AN: Hi! I'm Padfoot, and I'm a writer of many a fanfiction. I prefer Harry Potter, but if you have a request for something else, I'll write it. I have a account, and post most of my stories on there:) I love writing, so if you wanna hear more, just send me a message or comment down there vv telling me about it! Love you guys, and hope to hear from you soon.
This is chapter one of A Simple Kind of Love for Rachael Collins! :) Love you.
Chapter One: Flight of the Tempter
Deep breath in.
She breathed in, closing her eyes.
Deep breath out.
Opening her eyes, she breathed out.
Don't mind the fact that you're meeting Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world. Don't mind the fact that you might finally get the job you've been waiting for. Don't mind...
She shook her head, shaking away the thoughts of nervousness that plagued her. She looked up at the stone gargoyle, which stood there, looking at her curiously.
"I have a meeting with Albus Dumbledore, two o'clock." she said, smiling lightly.
"Name?" said the gargoyle, face blank.
"Rachael Collins."
"Up you go then." the statue moved aside to reveal a slowly revolving staircase. She stepped on, nodding silently to the gargoyle, which moved back into place as the stairs rose slowly to take her to the top.
She placed her foot off the stair and they stopped moving. Rachael stepped forward and raised a fist to knock quietly before hearing a voice yelling incohearently inside.
"You- Dumbledore you- you promised..." said the deep and hate-filled voice loudly, trailing off in a sob. "You promised you would keep her- all of them- safe!"
"Lily put her trust in the wrong people Severus..." said a soft and melancholy voice. Rachael's heart beat faster, and she stood back, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping as a loud crash resounded from inside the room. She stepped back onto the stairs, a few steps back as the door was thrown open and a tall and handsome man stormed out, throwing Rachael a dark and confused look. Tears streamed down Severus' face, and he turned half way down the staircase, glaring at Albus.
"Don't trust this man. He promises a lot of things he can't preform on." Severus looked to Rachael, wiping his face impatiently with the back of his sleeve. "But you can trust me." he stuck out his left hand, and she caught a glimmer of what seemed to be a snake and skull fading quickly away. She ignored it, looking him in the dark eyes that bored into hers and taking his chilled hand in her own.
"Rachael." she said quietly, smiling softly.
"Severus." he said, nodding and smiling. He retracted his hand, shooting one last dark look at Dumbledore before marching down the stairs.
Albus let out a great sigh, and Rachael turned towards him, confusing crossing her soft features.
"Who was that?" she muttered, frowning.
"A man who has little faith left in humanity and the world. A man who fell in love with someone who could never love him back. One of my very best friends, actually." he turned, walking into his office. "Come in Rachael, please, and take a seat." Rachael walked quickly up the stairs, blushing softly.
"Well, welcome to Hogwarts." said Albus, smiling.
"Thank you very much," said Rachael, smiling in slight relief. "This is such a great opportunity."
"Well," he said, laughing slighly, and picking up a long scroll of parchment. "We have three positions open." he pointed at the list, frowning. "We need an Astronomy teacher, a chorus instructor, and..." he trailed off, face falling. "A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." he said this quietly, as if by saying out loud, it would make it true.
"Well, I'm no good with defensive spells, but I love stars, although..." she trailed off, grinning, "I'm a fair singer, I would think. And if I can, I'd love to teach two positions... if that's not too hard."
"It's hard, but I have faith." said Dumbledore. He smiled genially at her, placing his old, weathered hand upon hers. She looked down into her lap, still grinning brightly. Only 21 and she had a job at the most fabulous wizarding school in the world.
Hogwarts.
"Well," he said, clapping his hands together. "If you'll just follow me, I will show you to your quarters. Being a professor of the stars now, you'll have a very pleasant view of them." She stood, looking around the grand office once more, then left the study, pleased with her lot.