Jay: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Your reasons for Darien/Serena are good.
Starlytemint: True but there will be a few surprises later on. I was just setting the background a little. Thanks for your vote to bring Helios. I probably will. Not still sure what I'll do with Ron, Hermione and Ami but I might just put a little jealousy between them. And Michiru and Haruka will show up in the story. I just didn't feel like writing in all their crystals when Serenity dropped their star seeds on Earth.
Athena: You do? Thanks! I'm looking forward how I'll do it myself.
Sjp1: I'm surprised and pleased with myself that I'm not bashing Darien. He's not my favorite character of Sailor Moon but I try not to bash my least favorite characters in my fics. I'll try hard not to bash him. He will eventually learn his true identity and become prince and all that stuff. Yes, he still has his golden crystal.
Cardcaptor: If I don't bring Helios, who would you like me to pair Rini with? Or just have her focus on her 'mission?'
Thanks all for voting. You still can until I get to the parts where they start meeting each other.
Girl's new names:
Ami Mizuno—Aimee Arroser. Aimee is a French spelling of Ami (means dearly beloved) and Arroser means 'to water' or 'to spray'
Usagi Tsukino/Serena—Serena White. White like the moon. I almost used Crater, can you believe it? Thanks Jay for the suggestion.
Minako Aino/Mina—Mina…Lovegood! Yeah, Mina will be Luna's sister! Since the word 'love' is in the surname, I wanted to use it. Serena and Mina will be cousins. Also since Luna is the same name as Serena's cat, it works too. But Serena won't have her guardian cat with her throughout the story.
Rei Hino/Raye—Martina Ogen. Martina is from the Roman God of War, Mars! And Ogen is Bulgarian for fire.
Makoto Kino/Lita: Lavra Molniya. Lavra means Laura or Laurel, like the tree or flower. I thought a wood or flower name suited her as she uses a flower cyclone attack in the manga. Molniya is Russian for Lightning.
Hotaru Tomoe: This one was hard. I was looking for something that meant death or something but I rested on Angelica Palam, which basically would mean Angel of Death.
Setsuna/Trista: Moira Ovile, first name is Greek for time and Ovile is Latin for space.
Michiru/Michelle: Michelle Murdock. Murdock is a boy name but it means victorious at sea and it's also Scottish. I've decided to make her a Scot. Go Scots! (I'm part Scottish)
Amara: Amara McCloud. I chose McCloud since well, the word "cloud" in it. It reminds me of the movie Highlander now. Yeah, I guess Amara's a Scot too!
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon. Jay and I made this story. Any questions? (I sound like that 'This is your brain on drugs' person.)
Hogwarts Secret Scandal
Chapter 2
So Long Salem
"Leaving?" Polly Barker exclaimed. "What do you mean you're leaving?"
Serena sighed. "My mom misses her family and she wants me to get better schooling."
"There's nothing wrong with Salem Witches," Polly said.
"I know, Polly," Serena told her best friend wearily. "I told my mom I'd rather stay but she's already packing. We'll be leaving in a week."
"No!" Polly sobbed, covering her face. "I don't believe it!"
"That's terrible, Serena," said Marvin. "I heard there's a very bad wizard on the loose in England, killing people and everything. At the World Cup there were a bunch of weirdoes levitating people!"
"Yeah," Serena stated, "I was there."
"It is much safer for you to stay in Salem," said Marvin. "There are strange things in England! Blibbering Humdingers, Nargles, Heliopaths, Aquavirus Maggots, Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks—wait! Those are from Sweden actually."
Serena grinned at her brainy friend. "Marvin, you and my cousin Luna really should get together."
"We can't let you go," Polly said, dabbing her teal eyes with her napkin. "Salem needs you here!"
"Maybe I can visit for Christmas," Serena suggested, trying to be calm. "I'm so mad about going. It's not fair. If Mom wanted me to get a better magic education, why didn't they send me to Hogwarts in the first place? It doesn't make sense for me to go there in my last year."
"Is it true that you have to wear uniforms, robes in Hogwarts?" Polly asked eagerly.
"Yeah," Serena swallowed, "oh man, don't remind me. I'd hate to wear those silly ties and skirts and robes every day."
Serena sighed and stared at her half eaten ice cream. Telling her friends the truth was going worse than she thought. She couldn't blame them. She didn't want to make new friends when she got to England. Why did her mother have to take off anyway after Aunt Diana's accidental death? Serena was only eight when it happened. Her aunt—Diana Lovegood—worked in the committee for experimental charms. One day an experiment went wrong and it killed her. Her cousin Luna, just a little kid at the time, saw it happen. Maybe that was the reason why her younger cousin was so, well, weird.
Serena's mother couldn't take the grief so she took off to Massachusetts with her lawyer father. Her father, Michael, was American and it was easy for him to switch firms. Serena's mother, Athena was a squib and it came as a big surprise to both her parents when Serena turned out to be a witch. Athena was sure Serena would grow up to be an ordinary muggle. Sometimes it took generations for muggles to have witches and wizards in the family. Her mother was happy but her father didn't seem to care none the less.
Now suddenly, after ten years, Athena wants to back to England to see her family. It didn't make any sense. Why would her mom want to go back to England now? Why couldn't they come here and Luna and Mina could go to school at Salem Witches Institute instead? Serena didn't want to leave her home, her school and her friends. She didn't want to leave her life at Salem behind in the dust. She loved it there. She had friends inside the wizarding world and out. How was she going to bring herself to say goodbye to all of them?
Serena raised her eyes to her two best friends Polly Barker and Marvin Jones. They did everything together. They were friends since they were kids. Marvin went to the wizarding academy as the witches and wizards in the whole Northwestern States went to different schools. Marvin was a half blood and smarter than anyone she met in her life. One day he was going to become the first wizard to build a rocket that ran solely on magic.
Polly Barker had both a wizard father and witch mother. They owned a magic item store. Serena loved going there to get her magic knick-knacks repaired and stocking on their candy. Serena and Polly planned to help work at their store after school. Now what was Serena going to do? Could she still come back?
"You okay, Serena?" Lizzy Albertson asked as she came to their table. Lizzy was one of Serena's Muggle friends. She knew that Serena was a witch but she thought that was cool. "You hardly touched your ice cream? I didn't bring you the wrong flavor, did I?"
"No, it's okay, Lizzy," Serena sighed. "I'm just too upset."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"I'm moving to England next week," she replied.
"England?" Lizzy gasped, "But why?"
"Mom wants me to go to the school there," said Serena.
"That's awful," Lizzy sighed. "Well, keep in touch, won't you?"
"I will," Serena answered. "You can take my ice cream now. Sorry Liz, I guess I've got no appetite."
"Okay," Lizzy whispered and she took Serena's half-eaten bowl of ice cream. Serena let out a sigh of frustration and folded her arms on the table.
"Why is your mom wanting you to go to Hogwarts now?" Polly questioned. "If Hogwarts is better, how come she didn't send you there while you were in England?"
"They didn't find out I was a witch until we were already here," Serena answered, "Mom didn't want to be in England anymore because of how my Aunt died."
"But it was an accident," Marvin pointed out. "Experimenting with charms can be dangerous."
"I know," Serena sighed. "That's what everyone told her but she wanted to see what America was like too. Dad had a really good firm here. I haven't seen my family since the World Cup. It was only briefly though. Mom was still upset about Aunt Athena's death. I guess Mom is feeling guilty about leaving now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. My uncle sent us that copy of The Quibbler with Harry Potter's story in it."
"Well, Serena," Polly began, "there's one bright side to this."
"Oh yeah?" Serena groaned, glancing up at Polly. "What's that?"
"You'll be going to school with someone famous!" Polly exclaimed.
"I know," Serena said. "Mina was going on and on about it on the phone the other day."
"He must be some powerful wizard to do all those things," Marvin said thoughtfully, "stopping a wizard like Lord Bad Guy as just a baby, getting the sorcerer's stone at his first year, killing a basilisk…you know if you look at the eyes of a basilisk you die instantly?" He groaned. "Serena, I want to go to Hogwarts too! I want to find how Harry Potter did all that stuff just incase there's a basilisk in America somewhere!"
"Get it a life, Marvin!" Polly exclaimed.
"Yeah," Serena added, "there are no basilisks in America."
"You don't know that for sure," Marvin insisted, "you can make one by hatching a chicken's egg underneath a toad."
"Well, go check all the swamps for any chicken eggs under toads," Polly rolled her eyes.
"It would be interesting though," Serena said thoughtfully, "being in the same school as someone famous. My cousin Mina is kinda hung up on him."
"Is she?" Polly asked.
"Oh yeah," Serena replied, "Mina always says no one's like that in Slytherin House."
"What's Slytherin?" Polly questioned.
"One of the houses at Hogwarts," Serena replied, "Slytherin is the one where all the sly ones go to. I have no idea how Mina got mixed up with them. She's really ambitious though. She wants to be famous, like Harry. That's probably why she likes him. Well, she likes a lot of guys. She's always dating someone different. I think she's now with some Draco Malfoy guy."
"That sounds so dreamy!" Polly exclaimed.
"Please, Polly," Marvin grunted, "it's the name of a constellation! That's so absurd!"
"Well, it's unique," Polly insisted, "he's from a different country."
"Different country?" Marvin demanded, "We're talking about England, not Greece!"
"At least Hogwarts will be co-ed," Molly said and she leaned to Serena, "Hey, you think you can set me up with some cute English guys?"
"Polly!" Marvin choked on his milkshake.
"I happen to like English accents!" Polly hissed.
"You want an English accent?" Marvin inquired, "fine…Eh love…"
"No!" Serena and Polly put both their hands on Marvin's mouth, preventing him from saying another word.
"I'd better get going," Serena said as she got up from the table. "I'm going to talk to my parents and see if I can have a farewell party."
"That'd be awesome!" Polly exclaimed. "I'll bring the butterbeer!"
"You'd better," Serena said. She hugged her friends and took off. As she ran away she could hear Polly and Marvin arguing about England. Those two were so made for each other it wasn't funny.
Serena shook her head, her long blond hair waving. She couldn't believe it. Within a week she'd be back in England. She'll have to go to Hogwarts where she'll have to wear uniforms to every class. She'd have to take more subjects. In Salem Witches they just had the standard classes. They didn't even have History of Magic since most of what happened in Salem was Witch burnings anyway. Salem Witches wasn't a poor school, just thrifty. The school was an old manor that looked like a haunted house to keep muggles away. There were about two girls that went there from the New England region. Sometimes they had field trips to Canada and places. They only had to wear robes on special occasions like competitions and things like that. In lessons they could dress just like muggles if they wanted too. How was Serena going to deal with such a dramatic switch in her life now? It was perfect the way it was. Serena felt like someone was interfering with her life and the more she thought about it, she was sure that she was right. If she ever met that person, she'll give them quite the talking to.
Darien was going through the rules and regulations of his new career. He couldn't believe what was all in it. "I wouldn't have to worry about this if I was an Auror!" he fumed.
It has been two weeks since he was given the job and he didn't know the first thing to do. He had to give a list of books to Professor McGonagall so she could send out the Hogwarts Letters. Not having a decent Defense Against Arts Teacher for more than one year he didn't know what the heck to do. Quirrel was the teacher he had the longest but it was hard listening to a teacher that stuttered all the time and acted so afraid of the subject he was teaching. It was hard to believe that he turned out to be a bad guy and had Voldemort's face growing on the back of his head. Lockhart was completely worthless. Darien didn't learn a damn thing in any of his lessons except why men should never curl their hair.
Lupin was a good teacher but there were two things wrong. Lupin came to teach too late, at Darien's last year and Hogwarts and the man was a werewolf. When Snape had told everyone at breakfast what he was Lupin had to leave. He heard about the other three teachers. It was crazy what happened to Mad Eye Moody. Darien remembered trying to talk to him as a younger boy and it scared Mad Eye. Moody had even tried pushing him away with his staff and Darien just wanted to know what it was like to be an Auror. If Darien had been at school when Umbridge was teaching he probably would've walked out on the first lesson. Quirrel's brother had been worse.
Now Darien was next in line. If something was going to happen to him at the end of the year, he should at least try to do good a job of teaching the subject. He had to take what little he learned from the decent professors he had back in Hogwarts and add it with his Auror training.
But where to start? He didn't even know what books to assign. Did the manual give any suggestions? As Darien turned to the index, the door opened and a cold voice broke the silence.
"More bookwork than being an Auror, isn't it, Mr. Shields?"
Darien glanced up and there stood his old Head of House. Snape's mouth was curling into a scowl. Darien smiled awkwardly.
"Hello Professor Snape," he said, rising to his feet.
"Good," said Snape, "I wouldn't expect you to stop calling me 'Professor' just because you're one yourself."
Darien nodded grimly. He wasn't sure what to say. He knew how much Snape wanted the Defense against the Dark Arts job. Snape must've come up to give him the "you're unworthy to teach this subject" talk he probably gave to all the other Defense Against Dark Arts teachers. Darien did know about the Dark Arts and how to defend himself, it was teaching he'd have a problem with. They didn't teach any of that in Auror training.
"So, Professor Dumbledore made you the next professor then? Couldn't he had waited until you've received your Auror certificate?"
"I have," Darien pointed to the framed certificate on the wall.
"I see," Snape glanced at it and looked back at Darien. "So quickly?"
"Yes," Darien replied, "Professor Dumbledore said teaching Defense against the Dark Arts would be good while Auror training is still fresh in my mind."
"Did he?" Snape questioned, coming a little closer, "well you will see soon, Mr. Shields, that teaching this subject is nothing like being an Auror, Shields."
"I realize that," Darien muttered, "I didn't really want to take the job but I took it because Professor Dumbledore said he had no one else."
"No one else?" Snape asked, "you must be joking. Why on Earth would he give the job to an Auror right out of training when--,"
"There's already an ex-Death Eater working for him?" Darien asked casually. Darien knew that being the teacher would be tough but he didn't need Snape to get on his case about it.
"What?" Snape muttered.
"I know about your past, Professor," Darien said, "My uncle was into the same stuff, remember? Lucky for you, you didn't end up in Azkaban."
"Listen," Snape hissed, "you leave it alone."
"I'm not going to tell all the students about it," Darien groaned, waving his hand, "they'll never come to Potions. Look, Professor, it doesn't matter anymore. You've made a change. I admire you for that."
Snape looked shocked. "You what?"
"How many Death Eaters can turn their lives around? Huh? My uncle wouldn't take a second chance for anything."
"Yes, I don't know of many that would change," Snape said softly.
"Yeah, you're even spying for Dumbledore now I hear," said Darien, "I think that's brilliant. I sort of wish you were teaching instead of me."
"Oh you do, don't you?" Snape asked.
"I do," Darien insisted, "you've been there and back so you know what the Dark Arts is like. I just got my certificate a couple of weeks ago. I don't know how to be teacher."
"You're acting too humble, Shields."
"It's true," Darien said, "look at the professors before me. Professor Dumbledore should've picked you but he must've had a really good reason not to. I guess if he gave it to you then he'd have to find a new Potion Master and I might just be saying this because I was in your house, but you were pretty damn good."
Darien saw what looked like a flicker of a grin from Snape. He was speechless. Darien couldn't believe it. There had to be very few people that could stun Snape.
"The art of potion is very important," Snape said softly after a while.
"I know," Darien said, "and it's a lot more than throwing something in a pot." Darien walked back behind his desk and sat in his seat. He looked at the manual and sighed. "This isn't telling me anything. I don't even know what books to assign or what to teach…Professor Snape, how about you show me what to do?"
"What?"
"Well, you're the one who wants this job so badly, right?" Darien questioned, "you're the Ex-Death Eater and potion master at this school. You already know how to be a teacher. I didn't really learn defense against the dark arts until Auror training. You tell me what it is I have to teach and I'll do it. In a way, you'll be teaching."
"You really want me to help you be a teacher?"
"Someone will have to," Darien picked up the manual and slammed it down, "because this thing is worthless! I thought it was a teacher's guide but it's not. This is unbelievable! I could've been an Auror!" Darien went on shouting how it was all going to be impossible when Snape had to interrupt him by shouting as well.
"Mr. Shields! Be quiet!"
Darien jerked around and blinked.
Snape sighed and shook his dark greasy head. "The book does give you some suggestions in the back…" as Snape said this Darien immediately picked up the book and turned to the back, "but you will have to write out your own lessons."
"That doesn't help me much," Darien muttered, putting the book back down.
"And that is why I'll agree to help you."
"You will?" Darien asked in surprise.
"Yes," Snape replied, "as your old Head of House I do hold some responsibility to help."
"Thanks, Professor."
"We can start by writing your book list," Snape said.
"Good idea," Darien grabbed a quill and parchment, ready to write out whatever Snape said.
"For first years: Parselmouths and Other Dark Wizards by Ian Hunter."
"I've read that book," Darien commented. "Good one."
"Shields."
"Oh, right—Parselmouths and Other Dark Wizards—what else?"
"Second and third years: Creatures of the Dark by Damon Incubus. Third years only: A Guide to Necromancy—
"Hold it, Necromancy," Darien gasped, "I never learned that in Hogwarts! Isn't it a form of divination? Summoning spirits so you can talk to them?"
"Yes," Snape said, "but neither Trelawney nor Firenze know enough to teach it."
"So I should get this book because?" Darien asked.
"Because it's Dark Magic that summons the spirits, Mr. Shields," Snape said.
"Anyone can do that," said Darien, "this castle's full of spirits. We talk to them all the time."
"I mean the ones that have already crossover, Darien."
"All right," Darien sighed, "it's not cursed is it?"
"No, except it may make ghost sounds when you open it," Snape said. "It is available in the restricted section of Flourish and Blotts."
"I didn't know there was a restricted section there."
"You do now."
"Right because I don't want to have to go to Knocturn Alley to get it," Darien seized his quill, "A Guide to Necromancy by?"
"Umbra Morbius."
Shaking his head, Darien scribbled the name. "And for fourth and fifth years?"
"Control, Maim, and Destroy by Cura Thatcher.
"I suppose this one is about curses?" Darien asked.
"Yes," Snape answered, "this one you may have to get at Knockturn Alley."
"What?" Darien demanded. "You must be kidding! Am I assigning books or weapons here?"
"Fourth and fifth years are supposed to learn curses," Snape said casually, "and that is the best one I know of. It even comes with pictures and how to say the incantation correctly."
"Professor, I want to teach them how to defend themselves from the Dark Arts, not mix them selves in it!" Darien exclaimed.
"Indeed, but to stop your enemy, Darien, you have to know all you can about them!" Snape shouted, slamming his hands on the desk. "That is something you should've learned in Auror training. You can't just know the basics when it comes to the Dark Arts. You have to know as much as they know if you want to stop them."
"I think they can make do without knowing the wand movements and everything, Professor," said Darien, "just what they are and what they do and what the counter curses are. Are the counter curses even included in this book?"
"No, that is why I am about to assign you its companion."
"Oh great, it's got a companion?" Darien demanded. "Maybe asking you to help me wasn't such a good idea."
"Don't be daft, Shields," Snape muttered, "it's a brilliant idea. Now, Assemble, Disassemble and Reassemble, by Perry Jungo.""What about sixth and seventh years?" Darien asked.
"That is for sixth and seventh years."
"So the fourth and fifth years will have to wait two years to know the counter curses to these things?" Darien questioned.
"Then put it on the list for fifth years," Snape said, "because there's something else of N.E.W.T.'s level I will have to add."
"I'm quite afraid to hear it," said Darien.
"Right, sixth and seventh years, Walking in the Dark by Darcille Nox. You will need to make a note that this is only available in Knocturn Alley as well."
"Not another one!" Darien exclaimed, scratching through the parchment with his quill.
"Well, this was written by a dark witch, Darien," Snape said coolly. "It is an autobiography, how she became a dark witch and everything. It will tell your students how the mind of a dark wizard, like the Dark Lord for example, works. It will answer the most asked question, 'why would anyone turn their lives to the dark?' well, here you go."
"Is it cursed?"
"Yes, I think muggles will die or lose their minds if they even touch it."
"Great," Darien groaned.
"And it sometimes sounds like a dementor," Snape added, "you will see that the writer was rather fascinated by them. She didn't care about being in Azkaban after she was caught. She got her happiness from misery. The last half of her book she wrote in Azkaban. She said she had to finish her auto-biography before she was given the dementor's kiss and quite frankly, she looked forward to it."
"Professor, that is really disgusting," Darien said simply.
"Well, she knew she was dying so she gave up her soul to the dementors. She wanted them to have it instead of dying. You see, Darien, though dark wizards like to associate with the dark and death—they really fear it. Even Necromancers. That is why the Dark Lord seeks to be immortal. They are afraid to die."
"I see," Darien said softly, "well, I think I'll order these books myself and see if I can lift any hexes off them first. I'm not going to make students do any shopping in Knocturn Alley."
"Don't you think a little shopping in Knocturn Alley will prepare them?" Snape asked.
"Not if they don't know what they're looking for," Darien replied, "and someone or something might find them. I've been to Knocturn Alley loads of times and it's really disturbing. I'll get the books myself."
"Fine," Snape said, "do what you want. You should read the books too, Darien. You may find them useful as an Auror. That reminds me. Be sure to pick up a book on Legilmency and Occulmency."
"I can't teach that to students," Darien said.
"Not for them," Snape muttered, "for you. Good day."
Snape turned around and strode out of Darien's office. Darien sighed and looked at the list. Was it a mistake to ask his old Head of House for teaching tips?
Serena's parents allowed a goodbye party for Serena. As this was the last time she would see her friends she wore her best pink party dress and wore a shiny gold hairpiece in her long blond hair. Serena always wore her hair differently growing up, either down or in braids or put half of it up. It never came to her to wear two buns on her head with pigtails.
The house was packed with all her witch and wizard friends, even muggles. They knew about Serena being a witch they didn't need to have their memories removed until they actually witnessed some. Serena was even surprised that her transfiguration teacher was there to say goodbye. Serena's favorite subject was transfiguration not just because she liked transfiguring things but because Professor Myers had always been her favorite teacher. She was pretty young for a teacher with short brown hair and eyes.
"Professor Myers!" Serena exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting you."
"I just wanted to wish you luck, Serena," Professor Myers smiled.
"Thanks."
"You'll do very well," Professor Myers insisted, "I know Minerva McGonagall. She knows more about transfiguration than I do."
"Is she as fun as you?" Serena asked hopefully.
"I don't think I can answer that," Professor Myers replied. "The Headmistress has already sent all your records to Hogwarts so everything is set and ready to go. You will be taking more classes of course."
"I know," Serena moaned, "I can hardly handle the classes at Salem Witches as it is! Far too many!"
Professor Myers laughed. "It will be all right, Serena. You won't be taking that many. The electives you chose were Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, correct?"
"That's right," Serena replied, "I decided to take those since they're the only electives we offer here. I hope I'll know at least something about divination."
"Don't worry," Professor Myers insisted, "I hear you'll have two teachers so you'll have twice the help!"
"Two teachers?"
"Yes, and one of them is a centaur so you'll be covering care of Magical Creatures at the same time!"
"Wow," Serena grinned, "talk about killing two birds with one stone."
"Yes, I'm going to say goodbye to your parents now," Professor Myers said, "excuse me."
"Thanks for coming, Professor Myers!" Serena exclaimed as Professor Myers went to meet Serena's parents.
"I'm so glad your parents let you have a party," Polly said as she began to help herself to some sweets.
"Yeah me too," Serena said, "Oh, Poll—I don't wanna leave! Please tell me it's a bad dream!" she turned to her best friend and began sobbing.
"Hey, don't cry!" Polly gasped, dropping her finger food to the floor. She patted Serena's back. "If you cry then I'll cry!"
"I can't help it!" Serena wailed. "I can't! I can't!"
"Save your tears for later, all right?" Polly asked. "This is supposed to be a party, remember?"
"Okay," Serena let out one last sob and wiped her eyes, "you're right. These are my last moments in Salem so I'd better make the best of it. Now, where's that cute boy I've been crushing on so I can kiss him before I leave?"
"You mean Ken Sanders?" Polly asked.
"Yeah."
"He came with a girl."
"Oh, great," Serena moaned, "okay, who was next on my list?"
"I think it was Bobby Smith."
"That's right," Serena replied, "I didn't see him come with anyone. Wish me luck!"
Serena went off to search for Bobby Smith and found him in a corner talking to some of his friends.
"Hello Bobby, are you enjoying yourself?" Serena asked.
"Yes, thanks," Bobby answered with a smile. He was one of the cutest boys at the Wizard's School. Man how Serena wished there was a coed magic school in Salem!
"Good," Serena replied, "thank you for coming."
"Hey, you'll have fun at Hogwarts," said Bobby good naturedly, "I have a good budy that goes there. Colin Creevey. Yeah, says he's going to become a photographer for the Daily Prophet. Hey if you see him tell him hi for me will you?"
"Sure," Serena replied.
"Oh, and I've got a cousin that goes there," said another boy, "can you say hi to…"
"Hold on, hold on!" Serena exclaimed. "Let me get a quill!" Now being of age Serena summoned a quill and wrote own all the names of Hogwarts students her friends wanted her to say hello to.
"Here Serena, you may need this book," Marvin pushed a large and heavy good in Serena's arms that caused her legs to buckle.
"Marvin, what is this?" Serena demanded.
"All about the history of England," Marvin replied, pushing his glasses back on his nose. "Magical and non-magical, including all the myths that you ought to look out for."
"Thanks Marvin," Serena muttered under the weight, "but you really didn't have to. I am half English after all."
"Well, since this is the last time I'll see you," Marvin cleared his throat, "you think you could give me a kiss?"
"Marvin!" Serena cried. "My parents are here!"
"I can use a disillusion spell," Marvin said hopefully, "no one will know! Just on the cheek? Please?"
"Well, maybe when the party's nearly over," Serena moaned.
Serena and Polly wouldn't let go of each other when it was time to say goodbye.
"I'm going to miss you!" wailed Serena.
"I'm going to miss you more!" Polly sobbed.
"I'm going to write you all the time!" Serena stated.
"Now you promise?" Polly asked tearfully, "cause I know you'll have more subjects!"
"Whenever I get a spare moment I promise I'll write you!" Serena exclaimed, "I promise!"
"And please send me pictures of any cute boys!"
"Hey!" Marvin exclaimed.
"Okay!" Serena said.
"Hey!" Marvin said again.
"Oh, Marvin," Serena turned to him and sobbed onto his neck, making him stumble. "I'm going to miss you too! With all these new subjects, who is going to help me with my homework? I am going to so fail my NEWTs!"
"I don't know," Marvin mumbled and it suddenly dawned on him that one of his best friends was leaving. "No! It's not fair! Who's going to help you with your homework? Oh, see if you can send me some of your assignments and I'll help you the best I can!"
"Okay!"
"I'm going to miss you!" said Marvin.
"I'm going to miss you too!" said Serena.
"I'm gong to miss you three!" Polly exclaimed and she flung her arms around her best friends.
They pulled apart and tried to act calm and strong.
"Remember Serena, Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same thing," Marvin told Serena. "And Devil's Snare hates sunlight. Oh and remember this—this one is important—the Patronus Charm is the only thing that can stop dementors.
"Okay, right."
"NEWTs are going to be very tough," Marvin insisted, "so study hard!"
"I'll try," Serena said.
Polly began pulling Marvin away from Serena and Marvin continued to shout information to her. Serena was listening carefully, trying to take in all she could get.
"What's that, Marvin?" Serena called at Marvin when Marvin and Polly were half way down the road. "I didn't get the part about giants!"
"I said there are no more giants in England so you'll be all right!"
"Okay!"
"Oh, and Serena, be very careful of heliopaths!"
"WHAT?"
"HELIOPATHS! You know, sprits of fire! Be careful!"
"But Marvin, those aren't real!" Serena shouted back.
"You never know!" Marvin cried. "THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!"
"OKAY! WHATEVER!"
"BYE SERENA!"
"SO LONG MARVIN!"
"TAKE CARE, SERENA!"
"SO LONG, POLLY!"
"I'LL MISS YOU!"
When Polly and Marvin were clear on the end of the street, they waved and realizing they were old enough to disparate, they did. Serena was left with the nagging void in her heart.
She felt hot tears sting her eyes as she wondered when she'll ever see her friends again. Would she ever find such good friends as she did in Polly, Marvin, Bobby, Lizzy, Andy and others?
"So long, guys," Serena whispered, her tears trailing down her cheeks. "You really were the best friends…I've ever had!"
Carrying a box full of copies of Control, Maim, and Destroy and Walking in the Dark in his arms, Darien walked out of Knocturn Alley. It was quite simple finding the right place to go. The difficult part was getting all the copies he needed. He was sure what he got wasn't near enough for all his students so he had put down an order for more.
Darien had gone to Knocturn Alley dozens of times with his parents and with his uncle before his Uncle landed in Azkaban. He didn't like the idea of having to get the books in Knocturn Alley but he knew Snape had a point about students knowing all they could about the Dark Arts so they could defend themselves. They needed to know more now than ever because perhaps the worst of all dark wizards had returned.
"I think I'll get a chocolate ice cream while I'm here," Darien said as he walked down Diagon Alley. Though his arms were tired under the weight of the box he wanted to look around and come up with ideas for his classes and hwo he should decorate his office and classroom. However, the box didn't help with him much with being able to see where he wsa going and he only just briefly saw a head of red hair before he smashed inot the body that owned it.
"Ouch! Hey!"
"Sorry!"
Darien and the other person fell down with the box flying down, breaking and losing its contnts.
"I'm so sorry about that," Darien said quickly, "really, are you—Weasley!"
"Shields!"
Percy Weasley pushed his glasses back on his face, frowning. "Shields, why don't you watch where you are going?"
"Well, it's kind of hard when you're carrying a box!" Darien muttered pushing himself up from the ground and ignoring the people that were laughing.
"So levitate it, moron!" Percy growled, still lying on the ground.
"What, you want me to help you up, Weasley?" Darien asked in a mock baby tone. "Did pwor Percy-poo hurt himself?"
"Shut up," Percy muttered, "I can get up on my own."
"Are you sure?" Darien asked, offering his hand. "Did you ruin your new robes?"
Percy smacked Darien's hand and pushed himself up. "What were you doing carrying a box anyway?"
"I just bought a lot of things, Weasley," Darien said walking to his smashed box, "they hold a lot of things, you see. Kind of hard to hold so many things you know unless they're in something."
Percy Weasley caught sight of the titles and picked one up. "Control, Maim and Destroy? Walking in the Dark? Sheilds—what did you get?"
"Books, of course," Darien muttered as he snatched it back.
"Oh, learning all you can about the Dark Arts, aren't you?" Percy asked gleefully. "And you said you were going to be an Auror.
"I am an Auror!" Darien snarled. "I got my certificate early this summer."
"Did you really?" Percy demanded.
"Yeah, you want to see it?" Darien questioned.
"Only if it's real," Percy muttered.
"Oh, it's real," Darien insisted as he whipped out his wand. "Accio certificate!"
From all the way from his office in Hogwarts, Darien's Auror certificate came zooming to the pair. Darien took hold of it and held it an inch from Percy's nose, feeling all the pride rising to the surface. He knew Percy must've been very upset now.
"Shall I levitate the pigs, Weasley?" Darien inquired, "Or do you want to do it? You do you remember what you said that day, don't you Weasley?"
"Forget the pigs for now, Shields," Percy said coolly, pushing his certificate away. "So you've gotten your certificate. Big deal. Doesn't mean anything. Why aren't you going after all those Dark Wizards then? Have you gotten cold feet after that extensive three year training? What's with these books?"
"Because I'm going to be the Defense Against Arts teacher at Hogwarts," Darien said, "why else would I be carrying books?"
"WHAT!" Percy exclaimed. "You—teach—impossible! You can't! No way!"
"Reparo," said Darien, pointing his wand at his broken box and he placed his books back in as Percy shouted on in disbelief. It gave him more satisfaction than the time Darien announced he was going to be an Auror.
"You don't know how to be a teacher!" Percy cried, "unbelievable! You just got a certificate. That's not enough to teach at Hogwarts!"
"Probably not," Darien shrugged, "but I'm sure I'll do better than most of our old teachers. Remember Lockhart? That crazy git didn't know a thing. He just interviewed the people that did stop dark creatures, took their memories and wrote about him doing it. I know actually have some real experience."
"That's beside the point," Percy muttered. "So crazy…I just can't believe."
"Would you be a friend and hand me that copy of Control, Maim and Destroy right there next to your foot before I control, maim and destroy you?" Darien asked as if asking to top off his drink. "I kind of need that to teach my subject you know."
Percy growled, picked up the book and shoved it in Darien's hand. "Hogwash! Rubbish! I can't believe—how—I just can't. Oh well, you'll end up just like the rest of the professors before you, Shields! Then Dumbledore will have to get another!"
"Probably, but if I am," Darien said, "then I'm going out with a bang. You'll see, Weasley. All my students' parents will be sending letters of how great I am."
Raving, Percy turned around and walked into the nearest store.
"It was nice bumping into you, mate!" Darien shouted and laughed as he turned his attention to picking up the last of his books. Now he didn't' feel so bad about being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was going to make sure he was the best Defense Against Dark arts teacher Hogwarts ever had.
"I wonder if it's too late to assign another book," Darien said to himself.
Serena kept thinking about her life back in Salem they came to England. After hugging her uncle and cousins she didn't really feel like speaking. As Mina went on and on about how cool it was to go to Hogwarts together, Serena's mind was on Salem Witches Institute, her friends and all the cute boys she never got to kiss. Mina's room was plastered with posters of cute wizards and quidditch players, as well as people from the school. Next to her bed she kept a framed picture of her new boyfriend…
"Draco Malfoy!" Mina squealed. "Isn't he just gorgeous, Serena? Just look at those eyes!"
"Yeah," Serena said, blinking and trying to sound like she was interested, "they're really, um, gray."
"They're not gray," Mina muttered, putting her hands on her hips, "they're silver! Like our house colors!"
"Silver huh?" Serena inquired, "I've never seen silver eyes before."
"We got together right before term ended last year," Mina said, picking up her framed picture of Draco and embracing it. Serena rolled her eyes and waited until she put the picture back. Draco was brushing lint off him and acting smug. The moving picture of him showed her that he looked rather pompous and she didn't' really look forward to meeting him at all.
"Serena, Mina," Serena's younger cousin walked in holding two letters, "the Hogwarts letters have come."
"They have?" Mina asked. "That's great!"
"We've got a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Luna went on as Mina tore through her letter, "whoever it is has assigned us Walking in the Dark by Darcille Nox only we don't have to go and buy it."
"What?" Serena asked, "What kind of book is that?"
Luna shrugged, "I don't know but it sounds interesting."
"I think I've heard about that book from Draco," said Mina, "said he saw it in Knocturn Alley."
"Isn't that where people can get cursed stuff?" Serena asked.
"Yeah," said Luna, "maybe our new teacher shops there a lot."
"You say that like it doesn't matter," Serena said edgily.
"Well, it is good to know as much about the dark arts as possible if we are to defend ourselves from it," Luna said breathlessly as she walked out.
"Is it just me," Serena said slowly, "or has Luna gotten weirder?"
"Can't blame her with what's happened in the last couple of years," Mina said. "Oh good, only three books this year: standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven, Taking Your N.E.W.T's and Keeping Your Wits—hey, I wish we had a guide book for when we had to take our OWLS! I thought I was going to lose my mind!"
"Yeah, mine were kind of tough," said Serena, "but luckily I don't have to take seven classes!"
"I don't take seven classes," Mina said defensively, "I take…Potions, History of Magic, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination…and…Astronomy."
"You forgot Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Yeah that too," Mina said, "you're right, we do have too many subjects!"
"What do you need astronomy for?" Serena asked. "Are wizards planning to become astronauts?"
"I don't know," said Mina.
"I learned that in Muggle School already," Serena grinned, sitting down on a chair, "in Salem we just take the standard five, Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"What about electives?"
"Yeah, you can choose from Care or Magical Creatures or Divination at year three," Serena said, "I chose Care of Magical Creatures."
Serena bit her lip as she thought of the memory and opened her envelope. Her stomach turned as she read the letter and looked over her list of books. Soon her friends would be going to school with out her.
"Term starts in two weeks," said Mina, "I'll go see if we can start shopping for our stuff now. Oh, I wonder if Draco will be doing his shopping to day! Then you can meet him!"
"Can't wait," Serena grumbled as Mina ran off to see her dad.
To Be Continued