Chapter 1
The castle seemed to take on a life of its own after dark. The darkness seemed to seep into the castle and envelope everything in its path. Yet, there was something about its halls that made it seem comforting, almost like home. Aurora decided that it was getting late and she should head back to her room. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her body as she walked down the quite hallway. As she struggled to look at her watch, she realized that it was only ten. It was still early; for her at least. She tried to think if she had ever been in the castle while it was this quite. When she had attended school here there was always some type of prank being pulled, which caused all kinds of noises through out the night. Although she wasn't one of the most popular in school, she had her fair share of friends. There was one who stood out above all of the others.
Her name was Hermione Granger. Hermione and Aurora had been in the same house and in the same year. Their friendship had blossomed over the years and by their 7th year Aurora had been added to her regular group of friends; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Cho Chang, and a few others that Aurora could not remember. She sighed at the thought of Harry and Ginny. They had just gotten married when the Death Eaters came after him to avenge Voldemorts death. What was left after the battle was very sad. Harry had lost his beautiful wife. The tragedy was over whelming for Harry and began live in seclusion. Ron, Ginny's brother, had taken his Auror duties to a new level. He somehow managed to track down and capture the Death Eaters that had managed to escape that night. Though for some reason this did not satisfy his pain of losing his only sister.
Aurora had finally reached her room. As she began to reach for the doorknob she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. She quickly grabbed her wand and waved it over herself so that she now blended in with the walls. She waited and listened as the sound grew louder. A shadowed figure began to come into view, but Aurora could not recognize the figure walking towards her. As the figure comes more into view, she now realizes it is a man. Not wanting to scare this poor man, Aurora decides to stay hidden against the wall. As he is about to pass her, he slows his steps looking right at the spot where Aurora is standing, as if he can sense that something or someone is there. Aurora takes her chance to study the man who has now come within an arms reach of her. He is actually quite handsome.
'He's young, probably close to her age.'
She notices his eyes next. Two grey orbs staring straight at her. For some odd reason she can't stop staring into his eyes. She is completely transfixed. Suddenly the man turns and walks down the hall turning down another corridor. She quickly waves her wand over her body removing the spell. She stands in the hall for a moment realizing the effect this man has had on her. She had been swept away in his eyes. Those eyes!! She shook her head clearing her thoughts and walks into her room.
Plopping down on her bed she realizes how tired she really was. After changing out of her robes and putting on her pajamas she climbed into bed and starred at the ceiling.
'Who in the world was that?' she thought.
Aurora knew most of the teachers at Hogwarts. She knew that two positions had become open over the summer. Professor Snape, the potions teacher, had been killed by Death Eaters just three months ago, and Professor McGonagall had retired from transfiguration teacher soon after. Maybe this guy was the new potions teacher. She knew he couldn't be here to teach transfiguration because that was why she was here. That had to be it. She closed her eyes remembering his soulful eyes. Those gorgeous gray eyes. But something seemed odd. His face seemed vaguely familiar. She had seen him before; or had she. She rolled over on her side deciding that tomorrow she would find out just who this man was. She slowly drifted off to sleep with the image of the new potions teacher fresh in her mind.