"Right this way, Miss Theirin." Professor McGonagall called over her shoulder at the young girl behind her.
Emily Theirin followed the old professor she had just met down the rather colorless halls of the school she always dreamed of visiting. She pulled her short chocolate colored hair behind her ear and admired the stone walls around her as she walked in thought.
Her mother had spent 7 years of her childhood in this very school. Emily however, was born in America, so naturally she attended an American school, Witch & Wizard's School of Magic in Utah to be exact. Though it wasn't exactly small, it was nowhere near as large as Hogwarts. She remembered the times she would look through her mother's old books and journals, imagining what it would feel like walking through the grand castle halls and being taught by her mum's favorite teachers in her favorite classes.
Emily didn't exactly love school, she wasn't top witch in her class and she had her fair share of hated teachers and subjects, but she loved to learn about the power in her veins and how to expand her knowledge more every day. This was why her house had been the House of the Unicorn: where everyone grew up to be healers and wise witches and wizards (mostly all pure bloods like herself she had noticed, but she didn't believe that to be an important part of it as others did) eager for knowledge wherever they went. So it was normal after she graduated she wanted to become a teacher herself, or at least study more. Not to mention her father had pushed for it, incredibly so.
She then fought her way to a teaching school in England and into a program that did none other than what she dreamt of doing: studying and teacher aiding at Hogwarts. Thought it wasn't her best subject in school, Emily decided to aid in her favorite subject, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Some would call it testy, or perhaps just plain stupid. Her father had thought the latter when she told him because yes, she wasn't the best at it, but it's what she found interesting. Defending against evil dark wizards and creatures you'd find in abandoned caves and dark forests, with faces and bodies you could never think up yourself, all able to hurt and kill in different ways, but all easily defeatable once you were taught how. Also, she wanted to teach a class that could possibly and eventually save student's lives, not one of those pointless classes which she had hated enduring in her education experience.
But of course, when she had explained this to her father, he automatically thought she was doing it because of how her mother had died. She remembered him saying how none of this would bring her back, and how Emily should pick a sturdy and popular subject she was good at, like Charms or Transfiguration. She simply ended the conversation politely, wondering why choosing the subject she wanted was such a big deal to him.
She still pondered this, talking to herself in her mind, when she noticed McGonagall had stopped in front the doorway to a room, her arm extended. Emily nodded and took her gesture as means to enter the room, proceeding to do so with the professor trailing behind her.
Emily looked around at the classroom as they entered. It was medium sized, the same stone walls as the hallways, with many desks and chairs and bookcases all around. It was your standard classroom, but there was something about it that Emily enjoyed. It was dimly lit by the setting sun outside and the gray walls were still, nothing distracting at all, and Emily could easily imagine herself sitting quietly in the back, reading a book or studying by herself before the talk of students filled the air and she would rise with a smile, ready to teach their fresh minds something new.
While in the middle of her day dreaming someone cleared their throat behind her, and she turned around. The professor stood with a tired, impatient smile on her lined face. Embarrassment flooded Emily as she realized how unprofessional she was being.
"Oh, I'm sorry Professor, this is the classroom?" She walked over to McGonagall, her hands entwined nervously.
The older of the two women smiled again, folding her hands behind her back. "Yes, this is where you shall be aiding. And please call me Minerva, Emily. You are staff, not a student."
"Yes, though I am still a student teacher." Emily mumbled with a smile.
McGonagall chuckled, and then it was quiet again. Emily waited for her to mention something about this Mr. Lupin, the man she had been told was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, but still silence filled the air, so she brought it up herself.
"Um, and about Mr. Lupin? When will I be able to meet him?"
Right as she opened her mouth to answer, there was a knock at the door. They both turned to look and an old man with silver robes, a large wizard hat, and a flowing white beard entered the room. This man Emily had recognized in a second.
"I apologize for interrupting but I need to see you Minerva," He came and stood a couple steps away from them.
"Yes Headmaster, but first you should meet—"
"Miss Emily Theirin, our new student teacher, of course. How do you do?" He held out his hand politely.
Emily took it enthusiastically; still a little shocked at who she was actually meeting. "Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. An honor to meet you, really. I'm very good, very happy." She smiled broadly and realized she was shaking his hand too long, and then released it as she spoke again.
"Thank you so much for, um, letting me come. I can't wait to start."
He chuckled heartily. "How could I not? Once I read your letter and saw your name, I knew immediately who you were. Thank you for choosing Hogwarts Miss Theirin, your mother would be proud. You look exactly like her." Dumbledore gave Emily one last smile before he started making his way to the door, still facing McGonagall.
"Minerva, if you would?"
She said goodbye to Emily and picked up her robes, starting toward him, when she suddenly stopped and whirled back around, one hand in the air.
"Oh, and about Professor Lupin, he should arrive when the children do, but I don't know if anyone's told you about—"
"Minerva, please, I need to speak with you now. I'm afraid it cannot wait." Dumbledore interrupted quietly.
McGonagall looked at him impatiently and then sighed, giving Emily a we'll-talk-later look before leaving the classroom, Dumbledore on her heels.
The door shut with a soft thud, leaving Emily and her thoughts to their own.
She looked around the motionless room once again, noticing how much quieter it seemed now that she was alone. But the silence wasn't uncomfortable to Emily, it was something she liked. She was no stranger to it, having few close friends and a very soft spoken family. She also spent much of her time alone, so since she enjoyed the silence and wasn't very good with people, she usually strongly preferred one to the other.
She started humming to herself and continued to search the classroom more freely now, opening up small cupboards and desk drawers, moving the curtains from the stain glass clear windows as the darkness filled the room, until she heard the door open once again across the room. Emily closed the desk she was peering into and waited for the intruder to enter.
An old, scraggly looking man came into the room, grimacing as he searched it. His gaze finally fell on Emily and he opened his mouth to speak, showing his yellowing teeth.
"Oi, Miss, I was told to come and get you before the feast started. The children are arriving and you are supposed to be seated with the other teachers."
Emily had to remind herself that he was indeed talking to her, and that he must be the castle caretaker or something. She thanked him and walked toward the door he was holding open.
"I'm Filch by the way, Miss. Ever have any trouble with the childrens, just send them to me." Emily nodded at his creepy smile, trying to hide her grimace, and suddenly jumped, feeling something at her legs.
She stumbled and looked down, finding a gray furry cat purring against her feet.
"Sorry Miss, that's Mrs. Norris. I couldn't do this job without her, no I couldn't. Dear to me heart, she is." Filch gave her a loving look, before taking in a breath and looking back at Emily. "Well, you don't want to be late do you? Come on Mrs. Norris." He walked through the door before Emily, the cat on his heels.
Emily stood bewildered for a moment, and then gave her head a shook and followed the odd man down the halls, their footsteps echoing. A small smile grew on her face as loud laughter and exciting voices started coming from the hallway ahead of her.
As she started to feel like a small child on her first day of school again, something told her that her adventures at Hogwarts had only begun.
Quick notes - I hope you enjoy this story, it came out of random poppings in my head and writing to get rid of frustrating writers block. Obviously set in POA atm, and I hope you'll bear with me in inserting Emily into it. This is simply a chapter to get it started, sorry for the lack of Lupin. I of course don't own Harry Potter or Remus or any characters except my own. More on the way, thank you for even reading this. :)~
ALSO: I hate titling things, so don't judge the story by the bad titling job I did. Thank you.