Chapter 1: The Train to Hogwarts
"Damn broom!" Morgana shouted as she ran down the platform carrying a pet carrier. She barely made it through the mob of muggles to get to platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross. She burst through the crowd and ran towards the pillar that would take her to the Hogwarts Express. As she passed through the pillar between platforms 9 and 10, the train whistle blew loudly. Steam flooded the platform making it difficult to see down the train. She made her way towards the last car of the train. This was the train for professors to take to Hogwarts before the start of the new school year.
"Any baggage, ma'am?" a conductor asked as Morgana sped passed him.
"Oh, no, sorry. I sent it ahead of time. It should have come this morning," Morgana shouted over the train whistle.
"Can I have your name, to make sure we have it?" the conductor asked as he followed her down the platform. They stopped just at the center of the train.
"Morgana Loch," she shouted. She was starting to get annoyed for being held up.
"Hmm, yes, we did receive your baggage this morning," the conductor shouted at above the whistle and steam as he checked his parchment. "Now, you better grab a seat. We're about to leave the station," he said with a smile.
"That's what I've been trying to do," Morgana said through slightly clenched teeth. She turned on her heels to head back towards the last car again.
"Have a nice trip, professor," the conductor yelled just before Morgana was out of earshot.
"I wish," Morgana seethed. She walked briskly down the length of the train towards the rear. Perhaps, she thought to herself, I will be able to have a peaceful moment before arriving to Hogwarts.
As soon as Morgana stepped onto the train, it lurched into motion. She walked down the small corridor trying to find an empty compartment. She found a lonely compartment just three doors down from where she entered. The first two had been occupied and she really did not want any company at the moment. As soon as she closed the door to her compartment she locked it. She placed her pet carrier beside her on the seat.
"It won't be long, my pet, until we are at our new home away from my wretched past," Morgana sighed as she patted the cage beside her.
Morgana leaned back with a satisfied grin on her face. She closed her eyes to rest. She let her mind slowly wander to her past, her pleasant past. She was a Slytherin keeper at one time years ago. She thought about her childish crushes and smiled. She thought about Lucius Malfoy but she knew he was out of her league. She thought about James Potter but he was too much of a jokester for her. She thought about the quiet Remus Lupin that reminded her of how she was but knew he had a secret that only a select few knew about. Then her thoughts came to the one crush that lasted the longest in her mind. He was a Slytherin. He loved potions as much as she loved plants. She knew that they would have been perfect together. She would have grown plants for his potions. But alas, it was not meant to be. Severus Snape was too in love with someone else to even notice Morgana.
For years, she had a crush on him but he completely ignored her. She would bump into him on purpose in the hallway. He would only mutter, "Pardon me," and continue on his way. At least he was polite about it, she thought. He always seemed preoccupied. Probably thinking about that other girl. That Gryffindor girl with red hair, Lily Evans.
Morgana's thoughts were interrupted by a conversation in the passageway.
"I don't understand. We've never had a problem with our owls before," Dumbledore said as he stroked his beard.
"We've heard nothing from ten out of the thirty-two children. They must not have received any of the letters," McGonagall informed him with emphasis on the word "any."
"But, even Harry received his letter."
"After it was personally delivered to him. You do remember sending Hagrid to find him?"
"Of course. Looks like we might have to do the same thing in this instance," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Shall we?" Dumbledore said indicating the door to Morgana's compartment. McGonagall nodded. Morgana opened her eyes at that moment and quickly swished her wand to unlock her door. Then she quickly grabbed one of her books and began to make like she was reading.
"Time for my façade," she said to herself. There was a knock at her door, "Come in," Morgana said rather pleasantly.
"Ah, we meet again, Miss Loch," Dumbledore said as he extended his hand. "It is good to see you on the train. This means you have accepted our invitation for the job."
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," Morgana said. Her once savory and seductive voice was replaced with a more cheerful and higher pitched sound. "If you mean the assistant's job, yes, I have accepted."
"Did Professor McGonagall not send you the letter about Professor Sprout?" Dumbledore asked as he adjusted his half moon spectacles.
"Indeed I did! I tell you, Albus, it is those owls. We need to get new owls and get rid of the older ones," McGonagall protested.
"Hmm, perhaps you are right, Minerva. Perhaps we do need more owls if even our teachers are not receiving their posts," Dumbledore said as he put his hands behind his back. "I guess you had just better hear the news now, Miss Loch." Dumbledore took a seat beside Morgana. McGonagall remained standing. Morgana looked from professor to professor not sure what to expect. She tried to read the messages in their faces to find out if this was good news or bad news. A voice inside her head said that it was good news. Morgana then tried to show no signs of knowing what was going to be said next.
"Miss Loch, I have an offer for you," Dumbledore started. "You see, Professor Sprout is going to be on sabbatical all year. We need a Herbology teacher for the full year. Your resume parchment was excellent, that's why you received the assistant's job in the beginning. That is also why we are considering you for the full year teaching position and no others. Now, I just hope you will accept the offer for the teaching position," Dumbledore looked at her hopefully.
Morgana rolled the thought around in her mind. This is what she had wanted from the beginning. She had written to Dumbledore hoping that a teaching position would be open but fining none, he offered her an assistant job to Professor Sprout. She was having a difficult time keeping up with seven greenhouses now, one for each year. This offer was better than she had hoped. Teaching the one thing she loved possibly more than anything. Morgana looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"I look forward to being the new Herbology teacher," Morgana said in a sickening sweet voice.
"Excellent," Dumbldore replied with a clap of his hands. "Minerva will direct you to your private chambers and the greenhouses once we have arrived."
Professor McGonagall nodded her head with a smile. Morgana smiled pleasantly in return. Dumbledore stood to leave.
"I must complete my rounds of the train. If you'll excuse me," Dumbledore said as she walked through the door. "Oh, I see you are by yourself Miss...er...Professor Loch. Professor Snape is in the first compartment here, alone as well. I believe you went to Hogwarts together?" Dumbledore mentioned. "Coming, Minerva?"
"Yes, Albus," McGonagall said as she followed him out. "I'll meet you in the Grand Entrance of the castle if I do not see you off of the train."
"Very well," Morgana responded. She watched the two professors exit her compartment and continue on their way.
Morgana laid her head back on the seat. She let out a heavy sigh. She was glad that charade was over. Her lips turned up in a malicious smile. She was an official professor and not just a measly assistant. To top off all the good news, Severus snape was here, in this train car, just a few meters away.
"I think I'll go visit a friend," Morgana said seemingly to no one.
"Damn broom!" Morgana shouted as she ran down the platform carrying a pet carrier. She barely made it through the mob of muggles to get to platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross. She burst through the crowd and ran towards the pillar that would take her to the Hogwarts Express. As she passed through the pillar between platforms 9 and 10, the train whistle blew loudly. Steam flooded the platform making it difficult to see down the train. She made her way towards the last car of the train. This was the train for professors to take to Hogwarts before the start of the new school year.
"Any baggage, ma'am?" a conductor asked as Morgana sped passed him.
"Oh, no, sorry. I sent it ahead of time. It should have come this morning," Morgana shouted over the train whistle.
"Can I have your name, to make sure we have it?" the conductor asked as he followed her down the platform. They stopped just at the center of the train.
"Morgana Loch," she shouted. She was starting to get annoyed for being held up.
"Hmm, yes, we did receive your baggage this morning," the conductor shouted at above the whistle and steam as he checked his parchment. "Now, you better grab a seat. We're about to leave the station," he said with a smile.
"That's what I've been trying to do," Morgana said through slightly clenched teeth. She turned on her heels to head back towards the last car again.
"Have a nice trip, professor," the conductor yelled just before Morgana was out of earshot.
"I wish," Morgana seethed. She walked briskly down the length of the train towards the rear. Perhaps, she thought to herself, I will be able to have a peaceful moment before arriving to Hogwarts.
As soon as Morgana stepped onto the train, it lurched into motion. She walked down the small corridor trying to find an empty compartment. She found a lonely compartment just three doors down from where she entered. The first two had been occupied and she really did not want any company at the moment. As soon as she closed the door to her compartment she locked it. She placed her pet carrier beside her on the seat.
"It won't be long, my pet, until we are at our new home away from my wretched past," Morgana sighed as she patted the cage beside her.
Morgana leaned back with a satisfied grin on her face. She closed her eyes to rest. She let her mind slowly wander to her past, her pleasant past. She was a Slytherin keeper at one time years ago. She thought about her childish crushes and smiled. She thought about Lucius Malfoy but she knew he was out of her league. She thought about James Potter but he was too much of a jokester for her. She thought about the quiet Remus Lupin that reminded her of how she was but knew he had a secret that only a select few knew about. Then her thoughts came to the one crush that lasted the longest in her mind. He was a Slytherin. He loved potions as much as she loved plants. She knew that they would have been perfect together. She would have grown plants for his potions. But alas, it was not meant to be. Severus Snape was too in love with someone else to even notice Morgana.
For years, she had a crush on him but he completely ignored her. She would bump into him on purpose in the hallway. He would only mutter, "Pardon me," and continue on his way. At least he was polite about it, she thought. He always seemed preoccupied. Probably thinking about that other girl. That Gryffindor girl with red hair, Lily Evans.
Morgana's thoughts were interrupted by a conversation in the passageway.
"I don't understand. We've never had a problem with our owls before," Dumbledore said as he stroked his beard.
"We've heard nothing from ten out of the thirty-two children. They must not have received any of the letters," McGonagall informed him with emphasis on the word "any."
"But, even Harry received his letter."
"After it was personally delivered to him. You do remember sending Hagrid to find him?"
"Of course. Looks like we might have to do the same thing in this instance," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Shall we?" Dumbledore said indicating the door to Morgana's compartment. McGonagall nodded. Morgana opened her eyes at that moment and quickly swished her wand to unlock her door. Then she quickly grabbed one of her books and began to make like she was reading.
"Time for my façade," she said to herself. There was a knock at her door, "Come in," Morgana said rather pleasantly.
"Ah, we meet again, Miss Loch," Dumbledore said as he extended his hand. "It is good to see you on the train. This means you have accepted our invitation for the job."
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," Morgana said. Her once savory and seductive voice was replaced with a more cheerful and higher pitched sound. "If you mean the assistant's job, yes, I have accepted."
"Did Professor McGonagall not send you the letter about Professor Sprout?" Dumbledore asked as he adjusted his half moon spectacles.
"Indeed I did! I tell you, Albus, it is those owls. We need to get new owls and get rid of the older ones," McGonagall protested.
"Hmm, perhaps you are right, Minerva. Perhaps we do need more owls if even our teachers are not receiving their posts," Dumbledore said as he put his hands behind his back. "I guess you had just better hear the news now, Miss Loch." Dumbledore took a seat beside Morgana. McGonagall remained standing. Morgana looked from professor to professor not sure what to expect. She tried to read the messages in their faces to find out if this was good news or bad news. A voice inside her head said that it was good news. Morgana then tried to show no signs of knowing what was going to be said next.
"Miss Loch, I have an offer for you," Dumbledore started. "You see, Professor Sprout is going to be on sabbatical all year. We need a Herbology teacher for the full year. Your resume parchment was excellent, that's why you received the assistant's job in the beginning. That is also why we are considering you for the full year teaching position and no others. Now, I just hope you will accept the offer for the teaching position," Dumbledore looked at her hopefully.
Morgana rolled the thought around in her mind. This is what she had wanted from the beginning. She had written to Dumbledore hoping that a teaching position would be open but fining none, he offered her an assistant job to Professor Sprout. She was having a difficult time keeping up with seven greenhouses now, one for each year. This offer was better than she had hoped. Teaching the one thing she loved possibly more than anything. Morgana looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"I look forward to being the new Herbology teacher," Morgana said in a sickening sweet voice.
"Excellent," Dumbldore replied with a clap of his hands. "Minerva will direct you to your private chambers and the greenhouses once we have arrived."
Professor McGonagall nodded her head with a smile. Morgana smiled pleasantly in return. Dumbledore stood to leave.
"I must complete my rounds of the train. If you'll excuse me," Dumbledore said as she walked through the door. "Oh, I see you are by yourself Miss...er...Professor Loch. Professor Snape is in the first compartment here, alone as well. I believe you went to Hogwarts together?" Dumbledore mentioned. "Coming, Minerva?"
"Yes, Albus," McGonagall said as she followed him out. "I'll meet you in the Grand Entrance of the castle if I do not see you off of the train."
"Very well," Morgana responded. She watched the two professors exit her compartment and continue on their way.
Morgana laid her head back on the seat. She let out a heavy sigh. She was glad that charade was over. Her lips turned up in a malicious smile. She was an official professor and not just a measly assistant. To top off all the good news, Severus snape was here, in this train car, just a few meters away.
"I think I'll go visit a friend," Morgana said seemingly to no one.
