he wasn't suggesting what I was thinking of. 

"Yeah," He gave out a sad-ish smile, one that I definitely did not like. "Sorry, but we have no one else here. So, you will have to be the one to go and testify."

Oh by bloody Merlin's beard! I have to go back to that darned school? 

Darn that naked twat!

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