Part 6 Students Arrival
"I can't believe I'm wearing this," Faith was tugging at the collar of the black robes she had put on for the feast marking the arrival of the students.
"At least you can still wear black," Willow was fastening the royal blue robe that she had chosen; "It doesn't look that bad."
"If you don't want your clothes to show that you have a body," Faith whined.
"What would you suggest Faith, going to greet the students in black leather?" Willow grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"Or denim," Faith was applying lipstick.
"It would get the boys attention," Fred had chosen robes in a dark red. "Her new class will fill quickly that way."
"She's gotta point Red," Faith set her makeup down and turned to the other two women, just as they heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," Willow called out.
"Are you girls ready?" Professor Sprout stuck her head in the room, "The students will be arriving in a moment."
"We'll be right down," Fred assured her.
The three women started to follow the older professor down the hall when Willow stopped feeling her pockets.
"Damn, I forgot my wand, you guys go ahead I'll meet you down there," She told her friends before heading back to their room.
*********
Willow was just rounding the corner into the dining hall when she saw a blond boy talking to a red headed girl who was backed against the wall, and didn't look very happy. She stopped and moved back around the corner, best to know what's happening before she interfered.
"This is going to be a long year for you Weasley without Dumbledore here to protect you," the boy spat, "You and your friend's better watch you're step. No one here to protect you this term."
"I- I'm not." Willow watched the girl stutter looking for the strength to stand up to this boy.
"Hello, Miss Weasley is there a problem here?" Willow asked moving around the corner, having spent so much of her childhood being bullied, she couldn't stand by and watch this girl face the same thing.
"Um."
"What are you another Weasley come to bring down this school, late start isn't it?" The boy turned his attention to Willow.
"A Weasley, no," Willow turned to the boy with a smile, "I'm Willow Rosenberg. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. And you are?"
"Draco Malfoy. You're American." He looked at her frowning.
"Yep, from California," Willow smiled, "And you?" She extended her hand to the girl.
"Ginny Weasley," She smiled at Willow grateful for the rescue, "Charlie told me about you, you were raised a muggle right?"
"Yeah."
"They hired a muggle, wait until my father hears about this," Draco was now sneering at Willow with distaste.
"Three muggles actually," Willow said, "And if I ever see you near Ginny again, you will live to regret it Draco."
"Right, the great Muggle is going to make me regret it."
"The last person that pissed me off, Mr. Malfoy," Willow said smiling sweetly at the boy, "Was flayed alive, and then incinerated. There wasn't even a body to send to his family."
While Draco stood staring at the teacher, she turned away from him and focused her attention on Ginny.
"Shall we go to the Feast Miss Weasley?" Willow took the girls shoulder, turned away from Draco, and led her to the Dining Hall.
Neither Willow nor Ginny noticing the three students standing behind Malfoy biting back the laughs threatening to erupt at the sight of a speechless Draco.
"Think she's serious about the flaying thing?" Hermione whispered as they moved past Malfoy into the dining hall.
"Don't care," Ron smiled, "I like her."
"Me too," Harry agreed, "Did you see the look on Malfoy's face when she said that. It was priceless."
The three quickly took seats next to Ginny so they could question her about the new teacher. All four giggling as they watched Malfoy enter the hall and take a seat at the Slytherin table.
**********
After the new students had been sorted into their houses and everyone had eaten their fill, Professor Mcgonagall stood and announced that Headmaster Dumbledore was away on business. She would be taking over until his return, as well as repeating all the usual start of term announcements.
"There are also a few introductions to be made before we go to our houses for the night," Mcgonagall said, motioning for the students to stay seated, "We have, once again, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Miss Rosenberg."
Willow stood up and smiled at the students who were now clapping, well, everyone except the Slytherin table who were frowning at her. The others had of course, already heard of her run in with Draco Malfoy, and were more than happy to welcome the new teacher.
"We also have a new Muggle Studies teacher," Professor Mcgonagall continued, "Miss Burkle, will be taking over this class for those of you taking it," Waiting again for the applause to stop before continuing, "And last we are offering a new course this term. A sign up sheet will be passed around shortly for anyone interested Faith will be teaching a course in Muggle style fighting. This will be open to all years, and it will be added to your schedule that you will receive tomorrow if you choose to sign up for it."
After the parchment had been passed around to each table, the room began to empty out as the prefects started leading the students to their dormitories. Willow, Fred, and Faith stayed back, spoke to a few of the students, and discussed their schedules with the other teachers, before heading back to their own room.
Willow was walking down the dark corridor to her rooms alone, she had stayed back to talk to Professor Flitwick about a charm, when she heard the very unpleasant voice of Professor Snape calling her name. Taking a deep breath and promising herself she would not lose her temper, she turned to face him.
"Yes, Professor Snape?"
"I would like to speak to you," He said stopping in front of her.
"You are speaking to me. I kinda guessed that's what you wanted when you called my name, " Willow took a step away from him and leaned against the wall, "I mean, it was either that or you just really like saying Miss Rosenberg in that snotty tone you always seem to have."
Snape took a deep breath, mentally counting to ten before he spoke. She could possibly be the most annoying person he had ever met. Which was saying quite a bit considering he had spent seven years around Lupin, Black, and James Potter, and the last five years dealing with Potter, Weasley, and Granger.
"If you're not going to keep speaking, I'm really very tired," Willow pushed away from the wall and started to walk away.
"Did you threaten a student Miss Rosenberg?"
"Threaten?" Willow stopped and turn to face him, "No, I just pointed out something from my past that I thought he might like to consider before insulting me or Miss Weasley again."
"Mr. Malfoy says you threatened to flay and incinerate him," Snape said calmly, "Are you saying he is lying?"
"I wouldn't say lying, but misunderstood, I simply pointed out that was the fate of the last person to piss me off," She smiled, "But don't worry about Malfoy, odds are you'll piss me off long before he does." She turned and walked away, leaving Snape with a very similar look on his face to the one Draco Malfoy had earlier that evening.
"I can't believe I'm wearing this," Faith was tugging at the collar of the black robes she had put on for the feast marking the arrival of the students.
"At least you can still wear black," Willow was fastening the royal blue robe that she had chosen; "It doesn't look that bad."
"If you don't want your clothes to show that you have a body," Faith whined.
"What would you suggest Faith, going to greet the students in black leather?" Willow grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"Or denim," Faith was applying lipstick.
"It would get the boys attention," Fred had chosen robes in a dark red. "Her new class will fill quickly that way."
"She's gotta point Red," Faith set her makeup down and turned to the other two women, just as they heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," Willow called out.
"Are you girls ready?" Professor Sprout stuck her head in the room, "The students will be arriving in a moment."
"We'll be right down," Fred assured her.
The three women started to follow the older professor down the hall when Willow stopped feeling her pockets.
"Damn, I forgot my wand, you guys go ahead I'll meet you down there," She told her friends before heading back to their room.
*********
Willow was just rounding the corner into the dining hall when she saw a blond boy talking to a red headed girl who was backed against the wall, and didn't look very happy. She stopped and moved back around the corner, best to know what's happening before she interfered.
"This is going to be a long year for you Weasley without Dumbledore here to protect you," the boy spat, "You and your friend's better watch you're step. No one here to protect you this term."
"I- I'm not." Willow watched the girl stutter looking for the strength to stand up to this boy.
"Hello, Miss Weasley is there a problem here?" Willow asked moving around the corner, having spent so much of her childhood being bullied, she couldn't stand by and watch this girl face the same thing.
"Um."
"What are you another Weasley come to bring down this school, late start isn't it?" The boy turned his attention to Willow.
"A Weasley, no," Willow turned to the boy with a smile, "I'm Willow Rosenberg. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. And you are?"
"Draco Malfoy. You're American." He looked at her frowning.
"Yep, from California," Willow smiled, "And you?" She extended her hand to the girl.
"Ginny Weasley," She smiled at Willow grateful for the rescue, "Charlie told me about you, you were raised a muggle right?"
"Yeah."
"They hired a muggle, wait until my father hears about this," Draco was now sneering at Willow with distaste.
"Three muggles actually," Willow said, "And if I ever see you near Ginny again, you will live to regret it Draco."
"Right, the great Muggle is going to make me regret it."
"The last person that pissed me off, Mr. Malfoy," Willow said smiling sweetly at the boy, "Was flayed alive, and then incinerated. There wasn't even a body to send to his family."
While Draco stood staring at the teacher, she turned away from him and focused her attention on Ginny.
"Shall we go to the Feast Miss Weasley?" Willow took the girls shoulder, turned away from Draco, and led her to the Dining Hall.
Neither Willow nor Ginny noticing the three students standing behind Malfoy biting back the laughs threatening to erupt at the sight of a speechless Draco.
"Think she's serious about the flaying thing?" Hermione whispered as they moved past Malfoy into the dining hall.
"Don't care," Ron smiled, "I like her."
"Me too," Harry agreed, "Did you see the look on Malfoy's face when she said that. It was priceless."
The three quickly took seats next to Ginny so they could question her about the new teacher. All four giggling as they watched Malfoy enter the hall and take a seat at the Slytherin table.
**********
After the new students had been sorted into their houses and everyone had eaten their fill, Professor Mcgonagall stood and announced that Headmaster Dumbledore was away on business. She would be taking over until his return, as well as repeating all the usual start of term announcements.
"There are also a few introductions to be made before we go to our houses for the night," Mcgonagall said, motioning for the students to stay seated, "We have, once again, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Miss Rosenberg."
Willow stood up and smiled at the students who were now clapping, well, everyone except the Slytherin table who were frowning at her. The others had of course, already heard of her run in with Draco Malfoy, and were more than happy to welcome the new teacher.
"We also have a new Muggle Studies teacher," Professor Mcgonagall continued, "Miss Burkle, will be taking over this class for those of you taking it," Waiting again for the applause to stop before continuing, "And last we are offering a new course this term. A sign up sheet will be passed around shortly for anyone interested Faith will be teaching a course in Muggle style fighting. This will be open to all years, and it will be added to your schedule that you will receive tomorrow if you choose to sign up for it."
After the parchment had been passed around to each table, the room began to empty out as the prefects started leading the students to their dormitories. Willow, Fred, and Faith stayed back, spoke to a few of the students, and discussed their schedules with the other teachers, before heading back to their own room.
Willow was walking down the dark corridor to her rooms alone, she had stayed back to talk to Professor Flitwick about a charm, when she heard the very unpleasant voice of Professor Snape calling her name. Taking a deep breath and promising herself she would not lose her temper, she turned to face him.
"Yes, Professor Snape?"
"I would like to speak to you," He said stopping in front of her.
"You are speaking to me. I kinda guessed that's what you wanted when you called my name, " Willow took a step away from him and leaned against the wall, "I mean, it was either that or you just really like saying Miss Rosenberg in that snotty tone you always seem to have."
Snape took a deep breath, mentally counting to ten before he spoke. She could possibly be the most annoying person he had ever met. Which was saying quite a bit considering he had spent seven years around Lupin, Black, and James Potter, and the last five years dealing with Potter, Weasley, and Granger.
"If you're not going to keep speaking, I'm really very tired," Willow pushed away from the wall and started to walk away.
"Did you threaten a student Miss Rosenberg?"
"Threaten?" Willow stopped and turn to face him, "No, I just pointed out something from my past that I thought he might like to consider before insulting me or Miss Weasley again."
"Mr. Malfoy says you threatened to flay and incinerate him," Snape said calmly, "Are you saying he is lying?"
"I wouldn't say lying, but misunderstood, I simply pointed out that was the fate of the last person to piss me off," She smiled, "But don't worry about Malfoy, odds are you'll piss me off long before he does." She turned and walked away, leaving Snape with a very similar look on his face to the one Draco Malfoy had earlier that evening.