Penny Dredfule Chapter Three
Trelawny's Replacement and Her Prediction.

Penny looked down at the list of books she had magicked out of her wand.

"Muggles, and the Mind Games They Play"
"Bobby, the Muggle Who Thought He Was A Stud, and Wasn't"
"Muggle Dating, Does It Make Sense To You?"
"Muggle Men, the Secrets Behind Their Words"
"Muggle Women and Their Love For Life."

"Hmm…" she said out loud, a little to gender biased. But it'll have to do. " She sat down exhausted. Doing magic takes a lot out of a lady, she thought.

Morris jumped up on her lap. "Hey baby, hows my special man?" he purred loudly and rubbed his head against her hand. "You want some lovin'?" she smiled and began to pet him right between the ears.

There was a knock at the door. Professor McGonagall opened the door, and stood there in a robe of flowing red. "I thought I'd wear something a bit more festive. It's not to much is it?"

Penny looked McGonnagall up and down. "Not at all." She said smiling.

"We should get going," McGonagall said, "The sorting ceremony is about to start. Morris can stay here, if you like, or he can lounge in your quarters."

"My what?"

McGonagall laughed. "Where did you think you would sleep? On your desk? Come, I'll show you your rooms before we head down."

Morris seemed to understand that there would be a bed in the rooms, because he jumped up into her arms and let out a cute little mew, to show his appreciation.

McGonagall led Penny down long corridors and brought her in front of a painting. In the painting, a lovely woman in white was standing next to an old well, surrounded on all sides by trees and a lake. The womans white dress seemed to move, it was so well painted. Penny paused. The womans dress WAS moving.

"Hello!" the woman said, "My names Brigit! Welcome to your room, Professor Dredfule! Oh, and what would you like your password to be?"

"Password?" said Penny.

"Oh, yes," said McGonagall, "every Professor has a password to protect their rooms privacy. As do all the dormitories. Security reasons too, as well. You can pick anything you like. I'll plug my ears while you whisper it to Brigit."

Penny thought for a moment. Password, password, password. My kingdom for a password! She thought for a little bit, and a word came to her. She leant over to Brigits ear and whispered:

"….Fireska…"

Brigit gasped. "My Lady," she said, "I haven't heard that word spoken for several years. How did you come to know of that word?"

"I just thought of it."

"Surely?"

"Yes, Brigit, why?"

"That word is a powerful word from the Before, only able to be spoken by a powerful Enchanter! It is said, that when the Enchanter is very young, and he or she whispers that word, their magic shall bloom!"

"Your pretty knowledgeable for a painting."

"I may be a painting, my Lady, but I've been around."

"But I just thought of the word, that's all."

"It is said that when the magic is ready to be used, the word will come to them. Truly I have been blessed to guard such a woman as yourself."

"Um, kay." Penny said. "Minerva?"

McGonagall unplugged her ears, and came over to Penny. "Yes?"

"Repeat after me, Fireska."

McGonagall tried to say the word, but her tongue couldn't manage it. She tried again. Her tongue seemed to grow in size. As soon as McGonagall stopped trying to say the word, her tongue shrinked back to normal size. "That was fun dear," she said, "but highly unproductive. Shall we look at your room?"

Penny looked at Brigit. Brigit winked.

The painting opened up to reveal a large spacious room of Dark CherryOak. A large four poster bed hung with blue gauze draped over its poles. There was a beurau with a mirror, large and beautiful, and a small bathroom off to the side. It was a magnificent room.

Morris, sensing comfort, leaped down from Penny's arms, and settled down for a nice snuggle with the down comforter.

"It's beautiful…" Penny breathed.

"Glad you like it. I oversaw the decorating myself. I felt it needed another womans touch."

"But aren't there other woman professors here besides yourself?"

"Oh, yes. There's Professor Sinistra, the Astronemy profssor, and Professor Trelawny, the Divination Professor. However, Trelawny is off on holiday, thank the Gods! Can't stand that woman! We have a replacement. Another new professor such as yourself."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Professor Sheryll Townsend. Quite a wonderful Clairvoyant. You'll be meeting her at the Start of the Year Feast. Shall we go?"

* * *

The sorting ceremony was over quickly, and all the new students were sorted out into their houses. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hefflepuff. Everyone looked really happy, and glad to eat after such a long trip.

Penny was seated in between Albus Dumbledore and McGonagall. Across from her, there was an empty seat.

McGonagall and Dumbledore chatted pleasantly with her, and Hagrid, who was to Pennys right, kept shouting out for more wine. He seems like a nice enough fellow, Penny thought, if a little lonely. Perhaps he needs a pet?, she thought to herself.

She looked down the table at those she had been introduced to. Professors Flitwick, Sinistra, Binns, Sprout and Snape were at the table. The others were seeing to the state of the dormitories, and readying them for the students, old and new.

Professor Snape kept winking at her, and made some lewd gestures with his fingers and his tongue. She looked away quickly with a shudder. That'd be like shagging a mule, she thought.

There was a bit of ruckus as a woman came up to the professor's table and sat down across from Penny. "Sorry I'm late everyone," she said a little short of breath, "Peeves thought it was great fun chasing me up and down the corridors!" she looked around merrily, and her gaze stopped on Penny.

The other woman was quite pretty, with curly brownish blonde hair that hung to her shoulders, a kind face with dark eyes and a ready smile. "You must be Penny?" she said, "I'm Sheryll. May I see your hand?"

"I'm sorry?"

"May I see your hand?" she said, "Please?"

Penny gave Sherryl her hand. Sheryll looked at her hand.

"Oh, to hold the hand of an Enchanter!" Sheryll whispered.

Penny choked on some cocoa. "But I'm no Enchanter, I'm a Muggle!"

"Oh, on the contrary dear," she said, "for you have the mark of the star on your left palm. Did you never wonder about this?"

Penny looked at her hand. There, as always, were the grooves of her lifeline, her love line, and the lines of the planets. They all formed a five-pointed star.

"You're quite a powerful one at that, to judge by the lines. Usually, with Enchanters, the lines are broken in places. Your lines make a solid, five-pointed star. Well, well," she said, "this is going to be an interesting year."

"But I'm NOT an ENCHANTER!"

The rest of the Professors at the table looked at Penny. "Sorry, " she said, "just, um, voicing my opinion."

The conversation resumed around them. Sheryll leaned in close to Penny. "I know quite a bit on this. See you in my rooms later?" she smiled, leaned back, and began talking to Hagrid, who was complementing her on the way Sherryls hair seemed to glow like fire flies flying over a patch of dried grass.

Penny sat back and guzzled down her glass of cocoa. An Enchanter? She thought. "But how is that possible?…."