Thanks to jupitersthunder and Taeniaea for reviewing. Hope people like the story
The next morning, despite her shortage of sleep, Dawn felt more refreshed that she had in ages. Descending the stairs to the common room, she saw Hermione clucking over some poster put up by Fred and George Weasley. When she started talking about being a prefect, Dawn interrupted.
"Sorry to butt in, but I was kinda wondering..."
"Yeah?" Ron asked, looking relieved to have a distraction.
"What are prefects, exactly? We never had them at my old school."
"Well, they're supposed to uphold rules, and be student liaisons between staff and pupils. Plus, they can help new students settle in and home-sick students feel better..."
They continued talking as they went to get breakfast in the Great Hall. When they got there, Dawn was surprised to be handed a timetable along with the rest.
"I'm in normal lessons?" she asked McGonagall. "Isn't that a bit… I dunno, difficult."
"I have had reports from Professors Lupin, Snape, Flitwick and Rosenberg and I agree with them that your work over the summer has more than brought you up to 5th year standards. You haven't been assigned as many chosen subjects as the rest of our pupils, but other than that you have a normal timetable."
Dawn turned back to the Trio, who were looking bemused to say the least.
"Why wouldn't you be up-to-date?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, I was… ill last year so I missed quite a lot of stuff. Plus my syllabus was probably different to yours. Professor Snape definitely seemed to think so." She tried to grin. "He kept muttering 'bloody stupid Americans' at every turn."
Harry laughed. "That's Snape, isn't it though? Bloody Death-Eater, so it doesn't surprise me that he hates Americans."
"Death-Eater?" Dawn asked, feeling a prickle of concern.
Hermione answered. "They're the wizards who support You-Know-Who. But Snape isn't a Death Eater. Dumbledore trusts him at any rate."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, Dumbledore thinks we should all get along like little happy boys and girls so that just goes to show what that means."
Finally getting around to opening their timetables, Ron groaned.
"History of Magic, Double Potions, Divination and Double Defence Against the Dark Arts!"
Feeling sympathetic, Dawn opened her own timetable. It was exactly the same; apart from she had Flying Lessons on Wednesdays
"Is that really bad?" she ventured.
"Binns, Snape, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day – yep that's pretty bad alright."
"What about this – Flying Lessons?"
Harry frowned. "Usually only first-years take that, unless you didn't fly on brooms at all back in America"
"Oh no, we flew on carpets," she said sarcastically, realising a split-second later that he was probably being truthful. Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about it as Ron nodded and chimed in that he had heard from his Dad about how magic carpets were allowed in America, but were banned here in Britain.
"Dunno who'll be teaching it though – Madam Hooch used to but I think she left at the end of last year, but there was no-one at the feast to replace her."
Just as predicted, it was bad. Though from the textbook History of Magic had looked quite interesting, once she had got over the fascination of having a ghost for a teacher, it quickly became as dull as Umbridge's lecture.
When she arrived in Potions, she was thankful to see Willow there, who waved slightly at her as she took a seat next to Hermione. When Snape announced they would be making the Draught of Peace, she was relieved, as they had made this potion already in the summer.
As a result, she could divert most of her attention from her cauldron and around the room. Smirking slightly as she saw one of the Slytherins being corrected with their potion, she froze suddenly.
"I've been here barely a month, and I'm already getting those ridiculous ideas they all have that these people are evil, and these people are smart and those people are hard-working, just because a ragged old hat said so!"
She was startled from her reverie by Willow leaning over her table.
"How's it going?" the red-head asked.
"Good. This potion business would be quicker if they used Bunsen burners or electric hobs though."
"God, don't remind me. It's ridiculous. Using these archaic, stereotype cauldrons and magic flames for the sake of 'tradition'." She used the time-honoured practice of air quotes when she said tradition.
Dawn stifled a giggle.
"Why don't you suggest changing them?"
"Yeah right! Do you want me dead or something? Have you been on the wrong end of one of his glares yet?"
Dawn was about to get an idea of what Willow meant by this when Snape stalked over to Harry's bench.
"Potter, what is this supposed to be?"
"The Draught of Peace," said Harry tensely.
When Harry explained that he had forgotten the hellebore, Snape raised his wand, clearly about to Vanish the potion. However, he had reckoned without Willow.
"Actually, it's not worthless. If you add some sophophorous beans now and then add the hellebore, that will counteract the loss of the hellebore then and allow the potion still to be made effectively."
The class sucked in a breath. It was unheard of to counteract Snape. The wizard in question raised his glare to meet Willow's eyes, but she didn't quail under his stare.
Instead she smiled brightly and said, "Or haven't you come across that yet, Professor."
It was a dilemma. Either Snape admitted that Harry's potion was worthwhile, or he acknowledged a lesser knowledge of Potions than some American witch. He settled for snapping,
"5 points from Gryffindor for requiring the assistance of a professor. Everyone put your potions in a flask and bring it to me" and turning on his heel.
Softly, so Snape couldn't hear her. Willow said to Dawn and Hermione,
"And 5 points each to Gryffindor for two excellently made potions."
As the class left, they were all chattering about the new professor. Even the Slytherins could find little to say against her, as she had been as fair with points to them, awarding both the blond boy Harry had glared at yesterday (who Dawn had discovered was called Malfoy) and a skinny boy called Nott 5 points to Slytherin for their equally well-made potions.
Divination was terrible. When Professor Trelawney got a glance at Dawn, she instantly gasped. "A traveller from afar shall bring doomful news! The Boy-Who-Lived shall be doomed by her."
Shocked by the less-than-warm welcome, Dawn stopped short, but Harry, who was stood behind her, pushed her on, muttering,
"Don't worry, she's been predicting my 'doom' since third year. It's nothing against you."
As Dawn had already been harbouring unease about this woman since she had worked out that it must be her who had made the prediction that had brought them all here, she needed little encouragement to turn her distaste into dislike.
When she complained about Trelawney to Hermione, waiting in the DADA room for Professor Umbridge, Hermione snorted.
"She's just a mad old bat. I never regretted walking out of that lesson in third-year. Tealeaves and moon-beams – total nonsense."
Professor Umbridge entered. She was as ugly as she had been at the Feast, and wearing a cardigan that was even more vile.
"Wands away, please"
Dawn put her wand away with a feeling of foreboding. In the few weeks since she had bought her wand, she had become deeply attached to it and hated being without it. When the course aims were written upon the board, the worry increased. And finally, when they were told to read the first chapter, she realised she had been right. 'No need to talk' was really the only way you needed to describe it.
Hermione was clearly as annoyed, as she was muttering to herself beside Dawn. However, Dawn was still surprised when Hermione's hand shot into the air beside her.
As she had already read the textbook, despite its tediousness, she chose to watch Hermione and Professor Umbridge's little battle of wills. Hermione won, of course.
"There's nothing about using defensive magic," she pointed out.
Dawn blinked, surprised. She hadn't even noticed that. She stayed out of the chaos that ensued afterward, but when Harry was sent to Professor McGonagall, she decided to take action.
"Even if you don't believe Voldemort is back, there are still his supporters," she called out, not noticing the flinches around her at Voldemort's name
Professor Umbridge looked up.
"And who are you?"
"Dawn Summers."
"Related, I presume, to your new Care of Magical Creatures professor?"
"Yeah, so."
"Well rude as you may be to your family members and her friends," she sneered, making the last word sound questionable, "I do not see that that gives you the right to question a member of staff's teaching methods, nor speak without raising your hand. Unless you want to join Mr. Potter in detention, I suggest you keep quiet."
"Gosh, detention, how terrible. At least Harry got out of this waste of time and out of staring at your toady old face."
"Well, as detentions are clearly not that terrifying to you, you can spend this evening in one. And I shall be mentioning this to your…"
"The word you're looking for? It's sister."
Xander had enjoyed his day. Who knew you could make a living from watching films (on magically-powered TV's of course) and doing some basic electronics.
Buffy was also having fun, teaching about Nifflers, which were totally cute, not to mention useful. Better than any metal-detector! The kids seemed a bit odd though. They kept glancing at her funny, as if expecting her to suddenly sprout horns or something. Finally, after her final class, she grabbed the blonde Ravenclaw who had been able to see the Thestrals and asked her what they were all staring at.
In a dreamy kind of tone, the girl had replied, "It's all those Nargles round your head, Professor."
Raising her hand to her head, Buffy stared at her in confusion.
"What are Nargles?" she asked. "I'm supposed to be teaching about Magical Creatures and I haven't heard of them."
"Don't worry Professor," a red-headed Gryffindor girl reassured her. "There isn't actually anything around your head. Luna was just being Luna."
"Then why was everyone staring at me? And you look familiar."
"Oh, you've probably seen one of my brothers. I'm Ginny Weasley."
"No, wait, I saw you getting off the train. With Harry Potter and your brother, yeah?"
Luna remarked vaguely, "Harry, Ron and Neville are nice. I don't think Hermione liked me though."
Ginny giggled. "Hermione's a bit more logical than you tend to be Luna. She is nice though. I like having her around, since it can get a bit… male, with 6 brothers."
"6 brothers?" Buffy gasped in horror. "I was annoyed enough by one sister!"
"That'd be the new girl, Dawn?"
"That's her. Anyway, you still haven't told me why the entire student population has decided to watch me like I'm in a zoo."
Ginny looked embarrassed. "Well, on the boys' part it's probably half lust. For female, teachers, they have you, Trelawney or McGonagall."
"Fair point. Mind you, McGonagall has a secret life that you don't know about; though I'd recommend watching any conversations she has with Mr Giles."
"The librarian?"
"That's the one. Nevertheless, doesn't explain the girls. Well, most of the girls."
Deciding not to comment on this, and storing away the gossip about McGonagall for later use, Ginny continued. "Yeah. What you don't know is that Dumbledore has a habit of hiring unusual teachers. Especially when he gets that little smirk on his face as he introduces them and that twinkle…"
"Oh God, the twinkle. I've only known the man a month and already I know that the twinkle is a bad sign."
"Yeah well, so far we've had a were wolf, an ex-Death Eater, a half-goblin, a vapid poof, a man with You-Know-Who stuck in his head, a deranged Death Eater out to kill Harry and bring back, You-Know-Who…. Admittedly, most of those were in Defence against the Dark Arts, but still."
"Right. So you're all trying to work out what kind of weirdness I'm going to bring."
Relieved that Professor Summers didn't look offended, Ginny nodded.
"Exactly."
"Well, thanks for your help, I guess. If you need mine, let me know."
With a wave good-bye, the two girls wandered back up to the castle.
The Gryffindor/Slytherin lesson had been a pretty much perfect example of Willow's day. She loved teaching, ever since Sunnydale High, but the high point was definitely annoying Snape. He gave her that glare, which was so much like a Cordelia-glare that it was just hilarious.
Other than Harry's lesson, though, he hadn't really gone for any one pupil, at least not just arbitrarily, like his attack on Harry had seemed. Admittedly, he was terrifying anyone who went even the slightest bit wrong, unless, of course, they were in Slytherin . His favouritism towards his own house was unbelievable. Willow had learned, like the other Scoobies that this house stuff was serious business, but he took it above and beyond anyone she had seen so far.
The Scoobies were unable to sit next to each other at dinner, so with a quick grin they had to promise to catch up later. But during the meal, Willow was surprised to see Joy (the owl), and even more surprised when she dropped a letter in front of her. Opening it, she read.
Dear Willow,
Thanks for owling me. Glad you're having a good time. You got a phone call about a day ago, but I wrote down everything Fred said and here it is
Anya
"Short and blunt. Well, that's Anya alright. Fred though. Why would she be calling me? Isn't she in LA with Angel" Willow thought, opening the enclosed note.
Those students who were watching the staff table were surprised to see their new, apparently unflappable, Potions professor go pale as she read her letter, then stand up and hurry to where the new librarian sat.
"Giles!" Willow whispered.
Giles, who had spent his day reading and doing little else, but was now (yet again) sweet-talking McGonagall, jumped and turned.
Willow stuck the note in front of his face
Call From Fred
Angel's lost his soul again
They want you to go to LA to restore it
Giles choked on his pumpkin juice.
"What do I do?" Willow asked.
"You have to go. Leaving Angelus loose would be the worst thing possible. I understand that you don't want to face him, and you don't want to use big magic like that but you have to. Soul-restoration is Wicca-only magic – no one here at Hogwarts could do it. You're the only person I know who can."
"I guess I have to go then. What do I tell Buffy?"
"I'll tell her. You should leave immediately. Ask Dumbledore if you can use his Floo."
"Right. I'm with the going and the packing then"
As the students watched, Willow hurried out of the Hall. Catching Giles' eye, Buffy made her question clear but Giles just mouthed 'I'll tell you later' and left it at that.
I don't know if Fred and Willow already knew each other in this but I'm saying that they did for simplicity's sake. Also, I know this doesn't happen until March time of the year after but I wanted Faith here.
I don't know if you like it or if you're even reading it unless you review so, please review!!! Reviews give me smiles: (
