Disclaimer:  The setting of this story, and most of the characters are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling, I lay no claim to them.  However the characters of Malana Avonell and Schön are of my own creation and to these two, I do claim rights.

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The door to the last car on the Hogwart's Express stood open, Harry headed for it hoping that it meant the car was empty.  But when he reached the door he found, to his disappointment, that the car had one occupant already.  A woman, perhaps in her early 40's sat in the window seat, on her lap was what Harry recognized to be a notebook computer.

She was a pleasant looking woman, dressed in a full-length dress of silver and white brocade.  Her long thick black hair had been pulled loosely back into pony tale, some of which cascaded over one shoulder.  She continued typing on the computer and only looked up as Ron and Hermione joined Harry.

"Every where else is fu…" Ron was saying, but he stopped in mid sentence as he saw the woman.

She smiled, a warm friendly smile, and her azure blue eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Would you care to join me?" she asked in a pleasant voice.  "I would enjoy the company."

"Yes, thank you," Harry replied, slipping into the car followed by Ron and Hermione.

"Schön, make room, we have company." The woman said softly.  The ball of shadowy gray fur beside her uncurled itself to reveal a large sleek cat.   The cat stretched luxuriously then jumped to the floor and disappeared into a wicker carrier under the woman's seat, grumbling to itself.

"Is that a computer?"  Hermione asked.  "You know that won't work at Hogwarts."

The woman closed the notebook and slid it into a black leather case on the opposite seat, then tucked the case away beside her.

 "Perhaps." She smiled.  "I'm Doctor Avonell, by the way."

"Doctor?" Ron questioned.

Avonell smiled and chuckled lightly, "I'm sorry that's my mundane title.  I'm Professor Malana Avonell."

"Mundane?"  Harry asked.  He found this woman very intriguing, if she was a Professor; she was certainly unlike any they had met before.  Harry could not remember any Witch or Wizard, let alone a teacher, who seemed as comfortable with technology, as Professor Avonell apparently, was.

Avonell sighed.  "I'm sorry, I'm not from around here.  I believe your word for it is … Muggle."

"You're from America, aren't you?"  Hermione stated more then asked.  "I can tell by your accent."

Avonell raised one eyebrow.  "Now, I was of the opinion the three of you were the ones with the accent." She said with mocked indignity, "But yes, I'm from the United States."

"Are you our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"  Ron wanted to know.

Avonell shook her head, "Afraid not, I'm filling in for the Rune and Ancient Languages Professor."

"Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves," Hermione suddenly remembered.  "I'm Hermione Granger."  She extended her hand.

Avonell shook the girl's hand, and smiled yet again.

"Glad to meet you Ms. Granger."

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron chimed in shaking her hand as well.

"And I'm Harry Potter." Harry concluded receiving his own handshake.

"Well, I am pleased to meet all of you.  Tell me what year are the three of you in?"  Avonell replied.

"Sixth." Hermione told her.

Harry dropped into the seat next to Professor Avonell as the train lurched into motion.  He was surprised that the Professor hadn't made a comment about the famous Harry Potter.  But then, he supposed, maybe she hadn't heard of him.  After all she was from America.

"I have a cat too," Hermione was saying, "He's name is Crookshanks and he's a ginger tabby.  But he's riding with the luggage this year."  She trailed off remembering the commotion the cat had made during the trip last year.

"Well," Avonell said in a rather motherly tone, "I'm sure he's a good cat."

The four of them continued to talk until the door to their compartment slid open and the plump witch with the food trolley appeared.

"Anything from the cart?" she said, then seeing Professor Avonell, she grinned and added cheerfully "Professor how good it is to see you again."

Avonell returned the smile.  "Thank you, it's good to be back."

They made their purchases and the plump witch closed the door and moved off.

There was a sound, somewhere between a meow and purring from under the Professor.  Then the gray cat slithered out of the carrier and leapt onto the seat between Harry and Professor Avonell.  Schön paused a moment, looking up at Harry, his brilliant green eyes studying the boy.  Then he placed a paw on Harry's forearm and raised himself up to Harry's face and briefly touched noises.

"Well, I'm impressed," Professor Avonell, said. "Schön doesn't do that to just anyone.  He must like you Mr. Potter."

She broke of a peace of the caldron cake she had bought and gave it to the cat, who took it eagerly.

"Well, he's a … very nice cat."  Harry stammered, not knowing how to take what she had just said.

She only smiled back. 

Professor Avonell didn't talk too much after that, allowing the three youths to run the conversation themselves.  From time to time Harry stole a glance at this new Rune Professor.  He liked her; she was friendly, warm and didn't make a fuss over his scar.  In fact she didn't seem to have even noticed.

"So," Harry started slowly after nearly an hour. "You've been at Hogwarts before?"

Avonell, who had been watching out the window, turned he attention to the young man seated beside her.

"Yes, nearly twenty years ago." She said.

"Where you a student then?" Ron followed.

Avonell shook her head;  "No I was the Rune teacher then as well."

"Then, did you know my father, James Potter?" Harry asked.  Ron and Hermione fell silent.

Avonell still wore a smile, but as she looked at Harry, he thought her eyes had grown very sad.  She looked way, back out the window again.

"Yes," she replied softly, her tone distant and sorrowful, "yes I knew James."

There was a long silence.  Harry now regretted having asked his question.  Avonell drew in a long breath and turned back to the three.

"James was, well he could be a bit of a bully at times, and he broke every rule he could, but…" she paused.  "Harry your father as a very gifted wizard, and beneath all his mischievousness, he was a good man. Unfortunately, I … " she trailed off.  "I was very sad when I was told of his death." She concluded after a moment.

The tension in the car was so thick, that when the door was thrown open all four of them jumped.

In the doorway stood Draco Malfoy, along with the ever present Crabbe and Goyle flanking him.

"Well, there you are Potter," Malfoy drawled,  "Did the famous Harry Potter have a good summer with his Muggle relatives?"  He pronounced the word Muggle with as much distaste as he possible could.

"Well would you look at this," Avonell said coldly,  "the very image of Lucius Malfoy at age 16, and just as ill mannered as well."

"You know my Father?" Malfoy asked seeing the Professor for the first time.

"Oh yes, indeed I do."  Avonell said in a tone of warning.

If Professor Avonell was going to say anything further, it was driven away as the train lurched and began to slow.

"That's not right," Avonell said standing up, and glancing in the direction of the front of the train.  She turned back to the three boys in the doorway.

"Return to you own car."  She told them sternly.

Malfoy opened his mouth to object, but she stopped him with a harsh glare.

"Do as you are told." Avonell spoke softly but forcefully.

Malfoy turned and retreated back up the train.

"The three of you stay here.  I'm going to find out what's wrong."  She said turning to Ron, Hermione and Harry, "Schön, stay here."

With that she strode from the compartment, sliding the door shut behind her.

The three exchanged nervous looks.  The train slowed to a stop.

"You don't think its Dementors again?"  Hermione asked sheepishly.

Ron and Harry didn't answer.   Schön leapt into Harry's lap and put his front paws on the window in the car door, his tail swishing sharply.

After what seemed like an hour, but was more like five minutes, Professor Avonell returned.

"False alarm," she announced as she pushed open the door. "Just a couple of cows on the track."

"Cows?" Ron repeated, "why couldn't they just magic them off the tracks?"

"Too many Mund… I mean Muggles." Avonell told them, as she slipped past them and took her seat.

The train started moving again and before long they were speeding through the countryside once more.

The sun had set fully by the time they arrived at the Hogsmeade station.

"Oh good," Ron groaned, "I'm starving."

Avonell rose and pulled the carrier out from under the seat.

"In you go," she told the cat, who slipped inside.  She retrieved the black leather case from the seat and slung it onto her shoulder.

As the emerged into the platform, Harry turned to the Professor.

"Could I carry something for you?" He asked.

Ron gave him a wide-eyed, you've got to be kidding look.

Avonell hesitated a moment, then un-slung the briefcase from her shoulder.

"Thank you," she said handing it to Harry. "If we get separated, just give then bag to Hagrid, or Dumbledore or McGonagall."  The Professor told him.  "They'll get it back to me."

Harry slung the case over his own shoulder and followed after her, Ron and Hermione closely behind.

"There's enough room in the carriages for four people."  Harry told her.  Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"Unless you want to ride alone." Hermione added.

Professor Avonell stopped and turned to the three of them, laughing lightly.

"I don't mind, but I am bit surprised that you don't want some time to yourselves." She returned.

Ron and Hermione looked uncomfortable.

"Perhaps, I better go it alone."  Avonell added gently taking in the expressions of Harry's friends.

With that she climbed into a carriage, closing the door behind her.  The carriage lumbered off.

"Wait you forgot…" Hermione called.

"Too late," Ron said watching the carriage disappear into the darkness.  "Guess we'll just have to give her case to Hagrid."

"Come on," Harry said starting for the next available carriage, "Maybe we can catch up to her at the castle."

 Hermione rolled her eyes and followed after him, Ron bringing up the rear.

****

"So I like her." Harry protested, "What's wrong with that?"

Hermione tried to keep her seat as the carriage swayed from side to side as it rolled toward the castle.

"It's just a crush." She told him, in that annoying I-know-more-then-you-do tone of hers.

"It's not like that!" Harry retorted, pulling the briefcase closer to his chest.  "I just like her.  I don't think I'm in lover with her."

Harry thought for a moment.  He did like Professor Avonell; that was true.  She had been friendly, kind and hadn't made him feel like some freak in a sideshow.  But he did feel very drawn to her.  Like she was someone he should remember.  He just couldn't place from where or when.

"She's comfortable, that's all." Harry said finally.

"Like a surrogate mother perhaps?"  Hermione countered.

"What's a surrogate?" Ron asked.

"A substitute." She informed Ron.

Harry shrugged, "Maybe, but I don't think so.  She's more like another student then a teacher."

"Well, you aren't going to have her for one of your classes."  Hermione reminded him.

The carriage jerked to a stop.

As they piled out of the carriage in front of the castle, Harry caught a glimpse of Professor Avonell as she disappeared through the doors into the castle.

"Come on," Harry urged his friends, "she just went inside."

Ron and Hermione followed, resigned to the fact that they were not going to be able to stop him.  The three squeezed into a throng of students in the front hall.  Harry looked around wildly trying to locate the new Professor.

"Malana?" a familiar voice called over the drone of voices.

Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to the stairs leading to the second floor.  Professor McGonagall was hurrying down them with the biggest smile on her face that the three could every remember seeing on the usually reserved Professor.  At the foot of the step, Professor Avonell stopped to put down the wicker cat carrier.  Harry began working his way through the crowd towards Avonell.

McGonagall reached the bottom of the steps and the two women embraced like long lost sisters.

"I was so pleased when Albus told me you were returning," McGonagall was saying as the intrepid trio came within a few feet of the two Professors.  Harry stopped not wanting to interrupt the Professors.

"Oh it is good to be back," Avonell replied taking McGonagall's hands in hers, "I have missed this place."

"Well, if it isn't the infamous Avonell!" the voice was low and cold; with enough venom in the tone to make even McGonagall flinched.  "Returned to reek more havoc in the lives of others?" If a voice alone could kill that one should have kill a dozen. 

Professor Severus Snape had come up behind Avonell.  If Harry had ever thought that Snape had reserved his most hateful looks for him alone, he had been totally wrong.  The Potions Master's face reflected such hatred and loathing that Harry feared for he life.

Avonell turned to face Snap, regarding him coldly.  Nearly a foot taller then the woman, he loomed over her like a malevolent leviathan.

"I've been accused of far worse things." She said dryly.

"And been guilty of all of them, I'm sure." Snap sneered back at her.

"Perhaps."  She answered smugly crossing her arms over her chest. 

Snape glared at her for a moment longer then swept off to the Great Hall.

McGonagall and Avonell watched after him.

"Well," Avonell sighed heavily, "I see that boy knows how to nurture a resentment."

"He's not a boy any longer, Malana." McGonagall whispered.

Just as Harry thought it would be safe to make his presence known, another familiar voice rang out.

"Professor Avonell, welcome back to Hogwarts."  It was Dumbledore this time.  He had emerged out of the Great Hall and was wading his way through the students.

"Head Master," Avonell replied her tones back to the warm friendly ones, "Thank you for asking me back."

"Come I'm sure you'd like to freshen up before the Banquet.  I'll show you to your rooms."  He said shaking her hand.

"Professor…" Harry started.

Both Dumbledore and Avonell turned in his direction.

"You forgot this."  Harry took the briefcase off his shoulder and extended it toward her.

"Indeed I have." She said gratefully.  "Thank you Mr. Potter."  She then turned back to Dumbledore, "Shall we?"

"Minerva, I believe Hagrid has just arrived with the first years."  The Head Master said as he turned to head up the stairs.

McGonagall nodded then turned her attention to the three sixth years standing before her.

"Well, go take your seats." She told them, then moved off for the front doors.