Chapter Two

Wandering Stranger

Dressing in one of her Lowood frocks Aurelia cautiously peeked out of her bedroom door only to find that she wasn't in a school hallway but in another adjoining room that appeared to be a large parlor just as cozy as her bedroom. More Turkish rugs, more silvery sky colored curtains and dark wood paneling. All to her liking. And to even add to her promise of a new life, an entire wall filled with books and empty shelves if she wanted to add to the collection.

A persistent pecking against glass made Aurelia rush to one of the great windows and throw it open, a little fluff ball zoomed in and whizzed eagerly around the parlor. The extremely small owl sat on the back of a cloth covered chair and hooted past the letter it carried.

The weight of the letter was mainly caused by the great seal, a seal which showed off the crest of Hogwarts. Spidery script addressed the letter to Aurelia and the tiny owl pecked at her fingers which it believed to be an affectionate gesture, it hopped along the width of the chair back and seemed to gesture to an ornate silver dish with a decorated top. An owl stared bleary eyed back at Aurelia.

"Treats?" Aurelia questioned.

The owl hooted agreeably to a ginger smelling cookie that Aurelia held out to him with an open palm.

Dear Miss Aurelia Warrington,

Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Headmaster of this institution I hope that you find your rooms to your liking and that you are settling into your new home. The students of Hogwarts have yet to arrive; therefore, you are most welcome to acquaint yourself with the grounds of Hogwarts including the Greenhouses, the library, the grounds, and the Great Lake. I also feel obligated to warn you of the Forbidden Forest and its many dangers and that exploration of its depths are not recommended. Peeves the Poltergeist who is rather fond of pranks, will no doubt attempt to give you trouble yet I am sure however that your skills shall keep you out of his way. I speak for all of the staff of Hogwarts when I say that we are pleased you have accepted a position here at the school, and we look forward to the new school year with you as a part of our staff!

Headmaster Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class

Aurelia's steps were the only sounds she heard for hours as she wandered the halls of the great castle and she felt perfectly at ease despite the spring chill. As she padded along she examined the tapestries in painstaking detail and waved to the moving portraits that greeted her, or in the case of one painting-minstrel's that sang love ballads in praise of her. She felt no rush for time. She still had a week before students arrived and filled the halls with chaos and laughter. There were even suits of armor that saluted her as she walked past and she had a conversation with a portrait of Anne Boleyn that lasted the entire morning.
"Watch the staircases, sweetheart. They move!" the former Queen called as Aurelia took the first steps she saw. Indeed they did move but thankfully not with Aurelia on them.

Aurelia moved down and down and down through a labyrinth of halls till she had chills rushing along her spin. Lights flickered along ink black hallways that it appeared to be night. It must have been the dungeons. Aurelia saw light along the tunnel farther down in the shape of a door and she heard sounds of clinking glass and the closing of cupboards.

"Hello?"

The clinking glass stopped and footsteps echoed along the opposite side of the wooden door. It was thrown open so suddenly that Aurelia jumped at the sight of a pale man with a hooked nose and black greasy hair. He was dressed in black robes and held an air of disdainful superiority.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, I got lost."

The hooked nosed man remained silent and blocked Aurelia's view of the room he stood in front of. He seemed to be hiding something and Aurelia smelled a rather pungent odor on the air.

"I'm Miss Aurelia Warrington."

"I know who you are," sneered the man so coolly that Aurelia had to prevent her face from puckering.

"Then perhaps you can tell me who you are?"

"Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master. Follow the hall and take the middle staircase up to the ground floor."

The door slammed in her face and Aurelia was plunged into darkness.

"Lumos!" Aurelia hissed acidly as she walked down the hall, her fear of the darkness gone in her anger.

Aurelia hastily made her way up the stairs one hand holding her wand the other holding her robes. She may not have been familiar with the grounds but Aurelia instinctively avoided the dungeons from then on. She already had a large distaste for the hooked nosed potions master even after a single encounter.

Aurelia took to wandering the grounds outside, her feet sinking into thick green grass that had been freshly trimmed and was pleased to see Professor Sprout waving her over to the large Greenhouses situated on the side of the castle.

"Hello! How are you?" The squaty woman hugged her tightly again and beckoned her over to a patch of fresh earth. "I was working on some of the mandrakes when I saw you! How do you like Hogwarts?"

"It's so big."

"Oh, don't worry dear; when the students arrive it seems much smaller! They keep you running around. I wouldn't wander too long though. The Ministry has assigned Dementors to the school, for "protection"." Professor Sprout shook her head angrily and dug into the dirt harder with a hand rake than was perhaps necessary.

"Dementors?" asked Aurelia as she examined a batch of wild flowers that looked like tropical birds.

"Oh, didn't Dumbledore tell you? Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban."

"But no one escapes from Azkaban."

Professor Sprout chortled without humor.

"That's why the ministry is all in an uproar. They think that Black perhaps is after-"

"Harry Potter." Aurelia murmured.

"You figured it out faster than the Aurors did."

Professor Sprout suddenly sat on her haunches and stared up at Aurelia curiously.

"How is it I am telling you this? Haven't you read the Daily Prophet?"

"Not since that Skeeter woman attacked werewolves and vampires a few years ago."

"Oh yes. I remember that. Dumbledore wrote a complaint, turned into a 30 page essay. She's rather harsh isn't she?"

"She's a hag," Aurelia stated honestly before she could think of a more diplomatic response.

Professor Sprout laughed jovially.

"Dumbledore said you had spirit. I think you'll handle the student's just fine. They'll test you but if you're firm with them they will respect you for it."

"Thank you. I-I'm only used to having one child to teach."

"You were a governess that's right. It'll be different but I'm sure the teachers will help you. If you need anything just ask." Professor Sprout's eyes gleamed warmly and Aurelia felt that she could easily make friends with Pomona Sprout. She was being received with warmth that she did not anticipate and despite her encounter with the sneering Professor Snape Aurelia felt that she could live a very comfortable life at Hogwarts. Even if it was for only a year.

Thank you, fellow Muggles for reading my story. I plan on posting every day if I can! The next chapter we meet Professor Lupin! YEAHHH! I now finally, but I felt that I had to state Aurelia's character first. She is in fact 19. (I'm 16). Which means that yes she is NOT a student. She's a teachers' aide. In case some professors feel mysteriously ill during the full moon. *coughcough*