No, I'm not dead. (Just a law student.) As always, I do not own Harry Potter or related merchandise.

It took most of August to sort out the curricula and the students and the proposed lesson plans. Except for the one trip to Diagon Alley and the occasional meal with Andromeda, William, or any fraction of the extended Weasley clan (Harry could usually be found among the gingers, especially Ginny), Amelia and Sirius found themselves immured at Hogwarts. Among other things, the professors had to coax an extra year's worth of dormitories out of the castle, not an easy task under ordinary circumstances and especially tricky with nearly a quarter of new stonework. The existing dormitories shrank slightly with the removal of the beds of the fallen and the handful (mostly upper-year Slytherins) that chose not to return.

The first of September came much too soon in many professors' opinions, but no one could delay its coming; as Sirius noted, the closest wizards had ever come to manipulating time was the Time-Turners. Minerva drolly replied that, among other things, the Ministry needed to replace its entire stock of the things for they had been a casualty of the encounter they'd almost been casualties of.

It was the first time all summer someone made a joke about their two-year disappearance and it had come from Minerva.

Filius cheerfully congratulated the Headmistress for getting them all through the turmoil of the summer and rendering Sirius Black speechless.

Amelia was put in charge of the incoming first years. She was unclear on how exactly this former duty of Minerva had fallen to her, but Sirius had teased her about it. Amelia had been worried she would mangle the welcoming speech, but she successfully managed to hit on all of the important notices without any difficulties.

As she led the line of first years into the Great Hall and those already seated within quieted, she thought their chattering was more subdued that usual and tried not to think about the bodies she'd seen laid out on the floor of this very Hall in a vision in the mist. Instead she placed the Sorting Hat on its stool in front of the staff table and listened as it broke into song.

"No storm, however dark,

Can halt the turning of the year;

And as September starts again,

My task is ever clear:

Though we've emerged from shadow,

Enforced division's yet a chore –

Still I'll peek at the new students,

And sort them to the Houses four.

Perhaps you shall go to Ravenclaw

If clever describes you,

Those who value wit and learning,

Shall wear the bronze and blue;

You may belong in Gryffindor,

Among the brave and bold,

If you have nerve and daring,

You shall wear scarlet and gold;

You might reside in Slytherin,

If for ambition you are keen,

If you are sly and cunning,

You shall wear silver and green;

Or perhaps you dwell with Hufflepuff,

A patient, hard-working fellow,

If you are just and loyal,

You shall wear the black and yellow.

The storm is now behind us,

Hogwarts weathered every blow,

Let's look now to our future,

And I'll tell you where to go!"

Amelia almost stared at the Hat. So did a lot of other people, however, for there was a brief pause before the applause began. It turned out to be very enthusiastic applause, though, which she considered a good thing. The Sorting Hat had told them that life went on – and the students agreed.

When the applause quieted down, Amelia stepped forward with the roster of incoming students. "When I call your name," she announced, "you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. When the hat announces your House, please take a seat at the appropriate table." Then she began to read off the names.

If Slytherin house was a bit more subdued than the other House tables, she reasoned it off to last year's difficulties. There was an almost painful knowledge that the serpentine house faced some of the worst obstacles in moving forward. Minerva had been careful to remind the staff to be mindful of any anti-Slytherin actions that might arise among the students and to do whatever they thought reasonable to lessen tensions among the houses.

The hat paid no mind to public opinion, however, as the new batch of students was as evenly distributed as ever.

"Welcome everyone," Minerva said as pleasantly as her strict nature allowed. "Enjoy the feast!"

If the atmosphere of the Hall was less buoyant than the occasion warranted, the food certainly held up to be everything Amelia remembered. As the professors chattered away, they kept at least half an eye on the students; after all, Alastor always said, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

The memory was bittersweet when she remembered he'd been killed last summer, but she distracted herself from depressing recollections by explaining to Professor Flitwick some of the hazards of being witch and an Animagus in a Muggle neighborhood. ("They've been filing complaints about the owls in the neighborhood for years now.")

By the time the remnants of dessert disappeared back into the kitchens, Amelia had eaten far too much. She didn't find herself regretting a bite, however.

It was at that point that Minerva rose for the welcome speech. "Now that I am not required to compete with your stomachs, I ask your attention for a few announcements. I'd like to welcome back everyone who is returning to Hogwarts this year, as well as those who are joining us for the first time. I know that last year was singularly unpleasant and cast a pall upon our school, but that should not deter us from making the effort to return this year to some level of normalcy.

"As such, Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you all yet again that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, even for those of you who are of age. The list of prohibited items, which includes nearly all the items available for purchase at the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shops, may be found on the door to the caretaker's office. Additionally, as returning students should know, the forest on the grounds is out of bounds to students unless accompanied by a professor.

"Yes, there will be Quidditch this year, just as soon as the reconstruction of the stadium is complete. Those students who wish to play for the House Quidditch teams should give their names to the Heads of House. Anyone interested in becoming Quidditch commentator should do likewise. Anyone with suggestions for the timely completion of the stadium should also bring those to the Heads of House as soon as possible.

"It is with great pleasure that I welcome three new members to the faculty this year. Professor Fulcin – " Clarissa stood "– will be teaching Muggle Studies." After the applause, Clarissa sat and Minerva continued. "Professor Zeraff will take over for me for Transfiguration." Amelia rose as indicated and received her applause, which was most heavily concentrated at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables. Heather clapped loudly for her aunt and grandmother, and waved to them both. "And finally, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be filled by Professor Black, who will also be taking over as Head of Gryffindor House." The collection of older Gryffindors cheered loudly as Sirius rose, though there were some mutterings across the room as well.

"Due to last year's irregularities, there will be some adjustments required this year, but it is my sincere desire that we work together to ensure a smooth return to Hogwarts' long standing traditions. That being said, it is late, and classes begin tomorrow morning. I have high hopes for this year, and with that, I bid you all a good night." Minerva sat down.

That signaled all the students to rise and make their way toward the double doors into the entrance hall in a less than orderly fashion. The staff dispersed to assist the exodus before regrouping in the staffroom.

"It is going to be a difficult year, and we certainly have our work cut out for us," Minerva said.

All of the professors professed their agreement and support, even Slughorn, whose inquiries earlier in the summer about returning to his retirement had been met with near hysterics. Those on duty tonight left to begin their patrols while the others headed to their office for last minute preparations.

"Still glad you became a professor?" Clarissa said as they left. "All these immature adolescents and their raging hormones? Between you and William, and some of the people I had to deal with at the hospital, I doubt I'll have much of a problem. But you?"

"Ask me later in the year," Amelia replied.

"Ask me after my first class," Sirius said.

Minerva grinned conspiratorially at them. "The first class? That's the easiest one! It's your chance to make an impression on the students. Do it right and even the stubbornest dunderheads with listen to you."

Amelia had it easier. Although she had come back from the dead and was known to have been a member of the Order of the Phoenix, she had none of Sirius' notoriety. Her students were curious, but didn't really have any preconceived notions about her.

Third year was the when Animagi were explicitly discussed, and Amelia was lucky enough to have her first class of the morning be a group of third years. (Real third years, not third year holdovers. And she wouldn't put it past Minerva to have scheduled it that way.) They were impressed by her transformation into an owl . . . but not quite as impressed as the group of Ravenclaw fourth years were when she turned a desk into a baboon because the girl whose desk it was hadn't been paying sufficient attention. Aside from a practical demonstration that may have involved transforming students' books into songbirds, she went relatively easy on the class of first years.

From her N.E.W.T. level students she heard what Sirius had been up to.

Apparently his first class of the morning had featured a rather outspoken and prejudicial Hufflepuff fifth year. Said student had made a few rude comments about Sirius' qualifications. There were conflicting reports over exactly what he had said, but the general consensus was that the boy had indicated his belief that "Professor Black" wasn't as innocent as recent media claimed he was. All the sources agreed on the same quote: "Wasn't one Death Eater enough?"

At which point a giant black dog leapt from the doorway and knocked the startled student to the floor before rolling away. Sirius transformed beside his desk. "To my knowledge, in the last four years this course has been taught by two Death Eaters, a reformed Death Eater, and a wannabe Death Eater. I am none of the above." He rolled up both sleeves to reveal unmarked (or perhaps it was unMarked) forearms. "I am, however, your professor. So kindly keep your commentary to yourself while in my classroom."

"And you just started the lesson afterwards like none of that had happened?" Amelia asked him later that day. "Really?" She shook her head as she laughed. "Oh, what I wouldn't have given to see the expressions on their faces! Oh, but that is bloody brilliant! That's just fantastic! Although from what it sounds like, you were channeling Severus a bit there. Making a play for most unfriendly professor in the castle are we?"

Sirius grinned. "Just giving them something to base their rumors on. I've been a jokester, a murderer, locked up, on the run, dead, and, apparently, a hero. Don't ask me where that last one came from; I haven't the foggiest notion. But it seems some of the students think I'm something of a 'bad-ass.' Which, evidently, is a compliment. It is also something I think I could exemplify rather well."

Amelia convulsed with laughter. "Here I've been aiming for a more mellow McGonagall and you're going for Snape with a sense of humor. Although I don't imagine he ever physically knocked one of his students around."

"I was gentler with the little snot than he probably deserved. The kid's not even going to bruise."

Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"Hey! I know how hard I knocked him down! The only injury was to his pride. Of that I am certain."

Amelia started giggling again.

"And just who are you to judge me Miss Let-me-turn-a-girl's-desk-into-a-baboon-to-stop-her-whispering-to-her-friend-during-class?"

"Perhaps if you'd actually paid attention during your tenure as a student you might remember that the professors did things like that all the time."

"I paid more than enough attention to the professors. How else did you think I got all my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s?"

"Dumb luck?" Amelia asked innocently.

"Du - ! Dumb luck?!"

"I suppose I always imagined you took to studying when you ran out of pranks to pull or ground to explore. Although you were so prolific at those I doubt you ever ran out. Did you ever sleep? Or – I know! You ate your textbooks!"

"I – what? Ate my textbooks? Are you bloody kidding me?" Sirius sputtered indignantly. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Did you move into the library when you were a student?"

"What?"

"It certainly seemed like you spent all your time there. Outside of class and meals I seem to recall seeing you in the library every time I went in."

"Right. The three times you stepped foot in the library during the entire seven year span."

"I'll have you know I visited the library more than three times."

"Oh, so four then? I'm not counting after hour visits with your gang."

"Damn. How'd you know? We visited the library quite often during the night. We had to Map it after all."

"Because that map wasn't creepy or anything."

"Creepy? I'll have you know that map was one of our greatest works."

"A map that knows where everyone is all the time? Some people might call that 'stalking.' It is generally frowned upon, you know. Especially the parts that include girls' dormitories and lavatories. How did you map those by the way?"

"Not by doing anything unnecessarily creepy!"

"Unnecessarily creepy? There was a certain necessary level of creepy?"

"Hey! All we did was mirror the boys' side! It wasn't all that difficult. The other Houses' Common Rooms were the difficult things. We had to reckon the proportions from the surrounding rooms and how the castle looked on the outside."

"All those brains and you still couldn't manage at least an 'E' in all your classes?"

"Divination was a joke! It's simply ridiculous!"

"That's why I took practical classes."

"Oooh. Ancient Runes. How exciting. I could fall asleep just thinking about it."

"That's because you stayed up every night sneaking around the castle, and teaching yourselves how to break the law, and running around with a werewolf. It's a wonder you ever got anything done."

"It's a wonder you ever got your nose out of a book. There's this thing called 'life' you know . . ."

"I needed a life? Yours wasn't complete unless you were the center of attention! You were a bloody narcissist!"

"And you were a bookworm."

"You were a bully!"

"Antisocial."

"Toerag."

"Really? What are we? Six?"

"Did you know all these big words when you were that age?"

"Did you have any friends when you were that age?"

The insults and name-calling gave way to hex wars that only halted when a spell awry and hit the Weasley Whizbang Sirius had been keeping "for a special occasion." They managed to stop it before it got loose or drew Minerva's attention. They then proceeded to laugh uproariously imagining her reaction.