Chapter 8: Finding Out

When the N.E.W.T. exam results arrived a few weeks into the summer break, Harry and Hermione had both achieved Outstanding grades in all of their subjects. Even Ron, for whom results were not important, had achieved passes in two subjects: well in excess of his, or anyone else's expectations. Ginny had decided to defer signing for The Holyhead Harpies for one more season. She wished that she could have taken her final exams this year, too, instead of next—but at least she could look forward to being taught by her favourite teacher next year!

Despite his good exam grades, Harry knew that he had a lot of work to do before he started his new job in September. Ron and Hermione had already begun their new careers. It had been decided that Ron would carry on living with George, while, for the summer at least, Hermione would stay at the Burrow and travel to the Ministry with Arthur Weaseley. Come September, Ginny would be in the Gryffindor dorm, while Harry occupied staff quarters.

At Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall was going to continue to carry out the roles of Headmistress, Transfiguration teacher, and Head of Gryffindor House—although Harry and Neville would also share some of her many Gryffindor duties. Much to Ginny's delight, a new Potions Mistress had been appointed last year: she was a very popular witch and ex-Hogwarts pupil, who had also become the new Head of Slytherin House.

Because Harry had achieved 'O' grades for his Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. and the new Advanced Defensive Magic N.E.W.T., he was pretty confident that he could cover his teaching subject at all levels throughout the school. Nevertheless, he had arranged to travel to Hogwarts during the holiday, to talk to various members of staff who were still in school, about the best ways to plan lessons, mark homework, and organise his time; now that apparently virtually ever hour, of every day, would be needed to cope with the mountain of work that went with the job.

Ginny would not be going with him, but she and Harry would soon be taking their first holiday together—in fact, the first proper holiday that Harry had ever been on. All that was left to be decided, was where they would be going, and how they would get there. Witches and wizards tend to avoid non-magical transport, but because Harry was brought up as a Muggle, he was used to travelling in cars that didn't fly and buses that moved at a relative snails-pace, compared to the magical variety. Arthur Weaseley, a life-long fan of all things Muggle, especially the technology, had urged them to at least experience some Muggle transport, so that they could tell him about it upon their return. However, Hermione, who had also been brought up by Muggles, had recently travelled to Australia and back by airplane, and had declared that the many hours of flight were, in her words: 'A truly horrid experience!'

The Hogwarts Express didn't run during the school holidays, so Harry had decided to use a Portkey into the Hog's Head again. He had sent Aberforth Dumbledore a message, to ask if it would be convenient and, if so, to tell him when he would be arriving. So the next day, shortly after a Weaseley family breakfast, he kissed Ginny goodbye, then waited until the Portkey glowed bright blue before touching it. Very shortly afterwards, he appeared in an upstairs room in the Hog's Head tavern.

Since it was a nice day, Harry walked along the familiar path leading to the school. He was met there by Argus Filch, the school caretaker, who, unfortunately, did not appear to have improved his demeanour in all the years that Harry had known him. The least that could be said about Filch's attitude to the Hogwarts pupils, is that he had no favourites—he hated them all equally as much!

"Mornin', Mr Potter," said Filch, who managed to make the simple greeting sound like he was being forced to take deadly poison, "—the "Eadmistress says yor to be shown to yor room. Folla me."

Harry had never seen these private rooms before. The Heads of House had quarters near their respective House's dormitories, and of course Hagrid had his own house in the grounds, but the other teachers had suites of rooms in a part of the castle that even Harry didn't know.

"Ere you are, Potter," said Filch, handing him a large key. Harry decided to try diplomacy:

"Thank you, Mr Filch. How's Mrs Norris?" Mrs Norris was Filch's constant companion: a large evil-looking, somewhat thread-bare cat, who Filch had once accused Harry of 'Murdrin', although the cat had only been petrified by the reflection of a Basilisk.

"Fine—gettin' old," he replied, as he turned and walked away. Harry turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door, to what would be his new home while at school. It was very different to his dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. He would miss that old room, but of course there was now no Ron, Neville, Dean or Seamus to share it with: just him, furniture and books—lots of books, all old and strangely unfamiliar and inherited from past occupants. And, of course, there was no comfortable common room where he could sit and be with friends.

Although Professor McGonagall knew about his relationship with Ginny, it was, she said, to be clearly understood that while Ginny was still a pupil at the school 'utmost discretion was required and expected at all times'. Which meant that, unfortunately, their time together during term would be limited, and they must strongly resist the urge to kiss or hold hands while in public view. Ginny could be invited to his rooms, occasionally, but it might be preferable to also invite others, such as Luna or his other friends at the same time, so that rumours of favouritism or impropriety wouldn't start to circulate.

When he was settled in, Harry's first task was to seek out the Headmistress, who would give him his teaching timetable and also answer any general queries that he had. Harry decided that he would also have to carefully study his route to and from his quarters, remembering memorable landmarks on the way. The last thing that he wanted was to get lost and to have to get Filch to show him the way again. If only he'd brought his precious Marauders Map with him, but he had left it in his room at the Burrow. He also wasn't sure whether this part of the castle would be on it, anyway. As it was, he was able to retrace his route, and after only a few strange corridors and turns, he was recognising places that he knew well. To be on the safe side, though, he returned to his room and back again, to fix the route in his memory.

He had not arranged any specific time to meet the Headmistress, but he found that he did not require a password and that she was in her study when he arrived.

"Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Professor."

"It is the usual custom for the teaching staff to address each other by their first names when in private, Harry. You may find this a little awkward to start with. Why don't you practice while we are alone."

"Er, good morning—Minerva," said Harry, slightly nervously. Minerva McGonagall, did not comment, but merely nodded once and gave Harry a hint of a smile before she continued.

"However, when we are on duty, or in the presence of pupils, it is best to use the formal Headmistress or Professor McGonagall.

"You should address your other colleagues by their title: either Professor, Madam, or Mr. Your pupils should address you as Sir or Mr Potter. You may address them as Mr, Miss, or just by their First or Family name, whichever you feel is most appropriate for the occasion.

"As you no doubt know, Harry, in teaching there is an important relationship between formality, informality, civility and indiscipline. A teacher must be aware of this at all times. You must also always try to be fair and impartial, too. However, you must always know how to act when the line between a pupil's acceptable and unacceptable behaviour is crossed. Now, Harry, your timetable."