Thanks to my reviewers and my beta.
Disclaimer: All I own is Echo Narcula, Trabou, and the plot.
Hermione's brown eyes looked up thoughtfully at the building that had been her home for seven years. It was to be her home again. Her body was warmed at the thought. With a trembling hand, she pushed open the heavy door to the hopefully happy future. She was amazed at how little the school had changed. It even smelled the same, the smell of old books and delicious cooking. Peeves could be seen zooming backwards at the top of the stairs. Even though she had never been at the school during the summer, the look was the same as it always was.
The new teacher was to go straight to Professor Dumbledore's office. When she reached the gargoyle, she shyly muttered the password. Arriving in his office, she noticed four chairs situated in front of his desk. "Ah, Hermione, it is wonderful to see you walk these halls again. If you will wait for one moment for the others to join us, I do believe Severus is at the gargoyle now."
Dumbledore was, of course, correct. Severus Snape strode into Dumbledore's office with that hideous sneer on his face. About five minutes after the Potions Master made his dramatic entrance, a tall girl with wavy brown hair entered the room. Her long hair, reaching to the middle of her back, was streaked with a seemingly vibrant red. She was wearing a royal blue robe and when she opened her eyes emeralds sparkled and laughed at you. Hermione was given this feeling of strength and ease at an intensity she hadn't felt since the return of Voldemort.
"Miss Narcula, Welcome to Hogwarts," Dumbledore greeted the girl.
"Thank you. Please call me Echo." The woman spoke with a voice that had the slightest hint of a Spanish accent. Her smile was worn with some mystery in it that made you want to know more about her.
"I think we may start now." Dumbledore said his eyes housing his usual twinkle. "Echo will be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
"I am the Potions Master here. If things were in my favor however, I would have your job." Severus said in the same disgusted tone he said everything in.
"Miss Hermione Granger will take over as the Transfiguration teacher and Severus will be the new Deputy Headmaster, should he except the position." Dumbledore continued, "Do you except?"
"Yes, Albus and I am, of course, greatly honored." The icy Potions Master accepted with a nod of his head.
"I apologize for our lack of punctuality, Headmaster." A tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed man said. "The Ministry saddled me with an apprentice. Krum, get out here." The man snarled over his shoulder.
"Mister Trabou, welcome. Mister Krum, I am pleased to see you again as well. Allow me to draw you a chair." Albus did just that and when the chair fell to the floor with a thud, he continued. "In light of the situation with Voldemort, the new Minister has decided that Hogwarts should have an auror around. Especially perhaps after my appointment of Hermione. Her friendship with Harry Potter has made her a target for Death Eaters"
"So, who are all of you?" Trabou's deep voiced boomed. He had a blonde hair that seemed to slick and right to be natural. He was of medium height and large build. His eyes are what scared you. His eyes were an odd green with a red tint woven in the green. When you looked into them, you felt like he was privy to your every secret, like he could burn your brain with those eyes.
"My name is Echo Narcula, and these two are Hermione Granger and Severus Snape." The Spanish rose boldly spoke up. She missed the glaring stare that Severus shot her.
"Well, I will give you more information when we meet with the rest of the faculty. You are all free to go. Please join the rest of the staff at dinner tonight." The boyish Headmaster dismissed them and they all with the exception of the new Deputy Headmaster filed out of Dumbledore's office. The old man got up and walked to Fawkes' cage. "It'll be good to have some youth in these halls again." He sighed some of his age showing through the sparkle.
"Too bad the youth had to be friends with Potter." The misplaced discontent was threatening to overflow.
"She is a teacher now. Try and give her some understanding. She has given it to you. Miss Echo is only a youth as well."
"Understanding. That isn't very easy to give for me. Understanding is what landed me into the role of Death Eater. Miss Echo is a presumptuous creature who needs to understand her place." Snape responded with his back turned.
"I'm so glad that someone my age is a teacher here. I was worried it would be like Modigestaver in Norway, where all the teachers were around 65 except for one, me, who they kept around for protection against age discrimination." Echo explained to Hermione.
"Dumbledore is fair to everyone. Where did you get the accent? It is hardly noticable, but it gives your voice a slight edge of mystery." Hermione said while twirling a piece of her bushy hair around a slim finger. "Besides us, there has been only one other change to the staff since I was here. My flying instructor, Madame Hooch died and was replaced. I am not sure who replaced her. I will give you some warning: steer clear of Trelawney. She is the Divination teacher and is quite deplorable." Hermione said bitterly.
"I was born in Spain and lived there until I graduated. I was never one for Divination. I thought it was ridiculous unless you were a creature who was made to understand it and man simply wasn't made for that purpose." Echo reasoned.
"I can't believe I am going to be living here again. This was one of the places I almost always felt safe and well at. I will need to stop by Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Want to join me?"
"I would love to. I haven't been in this country for a very long time and don't really know my way around. I am waiting for a shipment though so we can't leave until I get it ok? It should come early."
"That's fine. Lets go find our rooms. Hermione said still reminiscing about her days at Hogwarts.