Hello! Truthfully sad to tell you that I do not own Harry Potter and the original characters although, I do hope you enjoy! Reviews are always welcome xo
Mist evaded the grey evening skies of the castle as its grounds were acquainted with whatever remains there were on a misty September's time. The waters have been disturbed from the approaches that headed towards the gates of Hogwarts. Along the ancient staircase of the school, a maiden with long, majestic, and brilliant hair with auburn waves gliding gracefully along her back stood to welcome the students to another year.
"Good evening" her eyes wandered over to the crowd presenting before her; these were yet again, new faces and none ever seemed accustomed to her. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Today will be the start of something much more than of you being a wizard or a witch. Here you will be taught how to enhance your abilities and guide them as they ought to be used… Now, during the ceremony, you will be sorted into different houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your houses will be your home, there you will find your family within your stay."
Every pair of eyes stared at the young professor upon the delivery of her brief speech. This was a bit unusual for her although she had done this for about four years already. Silence was dominating the situation all too soon, Professor Granger cleared her throat in hopes of gaining focus from the students. "All right then, if you would all follow me we will be entering the Great Hall in a moment"
Candles lit up the entire room and the four long tables lined in the way they always did. Hogwarts did acquire a few good changes after the war. It has been exactly six years since the greatest, most unforgettable historical battle between good and evil took place on these still grounds. Much have changed since but the astonishing, bewitched ceilings of the Great Hall was still as breathtaking as it ever was. "What surprises would this year bring.." she thought. A beautiful smile escaped Hermione Granger's lips while walking through the very familiar halls and hearing noise that woke her memories. Tonight was just another magical night, and in her mind, it was going to be just another year. Or perhaps it was going to be more than that.
In another manor much darker than any other flew flakes of ashes and smoke from what seemed like a newly executed spell. The atmosphere wreaked of burnt, live leaves of an old oak tree. What seemed to be that of an emptied rejected room was cornered with enormous windows on two sides with a mere fireplace in between and a lengthy semi-narrow hallway stretching meters away from a two-door entrance. Ashes and smoke escaped the mysterious sight before light spread throughout half the room. Sunlight shining from the right window, surfaced on the brick wall, revealed the sight of an almost forgotten faded blonde hair dressed in layers of black. His chest rose and fell relentlessly while he panted deeper, sweat running uncontrollably down his neck and passing through the unsubtle aggression of his veins. A brace of piercing blue eyes fixed themselves on the stoned floor, not moving its gaze from the center. There was a moment of thought running through the man's mind before he stepped back and leaned against the stone cold wall, waiting until his eyes closed. It wasn't long until another set of footsteps came to distract his moment of reflection. The sound of movement stopped very near from where he settled, not a sound was heard—but breaths were exchanged.
"What is it that's been bothering you?" there was an obvious hint of worry and care in the woman's voice as her eyes studied the disturbed figure in front of her. The woman's noticeable streaks of silver on both corners of her hair made it easy for everyone to remember who she was. She waited for an answer; one which she thought she might already know. It took a while, but finally, the man opened his eyes and turned to the only remaining person he had left; his mother. Narcissa took one look at her son's sharp blue eyes and headed towards his direction. Her brows furrowed in some manner as she stopped in front of him, and looked. Her hands trailed their way up to his face and touched it in a way a mother would, Draco allowed her to continue as he grew softer with every touch. It was his mother that weakened him the most. He returned a mild gaze into her eyes and exchanged words through them.
"Mother.." his hands overlaid the palms of his mother's and rubbed his thumbs gently to comfort her. Whatever ran through his thoughts was no secret of his to Narcissa. She never needed his honesty, it was all in his eyes. He had been on exile after Lucius was sent to Azkaban with the other Death Eaters for doom. A few of the dark lord's followers had been acquitted including his mother, Narcissa. The Ministry had sent all of them into exile but of course, with a few considerable circumstances. The lady in black felt her own flesh rubbing against her cheek. She knew very well what Draco wanted. And even if she disagreed, she knew he was persistent. She loved him. She loved her son, and because she did, she could never deny him of anything he desired.
"Be careful out there, my son.." her arms wrapped around the firm body as tight as she could and gave him one last look with eyes in tears. His face narrowed down towards her forehead and kissed it gently "Thank you."
Months have gone by so fast that it felt like only two weeks had gone since the semester started. It was nearly noon on an early November, as it was, students swarmed their way through the hoary corridors just to get to their classes on time. This was not surprising at all. What was, on the other hand, was the sight of a fair, tall man with wavy ebony hair pushing himself across the crowd. A first look would make it seem like he wasn't at all interesting, he moved very funny with his torso slightly bent and his eyes filled with innocence. The look on his face was impossible to read; a huge wave of uninhibited emotions drew the edges of his features as he ran and bumped into the hustling students. His eyes feasted on the second classroom objectively far from where he was with his breath obviously compromised. Then again, he was in too much hurry to even care. As he got closer to the opened doors, his eyes blurred out a picture of a boy standing up and explaining to the class. He waited for the student to finish, thinking it would be quite rude if he had interrupted.
"…..duplicate an object, creating an exact replica of the target entity. It can also be used to bewitch an object into multiplying repeatedly when touched." Hermione was paying close attention to her student, explaining how the Gemino Curse or Doubling Charm worked on objects.
"Thank you, Mr. Fletcher very well explained."
She had been very proud in knowing her students participated willingly in her class and actually read a few books in advance. Before she could discuss further on the charm, a knock on the door echoed throughout the room. Once the thirteen-year-old boy had taken his seat, she had a clear view of the person standing by the doorway.
"Good Morning, Professor Longbottom how may I help you?" The sleeves of her black robe slid down her arms when she had tilted them slowly, pressing the tip of her wand horizontally on her left hand while holding it with the other.
"Errm-GoodMorning!" he greeted. "Professor Granger, a minute please." His head bobbed towards the opened entrance. Intrigued, she followed the man outside the hectic hallway and closed the doors behind them.
"What is it Neville?" very curiously, she asked.
"Headmistress called out an important meeting. Teachers are expected to be at her office immediately, dismiss your classes if you must she said." Odd, she thought.
"Dismiss classes? What could it be?" the skeptical brunette wondered over the scarce memo, for this had never actually happened in the past. Dismayed she was, yes. All the plans she made for class today was to be cancelled, and she had yet to know why.
"I guess I don't have a choice," a soft sigh made its way out her thin lips. Neville waited for her to dismiss the students and together, they walked towards Professor McGonagall's office. Both professors talked about how their days went, but mostly it was Neville.
"Neville, what was that between you and Pansy earlier?" there was a curious glow in her chestnut eyes. Neville's long arms reached out to the back of his head as he tried to explain what really happened.
"I had the first class earlier with fifth years and discussed on Wolfsbane, I gave each the students a sample to give them a proper look at the herb. Instructions were clearly made at the beginning of the lecture that all herbs must be returned after class. Apparently, one student decided to take it with him to his Potions class with Pansy and tried to make Wolfsbane Potion while they were discussing Amortentia." Hermione did not have the chance to react on the matter. Both of them had just arrived in front of Professor McGonagall's office, Neville knocked courteously and pushed both doors open.
"Ah. Just in time" they simmered over the room to see that everyone was indeed present; the staff, teachers and Harry…Harry?
"Harry?" surprised to see her good old friend in there, her reaction almost resembled that of a clueless first year asked about bezoar. What's an Auror doing in a staff meeting at Hogwarts? Hermione remained standing in front of her own colleagues, too dazzled to riddle out what all this was about. Her thoughts halted at the slick sound of Professor McGonagall's voice "take a seat, Professor Granger" her eyes flickered and looked downwards in embarrassment, and quickly made her way to the seat across Harry Potter. Harry had caught her bewildered glance, clearly, she too had not the slightest idea why they have all been summoned here at this hour. She wasn't sure what to make of his response; he looked indefinitely serious, curious and uneasy all at once.
"Now..as you all know, we have been understaffed for the past two years. Ms. Parkinson has been teaching two classes, Potions with the first years, the second years and the third years and adding to that, Defense Against the Dark Arts for all year levels. You, yourselves as teachers, I assume could think of how difficult and burdening this has been on her part. For years and years, no witch or wizard has presented themselves willingly to teach the class...not one. Surprisingly, earlier this morning someone—most eager and impressively over qualified, persistently asked to join us here at Hogwarts." McGonagall stated these words strongly, yet smoothly as she always did. Of course, the bickering started soon enough when she had said everything they needed to know. All of them were talking, murmuring and whispering.
"For those of you who are wondering why I have requested Mr. Potter to join us today, that includes him…and it is not because he will be taking that slot" she turned to face him, so did the rest. "He is here to assist us in safeguarding each and every person in this castle if any unlikely circumstances should occur." What is going on exactly? McGonagall's words had been utterly provocative to most.
"Safeguard from what exactly, Professor?" Curved Hermione's voice nervously.
Hogwarts had been peaceful since after the war, so much had happened in the past, during Voldemort's presence, particularly and it devastated her. Who ever wanted to relive a life constantly chased by death? There was no beauty in the disasters she had seen, none. When she had finally known peace, the slightest whirl of danger sent her trembling and uneasy. McGonagall knew very well what she was assuming, but did not say a word. Instead, she looked at her again with certainty. Hermione understood but was not relieved.
"Minerva, if I may ask.."
"Yes, Sybill?"
"W-w-who ex-ex-actly is this witch or wizard we are sp-peaking of?" Trelawney's voice husked bizarrely and her fingers wriggled in a very odd manner. The Headmistress gracefully turned to her left, where another door separated the hall from another room.
"Mr. Weasley, you may enter" confusion grew in everyone inside the room.
"Weasley?" Pansy looked at him from head to toe without even trying to hide the amount of disgust she felt at the thought.
Ron simply rolled his eyes in return, swooning the door open for the second time to reveal a firm figure in black clothing. The room became cold in a split second, the air was filled with bitterness, fear and again, a greater ton of confusion. Introductions were unnecessary between this man and all the others inside the secluded room, air was fainting out, it was as if everyone had forgotten how to breathe. Those icy, cold blue eyes were as sharp as a dragon's claws. It was all too familiar. No one had forgotten those exact faded blonde hair. Only one person had both these rare, distinct features. It was no mistake; this was the man who made all the regrettable decisions, the one who, aside from Harry Potter made the irreversible difference that ragged what once was, and caused what already is, the man they once walked through the hallways together not too long ago.
"Draco?" a voice differed from the others. One that was happy… and thrilled, contrary to the rest, Pansy.