A/N: I'm about to do something I said I wouldn't do – post an unfinished story. But hopefully I'll have enough pressure on me to finish it before July 16. I decided that I couldn't really rework this story after Book 6 came out, so my only option would have been to make it an alternate version of Book 6 (and why, after the fact, try to outdo the original?). And since I already had 30 pages of this written, I didn't want to just dump it either. As it stands now, there are 10 complete chapters ready to post that take us to about Christmas. I still have to write the rest of it, but hopefully I can stay one step ahead of posting. I can't dawdle on putting the chapters up or I won't get them all up before the next book comes out, which is the goal.

So, despite my LOTR readers trying to burn the map from Rohan to Hogwarts, I seem to have found my way here anyhow! Sorry folks! Not to worry, I'll be back with more Elfwine and parents and other folk eventually. I just need to get this out of my system!

Harry Potter & The Stranger From the Past

Chapter 1

The woman stepped off the Knight Bus in front of the Hogwarts gates and stared up at the familiar turrets and spires. Stan Shunpike, the conductor, lugged her trunk off and set it down beside her. " 'Ere you go, Miss. 'Ogwarts School o' Witchcraft and Wizardry!" She didn't appear to have heard him, so after a moment he climbed back aboard and shouted to the driver to continue on their way. She didn't notice their departure or even acknowledge the loud bang that accompanied it.

Slowly she sat down on her trunk and continued to stare at the castle that she hadn't seen for over sixteen years. Her life certainly had not turned out the way she imagined all those years ago when she was attending the school. Voldemort's reign of terror had changed a lot of lives. Now here she found herself back at Hogwarts with the threat of Voldemort once more in the air. With a sigh, she stood and placed a Locomotor Charm on her trunk, then slowly made her way up to the castle.

She had timed her arrival in order to miss being present at the start-of-term banquet. She knew Dumbledore would have wished to introduce her to the school there, but she wasn't yet comfortable being among so many people. Her life had been such a one of solitude for many years that even half a dozen people were a crowd. Just the thought of her classes was intimidating, but Dumbledore had stressed his desperate need for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and she had finally been convinced to take the position.

xxxxx

The start-of-term banquet was just concluding and Professor McGonagall was tapping her water glass to bring the students to order. Headmaster Dumbledore rose to make a few announcements. "It has been a long day and I am sure you are all anxious to get to your dormitories. Please remember that the Forbidden Forest is still strictly off-limits to all students, and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, asks me to remind students that performing of magic is not permitted in the hallways between classes. He has posted on the door of his office a list of forbidden items, which I understand has been lengthened considerably courtesy of the Weasley twins."

At the Gryffindor table, there was considerable laughter among the students who had known the prankster twins well during their time at Hogwarts. In particular, their brother Ronald Weasley and his two friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, were sharing amused smirks at the legacy the twins had left.

Dumbledore continued, "I am sure no one will be surprised, or unhappy, to learn that we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Watson. She was unable to be present at the banquet, but you will each meet her in your first class and she can introduce herself to you there."

Ron, Harry and Hermione shared questioning glances at each other. The Defense Against the Dark Arts post was said to be jinxed and so far they hadn't had a teacher stay in the position for more than a year for the past five years. The last teacher in the post, Dolores Umbridge, had been appointed by the Ministry of Magic and refused to teach them anything but theory. Now that the Ministry had finally been forced to acknowledge Voldemort's return, they hoped the new teacher would do a better job of arming them for whatever might come.

"You are dismissed to go to your dormitories, and goodnight to you all," Dumbledore concluded.

As the three Gryffindors stood, Hermione whispered to the others, "Look at Snape!"

They turned to the teachers' table and spotted the Professor in question, but looked at Hermione with confusion. "What about him?" Ron asked.

"Oh, Ron, don't be thick! He's almost smiling! This is the first time he hasn't looked practically murderous at the thought of someone else teaching the Dark Arts class!" Hermione explained. The boys took another look and then shrugged indifferently. Hermione shook her head but said nothing more.

"Come on, Ron," Hermione said, and the two hurried off to their prefect duties.

Ron's sister, Ginny Weasley, fell in beside Harry as they moved toward the Gryffindor tower. They walked in silence most of the way but as they drew closer, Ginny finally asked quietly, "So, are you ready for this?"

Harry knew she was trying to draw him out. All of the Weasleys and Hermione had been trying to get him to express his feelings about the death of his godfather, Sirius Black, but he just wasn't ready to talk about it with anyone. The sadness and guilt over Sirius' death were almost more than he could bear most of the time, and he found it easiest to simply avoid the issue altogether. He wished they would just leave him alone about it, but so far that hadn't happened. So he gave his stock response, "Sure. I'm fine."

Ginny knew he was lying, as he had been all summer whenever the subject came up about how he was doing, but she decided now wasn't the time to try and force the issue. She gave a small sigh and slipped her arm through his, "We all miss him, Harry. You aren't alone in this. Just remember that, okay?"

He gave her a weak smile and nodded, "Thanks, Gin." But she noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. The light had gone out of them last June and so far hadn't returned. She turned her head away so he wouldn't see the tear that slipped down her cheek against her will.

Once inside the common room, Ginny said goodnight to Harry and headed off for the girl's dormitory. She forced herself not to look back. She had been trying for years to get over her feelings for Harry Potter. She began dating other boys during her third and fourth years, but none of the relationships ever seemed to last, and she knew it was mostly her fault. Try as she might, she just couldn't stop thinking about Harry; and the other guys, while fun to be with, just never managed to hold her interest very long. Everything kept bringing her back face to face with Harry, and still he remained oblivious to her as anything other than a friend and the sister of his best friend. But she couldn't stay away from him. Whenever he had needed cheering up or comforting, she always made herself available. Sometimes he let her; sometimes he didn't. But always it broke her heart when he just thanked her and walked away afterwards, without giving her another thought. This year she had her O.W.L.s coming up and she was planning on focusing massive amounts of time and energy to studying for those – maybe that would be enough to keep her feelings at bay.

Harry had watched Ginny climb the stairs and disappear out of sight before heading to his own dormitory. It was good to see his dormmates again and they chatted some about their summer, though it was a much more subdued conversation than in years past. Ron was absent, still attending to the First Years, and Neville was all too aware of the events that led into Harry's summer, and his own. They had spent the past two months recuperating both physically and mentally, and so it hadn't particularly been a relaxing holiday for either of them. Mostly they just listened while Dean and Seamus chattered on. Eventually they wore down and everyone was heading for bed as Ron joined them.

Harry began pulling off his clothes and getting into his pajamas, and Ron did likewise without making conversation. They both climbed into bed and pulled the curtains around them. Within minutes, Harry could hear Ron and Neville snoring, but it took longer for him to relax. He lay there thinking about the year ahead. He felt kind of bad for blowing Ginny off like he had. He knew that she, as well as everyone else, was worried about him, but there just wasn't anything they could do to help. At least Ginny wasn't as pushy about it as some of the others were, and she never got mad at him for not wanting to talk about things. Sometimes the others seemed to get irritated that he wouldn't break down and tell them everything. He let out a sigh. He really ought to make it a point to be nicer to Ginny. Sometimes she was more help than all the rest of them together, just because she seemed to know when to leave him alone. Without realizing it, his mouth tweaked into a grin as he thought of her, and then he turned over and dropped off to sleep.

xxxxx

By the time she entered the front doors of the castle, the banquet was ended and all the students had departed for their dormitories. However, standing near the doors, apparently waiting for her arrival, was Severus Snape. He hurried forward as she came in and greeted her with his version of a smile, that to some appeared to be little more than a grimace. It occurred to her that he really hadn't changed much in appearance since they had gone to school together at Hogwarts. Unbidden, the mocking nickname 'Snivellus' came to mind and she had to forcefully make herself remember that was not his first name as she greeted him. 'Damn you, Sirius! Even after all these years you still cause trouble...' she thought.

"Aurelia, it is so good to see you again!" Severus Snape told her. "We were hoping you would join us at the banquet."

She shrugged and answered noncommittally, "I don't do well in crowds, Severus." After an awkward pause, she continued, "Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me to my quarters. It's been a long day."

"Of course, of course. This way," he waved his hand for her to accompany him down the hallway and her trunk glided along behind them. They walked in uncomfortable silence until they reached the door to her quarters.

"I'll be fine from here," she told him. "I'll probably see you tomorrow. Goodnight." She moved inside the room with her trunk and closed the door before he had a chance to pursue further conversation. Slowly she sat down on the bed and looked around the room. She had never really envisioned herself returning to Hogwarts as a teacher. It was a strange feeling. Part of her still felt like a student, and in way over her head trying to pull this off. With a sigh she acknowledged to herself that Dumbledore wouldn't have hired her if he didn't think her capable of doing the job.

With that in mind, she began to unpack her few belongings. As she put the last of her things away, she realized she hadn't eaten since around two o'clock that afternoon and she was a bit hungry. Well, having known Sirius Black and James Potter at school did have its advantages. Hopefully, after all this time, she could still remember her way to the picture leading to the kitchens. The Marauders' Map would have come in handy right about now. She wondered idly what had ever become of it, but then she gave herself a mental shake. It would not do to dwell on the past. The days and friends of her youth were long distant; many were lost forever. Her jaw tightened and she forced the thought out of her mind, focusing on getting to the kitchen for a meal before she turned in. Only two wrong turns later, she found the picture and gained entrance.