Another update today :) Please read and review. They really do help me keep going.
Chapter 4
It had been a week since Jo had settled into the castle. Severus had taken her to Diagon Alley, and she was wowed by all the magical shops. There was one shop that she found particularly invaluable which was never mentioned in the books - Buchanon's Bazaar. Evidently, Angus Buchanon was a Squib and Muggle Rugby star who later semi-retired by opening a store that sold goods to help Squibs in a magical world.
She was particularly pleased with a magical hairbrush that would style her hair in seconds. It was a splurge item, but after struggling with her hair for the past 30 years, she thought the purchase was well worth it. Severus chided her and pushed her in front of more practical items like a charmed bag that would make whatever she carried feel weightless, a skeleton key that was bewitched to unlock doors like the Alohamora spell, a quill that would help with marking, and a shawl that would make her feel comfortable no matter the weather.
They had gone to Knockturn Alley to find the fake wand. Severus ordered her not to speak to anyone and stay near him. It took him a long while to haggle with an old hag to buy a wand that was not hexed to harm its holder. When he was content with its safety, he gave it to Jo. It was light in color and had small vine details along the handle. She was to have the wand on her at all times despite its uselessness.
She collected the ordinary things too that she would need. Cloaks, robes, quills, and parchment. She also bought many books from Flourish and Blotts including Hogwarts a History, The Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles, and My Life as a Squib.
Now she was in her rooms sitting at a desk eyeing a clock very carefully. She wished it would move faster. Jo was excited because she had her first meeting with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape today to discuss the upcoming school year. She had taken exhaustive notes after studying the books. She was very vexed, to be honest. There was little that could be changed - at least in Harry's first year. She did that that they could and should start the search for the Horcruxes now. She rechecked the clock. 15 minutes until she had to be at Dumbledore's office. Jo put on her magical shawl and left her quarters.
When she arrived at Dumbledore's office, she smiled as she spoke the password. "Peppermint Imps." Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, and Severus was in a comfortable looking chair in front of it. She took the other seat.
"Thank you for joining us, dear." Professor Dumbledore said genially. "As you know, we're here to discuss what changes you would like to see this year and what implications they may have."
Jo gulped and retrieved her notes from her bag. "Yes, sir." She looked at the two men and began as they looked intently at her. "I am hesitant to start because there are things I cannot share from other books. You will just have to trust me that altering some of the events that are to come will have disastrous consequences." Dumbledore smiled encouragingly, while Severus was as inscrutable as ever.
"Professor Dumbledore, have you already extended an offer to Professor Quirrell for the Defense Against Dark Arts position?" she asked.
"I have." Responded Dumbledore while Severus glowered.
"Excellent. He is going to try and steal the Philosopher's Stone."
"Why on earth is that excellent?" Snape interjected.
"Because it sets a lot into motion. Some friendships need to be forged this year, and some demons faced." She replied enigmatically.
"I had surmised that the stone was in danger. I have already taken precautions. Hagrid will fetch the stone today, and many of the professors have provided it with protections." Dumbledore said sagely.
"Terrific. Just wanted to make sure things were on track." She paused. "I think that we need to begin hunting down a few artifacts. We won't be able to destroy them yet, but I think it will save time."
"What kind of artifacts?" Queried Severus suspiciously.
"Are you familiar with Horcruxes?" Jo spoke clearly, but a shiver was sent down her spine. Severus looked sharply at her and Dumbledore looked solemn.
"A children's book told from the perspective of the Potter boy included details on Horcruxes?" Severus asked incredulously.
"Yeah. Errr. The books get pretty dark, I suppose." She said lamely. "Anyway, I think there's no better approach than ripping this band-aid off. Voldemort-" Severus hissed, "-created a number of Horcruxes. We won't be able to get to all of them now, but we should try and locate Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, and Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem."
"This is absurd. Those artifacts are lost to time. And what do you mean a number? This isn't the complete list? How many did he create? Headmaster, really?" Severus spat.
"Severus, we asked for help. I do not doubt the veracity of Jo's statement. At this time, however, I do not want to know the number or hear the complete list." Dumbledore's eyes did not twinkle as they met Jo's. Jo wondered if he already guessed about Harry.
"The artifacts can be located. Some of them easily. The diadem is located in the Room of Requirement in this castle on the 7th floor across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. The ring is hidden inside a golden box under the Gaunt shack's rotting floorboards outside Little Hangleton. The locket in with a house elf named Kreature. He belongs to the Black family. At this point in time, I do not know the location of the cup. Only that Hepzibah Smith and she was murdered. There is a house elf named Hokey that might be able to provide more information though." She said looking imploringly to Dumbledore.
Severus sat stunned for a moment. Nothing was said as they took in the information.
"Also, and I cannot stress this enough," Jo said sternly. "All of this is for naught if you put on that ring, Professor Dumbledore. I do not care what you are tempted by."
For the first time, Jo's voice had a steely edge to it.
"I think if we accomplish that this year, we will be very successful. As certain events happen or come up, I might see you individually to try and help where I can. Or if I notice things straying too much from the books. Switching gears a bit, how much leeway do I have with the Muggle Studies curriculum?"
"The goal of the curriculum is to equip students for life after Hogwarts. Secondarily, the school's courses may be reviewed if they do not prepare students adequately for their O. and N.E.W.T.s by the Wizarding Examination Authority." Responded Dumbledore. "That said; however you choose to accomplish these tasks is entirely up to you."
Jo smiled. "Excellent. Thank you, Professor."
Weeks flew by, and Jo prepared for her classes by reviewing old OWLs and NEWTs exams. She was pleased that while the previous professor's material was woefully out of date and maligned muggles, that the exams were not. She used her fireplace, connected to her parent's home to collect muggle artifacts that she thought the students would benefit from. She had decided on approaching the first few lectures as a compare/contrast with how muggles and wizards approached problems. Communication. Transportation. Healing. Customs. Education. She scratched her quill on the parchment outlining notes, feeling a bit daunted by the responsibility of teaching a generation of students about the muggle world in a way that would shield them against the prejudice and hate that would come.
It was September 1, and Jo was in a tizzy. She was so nervous that she couldn't bring herself to eat breakfast or lunch, instead opting to walk around the lake in the brisk fall weather. She was surprised when a very tall and very large man with black, beetle-like eyes wandered over to her as she started another lap.
"'Ello there. You must be Professor Harper. Professor Dumbledore said we had a new Muggle Studies Professor this year. My name's Rubeus Hagrid, but everyone just calls me Hagrid, and I'm the Keeper of the Keys and Groundskeeper here at Hogwarts." He extended a massive hand to Jo, and when he shook hers, she felt as if her whole body was being shaken.
"Good afternoon, Hagrid. It's a pleasure to meet you." Jo said genuinely with a bright smile.
"It looks like yer a bit nervous if all your laps around the lake mean anything. I can put on a pot of tea to help calm yeh down. My hut's just over that hill."
"Oh Hagrid, that sounds lovely. I am nervous. I haven't actually taught before, and it's all feeling pretty real right about now."
They took the dirt path up to Hagrid's hut, and he called to Fang to quit barking and showed her in. He began readying the fire and added water to the kettle.
"You've got nothin' to worry about. The students are alright. Mind the Slytherin's. I reckon some of them won't approve of your subject, but it's not like any of them will be taking it anyway. Besides that, you just have to look after a couple troublemakers here and there. The Weasley Twins don't mean anyone any harm, but sometimes their pranks get a bit outta hand."
"Hagrid, what do you mean the Slytherins won't be taking my subject?" She had never really considered it. She knew her course was elective, but she didn't realize that a whole house of students might not be attending.
"A lot of them be Purebloods, of course, or at least their more likely to look down on Muggles. Wouldn't do much for their status if they seemed interested." He explained simply.
She harrumphed at this. "But if they don't take it, they'll just remain as biased as ever."
"Aye."
They spoke some more on about the course, and Hagrid told her more about Hogwarts. Most of it she knew, but she just enjoyed his company. She felt as though she had known him for years and found it easy to confide in him her concerns for the term and nervousness to be in a new place. When he asked, she told him truthfully that she was new to Scotland and had been living in the United States and that she had met Professor Dumbledore traveling and after conversing, he offered her the position. She admitted for the first time that it felt like he had been saving her from a very dreary crossroads in her life.
"Great man, Dumbledore," Hagrid said to this reverently. "Come, you'll need to be heading up to the castle. Professors are expected at the High Table for the Welcome Feast. I need to go fetch the Firs' Years."
Jo wandered up the path to the school. She straightened her robes and went into the Great Hall. She marveled at how beautifully it was decorated. A few professors were already seated. She looked nervously at the chairs and wondered if there were assigned seats.
"You may sit next to me, Professor Harper," called a silky voice. She was surprised at Severus' kindness until she surmised that he probably had read her mind just now, which felt like an invasion of privacy.
"Thank you, but please refrain from doing that," Jo remarked as she sat down next to him.
"Doing what?" He inquired almost innocently.
"Poking around my head." She answered directly. "I'm starving. Will it be much longer?"
"In the future, I would recommend not skipping meals to prevent that. The students are only just now disembarking the train. You have a while." He drolled.
Her stomach gurgled. They didn't speak much as the older students filed in. Her eyes gazed eagerly at their faces trying to recognize some based on their descriptions. The Weasleys were easy to spot at the Gryffindor table, but she knew so few of the students above Harry's year. When the first years entered, she could feel Severus stiffen next to her. She knew that this must be a trying moment for him. Minerva brought out the stool with the Sorting Hat and took her place to the side and waited patiently. With a booming voice, a song filled the hall.
Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
One by one, students were called up to put the hat on their head and be sorted. Her heart leapt when Hermione, Neville, Harry, and Ron were sorted. She looked pensively at the Slytherin table where Draco sat. Jo wondered if she could help him. She never believed him to be an evil child, just one who was a product of his environment.
She smiled when Dumbledore said his few words "Oddment, Nitwit, Blubber, Tweak!" Moments later when the food appeared she dug in happily. Surveying the students as she ate, she could pinpoint the moment when Harry's scar bothered him. It seemed that her fears of the books not mimicking her reality now were moot.