Chapter 521: Hurry Up, Run for It
Sirius was wildly popular at Hogwarts. When he entered the Great Hall, all eyes turned toward him, and the lively chatter quieted for a moment, only to be replaced by even more animated discussions.
Harry, in particular, looked thrilled. Normally, he wouldn't get out of bed until after 8:30 a.m., but today he had broken his habit and arrived half an hour early. When he saw Sirius, he waved excitedly.
But while many welcomed the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, not everyone shared the enthusiasm.
A group of Slytherins snickered as they passed.
"Are you happy, Potter?" Malfoy sneered. "You'd better start praying he lasts until next year... None of the previous Defence Against the Dark Arts professors had a happy ending."
"Don't worry, Malfoy, he'll be fine," Harry shot back. "If your father can avoid trouble, I'm sure Sirius can handle the so-called curse."
"Oh, speaking of which," Harry added, "I heard your family had to sell off your shop in Diagon Alley. Must've cost quite a bit to clear your father's name."
Malfoy's pale face turned pink, and his hand instinctively reached for his wand.
"How dare you talk about my father, Potter!"
"You started it by talking about Sirius," Harry said, pulling out his own wand and mimicking Malfoy's tone.
"What's going on here?" Sirius's voice cut through the tension as he approached.