Chapter three

Diana nodded. "Okay, I will help you if I can." She knew that the professor wasn't known to ask for help, so she was quite surprised.

The deputy headmistress handed her a file with some papers. "As you know, Albus isn't getting any younger, and the older he gets, the more work for me. He can´t simply do as much as before, which is understandable. Because of the tighter schedule, I was wondering if you would like to help me with some of my work as Head of house. Of coure, I can handle it myself, but I feel like I need to focus on some things more than other, and I am afraid that I wont have time for everything."

Diana was chocked at the request but didn't show it. She knew that it must gave been hard for the woman to ask for her assistance, because Minerva was known for her stubbornness and independence.

"Of course, what would you like me to do?" She saw a brief flash of relief in the woman's face, but in an instant the flash was gone and Minerva looked self-controlled once again.

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me out with the students. They could come to you with their personal problems and also, you could be in charge of the Quidditch team. There is also some other small things, but nothing of grater importance. It's all in here."

Diana opened the file and scanned the contents. It was pretty much the things that Minerva had mentioned, and it didn't seem to hard. She closed it and looked at Minerva.

"I will do it, I'm just glad to help. Just a question. Why me? There is a few that should fit the role perfect."

"Sure, I could have asked someone else, but I trust you, and I know that you can take good care of the students."

Diana was embarrassed for all the praise.

"Thank you." That was all she could say.

Diana got dressed in red robes with a white shirt, a pair of black pants and black shoes with high heels. She let her hair fall down the shoulders. She green eyes sparkled in the mirror and she grabbed the wedding rings that hung around her neck in a silver chain. Her was silver with a green emerald in the middle, and Draco's, also in silver, with a small diamond instead of a emerald.

A tear fell down her cheek. Oh, god she missed him. His body had been found outside the gates of Hogwarts and she was told that he had died of the killing curse. She hadn't been able to stop crying in weeks, and Remus stayed with her the whole time. It still hurt so much when she thought of him, so she tried not to.

They had tried to have a baby, and they thought they had made it. They had both been so happy, but when Draco died, she had gotten sick, and no baby was found. She had been so sure that she had been pregnant, but at the looks of it, she had been mistaken. That had been another hard blow for her. With a baby, at least she had a memory of him, something to live for.

She dried her tears collected herself, and stepped out in the corridor. On the right side of her rooms were Professor Sprouts. On the left, was Professor Flitwick's rooms and right across the hall were Snape's. She had been surprised to find his rooms here, she had thought that he would like to live in the dungeon, but maybe Albus had forbidden him. She walked out to the common room, and saw a few of the staff members sitting in different spots in the room.

"Attention everyone!" Dumbledore came through the portrait hole and everyone looked at him. "The students has arrived at the station, so it's time to head down to the great hall." Everyone got to their feet, some groaning about, "The brats will be my death, I swear." And some, (Dumbledore) looked like Christmas came early.

Together they walked down, and everyone, except Diana sat down at the head table in the great hall. Diana had taken over Minerva's duties, so she would greet the new students, and read the list of names so that the students would get sorted.

She walked around in circles while waiting for the students to arrive. Five minutes later, the doors threw open and the students stormed in. Some of them gave her curious glances, but most of them hurried into the hall.

"The firsties, Diana!" Hagrid gave her a smile before he went into the hall, and the doors slammed shut behind him.

Diana turned to the new students and gave them a warm smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I´m Professor Malfoy, Assistant Head of house for Gryffindor and your DADA teacher.

Hogwarts has four houses, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Each of you will be sorted into the house most suitable for you.

You will have classes together with your house mates, and also live with them during the school year, so they will be like your family."

"You can earn housepoints to your house for good things you do, or points can be taken, in case you brake a rule or misbehave in any way. Before you leave the school for the summer, the house who has most points will win the housecup."

When she was done talking, she motioned for them to come with her.

She led them to the small room beside the great hall. They all looked nervously at each other and some of them talked with low voices. "You will have to wait for a while, but I will collect you when it's time for your sorting."

She left the room and stepped out in the Great hall. The four tables were filled with students, eager to see each other after the break. She smiled softly and made her way to the headmaster, who was seated in the middle of the head table.

"We are ready, Albus." He gave her a nod and stood. The students, that had seen their headmaster stand up, went quiet. Diana went to fetch the children in the small room. She could hear the old man speaking.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. I know that you must be hungry, but as you know, the new students has to be sorted first." The hat was placed on the stool and started its song while everyone listened.

Diana motioned for the children to follow her and they lined up two and two behind her. She led them through the hall and stopped at the end.

She noticed that the hall was deadly quiet, and saw the students stare at her. She was after all the famous Diana Potter, now Malfoy, and it wasn't every day that she showed herself in a public place.

She took the scroll from a small table beside her and turned to the students. "When I call your name, please step up to the stool and put the hat on, and it will sort you."

She begun at the top.

"Andersen Jacob!"

A small boy stepped forward on shaky legs and made it ti the stool. He let the hat sink down on his head and almost instantly, the hat announced:

"HufflePuff!"

The boy stood up, put the hat on the stool and made it to the cheering Hufflepuff table.

"Atkinson Melissa!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Azan Robert!"

"Slytherin!"

She continued to read down the scroll and stopped at S.

She could not believe it! She collected herself fast, and hoped that no one had noticed her surprise.

"Snape Robin!"

The hall went silent. Did she say Snape? Everyone tried to get a look of the Snape kid as he stepped up to the hat.

Diana eyed the young man. He was a copy of the potion master. He had to be his son, he just had to. His hair was black, but it lacked (thank god) the greasiness and instead, it fell down his face in soft waves and framed the face perfectly. The eyes was night black, and the mouth thin. He hadn't inherited his fathers nose, because his had a much more different size and shape.

The boy sat on the stool and placed the hat on his head. Everyone waited to hear the hat announce which house he would be in.

"Slytherin!"

The Slytherins cheered and she saw Severus smirk and clap his hands. Did the man ever smile a real smile?

She continued, and soon everyone were sorted.

She folded the scroll of parchment and walked over to the head table.

The headmaster clapped his hands and the tables were filled with food. Diana took her place between Minerva, and to his dismay, Severus Snape.

Albus and Minerva small talked about the new year, and she heard Pomona Sprout talk to Hagrid about some plants, but she didn't listen to closely. She had her eyes on the young Snape at the Slytherin table. He talked to another first year, Michael Nott, if she was not mistaken.

She had been so taken a back at the sight of him that she was still quite shocked. Snape really had a son? With who? When? Oh, obviously eleven years ago but...

She turned to her food and ate in silence. She threw a look at the man beside her and she decided to try to talk to him at least. He hadn't said a word since she got here, and she was tired of it. Stubborn git!

"Your son seem to be a nice boy." She spoke softly, and the black haired man looked sharply at her.

"Yes." Simply and definite. No small talk, nothing. She tried again.

"He is a copy of you, you know, but I can see some of his mother in him too." There. She had said it, and hoped for a reaction.

Snape gave her a threatening glare. "I don't know what you are trying, but it's not working." He hissed in a dangerous tone. "Maybe you want to know who the mother is, is that so? I'm just telling you this one time Potter. Stay away from him."

Diana could feel the anger build up inside her, and she hissed back.

"You are afraid, aren't you? You are afraid that I will treat him as you treated me, isn't that so? That I will take out my anger on him instead of you? You know what, I would never sink that low."

Before the potion master could come up with a reply, Albus stood up again.

He told the students of the rules in the school and then he introduced the new history of magic teacher. All students clapped their hands and then he moved on to her."This year, I'm happy to say that an expert on the subject will teach DADA. I am sure you all know who she is, and if not, you will have plenty of time doing so during the school year. Please welcome Professor Diana Malfoy!"