"Headmaster, I must strongly object to both these appointments."

"I know you do, Severus."

"Headmaster, I'm not sure you -"

"Well, hello Professors!"

"Ah, Hagrid, excellent. Severus, would you mind accompanying Hagrid down to the gate? Professor Sharick should be here momentarily."


Severus Snape gritted his teeth all the way down to the gate. Two new appointments. How –

"Anythin' wrong Professor Snape?"

Snape threw a withering sidelong glance at the oaf of a man walking beside him, but said nothing. Correction, he thought, three new appointments. As if Rubeus Hagrid as the Care of Magical Creatures "professor" wasn't bad enough, Professor Dumbledore had hired Remus Lupin – Remus Lupin! – as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. And now this Professor Sharick was coming to teach Ethics. Ethics, ha! Whoever heard of such a thing at Hogwarts? Hundreds, possibly thousands, of students had gotten along perfectly well without it. Who did this woman think she was anyway?

"Eh, professor? I think that's her carriage comin' up now."

Snape looked up from his brooding. There was a carriage, its lantern lights just illuminating the drizzle-rain in the dark. Snape pictured an almost dowdy older woman, perhaps around Minerva McGonagall's age, though not commanding nearly the respect that she had. And she'd be short. Short and stout.

The carriage pulled to a stop and Snape watched with sudden interest as Professor Sharick stepped out and accepted help from the driver with her luggage; there wasn't much. She gave the carriage's leathery stead a pat and waved to the driver as he pulled away.

"You must be Professor Sharick! I'm Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper and Care o' Magical Creatures teacher. You can jus' call me Hagrid, everyone does. It's nice to meet ya!"

She laughed. "Certainly, Hagrid, the pleasure's all mine."

He lifted her trunk and the larger of the two bags. "I'll jus' take these down to yer office for ya."

"Thank you, I appreciate that."

Snape had gotten over his initial shock at his only correct prediction being that she was short. Now it was merely his ears that were shocked. She couldn't possibly be.... They wouldn't hire – would they?

He stepped in front of her as she picked up the smaller bag and made to follow Hagrid. "Professor Severus Snape," he said. "Potions Master."

"Sara Sharick," she said, offering her hand. "How do you do?"

He didn't take her hand. "I objected to your appointment, you know."

She nodded slowly. "I see. Yes, I'd heard someone on the staff had. I would hope, then, Professor, that your having been overruled will not damage our professional relationship. Let's get out of the rain, shall we?"

What kind of reaction was that? Snape caught up with her in a few quick steps. This woman, this American woman, had just verbally sidestepped him. He didn't know anything about her. And she was young! She can't be more than 25, he thought. Thirty if she hides it well. Entirely too young and inexperienced to be teaching something so lofty as Ethics. Maybe she's at least from somewhere respectable. Like Salem. "You're an American."

"Yes."

"From...?" he prompted.

"Upstate New York. If you like cows and snow, it's the place to be," she said.

Upstate New York? Was that near Salem? Professor Snape suddenly wished he had a better knowledge of American geography. A respectable school then? "I see. Then you went to...which wizarding school did you say?"

"Um, I didn't." She twirled her short hair in her fingers.

Entirely too literal minded. "I realize you didn't s – wait...you didn't?" He stopped and faced her. "Are you telling me that you've received no formal instruction in magic?"

"Well, you see, I came into being a witch rather...late."

"Late."

"Yes, late. So I've been through Muggle primary school, high school, and college."

This was ridiculous. "You do realize this is a school of witchcraft and wizardry. With no formal instruction you're hardly qualified to teach here."

"But to teach Ethics, Professor Snape? Ethics is boundless. Whether wizard, Muggle, or Martian, the basic principle of Ethics, how and where they're acquired, and then applied, don't change." She glanced behind her. "Ah, I do believe this is my office. Professor Snape, I want to thank you for walking me down here. As much as I would like to stay and continue our discussion, I'm afraid it will have to wait. The trip across the Atlantic is lengthy and it's getting late. So if you will excuse me." She inclined her head slightly to him and shut the door behind her.

Snape walked back to Professor Dumbledore's office. This is outrageous, he thought. No formal instruction. I'll have her appointment terminated immediately.


Professor Snape gritted his teeth. Two days. For two days he had unsuccessfully argued with the Headmaster over Professor Sharick's appointment. Dumbledore had finally closed the argument, pointing out that no formal instruction didn't necessarily mean no instruction at all and that she was perfectly qualified to teach Ethics, which, he agreed, had very little to do performing magic. Now at the opening feast Snape was forced to sit next to her with Lupin on her other side.

Lupin. He'd laugh, but it was hardly funny. A werewolf was entirely too dangerous to be teaching. For once he was glad he was the Potions professor. He wouldn't have trusted the Wolfsbane potion to anyone else.

And equally important, in his opinion, was the example he'd set for the students. Professor Snape doubted that Lupin had changed at all since school. If there was any continuation of the sort of asinine and dangerous pranks that had defined Lupin and company in school then the whole place was going to hell. And besides, he was probably going to give Potter all kinds of "special consideration," especially with Black out and about and Dementors roaming the grounds.

Dementors. Maybe that was why he was in a fouler mood than normal. Not that anyone else would notice. Lupin said that the one on the train had caused Potter to pass out. He wasn't quite sure what to think about that.

The new first years started to file in. Professor Snape had caught up with Marcus Flint and Draco Malfoy as they had come in for their observations from the train. Some definite Slytherins, they said; some obvious Gryffindors. It was hard to tell with Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, if you weren't one.

The staff table fell silent. Lupin and Sharick paused their discussion of her Muggle background. The students quieted down, eagerly awaiting their new arrivals. Professor McGonagall laid the Sorting Hat on its stool and unrolled her parchment.

"Blane, Trent."


"Good evening, Severus."

Professor Snape didn't stop walking. "Did you want something Lupin?"

"Well, no, not exactly..."

"Then if you will excuse me, I have an early class of sixth - "

"Professor Lupin! Professor Snape!"

There was that damned American accent again. Professor Snape didn't think he'd ever get used to it.

"Good evening, Professor Sharick," Lupin said. "Did you enjoy the feast?"

"Oh yes, very much so," she said. "I'm still not sure I entirely understand the Sorting that went on, but that's neither here nor there at this point," she added, waving it off.

Big surprise, Professor Snape thought.

"I'm glad I caught up with you though, because I was wondering if I might ask a favor of each of you."

"Of course," Lupin said. "Ask away."

"Lupin, you may have infinite time on your hands; I, however, have an early class, so - "

"Oh, this'll take no time at all Professor Snape," Professor Sharick assured him. "I was just wondering if you'll allow me to, um, observe one of your classes."

Professor Snape looked down at her. "What do you mean, 'observe'?"

"Well, just watch. Check things out. See what the kids are used to. I'll be discreet, I promise. You won't even know I'm there. The students won't even know I'm there."

"When?"

"Tomorrow or Thursday, I hope. I suppose it all depends on your schedule of classes and mine."

"And you'll be discreet?"

"The epitome of discreet."

"Fine." Anything to get her away from him at the moment. "Inform me before you attend. Good night." Professor Snape turned and continued down to the dungeons.

"Thank you Professor, I appreciate it. Good night!"

Professor Snape quickened his pace, hoping she wouldn't talk to him again. Hers and Lupin's voices became smaller.

"Professor Lupin, do you mind?"

"Not at all, stop in whenever you like..."