Episode One Hundred and Nineteen

The students watched every morning for the past few months as the tiny figure emerged from the Forbidden Forest and made its way up to the school. Years passed and yet the DADA teacher never looked any older. She had a bright smile, and that strict demeanor she had learned from her fellow, Professor McGonagall.

She was respected, skilled but most of all feared.

It was only a rumor, a whispered legend in the halls, but many of them had heard about it. They had heard about a woman teacher at Hogwarts who had used old fey magic and subdued an entire group of death eaters long enough for the authorities to arrive. It didn't take the students long to connect Professor LeFey to the rumor and no student would cross her.

And yet, those that took the time to get to know her found her to be simply enchanting. She was kind, warm and more than willing to offer help to a struggling student. She was patient beyond belief and very careful to keep her temper in check.

She had a daughter who had only just started at Hogwarts. She was eleven years old, with long ginger hair and dark blue eyes. The girl's name was Galina. She was very much like her mother at her age, curious, brave and constantly in trouble. She was the sunshine in her mother's life. The day of her sorting had arrived and she was more than anxious.

She squirmed as her mother brushed her hair patiently.

"Mom, I can do it myself." She said, trying to pull the brush out her hand.

"If you can do it yourself why is your hair always messy five minutes later?"

"I can't help it if I have unruly hair; it never does what I want it to. The humidity in this stinking mound doesn't help."

"You will not call your great-great-grandmother's home, this stinking mound again young lady."

"Yes mother." She said mockingly.

Her mother smiled. Galina was particularly testy this morning, but she herself remembered behaving exactly the same the day before her journey to Hogwarts. Galina wouldn't have to ride the Hogwart's Express to get there however, a simple jaunt through the forest and a quick run up the lawns would bring you right to the front doors.

Finally, Gwen relinquished her hold on the brush and Galina swiped at her own head a few times. Gwen suspected that Galina's rather slapdash grooming did not really help her already untidy mop of hair, but she restrained herself from comment. Maintaining an even temper with students was cake, keeping her cool with her own flesh and blood was another task entirely.

Galina looked at her mother lost in thought. She decided there was no better time than the present to ask her question, bothersome though it was. "Mum, do you think he's coming today?"

Gwen winced. She was unaware where the he in question was. They hadn't spoken in months. "Ah, Josephine that's my hair." She said as the milky white cat clawed at her. "Galina, will you get this rampaging ball of fur out of here."

"Sorry mum." She said sullenly, catching the cat in her arms and depositing her in the hallway.

"Sometimes I swear, you two were made for each other."

"You didn't answer my question." Galina said importantly.

"No, I didn't and that's because I don't know the answer."

Galina huffed.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Gwen said sweetly. "You know he's off on important business."

"Is that why we have to stay in the mound?"

"For now, I think it's best. Besides, it's better than being home without him, isn't it?"

Galina rolled her eyes at her mother. "Yeah, I suppose."

They two plunked up to the castle and Gwen kissed her daughter on the cheek while she entered the Great Hall, already filling up with the returning students. "Wait here for Aunt Minerva." She instructed. "But don't you dare call her that in front of the other students."

Galina laughed and did as she was told. Soon enough the other first years arrived from across the lake and joined the girl with the ginger hair on the steps outside of the Great Hall. They entered the hall in a tiny clump of fear and walked all the way to the front of the hall, barely daring to take in all of their surroundings.

Galina had been in here many times, since she was usually visiting nearby, or hanging out with her mother when she wasn't teaching. Yet this was a novel journey. This was her first entrance into this hall as a student and it was equally as exciting for her as for the other first years. She slowly took in her surroundings and noticed three men standing in the back that she might have missed all together for her nerves.

Standing at the back was a tall, gaunt looking man wearing a long sleeved shirt in the dead heat of August. He didn't seem to notice much however and his naturalness about the thing made it much less noticeable. He looked at Guenivere with deep blue eyes like a lover starved of attention. Galina held her breath with excitement. Dad had come home.

Next to him was a very handsome man. He was one of those who aged gracefully, the barely perceptible lines on his face placing him closer to twenty than thirty. His hair was unruly, black and covering his forehead. Had the students looked closely they might have seen a tiny, lightning shaped scar beneath those bangs, faded white with age, He smiled at Professor LeFey like a man in love. Galina couldn't take her eyes off of him and she waved as Uncle Harry locked eyes with her.

There was one more fellow with slick blond hair and piercing gray eyes. He smiled over the proceedings, looking back to his old days at Hogwarts when he had been more than a handful. Galina had heard the stories, but she knew that he had made up for all of his under-achievements in school with the work he had done later for the Order. He was someone she knew as Uncle Draco.

Professor N. Longbottom pulled out the sorting hat and placed it on the stool.

"Sharon Apple?" Longbottom quivered as he called out names. The list continued and finally he had reached the L's. "Galina LeFey?" Came the nervous stutter.

She approached the stool and Professor Longbottom placed the sorting hat over her head. It plunked down over her mop of tangled hair and whispered in her ear.

"Ah, courage, lots of that. Bravery, I see. And of course, strength and amazing power. I think we'd better place you in GRYFFINDOR" The hat shouted to the crowd.

She looked back to see the men, standing and applauding louder than anyone in the hall. She even saw her mother wipe gently at her eyes as she took her place at the Gryffindor table.

The future seemed bright with promise.

The End