Later that evening, Harry laid Tricia in the crib which had been in the room Dumbledore had shown him deep in the reaches of the Teacher's Wing, as it was so traditionally called. He smiled as his sleeping daughter sighed softly and turned onto her back. The smile turned quickly to a look of sorrow. Amarella's death had hit him hard. The only reason he had not fallen into depression was the knowledge that Tricia needed him and that there was no one else to care for her. Which was the reason that he had jumped into marriage a half a year later. Sarah was a kind woman and everything a man would normally want, except for one fatal flaw. She lacked the ability to make him smile in the morning so that he was still smiling in the evening after work. This was something only Amarella had been capable of.
Sarah, it had turned out, was clingy, desperate for a man who would be there at all times, doing everything that she needed. Which of course, eventually led Harry to look into other alternative ways to raise his daughter. She did not need a mother who needed to be looked after herself.
One morning, Harry and Tricia had taken a trip to Diagon Alley where Harry had found the answer to his problem: A free copy of the quibbler shoved into his hands and a fitting session for Tricia at Madame Malkins.
The next day, Harry filed for a divorce, packed and came to Hogwarts.
Harry found it a strange sensation to be sitting at the teacher's table staring down at the students coming into the great Hall.
"I can't believe I was once that short." Harry murmured.
"I believe you were a midget compared to this year's students." The emotionless voice of Professor Snape startled him out of his reverie.
"Good thing I had a growth spurt then, huh?"
"That, Mr. Potter, is known as a growth potion whose ingredients you stole from my classrooms."
"I did not! I'll have you know that I had bought them all in Hogsmeade!" Harry said indignantly.
"So, finally Mr. Potter admits to using potions as a means to an end. Who brewed it, Granger?"
"No." Harry replied. "Not that you would care, but I got an outstanding on my NEWTs in that subject."
"Yes, I do find it very difficult to believe. Where is your daughter this evening?"
"I did not think that Tricia would enjoy the noise of the sorting hat's calls and the consequential cheers. I left her with Dobby until after dinner." Harry answered, looking unconcerned as Darrell Atkinson was the first to put on the talking hat.
"That maniacal house elf! Potter, you daughter would be safer with the youngest male Weasley!"
"Oh, thank you Severus, you just reminded me! I had totally forgotten to call Molly and invite her and the family to dinner; I haven't done that since Tricia was born." With this, Harry became quiet. Severus didn't say anything either, as Hufflepuff gained its first new housemate.
Soon, the sorting was over and Albus Dumbledore stood to give his beginning of the year speech. "Good evening children and welcome to another year of learning at Hogwarts. Besides the usual warnings such as Mr. Filch's Forbidden Items list and restricted access to the Forbidden Forest, we have a new member of Staff, which comes to no surprise to anyone. Harry Potter has come to teach DADA and he hopes to break the curse over the position. With him is his baby daughter and so pranks on her will be severely punished. However, feel free to prank Mr. Potter anytime she is not around. And with that, we will now eat!"
With a clap of his hands, the tables were laden with food and everyone began to eat.
"So, Harry." Madame Hooch said from three seats down. "I am curious as to what you did for work. Were you in the muggle world as the newspapers said?"
"Well, you are going to laugh, but I worked primarily as a Wal-Mart greeter."
"What is that?" Dumbledore asked.
"Wal-Mart is a huge store which sells all manner of goods. They hire people to stand at the doors, hand out shopping carts, give helpful directions and overall just be nice and friendly."
"What kind of work is that?" Severus Snape sneered.
"Just the laid back kind of thing to do after having disposed of a Dark Lord. See, I really don't even need to work, but it gives me a break from being a 24 hr dad and it is a distraction most of all."
Albus Dumbledore understood what Harry was saying. After all, he, too, had once slain the evil Grindlewald. "Well, you know that being a teacher is going to be much more difficult than smiling, Harry." He said kindly.
"Of course, Professor. But I am greatly looking forward to a challenge in my life."