I'm wondering, would anyone be willing to be a beta for this story? I don't usually do betas because, well, I'm not sure where to find them but would like one on this fic. If you're interested please contact me at ladyeclectic@hotmail.com. :D

DISCLAIMER: The Harry Potter-verse belongs to JKRowling. Basically, I'm stealing (but as I'm not getting paid I don't think I'm in too much legal trouble). Star Pellerin belongs to CrystalStarGuardian here on FF.net; if you like slash then I guarentee you'll like her works. :) Anyway, on with the show!!! :-)




CHAPTER THREE

"Class, may I have your attention?" Professor Shaw called, and heads swiveled around from their muggle artifacts to focus on her. "I would like to introduce Ms. Aiylea Stanhope, Hogwarts' resident Muggle expert. If you all could please put away the visual aides and give her your attention."

As the various items the class was studying (which included, to Leah's amusement, an old fashioned telephone, a computer mouse, a remote control to who knew what, and something that looked curiously like a bike peddle) were put back into the chests at the end of each long table, Leah joined the professor at the front of the room. She had difficulties keeping a straight face at some of the things she saw the students putting away, and couldn't keep an amused snort in when she saw several carefully fingering a microphone headset as if it might explode in their hands.

Professor Shaw gave her a strange look but addressed the class. "Ms. Stanhope is the daughter of Professor Collins, the new Defense teacher, and has consented to helping out with our Muggle studies class this year. She has lived in the Muggle world for a number of years and has a good grasp on several concepts."

That's an understatement if ever there was one, Leah thought. She figured she knew more about muggles than even the Professor herself did if the various 'visual aides' were any clue.

"Now if you could please give her your attention ... I will turn you over to her hands." The last part said, Professor Shaw stepped back and gave Leah the spotlight.

Butterflies erupted throughout the younger woman's stomach as all eyes turned to her. What had seemed so simple mere moments ago suddenly seemed much more complicated and, she had to admit, a bit daunting. Still, she stepped forward, giving the professor a small nod and addressed the class. "It's a pleasure to be here, and I look forward to meeting you all. As Professor Shaw told you, my name is Leah, and since I'm not going to be a real teacher you can just call me by my first name. Now, a bit about me and my 'experience'." As she said the last word she drew her hands up and bobbed both the index and middle fingers in the nearly universal quote sigh; the gesture only garnered her strange looks from several in the class and she grinned.

"As you heard I'm also Professor Collins' daughter. I was raised in California, over in the States, and attended Muggle schools from the time I was little until just last year when I graduated college. If that doesn't already give it away then I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm a Muggle."

Surprised murmuring broke out across the room but Leah just nodded. Several hands went up and she pointed to a boy near the front. "But if you're a Muggle," he exclaimed, only to be interrupted by Professor Shaw.

"Mister Finch-Fletchly, you will introduce yourself then ask your question," the professor admonished.

"Okay," the boy replied, still in an eager tone, "my name is Justin Finch-Fletchly and if you're really a Muggle how did you get into Hogwarts? I mean, isn't it protected by spells and such to keep your kind out?"

"Jus-tin," Professor Shaw exclaimed, throwing a glance at Leah," you will not be so disrespectful...!"

"It's alright Professor, I'm used to it," Leah said, giving the teacher a small smile to show it truly was all right. "I grew up in the wizard word, after all."

"But really," the professor muttered darkly, "your kind..."

"He does have a point though," Leah countered logically, turning her attention back to Justin, who looked a little pink around the ears. "My mother, when she was offered the post, requested that I be allowed to stay here as well. Okay, if you know my mother she's rather intense at times so it would be better to say she demanded I stay here if she was going to. Dumbledore agreed, and here I am. So in answer, generally my kind can't see this castle let alone come into it, but I've had several charms cast that allow me to be able to do both."

Justin looked thoroughly abashed at his words but hands went up from all over the room. Leah pointed at another girl with a blue scarf on, who stood up to ask her question. "Morgan Dunning, ma'am. What's the Muggle world like?"

Leah gave a startled laugh. "Quite an ambiguous question, Miss Dunning. What's it like..." Leah pondered the question a moment then shrugged. "It's a lot like the wizarding world, only much different. Instead of magic, we have technology. In place of broomsticks we have cars. I have got to show you mine sometime though, she is one serious beaut!" Leah grinned sheepishly as her statement garnered dubious looks from the students. "Anyway, back on subject: instead of floo powder we have airplanes to take us the long distances quickly. Instead of owls we have a Post Office to deliver mail, or use a telephone to talk across thousands of miles instead of a fireplace. We do everything the hard way because we have to, whether it's tying our shoes, braving rush hour traffic to get to work, or having to slave for hours cleaning house for guests." Leah pointed to another girl across the room.

"Anna Grieves. But don't you miss magic?"

"You can't miss what you've never had," Leah replied with a gentle smile. "Still...see, I was brought up in both the Muggle and Wizard worlds. I've seen both sides of the coin - been rather forced to, really. As such I've seen it from all angles, which, let me tell you, made for a very screwed-up childhood. Imagine watching kids ride their broomsticks while visiting one set of friends or family, then not being able to talk about it with another group of friends because they'd think you were a freak. No," and here Leah's expression grew introspective, "sometimes I really wished I had my mother's powers, able to do just about anything with a simple wave of my wand...but there's also a sense of accomplishment in doing it yourself, you know? Like building something on your own, no matter what the finished product is like, and knowing you did that, that it was you who made the popsicle-stick house look more like the leaning tower of Pisa and superglued your fingers together so that your mother had to magick them apart..." She trailed off then shrugged again, smiling a bit. "You come up with alternative ways to do things without magic, simple as that."

She pointed to a boy with a green badge on his robes. "James Cromwell. So which side do you think is better?"

"Boy," Leah chuckled, "that's a loaded question if ever I heard one. Honestly, I don't think either one is better than the other. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages..."

"What disadvantages do wizards have?" the same boy asked, a belligerent look on his face. Around him several others snickered softly.

"Off the top of my head? Pride is a definite disadvantage," Leah countered. "Never underestimate a Muggle who has your number, who's caught onto your game. That's a problem with many wizarding folk, they take for granted that just because they have magic at their disposal they are automatically better than those who don't. You take away most wizards' wands and leave them alone in the Muggle world, unable to apparate or enjoy any perks that come with magic, and they wouldn't stand a chance."

Leah pointed to another girl also wearing a green badge and scarf. "Star Pellerin," the girl said, a sarcastic note in her voice. "What advantages do Muggles have over us then? We've got memory charms, levitating spells, transfiguring capabilities and the like that your kind don't have."

Bristling at the phrase but waving a now enraged Professor Shaw down, Leah said smoothly, "But you need a wand to do that. Take that away and all of you in this room are helpless. My mother taught me early on several ways to avoid being caught off guard by a witch or wizard's spells, some of which I may show you in future class sessions. The trick is to constantly keep your eyes open and alert for magical enemies, something the majority of Muggles cannot do because they don't know any better. That, and be quick on your feet; if the spell can't hit you then it can't work can it?

"Now," she stated, briskly clapping her hands, "any more questions not pertaining to 'wizard versus muggle' arguments? I will happily debate the subject with anyone in private, but as this is a class on the Muggle world and not an opinion poll ... yes ma'am."

Another girl, this one wearing a blue badge, stood. "Amanda Miller. Why is your last name different than Professor Collins'?"

Leah's eyebrows went up. "A personal question," she replied, but was glad to get out of the combative debate. "Because, to be honest, she's not my real mother. My parents were killed when I was young by...well, and Haley adopted me soon afterwards." Nobody seemed to notice her glossing over any details, for which she was relieved. "She'd always been friends with my family even with them being Muggles and didn't know the truth about her. It was also difficult for her to adopt because I was so obviously a Muggle. Yes, sir."

"Oscar Stanton. You said you just graduated from college? What is the school system like with Muggles?"

"A very good question, Mister Stanton," Leah said, smiling at the Hufflepuff and launching into a mini-lecture about muggle school systems in America. Several, she saw, were taking notes on what she said but Leah also saw that a few students were also eying her with obvious distaste.

That nearly all of these wore green badges didn't escape her notice.



"Well, Professor Snape? Mind telling me where you have been?"

"If you will excuse me," Snape all but snarled, but Haley again wouldn't let him pass. The potions professor was of the sudden mindset to simply transport her far away, but he didn't think Dumbledore would highly approve of that.

"I'd just like to know where a fellow teacher went off to for the past several hours," Haley said innocently even as her eyes narrowed. "Interrupting your class, sending the students packing mid-lesson..."

"It is none of your business," Snape hissed, again attempting to move past the witch. He could feel the stress of the situation starting to get to him, and he needed to see Dumbledore.

"It is my business," Haley hissed back, getting right up in his face and again blocking his way in the narrow hall, "if it is harming this school or any of its inhabitants. Especially," she added in a lower voice, her gaze boring into his, "in light of recent events that seem connected to your own dubious past."

"I assure you, I have no idea what you are talking about," Snape replied drolly, meeting her glare with a faintly sardonic expression.

"Oh," Haley asked, again all innocent, "does this mean you've forgotten your stint as a Death Eater?"

Snape's expression became one of martyred tolerance and he rolled his eyes. "I have no time," he stated cynically, "for yet another self righteous do-gooder to throw alleged past sins in my face, Ms. Collins. Now, if you will excuse me..." He pointed his wand, hidden previously beneath his robes, at the ground. "Affixio."

"I don't..." Haley's mouth clamped shut and she blinked, seeming to stumble suddenly. Her feet didn't budge budge however and she glared furiously at Snape as he swept past her.

"Pleasure chatting with you Professor," he murmured, and moved down the hall towards Dumbledore's office.

"I'm watching you Snape," she called after him, and fumed as he simply waved his hand negligently in the air, not even pausing. "Numbnut," she muttered, using one of her daughter's favorite muggle phrases while fishing through her robes for her wand and the countercurse.

Snape, for his part, felt a headache coming on. Another year with a DADA teacher dodging his footsteps, questioning his every move. This on top of everything else; the year was not shaping up to be particularly favorable.



Dumbledore was silent when Snape finished his report. The Headmaster sat brooding in his chair, clearly deep in thought. Snape stood silently before the desk, his report finished and awaited any further questions or instructions.

At long last the Headmaster gave a deep sigh and looked up at Snape. "So... Karkaroff is dead."

Snape didn't reply; the statement was rhetorical - Dumbledore was simply thinking aloud. The Headmaster knew the answer anyway; Snape hadn't spared any details.

"I imagine that, sometime soon, his body will be found with the Dark Mark blazing in the sky above," Dumbledore mused, a soft pang in his voice and again Snape stayed silent. After a moment the Headmaster turned his attention again to Snape. "Was there anything else he did, any other forms of sorcery?"

Snape had wondered when Dumbledore would mention that. That Voldemort could do wandless magic, or sorcery, was probably not something that would pass by the astute old man. "Other than levitate Karkaroff to his side and the manner of death, there was nothing. He has grown stronger since fourteen years ago, however," he couldn't help but adding, and Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, I was afraid of that..." He trailed off, then seemed to shake himself out of his reverie. "Is there anything else that went on, Severus, that you believe I should know about?"

Snape's jaw clenched, but not in anger over the question. Always before, when he had come to Dumbledore, the Headmaster had given him a small out, a way to keep something secret. In the beginning Snape had believed Dumbledore did it to trick him, as if the Headmaster already knew everything and waited for Snape to lie and therefore be thrown into Azkaban. It had taken a while before the Potions professor realized, it wasn't that Dumbledore didn't trust him - quite the opposite in fact: the Headmaster trusted Snape to tell the parts he deemed important, and leave private what needed to be private.

He debated, really debated, about telling Dumbledore what had gone on after the meeting. Snape knew his pause told Dumbledore there was more, but the Headmaster wouldn't push Snape for information. With some, this classic reverse psychology may have resulted in all the truth being blurted out but as Snape himself used, and had essentially perfected, the technique he was immune to it.

Mostly... which was where the dilemma lay.

Making his decision, Snape resolutely shook his head - the last bit had been private and had revealed no pertinent information. Dumbledore nodded and returned back to his thoughts.

Snape was about to leave when Dumbledore's voice stopped him. "Professor, what do you think of our newest Defense teacher?"

The potions master paused in the door way. Lip curling in disgust, Snape slanted the Headmaster a look. "She may prove to be a problem later," he muttered. "A nosy, overprotective busybody with a Muggle daughter ... do you know the daughter announced herself as such to a room of Slytherins? She'll need watching over, mark my words." He paused a moment, eyes flickering to the fire, then added very reluctantly, "But the Collins woman seems to know what she's about. Threatened me about my past just a little while ago, actually." How beautifully ironic, he added privately.

"Why Severus," Dumbledore exclaimed, a teasing note in his aged voice, "I do believe that is the nicest thing I've heard you say about a Defense teacher in a long time."

Snape snorted derisively. "Considering what we've been forced to put up with in recent years, anyone who knows at least an inkling about what they're about is a marked improvement." He inclined his head respectfully, and swept out of the office.

Down in the main hall he made sure nobody was around, then made his way back to the dungeons. As he walked, he wondered if perhaps he should have told Dumbledore that Karkaroff had named Snape as a spy. He even paused in the hallway, deliberating about going back to the Headmaster with the information, then resumed walking to the dungeons. It was his own problem, he would deal with it. The Headmaster had enough to worry about anyway to add fretting over a spy, especially when Snape was sure he could handle it on his own. He'd done it before, he could do it again.



"So, how was your first day as a teacher?"

Leah shrugged. "Okay," she replied, busily organizing the wardrobes.

Haley's eyebrow lifted. "'Okay'," she repeated sardonically, earning an annoyed look from Leah. "So is teaching such an easy profession now? Am I 'copping out' by coming here, eh?"

"I'm not going to allow you any 'I told you so' comments," Leah replied dryly, staring intently into the closet. Her face suddenly brightened and she turned around, pulling out a shirt and pants from the closet. "Well," she asked Haley, putting the clothes up next to her body, "what do you think?"

Eying the tie-dyed shirt and polyester pants incredulously, Haley replied, "Um, yikes?"




A/N: And now, for the thanks on reviewers:
Darkrose: Excellent point! I think I'll take your advice and change that. :)
CrystalStarGuardian: I do hope you like how Star's portrayed. She'll get a bit more air-time, so we'll really get to know her. :)
Zidler'sChick: Good song! Glad you like it.
Blackletter: Excellent point about ch.2 (or three, as it's on FF.net). I hated that end, but it would have been a novel length chapter if I continued it. So abrupt, and not even all that special... *sigh*
Sev's Girl: Glad you like it too! Hope this chapter answers your question. :D

I've got chapters 1-9 mapped out, although it may end up I combine chapters if they're not long enough. I hope to get the next part out soon, time willing and Borders Books staying open (that's where I do most of my writing *g*). Cheers!!