It's that time of the year again and Hogwarts wants you!

Caricature of Dumbledore pointing his finger at targeted audience with twinkling eyes

If you agree to take on the DADA position, you will get a signing bonus of 10,000 gallions, with a yearly wage of 20,000 gallions and an extra 10,000 for each year you complete.

So come on down! Hogwarts' door is always open!

It has been decided. Harry Potter is returning to Hogwarts. It has been years after his defeat of Voldemort, two and a half years after he had graduated.

After having told the wizarding world to go to hell, Mr. Potter had disappeared, and no one had heard from him since. Then, out of the blue, an answer had been sent by a snowy white owl in reply to an advertisement in the Quibbler. A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was needed at Hogwarts.

The day had been horrible, not only the weather, but the traveling. Mr. Harry James Potter was drenched as he lugged his suitcases (three in all) up the great stone steps of the castle. Of course, the heavy weight on his back did not help and his muscles (not to mention his back) screamed at him to take a break, but he was almost there and he knew that the water repelling charm would soon wear off.

As he approached the strongly fortified doors of Hogwarts, they opened in an act of welcome and Harry Potter knew that he had finally come home.

In the Entrance Hall, Harry could hear loud voices coming from the Great Hall. Setting his suitcases down, he went and entered the room where he used to spend his meal times.

All the voices quieted and the teachers, who had already arrived, turned to see who had arrived.

"Harry?" The inquiry came from the Head of the table, Headmaster Dumbledore. All the teachers looked dumbfounded. Harry hadn't realized that his appearance had changed so much.

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore. Am I late?"

"Not at all, my boy, the food just arrived. Please, have a seat beside Severus."

Harry turned to walk down the length of the table where the potions master sat, when a small cry rent through the air.

To everyone's amazement, Harry quickly rushed to his seat and placed a drying spell on himself. Then, still standing, he took off the backpack, placed it onto the chair and pulled a baby girl out of it. Gasps went unheard as the professors realized that it had not been a backpack, but a sort of carrier. The baby had been bundled so tightly and had remained so quiet, that they had not even realized it had been there. Harry started to walk along the table, rocking her, eventually calming her down.

"I would like to introduce you to Patricia, my daughter."

The only one who wasn't surprised to see Potter's offspring was Professor Snape. He had known that with all the temptation of willing, adoring fans, Harry hadn't a chance of not taking advantage of the opportunities they presented. So it was Snape that shook his head at the naivety of his Headmaster when the old man posed his next question,

"You are married, Harry?"

"Yes, Headmaster." Snape was shocked. "But I am in the middle of a divorce." I take that back. It was just the thing Snape had expected of him.

"What is a divorce?" The quiet question made the rounds as Harry finally took his seat beside Snape, his daughter quietly hiccupping on his shoulder. Leaning over, Harry ignored the feast before him and started digging around in a pouch of the backpack. The professors all stayed silent, as Harry pulled out a bottle and began feeding Tricia.

"Potter? What are you doing to the child?" Snape asked indignantly.

"Why, Professor. I am feeding my daughter a bottle seeing as I am not able to produce the milk needed myself." Harry replied. He suspected that if Snape hadn't had such tight control of his actions, his face would've flushed. "So," he began brightly "What is the latest news?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have just brought twins to the world." Professor McGonagall answered immediately.

"More?" Harry asked surprised. "What does that make now, 9?"

"No, Harry, I mean Hermione and Ron."

"They're married! Well, it makes a good combination, brainy pranksters."

"I will no longer be teaching in this institution." Snape muttered darkly. Harry laughed and turned to his former professor.

"Would you hold Tricia, Severus? I see that you are through eating, as is my daughter. I, however, am famished."

Snape only stared at him while the baby was gently placed into his arms which automatically tightened around her. Drool dribbled down the girl's chin, pooling among the fabric of Snape's robes. "See?" Harry grinned. "She likes you already." Ignoring the professor's glare, he turned and began to pile food high on his plate.

Severus stared in horror at the child in his arms. The last thing he wanted to do was hold Potter's brat. As if agreeing with his sentiments, the girl screwed up her face and began to cry.

"I'd better warn you." Her father said from beside them, "Tricia is an Empath." Severus was stunned. Only a Potter could show such talents at an early age.

"Oh, don't tease poor Severus." The new voice belonged to Minerva McGonagall, who, it appeared, had been following their conversation. "All babies are Empaths my dear colleague, it is their natural instincts." The whole time Harry had been shoveling food into his mouth seemingly without pause. Now he swallowed and said.

"Actually, my daughter is an Empath. She must get it from her mother's side of the family, though." Stunned silence met this as Harry went back to eating, now on his third plate of food.

The little girl, Tricia, giggled from where she sat in Snape's lap, her eyes twinkling as though she understood everything that was being said.

"So," Dumbledore questioned. "Why haven't you brought your wife with you? Who is the lucky girl?"

"Well, professor . . ."

"Call me Albus."

"As I mentioned earlier, I am in the middle of a divorce and so, of course, have not brought her with me."

"What is a divorce?" Flitwick asked.

"It is a muggle process of ending a marriage."

"Is your wife a muggle?"

"More a squib who just doesn't know it. She comes from a long line of squibs who have long since forgotten the existence of the wizarding world."

Snape sneered. At least she wasn't a muggle or muggle-born. Being a squib was just as bad in his eyes though. Suddenly he felt a soft hand hit him in the nose. Looking down, he saw Tricia giggle and reach out her chubby fist to him again.

"Hey!" He said. "No hitting my nose." Harry was now finished and took his little girl into his arms.

"Now Tricia, what have I said about hitting people?" The baby just giggled while reaching out to do the same by her daddy.

"I am sorry Severus. Tricia has a fascination with hooked noses." Harry apologized.

Severus remained silent and glared at him.

"Where is your wife now?" McGonagall asked.

"Hopefully with her parents." Was Harry's off-hand reply.

"Wouldn't she want to see her child?" Flitwick asked.

"Why should she? Tricia isn't hers." Snape's thoughts were confirmed. Slowly, a smirk made its way across his face. Seeing the confused looks on their faces Harry hurried to explain. "Sarah is my second wife. Amerella, Tricia's mother, died a week after giving birth."

A silence of sorrow fell upon the room. Looking closely, Severus could've sworn there was a suspicious shine to the young man's eyes, but wasn't quite sure a moment later when Harry laughed and said: "My time of grief has passed. After all, it has been a year."

I would really like to thank my new beta Sanguis Magia for her insightful and much appreciated help!