Magic Knows No Boundaries But Those We Believe In

By NonsensicalRants

Chapter 15:

A Relaxing First Day

After a quiet lunch Harry went back to class for his second ever lesson as Divination professor. This time with the third years. All the way back up to his classroom he cursed fate for his class only being open to third years and above. Those first years could be damned adorable.

How did Minerva manage to avoid getting fired for picking one of them up and squeezing them like a teddy bear until unconscious or dead? How did she resist the temptation? Aaaaaand now he was obsessing about memories of Teddy when he was a toddler.

Sad mood : Incoming.

Fortunately, word had already gotten around that his class was interesting so once he arrived at the entrance to his classroom the youngest students he would get to teach were waiting for him. All four houses were, again, present. Clearly interest in the class was so low that he would be teaching all four houses together for each year.

How could a teacher be so bad that the majority of students changed classes or chose more difficult topics over one that most regarded as an easy O? When even lazy students dropped your easy class because the boredom was unbearable, that's when you know you've done a poor job.

"Up you go." He told them as he once again unlocked the trap door and opened the passage upwards.

When they shuffled into the classroom and didn't make any complaints about the standing requirements - news moves fast around here - he jumped into the lesson.

"This semester I will be teaching you all a skill that will not only serve you immensely in your study of Divination, but life in general." He told them. "I will be teaching as many forms of meditation and mental awareness as humanly possible."

He realized he forgot a step and so retrieved the roll call for the thirty two students who now filled his classroom.

"Ambercrombe, Leanne."

"Present." Said a brown-haired Slytherin.

He moved down the list.

There was Bach, Johanne - descendent of the wizarding musical genius himself - and a Denavan, Homer. Then he got to the first name he recognized.

"Greengrass, Astoria?"

"Here." Said his once almost future sister in law.

She looked so different from her sister it was almost surprising they had the same father at all.

He went on to confirm the presence of a Godford Gregory, Hectorson Kevin, Inguine Denis, Istline Jessica, the twins Benjamin and Eric Johnson, and Komherst Sascha.

Then he got to a really interesting name.

"Lovegood, Xenophilius Junior."

"Present." Said Luna's adorable little brother.

If he ever got back to his own reality he'd have to share any memories he got of the boy with his wandcrafting friend. Wait... Was Luna's mom alive?! He'd have to check on that.

From there he called on a pair of twins named Geoffrey and Ferdinand Olgaff - transfers from Durmstrang based on their accents and names, and a lot of other names he had never heard before in his life.

He paused on the final name on his register, somehow having completely failed to notice her presence until now.

"Vane, Romilda." He managed to say without a groan.

"Present." Said the uncomfortably well-endowed third year.

Jesus, had she been a third year when he was in his sixth? He remembered being under the impression that she was a year ABOVE him at the time. He would have to make sure to be weary of any gifts from her.

Hadn't she eventually been arrested for date rape in his world? Or was he thinking of somebody else? He hoped he was thinking of somebody else.

"So." He began his lecture properly. "What do you all know about meditation techniques?"

Several hands went up.

"Yes, miss Greengrass?" He called on little Tori.

"It's the first step towards learning occlumency techniques." She said. "Will you be teaching us occlumency later?"

Harry stifled a groan as the other students mumbling about what occlumency might be.

"Occlumency is the art of defending ones mind against mental attacks, ranging from mind-reading, obliviation or the imperius." Harry explained succinctly. "And no, I will never teach anybody occlumency. Both because it is illegal for me to do so, and I am not capable of teaching it anyways. I have zero talent in the mind arts and stopped after learning occlumency myself."

A few of the hands were still raised

"Yes, mister Lovegood." He called on the platinum blonde.

"Meditation has health benefits that can extend life expectancy and quality of life and if done consistently can lead to unlocking mystical abilities, like astral projection and levitation."

Harry did groan that time, barely resisting the urge to take points. Actually, you know what?

"Two points from Ravenclaw and Slytherin for both of your terrible answers." He said to Xenophilius and Astoria. "And for, I must assume deliberately, trying to derail the topic of conversation."

The classroom soured at that but Harry couldn't help noticing shy smirks on the two individuals in question. Yup. Definitely troublemakers.

"I will give you all one more chance to earn houseplants. Yes, miss Vane." He called on the only person brave enough to raise a hand.

"Meditation is the art of mastering ones mind to improve concentration, emotional discipline, relaxation and other such purposes." She simplified.

"Two points to Gryffindor." He said as he wrote down her explanation on the blackboard, verbatim. "We will be focusing more on the relaxation and concentration portions of this discipline, and I'll be teaching it to you in such a way as to help you in all of your classes."

He waved his hand and magically pulled back all of the curtains to reveal the glass doors to the patios and the outdoor seating beyond.

"If everybody would file out to the patios and take a seat." He instructed.

They obeyed and shuffled out, trying to form little groups with their friends. There were five chairs on each patio, except for his at very center one where there were no chairs at all. He took his spot leaning against the rails of said middle patio and waited for everybody to take their seats. Five to a patio, with a few stragglers getting extra space.

"Today's lesson is very simple. You are to do as I do. Let me demonstrate." Harry instructed.

He leaned forward against the railing and took a deep breath, then slowly released it as he let his body relax. For the next minute he calmly gazed out on the grounds of Hogwarts. The warm afternoon breeze and singing of birds serenading him and the glittering waves of the black lake holding his loose attention. He didn't think. He didn't feel. He simply was.

After his sixty seconds of staring off into space was over he took another deep breath and stood up, before addressing the class.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the most effective way I've found to clear ones mind." He explained. "Whereas most teachers of this skill will unhelpfully tell you to just clear your mind, I will actually walk you through the process of doing so. Now. You try."

A few hands shot up.

"Yes, miss Istline." He called on the African girl.

"You looked like you were just daydreaming. Are you teaching us to daydream?" She asked in her thick accent.

"Actually, yes. Daydreaming is a pretty good description of what I want you to try and do." He admitted. "But more like, staring off into space. Relax, try and think of nothing, but just be present."

Most of his students simply shrugged and did their best to comply. They each tried to relax in their seats and imitate his deep breath and sigh.

He stretched his magical senses and discovered that most of his students were failing at the exercise. He could feel the thoughts, emotions and jitteriness wafting off of them

"I don't want you to consider or think about the beauty in the animals, plants or landscape you're gazing at. As valuable as it is to retain that wonder we all should have at the majesty of this world, that's not what I'm teaching you right now. You are trying to think about nothing at all. Release your worries and let the world revolve around you."

He spent the rest of the class walking amongst his students, pulling individuals aside and helping them perform more specific techniques to relax and let go. Some needed to slouch more, others did better with proper posture. Some had even simpler ticks that helped them to meditate, like rocking on their heels or walking around the classroom.

Mister lovegood was the most difficult to figure out, but eventually he called on the houseelfs to bring sliced cucumbers and celery for him to snack on and that did the trick. Some people really concentrate better when they're chewing on something, and Harry had a hunch little Xeno was one of them.

All the while he taught his class he wrote notes on every student, with plans to later write short files on all of them. Their learning needs, their personalities, physicals traits unique to then so he could better remember their names. Anything that would help him to better work with them.

By the end of their two hours together he had all of them in a meditative state of cleared minds through one technique or another. Those who fell into the technique naturally he allowed to stop early and allowed them to read or work on any assignments from other classes.

"Homework tonight is to simply try and enter this same state while writing assignments for your other classes." He told them. "In our next class we will discuss any observations you all made while trying to write essays in a meditative state. You are dismissed."

They filed out and Harry sighed in relief when the last of his students filed out.

First day of teaching : Finished.

"I hear you're teaching students how to daydream. Is this an accurate description of your class?" Minerva asked him at dinner, pulling out the claws before he even had time to fill his plate.

He decided on the 'lets put her off balance' approach to verbal sparring today.

"Actually yeah." Said Harry. "It's a meditative exercise to help some concentrate better and others to relax and unwind. Recover from the stresses of life."

"I cannot fathom how much benefit many of us would have derived from such techniques during our academic and professional careers had we learned then as thirteen-year-olds." Professor Grey piped up from her seat, winking at Minerva in a not so subtle jab.

The ancient one can speak!? It's a miracle!

"I agree." Said Severus. "I was taught occlumency early on and were I emperor for a day I would mandate it be taught before entering Hogwarts."

"May the world shudder, emperor Severus is convening with his court." Quipped Remus.

Severus gave him a sneering grin, clearly agreeing with the sentiment. Men like Severus, who knew themselves better than most, were as terrified of gaining power and authority as others were of them gaining said power and authority.

"You aren't teaching them proto-occlumency are you?" Asked Filius.

"Maybe? That wasn't my intention, but these techniques could help them learn the mind arts later down the line." Harry admitted. "My aim is to help them better perform in divination classes and to better compliment their learning in other subjects."

"As much as I'm sure my other professors appreciate that, I hope you do, in fact, plan to teach said divination techniques?" Asked Albus from his seat at the center of the table.

"Of course. It's only the first day and the students here are quick to pick up what I have to teach. Within a few weeks those taking my class seriously will have mastered them and the rest of the year will be a breeze." He said. "If all of the years are as bright as the third, sixth and seventh I might not have trouble catching them up in time for OWL and NEWT testing."

Minerva hummed.

"You do have your work cut out for you." She admitted.

Albus gave her a stern look and Harry simply had to ask.

"I'm hesitant to ask." He admitted. "But I'm equally hesitant to take the testimony of my students at face value. So tell me, how poor was my predecessor at her job?"

The uncomfortable silence spoke volume.

"I'm sorry to say, you will have to take the word of any students at face value." Said Albus. "You will find none at this table who will speak poorly of a coworker, past or present."

Harry expected as much, but it was still worth a shot.

His first class must have been quick to post the flyers he gave them because after dinner twenty people, of all houses, came to his classroom for quiet study. Most of them not having even attended his classes to begin with.

Thus his classroom became a second library for students all the way from first to seventh years, each doing their own projects or wanting to help out by tutoring. He was surprised to find Hermione hadn't taken on the additional workload of helping with the study group, but Draco had. He recognized Rose Zeller doing her first essay on the levitation charm and couldn't stop himself from walking her and her two new Hufflepuff friends through it.

Hurrah! Adorable first years in his classroom!

Sad mood over Teddy : gone.

He spent most of the open study period organizing what he'd written about his students so far, organizing the file system he was making about them. It was as they were nearing curfew that the students finally filed out. All save for one.

"Professor Morrigan?" Draco approached him.

Harry was immediately on the defensive, but did his best to hide it. Yes, he had been a well-behaved and attentive student and yes, his Draco had become one of his best friends and confidants in the future. But this was Draco Malfoy circa 1996.

He could tell through his stretched-out senses that the boy hadn't been marked but he was still the son of one of Voldemort's most trusted Death Eaters. Caution was to be expected.

"Yes, Mister Malfoy?" Said Harry.

"Granger, Abbot and I were wondering if you'd allow us to write a collaborative essay on the inherent magical abilities of Muggles." He asked.

The hair on the back of Harry's neck stood straight up.

"Collaborative essay?" He dared to ask.

He had never heard of such a thing in Hogwarts.

"Yeah. She and I have been arguing nonstop about it in the library and Hannah's just been writing down our points. Playing peacekeeper. We figured we might do what uncle Sev, er, Professors Snape lets us do and write an antagonistic essay together." Draco explains. "Where the essay contains both of our arguments and separate conclusions."

Snape let them get away with that? Harry wasn't sure, that sounded too... fun, for Snape to give it the green light. And like too much of a headache to read through. Just a viscious argument between those two in written format?

Somehow he wondered if this was more of a solution to cure the headache of their verbal arguments that the entire faculty came up with long ago. It seemed likely. With Harry not existing in this world the only two people who could have taken his place as Draco's nemesis would be Hermione and Ron... and Ron honestly wasn't up to the task.

"Against my better judgement, I'll allow this. If, you can provide proper sources on every point and counterpoint." Harry acquiesced. "But where are you going to get sources for your citations?"

"Already on top of that. I floo'd my father and now he's hounding a friend in the department of mysteries about info on it and Hannah convinced Susan to floo her aunt and ask for some public case files for the incidents you mentioned." Draco said with just a hint of pride in his forethought

Still, something about what Draco just said didn't sit well with him.

"How in the world did you manage to make a floo call?" Harry asked.

"Oh right! I forgot you never attended Hogwarts." Said Draco. "All of the common rooms have fireplaces, but they only allow calls, not travel. They're monitored and have an Auror stationed next to each one, but we're allowed to use them if we schedule hours ahead of time."

Seemed like a huge security risk, but he recalled this was, in fact, the case in his own universe. Even if very few Gryffindors availed themselves of this privilege.

"I would love to have sat in on that conversation. How did Lucius react to that contentious theory?" Harry asked.

Draco somehow took this as an invitation to play ad libs.

"Hey dad? Is it true that Muggles often perform accidental apparation and kill themselves by splinching or reappearing in unfortunate places?" He said in an imitation of himself.

He then pretended to be sitting down with a book in one hand and glass of wine in the other, wearing a dour expression. While in this position he made a confused face before standing up, reaching into an imaginary container of some kind, then motioned as if igniting the floo in a separate fireplace.(Because of course Lucius has multiple fireplaces in his home office.) and stuck his hair into said fictional fireplace.

"Rookwood. A word pleas." Said Draco in a damned good Lucius impression. "Mhmm. U-huh. I see. Fascinating."

Draco then imitated removing his head from the second floo and returning to his seat, before using his Lucius impersonation once more.

"That is correct."

Harry couldn't help laughing at the great performance, all without breaking character or so much as smirking too. Draco made a mocking bow as if he were being applauded by an entourage and Harry had to kick him out with a jest threat of detention.

This job was going to kill him. These kids were just too much sometimes.

He was about ready to turn in for the night himself when he decided to call on Hedwig. He decided he should share his first day with Bella so set about writing a letter detailing his excellent start.

Before he could even dip his quill into the ink a massive eagle owl swooped into his classroom. A very familiar eagle owl too.

Great. It was his first day as teacher and Lucius was already sending him hate mail.

Deciding it was best to get things over with he took the letter from the majestic creature's talon and tore it open.

Welcome to our house

We are deeply proud of you

Love, the sisters black.

B.A.N

Harry regognized all three distinct handwritings in the note and didn't even need to stretch out his senses to realize Bella, Andy and Narcissa were all drinking at the Tonks household. Deduction could be a powerful form of divination in its own right at times.

It was actually adorable how they had signed their initials separately and in the order they had written the note.

Still, one terrible haiku warranted another.

Your pride is welcome

A lion in snake's clothing

Your son's a menace

H.E.M

He sincerely hoped concatination and possessives weren't a poetic faux-pass in the art of haiku-craft. It was kind of cheating he guessed, but he didn't care much. He was a Slytherin now, cheating was to be expected of him.

He was proud to discover each line of his haiku directly addressed each sister in turn in the exact same order they had addressed him. Sometimes cleverness was purely accidental.

And so, hoping the three sisters weren't passed out or being a bother to Mr Tonks, he sealed the letter and sent it back with the Malfoy eagle owl.

Today was a good day.

Notes:

Three whole weeks between updates. I know. Terrible. But I have a reason. I was mauled by a pitbull this last week. I posted pictures on my discord. He was actually a really sweet dog when I met him the last couple tines, but this time I had a bowl of food I'd been eating while walking .And because I'm stuck recovering I finally stopped procrastinating and finished this chapter. Else it might have been another three weeks.

You guys blew me away with your dissection of Harry's theory. All of your criticisms were things I myself considered and took into account, but didn't think needed stating. So now I'll have Draco and Hermione address them in teh next chapter and have professor Morrigan explain the parts you missed.

I deleted the entire scene where the teachers told Harry about his predecessor's misbehavior. I decided, even though it had some funny zingers about her true predictions that sounded way too crazy, it didn't suit the characters. These are professionals who act professionally. I'll work in those jokes in future chapters. Have students share horror stories.

Reviews:

Bigs-Post Wrote:

Every chapter you write has a constant pace and doesn't feel rushed. Great piece of work your making.

Response

That's going into the folder of inspirational reviews.

SoSlimShady Wrote:

Ahhh now we get to the teaching. That's hot.

Response:

How to spot a female reviewer, 101.

alrislir Wrote:

Story is great! Keep it up!
Part of variety of clubs is very interesting. In Hogwarts there doesn't seem much for students to do in free time beside watching quidditch (rarely). And with Harry mysterious vibe and easy familiarity saying "didn't Godric...", I wonder if there going to be rumor about him knowing Griffindor personally and all outlandish theories how it is possible.

Response:

I'll add that one to the list of ridiculous rumors Harry will have to contend with next chapter. Thanks a bunch.

alrislir Wrote:

But does Harry need to worry about the map though? Both Harry and Potter are very common names, so it would not mean he is related to James Potter right away. If ever needed explanation, he could always say that he is related to different Potters (as he is from different universe, it is somewhat true) and in Gringotts Harry learned about Morrigan name and took it (completely true). Easy to wing it Harry-style.

Response:

The Potter family are PRETTY famous in wizarding Britain. Yeah, Harry could try to BS his way out of this situation, but it wouldn't work. And where would the fun and conflict be in that? No. I have bigger plans for that.

Guest Wrote:

So many things wrong with this just for a couple cows eat grass and cattle theft still happens in modern times not just the wild west days

Response:

True. but people aren't lynched for it these days. And the joke there is that cattle theft was the most common reason for lynching in the united state(not racism, and not accusations of ogling rich women as many history books will have you believe.) It's an interesting historical fact and a good joke. It also showed that Harry spent time abroad in the America's, a fact that is important to how his personality developed into what I'm writing him as.

As for the cows and grass, Britain suffered a HORRENDOUS draught in 1996-1997 and had to import feed for livestock. It was also mentioned in the books btw. And because of this food and milk prices skyrocketed.

Guest Complained:

Respond to reviews private, otherwise you're padding word count without content.

Geovanni Luciano Complained:

Ten percent of this chapter is an author note.

Geovanni Luciano Further Complained:

Seriously, I'm waiting for the chapter where your author's note length exceeds the actual content size.

Response:

Hey, I asked the fans if they wanted me to stop doing review responses in the notes a few chapters ago. I got zero people saying it retracted from the story and three giving good arguments for why I should continue. When I finish the story I will go back and delete all of the unnecessary author notes, including review responses.

Whynot Wrote:

Good chapter, but you wrote "appirate" instead of "apparate".

I also wonder if you though about the implications when you put down your theory on muggles being capable of magic, because the first thing I thought was that some nutjob believing to be a real wizard would have upended the Statute by now, were it true.

Response:

I'll add it to the list of spelling mistakes to go back and edit. Also, obliviators and the fact that if magic isn't developed while young then there's no building it back up as an adult.

qjhaynes Wrote:

I'm confused, so he's bad at everything but Quidditch?

Response:

He THINK'S he's bad at everything except Quidditch. Harry has always had confidence issues. More accurately, Quidditch was the only thing he was good at AND loved.

Shadow Crimson KyuubiAcnoligia Wrote:

Great story man or woman , cant wait till next update

Response:

You know, you could just click on my profile. That avatar? That photo of a handsome man with a luscious beard? That's me.

Eldersprig chapter 13 . May 3

slattery ? OK, you don't make to/too/two errors, but you seem to spell like you feel things or smell them or something and it sometimes just bites.

Response:

Slattery is a word and I did spell it correctly. It's a very good, if old and forgotten, word. And was the one I intended to use. The hat, in my mind, would use a lot of vocabulary that isn't common anymore.

Also, if you only knew how often I misspelled their as thier.

Spidersauce Wrote:

So this chapter called Minerva Headmistress twice, but also heavily implies Albus is the Head. I'm confused.

Response:

I meant "deputy" headmistress. I'll have to go fix that.

Spidersauce chapter 13 . May 13

I forgot about the map too. Though surprised Twins have it with all the Marauders being alive.

Response:

You are DANGEROUSLY close to a plot twist I have planned for the future.