As the charmed ones entered the Great Hall, they looked up at the ceiling, or what was believed to be the ceiling. Candles hovered over the table with nothing to hold them up. Stars twinkled into the ceiling with the dark sky as its background. The girls and the first years looked flabbergasted. Paige wondered if the ceiling was really there or not.
Phoebe and Paige sat down at the teachers table as Piper decided to help round the first year children up. Golden plates and silverware were sitting neatly in place with nothing on them. Crystal clear goblets with golden trimming sat in front of the plates. There were two empty seats next to Phoebe. Paige sat down between Phoebe and Professor Flitwick. He began telling Paige how the ceiling was charmed and how the candles just dangled where they were. Phoebe was looking around the large room. The students were talking excitedly, happy to be back with their friends and were happy that they could practice magic without getting into trouble.
Phoebe noticed that a door to her right was opening and a man stepped through. He had on the Hogwarts robes and badge. Phoebe was immediately captivated by his good looks and features. He looked around quickly then took the empty chair next the Phoebe. She turned away as if not looking him, but to be watching the students. The man's eyes looked at Phoebe for a moment without saying anything. Phoebe turned as if to notice him for the first time. She smiled and gave her right hand. "Hi, I'm Phoebe Halliwell, the Divinations teacher."
He returned a smile and shook her hand. "Hello to you too. My name is Cole Turner and I'll be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He looked at Phoebe once more, showing his good features to her. He then turned to watch the line of first years that were entering the Great Hall. Phoebe then remembered that what she heard from Dumbledore about the teacher.
She instantly released another smile wondering what made him late. "I've heard a little something about you."
He turned his attention back to Phoebe. "Really? I hope it was good then."
"I don't know if you would count being late a good thing."
"I don't think I'd say it was a good thing either, but I had to check on something before coming into the school." Cole answered back. He didn't sound too serious, he remained polite. Phoebe decided not to pry into his business, Cole spoke again before she could say anything. "Is this your first year teaching at Hogwarts?" He asked her.
"Yeah, it is. I came here with my sisters. They'll be teaching here as well." Phoebe answered. Cole began looking around with a glimmer in his eyes.
"Don't tell me they're as beautiful as you." Phoebe couldn't believe he was flirting with her.
"I've always thought myself as the prettiest."
"When will I get the chance see them?" He asked.
Phoebe slightly turned, getting Paige's attention. "Now." Phoebe said with a smile. "This is one of my sisters, Paige, she teaches Care of Magical Creatures. Paige this is Mr. Turner." She introduced.
"Call me Cole." He responded. Paige smiled saying hello to him. Piper came from walking around the room. She sat in the last chair next to Cole.
"And this is my other sister, Piper, she teaches potions class." Piper smiled and gave a small nod toward Cole.
"Nice to meet you Piper. I'm Cole Turner. Just call me Cole." Piper nodded again as the room became totally quiet. Everyone's attention turned to Professor Dumbledore.
He was standing in front of his golden throne like chair. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore for those who do not know me. We will first have our annual sorting of the houses for the first years then I will give the announcements." Dumbledore sat down then Professor McGonagall brought the old dusty hat out and sat it down on a wooden stool. It sang a song giving the descriptions of the houses. The first year students stood and listened. All of them were anxious.
After the hat finished its song, Professor McGonagall held a long scroll of paper with the names in alphabetical order. She first called "Abyll, Lisa". The girl slowly walked to the stool, looking slightly afraid after the professor placed the hat over her head. After waiting a few seconds, the hat called out "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor's cheered. The houses clapped and cheered as the first year students were sorted.
Finally after all of the students were seated, Dumbledore rose again. "Thank you Professor McGonagall." A small amount of students clapped. "Please let me first introduce our new teachers." He looked down the table at the charmed ones. "First we have the potions teacher, Professor Piper Halliwell." Piper stood up, whistles came from everywhere as did the claps. "Then we have our Divinations teacher, Professor Phoebe Halliwell." As Phoebe stood, with the whistles and claps, came calls that made Phoebe slightly blush. The noise wouldn't cease. "Please quiet down." Dumbledore called out. "And lastly, we have the Care for Magical Creatures, Professor Paige Halliwell." She stood and the noise was louder than ever with cheers, cat calls (flirting calls for those who don't know what cat calls are), whistles and claps. The sisters down, not helping but to smile.
"Thank you students for your enthusiasm for our new teachers. I hope you show our new teachers that we have nothing but respect for them." Phoebe thought that Dumbledore had forgotten Cole, but she decided to wait to ask Cole how long he'd taught at Hogwarts. "Professor Turner has returned and he will be the Defense of the Dark Arts teacher again." Cheers came from everyone, especially Slytherin. Cole smiled and nodded. It was obvious that his students liked him. "He will also be the Head of our Slytherin House." The cheers from Slytherin got louder as there were a few boos added in from mostly Gryffindor.
"Thank you students. Now Mr. Filch has reminded me to tell you students to not bring stink pellets back from Hogsmeade. This is my message to the third years and up. If I am to hear or even smell a stink pellet that has been set off in our school, then you will have severe punishment and the possibility of having no visitation rights to Hogsmeade for the rest of the school year. For the first years, the Forbidden Forest is off limits. There are many uncontrollable creatures in there and I forewarn you stay away from there if you do not want to get hurt or even die.
" Also, as many of you know, Yoland Moore Head also known as the Dead Tamer or Necromancer King has escaped from Azkaban and I assure you that you all are safe here at Hogwarts, but I do ask that you be on the lookout for any suspicious behaviors and there will be severe punishment to anyone found roaming the halls and grounds of Hogwarts at night without the escort of a teacher or prefect. Now that we have this all out of the way, let us enjoy our feast back to Hogwarts. Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore and everyone else clapped as the food began to appear on the tables.
Food even appeared in front of the teachers' table. Everyone began to eat the delicious food without delay. Phoebe began to talk to Cole. "How long have you worked here in Hogwarts?"
He answered after taking a sip of his pumpkin juice. "I've taught here for one year, but I took a year off last year because I needed to travel to write a book."
Piper jumped into the conversation. "What kind of book?"
"A book about creatures that haven't been discovered yet in the wizard world. You'd be surprised about what hasn't been found yet." Piper was interested and she and Cole began talking about certain creatures. Phoebe started to become slightly jealous, but she brushed it off as she talked to Paige. "Phoebe did you bring the Book of Shadows?"
"Yeah, why?"
"We can look up that Necromancer guy." Paige answered.
"Why would we need to look up him in the book? You heard what Dumbledore said, we're all safe here."
Cole turned to say something. Phoebe didn't even know that he was listening. "Dumbledore is a great headmaster and he keeps things pretty safe, but there can be ways that someone like a necromancer can even enter Hogwarts school grounds. He could enter through the Forbidden Forest, or use something that has died in the Forbidden Forest to do something."
"No one would try to go through the Forbidden Forest. You know how thick that place is?!" Piper said.
"Are you sure no one would try to come through the Forbidden Forest? Wizards with great power would be able to overcome the troublesome madness in the forest. Even Hagrid, the big guy over there has been in the forest and he barely knows magic."
Paige looked around Phoebe at Cole. "Have you been through the forest yet?"
It took a second for Cole to answer. He hesitated. "Yes...I have. It was the last place I went into before coming into the school. I have something in there that I must watch. It's for a class I'm teaching of course, but it's also a study I'm doing for my book." Cole seemed reluctant to answer the question. Paige was beginning not to like Cole, he seemed quite eccentric to her, but she decided to say nothing more.
"Is it a bad creature?" Piper asked after she ate some bread.
"Decides on who you talk to." He answered. Piper didn't quite get the answer, but Phoebe jumped in talking.
"Does Dumbledore know what you're doing?" She asked.
"Of course he does, Dumbledore knows everything that goes on at his school." Piper answered.
"I asked Cole." Phoebe looked at Cole.
"Yes he does, but Piper, Dumbledore doesn't know all but he knows most. Just to keep you girls happy though, Dumbledore has been one of the most cautious and safe Headmasters the school has ever had, so as for Yoland, he probably won't even come to the school. He has no reason to. Yoland is one of Vol...You Know Who's Death Eaters so I'm pretty sure that Yoland would try to crawl back to him before coming to the school."
Paige knew that everyone was afraid to speak Voldemort's name so why had Cole said the first part, but dare not finish it? She was losing her trust for Cole already, but it was obvious that her sisters were entranced by his smartness and good looks. Paige sighed as her two sisters listened to Cole give information on Yoland.
The feast lasted for a while until everyone was full and couldn't eat another bite.
Dumbledore stood up once more. "I'm sure that many of you are tired and we all need our rest for the first day of school tomorrow. Your prefects for this year are standing at the front of your tables. Please follow them to your houses and learn your passwords for the year. You are not to tell anyone the password and try not to write it down." Dumbledore smiled to lighten the mood, "Have a safe and resting night." The teachers and students went to their rooms.
Phoebe walked to her room, thinking about Cole. She wasn't able to get him off her mind even as she went to sleep. Piper remembered to put her security charm on her door then she went to bed. Paige didn't like Cole as much as her sisters did but she was full and satisfied and she couldn't wait for the next day to arrive.
A/N: Hey! I know I ended it rather quickly but a good year for Hogwarts is coming up! I hope you enjoyed the chapter though (it was rather boring I guess) BUT a good chapter is coming up. Believe me. Don't forget to RR! I love to get reviews or I feel like I'm writing the story for nothing. (It's happened! Look at my Matrix story!)