CHAPTER ONE:

The school stood on a small rise above the city. Its greyish white bricks caught the rays of the sunlight while that same light reflected off its beveled windows.

In a classroom whose door proclaimed its area of study to be Potions and Chemistry, Severus Snape leaned over a simmering cauldron and carefully added a well-crushed beetle carapace to the potion within.

There was a knock on the door. With a resigned expression, Snape placed a stasis charm on the potion to keep it from spoiling. Then he went to the door.

"You again?" he asked, seeing the redhead standing at the door. "Professor Sutcliffe. Don't you think you should be working on this year's lesson plan? Thanatology? That was your topic for your psychology course this year. Correct?"

"Yes," Grell rhapsodized. "The study of the intricacies of Death. It's a much misunderstood topic, you know. Oh there is so much…"

"Yes, I'm sure there is," Snape told him. "However, there is a great deal I must do in preparation for classes. So I really don't have time for pleasantries."

"Then let me get right to the point," Grell said. "I need a…"

"Love potion," Snape cut the Reaper off. "Yes. You've been asking for one ever since I made the mistake of letting it slip that I am a potions master. I am not inclined to do so. And even if I were, I doubt it would work on the object of your desire, seeing that he is a demon and all."

"All professors," a voice said over the school's intercom system. "Attention all professors. Your presence is required in the main office in ten minutes for noon meeting. Please note attendance is mandatory as is presentable attire. I mean you, Sutcliffe."

Grell looked down at the two piece suit she was wearing. "There is nothing wrong with this skirt." she stated. "It covers both knees and it's a simple a-line design. I don't know why he picks on me."

She turned and walked off, heading for the office. Will was going to regret singling her out. As she reached the steps, she was met by another colleague, Dirk Gently, who was the school's professor of philosophy. Rumor had it that Mr. Gently was once a detective. Though no police department acknowledged any connection to him.

"Mr. Sutcliffe," Dirk said in an excited voice. "I really must speak to you at length at some point."

"That's Miss Sutcliffe," Grell said, in a put off tone. "And I'm really busy now. Or didn't you hear the call for meeting."

"Miss Sutcliffe, then," Dirk corrected himself. "But as a student in the field of death, you must certainly have an appreciation of the interconnectedness of all things."

"Death does indeed connect everything," Grell agreed. "But I really don't have time to chat about that right now. Gotta run. More's the pity!"

"Have you ever given thought as to what happens to us beyond death? Whether the interconnectedness continues beyond the grave?" Dirk asked as he followed Grell to the main office.

"Of course I have," Grell said, pointedly. "I get overtime and a ton of paperwork."

She opened the office door and stepped inside as she spoke this last remark.

"And you'll get a lot more if you don't show a little respect," said Headmaster Spears as he adjusted his glasses.

"You really need to get those refit, darling," Grell told him.

"Sutcliffe!" Will exclaimed as Snape walked in followed by two other teachers, Edison Carter and Gregory Fanducci, and the one of the bus drivers, Korben Dallas.

It was not unusual to see Dallas at these meetings. As the bus driver who arranged travel for field trips, he made it a point to discuss the financial aspects of the trips, making sure there was money for fuel and other trip-related necessities.

As the school was in a world where many students, and professors for that matter, were not actually from, there was often trouble with money. Some of the students had taken to working odd jobs to gain some of the local currency. But not all of them had the right skills to work in the world they now found themselves in.

Kenny Travis, Bryce Lynch, and Jacob Frannag, who were erroneously referred to as the triplets, because of their uncanny similarities in appearance, each found a niche they liked in the world.

Kenny, who had lived in a small town where he had once encountered a dangerous warlock, found himself a job as a warehouse security guard. After all, with his powers, and considering he had bested Satan's own servant, he figured it would be an easy enough job.

Jacob, who had killed one of the beast-god Fenrir's incarnations during a fight in which he had been helping the god Tyr along with Police Detective Gregory Fanducci, who had followed him into this world, decided he'd had enough violence in his life for a while and had taken a part time job in the gift shop of a local museum.

Bryce found a job with the local police department as an advisor in matters concerning computer hackers and cyberterrorists. It wasn't Network 23, but the job was similar and the familiarity of it made him feel right at home. And at least Edison Carter had come through the time storm with him.