Why am I here?

She surveyed the Grand Hall, with contempt as she downed another mug of pumpkin juice. It was most definitely too early to be supervising these brats as they ate and chattered happily before her. All were gossiping about last night's occurrences with a certain homicidal maniac which she tried to hunt down ALL NIGHT after the Fat Lady's disappearance. Bright, young, and eager faces shown with vigor and everything else Felicity wasn't feeling at this particular moment. She's had an hour's sleep, a night watch, and a poltergeist setting off false alarms around every corner. Looking at those happy children, this early in the morning (around seven to be exact) made her want to gag.

She felt her right, brown eye twitch on its own accord and a throbbing headache consumed her as she tried to finish her meal. Then the teachers just HAD to be sociable with the latest gossip and security measures. Honestly, after a rough night of searching the whole bloody castle, you'd think there would be silence.

Professor Sprout's voice, no matter how soft she tried to make it, carried off all the way to her end of the table and Felicity caught most her smack. McGonagall, who didn't see the problem with Felicity, tried to quiet her down, and yet to no avail, Sprout just kept talking. Dumbledore, began to speak with Hagrid about some beast or another, and their use for protection around the castle. Dragons would not be tolerated, obviously. And then, when Hagrid spoke, his booming voice made her want to shove a spoon down her throat. As of right now, the only teacher who seemed amiable to Felicity was Snape, who currently sat next to her with absolutely no emotion plastered onto his gaunt face. All he did was sit, eat, and speak when spoken to. If they ever did. In times like this, she could really respect that quiet and broody little man to keep her sane, him and Remus, who was not present at the moment. The other teachers, however, were annoying her to death as another wave of pain shot through her already beaten skull.

At least the professor's have manners.

She growled, picking up a piece of toast violently and shoving it into her mouth, it was days like these that were going to drive her to the edge of insanity. To her left, Hagrid looked down on her inquisitively, with big, furry eyebrows scrunched together. She muttered a quick 'sorry,' and after realizing that she was acting no better than the kids, she resumed to glaring at them profusely.

Glancing around the room some more, it seemed that the none of the children knew what propriety was. Food was disappearing faster than magic could have ever allowed it to, and then reappearing again just as quickly. Then, pieces of, 'something,' began to be thrown around, before Dumbledore would stop it with a flick of his wand. He gently chastised and continued his conversation with Hagrid. The pain grew worse as a louder, more boisterous, and too altogether mischievous laughter could be heard among the crowd, and then it became excruciating as she found out who it belonged too. A poltergeist now flew around the room, cackling and bouncing off the walls like some whack-job from St. Mungos.

He knows that I'm not in a good mood today

In times like this, she would wonder why she wanted to be an auror. As of now, there was no glory, no pride in her job, just bruises and stress. So, for extreme circumstances, and not to be taken every day (so prescribed by her witch doctor) she took out from her robes a set of specially brewed pain killers, packaged neatly in small test tubes. She took it down like a shot of fire whisky, and felt better instantly.

It still didn't help the fact that she was still disgusted by the students in the great hall, and the taste of her 'miracle potion' didn't do anything better for her mood, besides cure a fatal headache. Looking beside Hagrid, she noticed Dumbledore giving her a sympathetic smile and nodded at her. Perhaps it meant that he understood, but who knows what he really means. If he did understand, he knew about her total lack of patience and tolerance, but because he sees that every experience has a lesson to be learned, she hardly received help from him. Not that she needed help, she was a big girl after all.

She sighed, inwardly, she had enough. She got up and attempted to walk out the door, mumbling a quick goodbye to everyone, she got so far as to touch the knob before a very large, grey owl dropped a letter in front of her. Catching it in mid-air excitedly, she had hoped it was another "assignment" from the office. Perhaps it was something less noisy or more secluded, something other than a school full of raging hormones and angst. She ripped open the elaborate seal to uncover a quick note from her employer. She even allowed a little giggle of glee to come forth at the prospect of being elsewhere. However, she could only continue to hope. The news presented to her was more frightening than the danger she now placed herself in (most of it from a possible mad man by the name of Sirius Black, who may have decided to come and give a quick, threatening 'visit' to her former school the previous night).

Felicity Stratus,

As a result of being underhanded out in the field, and due to our current situation, I deeply regret informing you that your request to be re-stationed elsewhere has been denied. In place of that, however, another three months is required of your services at Hogwarts, and possibly until the end of the school year, or until the fugitive Sirius Black is caught.

Suddenly, Felicity started to wonder why she just didn't become a historian instead of an auror as she quickly ran out of the room, preparing to give a hearty, stress-filled scream.