*I log on to ff.net, and my jaw drops lower... and lower... and...* This is all according to my muse. Thank you for all the REVEIWS!!! Gracias!!!! Merci!!! Dunca!!! (Last one's German and I don't know what it is in Japanese...) The -censored-
computer won't let me see them, but I'll thank you personally in the next chappie...
Disclaimer: Aaaaww... You're telling me I don't own it? ...
Whew...well, enough said! Here's the Chapter.
Part V
The Great Hall hummed with voices and laughter-some of which was uneasy and forced. News of the attack had spread like wildfire. As Nearly-Headless Nick and all of the other Hogwart's ghosts floated among the many tables that had been added, he could hear all the whispering and trading of rumors among the students. He also wondered curiously what was bothering Granger and Weasley.
"Who? Who the hell IS he?!" Ron grumbled under his breath, playing with the food on his plate. Seamus Finnigan shot him a weird look.
"Who is who? Ron?"
"Oh....uuuhhh...," Ron sought desperately for an answer.
"The new DADA teacher," Hermione said jumping in and filling in his stammer, "He hasn't arrived yet." She motioned vaguely up towards the teacher's table before swinging around to Ron.
"Ron, be careful! No one else knows about the guy."
"Sorry," Ron hissed back. "But for a prefect you're sure not good at keeping secrets. I can't tell what I can talk about and what I can't!" Hermione blushed a bit.
"Well of course I tell you, Ron" her voice dropping. "I thought you'd like to know some of this stuff."
"Yeah well, I do appreciate it Hermione," Ron quickly assured her. The two shared a quick smile, then turned as Dumbledore called for everyone's attention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you prepared for this?" A soft voice hung in the air just outside the Hogwart's gates. Two figures stood, cloaks whipping about in the wind that had kicked up. One wore a black cape. The taller one's seemed to be black till a faint sheen of moonlight flashed over, and you could see it was extremely dark silver. The one in black responded with a laugh.
"You're asking me? I thought you were the judge of that."
"I am. But no one knows you better than yourself. I would not force you to do something you were not prepared for."
"Heh, you could have sure fooled me during that so called practice trial four days ago." He was answered with a snicker.
"Oh, I think that's enough back talk, sirrah. You will contact me through the crystal," there was a pause, "You are sure you want to do this?"
"Yeesss...!" She was answered with a vehement hiss.
"Very well then. You had better change now." It was too dark to see, but she knew what transformation was taking over her companion: a little taller, a little older, the face features modified a bit... and lastly a warm deep black covered emerald green eyes and the natural tan deepened to hide the scar above them.
"Wish me luck!"
".........Good luck."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And finally I would like to announce that our new DADA teacher ---" Dumbledore broke off as the Great Hall door swung open and a young man stepped into the hall. The headmaster grinned. "-Has just arrived!"
He rose to greet the man who swept down the length of the hall. Soft whispers rose from the tables.
"Hey, he isn't really old."
"Zis iz ze new 'ogwarts teacher? He can't be very far past iz zevenz year!"
"He's really handsome..."
"Shhh, I want to hear."
Hermione watched, slightly surprised. Black, long shaggy hair, part of which was tied into a ponytail at the back of his neck, fell over his face. His skin was a light cinnamon brown. Just as tall as Dumbledore, his dark eyes mirrored the headmaster's twinkle. He wore a billowing cloak over simple muggle clothes and leather boots. The young man, if he heard the whispers, ignored them.
"Look at Snape," Rom murmured to Hermione. Snape's face was distrustful and filled with dislike. But so were most of the teacher's except for the headmaster. If the man noticed this, he ignored it as well and cordially shook hands with all of them.
"Everyone," Dumbledore stated, "Please join me in a warm welcome for Professor Damion Atwell."
"What do you think he'll be like?" Ron muttered softly, clapping with the rest. Hermione shrugged. She had hoping that Lupin would have returned that year.
During the meal Hermione turned back to the teacher's table. Whenever Atwell turned to speak with Professor Sprout on his right, Dumbledore would scrutinize him intently. Dumbledore doesn't seem to know him very well, she pondered. Then why didn't he just choose someone he knew was trustworthy? And.....why does he look so....familiar?
Just as she was wondering this the new teacher looked up and met her gaze squarely. She let out a gasp. It was like everything around here was moving but she was forced out of time. His eyes seemed to bore into hers... she couldn't look away. Suddenly he smiled. He acknowledged her with a nod and then turned back to Dumbledore. Hermione released the breath she had been holding.
"Anything wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food. He seemed to have regained his appetite.
"Huh? Oh... nothing Ron. Just tired," she quickly fibbed.
It seemed like all the professors were going to keep an eye on him... well; she was going to as well!
computer won't let me see them, but I'll thank you personally in the next chappie...
Disclaimer: Aaaaww... You're telling me I don't own it? ...
Whew...well, enough said! Here's the Chapter.
Part V
The Great Hall hummed with voices and laughter-some of which was uneasy and forced. News of the attack had spread like wildfire. As Nearly-Headless Nick and all of the other Hogwart's ghosts floated among the many tables that had been added, he could hear all the whispering and trading of rumors among the students. He also wondered curiously what was bothering Granger and Weasley.
"Who? Who the hell IS he?!" Ron grumbled under his breath, playing with the food on his plate. Seamus Finnigan shot him a weird look.
"Who is who? Ron?"
"Oh....uuuhhh...," Ron sought desperately for an answer.
"The new DADA teacher," Hermione said jumping in and filling in his stammer, "He hasn't arrived yet." She motioned vaguely up towards the teacher's table before swinging around to Ron.
"Ron, be careful! No one else knows about the guy."
"Sorry," Ron hissed back. "But for a prefect you're sure not good at keeping secrets. I can't tell what I can talk about and what I can't!" Hermione blushed a bit.
"Well of course I tell you, Ron" her voice dropping. "I thought you'd like to know some of this stuff."
"Yeah well, I do appreciate it Hermione," Ron quickly assured her. The two shared a quick smile, then turned as Dumbledore called for everyone's attention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you prepared for this?" A soft voice hung in the air just outside the Hogwart's gates. Two figures stood, cloaks whipping about in the wind that had kicked up. One wore a black cape. The taller one's seemed to be black till a faint sheen of moonlight flashed over, and you could see it was extremely dark silver. The one in black responded with a laugh.
"You're asking me? I thought you were the judge of that."
"I am. But no one knows you better than yourself. I would not force you to do something you were not prepared for."
"Heh, you could have sure fooled me during that so called practice trial four days ago." He was answered with a snicker.
"Oh, I think that's enough back talk, sirrah. You will contact me through the crystal," there was a pause, "You are sure you want to do this?"
"Yeesss...!" She was answered with a vehement hiss.
"Very well then. You had better change now." It was too dark to see, but she knew what transformation was taking over her companion: a little taller, a little older, the face features modified a bit... and lastly a warm deep black covered emerald green eyes and the natural tan deepened to hide the scar above them.
"Wish me luck!"
".........Good luck."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And finally I would like to announce that our new DADA teacher ---" Dumbledore broke off as the Great Hall door swung open and a young man stepped into the hall. The headmaster grinned. "-Has just arrived!"
He rose to greet the man who swept down the length of the hall. Soft whispers rose from the tables.
"Hey, he isn't really old."
"Zis iz ze new 'ogwarts teacher? He can't be very far past iz zevenz year!"
"He's really handsome..."
"Shhh, I want to hear."
Hermione watched, slightly surprised. Black, long shaggy hair, part of which was tied into a ponytail at the back of his neck, fell over his face. His skin was a light cinnamon brown. Just as tall as Dumbledore, his dark eyes mirrored the headmaster's twinkle. He wore a billowing cloak over simple muggle clothes and leather boots. The young man, if he heard the whispers, ignored them.
"Look at Snape," Rom murmured to Hermione. Snape's face was distrustful and filled with dislike. But so were most of the teacher's except for the headmaster. If the man noticed this, he ignored it as well and cordially shook hands with all of them.
"Everyone," Dumbledore stated, "Please join me in a warm welcome for Professor Damion Atwell."
"What do you think he'll be like?" Ron muttered softly, clapping with the rest. Hermione shrugged. She had hoping that Lupin would have returned that year.
During the meal Hermione turned back to the teacher's table. Whenever Atwell turned to speak with Professor Sprout on his right, Dumbledore would scrutinize him intently. Dumbledore doesn't seem to know him very well, she pondered. Then why didn't he just choose someone he knew was trustworthy? And.....why does he look so....familiar?
Just as she was wondering this the new teacher looked up and met her gaze squarely. She let out a gasp. It was like everything around here was moving but she was forced out of time. His eyes seemed to bore into hers... she couldn't look away. Suddenly he smiled. He acknowledged her with a nod and then turned back to Dumbledore. Hermione released the breath she had been holding.
"Anything wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food. He seemed to have regained his appetite.
"Huh? Oh... nothing Ron. Just tired," she quickly fibbed.
It seemed like all the professors were going to keep an eye on him... well; she was going to as well!
