Disclaimer: Number one, I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with Harry Potter. Number two, Carla Hanratty and Desmond Gordon are completely made up. They are products of my imagination.
Author's Note: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic.
The Marauders' Match
Chapter One: Meet the New Staff
Following the disappearance of Severus Snape, Remus Lupin had been reinstated as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. However, to lesson the burden of teaching on someone who had to transform once a month, a second DADA teacher had been hired to teach at Hogwarts.
Professor Hanratty wouldn't tell anyone what her previous job had been, only that her nickname had been "Old Hickory"—because, just like the former American president Andrew Jackson, she was as tough as a stick of hickory. She may have been only five-foot-four, but when she walked into a room, everyone sat up straight and looked her in the eye. She would tolerate no nonsense.
"Okay, so she's a young Professor McGonagall," Harry Potter said calmly, watching Professor Hanratty chat with the new Headmistress at the staff table. "We can handle that, right, Ron?"
"Harry, she's worse than Professor McGonagall," Ron Weasley gulped. "My dad knows her from the Ministry. Dad says that when she's angry, keep her wand away from her. She'll kill someone."
"Oh, so your dad knows her from the Ministry?" Harry asked him. "What did she do there? Whose side is she on?"
"I don't know what she did there, Dad wouldn't tell me." Ron lowered his voice. "But if McGonagall hired her, she'd have to be on the Order's side, right?"
"That's a point," Harry admitted.
Ron had no idea how relieved Harry was to find out Professor Hanratty was most likely on the Order's side. Harry wasn't about to admit it, but he also found Professor Hanratty extremely attractive. The woman was in her early thirties, with short, thick, dark hair and round, full lips. She had the most beautiful pale skin, and a face like Marisa Tomei.
"No matter how strict she is or who's side she's on, you've got to admit she's a lot better to look at than Umbridge," Harry mumbled to his best friend.
"You've got that right, mate."
"What do you think of her, Hermione?" asked Harry, turning to face Hermione Granger.
But Hermione wasn't paying a bit of attention to Harry. She was too busy gazing lovingly at the new Transfiguration teacher.
McGonagall still wanted to teach Transfiguration, but because she had so many new responsibilities as Headmistress, she had also hired another Transfiguration teacher as well. Professor Gordon was probably the cutest teacher that had ever taught at Hogwarts; he looked to be in his late thirties/early forties, stood five-foot-ten, had tanned skin and dark hair that curled at the sides. He had a lively, animated face that lit up when he talked, and a smile that made any girl within a hundred-mile radius fall weak at the knees.
Harry looked around. Every girl at the Gryffindor table from the fourth years on up were staring at their new crush.
Professor McGonagall stood up from her chair. "Attention, please!" she called. The Great Hall went silent.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," McGonagall began. "Now, before we eat, I thought I might introduce our three new teachers this year. First, please joining me in welcoming back Professor Remus Lupin, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts for the first through fourth years." There was wild, enthusiastic applause, mostly from the older students who remembered Professor Lupin. The Slytherins, however, weren't applauding at all; they were just staring in disbelief.
"Oh, no! If he only teaches the younger students, we won't have him!" Ron cried. "We'll have the Hanratty woman!"
As the applause died away, McGonagall continued. "Next is Professor Carla Hanratty, who will be teaching the fifth through seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts students. Professor Hanratty comes to us from her previous job at the Ministry of Magic, and I can assure you, she is extremely excited to be here at Hogwarts."
Professor Hanratty stood up from her chair. At first, the applause for her was just lukewarm, but it grew profoundly as she flashed a brilliant, friendly smile that seemed to melt all her toughness away and enhance her attractive looks.
"Maybe she isn't so bad," Harry heard Dean Thomas remark. "She looks friendly enough when she smiles."
"Her smile reminds me of Professor Lockhart's," Ron muttered in disgust.
Professor Hanratty sat down, and her applause died away. "Finally, I would like to introduce Professor Desmond Gordon," McGonagall said. "Professor Gordon will be taking the fifth through seventh year Transfiguration students, seeing as how my new duties as Headmistress prevent me from teaching all of you."
Professor Gordon stood up, flashed his million-dollar smile, and gave a wave. The girls promptly cheered.
"I love how he shows the top row of his teeth when he smiles," Parvati Patil whispered. "His teeth are so perfect!"
"I love his haircut. Itframes his face perfectly," Lavender Brown breathed.
"I wonder if he's an Animagus like McGonagall," Ginny Weasley wondered aloud.
The Slytherin girls, however, just smirked. "He's so skinny!" Pansy Parkinson snorted.
"Professor Gordon has been recognized by the Minister of Magic as a magical genius," McGonagall continued proudly. "And Gryffindors, sadly my duties as Headmistress permit me from continuing as your Head of House, so Professor Gordon is going to be your new Head of House."
"Not bad," nodded Ginny in satisfaction.
"Oh, boy," Ron mumbled. "Can't McGonagall see? He's just like Lockhart!"
"He is not," Lavender sneered at him. "Lockhart was handsome. Professor Gordon is cute."
"Besides, I've read all about him. He's not a fraud. And you're going to get along with him real well, Harry," Hermione said enthusiastically.
"How do you know?" Harry asked, confused.
Hermione smiled. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough."
Coming Up Next: Who is Head Boy and Head Girl?
Author's Note: Reviews and constructive criticism (no flames, please!) will be accepted graciously!