Disclaimer: I own Perita Lexisti, her room in the dungeons, and the plot of this story. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 1
Professor Dumbledore stood before the assembled Hogwarts students and staff. "Before the feast, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Miss Perita Lexisti. She comes to us from the exotic land of Canada, though her parents were Hogwarts graduates."
A slender woman with her blonde hair tied in a severe knot stood up and examined the students over the top of tiny glasses. Saying nothing, she sat down sharply.
"Let the feast begin!"
"She looks a bit young, doesn't she?" Hermione remarked, serving herself turkey, ham, and mushy peas.
"Don' mush fancy the 'airdo," came a garbled reply.
"Oh, Ron, for Merlin's sake! Don't speak with your mouth full."
"You're no' my mum."
"No, but that doesn't make the sight of your half-chewed food any less disgusting."
"Will you two just quit it? We've only been back for a few hours and you're already starting in!" Harry rolled his eyes.
"'C'mon, Harry, you know we're only playing!" Ron turned to Hermione, who was seated next to him. "Aren't we, muffin?" He kissed her cheek, making a loud smacking sound.
"Ok, I do not need to see this!" Harry started laughing, and so did Ron. Hermione blushed brightly, but joined in the laughter of her friend and boyfriend a few moments later. Another year at Hogwarts had begun.
* * * * *
"Severus, will you please show Perita to her new quarters? It is on your way."
Snape almost growled. "Of course, Headmaster." Dumbledore floated off down the corridor. Amazing how a man his age could walk like that, so smoothly with no hint of arthritis or anything of that nature. Maybe he didn't even have arthritis, though that seemed impossible in a man so old. Perita levitated her luggage and followed the Potions Master down to the dungeons.
They stopped at a door somewhat before and on the opposite side of the corridor from Snape's rooms. "I have always had these dungeons to myself," he said, irritably. "If you don't mind my asking, why did you request quarters here?"
"Dungeons are generally the most heavily fortified part of any castle. I trust the security here of course, but the dungeons are even more secure than the rest of the building." Here she paused. Snape thought she was finished and opened his mouth, but Lexisti beat him to it. "I understand your desire for privacy, Professor Snape. I shall try to disturb you as little as possible. If, for some reason, my presence becomes intolerable to you, please tell me and I may seek refuge elsewhere. But I do not anticipate problems with this arrangement. I am very quiet." The trunks and bags settled quietly on the floor. She looked around the windowless room, her sharp gray eyes settling on the doors leading to the adjoining chambers.
"Thank you for accompanying me, Professor Snape. I hope you have a pleasant evening."
"Good evening, Professor Lexisti." Bowing a little so that his long hair fell in his face, Snape exited and retreated to his own apartments.
* * * * *
"What classes do we have this morning?" Ron asked sleepily.
"Potions with Slytherin and then double DADA with Ravenclaw," said Hermione, as she munched her toast."
"That should be interesting. We get her double on the first day." Defense Against the Dark Arts was Harry's favorite class, not surprisingly.
"I agree. We haven't had many young teachers. Well, none actually. I think Snape and Lupin are the youngest we've ever had, and they're our parents' age. I wonder if her teaching style is different. And she must have an accent."
"Well, she looked pretty severe to me, and Potions first thing in the morning is just evil."
"Those two statements have nothing to do with each other. Why do you group them together?"
"Give it up, 'Mione. You'll never improve Ron's English. He just naturally mistreats it." Harry got up from the table and picked up his books. Hermione had been looking at Ron, whether in love or frustration not even she knew. "Oh, if we don't leave now we'll be late! I wish it weren't so far to the dungeons!"
The Potions Master was particularly snarky. He assigned Ron to work with Crabbe, Harry with Goyle, and Neville and Draco were inflicted upon each other. Ron's potion turned bright pink for no apparent reason. Goyle failed to chop the toad's foot small enough, so his and Harry's potion remained a muddy brown and emitted foul-smelling steam. Professor Snape, always on top of things, charmed away the smoke before anyone got really nauseous. Draco so intimidated Neville that he spent the entire class measuring and re-measuring the chicken feathers, until Draco snatched the container and poured them all in. It was too much, and the cauldron melted. "Fifteen points from Slytherin!" Snape hissed at Malfoy, shocking everyone. The students began whispering as soon as the left the room, wondering what made Snape so upset that he would actually take points from his own house.
The Gryffindors wandered up to the DADA classroom. Professor Lexisti was writing on the board already. She wore steely grey robes which matched her glittering eyes and silver glasses. Her hair ought to have been grey as well it seemed, because her tight-bound gold strands stood in strange contrast. As soon as everyone filed in and sat down, the door closed of its own accord and Perita Lexisti turned to face her first class.
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Today's class will be a review of dark creatures. Since I understand you have all met a werewolf, we will begin there. Besides the fact that they are not born werewolves, and change at the full moon, what can you tell me about them?"
Chapter 1
Professor Dumbledore stood before the assembled Hogwarts students and staff. "Before the feast, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Miss Perita Lexisti. She comes to us from the exotic land of Canada, though her parents were Hogwarts graduates."
A slender woman with her blonde hair tied in a severe knot stood up and examined the students over the top of tiny glasses. Saying nothing, she sat down sharply.
"Let the feast begin!"
"She looks a bit young, doesn't she?" Hermione remarked, serving herself turkey, ham, and mushy peas.
"Don' mush fancy the 'airdo," came a garbled reply.
"Oh, Ron, for Merlin's sake! Don't speak with your mouth full."
"You're no' my mum."
"No, but that doesn't make the sight of your half-chewed food any less disgusting."
"Will you two just quit it? We've only been back for a few hours and you're already starting in!" Harry rolled his eyes.
"'C'mon, Harry, you know we're only playing!" Ron turned to Hermione, who was seated next to him. "Aren't we, muffin?" He kissed her cheek, making a loud smacking sound.
"Ok, I do not need to see this!" Harry started laughing, and so did Ron. Hermione blushed brightly, but joined in the laughter of her friend and boyfriend a few moments later. Another year at Hogwarts had begun.
* * * * *
"Severus, will you please show Perita to her new quarters? It is on your way."
Snape almost growled. "Of course, Headmaster." Dumbledore floated off down the corridor. Amazing how a man his age could walk like that, so smoothly with no hint of arthritis or anything of that nature. Maybe he didn't even have arthritis, though that seemed impossible in a man so old. Perita levitated her luggage and followed the Potions Master down to the dungeons.
They stopped at a door somewhat before and on the opposite side of the corridor from Snape's rooms. "I have always had these dungeons to myself," he said, irritably. "If you don't mind my asking, why did you request quarters here?"
"Dungeons are generally the most heavily fortified part of any castle. I trust the security here of course, but the dungeons are even more secure than the rest of the building." Here she paused. Snape thought she was finished and opened his mouth, but Lexisti beat him to it. "I understand your desire for privacy, Professor Snape. I shall try to disturb you as little as possible. If, for some reason, my presence becomes intolerable to you, please tell me and I may seek refuge elsewhere. But I do not anticipate problems with this arrangement. I am very quiet." The trunks and bags settled quietly on the floor. She looked around the windowless room, her sharp gray eyes settling on the doors leading to the adjoining chambers.
"Thank you for accompanying me, Professor Snape. I hope you have a pleasant evening."
"Good evening, Professor Lexisti." Bowing a little so that his long hair fell in his face, Snape exited and retreated to his own apartments.
* * * * *
"What classes do we have this morning?" Ron asked sleepily.
"Potions with Slytherin and then double DADA with Ravenclaw," said Hermione, as she munched her toast."
"That should be interesting. We get her double on the first day." Defense Against the Dark Arts was Harry's favorite class, not surprisingly.
"I agree. We haven't had many young teachers. Well, none actually. I think Snape and Lupin are the youngest we've ever had, and they're our parents' age. I wonder if her teaching style is different. And she must have an accent."
"Well, she looked pretty severe to me, and Potions first thing in the morning is just evil."
"Those two statements have nothing to do with each other. Why do you group them together?"
"Give it up, 'Mione. You'll never improve Ron's English. He just naturally mistreats it." Harry got up from the table and picked up his books. Hermione had been looking at Ron, whether in love or frustration not even she knew. "Oh, if we don't leave now we'll be late! I wish it weren't so far to the dungeons!"
The Potions Master was particularly snarky. He assigned Ron to work with Crabbe, Harry with Goyle, and Neville and Draco were inflicted upon each other. Ron's potion turned bright pink for no apparent reason. Goyle failed to chop the toad's foot small enough, so his and Harry's potion remained a muddy brown and emitted foul-smelling steam. Professor Snape, always on top of things, charmed away the smoke before anyone got really nauseous. Draco so intimidated Neville that he spent the entire class measuring and re-measuring the chicken feathers, until Draco snatched the container and poured them all in. It was too much, and the cauldron melted. "Fifteen points from Slytherin!" Snape hissed at Malfoy, shocking everyone. The students began whispering as soon as the left the room, wondering what made Snape so upset that he would actually take points from his own house.
The Gryffindors wandered up to the DADA classroom. Professor Lexisti was writing on the board already. She wore steely grey robes which matched her glittering eyes and silver glasses. Her hair ought to have been grey as well it seemed, because her tight-bound gold strands stood in strange contrast. As soon as everyone filed in and sat down, the door closed of its own accord and Perita Lexisti turned to face her first class.
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Today's class will be a review of dark creatures. Since I understand you have all met a werewolf, we will begin there. Besides the fact that they are not born werewolves, and change at the full moon, what can you tell me about them?"