7. Radio Ga Ga
I'd sit alone and watch your light
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know
I heard it on my radio
-Queen
1st September 1989
The rest of the Summer holidays saw Lynn and Harry growing closer; with visits to the Burrow and outings to quidditch matches and Diagon Alley throughout.
However September 1st came quickly, meaning that Lynn had to go back to teaching Arithmancy in Hogwarts.
"I'll see you tomorrow Harry. Don't have too much fun without me," she grinned as she hugged goodbye to her godson by the fireplace. He was staying overnight at the Burrow, which the nine year old was rather excited about.
"The Burrow!" Shouted Harry, throwing down a handful of floo powder, and shortly arriving at the house with Molly waiting with Lunch.
Now that she had seen Harry off, she finished packing the trunk she was taking to Hogwarts with her and sent it to her office with a wave of her wand.
"Hogwarts!" She spoke aloud, feeling the dizzy sensation of floo travel as she passed through several chimneys before being spat out into her office.
"Oh shit!" She exclaimed as she stumbled over her trunk. She had forgotten that she had moved it to her office. Grumbling to herslef she got back up on her feet and dragged her trunk to her room.
During the school year she mostly stayed at the castle, as her office was attached to her living quarters, which had a cosy living room and a bedroom.
And they were unashamedly covered in red and gold.
She exited the office and went into the classroom to set it up for classes tomorrow. She always liked to make a good impression on the third years.
However she was soon interrupted by a ghostly figure drifting through her wall.
"Oh Professor McLaughlin!" Called the particularly distressed ghost, the Fat Friar. "Peeves is giving the elves trouble. He's upset he can't attend the feast."
Lynn sighed. Of course he was. "Upset my arse. He's just tantruming because he didn't get his way."
She exited her classroom and made her way to the entrance hall, where she went on to the basement. The smell of cooking food wafting through the corridor. Without a second thought she tickled the pear and pulled the handle that appeared with a grunt.
When she entered the kitchen, the sound of wailing house elves and a cackling poltergeist met her ears. He pelted egg after egg at the kitchen walls, distressing the poor elves as they tried to work.
"PEEVES! I'M HOME!"
The poltergeist froze mid throw and slowly turned upside down and faced the door. "Well if it isnt Lynsie! Good to see you again madam! But if you could excuse me for one-"
"Come now Peeves, stop distressing the poor elves. Shouldn't you do something a bit more productive?" The woman leant on the wall as she watched the poltergeist contemplate her words.
"Like what, Lynsie Winsie," he asked, throwing the final egg over his shoulder.
Lynn let a smirk appear on her face. "Like, I don't know, trashing Snape's office. Heard he was the one that was insistent on you being banned from the great hall."
Peeves's eyes widened and light with fire. "Very well Lynsie. You make a good point." Without another word he flew straight at the wall with a shout of glee and disappeared from the kitchen. With a shake of her head, Lynn pulled her wand out and flicked it at the mess Peeves had inflicted, watching as everything righted itself again.
"I'm glad you stopped the elves from becoming to distressed Professor McLaughlin," came an amused voice from behind her. Dumbledore stood at the doorway and watched as the woman turned around in surprise. "Though I doubt Severus will be pleased with Peeves wrecking his office."
"I don't know what you could possibly mean Albus," spoke Lynn seriously. "I only calmly suggested to the poltergeist that he should leave the elves so, and he did so without compromise."
Dumbledore chuckled in amusement, as they exited the kitchen and continued to the entrance hall. "And how is life with Harry under your wing treating you?"
To be honest, Lynn had hoped that the headmaster would not mention Harry, for she had been struggling with rather angry emotions towards the wizard. "Better, now that I have him, and that he's gone from that house."
Dumbledore nodded at her reasoning, walking beside her as they climbed the staircases to their respective offices. "As much as I believe he is in safe hands, you must understand why I allowed him to stay with Petunia Evans. That night-"
"I know what happened Albus," interrupted Lynn, though not unkindly. "Lily's blood magic was what caused Voldy to die, and her sister can protect Harry with the very same blood magic, though unknowingly. But you must trust me Professor, I can protect him."
Dumbledore eyes twinkled as they came to Lynn's office. "I would not doubt that Professor McLaughlin. However much they try, not many can outfox the fox."
Lynn smirked as the wizard continued on his way towards his own office. Meanwhile Snape raged as a certain poltergeist threw one more glass jar of ingredients at the wall and blew a loud raspberry towards the potions master. "Take that snivelly!"
Great Hall
Chatter filled the Great Hall as students slowly filled the four long tables. Most of the teachers were already seated, except for Professor Mcgonagall. Hagrid had just arrived after taking the first years across the lake, and was now seated between Professor Flitwick and Lynn.
Beside Lynn was the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Thomas Hart.
For only five minutes had the man been sitting beside the strawberry blonde and had already managed to make her want to slap him.
"So, what subject do you teach Professor McLaughlin?"
"Arithmancy! Someone so young teaching such a difficult subject?"
"Are you married Professor McLaughlin?"
"I don't believe you! Surely a beautiful woman such as yourself managed to snag a husband? Maybe then you wouldn't have to work."
"Do you have children?"
She answered whatever questions he asked with short, one word answers hoping that the man would get the hint and realise she was in no mood to listen.
He either didn't notice or didn't care that she wasn't engaging in conversation and was instead gazing at the star sprinkled ceiling in what looked to be a pleading expression.
She almost cheered out loud when the first years, shivering and glancing around in fear and interest, were led into the hall to be sorted.
She spotted the twins in an instant, and sent them a wink as their excited eyes met hers.
"What house were you sorted into?" Hart asked her quietly, as Professor McGonagal began to call the first years to be sorted.
"Gryffindor," she replied, giving a polite clap as a girl was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Really? As it happens so was I," he spoke in what she believed was an attempted flirty tone.
"Must have been before my time then," she replied matter of factly, keeping her eyes on the sorting. Funnily enough he didn't speak to her again for the rest of the evening.
Lynn's stomach grumbled quietly as her thoughts wandered to the food. She couldn't wait for some Swiss roll.
The sorting finally reached the twins, who were the last to be sorted.
Fred was first, sitting on the stool with a small grin on his face, though from watching the boy grow up, she knew he was nervous. A few moments passed before the hat declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindors erupted in applause, Charlie and Percy clapping with extra enthusiasm as Fred dramatically bowed before taking a seat a their table. Lynn smirked at the boy's dramatics as she clapped along with them.
"Weasley, George."
George sat down and grinned like his brother, though Lynn watched as his his hands visibly shook by his sides.
It took George even less time than Fred to be sorted, as if the Sorting hat knew that separating them was unthinkable.
Dumbledore stood, causing the hall to fall silent as he spoke, only telling them to tuck in.
"Here yer go Lynn," spoke Hagrid, passing her the mash potatoes, which she dumped a spoonful of onto her plate.
"Thanks Hagrid," she passed the dish onto Professor Hart, who took it from her with a grin.
"I love potatoes," he said, seeming to have recovered from the sorting. "Best thing about the Irish I think."
"Aye I bet ye fuckin' do," Lynn muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Once the feast was over, (and Lynn had had 3 helpings of Swiss roll) the hall slowly emptied of drowsy students with the teachers not far behind them.
"Lynn!" called the twins as the woman reached the entrance hall.
"Professor," corrected Lynn with a smirk. "Don't forget."
Both of them sighed dramatically, "Professor, when can we take your classes," inquired George.
"Yeah I bet they're much more fun compared to Snape's," Fred continued, the three of them walking up the staircases.
"You can take it in third year, though it's pretty hard. Remember you took Percy's copy of Numerology and Grammatica?"
Their faces slowly turned from eager to absolute horror. They looked at each other before turning back to Lynn.
"We have to read that?!"
Lynn tried not to laugh as they went on about their journey to Hogwarts, telling her about how they released ten frogs they'd found in their garden in a compartment on the train.
"You haven't even gone to class and you're already causing mayhem," she shook her head, guiding them to the group of first years heading for the common room.
"Hurry and listen for the password, I'll see you tomorrow," she waved them away, continuing down the corridor to her room.
A tap on the window sounded just as she sat down on her bed. She opened the window to let Errol in and carefully untied the letter from his leg.
She read the short note from Molly, who told her that Harry was fine and had a lovely day playing quidditch with Ron. Taking a quill, she dipped it into her pot of ink and scribbled a thank you to the woman and told her that the twins made Gryffindor.
"Here you go Errol," she feed him a few owl treats and attached the letter to his leg, before letting him fly out the window again.
She settled herself into bed lying on her side for a moment to watch a photograph of her, Lily, James and Peter chucking snowballs at each other. Remus could be seen at the corner deep into a book sitting under a tree. There was an angry scorch mark on the other side of the photo; a mark made eight years ago on November 1st 1981.
Sorry I'm late! Hope your enjoying so far. Please don't forget to Follow, Favourite, Review!
Kayla xx
