Cyan: We're soooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry!
Magenta: I kept telling her we were delaying the fic, but noo, she had to focus on school work first!
Cyan: And that's the reason why your grades are awful :P
Magenta: My grades are awful because my teachers are awful, it has nothing to do with fanfic. Don't put the blame on our beloved creations .
Cyan:¬¬ ...LOOK, A PANDA BEAR!
Magenta: WHERE?! (runs off)
*~*~*~Chapter 2 - First Day*~*~*~
Sakura's POV
I was awoken today by the sunlight creeping in through my curtains, its gentle touch bathing my room in a gold and orange glow. I opened my eyes and, after a quick visit to the bathroom, started preparing for breakfast: I took off my deep red silk pajamas, a comfortable reminder of my dear Japan, and, after flattening my chest with bandages, I put on a striped long sleeved shirt, a blue tie, and a pair of black suit pants. Before putting on my square toed shoes, I looked at myself in the mirror to see, with a sense of dismay, my short black hair and remember how it used to be so long and beautiful...but that was a long time ago, when I didn't have to conceal my identity.
I sat in front of the mirror and, with my wand, I cast a spell to see how I would look like if I were at home again, and none of this nightmare had happened. The reflection showed a plucky high school girl, with waist length jet black hair falling down her back like the rain in summer, big amber eyes filled with hope, round face and a beautiful, innocent smile. I sighed, whispering "Finite incantatem", before lacing up my shoes and donning my robe.
"Today is my first day of being a teacher," I thought, trying to reassure myself. "It shouldn't be that bad..."
Even if I almost convinced myself to believe it, it didn't help the nerves. I suppose I at least looked the part. The crisp shirt and tie, perfectly polished shoes, formal yet practical robes... This was how a teacher ought to dress. It gave me a sense of authenticity, although I knew this was all just a front. What if the students just saw right through me? Even with the short cropped hair, and features androgynous enough to allow me to pass a man, I still looked unmistakeably young. In truth, I was barely a year or two older than some of the kids I would be teaching, and the same age as some of them. Would they respect me, if they saw I wasn't much more than a teenager myself? Despite my skills and experience, and all that has happened in my life, would any of that matter if they can't see past their first impressions of me.
I sighed, trying to calm myself. Yes, I was officially a teacher now, but I just had to take it one step at a time. Before classes and any teaching there would be introductions. I would be introduced to the whole school, and if I could stay calm and handle myself well for that, perhaps that would help make a good first impression. I could manage that. Not too big a challenge.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I knew, based on the green aura that was leaking into the room, that it was Professor McGonagall, but I called out to ask who it was anyway, in case it may be someone with a similar aura. Her voice answered with what I knew she would say, and I let her in.
"Good morning, Professor Noguchi," she greeted, "I trust you had a good night's sleep."
"Yes, porofessor, I did...I actually wasu going for burekfastsu raito now, ker to joinu me?" I was doing my best to hide my accent, but it fought back. I think I might have to charm my tongue into having a British accent later, because this isn't working the muggle way.
"As much as I would like to, I already ate, but I appreciate your invitation. I'm just here to remind you that, since today the students arrive, we're having a meeting in the teacher's lounge later today to... polish up a few things about the material they'll learn, refresh our memories with the school rules and several other details."
"Yes, yes...I rememberu, taranku you verry muchsu. It wasu nine 'o clocku, wasun't it?"
McGonagall nodded, and after a quick good bye I went to the Great Hall and sat in the chair I had been assigned. There was still plenty of food and nobody around to see me eat it, not to mention a great quantity of dishes I hadn't tasted yet, so, before other teachers came in, I filled my plate with British cooking and, with my trusty chopsticks, I started to eat.
The mushrooms and hash browns were most to my taste, and I thought that was one thing I would like about living here. That and the castle itself, with its huge towers, hidden passageways and many years of history, that not only enthralled me, but in a place such as this I thought I would be well hidden and guarded from my enemies. They would never think to find me here. The only thing I had cause for concern over now was how well I could do my new job, and I hoped the meeting later would go well.
The first professor to join me was Professor Snape, who sat down at the opposite end of the table from me without so much as a glance in my direction, and helped himself to a bowl of oatmeal.
Thinking I should try to make conversation, I greeted him. "Good moroning, porofessor Snape," I said, smiling and trying to be polite.
He looked over at me briefly. "Professor Noguchi," he said coldly in acknowledgement, and then went back to his food. He finished his breakfast quickly and left immediately, leaving me feeling embarrassed and awkward as I continued to eat. What if I couldn't even get along with my colleagues well? Professor McGonagall was pleasant enough, but I still wondered if she even liked me, and Snaped seemed to outright hate me. I hoped so much that I could fit in well here.
I noticed Snape pass Dumbledore on the way out of the hall, who also greeted him, but Snape responded just as coolly as he had to me. That made me feel a little better. Completely unfazed by Snape's attitude, Dumbledore took his seat at the centre of the table, only a few seats a way from me, and said hello warmly. I responded in kind.
"I hope you are settling into Hogwarts well," Dumbledore said as he tucked into his breakfast: a boiled egg and fingers of toast that he was enjoying dunking into the yolk. "Later this evening you will get to meet your students for the very first time, which I'm sure will be exciting for everyone. How are you feeling?"
I nodded. "I feelingu fine, porofessor..." I asked him how his day was, he gave a tacit response with his typical empty, polite smile, and, since I had already finished my breakfast, left to the teacher's lounge with a brief goodbye. I knew it was only eight forty five, but I didn't have much to do and didn't want to be late.
The room had a few books on a shelf, so I randomly took one and opened it to an arbitrary page. It was a student record, and the page I fell on was for a certain Phoenyx Aurora, a transfer from a magic school in America. I thought it was strange for a student to change locations in such a way, I personally never heard of it back in Japan, but I just shrugged and looked for another page. At eight fifty, other teachers started to arrive and I found myself returning the student record in order to attend their conversations.
"Heard about the transfer student?" asked a blonde woman with a gossipy attitude. "That girl from America...Aurora, wasn't it? She's part of an experimental plan to join Salem and Hogwarts."
"Why would we want to join Salem?" asked a short man, "We join with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, which are close by, every four years and they hate our guts...What difference would it make if there's an ocean separating us?"
"I think it was Wilson's idea."
"Who?"
"Salem's principal." A woman of wit and bravery but not much common sense, as the teacher put it. "I have a cousin working for her, he says she needs to retire already."
I just sat there, quietly, thinking it was distasteful to gossip in a place meant for serious conversations. At nine O' clock, Dumbledore and McGonagall entered the lounge and sat at the table with us, causing all conversations to fade away.
"Good morning," Dumbledore greeted everybody, a hollow formality that had the semblance of friendliness. "I'd like to welcome you to our briefing for the start of the academic year. As our first item on the agenda, I'd like to bring your attention to staffing changes. I'm sure you've all met Professor Noguchi, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
I felt self-conscious as all eyes came to rest on me, but a moment later Dumbledore had dismissed me as if I was not worthy of attention.
"I'd also like to make you aware of a new transfer student we have this year: Miss Phoenyx Aurora from Salem. Therefore, some of you will find an additional face is now present in your upper year classes. I'd like you all to make her feel welcome, as we are acting as ambassadors for our school and our country and we must give a good impression." He didn't sound particularly enthusiastic or sincere, again moving on quickly.
"Which brings us to the main item on our agenda: establishing firmer connections with our American colleagues and cementing transatlantic relations. It is the wish of Professor Wilson and I that we establish closer ties between our two schools and create a foundation for a form of merger between the two."
Several grumbles of discord could be heard around the table at this point, but Dumbledore continued insistently.
"It is well known that a single school such as the Salem Institute is insufficient to serve the entire North American continent, and as Hogwarts is subscribed far below its capacity, there may be the possibility of us taking students from America in future years, as well as facilitating larger exchange programs. The common language we share will certainly make this more feasible, and will give our students and those in the States a valuable experience of cultural exchange. Miss Aurora will play a key role in launching the pilot scheme for these proposals."
There were more audible mutterings of discontent this time. I kept silent, but clearly the idea was not popular among the teachers.
It was McGonagall who shot everyone a glare to try to silence them. "May we have quiet, if you please," she said tersely.
Dumbledore kept talking, right after reading from a paper "Our next subject is about professor Flitwick..."
The rest of the meeting was unremarkable, to say the least. Once again we went over routine procedures in cases such as injury, rule breaking students, schedules, lost items, the material we would teach and a myriad of tedious details. I still listened carefully (didn't want to ruin things on my first day) but I noticed most teachers spaced out, or tapped their fingers against the table while impatiently wating for the principal to finish speaking, or, in a couple cases, fell asleep. 'Just like my classmates' I thought, dissapointed 'Here I always thought they did pay attention...'.
Dumbledore wasn't amused, I could tell by his occasional aside glances, but not once did he attempted to make the teachers listen "And thus concludes our meeting" he said at the end "You may go now"
He kept and enigmatic expression in his face, as if to say 'I'll get you all later'. Nobody else seemed to notice, despite how blatant it was.
As the other teachers got up, clearly eager to leave, I joined them in heading back out into the corridors to go about our business for the rest of the day. None of them spoke to me: I was still the outsider, a new face none of them knew well, and it may be a while before any of them chose to involve me in conversation, if at all. It left me feeling awkward, but it was something I could deal with.
I was one of the last to leave the room, and as I did so Dumbledore passed me. "Good luck, Professor Noguchi," he muttered to me on his way out, not giving me chance to respond. In the first instance it would seem that his words were meant to be encouraging; a display of good faith on my first day, yet I couldn't help but feel there was something ominous about them. However, I shook it off as I headed back to my room to prepare for the later feast.
It came round much too quickly and not fast enough. The few hours in which I waited for the students to arrive were filled with anxiety and anticipation; concern over whether I would be liked and accepted, eagerness to meet the students and nervousness over how well I would perform. In the final hour before the feast was due to start I was a bundle of nerves, yet I got my jitteriness in check and dressed in my finest robes, spending perhaps unnecessarily long staring in the mirror to convince myself that yes, I could pass for a man, and yes, I looked like a teacher. With that, I headed down to the Great Hall to take my seat at the staff table, sitting awkwardly between Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick, being met with indifference on both sides. Within a few minutes I knew the doors to the Great Hall would open and the first few students would begin to arrive; their eyes surely being drawn to me as the new and unfamiliar face. Yet as a teacher, I knew this was something I must get used to, and so I took a deep breath and patiently waited for the Hall to fill and the new school year to officially commence.
*~*~*~To be continued*~*~*~
Cyan: Gingerdream! We missed you!
Magenta: How could we not? You're our only reviewer in this fic and we love you for that! :D
Cyan: As for the others (puppy face) pweasee review us. Pwetty pweaseeee...
Magenta: (puppy face) Cyan will get hit by an anvil for every new review...
Cyan: WHAT?!
Magenta: Ahem... we'll dance like those old timey guys in black and white movies n.n
Cyan: ¬¬ Why are you trying to kill me?! After all I've done for you!
Magenta: Because... (dramatic pose) I'm actually a mobster lobster!
Cyan: That doesn't even make sense! Does that mean you give your sister allergies?
Magenta: Is there any other reason to be a lobster? :D
Cyan: Amber, if you're reading this, RUN AND HIDE FROM THIS CRAZY PERSON!
Amber: (in the other room) LEAVE ME ALONE!
Magenta: Bye!