The official day of classes started with a factually meeting early in the morning that was held in the upper caves of the fault. Martha, being the headmistress of the school did a roll call of all the teachers. She then went through an agenda of the week, concerning after school programs, sports and other events. She also went through a change in the rules and disciplined procedures, which I steady paid attention to, so I didn't screw up. She then handed out enclosed IEPs on certain students. I put them in my brief case, planning to memorize them and read through them.
I notice one of the teachers wasn't there, Martha didn't even call her. It was Colleen Gerandy, the snake charmer from the Nez Perce tribe that studied at schools in the Middle East, on the ancient art and appeared to be a paraseltounge. Everyone knew her, she was from a rather prosperous family that sponsored my department. Her husband worked as the school healer, and ran the local magical health clinic where I had to get my clearances. Her grandmother was the one who hired me. I couldn't help but be a little at ease with her abstained, wondering if something was wrong.
"Now, I have received a letter that warned us to keep our students indoors." Martha said, calling our attention. "It didn't state why, but from recent events I am aware that there is danger in Quileute territory. So until this warning is lifted, I asked you to refrain from outdoor lessons. I am sure care of magical creatures, hierology, elements, and nature would have to adjust their lessons indoors." I noticed all of those teachers drop their heads in stress. "This is for the safety of our students, and only temporary. I will however refuse to have it disrupt the Quidditch team's progress. I have received a call from a newspaper called….The Daily Prophet, Quiddich section. They plan to send a journalist here this weekend to take pictures of the Quidditch West Coast School League. This includes the children. This is a British newspaper, and we will welcome her greatly." The entire room nodded as their eyes shifted to me. "Meeting dismissed, go and prepare for your students. Mr. Lupin, may I have a word with you."`
She waited until we were alone in the room before she continued.
"You are aware of the name Morifa Gaunt?" Martha asked.
"Yes," I answered. She sent her son to interview me, a tall black haired man that seemed to gave the Aurors a threat, he said he was an American from the Salem Institute sent to do an interview. They all dropped their wands and let the man through. Later Harry said he resembled a dark wizard greatly that was all. That made me even more nervous for my interview, which I was surprised how well it went.
"Yes, the Gaunts pays for many Defense Against The Dark Art Departments, your entire budget depends on her favor," Martha explained. "Let me explain the history of this family. Her father Madoc, who is still alive, and living in Canada came from England sometime in the twenties. From what she has told me he wasn't popular there, he came home from his seventh year to find his older brother and father were imprisoned and his older sister ran off and married a wealthy muggle that he wasn't to found of, he didn't have a bronze-knut to his name, and a mudd-ridden name. So he got a job working for wizard merchants that took him to Canada, where he started his own reptile skin trade. He was already knowledgeable in trapping large snakes and learned from them how to skin them for jewelry and belts. This made him fairly wealthy and bosted business among the tribes with the magical world. He was offered the Nootka's woman's hand in marriage, and became officially part of their band. He has his children and adopted children marry into higher families, some of chiefs, some of affluent families both magical and muggle. I thought you should know this, his daughter Morifa plans to meet with you about your curriculum."
"When?" I asked nervous.
"Sometime next week, they arranged a meeting with you next Thursday at two." Martha explained. "His grandsons are some of your students, but they won't be here today. They have been pulled out. Be sure to put her on your calendar."
"I will," I promised her.
"Good, now please go and get ready for your class. The Gaunts expect progress." Martha said. "I was surprised about you, they have something against the British."
"Why?" I asked.
"Well, during your first Wizarding War, Madoc offered to help fight the Death Eaters, since they were in his homeland. They were denied, this makes them a little sour towards British Wizards. Madoc was told that he could have been used to prevent the problem form starting. They did not understand this, he then asked the Order to make sure that his sister, Merope and her children with the muggle were safe. He sent word saying that that he is sure the Death Eaters won't harm any of her children. Then refused to answer any of their questions, it was almost as if he was angry with Madoc. Anyway, fill out a progress report so I will check on your classroom sometime this week. Good luck, your dismissed." Martha left.
~X~
My class room was near the edge of the cliff, a little opening in which the students stepped off at a head shape rock then saw it right in front of them. It had a glass wall that I could see a large distance of the ocean, almost the edge of Japan. I had a center teaching area with sitting rugs surrounding me on a wooden floor. I was anxious to get started with my first class. I had a group of several third years coming in any minute. I quickly put out the boggart that I found in my grandmother's attack and set it up along with an old record I wanted to play it while they had their fun.
This was followed by reading the fifth year book, and getting a lesson written out on The Unforgivable Curses, which was going to be my first unit. I had a list of discussion questions on why they are illegal. I was going to start the first day as an introduction to Universal Wizarding Laws, then introduce The Unforgivable Curses. The next day, I was going to do the history of the Imperis Curse and discuss why it's wrong. The one after, I was going to do the Cacutis curse, the history of it, and have a debate on if it should be done during war. Then the day afterwards, was going to be the Adava Kadava. This made me want to read the Olympia Oracle, which was the local magical newspaper.
I looked in the index to see if they had an article on Mike Newton. It was written in the local language, but I had learned enough Quileute to read the article that was buzzing in the factuality room.
Attempted Murder Captured
Local wizard, Mike Newton York, adopted son of the York family who has been wanted for the attempted murder of half-vampire, Rensemee Cullen was captured yesterday in Tongva near muggle settlement of Santa Monaco. He was being housed by muggle relatives who live near the area. Local Aurors, recognizing him immediately arrested and modified the muggles' memories. He was then departed to Quileute territory as soon as possible and reunited with the York family where he was accompanied by lawyer, Yaha Parker and a trail is set to date.
'The question was, if he was actually trying to kill her' Yaha states. 'He was aware of Rensemee's heritage, and when casting the Avada Kedavra curse, knew it wouldn't harm her. He could have been threating the Cullens, and was trying to free wizards being kept there.'
Jon York, the wizard father, has added to this 'The Cullens had three wizards with them, one of them injured with blood. They are vampires, he wanted to make sure they didn't take magic blood to satisfy themselves.' They also state he was unaware that they were animal-drinkers.
However, arguments appose to this, local witch, Rachel Black, has asked the chief to oppose Yaha in the trial. "He casted the Avada Kedavra curse knowing full well it would kill her if it worked.' Rachel claims. 'It doesn't matter if Renemee is the daughter of the locust monster, her family deserves peace of mind. Newton should receive full measure of the law. Rensemee deserves her justice.'
The Chief, has recently appointed, witch, Angela Webber, in charge of the Cullens and their exposure to the magical world until the trail. Black has also insisted that the wolves receive protection also, the Chief has appointed her to the position. that her brother, Jacob, Black alpha shape-shifter of the Forks Pack, and a witness be given a chance take the stands as well. 'I am going to be careful that little is exposed to our world as possible,' States Webber. "But at the same time make sure enough is exposed to the judge as possible, which means all the witnesses to give their testimonies."
I cut out the article, it was good to keep track of the news when teaching a subject like mine. It was also good for my fourth years for a later debate. Since, fourth years were traditionally taught about magic law, this would be a good case for them to follow, it was so local. I just hoped my involvement didn't come to surface until I taught.
My third years came, being my first wave of students. I had ten of them total, and they all seemed to enjoy the boggart. I recorded some of their fears for reports to their parents as requested. Some of them had rather amusing fears, one girl, Susan Conners, had a clown came out and fall apart. Another muggle-born boy had this rather weird red headed doll with a chain saw step out of the boggat, followed by a little girl kicking it away. Besides that, most of them had normal fears with spiders getting roller blades and snakes getting chicken poxes. They were a rather fun group that joked around with one another.
The fourth year students, however, were another story. I had six of them, and wished I had more. They took the classes very seriously, just as I had been warned. They already knew all of the Unforgiveable Curses and that they were universal. They also knew the different punishments in different parts of the world. One of them informed me how in Aztec, how the eternal imperious curse is used as a punishment. Another informed me how they use the imperius curse to find treasures in Senufo. Another informed me how magical authorities how the Samri use the cacius curse is used by authorities to stop criminals, and in Maori it's a simple fighting technique. Then another informed me how the 'AK' as they called it was used widely in Africa for hunting and how in Inca and Aztec it was considered necessary for religious purposes. They were extremely smart students who were thrilled when I told them I had essays planned for them. I definitely needed to make a more advance lessons for them.
After they left, I went and got pixies for my second years. These were different from the British Pexies, they were these light orange color. They were still just as wild, I kept them in a cage, and made some notes after a few minutes of observation. I also got folders ready for my first years, placing wand manuals and wrote a lesson on wand safety, which was normally the first lesson in any DADA class. I then had to arrange for a new place for my six years for apparition lessons, since I could no longer take advantage of the school being built into the Olympic National Park. Martha put me on the list for location set up in the tiny school.
I then had my seventh years, who seemed to brag endlessly about graduating, which ended briefly when I presented their workload. I had seven of them, one student, Inteus, I really liked. I did a review of what they learned the years prior to Defense Against the Dark Arts, by setting duals. It appeared my Hogwart's expectation might have been a little bit much for this tiny graduating class. After watching them dual and taking surveys on what they had learned and what they wished to learned I made plans to rewrite the syllabus. Unfortunately, it was a two hour class so I quickly found some old, simple, everyday objects. Somewhere cursed, some were not and had the students sort them. That turned into more of a guessing game for all except Iteus, joked around with it. I had a feeling that he was above normal level, after class he explained that he wanted to be get into the Auror Academy in London and asked me about extra lessons. I gave him a form for his parents to sign, giving me permission. I then made a note to remind me to write to Harry about him, since he does teach a class there.
I then went through and cleaned the room, and got ready for the next day. I was finally able to read the American/Canadian OWL from the Salem Institute and wrote out a lesson prepared my fifth years for the entire year. It was more like an OWL for Third Years. Afterwards, I cleaned my room and got ready for the next day and filled out a budget proposal for my class room. He suggested I show signs of progress in my students and how expanding my budget would help them in the long run.
I came home, deadbeat tired and found a letter from Victoria. I shredded with guilt, thinking of being with Leah and writing to her at the same time. Eventually, I was able to calm my guilt and read her letter. I had to say at least ten times I wasn't cheating on her, Leah was just a friend who I happened to kiss. I then opened it.
Dear Teddy,
I am having a splendid time working for the ministry, I am very lucky they let me intern here. I am working mainly for the Muggle Liaisons Office. It is a simple job that I do really, witches and wizards who want to inform certain muggles of the magical world come to my office where I pour them coffee and send them to my boss. We also send out confidential forms to parents and siblings of magical children, and renew lesions for muggles to do business in the magical world. I keep telling myself grandpa started here.
The other day I did get a woman who was engaged to a muggle and needed to sign papers permitting him to know. She can only tell him after they are married. My boss really likes me, and says he may consider me into informing muggle parents that their son or daughter is a witch or wizard. That would be very interesting.
One thing, I got excited about was the Dursley Computers, it's the largest muggle business connected to the magical world. They wanted to expand into selling ipods to witches and wizards. I don't know why they have to renew it, considering the amount of business they bring to Dragon Ally, making it no longer a slum, and the fact the head woman is a squab, which doesn't make it completely muggle owned and its the only known place in all of magical Europe that sells computers.
Anyway, it turns out Uncle Harry's cousin is so busy, that his mother-in-law went with him with her grandson Tobias Dursley. I have to say this, Irma Crabbe is truly a dreadful woman. I had to listen to them in the lobby, she was going on and on about her daughter being a squab and marring the muggle cousin of a blood traitor, and claiming that her family is falling apart. No wonder why the Dursley family relate to the magical relatives on their father's side more than their pure-blooded mother's family, that's why she needs to be the witch to give the alright for the family. She then gave her poor muggle grandson a lecture on not revealing too much about their father's 'strange condition that he has passed on'. It was as if being a muggle was an illness. I think he was a little too relived when I came out. Because, as soon as I introduced myself this strange trans washed over him. It was as if his grandmother wasn't even there, he just followed my every move, asking questions, it was as if he was pulled towards me.
I am sure your job has much more interesting stories, your students are adorable to look at, I have the images framed and on my desk surrounding you and me. I miss you so much, and plan to fly to Quileute on my next day off, whenever that will be. I can't wait to come and meet your friends, that Leah does sound interesting. Anyway, Tobias said he has something to show me, I hope it's a way to fix my labtop.
Can't wait to see you soon,
Love,
Victoria
PS. Aunt Ginny was sent to the Americas to do an article on their Quidditich training for the Daily Prophet, she chose Quileute. I thought I should at least warn you.
~X~
Saturday
It seemed like the entire Saturday was devoted to Quidditch here. I was surprised to see some of the parents care more about Quidditch then the curriculum of this school. Ginny came early in the morning just as Celia Swan, the local Quidditch director suggested. I went to greet her, she came by Porky with her camera and her notebook ready for the day. She hugged me as soon as she saw me.
"Teddy there you are, what are you doing on the other side of the world?" She said choking me.
"I'm fine, Aunt Ginny, I missed you too." I smiled at her as she let go. "Harry is sorry he couldn't make it, he was going to surprise you but he got a call. Apparently there has been wizards smuggling voo-doo objects from Peru and he had go investigate. It might have something to do with those rather large wolves that have been spotted a couple years. Anyway, are the feeding you?"
"Yes," I answered. "Here let me take you to meet Miss Swan, the field is quite a ways from the school. It's on an island."
"The school or the field?" Ginny asked confused as we passed the school.
"The field, I hadn't seen it yet." I explained as she raised an eyebrow.
"You mean, you have pledge to teach this school and you didn't see their Quidditch field?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you even know their mascot?"
"They have a couple different names," I explained, unsure how this worked considering they didn't have houses. "They go by the Wolves."
"Take me to the field," She shook her head as I went and introduce her to Celia. A tall, dark skinned woman with short kinked hair that went to introduced Ginny dressed in Quileute uniform.
"You must be Mrs. Potter, the reporter coming to do an article on our league, I am very pleased to meet you." She said, with a bright smile.
"Oh, call me, Ginny, I heard it was on island," she said with her paper and pen up in the air.
"Yes, away from the muggles," She explained as she lead us on broom to the island. I was surprise, they had more than one field.
"We are just doing practice, the season hasn't started yet. The signups are today." Celia explained as she took us to the smallest Quidditch field I have ever seen that was surrounded by parents and older students sitting at tables while first years were in the field receiving broom lessons.
"This is our Seal league," Celia explained as Ginny took pictures of the first years. "Its for first years only, they sign up and assigned to a color. They then play against each other. Amanda Fox couches to one of them." She explained as one of my seventh year students came down with her flaming red hair in a ponytail.
"Amanda, this is Ginny Potter, she's here doing an article on the Quidditch training," Celia explained as Ginny opened her brief case and a pen and notebook floated into the air already taking notes on the registration process, while Amanda greeted me quickly.
"What exactly does this league do?" Ginny asked noticing some of the first years wobble on their broomsticks.
"Well, this is for first years only, and there are no tryouts, they just sign up." Amanda explained. "They are given a team, and instead each getting a specific position, the couch rotates the players. One game the player will be the seeker, and in the next game that same player will be a keeper, while the former keeper is the beater. It helps them figure out what they want. This league is strictly noncompetitive."
"Interesting," Ginny took some pictures and notes as Celia then lead her to the next field, which was slightly larger than the former field and had some of my students on it.
"This one the students here somewhat tryout," Celia explained. "This is the Whale league, its for second and third years. The students don't route, they tryout and the couch assigns them to a position. They each have their own team and they play against each other. This helps them get the completive spirit in, and helps the next league pull players." Ginny took pictures, as some of the students waved to me before we continued.
The next field was a bit larger than the field before, containing a larger number of players. Some of them dressed in war paint, and some flying around in broom as a group of wizards in polo shirts stayed off to the side, taking notes. "This is the Bear league, it contains fourth, fifth and sixth year students. They try out, and the top players are chosen, and others are for some back up. This is when we actually eliminate players. They play various tribal teams in Washington state. We have four total teams who play against each other. The top players are pulled to the next league.
Ginny, of course took her time to watch the try outs, I was a little embarrassed by my fifth years, but they were book smart to begin with, so I shouldn't expect much athletic talent form them. We watched Seeker try outs, as the couches took timing of each player. That was followed by the chaser tryouts, where the couches watched their talent at throwing the quaffle at different angles. Then we watched the keeper tryouts, which was basically the same as the keeper tryouts at Hogwarts. I took her to the concession stand for lunch, so she could stay and watched the beater tryouts. Ginny also had to get a new pad for having so many notes before we went to watch the Olympic Wolves at work. She got a little upset that I'm teaching these students and had no merchandise supporting them.
"This is for seventh years only, the Qualities wolves are comprised of our top players and they don't only play against the tribes of Washington but of other tribes in different states, some even in Canada as well." Celia explained as she lead Ginny to the last field. "These are the students who get Quidditch scholarships, and some of them even play professional. They are playing against the Makah, which is our rival tribe." We sat and watched the scrimmage as I saw some of my seventh years become champions on the field.
"There is a requirement to play in this league though," Celia explained. "They have to have an average grade level in all of their classes, and if they are of new magic, or escorting new magic siblings, they have good grades in the muggle schools as well." Celia explained as Ginny nodded. She took picture of the match, we won. Then afterwards, I offered to take her to a local magical restraint.
"Well, the fields were nothing like the ones in El Dorado, Chan Chan, nothing like Tenochtitlan, but nothing can compare to that city for that matter. They were something interesting. I got enough to make a good article," Ginny said as I lead her into THE HAWK and ordered her some elk venison and locally grown vegetables. "I did like seeing your students, now I can tell everyone what you're doing, your students seem to like you."
"They do," I agreed, I had to admitted it, I was popular. "So how are your sons doing?"
"Harry wrote to you about Albus?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, heard Hogwarts saw a labtop flying," I said, still finding it amusing.
Ginny shook her head with a smirk. "I never thought I would be low enough to send a howler, but I was forced to."
"Did he get a replacement?" I asked.
"Yes," Ginny put her hand to her for head and looked back up at me. "It meant going with Malfoys to the computer shop, which was an adventure itself. Something is amusing about purebloods and muggle technology. Isold Dursley needed an award for her patients and keeping a straight face answering their question, and Dudley not getting insulted when they said 'her husband is pretty smart for a muggle' or 'who knew muggles could come up with this stuff'. Not to mention their questions, 'can't a wand turn this on, are you sure all you need is a button to turn it on. That's sounds rather advance for a muggle, so that's what a battery outlet is for, why does he have to type it when he could write it out, what do the red lines mean in word, and my favorite are you sure that's not how they do it in your world?' And the couple was speaking to Dudley as if he didn't know English, in a slow, loud voice. After they left, we told him about Godric's Hallow."
"How is that going?"
"Rather interesting, Harry is finding out things from his family history, he apparently has Native American blood in him from his muggle grandfather. We went to Petunia to do some investigation."
"That's is rather interesting," I committed, considering I've been surrounded by many American Aborigines.
"Yes, I have notice that James does have a bit of tan in his skin, and Lily's eyes are a bit narrow. Harry went to inform his aunt, that visit made me wonder why do we get involved with her. She just makes us feel like outsiders. Even Dudley was acting strange talking about it."
"Oh," I found that rather odd. "Is she ashamed of it or something?"
"I think she is, that's what I got from Petunia. However, Dudley knew, we asked him how he found out and he said it sort of burst out when he was fifteen. His exact words were 'busted out' like he was talking about a bomb or something. I do think Petunia was ashamed of it, because Harry said Vernon had a way of judging people and he would of looked down on it. That might have been why her father disapproved of her husband, but in Lily's diary, it stated Petunia disconnected with her family long before she met Vernon. Lily never knew, but described teenage Petunia as being secretive, going out at night and walking around depressed. She was worried about her sister, she would sleep constantly and always get angered easily. She would also be able to withstand easily, there was an entry in Lily's diary in the Christmas of '72 where she spotted Petunia walking from the woods without a coat, and had a high fever. Petunia practically barked at her and said she wasn't a freak like her. I don't know why Dudley was acting so strangely talking about his native American heritage. Harry and I find it fascinating. We just think his reasons for staying after the war is a little shady."
"Wasn't he in love with Harry's grandmother?" I asked, finding this odd. I really wanted to find out what Tobais Dursley was doing.
"Yes, that's what Dudley said, and that's what Petunia says, but we found her mother's birth certificate in the ruins of the house, and Iris would have been seven when World War Two ended. So there has to be another reason."
"Did anything good come from that visit?" I asked. It would be quite interesting to see what tribe my godfather belongs.
"Well, we then want to visit the house, the older sons were in the woods as usual. Harry and I got a little worried when he spotted these wolves that were larger than life, but they came back unharmed. Tobias was asking about Victoria a lot, they struck a friendship. Stephen was asking about our children. Dudley even hushed him from investigating too much. The triplets were doing something, we didn't even see them. Ulrick seemed upset about something. Harry and I said that having a wizard name and sending him to a muggle school wouldn't work. Ulrick was harsh with us and shut him in his room. Oh, and we think Magnolia might be magical, but we didn't want to investigate with Petunia there. She was moving blossoms with her hands, we just hope old Irma didn't see."
I nodded understanding, I met Magnolia a couple of times. She was a funny looking kid, a chubby girl with bright orange hair and green eyes. She also showed signs of being magical, which was why her maternal grandmother favored her.
"Then its gets more shocking," Ginny went on. "Petunia showed a family tree to satisfy us, . It goes back to some chief of whatever tribe's name. It has these stars by everyone born from this chief's name. Then some of the names are highlighted, every forth generation until it gets to Harry Evans, his name is highlighted, followed by Petunia, then Dudley and some of his children, and he even highlighted Ulrick before we could continue. Then we are on it, with stars and no highlights. When we asked them what that meant, they changed the subject. "It was then, as Ginny drank she looked over the window. I saw Seth and Leah there with three fair hair teens coming with them, following other members of the pack in human form. Ginny stared at them, tilting her head. She then shook her head. They wouldn't be able to see this restraint, it was surrounded by woods. "Harry has come up with a theory on why he wasn't told of his unique ancestors."
"What is that?" I asked.
"His uncle, wasn't very keen on accepting others, so Petunia was most likely afraid he wouldn't accept her. He didn't accept people who were different, that included muggles of another cultural background then him. He once said that immigration to England should be forbidden, and did think that it was the British job to civilize others…like his wife's ancestors. That must of made Petunia feel ashamed." Ginny shook her head. She still remembered going with Harry to get his muggle relatives out of hiding. It was a completely different family, his cousin was married and his uncle wad dead because of it. The shock from his employment pushed it over, at least that's what Dudley said. Hesta says it was something else, but seemed hushed about it. It was understandable why Dudley and Isolde got married in secretly. His family would of disapproved of her magical background, his family would of disapproved of his muggle background.
"Speaking of your godfather," Ginny answered. "Hi, love, I am planning on coming home soon…what!...they found no trace of him….has Hagrid searched….he's no were,….don't worry, I'll be home soon."
"What's wrong?" I asked noticing the panic in her voice. "James has disappeared from school." Ginny's voice when frantic.
"What?" I asked standing instantly.
"There was a party, Professor Slughorn's his two Romanian friends came and visited. That was when James started acting up, and shouted at the two vampires while they were having a good-old-time. He walked in on them laughing at the idea of the Italian labs, when James entered. He left and hadn't been seen since. " Ginny said as she quickly as I lead her to the porky.
"Tell me if you find anything," I yelled as she grabbed it.
"Promise," Ginny left before another word could be said.
