Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to JK Rowlings, but I am borrowing
them for a short time. Don't sue, just enjoy!
As Tracy woke up in her bed, she almost started crying, wishing she could have stayed in that wonderful place. She wondered if it were only a dream, since some of her favorite books mentioned a place called Hogwarts, but she could not make herself believe it was real. She decided that since she was awake, and did not have to go to work that she would try the potion she had made. It looked right, a bright green, and was not fizzy, or bubbly, or anything else against which the book warned. She measured out the portion she was supposed to take, and tipped her head back and swallowed it quickly since it tasted nasty. The book said it would take a while for the potion to take effect, so Tracy decided to go to her room and read some more of the schoolbooks while waiting. She kept feeling tingly and strange stretching things while reading, and decided to just sit in front of the mirror and wait. All at once she convulsed with pain, since it felt like her whole body had cramped up at the same time. This happened twice more, and then she felt herself changing. Her bones and muscles were rearranging themselves to fit her animagi self. She looked in the mirror with wide eyes, and a griffon looked back at her. To say the least she was shocked, since turning into a magical animal was just about unheard of, or at least that is what the book said. She spread her wings and hopped into the air for a short flight around the room. She landed again, and turned back to a human, and flopped on the bed, closed her eyes and tried not to think of what had just happened.
When she opened her eyes, she was pleased to find that she was at the gates of Hogwarts again. This time as she walked through, everyone looked at her, and then one of the teachers spotted her and asked Tracy to go up to Dumbledore's office. She gave the password and went in, and sat and waited for him to show up while scratching Fawkes. When he walked in he sat and stared asking some questions about her life, and she asked him why he was so interested. He said that he tried to keep records of strange occurrences, and where they occur, so she gave him her address and phone number pretending that this was real. When he heard her address, he asked her if she had ever seen a pub called The Leaky Cauldron, and she said "yes, but since I don't drink, I never went in."
Then Dumbledore said, "What would happen, if I said that this is not just a dream, and that we could have you come here in real life?"
Tracy said "That would be a dream come true, but she knew it was only a dream."
"If you could chose one of the teachers to talk to in real life, who would it be?" Dumbledore asked.
When she answered Snape, he just about fell out of his chair in shock. "Snape? Why him?"
"I think he needs someone to talk to in his life. I see that he is not accepted here, and I have been an outcast in my life, so I think we would be able to get along after a while." Just as Tracy was finishing her sentence, she felt herself begin to fade and said, I hope I will be able to continue coming here, since this is so much nicer than real life.
Dumbledore just smiled and said I will work on making your dream come true.
Since she was still feeling tired and sore in the morning, Tracy decided to take a week's vacation to calm down and try to get herself back together, so she called in and told the bosses. They said to go ahead, since they had seen her working 80-hour weeks since she got there, and didn't want to be responsible for someone having a breakdown.
Just as she hung up the phone, she heard a tapping at her window. When she looked up, she saw Fawkes sitting on the windowsill, tilting his head back and forth, as if he was asking to be let in. Thinking she was dreaming she opened the window and Fawkes jumped to her shoulder and held out a leg. Tracy noticed a piece of parchment tied to his leg, and took it off to read it. As she was doing this, he nipped at her fingers, and she jumped, since she was able to feel it. The 2 times in Dumbledore's office, she had not been able to feel him, which is why she knew she was dreaming. Since she could feel him now, she realized that this was really happening.
She unrolled the letter while still a little shocked, and read the green ink on parchment letter
Dear Tracy Carpenter,
I would like to invite you to the Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Since I know you have no owl, I will be sending someone to pick you up. If you don't want to come, just tell him, and we will leave you alone. If you decide to come, I would be honored to extend to you the position of professor of muggle studies. Since you have lived in the muggle world your whole life, you are supremely qualified for this job. (Also you will be able to study magic in your free time if you would like) there will be someone at your door at 1500 your time, so please respond one way or another.
Hope to see you soon
Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts
Tracy looked at the clock and it was 1430. She had 30 minutes to decide how she wanted to live her life. By the time the clock hit 1435, she had called her office and said she was taking indefinite leave, if they would let her, and if they wouldn't she would quit. They said she was becoming unreliable, so she just quit. She arranged for a moving service to put her stuff in storage and packed what she thought would be necessary for a teacher of muggle studies at Hogwarts, and she packed her new books and magical objects.
Just as the clock hit 1500 Tracy heard someone knocking on her front door. Tracy nervously adjusted her outfit, made sure her bag was ready, and opened her door. Standing on her doorstep, Glaring at her was Professor Snape. She stared for a minute and then moved aside and said "won't you come in?"
Snape stalked in, and sat down in her living room. "So, what is your answer?"
"I have decided to take the position Dumbledore has offered me, and I have quit my job and am ready to go to Hogwarts."
Snape frowned, and said "let's go." He headed to the door, and she grabbed her bags and followed him.
He led her straight to the leaky cauldron, and walked in. She followed a little nervously, and looked around, while Snape registered her and got her a room. She left all of her stuff except the wand since they were going to the wand shop. Then Snape mumbled something about getting her some supplies, and walked out the back door into a little courtyard. Snape tapped a brick with a wand, and a doorway appeared.
Snape said, "We need to get you robes, and supplies, and I guess you need a wand, right?"
Tracy said, "I already have a wand, I got it from an antique shop."
Snape just sneered and said, "We will have to get you one that is made just for you. "
Tracy decided not to argue, and followed him to madam Malkin's. Snape told Malkin that Tracy needed teaching robes, a dress robe, and a hat. After getting measured, they left to get her supplies while the robes were being adjusted. They went to Flourish and Botts, and got her quills, parchment and ink, and she looked around for appropriate books for muggle studies. By the time they bought all of the supplies, she was feeling like a little kid being dragged around by an uncle or something. Then Snape said "to Olivanders for your wand". When they walked in, a little man showed up, and asked which was her wand hand and started measuring her very completely with a magical measuring tape. When he started to go looking for wands, she said before you go looking, see if the wand I have will work please. When she pulled it out, his face went white with shock, "where did you get that wand!" As she explained, his eyes got wider and wider, and Snape looked even paler than usual. Snape said, "have you told Dumbledore this story yet?" "Of course not, I have only seen him twice for short times, and I didn't know it was important" Ollivander said "I don't have another wand for you, the one you have is sufficient. It is 8 1/4" long, elm, with a phoenix tail feather. It was made to fit a prophecy, and it seems the person in the prophecy may just be you.
Snape all but dragged her out of there and back to the cauldron where he dragged her up to her room where a fire was going. He then threw some powder on the fire and said "Dumbledore". When Dumbledore's head appeared, Snape gave a short summary, and asked if they could go straight to Hogwarts. Dumbledore agreed, and said to Floo to Hogsmede and they would be met there and escorted to Hogwarts. He made her go first, making sure she pronounced it correctly and then followed with her bags. When Snape comes out of the fireplace, he looks around for Tracy and can't find her. He mutters under his breath about mudbloods who should do as they are told, and goes to find her. As he is looking, he thinks back to this morning when Dumbledore told Snape that he had been chose to go meet Tracy. When he asked him, Dumbledore answered "because she asked for you. By name." Snape just looked at the headmaster like he was crazy. "How did she know my name? Why did she pick me? Doesn't she know my reputation?" Dumbledore answered she picked you because she know what it is like to be shunned, and said you might become friends after a while. Just then, he caught a glimpse of blond hair, and turned to see Tracy there. "Were you looking for me? I am sorry, I didn't mean to be such trouble. I just had to get to the prank store. If I am going to be at Hogwarts with the Weaslies, I should be prepared." "And how do you know about them?" "Well, I will tell you when we get to Dumbledore's office so I don't have to repeat myself." Just then a man walks up with a big black dog in tow. Tracy greeted them..."hello Remus, hello snuffles.", when they looked at her in shock, she said "can we just go? I promise I will explain shortly." As they started walking, they plied her with questions, but she just smiled mysteriously and didn't say a word.
As they entered the great hall, everyone turned to see the new professor in the flesh for the first time. She waved at everyone, and went over and kissed Draco Malloy on the cheek just to embarrass him. Then she went up to Dumbledore and said "shall we go talk? I think my escorts are going to wither away with curiosity if I don't tell the story soon." Dumbledore said, "do you want to tell the whole school?" T,"nope, just certain teachers first, then you can decide. Dumbledore "who else besides this group?" T," Add McGonigall and that should be everyone." D-"ok, shall we go?" "Lead the way."
Off they went to Dumbledore's office. Snape was watching her closely, and noticed that she skipped the trick step, and seemed to know too much about the paintings. When they got to the office, she explained her story again to the group, and added the part about the books. When they looked at her in shock she pulled the Harry Potter set out of her bag and showed it to them. When the finally believed her, Dumbledore had Snape show her to her room, and set up a meeting for the morning to get started on her classes (both teaching and learning)
Early the next morning, Tracy woke up, and was disoriented looking at the darkness surrounding her. Then she remembered where she was, and opened the drapes on her 4-poster bed to greet the day. She dressed in her new robes and went down to breakfast. She was one of the first teachers there, and pulled a small deck of cards out to play solitaire while waiting. She jumped in her seat when a voice came from behind her "what are you doing?" Tracy turned around and said "what does it look like Snape? I am playing solitaire. It is a good way to pass time and keep from getting bored." He replied "oh, a muggle game." T- "it may be a muggle game, but it has helped keep me sane when no one would talk to me." S-"you were ignored? And you stood for that?" T-"being ignored was better than the alternative of being picked on. I can survive loneliness; I can't survive with my self- confidence in shreds." S-"good point Tracy. I won't bother you anymore."
Tracy couldn't understand it. Snape had been nice, and walked away without any biting comments. Then she looked around, and saw the great hall was filling with students who had been watching the interaction between her and Snape while waiting for breakfast. Tracy realized that she had been right when she asked Dumbledore to send Snape to pick her up. They were more alike then they knew, and maybe she would be able to break through Snape's shell
After eating a sparse breakfast, since she was too nervous to eat a lot, she headed to her classroom to get ready for her first class as a teacher. Her first class was with the 4th year hufflepuffs, and after seeing them walk in while whispering about her changed her mind about her curriculum, and decided to let the first week be just a Q&A session between her and the students. Tracy stood up and said "hello, I am professor carpenter, and as you know, I am new to the wizarding world. I think that the best way to get this class started would be for us to just start with whatever you are wondering about. After that, I will be teaching you how to blend in to the muggle world so well that no-one will be able to tell you are different. Ok, to make this be relatively fair, I will go in seating order." She pointed to the first student, and said, "please introduce yourself, say something about yourself to help me remember you, and then ask 1 question about the muggle world". The boy stood up and said, my name is Landry D Soames, and I absolutely love quiddich. I am on the team and play chaser. I would like to know how you found out that you were a witch." Tracy decided that since it was probably the number 1 question in most people's minds, she would tell the story as matter concisely as possible.
=====================
Author's Note: Please read and review, since I am not sure how I want the story to go from here. I can use any and all suggestions. Thanks!
As Tracy woke up in her bed, she almost started crying, wishing she could have stayed in that wonderful place. She wondered if it were only a dream, since some of her favorite books mentioned a place called Hogwarts, but she could not make herself believe it was real. She decided that since she was awake, and did not have to go to work that she would try the potion she had made. It looked right, a bright green, and was not fizzy, or bubbly, or anything else against which the book warned. She measured out the portion she was supposed to take, and tipped her head back and swallowed it quickly since it tasted nasty. The book said it would take a while for the potion to take effect, so Tracy decided to go to her room and read some more of the schoolbooks while waiting. She kept feeling tingly and strange stretching things while reading, and decided to just sit in front of the mirror and wait. All at once she convulsed with pain, since it felt like her whole body had cramped up at the same time. This happened twice more, and then she felt herself changing. Her bones and muscles were rearranging themselves to fit her animagi self. She looked in the mirror with wide eyes, and a griffon looked back at her. To say the least she was shocked, since turning into a magical animal was just about unheard of, or at least that is what the book said. She spread her wings and hopped into the air for a short flight around the room. She landed again, and turned back to a human, and flopped on the bed, closed her eyes and tried not to think of what had just happened.
When she opened her eyes, she was pleased to find that she was at the gates of Hogwarts again. This time as she walked through, everyone looked at her, and then one of the teachers spotted her and asked Tracy to go up to Dumbledore's office. She gave the password and went in, and sat and waited for him to show up while scratching Fawkes. When he walked in he sat and stared asking some questions about her life, and she asked him why he was so interested. He said that he tried to keep records of strange occurrences, and where they occur, so she gave him her address and phone number pretending that this was real. When he heard her address, he asked her if she had ever seen a pub called The Leaky Cauldron, and she said "yes, but since I don't drink, I never went in."
Then Dumbledore said, "What would happen, if I said that this is not just a dream, and that we could have you come here in real life?"
Tracy said "That would be a dream come true, but she knew it was only a dream."
"If you could chose one of the teachers to talk to in real life, who would it be?" Dumbledore asked.
When she answered Snape, he just about fell out of his chair in shock. "Snape? Why him?"
"I think he needs someone to talk to in his life. I see that he is not accepted here, and I have been an outcast in my life, so I think we would be able to get along after a while." Just as Tracy was finishing her sentence, she felt herself begin to fade and said, I hope I will be able to continue coming here, since this is so much nicer than real life.
Dumbledore just smiled and said I will work on making your dream come true.
Since she was still feeling tired and sore in the morning, Tracy decided to take a week's vacation to calm down and try to get herself back together, so she called in and told the bosses. They said to go ahead, since they had seen her working 80-hour weeks since she got there, and didn't want to be responsible for someone having a breakdown.
Just as she hung up the phone, she heard a tapping at her window. When she looked up, she saw Fawkes sitting on the windowsill, tilting his head back and forth, as if he was asking to be let in. Thinking she was dreaming she opened the window and Fawkes jumped to her shoulder and held out a leg. Tracy noticed a piece of parchment tied to his leg, and took it off to read it. As she was doing this, he nipped at her fingers, and she jumped, since she was able to feel it. The 2 times in Dumbledore's office, she had not been able to feel him, which is why she knew she was dreaming. Since she could feel him now, she realized that this was really happening.
She unrolled the letter while still a little shocked, and read the green ink on parchment letter
Dear Tracy Carpenter,
I would like to invite you to the Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Since I know you have no owl, I will be sending someone to pick you up. If you don't want to come, just tell him, and we will leave you alone. If you decide to come, I would be honored to extend to you the position of professor of muggle studies. Since you have lived in the muggle world your whole life, you are supremely qualified for this job. (Also you will be able to study magic in your free time if you would like) there will be someone at your door at 1500 your time, so please respond one way or another.
Hope to see you soon
Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts
Tracy looked at the clock and it was 1430. She had 30 minutes to decide how she wanted to live her life. By the time the clock hit 1435, she had called her office and said she was taking indefinite leave, if they would let her, and if they wouldn't she would quit. They said she was becoming unreliable, so she just quit. She arranged for a moving service to put her stuff in storage and packed what she thought would be necessary for a teacher of muggle studies at Hogwarts, and she packed her new books and magical objects.
Just as the clock hit 1500 Tracy heard someone knocking on her front door. Tracy nervously adjusted her outfit, made sure her bag was ready, and opened her door. Standing on her doorstep, Glaring at her was Professor Snape. She stared for a minute and then moved aside and said "won't you come in?"
Snape stalked in, and sat down in her living room. "So, what is your answer?"
"I have decided to take the position Dumbledore has offered me, and I have quit my job and am ready to go to Hogwarts."
Snape frowned, and said "let's go." He headed to the door, and she grabbed her bags and followed him.
He led her straight to the leaky cauldron, and walked in. She followed a little nervously, and looked around, while Snape registered her and got her a room. She left all of her stuff except the wand since they were going to the wand shop. Then Snape mumbled something about getting her some supplies, and walked out the back door into a little courtyard. Snape tapped a brick with a wand, and a doorway appeared.
Snape said, "We need to get you robes, and supplies, and I guess you need a wand, right?"
Tracy said, "I already have a wand, I got it from an antique shop."
Snape just sneered and said, "We will have to get you one that is made just for you. "
Tracy decided not to argue, and followed him to madam Malkin's. Snape told Malkin that Tracy needed teaching robes, a dress robe, and a hat. After getting measured, they left to get her supplies while the robes were being adjusted. They went to Flourish and Botts, and got her quills, parchment and ink, and she looked around for appropriate books for muggle studies. By the time they bought all of the supplies, she was feeling like a little kid being dragged around by an uncle or something. Then Snape said "to Olivanders for your wand". When they walked in, a little man showed up, and asked which was her wand hand and started measuring her very completely with a magical measuring tape. When he started to go looking for wands, she said before you go looking, see if the wand I have will work please. When she pulled it out, his face went white with shock, "where did you get that wand!" As she explained, his eyes got wider and wider, and Snape looked even paler than usual. Snape said, "have you told Dumbledore this story yet?" "Of course not, I have only seen him twice for short times, and I didn't know it was important" Ollivander said "I don't have another wand for you, the one you have is sufficient. It is 8 1/4" long, elm, with a phoenix tail feather. It was made to fit a prophecy, and it seems the person in the prophecy may just be you.
Snape all but dragged her out of there and back to the cauldron where he dragged her up to her room where a fire was going. He then threw some powder on the fire and said "Dumbledore". When Dumbledore's head appeared, Snape gave a short summary, and asked if they could go straight to Hogwarts. Dumbledore agreed, and said to Floo to Hogsmede and they would be met there and escorted to Hogwarts. He made her go first, making sure she pronounced it correctly and then followed with her bags. When Snape comes out of the fireplace, he looks around for Tracy and can't find her. He mutters under his breath about mudbloods who should do as they are told, and goes to find her. As he is looking, he thinks back to this morning when Dumbledore told Snape that he had been chose to go meet Tracy. When he asked him, Dumbledore answered "because she asked for you. By name." Snape just looked at the headmaster like he was crazy. "How did she know my name? Why did she pick me? Doesn't she know my reputation?" Dumbledore answered she picked you because she know what it is like to be shunned, and said you might become friends after a while. Just then, he caught a glimpse of blond hair, and turned to see Tracy there. "Were you looking for me? I am sorry, I didn't mean to be such trouble. I just had to get to the prank store. If I am going to be at Hogwarts with the Weaslies, I should be prepared." "And how do you know about them?" "Well, I will tell you when we get to Dumbledore's office so I don't have to repeat myself." Just then a man walks up with a big black dog in tow. Tracy greeted them..."hello Remus, hello snuffles.", when they looked at her in shock, she said "can we just go? I promise I will explain shortly." As they started walking, they plied her with questions, but she just smiled mysteriously and didn't say a word.
As they entered the great hall, everyone turned to see the new professor in the flesh for the first time. She waved at everyone, and went over and kissed Draco Malloy on the cheek just to embarrass him. Then she went up to Dumbledore and said "shall we go talk? I think my escorts are going to wither away with curiosity if I don't tell the story soon." Dumbledore said, "do you want to tell the whole school?" T,"nope, just certain teachers first, then you can decide. Dumbledore "who else besides this group?" T," Add McGonigall and that should be everyone." D-"ok, shall we go?" "Lead the way."
Off they went to Dumbledore's office. Snape was watching her closely, and noticed that she skipped the trick step, and seemed to know too much about the paintings. When they got to the office, she explained her story again to the group, and added the part about the books. When they looked at her in shock she pulled the Harry Potter set out of her bag and showed it to them. When the finally believed her, Dumbledore had Snape show her to her room, and set up a meeting for the morning to get started on her classes (both teaching and learning)
Early the next morning, Tracy woke up, and was disoriented looking at the darkness surrounding her. Then she remembered where she was, and opened the drapes on her 4-poster bed to greet the day. She dressed in her new robes and went down to breakfast. She was one of the first teachers there, and pulled a small deck of cards out to play solitaire while waiting. She jumped in her seat when a voice came from behind her "what are you doing?" Tracy turned around and said "what does it look like Snape? I am playing solitaire. It is a good way to pass time and keep from getting bored." He replied "oh, a muggle game." T- "it may be a muggle game, but it has helped keep me sane when no one would talk to me." S-"you were ignored? And you stood for that?" T-"being ignored was better than the alternative of being picked on. I can survive loneliness; I can't survive with my self- confidence in shreds." S-"good point Tracy. I won't bother you anymore."
Tracy couldn't understand it. Snape had been nice, and walked away without any biting comments. Then she looked around, and saw the great hall was filling with students who had been watching the interaction between her and Snape while waiting for breakfast. Tracy realized that she had been right when she asked Dumbledore to send Snape to pick her up. They were more alike then they knew, and maybe she would be able to break through Snape's shell
After eating a sparse breakfast, since she was too nervous to eat a lot, she headed to her classroom to get ready for her first class as a teacher. Her first class was with the 4th year hufflepuffs, and after seeing them walk in while whispering about her changed her mind about her curriculum, and decided to let the first week be just a Q&A session between her and the students. Tracy stood up and said "hello, I am professor carpenter, and as you know, I am new to the wizarding world. I think that the best way to get this class started would be for us to just start with whatever you are wondering about. After that, I will be teaching you how to blend in to the muggle world so well that no-one will be able to tell you are different. Ok, to make this be relatively fair, I will go in seating order." She pointed to the first student, and said, "please introduce yourself, say something about yourself to help me remember you, and then ask 1 question about the muggle world". The boy stood up and said, my name is Landry D Soames, and I absolutely love quiddich. I am on the team and play chaser. I would like to know how you found out that you were a witch." Tracy decided that since it was probably the number 1 question in most people's minds, she would tell the story as matter concisely as possible.
=====================
Author's Note: Please read and review, since I am not sure how I want the story to go from here. I can use any and all suggestions. Thanks!