Harry Potter and the Slayerette
A/N
So the question on many people's lips is "Who is Professor Regan?", huh? Well sorry to disappoint you SAmmy, but its not Faith. Read on to find out!
Professor Regan was added at the last minute, literally as I was typing up the chapter. It was a totally unscheduled appearance. Personally, I blame her; she started bugging me to let her be in it! *lol*
Witch_grrl: What kind of action are you talking about? Should I be scared?
Alienbeing: Now there's a funny thought… Malfoy or Snape on Ha-ha humbugs! *sniggers* I'm gonna have some fun with this one I think! Willow's first class should be… entertaining. I'm not going to say any more 'cause that would spoil it, but I have some really cool ideas for an interesting first lesson. Think Hagrid and Buckbeak only in Defence Against the Dark Arts. As for whether Ginny was hanging round Malfoy or not… I'll leave that up to your imagination.
Angela M: *beams delightedly* If Echo hadn't put me off cookies for life I'd give you some!
Serena: YES! I'm not the only person out there who likes HP/Willow crossovers!
Riverchic1998: I'm halfway through Blood Ties right now!
Song: Thanks for the support! *grins*
Anyway, gonna carry on with the fic 'cause it's about 0 degrees in my house at the moment and typing helps to keep my fingers warm… Unfortunately it does nothing for my shivers so please excuse any typos. Brrr, it's cold.
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The following morning, Professor McGonagall handed out the new Gryffindor timetables. Hermione gloated at the fact that Ron and Harry had double Divination first thing that morning, but nether of them paid much attention. They were too busy hoping that Professor Regan would be nothing like Professor Trelawney.
"I'm fed up with Divination Professors predicting my death." Harry told Ron as they waited at the base of the classroom for the ladder to descend. "If Professor Regan starts it I'm packing in Divination for good."
"Starts what?" A voice came from behind Harry.
He jumped and turned around to see Professor Regan standing behind him, a bemused smile on her face.
"Er." Harry fumbled for an excuse. Any excuse.
Professor Regan transferred her gaze from his face to the trapdoor in the ceiling above them. "Anyone know how to get up there?" She asked.
"It always came down by itself when Professor Trelawney was teaching us." Lavender Brown said resentfully. She had been one of Professor Trelawney's favourites.
"Really?" Professor Regan shrugged. "Oh well, it'll just have to do the same with me." With that, she pulled out her wand. "Openus Seasamus." She muttered under her breath so quietly that Harry doubted whether anyone but he had heard.
It seemed to work however, the trapdoor glided smoothly downwards. Much smoother than when Professor Trelawney had been in command of it. If you had been standing within ten feet of it back them you were liable to loose a limb. Harry was impressed.
Professor Regan motioned for them to proceed up the ladder and followed them behind. She waited for the class to settle itself in its usual groups and then began to speak.
"Now, as I'm new," She told them. "I need a complete roll call of names. I'll point to you in turn and you'll tell me your names." Silently, she pointed her wand at each member of the class in turn. They dutifully recited their names and then she moved onto the next student. When she was finished she put away her wand with an audible sigh. "How many of you have actually seen the future in one of these lessons?" She asked. "Hands up."
Most of the class put their hands up. Ron and Harry were among those that didn't. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown smirked at them across the room.
"Truthfully?" Professor Regan asked.
Slowly, members of the class began to put their hands down until only Lavender and Parvati were left with their hands up.
"I'm amazed girls." Professor Regan told them. "You must be pretty powerful to be able to see beyond all the gibberish."
Lavender and Parvati's smirks grew wider.
"Do you know why the majority of you have seen nothing?" Professor Regan asked the class. They shook their heads. "A witch or wizard works best with equipment that is exclusively theirs. Professor Trelawney had the entire school using the same equipment and that messes with the devices. When you touch a divination device you leave an invisible mark on it. It's invisible, but it's still there. With your own equipment that doesn't matter, you can still see with it… in fact you can see even better with it because it only has your mark on it. But when lots of people all touch the same equipment then the marks all add up and the device becomes unusable."
Professor Regan looked around the class. "Now here's what we're going to do this term. I'm going to assign each of you the task of creating your own scrying bowl. It will be exclusively yours, even down to making it with your own fair hands. It is your job to ensure that your scrying bowl remains yours, no one else must touch it. After you have made your scrying bowl; which you have two weeks from today to do; then you will use it in this lesson and keep and accurate log of anything you might see. An accurate log. If you see nothing, I expect you to report that fact. Not everyone gets on well with scrying bowls and I won't hold anyone accountable if they do not. Understood?"
As one the class nodded.
"Good." Professor Regan continued. "If you turn to page 236 in your books then you will see various instructions for creating different scrying bowls. Feel free to experiment with something new, but clear it with me first. Now, you can make as much noise as you like whilst you decide which scrying bowl you wish to use. I don't mind a bit."
With that, Professor Regan dug a battered book out from underneath her armchair and settled down to read it with a contented sigh.
Harry and Ron stared at one another, amazed, before opening their books.
The class spent a contented couple of hours, talking happily amongst themselves before they were due at their next class. Before they all left however, Professor Regan stood up and again called for their attention.
"Don't forget," she told them. "Any problems with your scrying bowls you come to me. I'm sharing an office with Professor Rosenburg so you shouldn't have much difficulty finding me." She smiled at them all.
"Aren't you staying in your office up here?" Lavender asked, clearly amazed.
"God no." Professor Regan told her. "No matter what I try, I just can't get the stench of incense out of the office. Gives me a migraine. Class dismissed."
In the resulting stampede for the door, Professor Regan may not have noticed that Parvati had to physically restrain Lavender from verbally assaulting Professor Regan for daring to slander her beloved Professor Trelawney. Harry didn't think so, as the last one down the ladder, he made the mistake of glancing back at Professor Regan where she stood, her green eyes dancing with mirth.