So I'm rewriting Eternal Silence, finally. I hope you like it! Suggestions always welcome.
One: Dark Magic
"Is this compartment taken?"
Harry peeked into the last compartment on the Hogwarts Express. To him, it seemed like the population had grown. Or maybe there were less people that actually liked him.
A girl in normal clothing was sleeping with her feet pulled into her chest. She had silver hair, a bit odd, but it didn't bother Harry.
"We can crash in here, you guys. There's someone in here, but I don't think she'll mind. She doesn't look like a Slytherin."
"She looks like one of those Veela, Harry. I'd rather sit with Loony Lovegood than with a Veela." Ron shuddered at the memory of Fleur as he sat down.
"How do you know she's a Veela, Ron? It might be dyed. You should give people chances more often. Remember when we first met?" Hermione said.
"I'm not a Veela. I don't know what they are or why I look like one. Frankly, I don't even know who you all are."
Ed, on "business" from Amestris, had been standing in the door and was startled by the girl – supposedly sleeping – as she spoke, stretching her arms and unfolding her legs from the seat. She was barefoot. Her feet quickly disappeared under her dress, hidden in the many folds of the green material.
An light, airy laugh came from her as the others took their treats from the trolley and Ed finally managed to sit down.
"What's the deal with that?"
"I don't mean to be rude or anything," started Ron, "But who are you?"
"I'm Aileen Kita. I'm the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher."
Everyone stared at her.
"You're a teacher? But…you don't look much older than us," Hermione said, confusion in her voice.
"I am. I might not look it, but I'm twenty-two. I got my teacher's license this summer." She gave a smile, a strange one that sparked a memory in Ed's mind, though it was just out of his reach. It seemed familiar, in a twisted way, but he couldn't place it. She gave a little bit of her background: she was from the countryside in another country, raised there and went to the city to work for a bit, but returned home before accepting a spot teaching at Hogwarts. A run-in with a dark wizard had fueled her desire to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, she said.
After everyone finished their snacks, Aileen fell asleep again while the others discussed hopes that Snape had been fired, Quidditch speculations, and various subjects (with some awkward silences) for the duration of the trip. When the train finally arrived at the station near Hogwarts, it was nearly dark, the sky reddish, dusky.
"Should we wake her up?" Hermione asked as the trio stood up to exit the train.
"She's a teacher, right?" Ron said. "She should be fine."
"I'll be okay. Go on ahead," Aileen said, opening one eye. The four shrugged and filed out, anxious for their new year to begin.
The feast had begun at last. The Sorting had taken forever to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Ed didn't really care.
After about a half an hour of eating, a strange woman stepped forward from the staff table.
"Hem, hem…" she said, gathering everyone's attention. "I am Dolores Umbridge, and I will be evaluating the school this year as High Inquisitor. The Ministry has sent me to—"
The doors to the Main Hall suddenly flew open, revealing a figure draped with a silver cloak.
"Who are you?" Umbridge demanded, taking a step forward.
There was no answer. Instead, the form walked forward towards the staff table.
"Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher—that Aileen?" Hermione whispered.
"Oh. Yeah. That's her," Ed muttered, his mouth full of food.
"Indeed, Mr. Elric is correct. I am Aileen Kita, here to take the position of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Aileen's voice echoed outwards to the walls. "The school of Hogwarts has been left without the knowledge of the true Dark Arts. Until now, that is."
Drawing an arm out from under the cloak, a light gathered around her hand, forming in the shape of a staff. It was black and made of iron, a small cross-like figure at the top with a circle around the intersection, although it had no relation at all to Christianity as far as Aileen was concerned.
"I have come to teach you all the true essence of Dark Magic."
Touching the tip of the staff to the ground, black lightning issued from the end, spreading around the floor and up the walls.
"What is the meaning of this, hiring a dark witch to teach such a delicate matter? I should have taken the position, but you denied me of it! Dumbledore! The Ministry shall know of this!" Umbridge said, scribbling furiously on her clipboard in front of her.
A spark of fire suddenly took a hold of the clipboard, reducing it to ashes in mere seconds. Looking up, Umbridge found Aileen's staff pointed right at her, the black lightning gone.
"Do not try to read me before my powers have been fully demonstrated. Although I am an expert in the knowledge of such things, I am not a dark witch. I am not even truly a witch myself."
"I will not stand for this! You will not have a person like this teaching my precious students! You will not!" Umbridge shrieked, beginning to throw a tantrum of sorts.
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice resonated through the Hall more so than Aileen's did. The whole room was silent, waiting for the next move.
"She is not a dark witch, Dolores. She is merely a teacher who is an expertise in the area of Dark Arts." Dumbledore's voice was firm, indicating that she should stop.
"You won't be so lucky next time," Aileen said, turning and striding out of the Hall. The staff disappeared in a glimmer of light, arousing conversations at all the House tables.
Aileen woke from her dream drenched in a cool sweat. It was the same every night, derived from that cruel memory from long ago.
It always starts with nothing. Nothing but shadows. Then...
Running down an endless hall. Running...running...it never seems to end...
The mirrored platform, its face like ice. Voices surround me, faceless images reflecting in the glass, echoing in my mind. All around me, shadows creep around my legs, pulling downward.
Suddenly, the platform shatters, breaking into thousands of pieces, sending me spiraling down into oblivion.
That was when she would wake up.
Shaking her head, Aileen flopped back onto her bed and fell asleep.