"Mama, why didn't I ever tell you that you looked like a fool?" Lisabet sighed. "You always looked like a bloody gypsy."

Lisabet's mother neither looked up nor acknowledged her daughter's commentary. She sat at her little table, a sad dreamy look in her eyes as she gazed into the crystal ball before her.

The living space Lisabet had shared with her mother was very small, just barely big enough for the two of them. Despite the cramped quarters, Lisabet had always been happy living with her mother. She loved their little flat, situated above a restaurant. Any time Lisabet was hungry all she would have to do was go downstairs and sneak a few beignets from the kitchens. The odor of fine food always permeated the little apartment, though Lisabet knew that no one was a better cook than her mother.

Even 19 years after having left home, and 17 years after her mother's death, the tiny home they shared was still the place she felt safest and most loved. Lisabet watched quietly as a ten year old version of herself rushed into the tiny apartment, powdered sugar smeared across her t-shirt.

No wonder I was a fat kid.

The child ran to her mother's arms, nearly knocking the old woman over and upsetting the table. Mama gathered the child up in a loving embrace and kissed her forehead.

"What is it Mama?" the child asked, having realized that her mother had been crying.

"You are growing up so fast," Mama answered in French, cupping the child's face in her hands.

Lisabet smiled. Her mother had always insisted on speaking French. It sounded like music when her mother spoke it.

Mama took an envelope from the table and handed it to her child. "This came for you today, my baby."

The little girl took the parchment envelope and looked for a return address. There was none.

"Who is it from Mama?" the child asked, in French of course. Mama would have scolded her if she had spoken anything but.

Tears were welling in her Mama's eyes. "It is from your new school," she answered. "The same school I went to when I was a little girl."

The little girl jumped with delight and threw her arms around her mother's neck.

Lisabet tried to hold back her tears. She missed her mother so much, thank Merlin she had the pensieve so she could revisit her happy moments whenever she wanted. She wished she could freeze this moment in time, and stay there forever, in the warmth of her childhood home, with her mother whom she had loved so much. Wiping her tears from her face, Lisabet realized just how lonely she was. She had finally dried her eyes when without warning, everything around her swirled and rippled, disrupting her most beloved memory.

"Bugger," she grumbled and withdrew her mind from the penseive. "I swear Misha, if you are playing in the penseive again, I will wring your hairy little neck!"

She opened her eyes, expecting to see her fat brown and orange tabby cat dipping her paw in to the well of the penseive. Instead, she found the corner of a parchment envelope poking into the silvery substance. Next to the offending letter sat a grey barn owl, looking quite pleased with himself. Lisabet picked up the envelope that looked strikingly similar to the one she had just seen in her memory. She turned it over and found the seal of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . Shooing the owl off of her desk, she pushed the pensieve into a drawer and proceeded to open the envelope.

Dear Ms.Carey,

I would like to thank you for your interest in the opening of Potions Master at our school. The Governors were very impressed with your resume, and I was equally impressed with your intimate knowledge of the subject, and you extensive experience during your interview last month. We received a glowing referral from Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons Academy where you will be greatly missed.

The Governors met last evening and on my recommendation made a unanimous decision to offer you the position previously held by Professor Severus Snape. We feel a person with your expertise and experience will best be able to meet the high educational standards we set at Hogwarts. Though the void left by Professor Snape will be a hard one to fill, The Governors and I feel you are the best candidate for the job.

Please reply by owl with your decision so arrangements may be made for your arrival at Hogwarts near the end of the summer holiday. You will be required to submit your lesson plans one month before the start of term so that we may inform the students of any class materials they may need.

It is always a great joy when I am able to offer teaching positions to Hogwarts alumni, and I am very much looking forward to working with you.

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Lisabet smiled as she picked up her raven feather quill and a clean piece of parchment. She had a lot of work to do if she was going to translate her lesson plans from French into English.

She was going back to the only other place she had ever been able to call home. Hogwarts.

A/N Chapter one is done. I hope it made sense. I had trouble making the scene where Lisabet was in the penseive. It is difficult trying to differentiate between two different characters who share the same name.

If you have read my snippet Revenge is Sweet you won't have any question as to what happened to Professor Snape. Read it if you like, it is a part of this same story, but much further into the future.

I am trying very hard not to make Lisabet into a Mary Sue. If you start seeing any indications of Mary Sueage please let me know.

Please R&R, I appreciate it any and all feedback.