Minerva understood that Hogwarts needed a new Muggle Studies professor since Professor Quirrell will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this upcoming year, but she didn't understand why Dumbledore was bringing her through an area infested with muggles.
"Albus, why in Merlin are we here?" Minerva hissed in a quiet tone to the tall elderly man she strode next to. Dumbledore looked down at Minerva with a small smile, blue eyes twinkling mischievously.
"We are here to get a Professor of course."
"A muggle-born?" Dumbledore only made a non commital noise in response. The furrow in Minerva's brow creased even more.
"These disguises that you have us in are ridiculous, Albus!" Albus only chuckled in response but kept his steady pace fully aware of their elderly-esque clothes.
"Albus, where are we to meet with this professor? Why couldn't they have just gotten transport to Hogwarts?"
"This is an old friend of mine that we are retrieving Minerva." came Dumbledore's calm yet cheery reply. He was obviously excited for the reunion to come, Minerva thought to herself curiously.
They began to walk into a public park. The greenery was beautiful and obviously well cared for. Not many muggles were in the park causing Minerva's tense form to relax just a bit. There were trees lining the vast park with couples on blankets scattered around on the grass. A rather quaint pond was in the middle of the park. A few metal benches surrounded the pond giving it a rather romantic visage. Seated at one of the benches was a lone person, with their back to her and Dumbledore, with a rather bright look about them. 'Bright' merely being a description of the mystery person's attire. They were dressed from what Minerva can see from head to toe in white. As she and Dumbledore came closer, she was able to see the mystery person's clothes more clearly.
They wore a clean cut white suit that contrasted immensely with the mocha shade of their skin which brought out the white soft curls upon their head even more. Minerva was so fascinated by this white clad person that she didn't notice that her pace had quickened to a point where she had passed Albus and was a few steps ahead of him to get to the stranger sitting on that lonely metal bench. As her footsteps came closer, the stranger's head turned to the side as if to call something over their shoulder; Minerva caught sight of the shades that the stranger wore. Dark reflective radiators sat on the nose of this mysterious figure. Minerva's feet stopped right behind where the stranger sat. She took in their soft white curls that lazed about and swayed in the cool park breeze. Minerva recognized the muggle-like haircut to be what is called the 'Hipster Cred'. "Quite American", she couldn't help but think to herself. Almost reaching out to touch, she was interrupted by the stranger's voice.
"Albus? Is that you?" At this point Albus finally caught up to Professor McGonagall, not that she really noticed. Minerva was too caught up in the sound of the stranger's voice which was clearly female. Her voice carried weight and authority behind it causing Minerva to brace herself against a confusing shiver that almost shook her.
"Ah, yes, old friend." Albus replied moving to the side of the bench. The stranger stood from her spot and turned to the side and moved forward slightly tapping a black and white vertical, striped walking stick left and right, constantly hitting it against the bench to clear it. She is blind, Minerva mused to herself. Seeing what the woman looked like however threatened her to stop breathing. Her breath caught as she drank in Albus' old friend's features. She had a rather angular yet slightly round face with sunken cheeks but were no where near gaunt. Her eyebrows were a bright white just like the wild curls on her head giving the impression that the color was natural, perhaps it was. The sides of her head were kept quite short so only a thin silky layer covered the sides of her head and the top was decorated with long wild curls staying in place rather stylishly, like a crown, only shying from position when a breeze pushed by.
Her nose had a rather long, slender look about it but stopped at a very attractive length. Her lips were a thin line held in a wry smile that almost gave the impression that she was too uncomfortable to smile fully for some reason. Minerva's eyes dragged down the woman's body all the while scolding herself for such tactlessness, happy that the woman before her could not see the awe filled eyes that raked her form. She was a slender woman, taller than Minerva, but not as tall as Albus. The way she held herself was reserved and calm yet rather intimidating. She was no longer tapping her stick about but stood with her white gloved hands clasped behind her back holding her walking stick between them and off the ground in a horizontal manner. Her form was straight and prideful with her chin held admirably high. The white suit and slacks she wore were rather dapper, paired with what seemed to be a light gray vest and white under shirt topped with a silky, silver-gray tie. Her shoes were a glossy white and had no apparent stains even from walking through the morning dew touched grass of the park.
"Isn't that correct Minerva?" Minerva jumped slightly at the use of her name. She quickly turned to Dumbledore, the look of complete loss written on her face with shade of pink tinting her as well. Dumbledore merely chuckled in her embarrassment causing her to huff and the stranger let pass the smallest of smiles that not even the ever analyzing Professor McGonagall caught.
"Perhaps we should start over Albus?" Offered the stranger not unkindly. She held a gloved hand out forward. Minerva quickly moved around the bench that was in her way in order to accommodate with this mysterious figure clad in white. She heartily grasped the woman's gloved hand and shook it briefly.
"Minerva McGonagall, Professor at Hogwarts. I teach Transfiguration and I am also the Head of Gryffindor."
"Odette Fontaine, but please, Oddie if you would."
"Ah, well it is a pleasure to meet you Oddie. If there is anything I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to ask. Teaching at Hogwarts can be a rather handful, but I'm sure you can manage it."
Their hands remained clasped in a warm and firm hold.
"Thank you Minerva, teaching at Hogwarts will prove to be quite the honor." Almost reluctantly, Oddie began to pull away from Minerva's grasp while for half a second her hold on Oddie tightened just a little. The pressure was practically unnoticeable but it didn't escape the much aware new professor. Oddie did her best to conceal the grin that was threatening to show itself. Now separated Albus chose to speak up.
"Do you need any help transferring your luggage to Hogwarts, Oddie?"
"No, it's already taken care of. My falcon took it all over." Oddie replied.
"Good, then let's apparate over to Hogwarts then."
Dumbledore moved over to Oddie's side and put a hand on her shoulder and holding an arm out to the Minerva but put it back down when he noticed that Minerva already moved to the other side of Oddie placing her hand on her shoulder. With a sly smile tossed towards Minerva's already red face they disappeared from sight without notice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minerva was given the task to guide Oddie to her room which coincidentally wasn't that far from her own. She led Oddie to a room that was furnished to the tooth with odd trinkets and baubles. Roots and potion ingredients were scattered on a table with a cauldron to the side. A bookcase along the wall was packed full with books spanning from Shakespeare to Charms for the Charming which earned a rather questioning look from Minerva. She and Oddie were now in the middle of the room appraising it. Minerva couldn't help but stare at Oddie who was looking about before she faced Minerva with a smile so charming that it could make a woman swoon.
"You're confused." It was more of a statement than a question directed at Minerva. "I'm not blind; I just see differently." This caused Minerva to falter, hoping that her blatant staring at the park was not about to be scrutinized.
"What do you mean? What do you see?"
"Magic."
"Any wizard or witch can see magic." Minerva stated matter-of-factly regaining some sense of calm and control.
"Not the way I do. Can you come closer?" Minerva took a few tentative steps towards her while Oddie removed her shades revealing pale baby blue orbs. Oddie reached out and placed a gentle, white gloved hand on Minerva's cheek. Her thumb began to gently stroke her cheek in a relaxing manner and Minerva couldn't help but lean into it.
"I can't see you Minerva, but I can see the magic that courses through you. It almost outlines you, but not perfectly, not clearly. It's like these beautiful, pale-orange lights moving and dancing all together. Everyone has a different color and it gives me a sense of what someone is like."
Minerva was shocked to hear such a thing. She has never heard of it in all her years of teaching.
"Why do you wear those shades then?" Minerva watched as Oddie's eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Oh...well that's just, sometimes things can be a bit overwhelming especially in places like Hogwarts. It's like pushing through a crowd of lights of so many colors; the shades merely keep them bearable."
"What do you see in the muggle world? Do you see the muggles clearly then?"
"Do you wanna know a secret Minerva?" She nodded slightly against the hand that still lazily stroked her cheek. "Everyone has magic in them, some just can't channel or use it. Their lights can be so dim and some are so abysmal that all I can see is a shadow. I can't see them clearly either."
"What about what's around you in the muggle world? Like the pond from the park?" Minerva was fascinated and thought that her days of learning had come to an end, but today proved the opposite and in no way was she disappointed.
"Everything filled with life holds magic. The grass, the trees, all of it. No matter whether we are in the muggle world or our own. I see their lights all the same."
"And the structures? Inanimate objects that the muggles made?"
Oddie chuckled in response as she reluctantly lowered her hand. Minerva tried to ignore the disappointment she felt when Oddie lowered her hand and the warmth that she felt left with it.
"Well, those are just shadows to me. It's when I see only shadows, that's when I truly feel blind. That is why I try to stay in the muggle world. It is a fear of sorts that I try to overcome. The walking stick helps me navigate such shadows."
Minerva felt a sense of respect for the woman after learning this. To imagine becoming blinded from magic and seeing only darkness would terrify her.
"That would terrify me as well; I cannot imagine a world like that." She didn't know why she felt the need to voice such a fear and felt embarrassed that she spoke so freely. A small smile spread on Oddie's lips as she nodded.
Minerva glanced at the clock seeing that it was only midday.
"Lunch will be served soon. Are you hungry? We can head over to the Great Hall together and there you can meet more of the staff."
"That sounds excellent Minerva." Oddie replied smoothly. They headed out the door rather slowly as if they didn't actually want to leave. There was some sort of deeply hidden tension between them that both women tried to identify but couldn't quite understand. Oddie replaced her shades as they made it into the hall. Minerva's hand instantly clung onto Oddie's arm and she cursed at herself silently at the spontaneous familiarity she felt with the woman. She was merely glad that Oddie didn't pull away as they headed towards the Great Hall. Oddie on the other hand fought with all her might against the grin that was wrestling against her and threatening to show.