Chapter One
White Mouse
Esmerelda Shelly sat in her room, brushing out her long, beautiful, white-blond hair. There was a staff meeting in a half hour, and Esmé wante to look presentable. It was her first day as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and she wanted to look like a decent professor. A person only got one impression.
Just then, the Dark Mark tattoo on her arm twinged. Esmé's breath was drawn in sharply, and she slapped a hand over it. This couldn't keep happening if she was going to teach at Hogwarts. Esmé pulled a large, skin- colored bandaid over the tattoo and rolled her sleeve down.
The staff room was packed with personnel. Albus Dumbledore, Ruebus Hagrid, Poppy Pomfrey, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Sybil Trelawney, Jefferson Flitwick, Esmerelda Shelly, and Stephanie Sinistra sat at the table. Victor Vector, Susan Sprout, Barry Binns and Heather Hooch and everyone else was meeting somewhere other than with the chosen nine. The group was totally silent, no one looking at anyone else. There was almost tension in the room.
"Glad to see that you all made it back for another year of teaching. I'd like to thank Esmé Shelly for replacing Alastair Moody. Steph, why don't you start us off?"
Stephanie barely glanced at Dumbledore. "Some new telescopes have been aquired and there is a full year of Wednesdays ahead of us."
"Esmé?"
"I have a lot planned for my students. They will learn well."
"Jefferson."
"I've found some new charms that I am sure will delight the children!"
"Sybil?"
"I forsee an interesting year. I am certain one of our male professors will find love this year. Perhaps even with one of our own ladies."
Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid and Flitwick glanced at each other. Fall in love? Them? That was odd, but maybe...
"Severus."
"I have found that I have been a bit too lax with my standards. I will be...Sharpening up, this year."
Dumbledore frowned, before he said, "Minerva?"
"I had the benches in my room replaced and some of the furniture in the Gryffindor common room had been reupholstered."
"Poppy."
"I have new medicene in to keep the children in tip-top shape."
"Ruebus?"
"I've got a right good year planned for the young 'uns!"
"Sounds like we're ready for the new school year." Albus commented. "Our students will be here in twenty minutes. You are dismissed."
Severus Snape watched Esmé float down the hall. She wore black robes of satin, her long hair French braided. Once again, the coveted position was taken. He silently promised himself, as he watched her, that Esmé would pay for messing with a Death Eater.
White Mouse
Esmerelda Shelly sat in her room, brushing out her long, beautiful, white-blond hair. There was a staff meeting in a half hour, and Esmé wante to look presentable. It was her first day as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and she wanted to look like a decent professor. A person only got one impression.
Just then, the Dark Mark tattoo on her arm twinged. Esmé's breath was drawn in sharply, and she slapped a hand over it. This couldn't keep happening if she was going to teach at Hogwarts. Esmé pulled a large, skin- colored bandaid over the tattoo and rolled her sleeve down.
The staff room was packed with personnel. Albus Dumbledore, Ruebus Hagrid, Poppy Pomfrey, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Sybil Trelawney, Jefferson Flitwick, Esmerelda Shelly, and Stephanie Sinistra sat at the table. Victor Vector, Susan Sprout, Barry Binns and Heather Hooch and everyone else was meeting somewhere other than with the chosen nine. The group was totally silent, no one looking at anyone else. There was almost tension in the room.
"Glad to see that you all made it back for another year of teaching. I'd like to thank Esmé Shelly for replacing Alastair Moody. Steph, why don't you start us off?"
Stephanie barely glanced at Dumbledore. "Some new telescopes have been aquired and there is a full year of Wednesdays ahead of us."
"Esmé?"
"I have a lot planned for my students. They will learn well."
"Jefferson."
"I've found some new charms that I am sure will delight the children!"
"Sybil?"
"I forsee an interesting year. I am certain one of our male professors will find love this year. Perhaps even with one of our own ladies."
Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid and Flitwick glanced at each other. Fall in love? Them? That was odd, but maybe...
"Severus."
"I have found that I have been a bit too lax with my standards. I will be...Sharpening up, this year."
Dumbledore frowned, before he said, "Minerva?"
"I had the benches in my room replaced and some of the furniture in the Gryffindor common room had been reupholstered."
"Poppy."
"I have new medicene in to keep the children in tip-top shape."
"Ruebus?"
"I've got a right good year planned for the young 'uns!"
"Sounds like we're ready for the new school year." Albus commented. "Our students will be here in twenty minutes. You are dismissed."
Severus Snape watched Esmé float down the hall. She wore black robes of satin, her long hair French braided. Once again, the coveted position was taken. He silently promised himself, as he watched her, that Esmé would pay for messing with a Death Eater.