Ch 37
By 8 that night the last of the guests were gone and after a few cleaning spells Sinead's house was back to it's original condition. Trent had offered to take Danny into London with them since he was flying out early the next morning.
"You take care of yourself." Danny said pulling Sinead into a tight hug. Unlike all her other friends, Danny wasn't thrilled with the idea of her working at Hogwarts.
"Danny, it's perfectly safe. I'm safer there then here."
"At least here you're close to Maggie, Bill, Trent, and Sophia."
"Danny, please I don't want to argue with you."
"Fine, call me or e-mail if you need anything and I'll be on the next flight."
"Your going to be far too busy with your clients to worry about me. Anyway I'm having dad and Uncle G come out for Thanksgiving so Jerry and Becs will feel more at home if you'd like to come."
"I'll see how work is going. Maybe it's better if I come for Christmas."
Sinead shook her head.
"I need to get changed so I can go."
"Alright, talk to you soon." He kissed her forehead as Sophia forced him into the floo with Danny.
"See you later." Sophia said watching the green flames take her husband away. She then entered the fireplace with Danny's bag and was gone moments later.
Sinead hurried getting ready and then walked outside to apparate into London. She apparated not far from the first stop on the list and made her way into the station looking around and not seeing Harry, it was listed that her frequented the cafes and when she found it empty Sinead moved on to the second stop. She smirked seeing Harry chatting to a girl who worked in the cafe. After giving him some time to talk to her Sinead made her way inside.
"Sinead, what are you doing here?" Harry asked.
"I've come to get you. Our presence is requested by your Headmaster." Harry glanced at the girl who was filling up someone else's coffee.
"Come on, we're going to be late." Harry followed Sinead out of the cafe and she lead him to an area which was darker.
"Take my arm, we're going to apparate."
Harry took Sinead's arm and when he opened his eyes they were in a small village and Albus Dumbledore was standing before them.
"Come, we are on a tight schedule." Albus led the way to a house.
"Horace!" He asked walking inside to see the house destroyed.
Sinead's wand was out and she was standing in front of Harry. Albus spotted a chair and poked it. The chair transformed back into a man.
"Let me begin the introductions. Harry and Sinead, this is an old colleague and friend Horace Slughorn. Horace, you no doubt know who Harry is and I'm betting you know of Sinead's work."
"Sinead…..Sinead O'Neil? I hear you just opened a shop in Hogsmeade, it's a pleasure to meet both you and Harry." He said shaking their hands.
"Glad to meet you." Sinead said with a smile.
"Mind if I use the loo?" Albus said as Horace pointed in towards the back of the house.
"Harry, I taught your mother. She was one of my more talented students. See, she's right here on the front of the bunch." Horace pointed out a few important people as Harry looked on slightly impressed.
"Horace, do you mind if I take this? I do love knitting patterns." Albus said holding up a muggle knitting magazine. "Come Harry and Sinead. We should be going?"
"So soon? You just got here."
"I know a lost cause when I see one. Maybe Sinead will be willing to take the position of Potions Mistress, I already offered her a part time position and-"
"I accept but I want a raise and Professor Merrythought's old office."
"Thank you, Horace. I think that you'll find Sinead to be a great help." Albus escorted Sinead and Harry outside.
"Do you need me-"
"If you could take Harry to the Weasley's." Sinead nodded as Albus disappeared.
"Ready?" Sinead asked as Harry took her arm. They apparated on the edge of the Weasley's property and Sinead lowered the wards to let them in. As they entered the kitchen Molly came bustling over.
"Oh Harry, welcome." She said hugging him and sending him upstairs.
"Everything ok?"
"Yes, we were just recruiting a Potions professor."
"You?" Molly asked beaming.
"No, not me. Horace Slughorn is returning to his old post."
"It still makes me feel better with you on the grounds even if it is part time."
"I should be getting home, I have a lot to get to tomorrow."
"Ok, thank you for the party today. It's the first time in awhile that I have seen everyone so happy."
"That was the aim of it. Just give everyone some time to relax and be happy." Sinead and Molly said goodbye and Sinead walked over to the floo and arrived back at her house moments later.
A few days later Sinead received an owl that gave the information about the pre-school year faculty meeting and attached was another note from Albus asking if she would be willing to take on first year Potions since Horace would be overwhelmed. Sinead met up with Tonks, Sophia, and Maggie for a bit of shopping and glanced at a large ring on Maggie's finger.
"Oh my! Is that what I think it is and you didn't tell me right away?!" Sinead said as a crowd on Diagon Alley stopped to watch them.
"It is!" Maggie squealed as Sinead pulled her into a hug and the other girls started their congratulations.
"This is so awesome!" Sophia said.
"Come on we should go celebrate! Have you two set a date or anything?" Sinead asked as Maggie nodded.
"We were hoping sometime soon. You know with everything that's going on we both think it's best."
"Here or back home?"
"Here."
"If you need a place, you can have the wedding at my house."
"Really?"
"Yes, your grandmother and sister can stay at my place and I can always stay at Hogwarts." Maggie hugged Sinead.
"Your the best, will you be my maid of honor?"
Sinead grinned and nodded.
"Of course."
"Great, it's going to be a small wedding. Bill is going to ask Max to be his best man and he only has his sister and her husband to invite."
"This is going to be great. I can help you with the planing since Trent and I married quick."
"You girls are the best, if I was having a big wedding you two would be in the wedding party as well."
"We understand but I'm planning your bachelorette party since you planned my wild one when Sinead didn't want to get too crazy."
Tonks gave Sinead a smile.
"We won't be in over our head will we?" She whispered.
"No, I'll make sure of it."
The girls spent the day shopping, Maggie found a dress she liked and Sinead volunteered to pay for it as well as pay for their honeymoon as a wedding present.
"Oh Sinead, you're too good to me."
"Your like the sister I never had. I'll surprise you two with the honeymoon."
"Don't worry about Caleb, I'll asked my grandmother to stick around for a few days and she can watch him."
After the girls finished shopping they went to a bar for a few drinks. Tonks and Sinead stopped at two knowing they would need to help get Sophia and Maggie home.
Two days later was the staff meeting and Sinead was working in Hogsmeade at the shop. She had already spoke to Sarah and Max who were more than willing to be flexible with their apprenticeship. Sinead made sure everything was in order before she walked up to the castle. Severus met her inside the gates.
"I hear you'll be teaching first years." Sinead nodded with a small smile."Don't go easy on them, I won't have them spoiled when they come to my class."
"I can handle a bunch of 11 year olds, Severus. I have some news, Maggie and Bill are getting married." He was silent letting her go into detail about the plans. They arrived in the staff room just as the others were arriving. Minerva and Poppy gave Sinead a friendly hello as Albus called the groups attention.
"We have a few staffing changes this year. Severus will be taking over Defense Against the Dark Arts, Horace has returned to teach Potions years 2 through 7, and we have a new addition Sinead O'Neil has agreed to teach first year Potions and tutor those students who need additional help."
The group seemed pleased with the changes and after a few security changes Albus dismissed the group.
"Sinead, I look forward to working with you this year. I have no doubt that the first years will love you and learn a lot from you. Will you be living at Hogwarts?"
"Right now, I'll be staying here a few nights a week when I'll be tutoring later in the day but I need to be able to work with my two apprentices at my home lab."
"Two apprentices, that is very impressive."
"They are part time but both of them are doing well. They work well together and help out in my shop in Hogsmeade the days they are not working with me." Horace nodded and looked over the class schedule.
"You have a great class times, Double Potions with Gryffindor and Slytherin on Monday and a regular class on Wednesday and Friday then Double Potions with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw on Wednesday and regular classes on Monday and Friday. These classes are back to back giving me a nice break on Fridays. You have a large break on the other two days."
"Yes, I plan on going into the shop on those days to brew. I'll be working with my apprentices during that time as well as Tuesday and Thursday mornings."
To be continued with the sequel Daylight