Warnings: This story is eventually going to be slash/yaoi/boyxboy. If you don't like, then don't read.
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, do you think I'd be worried about paying my college tuition? No, therefore, I must not own it.
The Headmaster's Office. Prologue.
"And be sure to read over the Unforgivables over break! I want you all to be familiar with them when we return." Harry gave a pointed look at the Gryffindor students as they tumbled out of his class, chatting excitedly and ignoring him in their haste to leave the last class of the day. One of the Ravenclaw boys waved quickly, shouting a farewell, before joining the mass of students in the Hall.
Sighing and rubbing a hand tiredly over his face, Harry turned to the chalk covered blackboard, muttering a quick spell and vanishing the mass of notes scribbled across it. It had been a long day, for him and probably every other professor at Hogwarts. Being the last day before the Christmas holidays, almost every student was distracted and looking forward to the end of the day and the train ride home. Trying to teach today was like trying to convince Hagrid Aragog had been a terrifying beast; near impossible.
Running a hand through his tangle of black hair, Harry picked up the most recent batch of essays and, taking one last look over the Defense classroom, walked out the door with slightly less gusto than his students had when leaving. As he walked down the corridor, he nodded to a few students who waved and, while passing the Transfigurations class, saw Hermione emerging, talking with one of the seventh years. He smiled when she caught sight of him and nodded, wrapping up her conversation and waving goodbye as the boy walked over to join his friends.
"You know," Harry said, as he and Hermione began to walk towards the staff lounge, falling into their usual step. "You should really stop leading them on like that, one day they might actually try something."
Hermione glared at him, though there was obvious amusement in her eyes. "I could say the same about you, Mr. Potter," she said, raising an eyebrow. This was their typical banter, knowing none of it true but still enjoying the friendly teasing. "You're just jealous I got to have mature seventh years for my last class while you had to deal with fourteen year olds at the end of the day."
"I swear we were never that troublesome when we were that age," Harry said, shaking his head as they walked into the brightly lit staff lounge. Hermione sat down in one of the large arm chairs while Harry flopped down heavily onto the soft couch.
"I'd say we were worse," Hermione said, grinning. Harry grinned back. She was probably right, what with the amount of trouble they had had in their fourth year, the Triwizard Tournament and all.
"All faculty please report to the staff lounge," the magically amplified voice of the Headmistress boomed through the castle. "All faculty report to the staff lounge."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Harry raised an eyebrow and Hermione shrugged. They were already in the staff lounge, so not much else to do, really. "How's Ron?" Harry asked, absently flipping through his stack of essays.
"He's doing fine," Hermione said, standing up and walking over to the tea cart by the fireplace and pouring herself a cup. "Still keeping up things at the Auror Department. Seems Kingsley might promote him soon if he keeps up."
"That's good," Harry said, smiling as Hermione returned to her chair and a few professors entered the room. Harry grinned as Neville, a bit of mud still smeared across his face, came and sat down next to him, followed by Edmund Kipton, who looked tired and worn.
"How'd the last classes go?" Harry asked them both as they sank down next to him. Neville grinned while Edmund buried his head in his hands with a heaving sigh.
"Quite well, actually," Neville said. "We've got a good Mandrake crop this year. Though I can't say the same for the fifth year's." Edmund groaned again.
"I swear," Edmund said, face still buried in his hands. "I've never seen a group of students so adept at blowing things up in my life." Harry and Neville laughed while Hermione hid a chuckle in her tea cup. "How you can set half the desk on fire with a simple color change charm is beyond me, but somehow that group of Gryffindor's manage it. I don't think the rooms going to last till the end of the year."
"You should seem them in Defense," Harry said, nodding to Edmund. "I haven't seen kids so good at dueling since the DA." Harry winced. "Though I wish they'd keep from trying to surprise me all the time."
They all laughed just as the rest of the staff trickled in, chatting quietly and looking exhausted. Finally, McGonnegal came through the doors and everyone fell silent. As impressive and authoritative as ever, McGonnegal firmly shut the door behind her and stood before the rest of the staff, her sharp eyes sweeping the occupants and doing a fast head count. "I imagine you'll all be curious as to why I've called you before the holidays," she said, smartly. Without waiting for a response (which wasn't coming anyway) she pressed on. "I have a few things of importance to tell you all before we resume classes after the holidays."
Hermione perked up next to Harry and Neville stopped surreptitiously trying to clean the dirt from under his fingernails.
McGonnegal eyed them all for a moment of dramatic effect before continuing. "Following the end of the holidays we will be experiencing a shift in positions. Due to recent health concerns, Professor Slughorn has informed me he can no longer fulfill his duties as teacher here and has given me a rather abrupt resignation." She seemed extremely annoyed at the fact, as her mouth went very thin and her eyes flashed.
Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. Slughorn had, after the war, decided to resume his teaching post for some reason unknown to them. Harry had a feeling it was because he felt he owed something to Dumbledore before the previous headmasters death. At the beginning of this year, Harry had noticed the aged man had looked extremely worn and fading, truly showing his age. Through the year, he had made a few trips to St. Mungo's and the students had begun to ask if something was seriously wrong. Apparently there was.
Where, when as students, the people gathered in the room would have immediately pressed the Headmistress for information about the missing professor, the room remained silent, taking in the news quietly and calmly. McGonnegal continued.
"I am telling you this because I want to let you know ahead of time that we will be having a new member joining our faculty at the end of the holidays," McGonnegal gave a quick look at all of them. "I expect all of you to treat them with respect and courtesy." She looked over at Harry, Hermione, and Neville, who looked back, slightly confused. "I would also like for everyone to keep rather quiet about this. I don't need the news of Slughorn's absence to spread before he has a chance to recover at least slightly." She paused and looked everyone over again. "I also want you all to be informed of another staff change." She paused again. "I, as you well know, am getting on in years. I have decided that this is my last year here as Headmistress and will be retiring come June and naming my successor with the approval of the School Governors."
Every face in the lounge flashed, surprise being the most prevalent of expressions, though shock and disbelief were also present.
"I would also like this small fact to be kept quiet until I make a formal announcement at the end of the year," the Headmistress continued, not paying attention to the response to her previous statement. "I wish you all a Happy Christmas and will see you all back here the day before term resumes. Good evening." She turned and swept from the room.
As soon as she left, the teachers gathered in the room began either quietly talking or making their way to leave, or both. Harry turned to Hermione, grinning widely. "Bet I can guess the new Headmistress," he said, grinning widely.
Hermione smacked him across the shoulder and Neville laughed.
A/N:In case people are wondering why I'm putting this up before I finish To Dance, it's because I've been having some writer's block and decided I needed to do something to get my mind out of a rut. Hence, this. Let me know if you want me to keep going!
-Kajit
