J.K. Rowling's characters.

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"Severus." Lord Voldemort called for his potions master who stood quickly and moved forward from the crowd.

"My Lord" he bowed, his eyes downcast in submission.

"Tell me about the new defence against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts."

The potions master's face stayed blank and his body stayed stiff. Voldemort clucked his tongue; it was infuriating to have a follower so good at withholding emotions, he could never read anything from him.

"Dumbledore has told me that there is little hope of gaining a new professor, instead he has offered myself the job and decided to bring back the old potions master: Professor Slughorn."

Voldemort froze. He knew Dumbledore didn't trust Snape enough to give him the defence position so it was odd for the old man to have changed his mind so quickly. Unless he was gaining something from it. Voldemort frowned; he couldn't think there could be much to gain from giving Snape the position but from Slughorn…

Dumbledore must know that Slughorn is withholding information about Voldemort's school days from him. Voldemort winced; the man must have an idea of what Voldemort could have discussed with the hold head of Slytherin. He had to do something to stop this. The only way Dumbledore wouldn't have access to Slughorn was if he didn't need to hire him, in which case Snape would keep his potions place leaving the DADA position open.

Voldemort swallowed as a plan popped into his head. It would be dangerous; he could be caught at any moment and would have to give a great performance for Dumbledore not to suspect. But he would have access to the school, it's pupil, the teachers and headmaster and then Harry Potter. It was risky but with plenty of advantages.

"That will not be happening as the Defence position will be filled."

"My lord, there are not many here who could fill it and they would have to have Dumbledore's trust." Malfoy senior spoke from behind Severus.

"I will be the one to take it."

Their was a gasp and Voldemort was pleased to have noticed the slight widening of the eyes in Severus.

"But- But."

"Do not worry. I will leave this task up to myself. Dismissed." He called out, allowing the death eaters to leave. The Lestranges, Malfoy and Severus remained.

"Lucius, I'll need your help on the board of governors. Severus, you will meet with me once I'm in the school and help me hold meeting once there, I would also like you to change my appearance, is there a potion that can do that."

Severus sighed. "I can not change your appearance into something that indicates a non existent person. There is polygenic but you will need someone to donate hairs and it isn't sustainable along with the ingredients being expensive. I can return you to your former appearance but it will be an expensive, long and tiring process. If changed into your former appearance there is a chance Dumbledore will recognise it and we will have to alter it slightly such as dying your hair and altering your eye colour."

"I think I would like to have my old handsome self back. Wouldn't you agree Bella?"

She gave a sweet smile. "Indeed my lord."

"The it is decided! Rudolphus, I want you to help Severus with the potion. Oh, Severus, next time you see Dumbledore you can tell him about the raid I have planned just don't tell him how big it is. Dismissed."

The five bowed in unison allowing their lord to retire to his bedroom. Each held a small smile at the strange turning of events; this would be interesting indeed.

"…I would also like to welcome the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Tim Relddo."

A man at the end of the table stood at the headmasters introduction and gave a warm smile to the students before sitting back down gracefully. Pupils immediately turned to themselves, starting the gossip of the week.

Girls up and down the Gryffindor table were giggling madly. Harry listened to the boring droll, only picking up a few words: Handsome, Gorgeous, Sweet, Uptight, Light, were just a few. Harry looked up at Professor Relddo who was calmly speaking to Professor Snape who was next to him. The man was handsome. He was finely chiselled, being a tall height with a well muscled body that hid under his robes. The features were aristocratic suiting his pale face. The man had long golden hair with matching eyes, which were soon turned on Harry. Green and golden met both searching each other. Harry couldn't help but feel there was something more to this man and the prickling in his scar told him he was right. The man quirked a quick smile at Harry before turning back to Snape. Harry shrugged off the strange stare as just interest in the boy-who-lived and returned to his own meal.

Voldemort had spotted Potter easily in the crowd of Gryffindors. There was something that drew him straight towards the boy and he found himself looking straight into emerald eyes. He withheld his surprise at the sight of the boys unhidden curiosity as they stared straight into him. Voldemort kept his composition and endured the enquiring, judging and the feeling of having his mind bore into by the teenager. He decided to rival the judge and looked deeper into Harry's own mind. Literally.

Voldemort used his legilimens skills to search for the boys first impression of the new teacher. Instead he met a blank wall. He frowned; Severus had told him that the boy couldn't withhold one memory when it came to skills in clemency, so why was it so difficult to reach the boys mind. He decided to look into it further; he had a whole year to do so, and smiled, hoping to give a kind impression, and turned back to Severus. He will have to ask the potions professor later, the man was always going on about Potter's arrogance, stupidity, attention seeking and what-not; surely he would know something.

An way, Harry Potter was the least of his problems; he had bigger fish to fry, namely one Albus Dumbledore. He waved down the table to him. The man had followed for the lonely man, looking for a job to support himself, hook line and sinker. With Lucius' discrete support in the governors and Severus' well-placed advice he had secured the job within a week, gaining all the teachers respect from his flattery, knowledge and manners. Everyone in Hogwarts had already taken a liking to Tim Relddo.

The Gryffindors were already celebrating the return to Hogwarts. After stuffing their faces in the feats a few other had gone down to get more food and a series of magical sweet games were being held around the room. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the corner, a game of exploding snap between them.

"What do you think of the new professor?"

"Seems alright,. To early to say if he's any good." Ron grumbled in reply with a chocolate frog leg dangling from his mouth.

"I think he's…odd. There's something strange about him."

"That's because he's the only normal professor we've had so far." Ron countered to Harry's opinion.

"Well, it's too early to say that. Something might happen."

"Oh, no. You can't go looking for another adventure. We only just started and I am sick and tired."

"What you don't think that I might not want these adventures. It's not like I ask for the 'Mione." Harry sighed, placing down another card.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.

"But you're saving people's lives Harry. You may not want them but it seem fate has chosen you to be a saviour."

Harry looked at Hermione oddly; sometimes she could be so melodramatic.

"Screw fate. I'm tired of saving people. This year I'm just gonna leave them hanging. Chosen one my arse."

The chocolate leg dropped from Ron's mouth and Hermione gave a loud gasp.

"Harry, you can't mean that."

"Why not? Aren't you guys tired that the wizarding world seems so incapable of defending themselves that they have to leave it up to teenagers?"

The pair stared at Harry in what looked like shock. He frowned at their reactions.

"Harry, you're doing it again. That isn't something the chosen one would say. One day into the school year and you're already messing up you prat. Now clean it up."

Harry coughed, trying to come up with an idea to counter act what he'd just said.

"Maybe we should start the defence club again. Teach the world to defend itself so we don't have to."

Hermione and Ron visibly relaxed.

"I would, but we've got exams this year and I don't want to get distracted. Anyway, we should see how the defence teacher is first."

Ron vigorously shook his head in agreement.

"Sorry about that. All sorted out now." Harry thought to himself.

"Better be." Replied a female voice in Harry's head.

Voldemort sneered as the loud group of six years bursting into the room. It was a small group with a mixture of all the houses, although mostly Gryffindor and Slytherin. Voldemort had decided to organize his classes according to their levels; one class would be for those who had an E for the O.W.L. results, the other, those with O's. Today was the O class.

The dark lord watched as Potter entered the class, grinning at the mud blood girl he knew to be Hermione Granger. The last member of the golden trio was in the lower class. He caught sight of Draco Malfoy who was staring at him wide eyed and winked at the boy, knowing that Malfoy had no doubt told his son of the plan.

He replaced his normal glare with as welcoming look as he could muster, smiling at all the pupils.

"Settle down, everyone take your seat please."

Within moments the whole class was sat down, minds focused on the mysterious man before them.

"Well as you know I am your knew Defence Against the Arts professor, Professor Tim Relddo. You will follow the same rules that you have been following for the past five years. I expect you to treat this class just like any other. My teaching method may be different from what you are used to but every professor had their own style. So to start I'll be teaching you Topic one, Module Three; Genetically changed creatures and evolution. Please open you books to page fourteen…"

The lesson continued without any qualms. The students completed the work given and contributed just like any other class. They came out admitting he was actually an alright teacher; probably the most normal they'd had since Professor Lupin.

Meanwhile Voldemort was watching the class intently, watching their reactions to his teaching style. A year of teaching listening to Quirell had given him some experience and he knew what most students worked well as. Not that he cared any way. He wasn't here for the job, just as the spy work. He noticed that Potter did seem to have a natural talent to Defence, just like he's been told. The only other pupil who stood out in the defence class was a girl in Slytherin under the name Hayley Jane Penbrir; she would make a fine death eater, he thought to himself.