*is majorly scared of the reception*

EH!!!!??? 100 reviews? You people..... are going to kill me sooner or later. For something along the lines of: not updating, not updating or.. not updating.

I'm patiently waiting for the rotten fruits for this one.

Some music:

Fact- A Fact Of Life (Boom Boom Satellites remix)

Porcelain and the Tramps- Redlight District

'Sometimes,' Albus mused,'you just cant get what you want. The same possibility applies to alarmingly many situations.'

Albus' thoughts had been running in circles for the last few hours and that had been the only deep thing he'd come up with. He was seriously out of practice. The students would be back tomorrow for yet another year of education. Speaking of which, there would be a serious lack of it this year, at least judging from the material Umbridge had submitted for him to "review". How pretentious.

Politics had come to Hogwarts along with a war that still remained unseen by most. He could taste the danger and sometimes wondered how so many people could miss the faint feeling of war. The kind of war that permeates itself into people's hearts. Unending fear.

There was a knock to his door. Albus tensed. He wasn't expecting anyone and there was no rumbling from the staircase. He called for the door to open.

In stepped a man wearing a muggle suit. Though said suit looked like to be from the wrong century and the tingling chain of a clock gave a very out of place impression even in the ancient castle. Albus disregarded the suit and looked at the man.

Nondescript was the word that echoes in Albus' head. The man had brown hair, light brown eyes and a slightly tanned skin. He had thickly-rimmed glasses that covered his eyes effectively. If he'd passed the man anywhere, no one would know who it was. He was someone who was never truly noticed. Part of the scenery. Absolutely nothing to remember if asked. Even his age could have been anything.

So ordinary it hurt.

His expression was politely expecting but as Albus showed no signs of recuperating from the shock, he smiled a mischievous smile. Then took off his glasses. Albus started to show some signs of life at that.

"K-K-Kal? Is that you?" Albus was aware that he hadn't stuttered in years but it certainly didn't stop him now.

Kal took a step back and bowed like a knight to a king. Then he whirled around a few rounds. "Well, how do I look? It might have gone a little overboard with the colour choices…."

Albus opened his mouth and closed it then, not unlike a fish. Kal pouted. "I'm too brown, aren't I? Another hair colour would've been better, right? Black or blond or chocolate brown instead of this sand stuff…"

Albus gained control of his voice muscles. "It's good. Very nondescript." Kal raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe a little overboard but in Hogwarts, it's fine. We can even have you your own eccentrically decorated classroom." Albus knew he sounded slightly hysterical. He was so used to seeing Kal looking almost otherworldly, that seeing him looking so normal was a shock. Even though they hadn't met that many times.

"So I presume you're taking my offer?" Albus tilted his head.

Kal gave a theatrical, resigned sigh. "I guess I am. Man has to eat in this world too." He wiped imaginary tears from his eyes. The shudder running through the paintings went unnoticed.

XXXXXXXX

Dolores Umbridge was no means a stupid woman. So when the Headmaster in formed her about the new teacher and subject, she concluded this to be an elaborate plot to undermine her intentions in the school. It was no wonder that she objected the new course immediately.

"I believe this course to be unnecessary. Why, by Merlin's, should these children be taught this… Muggle styled self defence?"

"Surely you understand that Muggles have a considerably less sophisticated way of solving minor arguments. We as Wizards cannot understand it unless we experience it. I just wish to offer the children, especially the Muggle studies students, a chance to know how it's done."

"By causing these innocent children injuries and bruises during a harmless little training course?" Her voice had a definite childish tone now.

"It shall also entail a more in-depth section on Muggle manners and phrases. I believe it would serve well our other students too."

Dumbledore was looking like the senile man he was, Dolores regarded disdainfully. That smile was going to get him killed some day. Perhaps better that way.

"He will be evaluated like the others by Ministry's standards. I hope you remind the teacher that there is no need for any excessive… violence." The toad smile was back.

"Of course I will. You'll have a chance to meet him most likely today. He is a charming fellow. Now if you'll excuse me…" He dismissed Umbridge. She narrowed her eyes at him and left with a swish of her pink robes.

XXXX

There are weird people in the train platform. That was the first thing Harry noticed when he scanned the place with his eyes. They weren't first graders but hadn't been there earlier either, of that Harry was reasonably sure. There was a girl and two boys and they were standing close together and it seemed like they were having a heated conversation about something. They seemed to come to some kind of a truce and loaded in the train in a rather efficient looking manner. Harry also noticed that there had been no one with them, or then they'd already left.

He met Malfoy's eyes and felt cold when Malfoy smirked at Sirius. He threw a look at Lupin but found him staring at the door where the mysterious trio had gone through. He looked troubled.

Harry decidedly forgot about everything and concentrated on the train journey.

XXXX

If you didn't count the weird snaky horses in front of the carriages, Harry thought that the evening hadn't gone to hell yet. When the trio surveyed the teachers table looking for Hagrid, they noticed not only Umbridge but also another addition to their merry band. They couldn't see him well but he seemed extremely brown. Hermione looked him long and didn't say anything when Ron asked her about it.

Harry noticed the strange people again and mentioned it to Hermione. She observed them for a minute and was then forced to avert her eyes when they caught her. The blonde girl smirked at their direction and returned to watch the sorting with the kind of amused expression that just screamed: the hell are these guys doing?

When they were the only ones left in front of the hall, Dumbledore rose from his seat. He smiled and began.

"As I'm sure you've all noticed we have three guests here among us. They are exchange students from The Arkangel School. The program of Arkangel is largely different from ours and I wish that we could take some time to learn about our guests as they return the favour by joining us for this year. They will be sorted like usual and I hope that the Houses will treat them like their own. Thank you."

The students clapped and McGonagall called three names: Carrie Heller, Nick Jackson and Gary Kinneas. Unsurprisingly they all went to Gryffindor. Before they even sat down, Dumbledore was calling for everyone's attention away from them and allowed them to eat.

The food, as always, overcame their expectations and by dessert, Harry and co. had almost forgotten about their new additions. Dumbledore had risen again and silence fell. He started with the usual notices and concerns. Then he mentioned the teachers. Harry's attention wandered momentarily to the strangers who were watching Dumbledore with rapt attention and asserting gazes. Harry looked away.

"… in addition to Prof. Umbridge, we also have another new face in our staff. In this year, we will be offering a new evening course for all of you. It's mandatory to Muggle Studies students but I would advise our other students to take part. It entails a more in-depth look at Muggle manners and behaviour. Also, it offers you something useful to apply if using a wand is an unwise action. The course is taught by Prof. Reklaw whom I wish very welcome to Hogwarts and I hope you enjoy your stay." The students clapped with slightly puzzled expressions, the Slytherins barely doing anything to add to the noise.

"The tests for Quidditch teams will be held-"

"Ahem"

XXXXX

"That Reklaw guy isn't mentioned in our files." Nick, the closet-geek, pointed out. "Should we keep an eye on him?"

"Nah, let's just scan him and if nothing turns out, ignore him. This mission is already sucking majorly." Gary drawled, "we have to keep it on the background and see how this goes."

Carrie had an unholy smirk. "And that means you don't flirt, Gary." The answer was a terrified squeal.

"But flirting is like breathing to me! Stopping flirting is like suicide. Look at all these girls…."

Carrie and Nick left him at that and listened Umbridge's speech with half an ear. Afterwards they wandered with the other gryffindors to the tower. They pretty much spent the rest of the evening dodging unnecessary questions.

XXX

The castle had gone quiet. Faint sounds were coming from the sleeping paintings as Kal walked the corridors to nowhere. The Hogwarts castle was truly a magnificent place. The ever-changing layout whispered to him about the old magic that had been laid in the foundation stone itself. He didn't need light for something as trivial as walking around; instead he nearly joined the ranks of the ghosts that crept soundlessly on the stone floor.

(He could look back at the many times he'd gotten lost in places like this and laugh, because when there was no point of origin, there was only this moment and you always knew where you are in this moment. His ending was in the Ark and the Ark was everywhere.

He'd only gotten lost because he'd been so worried about getting lost. But nowadays he couldn't even call himself lost because the Ark changed perceptions like that. In this world you can always say you're somewhere but in the Ark you couldn't even say that.)

It had taken a while to create the disguise he now wore like a skin. He had loaned the idea from the first level 2 he'd faced. Paper skin, that had to be shed at night and recreated every morning like the skin of a fast-growing snake. He was catching up to his master's magic abilities.

His thoughts were interrupted by sneaking footsteps from an adjoining corridor. They were the heavy steps of an adult. Kal stood and waited.

XXXXX

If there was something that Severus hated and loved at the same time, it was night-time duty. On the other hand he could bust foolish students and get them do various unpleasant tasks but you also had to sacrifice precious sleep just for those thankless brats. Plus side, the mindless walking always helped to clear his head.

Severus spared a thought to the new teacher. He wasn't aware what this new course was even about but it didn't stop him from finding the man suspicious. Severus was too well versed in deception and concealment to buy the man's looks outright. He just screamed 'not suspicious'. In Severus' mind, that was a reason enough. There was shuffling from the next corridor and Severus was there in a flash looking like the bat he was.

Speak of the devil. There he was, in all his inconspicuousness, professor Reklaw. The man was smiling like no worries in the world.

"I believe this night is my corridor watch, professor Reklaw." Snape didn't know why he used such a cold tone, something in this man inspired his most basic defences. He also had the strangest feeling that his confusion showed clearly. At least, that was the thing Reklaw reacted to.

"Ah, forgive me, professor Snape. Sleep decided to do like it usually does, elude me. This is a beautiful castle and I decided to take the chance to explore a little without the distraction of the crowds." A reasonable explanation, like Severus expected, delivered with a calming smile. This man caused cold shivers down his spine with just his voice.

Snape nodded curtly and left with quick steps. The Lumos faded behind the corner.

In the absence of light Allen Walker's smile was a little bit too wide, bit too thin to be human.

Still waiting for the fruits. I intend to make a little side story/oneshot about that first meeting of Allen and Umbridge but I'll post that on my deviantArt since I don't want to mess the continuum here. In there, I also ramble about my progress (or I try. I'm really bad at this blog thingy.)

Oh, nearly forgot. You might have notice how I change between the first name and the last. There is a sliver of logic there.... somewhere. If I ever get around writing about it, it's up there in dA.

Thank you for being patient. I'll go hide in my cave now.