Disclaimer: All characters are creations of J. K. Rowling, except Rose, Mark, and some other students, who are mine.
Authors Note: I wrote this after a big ordeal with my friend and her boyfriend so I was a little love sick. Its really sappy, but the action is all towards the end I am afraid. DO NOT FLAME ME!!! I don't like it and not many other people do either.
Sirius: Awww, she's love sick! Its probably over me.
Remus: No, she loves me more! She fancies my rippling muscles!
Me: You guys are so self centered, ya know that?
Sirius: Well, it all depends on your point of view.
Harry: Can we please get on with it? I would like to hear the story then hear you two bicker!
Remus: All right! Just calm down!
Me: Well, here goes the next chapter of my first fanfic!
Remus: whispers (I am dead sexy!)
Sirius: whispers (No, I am!)


Chapter 3


A couple of weeks passed by and Harry got his annual letter from Hogwarts. He wasn't the only person to get a letter. Remus, Sirius, and even Rose got one. She didn't tell anyone else about what her letter said, she would tell them over a special dinner. She had those butterflies again when she read the letter. So she had kept a secret, her secret, until the night before Harry left for Hogwarts.
She had gotten a job at a local club. She and her band played every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night and they got well paid too! She had plenty of money for this dinner. she had even bought a recipe book! Every thing would be perfect! She got candles, a table cloth, and some wine. She spent all day while the guys were in Diagon Alley. The looks on their faces were enough to make anyone smile. They just dropped there bags, right there, and ran to the table. "Its like they have never seen food before!" Rose thought to herself.
"What's the occasion?" asked Remus.
"I got a very important letter from Dumbledore," her eyes shone a bright glint in them, she couldn't see it, but it was there.
"We all got important letters from Dumbledore," said Harry, who was now, like the rest, sitting themselves at the table.
"So, what did your letter say?" said Sirius.
"It says," Rose now was holding the letter up to read it, "dear Ms. Rose Mason; I thank you for taking care of Harry, even though I told him to stay at his Aunt Petunia's. I belive he will be even safer with you. Anyways, I have an opening for a Muggle Relations professor. I would be very grateful if you would accept this position. If you would like to take this position, please send back the enclose forms. Sincerely, Dumbledore." Everyone was surprised, to say the least. It was Remus who jumped up first, then Sirius and Harry. They all have her one big group hug. Congratulations came from everyone, and she was happy to soak it all in.
After the huge dinner, she and Remus washed dishes while Harry and Sirius tided up the house. "You'll like it there," said Remus, "just watch out for the Slytherin kids."
"Why?" she asked.
"Well, it is a required class and most...no...all of the Slytherin's hate Muggles."
"Oh, well sucks for them!" She giggled a little as Remus dropped the pot scrubber and had to fish in the dirty water for it.
"I hardly think that was funny," he contorted. A hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"I don't know, you get such a cute expression on your face when you are thinking or looking for something." She was looking at him the whole while and so was he. They stood there for a moment just staring at each other. "Well, it looks like the dishes are done," she said hastily while drying a large pot.
"Yea," a dazed expression covered his face, "yea, I guess they are." She put up the towel and she still felt a pair of eyes looking at her.
"What? What is-," she didn't get to finish her sentence. Remus had quickly come right up to her and kissed her. It was short but rich. When they separated, she promptly slapped him, "never, in my whole life have I ever meet someone so, so,...ahhhh!" She had said through clenched teeth. She stormed out of the kitchen and into her room. She left him just standing there hurt and confused.
She sat on her bed listening to music and thinking. "He had no right to do that. What was he thinking? People just don't kiss other people when ever they want. I can't believe the nerve of him!" She thought about these things. She had practice that night. Her amp was left at Don's garage, so she just picked up her guitar and walked over to Don't house.

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She came back home at about midnight. She flipped her wand out and said, "lumos," and the living room softly lit up around her. Sirius was snoring peacefully on the sofa and the people in the pictures were doing just the same. "He looks like a baby just sleeping there," she thought. She passed into the kitchen and rubbed her fingers since they were still a tad sore. She flicked on the kitchen light and set her guitar down on the table. She put her wand also on the table and prepared herself a glass of water. "Hello Rose," the voice behind her made her jump.
"Oh my! You startled me!" Her hand covered her heart as she tried to catch her breath. Remus was standing in the doorway in his boxers. She was used to seeing the guys walk around in there boxers at night, so it wasn't new to her. "I just wanted to say that I am sorry," his eyes looking at the floor and he still looked rather hurt. She just stood there shooting looks of disbelief and frustration at him. "I didn't know what I was thinking," he sat down at he table and put his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. They just stood there for a minuet. She looking at the floor, still holding her heart. He, with his head in this hands and running his fingers in his graying hair. He didn't cry, he was just a little distraught.
"That's ok, but it would have been nice to know your feelings ahead of time. Or maybe even a little warning could have helped," she was now sitting at the table next to him. Another silent pause passed.
"Can we just put it all behind us. I don't want this to get in the was of out friendship," he said, his head still in his hands. He slowly brushed back his hair and leaned back while looking at her.
"What made you do it in the first place?" She asked, glaring at him all the while.
"Can we please just put it behind us?"
"No Remus, we are going to discus this like normal people. Now why did you do it in the first place?"
"Well," he leaned forward again to look at her more closely, "your a kind, beautiful...listen, it was just for a moment and we should forget about it, ok?"
"Alright, fine, just be that way why don't you?" Again, frustrated and confused, she got her stuff and walked to her room. She closed her door and got ready for bed. Just as she started to drift off to sleep, there was a soft knock at the door. She flipped on a light and opened the door. Remus was there and he looked even sadder. She hugged him tightly and they stayed that way for a few minuets. "I am sorry I can't love you," she whispered in his ear. She kissed him on the cheek and they went back to their beds and had a restless nights sleep.
At breakfast the nest morning, she and Remus didn't look or talk to each other. "What's wrong?" Sirius asked when she walked into the kitchen. Remus wasn't up yet, and Harry was pouring himself a bowl of cereal at the table.
"Nothing, just still tired from last nights practice," she replied. She grabbed herself a bowl and sat down at the table to pour herself some cereal.
"Good morning," Remus said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the table to read the Daily Prophet.
"We need to leave in a couple of hours if we want to have time to get there," said Sirius with a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.
"Ok," Harry said, "I guess I will go pack!" And with that, Harry left to go and pack his trunk. What seemed like hours was actually 15 minuets they spent doing there own thing. She wondered were Sirius was going to stay. "Hey Sirius, why don't you come with me to Hogwarts?"
"Um, I really don't know," he said.
"Come on, you can turn into a dog so I don't think people will notice that much," she said back.
"I guess, but I think I need to let Dumbledore know of my arrival," he looked a little apprehensive to the idea.
"You can come as my pet and no one will know the difference!" She didn't know why but she felt like he had to come with.
"Sirius, we still need to find the others and gather them. We know were Arabella Figg is, but the rest are still missing," Remus said. He was totally into the conversation. His paper was in his lap and his mug was now empty.
"I know," he replied, "Rose, I know you want me to be there, but Remus is right. We are having problems finding the old Auror group. Dumbledore gave us the order to find them and get back together. I am really sorry Rose."
She sat there, a little hurt, but she said back, "Ok, I didn't know." They finished the rest of their breakfast in silence. All she could think about was what her first day of class was going to learn. When she and Harry got there trunks packed, Sirius called for a cab and they made there way to King's Cross. The whole drive was silent. Harry was looking through a book called 'Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland,' Remus was lightly napping, and Sirius was in his dog form and he was letting her pet him.
As they all piled out of the cab, she turned to Remus and said, "I will miss you." He didn't say anything, he just lightly touched her face and help grab a trunk out of the cab. They quickly walked over to the place between platforms 9 and 10, as it was now 11:23. Two at a time, Harry and Sirius first, they went through the barrier to platform 9 and three-quarters. Rose and Remus stayed behind for a few moments to hug and she gave him another peak on the cheek. When they went through the barrier, many parents and their kids backed away from Remus. "What's a werewolf doing here?" and, "kids don't get near him, he might bite," could be heard in the crowd. Along with many other rude comments and sputterings of deep loathing. He turned to her then, "maybe I shouldn't have come here."
"No," she said, "I want you here." She gave him a little of an awkward grin and playfully touched his chest. They turned away to look for Harry and Sirius.
"Hey, over here!" Harry came running towards them with a tall red haired boy, and a frizzy blonde haired girl following closely at his heels. Sirius was also close behind.
"Hi again Harry," said Rose, "who are these people? Friends of yours?" The frizzy blonde was roughly carrying an old and tattered looking cat in her arms. The ragged cat was busily hissing at the cage which held a seemingly small, hyperactive brown barn owl. The red haired boy kept cursing at the cat while Harry spoke.
"Yes, this is Ron," he said and pointed to him, "and this is Hermione." They quickly said hi and then turned back to getting the cat and owl to chill.
"Well, lets best be off then," she bent down to give Sirius a final hug. A tear came to his eye as she whispered in his ear, "I'll miss you." Then, she turned to Remus and also gave him a final hug. They stood there, holding each other until Harry broke them apart.
"Come on Aunt Rose, we need to go!" Harry shouted over a shrill train whistle. Rose went to the luggage car and loaded her stuff up and then went looking for Harry and his friends. She found them about two boxes from the back and she quickly swept past Ron and opened the window.
"Bye Remus! Bye Snuffles!" She shouted at them, the train then started to move and they quickly fell from her sight. The last glimpse she saw of them was them waving at her and Remus blowing her a kiss. She closed the window and settled down between the wall and Ron. "I sure will miss them," she dreamily said while starring into space.
"So will I," she realized the Hermione girl had said it. She was quite a pretty girl. Her hair was sandy blonde, but rather frizzy. They just kind of sat there and reminisced on many miscellaneous things. Rose thought of the kiss she got last night. She still got a little angered by it. She didn't really know what to think now. Instead she thought of the possible ideas for tomorrows class. While all these thoughts went through her head, the kids had a along conversation about there summer. Rose's heart raced whenever she thought about teaching. But what if she sucked at it? What if she wasn't cut out for teaching? Her thoughts were disturbed by the vender lady with the cart. She bought some of Berttie Botts Every Flavor Beans, of which she never tried before, and the first bean was caramel corn. Over half the beans tasted very bad.
"Aunt Rose?" Harry asked.
"Yes?"
"Are you ok? You look a little pale." She never realized just how scared she must look. She had never taught before and many nightmarish thoughts ran through her head.
"Yea, I am fine," she lied. Her hands were shaking violently and her breath became short and raspy. "I hate my thoughts," she thought to herself, "I keep scaring myself."
"I need to use the restroom, is there one on this train?" Rose asked.
"Not that I know of," Ron said back.
"Never mind then," she saw the looks on the faces and saw concern in their eyes. She stopped eating the candy and pulled out a book instead. She the book in Diagon Alley, in Flourish & Blotts. It was about understanding and reading peoples minds. She didn't know why she bought the book, it was just an impulse buy. Soon, her nerves dies down and they arrived at Hogwarts. She put the book back into her bag and stepped off with the rest of the students.
"Ms. Mason," a stuffy looking woman with square glasses appeared suddenly on the platform. "Ms. Mason, I am Professor McGonagall. After the opening feast, I will give you a tour of Hogwarts and show you to your classroom."
"Oh thank you. There is an opening feast?"
"Yes, after we get to the castle, I will introduce you to Dumbledore."
"Thanks again. Do I need to get my stuff?" They had now stepped into a carriage without horses and had started off towards Hogwarts.
"No, the house elves will take care of it."
"Oh," Rose just sat there, looking a little bewildered by it all. They were mostly silent for the whole ride. When they got to the main entrance, a short, old, balding man with long gray hair and beard stood waiting for them.
"Hello Rose, I am Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of this school, and I am now going to show you to the banquet hall."
"Pleased to meet you," she said. There was a short tour on the way to the banquet hall. She really liked this place. She liked the gigantic tapestries, and the tall ceilings that went with it. Dumbledore seemed rather excited, even thought he was holding it back. She was rather jumpy herself since she had gotten there. The very thought of her being a teacher right out of school was just awesome to her. They arrived to a small door with what looked like the school's crest on it. When he opened the door, it opened up to a sort of small stage with a long table and chairs on it. She noticed that the rest of the room was round and that four other tables, longer than the one on the stage, were there. Thos tables were also decorated with different colored tablecloths, and a piece of what looked like a crest was upon the walls behind each table.
"Please sit down," Dumbledore pulled out a chair and motioned her to sit down. She sat in the chair between a rather huge burley man and an ugly guy with greasy black hair. She looked down at the gold plates and then up to the ceiling which looked like the midnight sky. Her hands picked up a napkin as she waited patiently for the, what looked like a fest, to start. Just then, Professor McGonagall appeared carrying a three legged stool and a worn out beat up pointed hat. McGonagall sat the hat atop the now resting stool and quickly walked off. Out of the blue, it started to sing.

(I had one all ready done, but it really sucks. So, for your sake, I left it out.)

People clapped for it as Professor McGonagall pulled out a scroll and stood a little behind it. McGonagall opened the scroll and started reading the names. "Diana Harvey," a scared little girl with many freckles put on the hat. GRYFFINDOR! Shouted the hat. The girl got up and went to a table. A boy sitting close to the end waved furiously at her. It was Harry. She waved back as another student, a boy, was put into Ravenclaw. "Ivy Night," a short girl with frizzy blonde hair stepped up to put on the hat. HUFFLEPUFF! Shouted the hat. "Richard Quinn," a tall boy with messy brown hair and a ruddy shirts came to put on the hat. After what seemed like 10 minuets, the hat finally shouted HUFFLEPUFF! About five more people came after him, each to there respective houses.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore was now standing up at his seat and talking to the rest of the Great Hall. "Now, I know that many frightening things have happened since last year, but everyone in this building is perfectly safe. So, lets forget about that and move on towards another great and fun year," all the students listened attentively to him. She could see that a big smile was on his face and his eyes were all a twinkle. "We also have two new teachers this year. Our new Defence Agenst the Dard Arts teacher is Profeser Mark McGregor," he pointed to a rather handsome man with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Mark smiled and politely waved back to the crowd. "Also, out Muggle Relations teacher has retired. I know he will be sorely missed, but we have an new teacher to replace him. Her name is Professor Rose Mason," He motioned towards her and she also have a polite smile and a wave back. "So, now that I have said all that needs to be said, I will now say this. Lets eat!" And with that, the plates in front of them suddenly filled with food. Everyone else was digging in and many conversations started. Everyone was enjoying themselves but Rose. She looked at the food with great disgust. She had never seen this kind of food before. It looked rather nasty, it bubbled and it seemed to have a olive tinge to it. It smelled awful and she curled up her nose for only a moment then went back to pouring herself some pumpkin juice. She didn't eat much. She had a few bites of mashed potatoes and she tried some Sheppard's pie, which she didn't like either, and the only thing she had allot of was pumpkin juice and mulled cider. She loved the mulled cider. She was just about to drink a whole pitcher when Mark stopped her, "had enough to drink?"
"I am not really hungry," she said as she took another sip from her cup. She didn't get a good look at him until now. He had bright blue eyes, short almost buzzed blonde hair, slightly tan skin, and a silver stud shown on his left ear.
"Its ok, I am not either," she looked at his plate and found it still had much food on it.
"Well, I am just nervous."
"Don't worry about it to much, I bet you will do fine."
"I bet you will too," she gave him a little smile. A few moments later the food and drinks all disappeared and were replaced by delicious looking pastries, pies, and various desserts. She had so much pumpkin pie and cider she thought she would puke.
"I thought you weren't hungry," Mark said to her while she stuffed a rather large piece of pumpkin pie on her mouth.
"I couldn't let a good pie go to waste," they both had a good laugh. They spent the rest of the night laughing and talking about there possible ideas for the first day of class.
Soon the food disappeared and Dumbledore gave a final speech. Almost as soon at hte students all left, McGonagall came to her side. "How do you like the school so far?" She asked, her voice was still stiff, much like her appearance.
"I love it here. It is so much bigger and older then the school I went to," she felt a slight rush of cool air as a huge door opened to a large hallway. The walls were covered with moving portraits of people, various animals, and scenes of nature.
"Well then I hope you enjoy your years of teaching here," their footsteps made soft sounding echo's off the stone walls.
"Years? Just how long will I be working here?"
"As long as you like. I have worked here for over twenty years," they started towards a rather medieval looking green door, "here we are." She pulled a ring of heavy keys out of a pocket and unlocked the ugly door. The inside was dark so McGonagall pulled out her wand and lit it. She came to find that it was not a classroom, but a spiral up-ward staircase. They seemed to walk forever until they came to a thick heavily rusted metal door. And it too was unlocked and opened, the inside was still dark. "Wait here," McGonagall took her hand up agenst the wall, as if searching for something. An instinct urged her to do the same and, to her surprise, found a light switch and flipped it on. "Thank you," she said promptly. The room looked full of useless junk. It was a huge mess with no end in sight. She then let out a shriek of complete terror, turned around, and put her head in her hands. It was a mess, one big horrible mess. It was already about ten o'clock at night and the room was a mess. She quickly regained her composer and turned around again to face McGonagall.
"Its perfect," her voice sounded confident to her own ear. McGonagall shot her a look as if to say, "are you mad?" Her eyebrow raised with that look, giving it more emphasis.
"Good for you. Well, good night and good luck," and with that she quickly made her way out of the room and closed the door. For a few moments she just stood there. Wandering in her mind about what to do next. The most obvious and important thing was to clean it. She took a few steps towards another door in the back. As she made her way towards it, a sliver of silver caught her eye. It was a silver key, halfway hidden under a pile of magazines on the desk. She took it and got to the door. She noticed it was locked and use the key to open it. The key turned with much effort and it creaked slowly open. She found another light switch and flipped it on too. Inside lay a large four poster bed and a nightstand with a wardrobe next to it. The room looked cramped but maybe that's because they were in a tower. She saw that her stuff was already put away and that her falcon, Isis, was in her cage fast asleep.
It took her almost all night to clean up the mess. As she drifted to sleep, her thoughts turned to Remus. When he kissed her she felt angered by it. He just stopped what he was doing and kissed her, no warning at all. Yet, something felt so at peace with it. It wasn't a very big feeling but it still held its space. He had kissed her, and he had kissed her good. She slowly recalled how it felt. Soft and strong, all at once. For that short moment her heart thundered murderously in her chest, and she felt her blood rush through her veins. It was as if she had finally woken up from a deep dreamless sleep. She remembered what his body felt like pressing agenst hers. Not to hard, he had held her softly. His hands on her hips and hers were still holding a dish towel. He had caught her off guard. He didn't earn that kiss and he certainly wasn't going to die if he didn't kiss her. So why did he do it? Yet, there was that feeling again, and the memories of that single fleeting moment.
The only thing she knew is that she wanted to feel that rich and tender kiss again.

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Alright, you can flame me on this chapter. It took a whole darn month to write it because of my homework and rehersals for the school play. AHHHHH!No matter now. I am on spring break (finally!) and I get a whole week to write whatever I want!/p
PS. If some of this dosen't make sense, don't mind it. I was half asleep while writting most of this./p
Sirius: Hey sexy! Can I give you a kiss too? ::grabs Rose and kisses her::/p
me: Thanks! I didn't get much of a warning from you either./p
Sirius: Well, it was only fair. My best friend got to kiss one of the prettiest girls in the world. Why can't I?/p
me: Good point! ::starts kissing him some more::