Chapter Three

The New Teacher

Excitement took hold of platform 9 3/4. First years were clearly distinguished from the others, looking open mouthed at the scarlet train that would take them to the school of witchcraft and wizardry. Good byes and hellos were said. Harry could barely wait to go back to Hogwarts. Ron and the other Weasley's were already getting their sandwiches from their mother; all pretending they were going to eat them. Ron twitched his nose while Hermione talked to Ginny and a girl from Hufflepuff.

In every entrance to the train there was an Auror. Both the men and the women Aurors were tall, with a hard expression on their faces. Dressed in gray from head to toe, only their faces showing, they looked in the eyes of each student before they boarded and a little devise, just like the one Ron had given Harry, was put next to every animal. Unpleasant, but next to the Dementors, they were nothing to worry about. Mr. Weasley observed everything carefully. He seemed calmer but as if looking for something, or someone. Harry couldn't resist:

" Is everything alright?"

Mr. Weasley looked at Harry, and tried to hide the truth,

" Yes…just checking to see if everything is in order. Lots of heavy trunks for kids to lift on their own, you know" - and he let slip a squeaky smile like the one the late Professor Quirrel used to have.

" I'm sorry to ask but did the meeting go well?" - insisted Harry

Arthur Weasley faced Harry. He knew the boy and cared about him enough to know he could not lie to him.

"You don't need to worry, Harry" - said Mr. Weasley, in a much more sincere and serious voice - " The rumors were confirmed but it's nothing dangerous, just unexpected. A person was sighted, someone that hasn't appeared in a long time, and that alarmed the Ministry."

" My godfather?"

" No, no. But someone else that divides opinions just like he does. It's complicated."

" Why did this person show up now?"

" That's what we want to find out. Well, it's time to go. Behave."

They smiled at each other and, one by one, the students filled onto the Hogwarts' Express. Mr. Weasley held tightly the shoulder of his wife who as usual, spilled some tears every time they left.

It didn't take long for Hermione to come asking to look at the book Harry had got for his birthday. When she got hold of the book, the curious Gryffindor opened it carefully and examined each of the pages as if looking for clues,

" Amazing!" - she said, without lifting her eyes from it - " I didn't know this potion could actually be brewed. And this spell...incredible!"

She behaved like that half of the trip, memorizing every spell, ingredient and signature and carefully examined the note that came with the book. Harry and Ron played chess and exploding snap with Fred and George. Ginny was concentrating on a little bag, putting little red things in:

" For the love of Merlin, please let us know what is it that you keep in there?!" asked a very annoyed Fred, followed by George, who shook his head in agreement. All in their cabin turned their heads to Ginny:

" Promise me you won't get mad."

They looked at each other and agreed. From inside the little purple velvet bag came a little blue lizard:

" What is that thing?!" - asked a very disgusted Ron.

"SSHH! It's a salamander. I got it at the Diagon Alley yesterday. Mum said it was about time I got myself my own pet since Ron keeps Pigwidgeon all to himself. Her name is Sally. I have to feed her peppers every hour since the fire she was born into is in a jar inside my trunk. She went through the Animapic, don't worry, she's not an Animagus"

" How did you learn how to control fire, how do you know so much about salamanders and why did you get one?" - asked Ron while the twins fed Sally a couple of small peppers. Ginny didn't answer but looked shyly at Hermione and smiled.

" AH! It had to be your idea! She almost died swallowed by a Basilisk and now you give her the brilliant idea to get a lizard that lives in fire!!!"

" Salamanders, contrary to common belief, are not poisonous. This one isn't anyway. She has a healing property in her blood." - answered Hermione.

Harry looked at Sally. It was quite pretty, her skin a very strong blue and stomach almost lilac. She looked very comfortable with every one looking at her. Ron, after yelling at Hermione, got closer and ended up liking the pet.

" Hey Harry" - called George - " Do you think you can communicate with her?"

Harry felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't like his dark wizard gift but his friends didn't seem to care anymore.

" No. I think only reptiles can hear me."

" Oh, give it a try." - asked Fred.

They all sat in a circle with Sally in the middle and Harry lying on his stomach.

" Can you hear me?" - asked the young wizard.

Sally didn't move but kept looking at him. Harry looked at the others and Ron shook his head; they all understood what he had said.

" I guess it doesn't work on salamanders." - Harry said, sitting on one of the chairs - " Ginny, how are you going to keep Sally at Hogwarts?"

" Hagrid will look after her for me" - answered the little red head, dropping another pepper into Sally's mouth, which chewed happily.

The rest of the trip went fine. No sign of Malfoy, and that was always good news. Some first years went pass Harry's cabin just to take a look at him. He didn't care anymore, but it was kind of annoying.

As soon as they left the train at Hogsmede station, they saw Hagrid. Taller than anyone there, the half giant had a tired but friendly face. He waved to them and smiled:

" First years, follow me." - and off he went followed by a bunch of new and curious students. At the end of the line that followed Hagrid, there was a blond girl that stood out from the others. She walked alone, apart from the group.

" Come on Harry!" - called Hermione and Harry ran up to meet her. When he looked back, the first years were already on the boats going toward the castle.

In the Great Hall, several friends were reunited. Lee Jordan, Angelina, Katie, Alicia and everyone else from Gryffindor were already sitting at the table. Neville and Seamus were there as well, and by the look on their faces, starving. To Harry's unhappiness, at the Slytherin table were Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy wore a very proud and wide smile on his face. At the teachers' table Professor McGonagall's seat was empty. Hagrid was taking his seat when Harry noticed there was another empty seat between Dumbledore and Snape.

" Do you think they couldn't find another professor?" - asked Katie.

Harry turned to look once again at the teacher's table and found a smiling Dumbledore. His eyes twinkled behind the half moon spectacles. Harry smiled back. He made a mental note to thank Dumbledore for the book.

It didn't take long for the room to be invaded by the new students. Ahead of them came Minerva McGonagall. They rounded up in front of the main table and she gave the instructions for the sorting to take place. She started calling names and as they were sorted, the students from the houses cheered. All was well until:

"Megan Malfoy!"

Grave silence. The young girl came towards the bench and sat down. She was the blond Harry saw at the station. He couldn't believe she was a Malfoy. She seemed nervous but hid it well.

" She's Draco's cousin" - whispered Lee Jordan.

Every single student observed Megan. Draco was proud, puffing his chest out. The whole Slytherin table was ready to yell when:

" GRYFFINDOR!!!" - yelled the sorting hat.

Malfoy's face went from pride to disgust. All Slytherins looked the same way as Draco. The other tables whispered and pointed at Draco, who looked bright red and angry at this point. The Gryffindors were so stunned that no one noticed that young Megan was coming their way and no one was clapping. Harry started applauding and everyone else followed. Megan sat down, cold eyes, no smile or reaction whatsoever. She looked at Harry, at Draco and turned to look at the staff table where she found a very smiling Lupin. Megan smiled faintly and returned to her hard expression.

The ceremony followed and after the usual warnings about the forbidden forest and Argus Filch, Dumbledore gave the news:

"I hope you all have had a good vacation for this year will be a difficult one" – silence in the room. Heads bowed and thoughts raced to the events of last year. Dumbledore continued – " Due to past events, the Defense Against The Dark Arts classes will be doubled" – students, complained in a low voice – "Yes, yes, I know but it is needed. Many of you already know Professor Remus Lupin, who will be one of the masters teaching this class" – several students clapped and a few girls whistled. Lupin smiled timidly.

During the whole time Harry observed Snape. Frowning and with lips firmly closed. Snape was furious. Two teachers teaching the class he wants so badly and he wasn't called for the job. Another thing Harry noticed was that none of the other teachers seemed to know who the other professor that would work with Lupin was. Dumbledore continued:

"The other teacher that will be giving this class with Professor Lupin will be arriving tonight. I have the great pleasure to announce that the new member of the Hogwarts faculty is no other than my own daughter, Moira Crane Dumbledore"

Pandemonium! Expressions of fear, panic, happiness, surprise and confusion took their places on the young faces at the Great Hall. Students whispered amongst themselves and Harry was feeling very confused with all this. He didn't even know Dumbledore was married let alone that he had a daughter. Harry tried to ask but no one was listening. Hermione talked rapidly with Angelina; Ron, Fred and George looked very excited about the news but it was Megan's reaction that took him by surprise: she had a big smile on her face but took it in when she saw Harry looking at her. Since Harry couldn't get anyone's attention, he turned towards the faculty table and saw something that startled him: Snape was in shock, paler than usual, lips parted and eyes that were lost in thought. Lupin was smiling like he never had done before and so was McGonagall. Flitwick clapped his little hands together and Sprout and Hooch smiled at each other. The other teachers didn't seem too pleased, especially Trelawney, who gave a very quick and unfelt smile. Dumbledore asked for silence and was immediately given it,

"I'm sure this will be a very...interesting year. Let the feast begin!" – and the tables were filled with food.

Many ate but several just couldn't for they were too nervous. Harry saw his chance to finally ask and grabbed it:

"What is the matter? What's about Dumbledore's daughter everyone fears so much? I didn't even know he was married."

"He's a widower and she is his only daughter" – answered Hermione.

"It's a long story. We'll tell you at the common room." – finished Ron.

The Hall got a little calmer. The students and the teachers had their dinner. Lupin got up from his seat and took the vacant one between Dumbledore and Snape. Snape still didn't move.

"How did you talk her into teaching?" asked a very curious Lupin, looking younger than before.

"Well, she's been wanting to return for a while now but couldn't. I talked to her about what has been happening these past four years, most of it she already knew, and she agreed."

"That is great news, Albus!" – said McGonagall, smiling and putting her hands together below her chin.

"You look very happy, Headmaster. It's been a long time since we've seen you like this." – said Lupin.

"We have been apart for too long. It was about time she came back home" – said the wise wizard, smiling widely, eyes twinkling.

"Hagrid...please...the students" – called McGonagall

Hagrid took out a long handkerchief that looked as big as a sheet, and put it to his eyes, drying his tears:

"It's been so long...(sniff) she was just a teenager when I last saw her. She had just broken up with..."

"Hagrid..." – called Lupin

Snape got up from his seat so quickly all the teachers looked at him with surprise. He regained his posture and taking control again, he looked down at the teachers,

"Excuse me" – said the Potions master in a very low voice, and left the room.

On the outside of the hall, Severus Snape walked through the corridors. Needed to breathe, to think. 'This can't be happening' he thought. The paintings whispered about the return of Dumbledore's daughter, and Snape's hands started to sweat. So long without seeing her, without news of her whereabouts. He knew Lupin met her a while back but he would never ask anything. Snape leaned against a pillar.

"Everything all right there, Severus?" – asked Lupin, popping his head out of the Great Hall's door.

Snape got up in a blink.

"Why wouldn't it be" – his voice low, annoyed with the interruption.

"I don't know. It's just that it might be difficult having her back and..."

"I'm not getting her back" – Snape closed his lips. Came out wrong – "I don't have difficulties. Crane is a very capable witch and I'm sure she will be a good teacher. Excuse me" – he turned his back and left for the dungeons.

"If you need me, you know where to find me" – called Lupin but Snape didn't hear, or didn't want to.

Remus Lupin had always tried to befriend Snape. Even though James and Sirius didn't like him, Remus found Severus lonely and for a wizard of his caliber, loneliness could be dangerous. The only person who got near him, better yet, who he let get near him was Moira and with her return, Severus Snape would have to fight a hard battle not with Voldemort but with something much stronger. With a force that has been dormant for almost fifteen years: his feelings.

After dinner, the students returned to their respective common rooms. Harry heard Draco saying he had to send an urgent owl to his father. When Harry got passed the portrait of the Fat Lady, lots of noise filled his ears,

" Would you please tell me once and for all what's the problem with Dumbledore's daughter?"

He was practically pushed to the middle of the room. Sitting down on the floor and leaning against an armchair, Harry looked up to his friends, who were all taking places to discuss the new teacher,

" I don't even know where to start" - said Hermione

"Easy. At the rumors" – said Fred, sitting down next to Kate.

"What rumors?"

"There are lots of them" – explained Ron – "one of them is that she was a follower of You-Know-Who. A Death Eater"

"Rubbish!" – said George – "That was already proven to be a lie. Just because she's one of the best witches in the field of the Dark Arts, everyone starts making up stories"

"Her mother was a Slytherin." – said Neville, trying to keep Trevor in his hands.

"So what? I know it's not one of the best houses but that is no excuse for her to be evil. Dumbledore would never marry someone evil. Besides, Moira Crane Dumbledore was in Gryffindor" – said Hermione, flashing her eyes with pride.

"So was Peter Pettigrew and look what came of him" – snapped Ron

"Well, being a Gryffindor can no longer be considered ultimately good can it?" – asked Alicia, looking out of the corner of her eyes to Megan, who was looking through the window, apparently not paying attention to their conversation.

"Wait up a bit…too much information. Forget the rumors and theories and just give me the facts" – said Harry.

"Well…we know a few. Rumors get mixed up with facts, you know? I know for a fact that she lost her mother right after she graduated. Almost fifteen years ago" – said Lee Jordan

Harry had never imagined Dumbledore as a widower. He lost his wife the same year Harry had lost his parents. How come he never said anything? "How did she die?" – asked a very sad Ginny

"By the hands of the Dark Lord" – answered a distant voice. Everyone turned to find Megan staring at them – "He personally killed her"

"How do you know that?" – asked Harry

Megan was staring at Harry with hard blue eyes, too cold for an eleven year old. The girl didn't answer; she just went up to the girls' dormitories in silence. The mood in the room got tense. Harry didn't want to think about what she had said, let alone how she knew, and what else she knew and wasn't telling them.

"Well, I guess we will all see tomorrow" - said Harry, standing up.

"That's what I'm afraid of" - complained Neville, his voice trembling a bit – "If she is half of what people say, she'll be a feminine version of Professor Snape, or worse"

They all looked at each other, but it didn't take long for a wave of laughter to invade the common room. Even Neville chuckled a bit. From then on, the mood got lighter. They talked about many things, some first years introduced themselves. A transferred boy from Durmstrang that was now in Slytherin was the reason for Ron to tease Hermione. The audition for a new keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team was a very discussed topic as well. They all had fun and Harry even took some pictures with the camera Hermione had given him for his birthday. They all went to bed very late, only when Professor McGonagall came in, already in her pajamas, telling everyone to go to sleep and stop the noise. Looking happy but trying to hide it, she let it slip that all Heads of Houses had to do the same.

Apparently it wasn't only Gryffindors that wanted to know more about Moira. Harry took a long time to fall asleep. He stayed lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that could happen this year. He fell asleep before the carriage that brought Dumbledore's daughter arrived.

It was way past midnight when the sounds of the carriage was heard. From the back of Hogwarts' grounds, two gray horses came pulling a big black carriage. The man leading the horses was very little, big moustache, big glittery black eyes, and wore a plaid suit. He looked like a very large and well fed house elf.

The carriage stopped in front of the stairs leading to the castle. The little man came down from the carriage with a little difficulty and opened the door. Her voice was heard before her figured appeared. Soft, but firm, Moira Crane Dumbledore thanked the man as she moved to step out of the carriage. The dress was long and black and was in imediate contrast with her fair skin. Big hazel eyes with long eyelashes flashed in the direction of the stairs where they found Dumbledore's blue eyes smiling at her. She got down from the carriage and came up to meet him, embracing him tightly,

"I missed you so much" – said Dumbledore, touching her face with his – "I'm glad you are home"

"I'm glad to be home. I missed you terribly, father" – Moira said in a gentile and sincere voice, keeping her eyes closed.

They pulled apart and he held her hands, looking at her from head to toe,

"Just like your mother. You are so tall!"

" Father…please."

It was then that Moira saw Lupin behind her father. He was smiling so broadly he looked like a child in a toys' store. He went donw the stairs in hurried steps and caught her by the waist, lifting her up from the ground. She tried but could not stop smiling.

"I'm really glad you're back" – whispered the teacher by Moira's ear, putting her back on the floor but still holding her by her waist.

"Let's see if you're still going to say that when we start working together" – she joked, her hands resting on his shoulders. Lupin smiled and kissed her cheek. She smiled back and turned to little man by the carriage. She walked up to him, he had already taken her luggage down, she paid and thanked him and he smiled. He got back into the carriage and left.

Lupin went to call a house-elf to take Moira's luggage up to her room. They said their good nights and he left.

Moira turned to castle; she looked up to its highest tower and sighed. She looked back at her father, and walking beside him went up the stairs towards her room.

"Almost nothing has changed since you left", his voice echoed in the empty corridors of Hogwarts.

"A lot has changed, father." – the young teacher said in a low, nostalgic voice.

Dumbledore stopped and took Moira by her shoulders,

"You are safe here. No more hiding, I promise" – she smiled faintly – "What do you say that we make your return into a new beginning? Let's leave the past where it belongs."

"I'd like that."

They went up to the Gryffindor common room. Her chambers were located right next to it.

"And the Ministry? Have they come to you with questions yet?" – she asked, standing by the door.

"Yes, yes. Question after question but I've told them I didn't know what was it all about. Let them be a little nervous for a change. You did it on purpose didn't you?", he narrowed his eyes at her, a hint of a smile in them.

"No. Someone must have seen me at Knockturn Alley and decided to make a fuss. Too much of a mess?"

"Quite but I don't think we will have too much trouble with the Ministry; some but not much. Now, go to bed. Tomorrow you'll have to deal with a lot of curious little faces"

"Was the reaction big when you told them?"

"Huge! Good luck!" – he said as he left, humming to himself.

"May Morgana help me." – joked Moira.

She looked at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was sound asleep, and her smile faded. Her feline eyes stood there, without blinking, her expression hardened. A few moments later she turned the knob of her door and entered her room.