The Professor to Top All Professors

"Prologue"

by V. C. (Velvet Curtain)

Words: approx. 1100

Microsoft Word Web Pages (various fonts): 2

Rating: PG, but possibly PG-13 in later chapters.

Reasons: Serious romantic relationships, drama, tragedy, violence

Relationships: Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, James/Lily

Summary: The Purity War is over. A long time ago, Minerva McGonagall (now Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) and Albus Dumbledore (deceased, former Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) agreed and arranged for Harry Potter (The-Boy-Who-Lived and The-Man-Who-Conquered) to take a break from the disaster that is their world. Together, they created a device that will send Harry back in time to not only educate and mentor his parents, but to discover things about the past and insure that the future remains in tact.

Disclaimer: If I owned this, I would not be writing this.

In the opinion of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers:

-Mr. Moony comments that Professor Harry Patterson was the most amazing, genius, skilled professor that Hogwarts has ever seen.

-Mr. Wormtail agrees heartily with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that said Professor is probably the best professor anyone has ever seen.

-Mr. Prongs wishes to concur with above statements and express his gratitude that Professor Patterson set him up with Miss Lily Evans.

-Mr. Padfoot laughs and would like to point out that it is incredibly shocking that not only did Mr. Wormtail learn a new word (where in the name of Merlin did you find the word 'heartily'?), but also that Miss Evans ever agreed to date an ignorant fool such as Mr. Prongs.

-Mr. Moony would like to end the discussion here before Mr. Prongs and Mr. Wormtail mutilate Mr. Padfoot.

It was the year 1998 in the early spring that Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, defeated Lord Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who. That was putting it lightly. The Final Battle, as it had been dubbed, had taken place in Hogsmeade, just outside of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The seventeen year old boy had successfully murdered the old, extremely powerful Dark wizard after a long, grueling duel between just the two of them. The Final Battle had destroyed the picturesque, entirely wizarding village, so that there were barely even ruins of the small town. Unfortunately, many were dead from the two-year war that had placed many wedges in families, friendships, careers, and lives. Now it was over, afteran entire year of searching and training: Harry Potter had finally killed the Dark Lord. The wizarding world rejoiced, and everyone set about the rebuilding of their world with happiness and relief, even through the disaster. But none had been hurt more than Harry Potter.

Harry Potter woke up in the hospital wing of Hogwarts hours after the battle, only to find a crowd of people surrounding his bed. Madame Pomfrey had healed him up quite nicely, though it had taken her a month to entirely do so, but there were scars that she couldn't heal. Harry's curse scar was not longer a curse scar, but rather a regular, normal scar. But there were scars that ran even deeper than that. He had woken to find that his best mate, girlfriend's older brother, and best friend's husband, Ron Weasley had been killed in the battle. Hagrid, Harry's first wizarding friend, had been killed in the battle, as had many other people Harry was fond of but that would take too long to name. Needless to say, many people were quite heartbroken. Surprisingly though, his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, and other best friend (as well as Ron's wife), Hermione Weasley had survived with few injuries but many memories that weren't exactly favorable. (By the way, Ron and Hermione eloped over Christmas holidays, and Hermione was actually pregnant during the battle, which had Ron very concerned. It wasn't a good day, to say the least, for Harry Potter and Co.).

And so, after Harry had passed his N.E.W.T.s with surprising excellence and had landed a job as an Auror, Harry found himself in Headmistress McGonagall's office on a sunny August day later that summer.

"You wanted to see me, Minerva?" he quired curiously, settling himself in the chair opposite her desk quite comfortably and playing idly with the sword shaft that hung at his side. He never left without his sword at his side. Ever since he had learned to wield one as a part of his downfall-training, as Ron had dubbed it, he hadn't felt quite as safe without it. Professor Dumbledore had insisted, in his will,uponHarry receiving Godric Gryffindor's sword that he had retrieved from the Sorting Hat in his second year. With his sword and wand, Harry was secure enough and always prepared to defend himself.

"Yes, Harry, I did," she replied with a sigh, searching his face for something. She smiled when she apparently found what she was looking for and chuckled to herself. "Harry, I spoke to Albus before he died concerning the aftermath of this war, its effects, and how to solve all of the problems."

Harry nodded interestedly, leaning forward in his eagerness to right the wizarding world.

"I hate to be the one to tell you, Harry," she continued hesitantly, eyeing him carefully, "but Albus and I agreed that you need a break before you can help."

Harry stood up, his green eyes flashing behind his glasses and his hand automatically swerving to the hilt of his sword. "What? No way, Minerva! There is no way for me to get out of this, escape from the public eye, and there's no way that I would leave Hermione and Ginny just like that. Hermione's baby is due any day now, and Ginny … Ginny would …."

"Please, Potter, sit down!" cried Professor McGonagall, her eyes flashing in retaliation. "Let me explain what I mean. Albus and I took great care in planning this, so you should know very well what we mean to do before you blow up at me. You will be gone for little more than twelve hours in our time, while it would be a year in the other time, but it would give you time to relax. Hermione won't even miss you, and Ginny will go with you. I know very well that you two are inseparable, and we never planned on keeping you apart. We need you there, not here."

"Where exactly are we going? Obviously a different time, but when?"

"You are going to Hogwarts in the past. In the year 1977, to be exact, where you will be the Defense Against Dark Arts professor. No one will know your true identity but me and Albus. You will be under the name of Harry Patterson, which no one should recognize, and we will use some appearance-altering charms so that no one will recognize you as James and Lily's relation. You will not try to hide your abilities, but do not flaunt them either. Do not try to hide your past, but do not openly share it and use your imagination for some creative answers as to your scar and other such details, such as why Voldemort hated you so much."

"I'm going back to my parents' time," he whispered disbelievingly, sitting down in shock and running a hand through his messy hair in amazement. He grinned up at McGonagall slowly. "That sounds brilliant, Minerva, when do I leave?"

A/N: Here you are! Finally! It took me long enough but, just for you, LittleEar BigEar's sis, I finally got it up! Don't expect fast updates, because right now I'm trying desperately to concentrate on Meant to Live, but I will try. Thanks to everyone for reading! I hope you enjoy it.

VC

ps- please do check out my profile for the contest/game; it applies to this story too! See how many points you can get for your House!

Edited 8/12/05 to fit book six.