Chapter 1

Dumbledore's News

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was on her way to the school's staff room. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had asked all his teachers to report this morning… despite the fact that the school year had not officially started yet.

She opened the heavy wooden door, and stepped inside. She apparently was one of the first to make it. Soon, Xiomara Hooch, the Broomstick instructor, was there, sitting beside Poppy Pomfrey, the school's nurse, talking.

"Hello Minnie, dear," Madam Hooch said to her when she finally joined them.

"You know how I feel about that particular nickname, Xiomara," McGonagall said primly.

"I know, Minerva," Xiomara replied with a small grin. "So, have you any idea as to why Albus wants us all here this morning?"

"Well, I have no idea," Poppy volunteered. "But since You–Know–Who was cast down last year, it simply cannot be about him."

The assembled teachers began to discuss various ideas about why Dumbledore had called them all together.

The door to the staff room opened, and closed, and Albus Dumbledore made his way to the front of the room. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he told them all kindly. "First, I have a question to pose to you all: Have any you, any of you at all, ever heard of a Kitty Petro?"

"Yes, Headmaster… I have heard of this person," Xiomara offered, her golden eyes gleaming. "She apparently is the so-called Queen of animated and literary characters. It's said that when she grows bored, she is known to appear and press into her service whomever she will, taking them somewhere where she trains them---at what I can hardly say. She offers no reason behind her actions, and those she chooses must stay with her… for the rest of their lives." The other teachers either looked a bit worried, or looked down their noses at one another, scoffing at such a ridiculous idea.

"Exactly so," Dumbledore replied. "Well done, Madam Hooch."

"Come, Dumbledore," the oily Professor Snape demanded a bit crossly. "What, if anything, has this to do with any of us?"

Dumbledore didn't reply verbally, but simply laid five books down upon the table before his professors, so that everyone could read their titles: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; and Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix.

"Potter," growled Snape depreciatingly, his dark eyes glittering as they usually did when Harry Potter's name was mentioned. "I should of known…"

Dumbledore chose to ignore his Potion Master's outburst. "To answer your question, Severus, Ms. Petro is coming here the First of September. Her intent, so I've been instructed, is to recruit four of our student body, three Gryffindors and a single Slytherin, as well as two of our instructors," he explained to them all. "It's all here in this letter from her that arrived yesterday morning." The white-haired Headmaster held up a sheet of fine parchment with bold writing upon it.

"So, Albus, which of us were selected by this girl?" Poppy asked, her lips thin, shaking her head morosely.

"She has not deigned to tell me, Poppy, I'm afraid," Dumbledore replied kindly.

"Well, from what Xiomara has said, I'll bet she will take measures to prevent her chosen ones from escaping. May we look at those books," Minerva McGonagall observed. Xiomara Hooch simply nodded in agreement.

"Please, Minerva… be my guest," Dumbledore said graciously, gesturing to the books lying atop the table. Xiomara Hooch picked up The Philosopher Stone, while Minerva McGonagall took up The Order of the Phoenix.

"Oh, come now! Are my eyes really like those of a hawk?" Xiomara demanded after reading for a while. She turned to her friend, Minerva.

"Yes, I'm afraid that they are, Xiomara," Minerva informed her. Amanda Hooch blinked in surprise.

Poppy Pomfrey had just began to read The Prisoner of Azkaban, and observed, almost disapprovingly, "You know, Minerva dear, in this particular book, you almost say how you really feel about Sybil Trelawny."

"Yes, finally," Minerva muttered to Xiomara Hooch.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, but might I ask what seems so fascinating in that fifth book you are reading?" Snape asked, looked at Minerva.

"I'm trying to figure out just what happened after I was brought to at St. Mungo's. You know, after I received those four stunning spells in succession," she answered. "I simply can't remember…"

"That was over two years ago, Minerva, do try to relax," Xiomara Hooch said soothingly to her friend.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to regain their attention. He then stated, "I will try to make this all as clear to you as I am able. Ms. Petro requires the assistance of four of our students, as well as that of two of our instructors. Whomever of you that are selected by Ms. Petro, I wish to say good luck." The assembled instructors were stunned. "Oh, and please, when you are finished with those books, please return them to me so I may give them back to Ms. Petro when she arrives."

Dumbledore cast his blue eyes about the staff room, looking briefly to each of his instructor's faces. "That is all I have at this time. You are all free to go."