She had been here one day and already she was homesick. Everything was so cold…As she walked down the halls, she swore she could see her breath clouding the air. Outside the cold felt more natural. Lily pulled her lined cloak tighter around her body as she looked at the stars. It was hard to believe that these were the same stars that she saw at Hogwarts. She thought to Firenze, how he knew every single story about them. They only offered Astronomy as an elective for younger students, it was deemed unimportant other than for the purpose of navigating. A part of Lily's heart broke when she heard it, it stung how the Headmaster talked of Divinations when she sat down for a meeting about her lesson plans. Obviously, her visions weren't something that she would make the man privy to.
She sighed as she stood to look up at the sky. Immediately her eyes found the Scorpius constellation and she smiled. A part of her still loved him, yearned to be with him. Would it be easy to fall back together? Maybe, or maybe not, but she suspected that he was better off in London. Scorpius may never admit this, but he's ready to settle down. Soon enough he'll be put off field duty and assigned to one of the other departments like Teddy. Eventually he'll find someone that he can love easily. Lily, though, isn't ready to go home yet. Durmstrang is an adventure she surely needs.
"Excuse me?" A voice calls out. Lily spins to see a man approaching her. "Do you realize how late it is?"
"Yeah, I just…I needed some air."
"Curfew was an hour ago," he says. His voice is thick with an accent, but the composition of the sentences are correct. She suspects German isn't his native language, unlike the Headmaster.
Lily eyebrows furrow together. The Headmaster hadn't informed her of a staff curfew. In fact, there was a rotation for staff members to circle the corridors to make sure everyone remained in bed.
"I have never seen you before. What's your name?"
"Lily," she tells him.
"A stargazing Lily."
Her lips quirk up into a smile at the pun. "What's yours?"
"Krum. Professor Krum, you'll see me if you have flying lessons."
Lily lets out a shocked laugh. "There's a misunderstanding, I'm not a student. I'm the interim potions professor."
"Sorry." He let out a laugh, a loud barking laugh. "Usually, more…mature teachers are hired. I'm the youngest by fifteen years." He looks her over. "Have you taught before or fresh from university?"
"No. I was a Healer or rather still am, my license is valid." She crosses her arms over her chest.
"Good," he says. "With how many accidents there are, it'll be good to have another Healer on staff." He looks down at his watch. "There's a staff meeting before breakfast, we better get going."
"I almost forget." She motions to move towards the building, but he goes away from it. "Where are you going?"
"I have one of the cabins on the edge of the property," he explained. "I don't really have an office since the pitch is my classroom."
"I'll see you around."
"Yes, I hope so." He gives her a smile, waving her off.
Lily regretted your decision when she stood up in front of the school. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on her as she stood next to the Headmaster. She'd already earned one scowl from him for wearing jeans underneath her robes. There was no dress code for dinner and it was acceptable for wizards to wear muggle clothing, but apparently they adhered to a strict standard of dress at Durmstrang.
"Professor Potter was educated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, following that she moved onto St. Mungo's Healer Academy. She is an asset to our staff and we are happy to have her, especially following Professor Barton's absence."
She gave them a smile, but didn't say anything to the students who looked at her blankly. They didn't look the least bit excited, there was disinterest written across all of their faces. A few looked quite unimpressed. Lily bit back the smile and took a seat at the teacher's table. None of them were old family friends, quite a few had detached themselves from wizarding world gossip, so they had absolutely no idea who she was. It was exactly what she wanted, exactly what she had with Michael, but it was safer than being with muggles. There was no lies involved and she got a blank slate. That was what she wanted. She had to keep telling herself that every time she wanted to leave this frigid castle.
The following morning, Lily stopped by the kitchens to grab breakfast before eating it in her classroom. Her Uncle Neville sent her over some plants that not only doubled as decoration, but fresh potion supplies. Sure, there was a greenhouse here, but she didn't know the professor or trust him like she did Neville. Of course, he sent her over a few packages of his specialty tea blend that always made her look forward to the morning.
Her first class of the day was a fifth year class and after the bell rung she waited at the front of the room for the students to file in. There weren't many girls and the boys looked at her with disdain. She hoped it was because of the early hour.
"Good morning," she said. "I'm Professor Potter. I've looked at Professor Barton's notes and found where you have seemed to have left off. I'll be continuing how he does this things, lecture today and potion making on Thursday." Lily turned around and reached for a chalk, when she did this she heard a few whispers…Before she even turns around she says, "Expilliarmis!" and spins to face her students. A wand clatters to the ground as she rests her hands on her hips. A few stare at her wide eyed for the use of wandless magic, but it's not that impressive for a Healer or an Auror. Those professions it's practically essential for you to learn it.
"Accio wand," she says, after lazily reaching for hers. The student's wand is in her hand, she rests in the drawer. "You can get it after class, you won't be needing it anyway." She looks out over everyone with a smile on her face. "I was hoping we could start class without any trouble, but it appears I will have to have a discussion with you anyway. I may not appear like your other professors, but I expect the same respect from all of you. Do not mess with me because I'm not going to report you to the Headmaster, you won't get off that easily. Is that clear?"
No one said a word.
"I asked a question, I expect an answer." The response was chorus of various answers. Lily took a deep breath. "Now, fifth year is a pivotal time as you will be taking an exam at the end of this year. One of the potions that will be covered is the Draught of Peace…" She picked up the chalk in hand, feeling better to write it, than have a spell casted. "It is an extremely difficult potion that tests the precision of the maker. Every direction must be followed exactly otherwise there will be disastrous results." Once again there was chatter. "Gentlemen, have I not made myself clear of what I expect in my classroom?"
"Crystal," one of the boys responded as he leaned back in his chair.
Lily took a sharp intake of breath. The boy was so like James it made her want to rip her hair out. "Then do you care to tell me what's so interesting that you disrupted the lesson?"
"No," another boy spoke softly.
"Excuse me?" She set the chalk down and took a step forward. "What's your name?"
"His name is Nikolas. Mine is Jakob." The first one smirked. "And we already covered this potion."
"Is that so? For OWLs, you need to know every step. Can you tell me how the moonstone is prepared?"
"I don't know ground?" Nikolas answered.
"Powdered," Jakob said, slowly pronouncing the word.
"Very good," Lily walked forward even further. "It needs some work Nikolas. In fact, you have an essay due by this time next week on the Draught of Peace and what importance powdered moonstone and the hellebore syrup has on it. Additionally, the effects it can have on a potion and the dangers of those mistakes. Anyone who receives less than an A will have to report to a mandatory tutoring session on Wednesday, because there is no way any of you are brewing a potion that is so potentially dangerous it could set your robes on fire."
"Merlin, Score, are you sure you'll be fine?" Albus looked at his partner as a healer finished bandaging up his arm. Every so often, he would wince.
"I'm fine." He grimaced as the Healer tightened what she was doing. "Can I have more pain potions?" Looking at her, his eyes narrowed a bit. Merlin, if it was Lily he could only imagine what she would tell him to do.
"Not if you want go home by yourself," she said. "With what I've already given you, most people wouldn't be able to tolerate."
"I'll make sure he gets home," Al said as he leaned back in his chair. "What? Dad'll kill me if I don't make sure my partner gets home safe." He gave Scorpius a smirk and the injured man sighed. He'd fought with Roxie about it many times, it seemed she had an affinity for getting injured on duty…His face paled when he realized what he actually thought.
"That may be a good idea, Potter. You look like you need another pain killer." The Healer finished her work before she came back with a small vial. The potion was an odd color and tasted horrendous, but soon enough there was a calm spreading over his body. Albus helped him to his now unsteady feet and guided him to the apparition point.
"Your place or mine?"
"Are you going to insist on staying?" Scorpius questioned, then looked over his friend who lifted an eyebrow. "Your flat, mine doesn't have much furniture, besides I think I still have some work clothes at your place."
"Come on Malfoy." He placed a hand on his friend shoulder, looking him over before they both felt the magic work, taking them to the apartment building.
Strangely enough, this had become part of their routine, spending evenings at each other's flats. They hardly ever spent the night unless one of them was injured, but they got along in amiable silence, Al usually ordered pizza and put a movie on, working the muggle TV set to Scorpius' amazement.
"You okay with the couch?"
"Fine, really." Scorpius reached for another slice of pizza, narrowly avoiding dropping it as the potion was still affecting his motor function. "It's funny after everything, you and I still ended up together."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just…when we started we were both little shits that hated each other for no reason and you still like me even after I dated your sister."
Al sighed and set his plate down on the coffee table. "I don't know how you can stand my family after dating her." He looked at his friend. "You never talk about her, I know the two of you were close after being partners for three years."
"I just miss her." Scorpius set his plate of half-eating pizza down on the coffee table before he laid his hands on his legs. "I'm glad I have you as a partner." He looked down at his bandaged arm, burned badly by a curse gone wrong—or rather terribly right—when they were pursuing a dark wizard. The pain had subsided, but his feeling hadn't. "Perhaps, doing field work isn't for me."
"Score, you're a damn good auror, you know that?" Al looked at him.
"I felt like I was going to vomit the first time I obliviated someone's memory." He shook his head. "Today I couldn't block a curse and my first partner got killed on my watch."
"You're still not thinking clearly," Albus said. "Besides, you know what my dad says. He wants aurors that think twice, that are empathetic. Those qualities don't mean your weak, they don't mean that the job you do is sub-par, and they mean you're human."
"I've heard this before." He sighed.
"You may be the first partner I've kept for longer than a month and a half, but I know what it takes." He got to his feet. "We have to be to the office in the morning."
"I'll apparate to my flat early," he said. "And thanks for—"
"I know." He gave him a half smile before he grabbed the box of pizza to stick in the fridge and helped Scorpius transfigure the couch into something moderately comfortable to sleep in. He may have lost Roxie, but he still had Al, and it seemed like the wasn't losing him any time soon.
Lily was in the middle of grading essays that Monday. She'd missed dinner, but would head to the kitchens later. When there was a knock at the door and she nearly made an unnecessary mark on the parchment. "You're supposed to be in your dorms at this hour, not—" She looked up and saw who it was. "Professor Krum."
"You can call me David, I promise." He walked in, oddly she noted. It was the way he carried himself, his shoulders at an awkward angle. "I'm actually here in a professional capacity. The nurse is busy there's a bug going around and—"
"How bad is it?" She barely glanced up. He didn't appear to be in serious pain. "I keep basic cures in the metal cabinet on the back wall. There's potions for headaches, stomach aches..."
"I might have made an unfortunate decision." The words sounded odd with his accent as he moved forward, a slight grimace of pain crossing his face when he touched his left shoulder.
"Again?" she set her quill down and gestured for him to come over. Moving things off the table, she motioned for him to sit down. "Damn, when do you people ever learn?"
"You people?"
"They're all the same. Aurors, Quidditch players…"
"I haven't played Quidditch since I was 19. This shoulder is what ended my career."
"Then you should be more careful," she murmured. "I took this job so I didn't have to keep on patching up people that put themselves in dangerous situations."
"I sense there is a story behind that."
Lily sighed and nodded before taking her wand out. Within seconds she had a pot of water boiling, a packet of tea flying towards her, and a sling. "I think this is all I can do. Unbutton your shirt." She watched his fingers undo them and realized no matter how clinical she made this, it would still be unfortunate if someone walked through the door. "There's no outward damage, but you can't keep healing this with a spell." She sighed. "I don't understand why wizards are so resistant to muggle techniques. The only thing that can help this is a painkiller and rest."
"Last I heard, willow bark tea is more of a wizard thing to do." He watched as floated a cup in his direction. She moved back toward her desk and settled down in his chair. "I actually came here under the direction of the other Professors. They wanted to me to get my arm checked out and make sure you're doing alright."
"I'm fine."
"They said to remind you to eat. Apparently, a house elf will be appearing with dinner shortly."
"Thanks."
"Do you need help grading papers?"
"Don't you teach flying and coach Quidditch?"
"I can read German, and a bit of Russian," he told her. "In addition to Bulgarian, but not many of the kids speak that here." He walked closer and set the mug on her desk. "Give me Emma Shue's paper."
"Emma?"
"Fifth year, probably don't notice her with all the commotion Jakob causes." He held out his and she dug through the pile before she saw the girl's paper. Lily stared at, then up at him. "The other kids help her out as best they can, the old Professor was fluent in it, so there never was a problem, but her writing in English is atrocious."
Lily groaned, buried her head in her hands. "I told the kids if they did badly on this essay I'd make them have a mandatory study session."
David raised his eyes at that.
"The Draught of Peace is dangerous if you do something wrong. I can't have smoke, poison bubbling in the cauldrons and students getting their robes set on fire." She wiped a hand over her face. "Do you know any other kids that don't speak English? I'm hopeless with languages."
"Fifth years are going to be the most trouble for you. Jakob used to fake not being fluent because Nikolas needed extra help and was too timid to ask. The pair of them have been friends since they roomed together first year. I wouldn't split them up, things could get ugly, fast."
Lily gave a smile at that. She thought of her and Scorpius when they were just friends. "I feel like I'm in over my head. I have no idea why I was hired for this job if I'm so grossly underqualified."
"Since the second wizarding war, you know more people are speaking English. I know a lot of families that have either left for America or came here because they wanted to start over. There are quite a few English citizens in attendance here currently."
Lily knew that was true. The language barrier had come into her mind, she had asked the headmaster in her first interview. He had said if there was really a problem there were charms to help her, and that other Professors could assist as best they could. It still didn't make her feel like she belonged. "Could you teach me? My cousins tried to teach me French much and it was a disaster, all I remember is a few curse words."
"That'll get the kids' attention." There was a knock at the door that interrupted him. David hurriedly finished buttoning his shirt before the house elf came in, dropped off a tray with a cheerful smile in Lily's direction and disappeared. Lily, though, didn't touch the food until she helped him into the sling and instructed him how to do it himself. "I'll promise to be more careful, but how long do I have to keep this contraption on for?"
"It's a pretty bad sprain," she said. "You could lose movement in it, more than you already have."
He sighed. "You know I was just working with a group of kids, helping them with their technique. We have some good seekers, decent Beaters, and the Keepers are amazing…" he sighs. "You should see the Chaser's, though."
"I was a chaser," Lily says with a smile. "If you want some help with the Quidditch club, I could work with Chasers."
"I sense there's something I need to do in return."
"Help me." She holds up Emma's essay with a sheepish smile on her face.