6 Chapter 5

Life and studies at Hogwarts went on as usual. Harry was quickly making his way among the top students. However, there were some problems. One of them was the Dean of Slytherin, Severus Snape, who tried to humiliate Harry every chance he got, and if he failed to catch Potter ignorant of his subject, he could punish minor offences. However, Harry missed most of these detentions because Slytherin didn't want to go to them, confident that he had done nothing wrong. The other problem was Ron Weasley, the worst student in the class. The red-haired Gryffindor annoyed not only Harry but also the other students with his stupidity and lack of manners. Weasel attacked Potter almost all the time and was constantly getting a beating from Harry.

Within the first two months, the redhead had become known among the students as rude, boorish, bullying and a pig. Increasingly, the redhead was no longer called by his first name, but only by nicknames. The most common were the following nicknames: - Sixth and Weasel, but most often he was called by the second option. These nicknames had been invented by Slytherins.

In response to this, Ron had a few fights in the corridors with students from other faculties. Most often Sixth would throw his fists at the so-called offenders, even though they were doing nothing wrong, because he hadn't learnt a single spell in months.

Sixth studied with great laziness and was considered mediocre by most of his teachers. Minerva McGonagall noted Sixth's extremely poor ability in Transfiguration, Filius Flitwick said he had never had such a lazy and weak student, and Severus Snape's opinion of Sixth was well known. However, the school librarian, Madam Pince, was most displeased with Arthur and Molly's youngest son. The books that the Weasleys borrowed to prepare for lessons were returned to the library in a very bad state: the pages were torn, with some figures drawn in the margins and swear words written against Professor Snape and all Slytherins.

In response to such vandalism, Madam Pince had stopped giving the redhead books. However, there was another reason for the school librarian's displeasure: when Sixth came to the library, he interfered with the other students' studies, arranging the most real scandals and even sometimes fighting right in the reading room. No punishments helped, the redhead didn't understand words, and for some unknown reason, he was patronised by Dumbledore. The Headmaster replied to Madam Pince's complaints about Sixth's disgusting behaviour that the boy just liked to be a bit naughty and it wasn't worth punishing him for it, but Dumbledore didn't notice that these "pranks" were damaging the school library. Dumbledore hoped that Ron Weasley would help increase the tension in the school and finally split the faculties. The Headmaster had originally wanted Ron to befriend Harry Potter, but seeing that this plan didn't work due to the Sixth's too much hatred for Slytherins, he couldn't change the fact that the 'Boy Who Survived' was now in that faculty. So the Headmaster had to go to the backup plan of using Ron as the main instigator of conflicts between Slytherin and the other faculties.

The Headmaster was upset that Ronald's authority in Gryffindor was low, but that could be easily remedied by adding a few potions to the Gryffindors' food.

Realising that the teachers did not influence Sixth, his classmates decided to reeducate the redhead themselves, but they were unsuccessful. Sixth was so insolent that none of the students wanted to mess with him. Soon, however, the Gryffindors' sharply negative attitude towards Weasley suddenly died down, and now they were mostly supporting Sixth in his attitude towards Slytherin. This change in attitude towards Weasley did not affect the students of the other faculties: they still hated and despised Sixth. As soon as the Gryffindor was admitted to the Hospital Wing, the students breathed free for a fortnight. The reason Sixth was in the infirmary was that during one of the breaks between classes, the redhead had accidentally bumped into Nymphadora Tonks, the Hufflepuff Head Girl, and instead of apologising to the girl, Weasley had shouted at her, calling the senior student a brat and a crazy metamorphist (most English wizards knew, that there was a metamorphist at Hogwarts, as it was common for wizards in England to discuss Hogwarts, and once someone's child told their parents that there was a metamorphist at Hogwarts, after which gossip about it spread all over magical England). Tonks couldn't stand it and gave the brat a good smack, but she didn't calculate the force of the blow, and the Gryffindor suffered several fractures and bruises.

The subject of Weasley and his rudeness had come up more than once at faculty meetings, but Dumbledore had brushed it aside every time one of the professors demanded that the Sixth be calmed down and punished in some way. And now, after another faculty meeting, Dumbledore asked Minerva McGonagall to stay.

- Minerva, may I ask why you have removed Percy Weasley, who I think is a very decent and well-mannered young man, from the position of Head Boy?

- Albus, I respect you as a strong wizard and Headmaster, but your connivance with Weasley will backfire. This, as you put it, the well-mannered young man did nothing when Ron Weasley started insulting not only Harry Potter in public in the Great Hall, but also the Head Girl of one of the faculties, a girl by the way, which does not do credit to the young man. I have already reported many times that Percival is failing in his duties, he is the reason why freshmen are constantly late for classes, and he doesn't want to help his fellow students when they ask for his help. Percival has nothing on his mind but affairs with his colleague, Ravenclaw Head Girl Penelope Crystal. He's a bit of an arrogant prick, and that, Albus, is, you appointed the boy head boy, well I quickly corrected your mistake. No more Weasley's will hold the position of Head Girl in either the faculty or the school. Power and Weasley are two incompatible things.

- Minerva, be reasonable, Mr Weasley has made a mistake, give him a second chance," Dumbledore began to exhort in a kindly grandfatherly tone.

- No, Albus, I will not change my mind. Your habit of giving people a second chance in some cases is unnecessary. Exactly, and don't make excuses for your mythical <General Good>, it's utopian. The collapse of the USSR proved that such ideas were short-lived. The world is not a game of chess, where you sacrifice a pawn and get an advantage, there are no pawns, but people and you should not treat them as pieces that can be easily replaced. Life is not a game of chess, tell that to James and Lily who believed you and see what happens.

The Headmaster of Hogwarts had no response to such a statement from his deputy.

- For the last time Albus, stop indulging Mr Ron Weasley, you can see he is a bully and a boor. I have been approached many times by girls from different faculties asking me to protect them from Mr Weasley's lewd propositions. God, if he's like that in first year, I shudder to think what he'll be like in senior year."

Dumbledore, however, simply ignored Minerva's remark about Ronald Weasley. The Headmaster was a very stubborn man; if he got something into his head, he didn't let it go unchallenged. Determined to distract Minerva from talking about Ron Weasley, the Headmaster launched into his favourite tirade about forgiveness and second chances. Being a skilled orator, the Headmaster almost managed to steer the conversation in another direction, but soon Professor McGonagall realised that the Headmaster was leading her astray, so the Dean of Gryffindor became angry and yelled at Dumbledore, telling him that he could go ... with his 'common good'. The Professor considered the conversation over and was about to leave when she heard the Headmaster ask her to invite Harry Potter into his office, calling out another one of his stupid passwords, <Lemon Slices>. After that, the professor snorted loudly and left the Headmaster's office. Minerva felt like drinking whiskey after this conversation. The Headmaster's request could wait, the Dean of Gryffindor decided and headed for her office - thank goodness she had the day off from classes today.

Meanwhile, while intrigue was brewing at Hogwarts, Hela was finishing the paperwork on Kate Morrigan. According to legend, she was a pure-blooded wizard from Ireland. After carefully studying the situation in magical England, the dark-haired goddess of death decided to change her plan and go to Hogwarts undercover.

- Better to act now than a year from now. I don't like Dumbledore's suspicious actions," she whispered as she watched through a special artefact the Headmaster of Hogwarts heading towards the Forbidden Corridor on the third floor.

*****

After completing his homework, Harry, along with Hermione, Tonks and Neville Longbottom, strolled around the castle courtyard, chatting about various distracting topics until Minerva McGonagall approached the group of students.

- Mr Potter, the Headmaster wants to speak to you urgently, follow me," the professor said reluctantly and led Potter into the Headmaster's tower. At the entrance to the tower, Harry saw a huge stone gargoyle guarding the passage to the spiral staircase that led directly to the Headmaster's office. Naming the password and waiting for the statue to move aside, Harry climbed the stairs. Opening the door, Potter was unsurprised by the sight of the office.

It was a round, spacious room filled with faint strange sounds. There were many mysterious silver devices on revolving tables - they buzzed, releasing small trickles of smoke. The walls were hung with portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses snoozing peacefully in beautiful frames. In the centre stood a huge desk on clawed paws, and behind it on a shelf lay a worn, patched Magic Hat. Behind the desk sat Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself and smiled welcomingly, but Harry, being a Slytherin, didn't trust the Headmaster and so didn't believe Dumbledore's smile was sincere.

- 'Come in my boy, I think we have much to discuss,' the Headmaster said.

Harry grimaced at the phrase, but still made his way into the office and sat down in the chair opposite the Headmaster.

- 'I've been wanting to meet you for a long time, my boy,' the Headmaster began, 'I'd like to know how you're doing at Hogwarts.

- Quite well, and I would ask you Mr Headmaster not to wishful thinking, I am not 'your boy' and never will be, you better address me as Mr Potter," Harry said confidently.

- 'Well, all right, my... I mean Mr Potter. How do you like Slytherin? I think the hat is a bit wrong and you belong to another faculty, your parents were real Gryffindors and I think Gryffindor would be the best place for you, maybe you'll make some real friends there, except for one Miss Granger.

- No, thank you, Headmaster. I don't want to go to Gryffindor, I'm quite happy with Slytherin. Besides, I'd like to know what "real friends" you're talking about, Headmaster.

- Mr Ron Weasley, for example, could be your friend," the Headmaster started to say, but Harry interrupted him.

- What? Be friends with Weasley? Not a chance with that ill-mannered, stupid and uncultured cretin. I've had several run-ins with him and I have not the slightest desire to associate with him. If that's all you can tell me, Mr Headmaster, I think I'll be going," Harry said and walked out of the office.

- Well, the only thing left to do is to use potions," the Headmaster said and began to devise a plan to subdue the Chosen One.

******

It had been a few days since Harry had spoken to the Headmaster of Hogwarts. These days were no different from any other normal school days. Until one day in the Great Hall during morning breakfast at the professor's table Harry noticed a tall slender woman with a nice bust, the stranger was wearing a long robe.

- It's strange, but this new teacher reminds me of someone," Harry whispered as he sat down in his seat and continued to stare at the new Hogwarts employee.

Once all the students were seated at their faculty tables, Dumbledore rose from his throne and made his way to the podium. Throwing a disapproving glance at the new faculty member, the old wizard began his speech.

- After much discussion, the Faculty of Magical Education has decided to replace Professor Binns with a more suitable teacher. May I introduce you to Miss Kate Morrigan, who will henceforth be teaching the history of magic... - As the Headmaster spoke, she rose from her seat and bowed gracefully to everyone.

- You can tell she's a pure-blooded bastard," a certain red-haired freshman at the Gryffindor table muttered quietly.

After the Headmaster finished his speech and took his seat, the students began their breakfast. Taking a seat on the edge of the teacher's desk, Hela looked at the students. The Goddess of Death knew full well that Dumbledore would not allow her DADA professor to be replaced, which was why she had chosen to teach History of Magic.

As soon as breakfast was over, Hela was one of the first professors to leave the Great Hall. The first class was still a few hours away. To pass the time, Hela decided to go on a patrol of the castle.

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