Disclaimer: Let us see I am still a student in college and making hand made Christmas gifts. I am still writing fanfiction. Yep. I am not J.K. Rowling and there for do not own Harry Potter. I just use her characters, setting, and places, for momentary pleasure and escape form the mounds of college work.

Author's Notes: This is my "Deathly Hallows," only I do not call it that. As you know this is called Harry Potter and the Forest of Memories. I had the plans for this before DH, but never got to it. I am going to be using some other languages, however as I do not speak anything beyond some Spanish, so I will put my resources at the bottom. I will put translations in (). Thoughts will be italics. That is all from the fundamental notes.

Summary: Harry Potter returns to school. The pressure is high for Harry Potter to vanquish the Dark Lord. Three positions must be filled; Hogwarts needs a Potions Master, a Transfigurations Master, and a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Also the most amazing thing of all, the Harry Potter Universe has realized Hermione Granger is a girl!

Chapter One: A Night in Bath

"We need you." A figure spoke in earnest.

"Why should I care? For year I have lived in Bath unbothered." Another figure spoke as it knelt on the ground to gather herbs.

"Albus Dumbledore is dead. The Order, Hogwarts, the wo…"

"The world? I cannot change the world. I am one person."

The second figured stood and turned to face the other. "Miss McGonagall. I have told you this a great many times. There will always be a dark wizard."

Minerva McGonagall sighed and followed her old professor up to the door of a small house. They had been in the garden. The evening had set in, and enveloped the small city of Bath in darkness. Upon entering the house Minerva McGonagall found her old professor pouring tea at a modest yet well love wooden table.

"Tea?"

"Um, Yes. Thank you, Professor Eleniel." Minerva responded.

"Professor? Goodness. How old are you? Nearly eighty right? I have not been 'Professor' for almost 60 years. You can call me Melda." Melda Eleniel responded as she sat before her tea.

"Will you help us?" Minerva asked.

"Headmistress…I must admit, as a student you were such a pedant, that a professor and now Headmistress come as little surprise." Melda admitted.

Minerva smiled she recalled her old professor with great fondness. As a professor Melda Eleniel had always given fervid speeches about DADA. All of Minerva's fellow students venerated Professor Eleniel. She spoke with the students, not at them. She was passionate about teaching. Of course that changed when Tom Riddle appeared at Hogwarts and called the beloved professor a half-breed. Where the students of Hogwarts learned Professor Eleniel's greatest secret, she was part elf, one of the last to carry the blood of the woodland elves. Her profession a long brown hair that flowed in calm wave, fierce green eyes, and a feather dusting of freckles covered her nose. Her form was tall and slender. Her face had barely aged since Minerva had last seen her.

Minerva regarded the household of her professor with great interest. Books filled every corner; herbs were left hanging all over the house, filling it with a pleasant aroma. Metal tins with a logo were stacked in one corner. Her great DADA professor was making teas.

"You new profession is a surprise." Minerva commented. "Tea making?"

"We live in England love. People love tea." Melda stated.

"Still. It does seem like…"

"My cup of tea?" Melda offered. To which her former student frowned.

"Melda. Will you teach?" Minerva asked once more.

"Very well. I however have a few requirements. I must have an eastern facing window, where I can clearly see the horizon. I must be allowed to keep my horse on grounds, and familiars with me in the castle."

"Of course." Minerva breathed a sigh of relief, she haps a DADA professor. Moody had agreed to talk over Potions, and she had convinced Tonks to teach Transfiguration.

"I'll are on August 30th. " With that Melda rose and walk to her shelf and gathered some bank parchment, quill and ink. "In the mean time you owe me an essay on Boggarts. Three feet, be sure to mention their uses in wizardry literature." Set the materials in front of her old student.

"I beg your pardon?" Minerva asked, not quite sure if her old professor was joking.

"You never turned in the essay I assigned the last week of your final year. I had excused you to do the fact you were ill with the understanding that you would turn it in to me with in a week."

"Or not serious are you?" Minerva asked dumbfounded.

"Write the essay, I'll teach. Don't write the essay, you'll be in the market for a defense against the dark arts professor."

So there sat Minerva McGonagall, the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, scribbling an essay on boggarts. While her professor gazed off into the dark clouds the hovered in the distance.

Author Notes:

Melda Eleniel is an elvish name meaning Beloved Star.

hope to have another chapter done by Dec. 14th, I have yet to write it, but it is planed out. I am sorry for any grammar mistakes. Enjoy!