Returning to Hogwarts was like a dream come true for Lisabet Carey. In fact, returning as Potions Mistress (she laughed at the title) was more than she could ever have dreamed of. She found it odd that after her travels all around the world studying magic, the only place she wanted to return to was her old school. Any sane person, she thought, would have wanted to spend the rest of their life someplace like Alexandria, Paris, Beijing, Rome or maybe even the Caribbean, places that were alive with magic and history. But not Lisabet Carey, she wanted to go back to her school nestled in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, to teach, because it made her happy. It was the happiest she had been in years.
The journey to Hogsmeade had been an easy one. While Lisabet didn't care for apparating, she realized it was the easiest way to travel. Because no one was able to apparate on to Hogwarts grounds, she had apparated to Hogsmeade where she waited at the Three Broomsticks for her carriage to arrive. She slowly nursed a butterbeer while she absorbed the long forgotten smells and sounds of the old familiar place.
Hogmeade was a small wizarding village not far from Hogwart's. Lisabeth fondly remembered the summer holiday after her third year. She had decided to stay in Hogsmeade and work in Dervish and Banges, a wizarding supply store, rather than go home to her mother in muggle London. It had been one of the best times of her life. She had been fourteen years old and free to do as she pleased.
Lisabet was interrupted from her reverie by a monstrous shadow falling over her table.
"'Allo Lisabet!" boomed Rubeus Hagrid, the man Lisabet remembered as Hogwarts game keeper.
Lisabet smiled. "Hello Hagrid!" she exclaimed, rising to greet him. Her slender pink hand was completely enveloped in his huge calloused one as he shook it lightly.
Hagrid looked the same as he always had, a bit grayer around the temples and in his beard, but he was still the same huge loveable fellow wearing the same ratty moleskin coat he had worn when she started Hogwarts sixteen years ago.
"Sorry I didn't remember what ya looked like from when you were in school, but I recognized you from the picture on the back of your book." he explained, flustered that he couldn't remember the name of the book.
"You read my book?" Lisabet asked incredulously. Even she considered it a boring read.
"Yah, well, not all of it, but some of the pictures were mighty interesting." He blushed.
"Well I am flattered that you even thought about reading it Hagrid," she said with a sly grin. "Most people find it painfully boring, even for a textbook. I don't even think I have read it since it was published."
Hagrid returned her smile and offered her his arm. "I already got yer bags if you are ready to go."
"Certainly." She slid her arm through his, though she felt like she was hanging on to the limb of a tree. His elbow was at about the same level as her ear. He led her outside to a familiar looking black carriage. The thestrals pulling the carriage shook their manes impatiently as she stepped inside and took a seat. It was strange being able to see the thestrals, a creepy looking sort of skeletal horse. All the time she had been at Hogwarts she hadn't been able to see them. She knew why she was now able to see the thestrals. It was because she had seen death, her husband's death. She hid her face and tried to put the thought out of her head. She didn't want to forget how happy she was to be returning home.
"It was after me father died that I was able to see the thestrals. I try not ter think about it too much, but I can't help but feel a little sad every time I see one of 'em," Hagrid comforted, patting her knee.
"Was I that obvious?" Lisabet asked with a weak chuckle, ashamed that she had let Hagrid see her grief.
"Its nothing ter be ashamed of." He was still patting her knee. "Lots of people feel sad when they see the thestrals. It's only natural."
"Thank you Hagrid." Lisabet smiled thinly and placed her hand over his. "It just hasn't been that long since it happened."
Professor McGonagall was waiting for them when they arrived at the front steps of Hogwarts. Lisabet thought for a moment that all things must go into suspended animation the moment the stepped on to Hogwart's grounds. Professor McGonagall looked the same as she had sixteen years ago when Lisabet had first laid eyes on her. She was tall and willowy, with black hair and a pointy face and Lisabet was sure that Minerva was still tearing the same pointy tartan hat from so many years ago.
"Welcome back dear." Professor McGonagall greeted with a warm hug, a hug that reminded Lisabet of her mother.
"It's good to finally be home." Lisabet smiled and returned the warm welcome. "I was beginning to worry though. I hadn't heard from you for so long, I was beginning to think you might have given the job to Blaise Zabini."
"Oh, hush child," Minerva teased. "You knew you got the job, I told you as much! The approval of the Governors was just a formality. As for Blaise, I thought the application was a joke when I read it, and I said as much during Blaise's interview."
Lisabet laughed. Professor McGonagall had never been one to mince words.
"Besides," Minerva added, putting her arm around Lisabet. "You were the only one who had experience outside of the classroom." She then looked at Hagrid, who was busying himself with Lisabet's many bags. "Come Hagrid; leave those for the house elves. Let us go catch up over a spot of tea and some cookies."
"Right good idea, I haven had anything since breakfast, I could eat a hippogriff's backside." Hagrid picket up a willow basket and handed it to Lisabet. "Here's your wee cat Professor Carey, I think she wants to be let out, probably cramped in tha little basket."
"Oh Misha, I almost forgot!" Lisabet unlatched the top of the basket and a streak of brown and ginger hair flew out, landing a short way down the hall ahead of them. "Poor thing, she hates to be cooped up." Misha promptly found an abandoned doorway and tended to her mussed hair. "Filch doesn't still have that miserable beast Mrs. Norris does he?"
"Yes, I am afraid," answered Professor McGonagall with a smile. "I think as long as we have Filch, we will have Mrs. Norris." It had always been every student's secret (or not so secret) desire to give Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, a swift kick.
The trio set off down the hall toward the headmaster's office, Misha trailing behind them, stopping periodically to tend to an errant bit of hair.
"Speaking of miserable beasts." Lisabet chuckled nervously. "What of Professor Snape? I never imagined he would leave Hogwart's."
"Oh, I thought I told you," explained Professor McGonagall. "He is taking over as Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor this year."
"Well, I bet he is pleased."
"One would think, but I think Severus is still furious that it took this long to offer him the job. He has been after it for years. I know Albus, rest his soul, had his reasons for not offering it to Severus, but I thought it was time we gave him a chance."
Lisabet was relieved by this, she had hoped she would get the chance to see her old potions master.
"I think Albus would be pleased that you are taking Severus' place," McGonagall added as an afterthought. "It won't be easy picking up where Severus left off. Albus said you had the most spirit of anyone in your year. In all his years here, you were the only one to call him a 'barmy old pouf'."
"Well, he should have known better than to keep calling me Lizzy."
A/N Well, that was sufficiently boring, although it did contain the ubiquitous Blaise Zabini reference, and we are still no closer to knowing Blaise's gender. I think I am happier not knowing. The fandom would not be half as much fun if we knew.
I promise things will be more entertaining next chapter. Snape begins his part next chapter, and he is just as snarky as ever. I promise I won't make him OOC.
Don't you people ever leave comments? I have had quite a few hits, but no reviews. WTF? Please leave me some kind of feedback, even if it is only to say that my story sucks the dog's balls.