The Boy Who Kept Dying

Chapter 11 (Death tells a story)

A/N: Not my story! Original avalible on ao3

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Harry was getting a great deal of enjoyment out of the welcoming feast. Hermione and Ron kept glancing at him worriedly, not sure why he was smiling so broadly. Harry, however, was watching the head table. It was obvious the other professors were very uncomfortable around Professor Osiris, especially Professor Snape who Dis had sat beside and kept smiling at and trying to engage in conversation. The headmaster seemed even less enthused about introducing the new DADA professor than he had Umbridge, but all the students clapped loudly for the handsome, young, and well-dressed professor since they were too far away to feel Death's unique aura.

"At least he's nicer to look at than Umbridge," Hermione said with a smile, accompanied by a jealous look from both Ron and Harry (for different reasons of course).

"I have one last announcement," Dumbledore rumbled out to the hall. "Unfortunately, Professor Binns has recently decided to pass on to the next life unexpectedly. Therefore, I will temporarily be teaching History of Magic until we find a more permanent replacement." Harry glanced at Dis and they both shared a knowing look and a laugh.

When everyone started heading back to their dormitories after the feast, Harry waved up to the head table. "Dis! Come meet my friends," he called. Harry couldn't stop a laugh when both Snape's and Dumbledore's heads whipped around to him so fast they could have whiplash.

Death just smiled and strode over to Harry, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Meet Ron, Hermione, and Neville," Harry said motioning to his nervous friends in front of him that looked like they were going into a fight or flight response.

"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Professor Osiris as the man with the beard said," Death offered them his hand.

Now that they were getting the full impact of Death's aura at this point, it was a moment before Hermione gathered her courage to reach out and shake Death's hand, surprisingly followed by Neville, then Ron. "Dis is an old friend of my family's," Harry explained. "He and Sirius were good friends, and he asked Dis to stop by and look out for me this year."

"Why didn't Sirius mention you before?" Hermione asked, always the curious type.

"I've been traveling for most my life and hard to pin down. I only accepted this job after hearing about all the insanity of the last few DADA professors," Death laughed, causing Harry's friends to shiver unconsciously.

About that time Professor Dumbledore walked over, trailed by Snape. "Ah, I see you know each other," Dumbledore said (eye distinctly missing that twinkle) as he pointedly glanced at the arm around Harry's shoulder.

"Dis and my mum were friends," Harry smiled, figuring Snape would assume the new professor was a marauder in the making if he said he was friends with his dad. "Sirius asked him to look after me if anything happened to him."

"I don't remember you from school," Snape replied coldly.

"I didn't go here, homeschooled. Did the headmaster not tell you?" Death answered with a broad smile that affected only Harry positively. "Besides, I'm obviously much younger than Harry's parent's crew. I was just a kid down the street from them when Harry was a baby."

"We should get back, curfew and all," Neville squeaked out. It seemed his nerves had enough.

"Sure, see you in class Professor," Harry smiled at Death and gave Dumbledore and Snape both a nod.

"See you in class," Hermione mumbled as she followed the guys quickly out of the Great Hall.

It was Thursday before the sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins had DADA with the new professor. Harry listened raptly to all the rumors and opinions going around the school. It seemed the consensus was that the lessons were just as good and interesting as Lupin's, the professor was definitely hot, and he was undeniably creepy, more so than Fake-Moody even. Many swore they'd believe he was a Death Eater if he didn't regularly roll up his sleeves to demonstrate something in class. Harry was pretty sure he was showing his unmarked left arm on purpose to put the students a little more at ease.