Ch. 1 - "I'm working with WHO?!"
Chandra weaved her way down Diagon Alley, trying to avoid the excited children and teenagers that were crowding the street, shopping for the next term at Hogwarts. Her trunk was moving itself close behind her, the chit-chattering of the wheels were drowned out by the large crowds. A slender grey cat sat upon the trunk.
"Oh, Helios. Must you be so lazy?" Chandra chided her familiar.
"Mraawr." Helios replied, giving Chandra a sly grin.
She sighed at Helios and kept walking, her silken black dress almost dragging on the ground. She had come to Diagon Alley a little earlier than she expected, and so spent a few hours admiring the shops and cafè's, until she decided enough was enough and focused on the task at hand; getting to the Leaky Cauldron. Chandra never really thought she'd be coming to Hogwarts, of all places. But life has it's little surprises, so she snatched up her opportunity. She had been living with muggles for damn near a year now, a year after her graduating, and although they seemed nice enough, Chandra longed to be with other magic users again. It was a job offer, of all things. No, it wasn't teaching, thank the stars. A few weeks back on a clear beautiful night, an official letter from Hogwarts came via owl. She nonchalantly grabbed her tea, and the letter, and reclined in her chair to slowly read it. When she had actually read the whole thing, she had nearly spat out her tea all over the parchment. The letter was written by the headmaster himself, Albus Dumbledore, informing her that the school's potion instructor required an assistant. Through conversations with the headmaster of the school she attended, the instructors, and reviewing of her test scores, he had discovered that she had an affinity for potions, and it appeared she was the most qualified. Refusing to look back, Chandra packed her things in a rush (if you consider two weeks to be 'rushed', of course), boarded a muggle jet, landed at Heathrow, and managed to apparate herself to Diagon Alley. After checking to see if she hadn't splinched anything, she headed off toward her destination.
Chandra finally found her way to the Leaky Cauldron, and stepped over the threshold. Turning back, she had discovered her blasted trunk had caught itself on the small step at the door. Helios had leaped off the trunk, and was mewing at it. She struggled plaintively at her heavy trunk, long raven black hair draping over her face. She growled at her hair, silently wishing she had brought a hair tie.
"Need some help, miss?" A gruff voice behind her asked.
"Ah, yes please. Thank..." She looked up, but trailed off when she realized she was basically talking to the man's stomach. She blinked a few times. "Thank you, mister..."
"Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid." The man bellowed.
"A pleasure. I'm Chandra Anne." Chandra stuck her hand out for a handshake. Hagrid took her hand and shook it, even though his hand was considerably larger than hers.
"Pleasure to meet you, Chandra." Hagrid said, as he lifted the trunk onto his shoulder. "So, where d'ya want this?" He asked.
"My room. Just follow Helios. He seems to know the way to go." Chandra chuckled.
With Helios leading the way, Hagrid and Chandra ascended the stairs.
"Pardon my nosiness, Chandra, but your accent...you're not from around here, are ya?" Hagrid asked.
"No, actually, I flew in from the U.S."
"Well, what brings you across the pond, then?"
"Ah, new job. At Hogwarts."
They arrived at the door of her room. She unlocked the door, Helios mewed and ran inside. Hagrid went in and placed the trunk on the floor.
"It just so happens that I work there too. What will you be doing? You look a little too young to be teaching..."
"I'm not, thank the stars. I've just come in as, ah, the potion instructor's assistant." Hagrids jaw dropped.
"You mean, you're professor Snape's assistant?"
"Um, yeah, I suppose. Mister Dumbledore didn't tell me his name or anything in the letter."
"Leave it to Albus Dumbledore to make even a job offer mysterious." Hagrid sighed.
"Oh?" Chandra said, arching a thin black eyebrow. "You sound rather surprised."
"Aye, I am. Professor Snape is quite a character. Very severe, might I add."
"Oh, wonderful," Chandra said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Do things right, and there shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just try to not cross him." Hagrid nodded. "Anyway, you must be pretty good to have Dumbledore giving you a job offer, though."
"I...guess." She said. "I've been living with muggles since I graduated, though." Chandra sighed. "I just hope I don't mess anything up."
"You'll do just fine, Chandra." Hagrid gave her a grin, and a gentle pat on the back. "I better go, there's some mead downstairs calling my name." He excused himself, and Chandra Anne was left in her room with Helios.
"So now what, Helios? This Snape guy seems like a real grouch, yanno?"
"Mew." said Helios, rubbing against her leg.
"Oh, you're a ton of help. I'll just read." She opened her trunk and procured a book on potions. "I should really refresh my memory." She propped herself up against the wall as she rested on the bed, studying the book intently. "Antidotes...Calming draught....Polyjuice potion... Draught of Peace..." Chandra shuddered when she said the latter. "Sleeping potion...man, I'm gonna need one of those to make it through the night, I think."
"Ey, Chandra. You don't need that, you just need to try some of the Leaky Cauldron's mead!" A voice at the doorway made Chandra look up from her book. It was Hagrid. "It's pretty good. Come on down and try some. You should meet some of the folks here too. Quite amusing!" Hagrid laughed.
"Mead sounds better than potions right now. I need to relax, this whole new job thing has me nervous." Chandra shut her book, and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. After checking her hair in the mirror, she left the room, and shut the door on the way out. "Behave, Helios." her muffled voice said through the door. Helios just looked at the door, cocked his head to one side, jumped on the bed, and stretched himself out where she had just been laying.