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***********************************ShadowElfBard***********************************

One week and four days later…

9:06am

Weasley Residence

(Willow)

"I'll see you again though, won't I?" Ginny asks me, her eyes filled with hope.

   I smile at her and can't help but tousle her strawberry colored hair. "Course so, kiddo. I'm not just gonna just go disappear on you."

   She gives me a strong little grin in return, one last hug, and then stands back with her brothers and Harry. I met Ginny the day after I first arrived at the Weasley residence and I have to say that I was taken aback at how much she reminds me of… well, me. She seems just like I did when I was younger. Not only in appearance mind you. She's also confused and alone, and just the slightest bit mousy. But there's a light in her eyes, a confidence buried within her that's just waiting to be dug up. It's the same confidence that I discovered after meeting Buffy and helping her fight evil. It's the same confidence that Tara was able to brighten and strengthen. Ginny will find someone, a friend or companion that will bring it out of her; I have no doubt about that. She's a really sweet girl and I got to know her really well.

   She's just one more person that I'm going to miss.

   After staying with this wizarding family, and being… being accepted as a part of their group, I've come to love this place. I don't want to go to Hogwarts, even though I know I have to (literally). I want to stay here, with them. With the twins and their good humor, with Harry and Ron's kindness, and with Ginny's admiration for me.

   It's going to be hard, I can already tell, but I've survived worse. Besides, maybe whatever Dumbledore will have me doing at Hogwarts will let me see them again. They will be going to school there, after all. It's very possible.

   And so, with one last "good-bye" to the Weasley family, I climb onto the back of Hagrid's motorbike, and we go speeding away in the air to Hogwarts.

                                                                   *~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Wow. This is… this is amazing."

    In response to my stunned statement, Hagrid gives a hearty laugh. "That it is, Ms. Rosenberg. Never quite get used ter it meself, actually."

    I look up again at the large stone castle, feeling slightly foolish for just standing here on the front lawn, but mostly marveling at the sense of mystery and beauty that it gives off. It's huge, enormously so, and I can't help but wonder how many secret passages and stairwells it has. How many rooms does this fortress contain? And is it a fortress? Are these high walls meant to keep out invaders and protect the students inside?

    He seems to read my mind. "This is all just grandeur yeh know. The real stuff keeping Hogwarts safe is the stuff yeh can't see. Enchantments and what not."

   " But… do you, do you mean that Hogwarts has to be protected?" He quirks an eyebrow and I hurriedly try to specify. "I mean is there something that would try to attack the students?"

   "Oh, that." He strokes his beard in a nervous manner. "Well, yeh know, at a magickal school yeh can't help but be exposed to some baddies an' such. Not that we're attacked regularly, yeh understand, but sometimes things just… err… well…"

   "It's okay Hagrid," I say, smiling and patting his arm reassuringly. "Mr. Dumbledore told me all about the 'Big Bad'"

   "The what?"

   "The dark wizard dude. The racist guy? The ambitious wannabe with the oversized ego?"

   "Oh." He tilts his head. "So Dumbledore's told yeh 'bout He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

   Now it's my turn to look confused. "Who?"

   "The… that dark wizard yeh were just talkin' 'bout. No one really likes ter say his name so we, we sorta gave him that title, yeh see."

   I nod my head in understanding, and we stand in silence.

    "Um… Hagrid?"

   "Yeah?"

   "Shouldn't we go inside the building?"

    "Yeah, but yer see, they'll be coming out to bring us in. Security's been a little zealous since last year. New dangers an' what not."

    "So how long do you think we'll have to wait?"

     "Not long at all."

    We both turn in the direction of the voice and notice that an old woman, not seriously old but definitely up there in years, stands in front of the door in full robe and hat, her hands clutched formally out in front.

    Hagrid nods his head respectively. "Good evenin' Professor McGonagall."

   She returns the gesture with a small grin upon her weathered face. "Good evening Hagrid." She looks towards me. "Are you the Ms. Rosenberg we've been hearing so much about?"

    "I guess so," I return with a confused little smile. "You're a professor here?"

   "Yes. I teach transfigurations. I'm also the head of Gryffendor house."

   "The head of what?"

   She gives me a patient look. "Our school is divided into houses. For each house, there is a professor who heads it."

   "Oh. Okay, that makes sense. Will I be sorted into a house?"

   "It's really only for students, I'm afraid. But, don't worry, all will undoubtedly be explained to you inside. Follow me please."

    I shrug and pick up my large duffel bag, filled to the brim with my wardrobe books and other items, and start to go after her through the doors before I realize that Hagrid isn't following. I stop and turn back around to see him walking off towards his bike.

    "Hagrid? Aren't you coming with me?"

    He shakes his head. " 'Fraid not. I got other errands to run yeh know. I'm quite busy 'fore school starts."

    "Will you come back though?" I ask a little worriedly, not wanting to be handed off again.

    "Aye. I'll be back by the start of the term, don't yeh worry." He winks at me. "Yeh best follow Ms. McGonagall now. Wouldn't want ter get her angry."

    I beam at him, though painfully, and then force myself to turn away and follow the professor inside what will undoubtedly be a very pretty prison.

                                                                  *~*~*~*~*~*~*

And a pretty prison it is indeed.

   The walls are decorated tastefully with draperies and pictures (some of which actually move and talk!) and the numerous statues and other adornments are attractively placed. Were it not for the lack of flowers and decoupage, I would have guessed that Martha Stewarts was the decorator.

   As it is, though the antique beauty of this place astounds me, I cannot help but experience a sense of suffocation, as though the walls are preparing to move in and crush me. It's really not a warm and fuzzy feeling.

   "So where are we going?" I inquire, trying to bring my mind off of my claustrophobia.

   "To the Headmaster's office," the professor replies. "He's actually briefing most of the staff on your arrival as we speak."

   "Briefing them? Am I really that big a deal?"

   Professor McGonagall looks back and gives me a weak smile. "Do try to calm down, Ms. Rosenberg. It won't be all that bad."

   I'm about to point out that she hasn't answered my question, when she stops in front of a statue and whispers something into its stone ear. A few moments later, and a spiraling staircase is in the statue's place. The professor begins climbing the steps, and I lift my suitcases up higher and follow.

   When we reach the top, I hear voices reverberating off of the stone walls, voices heated and passionate and belonging to people who are most certainly debating something. Probably me.

   "-- when she's coming, but you haven't told us what she'll be doing," a woman says.

   Even though it's an echo, I can easily recognize Dumbledore's voice as he responds. "Now, now, Professor Sprout. All will be revealed in due time. Besides, I'm sure that our guest would like to be present when I announce how she'll be spending her time here."

   "You guest?" a man's clearly disdainful voice says scornfully. "Hardly the term I'd use Dumbledore."

   "Like it or not Severus, she is our guest, and I will not tolerate her being treated as anything but."

   I smile slightly at how Dumbledore is sticking up for me, and then feel a surge of panic when I realize that this might hurt his reputation. What if by choosing to help me, he's put himself in trouble? What if his colleagues abandon or turn against him? I couldn't take it if this man were to be harmed in any way because of me.

   Professor McGonagall nods at the door when we reach the top of the stairs, and after a steadying breath I enter.

   The six people (one of whom, if I'm not mistaken, is a ghost) in the room, with the exception of Dumbledore, all look towards me from their chairs the moment I come in. They all wear wizard's robes, and all seem to be professors of some kind and in their mid thirties or forties. One or two gaze upon me with suspicion (especially one unsettling man with greasy black hair), but most have warm and welcoming smiles on their faces. Whether these smiles are genuine or forced, however, I'm unable to tell.

   "Ah, you've arrived just in time, Ms. Rosenberg," Dumbledore says jovially, standing up and coming round his desk. "How is Arthur doing, by the way?  Is his family well?"

   I try to ignore some of the stares I'm receiving and clear my throat before I answer him. "Um… yeah. He's doing fine. He's a really nice guy."

   The wizened wizard nods. "He is at that. Now, these are a few of our professors and staff. Sadly most are still preparing for the readily approaching start of school, but you shall meet them in due time."

    He gestured towards the group. "Professor Sprout teaches Herbology, Professor Flitwick heads Charms, Filch is our caretaker, Professor Snape is our resident Potions master, Professor Binns teaches History, and Madame Pomfrey is a Healer and school nurse. Our Divination professor would be here as well, but I'm afraid she's running late…"

   Ah, well at least now I have some names to the faces. The two who regard me with distrust and dislike are the ones named Snape and Filch. All the others seem open minded about me and are still smiling pleasantly, except for Professor Binns who I think has fallen asleep in his chair. I didn't know that ghosts could fall asleep. Neat.

   "Um, mister Dumbledore, sir?" I ask a little nervously, shuffling my feet. "I don't mean to be impatient or anything but… well, I don't know what I'll be doing here, or if I'll be doing anything, and I'm really eager to find out, and I was wondering if… you could, you know, tell me, cause it would help clear some stuff up and…"

   He holds up a hand to stop my chatter, a bemused expression on his face. "It's quite all right Ms. Rosenberg. I think now is the perfect time to get this matter out of the way." He gestures towards two chairs that seem to have appeared suddenly, and both Professor McGonagall and I sit down.

   "Considering your sketchy background as an apprentice in the magickal arts, I'd first considered attempting to enroll you as a student. That idea was thrown away, of course, when I realized that not only would you face social hazards that could very well trigger an emotional relapse, but you do not seem to fit in well with any structured knowledge level we have here either. So, next I'd thought of letting you try and teach."

   He gives a chuckle. "Obviously that would be a most foolish move on my part, and so that notion was also disposed of. After all, though you do know much about magick, you know hardly anything about the type we teach here, and, once again, though you do hold a large amount of my faith, your stability is a danger. Not to mention the fact that I'm rather sure Cornelius would not approve. And so, this is what I've decided."

   He looks at me with a compassionate warmth in his smile, and happiness in his eyes. "Ms. Rosenberg, I believe it best that you be an assistant teacher in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

   There are a series of gasps following this statement, and though Professor Mcgonagall's is not among them, her eyes have widened quite a bit. The ghost no longer looks bored, Professor Flitwick and Sprout are exchanging nervous looks, Filch's mouth is nearly off its hinges, and Snape seems to be biting his tongue to hold back a protest. And by the looks of it, I'd say he's biting pretty damn hard.

   I, as usual, have no idea what Dumbledore has just said.

   "Defense Against the Dark Arts?" I ask skeptically, a little panic settling in. "Is that a class? And if it is, then why do you think I'd be up to teaching it? I'm nearly-destroyed-the-world girl, remember? I haven't really done a bang up job on defending against dark magick, Goddess, I've been practicing it."

   He gently lays a hand upon my shoulder, calming me with his grandfatherly touch. "Please Ms. Rosenberg, I know you have been though a lot as of late and I do not wish to add to that. But try to understand; no matter how much you fear using it again, magick is a part of you. To ignore that would have disastrous effects."

   His words soothe me slightly, and I look into his calm blue eyes as he continues.

   "You were raised upon a Hellmouth, and you have touched the evil that permeates from it more times than anyone should ever have to. For a short while, you were even a part of it. Who better to help teach others how to deal with the darkness? And by aiding in the education of others, you yourself will be taught. I will not push you into this, but I do feel that it is the right choice to make."

   I gaze up at him, and bite my lip, jumbled thoughts and emotions fighting for control. However, amidst the confusion, I reach a decision.

   "I'll do it," I whisper, a small smile on my lips.

   He beams at this, and nods his head in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Ms. Rosenberg."

   "You're welcome. Who will I be assist--"

   I'm interrupted as a thin witch wrapped in loose robes and a shawl, wearing dozens of beads and other baubles that click and clack with every step she takes, flings open the door dramatically and enters.

   "So sorry dears," she says lightly, resettling that shawl that was halfway down her shoulder. "My Inner Eye showed that I'd be late, and though I tried all I could to prevent it one just can't change fate."

   Ignoring the displeased glares given to her by most of the professors, she settles her large gleaming eyes upon my stunned face. "Ah, I see that I was once again correct in my predictions. You look just as I'd imagined you would."

   Dumbledore gives a patient smile. "Ms. Rosenberg, this is our Divinations Professor--"

   "Aunt Trelawney?!"

   The Divinations professor blinks, and then squints at me before her eyes fly wide. "W-Willow?"

   Over on the left, a very shocked McGonagall mutters, "Merlin help us… they know each other."

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Review Returns:

Eth: I'm glad you're enjoying it, and of course I'll add more. Wouldn't want any angry reviewers breathing down my neck. *wink*

RainySunshine: She will be paired with someone, but it won't be the main focus of the story. It won't be any of the HP characters either, sorry. Oh, and I know what you mean about pairings with Snape…. There's just something wrong about it…

Luana: Thanks for your amusing review, and I had no idea that my author's notes were witty… huh. Learn something new everyday I guess. Who's Shylock?

WW: Thanks and I will.

Faith5321: Glad you liked it!

C-Theory: Rest assured, there will be no Lucius or Snape pairing whatsoever. Hope to get reviews from you in the future!

Fate's Child: Whoa. Thank you for your very detailed and wonderful review—it made me blush. I can only hope that I'll continue to live up to your standards.

Amber Of Heart: Thanks!!

Purest Evil: There will be a pairing, (though it will come later on), and I'm pleased that you're enjoying this. Cool penname, by the way.

~~~~~

Hey! I'm still here! I'm late and the chapter's a bit short, but I'm still here! I hope that my being behind schedule hasn't scared you all away. Please review! Even if it's to complain about the length and how long it took me to post, I need to know that you haven't abandoned me! But, on a less desperate note, I hope you enjoyed the chapter (despite its flaws) and I'll try and get my next one up as soon as possible.

      -----Talk to you soon!