Chapter 2-
Within a few minutes the Great Hall was filled with chattering students. Professor McQueen was on the edge of her seat, looking around at all of the faces she would soon be teaching.
"Oh, I'm so excited. Aren't you?" she said without thinking. She turned to see Professor Snape glaring at her again. Her smile faded quickly and she turned back to watch the students. Maureen wasn't very fond of this Professor Snape character, but she believed in giving people more than one chance. 'Perhaps he's just having a bad day.' she thought. (Little does she know... ^_^)
After a few minutes Professor McGonagall came through the Great Hall doors followed by a big group of first years. Maureen smiled at them as they timidly walked in between the tables, looking very nervous indeed. Maureen wanted to talk to her fellow teachers about the students but she was put at the end of the table with only Professor Snape to talk to. She cautiously looked at Snape from the corner of her eyes. When she was sure that he was watching the sorting she turned to look at him.
"Excuse me, Professor Snape?" she asked quietly.
"Yes." he answered, his eyes still fixed on the first years. Maureen cleared her throat.
"Who is that student? The one next to the red-head?" she said, nodding toward a student seated at the Gryffindor table. Snape's fist clenched suddenly, which made Maureen jump slightly.
"That, Professor McQueen, is the famous Harry Potter." he said with a tone of hatred. Maureen sat up straight to get a better look at the boy who lived.
"I knew it. Wow, Harry Potter. Will I be teaching him?" she asked as if it were the biggest honor there is, which thoroughly annoyed Snape.
"I would expect so. But I warn you; Mr. Potter has a tendency to break rules and make teaching a regret." Snape said with a sneer. Maureen refused to believe him. After all, this is Harry Potter. How could he be the nightmare Professor Snape is making him out to be?
After the sorting was through, Dumbledore stood up and smiled brightly at all of the students. Maureen sat up as straight as she could to see him.
"Welcome, students and staff, to another year at Hogwarts. I'd like to welcome the first year students as well as our newest addition to the staff." Dumbledore said. He motioned for Maureen to stand, which she did. "Professor McQueen is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I trust that you will all show her the same respect you would for your other professors." Maureen smiled at all of the students as they gave her a polite applause. She sat down again feeling more excited than ever.
"Oh, I don't think I can wait until tomorrow to teach these angels." Maureen said to Snape.
"Angels? Aren't you in for the rude awakening." Snape sneered as he drank from his goblet. Maureen rolled her eyes. 'What a grouch.' she thought.
After the feast the students were dismissed to their dormitories while the staff remained behind. Dumbledore stood up once more and cleared his throat.
"Well, that ends the beginning-of-the-year festivities. You should all get a good night's sleep. Classes start tomorrow." The teachers left their seats and headed out of the hall, some talking to each other, others dragging their feet sleepily. Maureen got up as well and walked over to Dumbledore.
"Ah, Professor McQueen. I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening," he said with a smile.
"Oh, yes Professor. It was wonderful, but I'm sure it won't be as wonderful as tomorrow." she said happily. Dumbledore smiled even more brightly than before.
"Why Miss McQueen, I must say; of all my years here at Hogwarts I've never seen a staff member with such enthusiasm."
"Sir, you flatter me," she said, blushing slightly. "Well, I better be off to bed then. Big day tomorrow." she said. Dumbledore nodded in agreement and said goodnight.
With a bit of difficulty, walking down numerous hallways and being pointed in the wrong direction by Peeves, Maureen McQueen finally found her room. She didn't even bother unpacking or changing. She just flopped onto her bed and fell asleep almost immediately, dreams of tomorrow's classes flashing through her mind.
Professor McQueen woke up early, too anxious to lie in bed until sunrise! She quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair and practically skipped out of her room and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Being that it was still a bit dark outside, she guessed it was about 6:00 or so. She made her way to the Great Hall, proud of the fact that she hadn't gotten lost once, and pulled the doors open. The only other people in there were two red- headed boys, sitting across from each other, whispering and bent over a piece of parchment. McQueen looked around the room to make sure there was no other teachers, she wasn't sure if she was obligated to sit at the staff table or not. She shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the two boys. One boy noticed her walking over and whispered urgently to the other boy, who grabbed the parchment from the table and stuffed it in his school bag.
"Hello there, boys." Professor McQueen said with a cheery smile. Both boys looked up at her with the same exact grin. They were twins.
"Hello there, Professor," said one of the boys.
"How are you on this fine, start-of-term morning?" asked the other.
"Oh, I'm doing fine. Mind if I join you boys?" she asked. Both boys looked at each other and both shrugged.
"We'd love for you to join us, Professor," said one of the boys. "I'm George Weasley and this is my brother, Fred." Fred bowed his head.
"It's nice to meet you both. I'm Professor McQueen," she said. She seated herself next to George.
"You know, Professor, most teachers sit up there, at the staff table," said Fred, pointing to the front table.
"I know, but there's no other teacher here so I decided to talk to you two, get to know my students." she said. Fred and George both nodded, showing that they understood.
Half an hour later, Professor McGonagall came into the Great Hall to see the Weasley twins roaring with laughter and Professor McQueen encouraging it. She went over to George, Fred and Professor McQueen and cleared her throat.
".... So the warlock turns to the imp and says, - Oh! Professor McGonagall. Good morning" said Professor McQueen, sitting up straight and getting rid of her smile.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall. You're looking positively lovely this morning," said Fred, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Spare me, Mr. Weasley. Professor McQueen, may I talk to you in private?" she said, making it sound more like an order than a request. Professor McQueen looked at the twins and bit her lip. She nodded her head and got up to follow Professor McGonagall. Once they were far enough away from the twins, Professor McGonagall turned to Professor McQueen.
"Professor McQueen, I don't think it best for you to socialize with the Weasley twins. They're not exactly the right influence-"
"Professor McGonagall, pardon me but, they may not be 'model students' but they do have quite a spirit if you ask me-"
"But I am not asking you."
"I know, Professor, but now that they are fond of me, and I them, I'll be more comfortable in at least one of my classes, seeing familiar faces in them."
"Be that as it may, I don't think it wise for you to be so close to the Weasley twins, nor any other students. The only relationship a professor should have with a student is that of a student and professor." said Professor McGonagall. "Now, I believe that, since you are now a teacher, you will sit at the front table." With that, Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and headed for the staff table. Professor McQueen glanced at the Weasley twins, who had been watching her, and smiled an apologetic smile and also headed for the staff table.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~ A/N- Hey guys. I hope you liked the chapter. Leave a review please! ^_^
Within a few minutes the Great Hall was filled with chattering students. Professor McQueen was on the edge of her seat, looking around at all of the faces she would soon be teaching.
"Oh, I'm so excited. Aren't you?" she said without thinking. She turned to see Professor Snape glaring at her again. Her smile faded quickly and she turned back to watch the students. Maureen wasn't very fond of this Professor Snape character, but she believed in giving people more than one chance. 'Perhaps he's just having a bad day.' she thought. (Little does she know... ^_^)
After a few minutes Professor McGonagall came through the Great Hall doors followed by a big group of first years. Maureen smiled at them as they timidly walked in between the tables, looking very nervous indeed. Maureen wanted to talk to her fellow teachers about the students but she was put at the end of the table with only Professor Snape to talk to. She cautiously looked at Snape from the corner of her eyes. When she was sure that he was watching the sorting she turned to look at him.
"Excuse me, Professor Snape?" she asked quietly.
"Yes." he answered, his eyes still fixed on the first years. Maureen cleared her throat.
"Who is that student? The one next to the red-head?" she said, nodding toward a student seated at the Gryffindor table. Snape's fist clenched suddenly, which made Maureen jump slightly.
"That, Professor McQueen, is the famous Harry Potter." he said with a tone of hatred. Maureen sat up straight to get a better look at the boy who lived.
"I knew it. Wow, Harry Potter. Will I be teaching him?" she asked as if it were the biggest honor there is, which thoroughly annoyed Snape.
"I would expect so. But I warn you; Mr. Potter has a tendency to break rules and make teaching a regret." Snape said with a sneer. Maureen refused to believe him. After all, this is Harry Potter. How could he be the nightmare Professor Snape is making him out to be?
After the sorting was through, Dumbledore stood up and smiled brightly at all of the students. Maureen sat up as straight as she could to see him.
"Welcome, students and staff, to another year at Hogwarts. I'd like to welcome the first year students as well as our newest addition to the staff." Dumbledore said. He motioned for Maureen to stand, which she did. "Professor McQueen is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I trust that you will all show her the same respect you would for your other professors." Maureen smiled at all of the students as they gave her a polite applause. She sat down again feeling more excited than ever.
"Oh, I don't think I can wait until tomorrow to teach these angels." Maureen said to Snape.
"Angels? Aren't you in for the rude awakening." Snape sneered as he drank from his goblet. Maureen rolled her eyes. 'What a grouch.' she thought.
After the feast the students were dismissed to their dormitories while the staff remained behind. Dumbledore stood up once more and cleared his throat.
"Well, that ends the beginning-of-the-year festivities. You should all get a good night's sleep. Classes start tomorrow." The teachers left their seats and headed out of the hall, some talking to each other, others dragging their feet sleepily. Maureen got up as well and walked over to Dumbledore.
"Ah, Professor McQueen. I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening," he said with a smile.
"Oh, yes Professor. It was wonderful, but I'm sure it won't be as wonderful as tomorrow." she said happily. Dumbledore smiled even more brightly than before.
"Why Miss McQueen, I must say; of all my years here at Hogwarts I've never seen a staff member with such enthusiasm."
"Sir, you flatter me," she said, blushing slightly. "Well, I better be off to bed then. Big day tomorrow." she said. Dumbledore nodded in agreement and said goodnight.
With a bit of difficulty, walking down numerous hallways and being pointed in the wrong direction by Peeves, Maureen McQueen finally found her room. She didn't even bother unpacking or changing. She just flopped onto her bed and fell asleep almost immediately, dreams of tomorrow's classes flashing through her mind.
Professor McQueen woke up early, too anxious to lie in bed until sunrise! She quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair and practically skipped out of her room and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Being that it was still a bit dark outside, she guessed it was about 6:00 or so. She made her way to the Great Hall, proud of the fact that she hadn't gotten lost once, and pulled the doors open. The only other people in there were two red- headed boys, sitting across from each other, whispering and bent over a piece of parchment. McQueen looked around the room to make sure there was no other teachers, she wasn't sure if she was obligated to sit at the staff table or not. She shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the two boys. One boy noticed her walking over and whispered urgently to the other boy, who grabbed the parchment from the table and stuffed it in his school bag.
"Hello there, boys." Professor McQueen said with a cheery smile. Both boys looked up at her with the same exact grin. They were twins.
"Hello there, Professor," said one of the boys.
"How are you on this fine, start-of-term morning?" asked the other.
"Oh, I'm doing fine. Mind if I join you boys?" she asked. Both boys looked at each other and both shrugged.
"We'd love for you to join us, Professor," said one of the boys. "I'm George Weasley and this is my brother, Fred." Fred bowed his head.
"It's nice to meet you both. I'm Professor McQueen," she said. She seated herself next to George.
"You know, Professor, most teachers sit up there, at the staff table," said Fred, pointing to the front table.
"I know, but there's no other teacher here so I decided to talk to you two, get to know my students." she said. Fred and George both nodded, showing that they understood.
Half an hour later, Professor McGonagall came into the Great Hall to see the Weasley twins roaring with laughter and Professor McQueen encouraging it. She went over to George, Fred and Professor McQueen and cleared her throat.
".... So the warlock turns to the imp and says, - Oh! Professor McGonagall. Good morning" said Professor McQueen, sitting up straight and getting rid of her smile.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall. You're looking positively lovely this morning," said Fred, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Spare me, Mr. Weasley. Professor McQueen, may I talk to you in private?" she said, making it sound more like an order than a request. Professor McQueen looked at the twins and bit her lip. She nodded her head and got up to follow Professor McGonagall. Once they were far enough away from the twins, Professor McGonagall turned to Professor McQueen.
"Professor McQueen, I don't think it best for you to socialize with the Weasley twins. They're not exactly the right influence-"
"Professor McGonagall, pardon me but, they may not be 'model students' but they do have quite a spirit if you ask me-"
"But I am not asking you."
"I know, Professor, but now that they are fond of me, and I them, I'll be more comfortable in at least one of my classes, seeing familiar faces in them."
"Be that as it may, I don't think it wise for you to be so close to the Weasley twins, nor any other students. The only relationship a professor should have with a student is that of a student and professor." said Professor McGonagall. "Now, I believe that, since you are now a teacher, you will sit at the front table." With that, Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and headed for the staff table. Professor McQueen glanced at the Weasley twins, who had been watching her, and smiled an apologetic smile and also headed for the staff table.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~ A/N- Hey guys. I hope you liked the chapter. Leave a review please! ^_^
