Disclaimer: Don't own it. Shut up. Only the plot is mine. And some
original characters. And the list goes on. And just to note this: this
chapter's disclaimer counts for ALL future chapters too, because writing
disclaimers is TEDIOUS (boring).
*~*~*A/N: The characters you don't recognize are MIIIIIIINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *grins evilly* HAH! Mine. Now read story.*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The old man wet his quill with ink, and began to write, bending close over the parchment in the dim light. He sighed, gestured with his hand, and the lamp on his desk brightened. There. That was better. He continued writing, pausing at odd moments to consider the next word or phrase, and then went on.
After a few minutes he held up the parchment under the lamp and read what he had written.
My Dear Friends,
Greetings. I hope you have been well since I last saw you. It's been years since we last spoke, I know, but I trust things have gone well for you.
I am now Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, if you hadn't heard. It is a wonderful experience and I am greatly enjoying this career. Much better, in my opinion, than teaching a class such as Transfiguration, if only for the reason that I do not have to deal with the hassles of things such as homework.
I realize that we have not seen each other for quite a while, but I have a favour to ask of you. First, in no way are you being forced to oblige. But the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts has been vacated once again at Hogwarts and I was wondering if you would care to teach the students here for a year or two.
I should also inform you that the Lord Voldemort has returned in full and has been publicly exposed. The wizarding world is in uproar and I would greatly appreciate your assistance.
Please notify me at once with your responses.
Most Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Dumbledore straightened and nodded, satisfied. He tapped his wand onto the parchment, muttered something, and two more identical copies of the same letter appeared on the desk in front of him. He rolled them up and fastened them with his personal seal.
He whistled.
A glorious, red- and gold-plumed phoenix turned its graceful head towards the old man. He smiled at it, and beckoned with his crooked finger. It swooped across the room and lighted on his arm, gently rubbing its beak against his hair affectionately. He tied the three parchments to its leg, and it took off from his shoulder, flying around the circular room.
"I have a task for you, old friend."
The phoenix crooned its wondrous song, and Dumbledore smiled even wider. He gestured a complex design with his fingers and a portal appeared over the fireplace – a swirling, weaving hole of dark smokes and magics.
The phoenix trilled once, and flew straight into it. The portal and all traces of it disappeared right after. Dumbledore crossed to the window and stared out. He hoped that they would come.
If they didn't ... he had no one else to ask to teach the position. But if they did ... he smiled slightly.
It would be an interesting year.
*~*~*A/N: The characters you don't recognize are MIIIIIIINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *grins evilly* HAH! Mine. Now read story.*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The old man wet his quill with ink, and began to write, bending close over the parchment in the dim light. He sighed, gestured with his hand, and the lamp on his desk brightened. There. That was better. He continued writing, pausing at odd moments to consider the next word or phrase, and then went on.
After a few minutes he held up the parchment under the lamp and read what he had written.
My Dear Friends,
Greetings. I hope you have been well since I last saw you. It's been years since we last spoke, I know, but I trust things have gone well for you.
I am now Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, if you hadn't heard. It is a wonderful experience and I am greatly enjoying this career. Much better, in my opinion, than teaching a class such as Transfiguration, if only for the reason that I do not have to deal with the hassles of things such as homework.
I realize that we have not seen each other for quite a while, but I have a favour to ask of you. First, in no way are you being forced to oblige. But the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts has been vacated once again at Hogwarts and I was wondering if you would care to teach the students here for a year or two.
I should also inform you that the Lord Voldemort has returned in full and has been publicly exposed. The wizarding world is in uproar and I would greatly appreciate your assistance.
Please notify me at once with your responses.
Most Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Dumbledore straightened and nodded, satisfied. He tapped his wand onto the parchment, muttered something, and two more identical copies of the same letter appeared on the desk in front of him. He rolled them up and fastened them with his personal seal.
He whistled.
A glorious, red- and gold-plumed phoenix turned its graceful head towards the old man. He smiled at it, and beckoned with his crooked finger. It swooped across the room and lighted on his arm, gently rubbing its beak against his hair affectionately. He tied the three parchments to its leg, and it took off from his shoulder, flying around the circular room.
"I have a task for you, old friend."
The phoenix crooned its wondrous song, and Dumbledore smiled even wider. He gestured a complex design with his fingers and a portal appeared over the fireplace – a swirling, weaving hole of dark smokes and magics.
The phoenix trilled once, and flew straight into it. The portal and all traces of it disappeared right after. Dumbledore crossed to the window and stared out. He hoped that they would come.
If they didn't ... he had no one else to ask to teach the position. But if they did ... he smiled slightly.
It would be an interesting year.