The month leading up to the start of the new Hogwarts School term had gone by in a flash for Naruko. By the first week of August, she had finished moving all her things into the school from her flat in London. She was now staying in a room Dumbledore and the school elves had set up for her on the first floor. The rest of the month was spent learning what her new job duties would be. By the last week before September first, the rest of the staff showed back up at the school. Which gave Naruko time to get caught up with Severus much to the man's announce but he never sent her away.
It was strange to her just how quickly the two of them fell back into their old-school ways. Severus ever the boring one always trying to work. Meanwhile, Naruko carefree trying to get him out of the dungeons and off to go look for trouble. The potions master also took the time to tell her about every worthless student and all the rule-breakers. However, Naruko has never know Severus to be what one might call a people person so she took all this information with a grain of salt.
Naruko was now sitting among the rest of the school teachers up at the staff table waiting for the arrival of the students and the first years. Today she was dressed in black l
Stockings and heels, a dark green skirt, and a silver-colored blouse. Her outfit was a homage to her Hogwarts house colors. Her hair was done up in a cascading wave that fell over her shoulders and back. Minerva had chastised her on not wearing proper wizarding robes but Naruko was quick to point out that staff members didn't have a strict dress code.
"Does it always take them this long to get here?" Naruko asked Snape who was sitting to her right, while on her left was an empty seat and just passed that was Dumbledore who was chatting with Professor McGonagall who was to his left.
"Still as inpatient as ever I see," Snape said with a small smirk which caused the blonde to pout. Just then a small brown flew into the Great Hall a letter clutched in its beak. The entire staff table watched as it flew down and landed in front of Professor Dumbledore.
Having done its job the owl left the Great Hall. Dumbledore began to quickly read the letter it had delivered to him once he was finished he handed it to Minerva for her to read.
"Minerva please take Madam Pomfrey with you I see to it that Mr. Potter is well," Dumbledore said as McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey stood up from the table and began to make their way out of the Great Hall.
"Is everything alright Albus?" Naruko asked as the stunned to look at the Headmaster.
"There has been an incident on the train involving Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said this caused Snape to give a snort of disapproval which caused Naruko to look back at him confused.
"You'll soon come to find that Potter-like his arrogant father manages to always be at the heart of every incident in this school," Snape said angrily.
"Is he as horrible as James was?" Naruko asked thinking back to how she would always get in trouble for getting into fights with the four Gryffindors whenever they picked on Severus.
"Potter along with his little friends Weasley and Granger think themselves above the rules of this school," Snape said as he quickly explained the few times they had been caught breaking rules.
"Now Severus, Naruko has yet to even meet young Harry let's not diminish how she might see the boy." Dumbledore cut in frowning a bit at how Snape still held on to his hate for James Potter.
"Of course the headmaster we wouldn't want anyone to think less of famous Harry Potter," Snape said sarcastically this completely caught Naruko by surprise at how her old school friend was acting.
"You do hate him. . . don't you," It wasn't a question but a statement from Naruko. However, before Snape could say more the doors to the Great Hall opened wide as students started to file in. Naruko watched as the house tables began to fill with the students noticed her and gave her versions looks. A lot of them started to whisper and point at her while the older boys gave her their best attempts at confident eyes. This however only caused Naruko to laugh but rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"My. . .my. . .my, aren't I the popular one," Naruko said as she took a drink from her goblet to hide a laugh. As Severus looked around the hall his eye glinted darkly at the ones in his house.
"Relax Severus I used to work in a muggle coffee shop during the day and a pub at I'm no stranger to bedroom eyes." Naruko said that she took a drink from her goblin and smiled at the man. "So don't go handing out detentions in an attempt to defend my honor." She couldn't help but laugh at the incredulous look the fell upon Snape's face. Once the first years were brought into the hall by Hagrid and Lupin for the sorting. At the two took their seats at the staff table Lupin next to Naruko. Professor Sprout called out the names in place of Professor McGonagall who was had still not return.
As Sprout started to call out names Naruko found her mind drifting off. She looked past the first years and around the tables her eyes falling on the children of former friends and enemies alike. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Bones, Weasley, Longbottom, Doggery. . . she had a history with almost all of their families for better or worse. Without really thinking about it she started to drink heavily from her goblet as her chest started to heave. The fire whiskey helps her nerves but for some of them, it was like she was at the dead. These actions didn't go unnoticed by Snape who watched her start to drink more and more.
"Naruko," He sharply said grabbing a hold of her hand to stop her from taking another drink. Snapped out of her thoughts Naruko looked up and noticed that the sorting had ended And Dumbledore was addressing the school.
"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast... ."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks, It is not like a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I, therefore, warn every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the de- mentors," he said.
Looking around the Great Hall Naruko saw many frightened looked on the student's faces at the information that the Dementors would be starting at Hogwarts. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.
"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome three new members to the Hogwarts staff this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only a few students clapped how ever Naruko surprised everyone by cheering loudly and letting out a few wolf-whistles. Much to the announcement of Snape.
"Oh come on Sev, if you taught Defense you wouldn't last a year it jinxed you know," Naruko told the man sitting next to her but this only caused the Snape to roll his eyes.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job." Once again Naruko clapped loudly along with the rest of the students the loudest of them being the Gryffindors.
"Last but not least with Hagrid now teacher this school will need a new groundskeeper. So please help me in welcoming Mr. Naruko Uzumaki Black." At this Naruko stood up from her chair and gave a bright friendly smile and wave to the crowd of students. There were a few whisper's at the sound of her last name but this was quickly drowned out the majority of the male students' loud clapping. This went on for some time till Snape had to pull her back down into her seat.
"Will you sit down," Snape said as he gave the blonde woman a cold glare.
"Oh, your no fun," Naruko said as letting out a bubble of laughter that rang clear across the hall. As she looked around the Great Hall she spotted an all too familiar pair of green eyes looking at her from among the Gryffindors.
"He does have her eyes," Naruko said silently to herself when she finally spotted Harry Potter. "Shame about the rest of his face." She finished a bit cold having never truly liked James Potter she could now understand why her old housemate hated the boy.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin." And with that he took his seat the golden plates in front of everyone were suddenly filled with food. The great hall was filled with the sounds of talking, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks.
"So Remus how was the train ride?" Naruko asked as she started to loud up her plate with food. She had always gotten along with Remus unlike the rest of his friends he was more or less the peacekeeper of the group.
"Well I was asleep through most of it you know still recovering from the night before," Lupin explained as the full moon had only just passed. "However besides the Dementors, the only thing of note was when a few Slytherin boys came to start trouble with Harry and his friends." At this Naruko turned to Severus who was eating his food however Lupin had been talking loud enough for him to hear.
"What you want Naruko," Snape said not bothering to turn his head to look at her. However, he could always feel when the blonde was looking at him.
"You students were trying to start fights on the train." She told him. "Shouldn't you hand out some punishment or something?" Even back when she was a student she never liked it when someone was trying to pick on others and Severus knows this.
"Anything that happens on the train is of no consequence to me, I can only deal with things that happen in this school." He said with a satisfied smirk at the angry huff she gave.
"Oh you prat," Naruko said as she gave the potions master a light smack on the arm. "That a horrible excuse." She said letting out another light bubble of laughter. At this many students in the great hall turned to look at the two of them with odd looks.
"So Naruko how have you been," Remus asked the blonde woman. "Last I heard you were living in London?"
"Yo yes, I got a nice quiet job at a small cafe I will miss it, but Dumbledore asked me to come back." She explained a bit. "And what about you?"
"Well I was lucky the Headmaster offered me the post right at the end of last year, it just with all this going on." Remus trailed off and Naruko understands it was hard for someone with Remus condition to find steady employment throw on top of that Sirius on the loose all eyes would be on him.
"Do you boys remember when we first meet?" Naruko asked happily as she took another large drink from her goblet. At this, She and Remus started to laugh while Snape had a smirk on his face.
"How you managed to not break your neck when you fell from the ceiling is beyond me," Snape said remembering the night of his first sorting when Potter was just sorted into Gryffindor Naruko suddenly appeared out of thin air and landed atop the boy. And so the rest of the meal was spent with her talking back and forth with Remus and Severus till finally, the feast had come to an end.
"Alright, you two off to bed tomorrow's gonna be a busy day," Naruko said rather loudly as he through her arms around bot Snape and Lupin's shoulders at this both men looked back at each other a bit awkwardly as they tried to free themselves from the woman's surprisingly strong grip. At the same time, this was going on Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Grainger had come up to the staff table to congratulate Hagrid.
"Alright Naruko let's get you to bed," Remus said as he started to get up from the table, still having Naruko hanging on his shoulder. "Severus do you know where her room is?"
"Come on it's on the first floor," Snape said as he also had a hold of the woman's arm. But soon they found that she had let go of them and was now standing up perfectly fine.
"Alright lads that will do, can't drink me under the table on the first night but it's nice to know that chivalry isn't dead." And with that, she left the great hall both men flabbergasted at here act.
"She hasn't changed has she?" Remus said as he watched the woman leave the great hall a small smile on his face.
"Yes, she has." That was all Snape said as he left the hall. Naruko had always been good at hiding her trued feeling, but he had watched her carefully tonight per Dumbledore's orders. The was surprised the woman could walk at all given how much she drank during the feast.