Willow knew she was running late so she didn't even stop to think when she
saw the barrier between the platforms. She just ran through and straight
onto the train. Which was fortunate since the whistle to depart started
shrilling as she stepped into the compartment.
Once sure she wasn't going to miss her ride she stopped and took a few gasping breaths. She needed more air, even if she was standing in the aisles. As she recovered she looked around. The train was packed with students. It wasn't going to be easy to find a place to sit.
As she walked down the aisle she heard a familiar voice. "Well, if it isn't the mudblood. Figured I'd be seeing you."
Willow turned slowly. She should have expected this. It wasn't like she wasn't nervous enough. No, now she had to deal with elitist little brats with no manners. Oh, well, she thought, it was time to channel her inner Snape. Smiling slightly she turned to the boy. She saw him standing with three others; two larger boys, thugs, Willow figured, and a sour-faced girl.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," she smiled, "just who I wanted to see."
"Really?" he looked mildly confused, but the arrogant smirk didn't falter for long. "What makes you think I want anything to do with a filthy mudblood, and an American one at that?"
Willow coughed to clear her throat. This was it, her first act as an official professor. "I'm not sure why you decided I was a 'mudblood' as you call it, but I think you will be dealing with me quite a bit, Mr. Malfoy. You don't really have a choice. Or rather you do, since if you call me mudblood one more time your going to find Hogwarts extremely unpleasant this term, not to mention your stay significantly shortened."
He just laughed and his cronies followed suit. "Who do you think is going to accomplish that? You?" He jeered.
"Well, yes, with Dumbledore's assistance no doubt. I've heard he's quite good about seeing that his professors are respected."
She almost giggled as Draco's face turned pasty white.
"Professor?" he whispered.
"Of course. You said yourself I was a bit old to be a first year, did you not?" She held out her hand.
"Professor Willow Rosenberg, possibly your worst nightmare this semester." She put her hand down since Draco showed no interest in shaking it. "Unless of course that would be Aradia? You seem to have an issue with ferrets after all."
His pale face became very red as there were a few chuckles from surrounding cabins. Then he stalked off, taking his fan club with him. Willow found herself very grateful Sev had filled her in on Malfoy's encounter last year and the bouncing that accompanied it. She just hoped she'd handled that correctly. It had felt awfully mean.
Now she needed to sit before her knees gave out. So she plopped into the nearest available seat. She found herself next to a smallish boy with a camera almost as big as his head. She was nearly blind for the rest of the trip as he kept snapping her picture.
***
Harry and Ron were playing wizard's chess in their compartment when Draco stormed by. He was followed shortly by the Weasley twins who ducked into the cabin. Both were laughing.
"What'd you do to Malfoy?" Ron asked. Hermione glanced up from her book looking curious.
"Nothing!" George gasped. "That's the best part!"
"So what happened already?" Ron asked as he had his bishop take Harry's queen. "Checkmate."
"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is on the train." Fred exploded like this explained everything.
"Really?" Hermione perked up. "Where?"
"She's sitting with Creevey. Colin, that is."
"And what does this have to do with Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"Well," Fred laughed, "he apparently thought she was a student, she is a bit young, and he called her a mudblood!"
Herminone's eyes got wide. "He didn't!"
"Yep!" George chuckled. "And she threatened to sic her pet ferret on him! It was bloody brilliant!" Everyone started roaring as the twins described the confrontation in more detail, even Hermione laughed softly.
A few cabins down Willow had no idea she was already getting a fan club of her very own.
Once sure she wasn't going to miss her ride she stopped and took a few gasping breaths. She needed more air, even if she was standing in the aisles. As she recovered she looked around. The train was packed with students. It wasn't going to be easy to find a place to sit.
As she walked down the aisle she heard a familiar voice. "Well, if it isn't the mudblood. Figured I'd be seeing you."
Willow turned slowly. She should have expected this. It wasn't like she wasn't nervous enough. No, now she had to deal with elitist little brats with no manners. Oh, well, she thought, it was time to channel her inner Snape. Smiling slightly she turned to the boy. She saw him standing with three others; two larger boys, thugs, Willow figured, and a sour-faced girl.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," she smiled, "just who I wanted to see."
"Really?" he looked mildly confused, but the arrogant smirk didn't falter for long. "What makes you think I want anything to do with a filthy mudblood, and an American one at that?"
Willow coughed to clear her throat. This was it, her first act as an official professor. "I'm not sure why you decided I was a 'mudblood' as you call it, but I think you will be dealing with me quite a bit, Mr. Malfoy. You don't really have a choice. Or rather you do, since if you call me mudblood one more time your going to find Hogwarts extremely unpleasant this term, not to mention your stay significantly shortened."
He just laughed and his cronies followed suit. "Who do you think is going to accomplish that? You?" He jeered.
"Well, yes, with Dumbledore's assistance no doubt. I've heard he's quite good about seeing that his professors are respected."
She almost giggled as Draco's face turned pasty white.
"Professor?" he whispered.
"Of course. You said yourself I was a bit old to be a first year, did you not?" She held out her hand.
"Professor Willow Rosenberg, possibly your worst nightmare this semester." She put her hand down since Draco showed no interest in shaking it. "Unless of course that would be Aradia? You seem to have an issue with ferrets after all."
His pale face became very red as there were a few chuckles from surrounding cabins. Then he stalked off, taking his fan club with him. Willow found herself very grateful Sev had filled her in on Malfoy's encounter last year and the bouncing that accompanied it. She just hoped she'd handled that correctly. It had felt awfully mean.
Now she needed to sit before her knees gave out. So she plopped into the nearest available seat. She found herself next to a smallish boy with a camera almost as big as his head. She was nearly blind for the rest of the trip as he kept snapping her picture.
***
Harry and Ron were playing wizard's chess in their compartment when Draco stormed by. He was followed shortly by the Weasley twins who ducked into the cabin. Both were laughing.
"What'd you do to Malfoy?" Ron asked. Hermione glanced up from her book looking curious.
"Nothing!" George gasped. "That's the best part!"
"So what happened already?" Ron asked as he had his bishop take Harry's queen. "Checkmate."
"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is on the train." Fred exploded like this explained everything.
"Really?" Hermione perked up. "Where?"
"She's sitting with Creevey. Colin, that is."
"And what does this have to do with Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"Well," Fred laughed, "he apparently thought she was a student, she is a bit young, and he called her a mudblood!"
Herminone's eyes got wide. "He didn't!"
"Yep!" George chuckled. "And she threatened to sic her pet ferret on him! It was bloody brilliant!" Everyone started roaring as the twins described the confrontation in more detail, even Hermione laughed softly.
A few cabins down Willow had no idea she was already getting a fan club of her very own.