Author's Note: This fic is actually based on certain truths and experiences that my friends and I have and will discover during our student teaching semester--only with a wizarding world twist. But most of these things will probably be based on actual events. Such as this opening chapter.

I'm planning on focusing on Tonks, Hermione, and McGonagall, though I'm almost positive others characters shall share their experiences. I have no idea if the wizarding world and Hogwarts actually does a student teaching program, but what the heck.

This takes places roughly a couple years or so after the series ends, though I really won't be dwelling on that sort of material— I'm just letting you know the time frame.

Also, I myself am student teaching in a 1st grade classroom, so this age level will not be from experience.

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What in the world possessed me to do this? Tonks stared up at the school she figured she knew well enough that was now shape-shifting before her eyes into the mouth of a beast. And all on such a sunny day, too. Career change? Now? When she was so happy being an Auror?

Students were running all over the grounds, screaming and hitting each other with sticks and Tonks no longer knew what kids did these days. She really didn't remember hitting too many other kids with sticks. Maybe once or twice. But it had been a sick thing! A sick and twisted and completely childish thing to do.

They were going to eat her alive, weren't they?

Well, she was still an Auror. All she was doing was focusing her talents into another channel. She had faced Death Eaters and survived countless attacks of evil and darkness.

She was going to pass out any second. Who was the fool that had gone on and on about the wonder and pride and joy of molding young minds to prepare them for the future disasters they would inevitably face if they ever got themselves involved in an extremely stupid situation?

Hermione Granger. That girl. That girl was going down. That girl was stuck in the exact same position.

Tonks straightened up, readjusted her bag, and marched through the doors.

And that was when she realized that she had no idea of where she was supposed to go. She stood there in the hall, a solid figure with bright pink hair and a sack full of books while children late for their own classes ran about.

Children. They were so small. They were so evil.

She was going to scream any moment. Where was she supposed to go? Where was she supposed to go? This Department of Education was getting so unorganized! All they did was send her off to a school and tell her a class and a professor that she would be working with... and that was supposed to help her?

Calm down, Tonks, she told herself silently. You can remember what they told you. In fact, if you were smart, you would have written it down. Wait! They wrote it down for you!

She smiled. Good. This wasn't so bad. All she had to do was find that parchment! She slid off her bag and began raking through it. Hmm. Points might be docked for lack of organization. She reached her hand down to the bottom and finally managed to hear the crunch of parchment. She pulled out the wrinkled and torn letter.

Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Severus Snape.

What class was that supposed to be and who was this professor!

The students had vanished. She fought the urge to scream.

No! She took a deep breath. She was being ridiculous. Pathetically dramatic. She knew very well what Defense Against the Dark Arts was and she knew very well who Professor Snape was. In fact, she knew the man on a first name basis.

Now, Tonks, you are going to calm yourself down and go happily to your class to check in. You will not be a screaming woman with books and a cheap name tag.

Oye. The name tag. She glanced down at the bronze-colored thing pinned to her robes. Mrs. Lupin, Student Teacher. On the right side was a simple imitation of the Hogwarts crest. It was absolutely hideous. And apparently student teachers didn't get to have the honor of "Professor" yet. Oh, well. No sense in complaining about that.

She felt the scream coming again. And for no reason she could discover, this time.

It had seemed such a nice thing to do. Now that the war was over, there really wasn't much use for Aurors. So why not go into teaching and train the next generation? Hardy-har-har.

She was late. She had to get to that class. And what would she do there? Sit in the back for a few weeks while Severus hogged all the teaching opportunities.

And the students would be watching her...

This so wasn't worth it.

But she had agreed.

But why in the world was she doing this?

She took a deep breath and her first step forward.

"I'm late!"

Tonks finally got her opportunity to scream as a form rushed past her. Hermione Granger.

"I can't believe I'm late for the first day of student teaching!" the now-distant form of Hermione shrieked.

The portraits on the walls were staring.

Oddly enough, the appearance of Hermione was rather calming. With her first smile of the day, Tonks reached down and picked up a cheap bronze-colored name tag. Miss Granger, Student Teacher.

She picked up the speed. "Hermione! They'll kill you if you don't have your name tag!"

Somewhere in the distance, Hermione screamed again.