Prologue: Late Again
She felt increasingly unnerved and impatient as she approached the school's main entryway. Note to self… she thought irritably, muttering a low string of obscenities at tinfoil on horseback– never test a new broom directly before an important meeting. Why she had listened to her foolish roommate then, she would never know – or have time to think about as she tripped on the final steps leading to the Great Hall, causing a loud tear to echo throughout the grand passageways behind.
"Ahh, bloody - Vestimens Reparo."
Now neat and tidy, she couldn't wait to get in to meet her fellow professors… if it meant getting out with greater haste.
The wards around the castle activated, alerting all Hogwart's professors of the arrival of a guest. Almost everyone on the grounds had already gathered in the Hall with time to spare – except, not surprisingly, one very unhappy Head of Slytherin House, who was preparing a fresh lesson plan for his sixth years. He'd ignored the polite dinging at first, startled from a cold yarrow infusion, but it had grown more persistent as he progressed through the polytricha shavings, the dried eximia, some rare Egyptian lotus, and a cup of black tea (which by this time he was nearly distracted enough to add to the mix instead of drink). The hapless Earl Grey was soon rendered undrinkable when Professor Snape's control snapped at the now-unbearable sound.
Damn tourists, he brooded, wringing his sleeve out crossly. Why the Headmaster wants us all to meet the new brat, I shall never know. Muggle Studies and a Yank at a time like this…
A.N. – polytricha and eximia are both mushrooms, Egyptian blue lotus have painkilling properties, and I like Earl Grey. Mm… Oh – and standard "I-don't-own-a-damn-thing-otherwise-I'd-be-in-Paris-doing-some-hella-shopping" disclaimer.