Teni

by Sheltigrrl Moonfire

Harry Potter's sixth year, as told through the eyes of his newest Defence professor. Domovoi Rachinovski is very different from his fellow professors. He never went to Hogwarts, he speaks with an accent, and he's a medium to boot. Can he help Harry?

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Except for the ghosts, the paintings, and my fellow professors, the castle was deserted. It wouldn't be for long; the students would arrive soon. But for now, I enjoyed the solitude. My feet echoed softly against the stone floor, and a soft breeze whistled through the cloister, brushing my hair against my cheek.

The setting sun streamed through the stained glass windows, casting rainbow patterns on the floor. Dust danced through the coloured light. I swept a hand through the air, sending the tiny particles swirling away. They slowly fell back into place as I watched, continuing their dance in the light.

I couldn't remember the last time I felt this peaceful. The silence, the stillness, and the overwhelming sense of just how ancient everything was all came together for a beautiful, serene feeling. Perhaps the best part was the utter absence of hostility in the air. When you do what I do, you get used to feeling others' hatred, their anger, their vengeance. But here, now, there was none of that.

I leaned against a window and watched the sunset turn the sky red, then closed my eyes lazily. I thought about how different Hogwarts was from Durmstrang, where I had received the majority of my wizard schooling. The land around Durmstrang was beautiful, but Hogwarts... Hogwarts was huge. I was still trying to wrap my brain around how phenomenally big it was.

And it was warm, too. Though it was early September, the sun kept the air warm and pleasant, and the castle reflected that. The breezes that blew through occasionally were like down blankets; even the stone walls were warm. It was tremendously different from cold Durmstrang.

I could get used to this, I thought. So I stood there, leaning against the window, basking in the warmth of the setting sun. For that moment, I felt completely content.

"Rachinovski," said an oily voice behind me, "we require your presence in the Great Hall. The students have arrived, you know."

I turned to face the Potions Master, still feeling rather happy about it all. "Lead way, Professor."