Chapter 2: Teacher
I received an owl from Dumbledore the next day, summoning me as soon as possible. My things were all packed; I had only one more thing to do. I hurried over to the pet shop and informed my manager that I was quitting. Then I left and came right home.
When I got home I gathered the only things I was taking, a large trunk and my owl to me and apparated to Hogsmeade, just outside the castle grounds. Levitating my things behind me, I walked up the path to the immense stone building. I mounted the stone steps that led to the front door. A gust of wind caught my hair and I breathed in the reassuring scent of my old school before opening the huge, oak doors.
Two people awaited me in the entrance hall. A wise old man in half-moon spectacles and flowing blue robes reached out to shake my hand.
"It's nice to see you again, Headmaster Dumbledore," I greeted, shaking his hand.
"Likewise, Alex," he replied.
"It's nice to see you, too, Professor McGonagall," I said, reaching out my hand to the stern-faced, black-haired witch.
"Please, Minerva," she replied, taking my hand.
"We didn't expect you so soon," Dumbledore said.
"Well I'd have sent Maia before me, but I can apparate faster than she can fly," I replied.
McGonagall's serious face broke into a smile. "She's got a point, Albus. Welcome aboard, Alex."
"Thank you," I said.
We stood in silence for a moment.
"Well," said Dumbledore suddenly, "let's get you settled. I've had rooms cleared for you on the fourth floor. I'll have your things sent up later, but right now it's lunchtime. Come eat with us. I'll introduce you to the students."
I followed the two into the great hall and up to the staff table. There was a seat cleared for me between Professors Snape and Trelawney. I silently prayed that the seats weren't permanent. They couldn't be.
Snape nodded and grunted as I sat. His attention and scowl quickly resumed their occupancy on the Gryffindor table, however, and I didn't mind much. Trelawney greeted me with a smile and a vigorous handshake, though.
"It's good to see you back so soon, dear. I predicted it over the summer, of course, but all the same, it's a nice development. I had no idea you wanted to be a teacher." The divination teacher beamed at me.
"It's nice to see you, too. I'm happy to be back," I replied, shaking her hand and sitting in my chair. I was seated near the right end of the table, and I looked to my left where Dumbledore was standing raising his hands for silence. After a moment the four large house tables fell quiet.
"Students of Hogwarts, I am pleased to introduce you to the newest addition to our teaching staff. Professor Alex Barreto will be our resident language expert." He motioned towards me and I stood, looking out over the sea of faces.
Dumbledore continued when I had sat back down. "Professor Baretto will be teaching courses in Ancient Greek, Latin and Ancient Hebrew which will begin next week. Students wishing to enroll in such courses will see their heads of house. That is all." He sat back down and we all finished eating.
Several people I knew waved at me from the house tables. I even caught a friends of mine mouthing, "You didn't tell me," and feigning a hurt expression.
After the meal I was shown to my rooms which consisted of a decent-sized sitting room and a spacious bedroom. There were a few pieces of furniture, but decorating seemed mainly to have been left up to me. I didn't really have anything with me to decorate with, but I figured I'd stop by my apartment back in London and get whatever I needed the next weekend. I unpacked my trunk, hanging my clothes in the wardrobe and arranging my books on an old bookshelf that took up an entire wall of the sitting room.
I paced around the room. What was I supposed to be doing? What was it that teachers did in their spare time, anyway? I pulled out a large tome labeled Latin for Early Learners. I found a quill and some parchment, and began to scratch out a basic lesson plan.
***
"Now, I know that you have no teaching experience," Dumbledore began at our meeting in the staff room later, "but because of your particular talents, we all felt that you would be ideal."
I nodded. "That makes sense, Profess—Albus." I kept trying to call my old teachers Professor Such-and-such. After all, that was how I'd addressed them not three months ago.
Dumbledore smiled at my slip. "It will take some getting used to, Alex."
"No kidding."
"Anyhow, I'm going to help you prepare your lesson plans. Have you brought the basic texts for each class?" He spread out a pile of parchment rolls and quills on the coffee table we were seated at.
I pulled out three voluminous tomes and stacked them on the corner of the table. "I have all of them here," I said. "I guess we can start with Latin; it'll be the easiest for everyone."
We worked until dinner, taking notes and making three rough course outlines. After an exhausting three hours' work, we left the staff room for the great hall.
***
"Welcome to Latin class. I am your teacher, Alex Baretto. I know most of you, seeing as how I only graduated last year." I smiled around at my new class, made up of about 15 sixth and seventh years. I saw two girls whom I didn't know, so I walked over. "It's nice to meet you," I said, holding out my hand.
"Illi Hampton," the blonde one said, shaking my hand.
"Amelia Dune," the one with black hair said.
I walked back to the front of my classroom. "Now I think you're supposed to call me Professor Baretto, but that makes me feel old, so we'll stick with Alex, at least inside the classroom, okay?" There were some nods. "Okay, now on to Latin.
"As many of you may know, the standard language for casting spells is Latin, so you all have a basic background in it. But in this class, we're going to start with syntax."
My first class went all right, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. A few of the students were friends of mine, but they behaved well in class and I tried not to favor them.
The next class I taught was more fifth years and a few sixths. A knew less of them, but all told it went pretty well. I overheard some of them in the hall after class.
"It is so cool that Alex is teaching," a blonde seventh year named Alayna remarked.
"I know," replied a girl I didn't know. "It almost makes up for the fact that we have Snape next."
I smiled and continued on my way. Things were looking good so far for this new teacher.
Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of JKR's people, places or ideas.
A/N: I do own Alex, and anyone else you don't recognize. R/R, por favor. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Like to be in the story? Put it in review and tell me what you think!