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How the other half lived	By : MusicLady2009 Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 1881 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling's characters, places or ideas and I do not make any money off this story.

Chapter List
- 1-How the other half lived
- 2-2-3
- 3-4
- 4-5
- 5-6
- 6-7
- 1
- 2
- 3
Chapter 2

Spilled Glass

                Nearly ten years had passed since Remus was rudely and suddenly awakened by Chris’ frantic pounding on his door, and things had changed so very much in that time. With their leaders dead the small, once tight knit group of friends drifted apart. Remus had left England to try and find a friendlier atmosphere for his “condition” or at least somewhere he could hide it better. Sirius was in Azkaban for the unthinkable, killing Peter, and being a death eater, not to mention passing on information that lead to the death of James and Lilly Potter. Paige had all but disappeared. No one had heard from her since Sirius’ arrest. And Chris had just wandered for several years. She took odd jobs here and there until one day she received a letter that changed her life. That letter invited her to interview for the position of Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She accepted at once and within a few months she was back in the happiest place of her life. That was 5 years ago. Little did she know that this year, Paige was to receive a similar letter, and the group would begin to come back together surrounding a young man that none of them had seen since he was a year old. Harry Potter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

                Paige Palantir was a bubbly young woman before her world blew up. She was bright and mischievous. Her hair was flaming red and her eyes a light blue. She had a hard road at home when she was in school. Her parents were among the victims of Voldemort’s rise to power leaving her orphaned to live with her elderly grandmother who was in no shape to care for the young girl. By the age of fifteen she was completely alone when her grandmother succumbed to a case of dragon pox. Paige was resourceful though and remained relatively under the radar; she continued to live in her grandmother’s home on the little gold that had been left to her until she completed school.



                That is not to say, however, that Paige did not have her fair share of trouble at school. Her mischievous streak and love of life in general made her a perfect match for Sirius Black. Every trial they faced individually outside of school brought them closer together once inside it again and it was no surprise to any of their friends when Sirius proposed to her on the Hogwarts Express immediately after graduation. Nor was it a surprise when she said yes. When they got involved in fighting Voldemort they decided to put off the wedding. They moved into an apartment together and somehow got busy enough with life that an actual marriage just never happened. And never would after what happened with James and Lilly and Peter’s deaths. In Paige’s mind he betrayed them all, her especially, when he turned their best friends over to slaughter. Something changed in Paige that night. She became brooding, angry and bitter. She never forgave Sirius, and she never forgave herself for loving him. The first ray of light in her world came when she received a letter from Professor Dumbledore inviting her to return to Hogwarts and assist the care of magical creatures teacher, Professor Kettleburn. She had maintained a job at a small farm that specialized in Pegasus for many years and her boss recommended her for the job. Paige accepted on the spot, packed her few things, said her few good byes, and was on her way back to her favorite place in the world within just a few days of answering the letter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

                Chris stepped out of the carriage carrying her small carpet bag with a smile on her face. The sun was just beginning to set and the towers of Hogwarts castle were gilded in its last rays. The stained glass windows sparkled like gemstones as the light hit them at the perfect angle. Chris felt as if she were floating as she ascended the steps leading into the entrance hall. The huge oak doors swung open for her without a squeak and she had to restrain herself from running inside. This was her favorite moment of the year, her first evening back after summer break. Even though the students had not arrived yet and many of the teachers would not arrive for a few more days the enormous castle still felt like home. Chris took her time meandering towards her office. She stopped to check in with a few of the paintings that had been hanging in their places since she was a student. She stopped at the kitchens to collect her first cup of the best coffee in the world before making her way to the 3^rd floor.

                Chris hummed to herself as she enchanted her cup to float ahead of her and opened her bag. She was not looking ahead of her as she rummaged around in it looking for her keys. She turned a corner instinctively and gasped as she ran into a wall that had not been there before. Hot coffee covered her front and she fell backwards. She looked up from her place on the floor to find, not a wall, but a very irate Severus Snape, who was also covered in coffee.

                “Oh… Oh my… Snape…Excuse me… I am so sorry” She stammered as she began picking herself up off the floor, “I am so sorry.” Snape sneered at her and began using his wand to siphon the coffee off of his robes.

                “I see you are back again this year, Miss Smith.” He said with the contempt that he usually saved for students. Well, students and Christine Smith. He never quite forgave her for childish things that were said and done when they were both students. He had been the only one on the inquiry board that had voted against her appointment as a teacher though he had been out voted four to one.

                “Yes, and you are as well.” Chris stated with forced cheerfulness. Chris knew that much of his animosity towards her was her own fault, and tried her best not to blame him too much for it. “Are you alright?” She inquired in a friendly tone, though she was the one that was more likely to be hurt than him.

                “Perfectly,” he said with a nod, “I trust you will keep your eyes on where you are going the rest of the year. That really was a waste of good coffee.”

                Chris looked down at her now empty cup and nodded. “That it was, and again, I am sorry. If you are alright, then I will say good night.” Chris did not give him a chance to say another word as she started around him and headed to her office. Severus watched her for a moment and then shook his head as he continued walking as well.

                Chris dug out her key and entered her office. The room was brightly lit and it was obvious who decorated it. There was a bright, cheerfulness to the room from the pastel yellow walls to the small lightwood table that served as her desk. There was a large picture window on one wall that looked out over the grounds and the lake and towards the forbidden forest. Chris walked through the room to the bookshelf on the back wall. She took out her wand and set the tip on a tiny notch in one of the shelves and the whole wall seemed to peel back to reveal a door. A small key produced from her bag and she was in her private quarters, the place she was glad to call home. The suite of rooms was small, but functional. A small living area with a couch and loveseat facing the fireplace, the walls lined with bookshelves full of everything from books on magic, to books on muggles, to novels that she may or may not have read yet. Besides the door she entered there were only two doors in the room. One door led to Chris’ bedroom, again, small, yet cozy and very much hers. The other led to a tiny but functional washroom with a private shower.



                Chris plopped down on her bed, setting her bag on the floor, basking in the glow of the full moon that was slowly rising, just glad to be back home.

Chapter 3

Reunited

                The next morning Chris dressed in dark rose colored robes over a simple denim skirt and a black blouse. She headed down to breakfast through the halls slowly and sleepily. She took her seat at the staff table and poured a cup of coffee. She barely noticed the few teachers sitting on either side of her as she liberally added cream and sugar to the dark liquid. Just before she took her first sip she was attacked. Arms circled around her from behind and a loud squeal met her ears. Chris jumped and spent a few moments trying her best to wiggle out of the sudden embrace.

                “Oh, Chris… It is you! I thought it was when you came in! Wow… How long has it been?!” Paige finally let her go and sat in the seat beside her, a smile painted across her face. Chris took a deep breath and turned to her.

                “Paige, you nearly gave me a heart attack! What on earth are you doing here?” Chris smiled at the last. She looked over her old friend, taking in her care worn and thinner face.

                “Professor Kettleburn is having trouble with Care on Magical creatures. So here I am to assist him. Let me guess… I know McGonagall still has Transfigurations so... Muggle Studies?” Paige asked, turning around and filling her plate.

                “Of course. This’ll be my 5^th year here.” She went back to her coffee. The two spent the whole meal laughing and reminiscing and catching up. It isn’t till the table begins to clear itself that Chris finally looked up at the clock. “Well,” she sighed, “That means it is time for me to lose myself in lesson plans. Students get here tomorrow and I am not even done with the first week.”

                “Nothing changes then,” Paige stood along with Chris, “last minute and you are hiding from the world to finish.”

                “That’s about it.” Chris smiled and took Paige in one last hug “I’m up next to that odd pig statue on the 3^rd floor. Come by after dinner. We’ll get a cup of coffee… or hot chocolate if you’re still against it, and talk some more”

                “Of course, I’ll see you then.” Paige and Chris parted ways at the door, Chris wondering how this will all work out, first Paige is back, and in just a few short days, Harry Potter will be in these halls. As will some of their other friends, and enemies, children. It would be an interesting year to say the least.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

                Paige left the hall and headed out the large front doors. She crossed the grounds, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the beauty. She passed Hagrid’s hut, waving to him as he worked in his pumpkin patch, and made her way down to an enormous barn. The place was empty, and usually stayed that way, but Paige had been tasked with preparing it for whatever Kettleburn might bring in during the year. She whistled happily as she cleaned out old, stale hay and then washed down the floor and walls of stalls ranging in size from smaller than a pony to large enough to hold a dragon. Yes, this was the life she was looking for. Here she had plenty of work to keep her busy and only happy memories to intrude. No time to dwell on the past, unless she chooses to.
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How the other half lived