Hello, third chapter up! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except the vampire and anything that has to do with her past. All other Harry Potter related names etc etc are of JK Rowling's creation... so I don't own them...cries

The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher:

The first of September came quickly, with rain just as the day before. Fat drops of rain pounded against the window, heavy, but the train kept on its way to the school. Harry stared out the window longingly, just a few more hours before the train arrives at Hogsmead Station.

"What's up mate?" Said Ron, sitting opposite him. "You look like you just woke up or something."

"I'm okay, just impatient."

"Anyway, Harry, you must stay awake this year," said Hermione. "We've got a difficult year coming up. I'm going to start studying as soon as we get there."

"Give it a rest, Hermione!" Said Ron, exasperated. "Come on, Harry. Let's leave her to her studying. We've got Quidditch to play."

"Ron, there's more in life than Quidditch, you know. If you don't pass this year, you'll never become an Auror."

Ron looked at her indignantly. Hermione answered back his look.

"Does anyone want something to eat?" Asked Harry, trying to change the subject.

"Sure, I'll take a Chocolate Frog."

"Hermione?"

"Oh, nothing, thank you."

"Be right back!"

Harry got out of the compartment and walked in the corridor leading to the lady with the trolley. Then he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Dumbledore's dead."

It was Neville's voice from the compartment on Harry's left. He knocked twice and entered.

"Neville, did you just say that Dumbledore's dead?"

Seeing the frightened look on Harry's face, he laughed and looked at Harry amusingly. Harry, not seeing what was so amusing, walked up to Neville quickly and repeated, "did you just say he was dead?"

"He isn't dead, Harry," said Neville. "We were just talking about our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Since Dumbledore has already got us a werewolf and a centaur for teachers, we thought he might have gotten us something worse."

Smiling, Harry turned around and left. Dumbledore is too powerful to die from some magical creature, he thought.

When he came back, Ron and Hermione were very quiet. Too quiet.

"What's going on, guys?" Asked Harry.

They looked at him, embarrassed, then Hermione spoke.

"Nothing."

"Yeah mate, nothing," said Ron, turning slightly red.

Harry, thinking that Ron actually got the courage to tell Hermione how much he liked her, said loudly, "erm, you know, I could get you two something else … if you want."

"No, no, Harry, it's ok really," said Hermione anxiously. She spoke a bit too loud and fast for a situation like that. Harry sat next to Ron and told them what Neville thought about the new teacher. Ron was the first to react.

"Do you think it could be a veela? That would be nice."

"Yeah, if you're ready to make a fool of yourself again," said Harry, giggling slightly.

"Harry, don't remind me, just when I forgot all about it," said Ron, his ears red.

"What are you two talking about?" Asked Hermione

"I'll explain later," said Harry.

"No you wont, Harry," said Ron. He turned to Hermione, "nothing at all happened, ok?"

"You two are really incredible…"

The Sorting Ceremony went pretty fast, with a couple of new Ravenclaws, three Slytherins, five Gryffindores, but mostly hufflepufs. The feast came and went, and everyone was full of delicious Hogwarts food. Professor Dumbledore stood up to make his usual start of term speech, and received immediate attention.

"Welcome to you all! We start yet another year of magical education. There are new spells to be learned, more quiddich to be played, and mostly, a new teacher to introduce. She is Lady Agnieska Vankopelhaggend who came all the way from Transylvania to teach you her knowledge of defense against the dark arts. Milady." A beautiful woman stood up. Everyone applauded politely as she looked around at the students. Harry could see that her magnificent gray eyes were looking at his direction. She gave him a small smile and sat down.

"Now, I would like to remind you all that the forbidden forest is strictly off limits to all, and I mean all, students. Our caretaker Argus Filch has complete authority to do the necessary if someone is to break the rules," continued Dumbledore. At this statement, everyone looked around at him, an incredible look on their faces. Filch would surely torture them to death. "Now that everyone is full and cozy, off you go!"

Everyone got to their feet and headed to their common room. Hermione went off to lead the first years while Harry and Ron had another look at their new teacher. "Cute, isn't she?" Said Ron, smiling.

"Well, we'll see how cute she is when we fail our first test," said Harry. That seemed to get Ron back down to earth. They made their way up the Grand staircase and through the portrait hole. They got into the warm four poster bed and said no more. Harry was too occupied thinking about tomorrow. He wanted to know more about that mysterious woman. Ideas went through his head one by one and slowly transformed into dreams. Before he knew it, it was morning.

Hope you liked it! Fourth chapter coming right up!!!