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Hogwarts, A Mystery	By : Marionne25 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 3452 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am not making any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter One
The Only Thing He Ever Wanted

London, England..
               …..Twenty years later..

     Hogwarts Express took off in its usual departure at King’s Cross on the first of September.
Harry Potter had watched as schoolmates and friends arrived with their family and companions before boarding the train.

Something felt even more empty this year.

He had stayed the remaining of the summer at the Weasleys’ after only about two weeks at staying at the Dursleys.
At the Weasleys, they tried their best to make him feel comfortable, better – without having to relate or to mention as much what had transpired only several weeks ago.

Sirius Black was gone.

The last Marauder, his father’s bestfriend, his godfather – gone forever.

   Harry Potter sat alone inside a compartment at the very end of the train.
He didn’t want to be disturbed and he certainly didn’t want to hear the cheerful chatters of the people around him mostly excited to see their old friends.

There was nothing to cheer his mood, not even leaving the Dursleys for about a year and staying at Hogwarts, returning to his home.

His heart remained heavy all summer that he had taken and brought up until today.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Sirius’ death was his fault. Not when it was an obvious probability tracing back to why it happened in the first place and ofcourse, Remus Lupin’s obvious avoidance of him.

He had hoped that Lupin was the one to understand him, to understand it all better. But he felt that he was wrong to expect anything from the man.

He had been taken up that summer from the Dursleys and he expected Lupin to be part of the party to take him away.
But he wasn’t present.

Kingsley had taken him alongside other Order members. And when he arrived at the Weasleys, he had half-expected him to be there, busy with meetings.
But he wasn’t.

He had just left as Mrs. Weasley had told him. That he was quite busy with certain orders from the headmaster and with attempt to persuade his werewolf friends to join him inside.

Harry had even hoped for a note, anything to assure him that everything was fine between them but there wasn’t anything that Lupin left for him which was mostly unusual.

He had always felt that he was Remus Lupin’s favourite person next to his father, next to Sirius.

His godfather was gone forever and he couldn’t take off the pain from Lupin nor from himself.
He wished himself dead as well after what he had obviously done to lead the situation to that.
He grieved day and out but he felt that all his grieving weren’t enough – never enough – to bring back a life that has been taken.

Only if he listened to the Order.. if only.

“Mind if we join you?” asked a small voice.

He looked up and saw Hermione peeking through the compartment door with Ron behind her.
He nodded quietly and she quickly shuffled herself and Ron inside the compartment and locked it behind her.

“We’ve been looking for you, mate.” Ron said as he took the bench opposite Harry’s seat.
“I’m fine.” Harry quietly said as he closed the small album by his side where the photo of the original Order was.

Hermione and Ron quietly watch him pack the things away and Hermione eyed Ron to signal not to say anything and act normal.

Harry obviously didn’t want things he was feeling to be rather pointed at by others and most especially by his friends.

There was a little bit of reluctant chatter from Hermione and Ron since they were quite unsure if Harry was in the mood to talk or be social anyway – still, they tried.

By far, he answered their random queries about the two weeks he had spent at the Dursleys and Hermione had then asked what schoolwork they were able to accomplish at the Burrow when Harry was there already.

Ron had reasoned that it was called ‘vacation’ for a reason and Harry only mildly smiled at them both and told Hermione that he finished only a little of the assignment.
Normally, Hermione would push and argue on why he didn’t finish but instead, she offered that when they get at school, she’d check what else he’d left to be done and review his work for any mistake she may find.

Harry didn’t disagree at all. And in all honesty, Hermione almost wished he didn’t.

He was now always either indifferent or rather someone who barely had anything to say to anyone or to simply quiet others, would agree with them.

“Hey Harry, did you know that Wood is visiting this year?” Ron asked him as he closed the door after buying from the trolley lady that passed by. “I only heard from Charlie. Someone donated and wanted to improve our Quidditch Pitch so when he heard, he volunteered to go.”
“No, I didn’t hear of it.” Harry simply said as he shook his head from the chicken pastry that Hermione bought for him. “I’m thinking of quitting Quidditch.”
“You’re what?” Hermione and Ron asked together, eyes wide in alarm.
“Thinking of quitting the game.” Harry repeated in a low tone not meeting their eyes as he settled himself by the window and stared outside. “But I’m going to talk to McGonagall quietly about it. I don’t want a fuss.”
“There will be a fuss.” Hermione pointed out. “What’s wrong? Why are you leaving the team?”
“I just don’t want to play this year, that’s all.” Harry said as he looked away from them and pulled his extra robe closer to himself to keep him warm.

Hermione and Ron stared at one another.
The discussion about Harry’s leaving the team was over before the two could comprehend.
Harry obviously didn’t want anything to do with the sport because he was too depressed and right now to argument was valid either as he had ended the discussion.

Later, their compartment door opened and in came Ginny and Luna with a smile.

“Did you hear?” Ginny asked his brother. “Oliver Woord is visiting this year. Fred and George told me.”
“Charlie must’ve owled them about it.” Ron pointed out seeing the look on Hermione’s face. “Not everyone knows of it maybe just us mostly.”
“Most Gryffindors or so and so.” Ginny said. “Anyway it’ll be fun, don’t you think?”

Hermione and Ron stared at one another as Ginny sat next to Harry. It seemed to have taken Harry a while to realize that Ginny was there in the room them.

The girl was well aware of Harry’s new behavior and had been doing her best to ignore it and still try to cheer him up all summer but there was no saying to it.

“Do you wanna play some Exploding Snap, Harry?” she asked him quietly with a smile. .
“No, thanks.” Harry kindly told him. “I would like to sleep.”

Ginny didn’t look disappointed at all.

She looked ready for that answer and looked patient enough to await Harry when he was ready to be with people again.

“Well, alright.” Ginny said giving him a gentle pat over the shoulder. “I’ll see you at the feast then, later?”
“Where are you going?” Hermione asked as she stood up to leave the compartment.
“Luna.” Ginny said with a small excited smile. “We were discussing this thing on the Muggle headlines.”
“What about the Muggle headlines?” Hermione quickly asked looking up at her.

“We were theorizing if the attack on this small Muggle provincial town was because of Death Eaters or something else.”
“Attack of Death Eaters?” Ron asked interested with the subject. ”What’s it about?”
“Some distillery.” Ginny told him brushing her hand up in the air at his lack of knowledge with these things. “Heiress just got back to take her distillery when it was almost burned down into the ground. Quite something like the Death Eaters would do.”
“Oh, I’ve heard that one.” Hermione said. “It was lastweek, wasn’t it?”
“Yup.” Ginny said looking down at Ron’s scowl. “How come you don’t know this? Don’t you read the papers?”
“I have things to do, thanks.” Ron said as he turned to Harry. “I’m as busy as he is with preparing from school, right Harry?”

“Yeah.” Harry absentmindedly answered them. “I’ve only heard of it, I have never read of the article.”
Ginny smirked at Ron and Hermione tried not to laugh at it.

“Anyway, here Harry if you wanna read.” Ginny said pulling up a small piece of newspaper article from her pocket. “It’s from Luna. I was supposed to ask another friend about it but maybe you and Hermione has heard of it.”

But Harry only looked completely disinterested about everything happening around him.
He only took a glance at the paper and gently handed it back to Hermione who read it with focus as Ginny sat next to her to point out several things about the news article.

“Curious.” Hermione said as she read the part of the newspaper where above showed a picture of a beautiful woman with long black dark hair and beautiful eyes.

She looked no more than twenty at the photograph and then next to it was a photo of her years later.

She looked the same – skin pale white, long black hair but her eyes, though dark had seemed to be far different from the first photo.

It had a glint in it, a different kind of glow like all life or kindness had gone out from it.

All that was there in the pair of black eyes now was nothing but a focused gleam, a gleam like that one as if she had endured something terrible.

“What’s up with her?” Ron asked as he sat at the other side of Hermione. “She looked like she came fresh out from Azkaban.”

“Because she came out of Muggle prison.” Hermione pointed out at the article beneath the photograph. “That’s why this story is famous in the Muggle world. It says here that she’s murdered a young man about two decades ago and now she’s let out to take back the distillery as part of her inheritance.”
“What’s our world got to deal with her?” Ron asked as he pointed out the beautiful looking villa at the picture that was obviously what she has inherited from her family.

“You should read Ron.” Ginny snapped at him. “It says here she’s a Half-Blood. Obviously, our world is concerned of her getting out of Muggle prison.”

“If she’s a murderer why was she let out?” Hermione asked as she continued to read the article looking for that part and information on the page.

“She was given a pardon.” Harry had answered out of the blue without looking away from the window. “She was supposed to receive a lifetime imprisonment but the twenty years she’s been in there, she has not done anything to cause any other damage to her record.”

They all looked at Harry, bewildered at the information he shared with them.

“The Dursleys kept watching the news about her the whole two weeks I was there.” he simply explained to them. “I read papers about her when I cleaned the kitchens after they’ve read them. There are twice the amount of news and articles about her. It seems like a big deal in the Muggle world because it happened there two decades ago.”

“She was withheld not at Azkaban?” Ron asked trying to look back at the article’s photo of the woman.

“It says here that the crime was committed in the Muggle world.” Hermione said. “And it only says here that she was arrested at an old town in London and then she was imprisoned there without a proper trial as she was found at the scene of the crime.”

“That doesn’t sound right.” Ginny pointed out looking over Hermione’s shoulder at the same photograph.

“It doesn’t.” Hermione said reading the article further. “But there were no claims of relatives and she also didn’t vouch for an appeal. It’s like…”

“She just all let it be.” Harry finished in a dry tone. “I’ve seen her in the news and the old photograph in the Muggle papers. She looked very young when she was arrested, no more than twenty. Perhaps she didn’t know much about the law or the Muggle law at the time.”

They fell silent and stared at Harry. Unsure if they were in awe that Harry actually participated in the conversation or because of the information he shared with them.

After a few more while of debate on whether it was just to let her out, the trolley passed by again for lunch and despite that Harry ate and conversed a bit more with them, he still didn’t join them thoroughly enough and was quiet as they got down at Hogsmeade village.

“Speaking of pardon, did you hear?” Ron whispered at Hermione as Harry was occupied with Ginny as they walked to the castle. “Malfoy?”

“I heard.” Hermione said as he eyed Draco and his friends pass them by without a word. “His father’s been pardon just two weeks before school. Unbelievable. I thought it was a no-bail?”

“Don’t know.” Ron said. “Dad was furious. He was able to bail himself out with a trial on-going at his tail. Narcissa Malfoy was at the Ministry the other day probably cleaning after her husband’s mess.. Guess there are things the Malfoys can still buy. No matter, the Order is on his tail so he can’t really just move in and out of their stupid manor.”

“Speaking of the Order, I haven’t heard from most of them. Everything alright?” Hermione curiously asked remembering how Harry asked about if she heard from Lupin or any of them in recent.

“Dad doesn’t talk to us much about it but he’s busy. Mom never lets anything out. Bill and Charlie though keep us in on some news. They say that the Order is working underground recruiting people. Bill and Charlie will visit this school year under guise of some alumni project but in truth, they’ll be transferring news to Dumbledore. Mum only says that it’s hard to transfer news unless by word. Who knows who could be reading letters nowadays.”

“We can’t really trust anyone now, can we?” Hermione asked in a low tone as she eyed the people around them walking up the grounds with them to the castle. “I can’t believe we can’t really trust everyone around us.”

“Better believe it.” Ron said as he helped her up the higher steps. “Because we’re back at the dark ages.”

When they entered the castle, students were only settling in and the teachers weren’t all present at the staff table yet.

“Are we early?” Ron asked worried that dinner will be served late when he was very hungry already.
“No.” Hermione pointed out. “Maybe we’re only starting early.”

Ron opened his mouth to say something when Neville came rushing at their side.
“Have you heard?” he asked breathlessly. “About the new DADA?”

“No.” Hermione quickly said. “What’s up?” she asked him as they all settled down to the Gryffindor table.

“Dean just told me. Said he overheard some Slytherins talking about it.” Neville said as he hurriedly sat next to the trio with Ginny coming along at his side after bidding Luna goodbye as she walked to their own house table.

“Slytherins?” Ron asked. “What about the new DADA?”

“Says coming from the Muggle world.” Neville said as they settled huddled together at their end of the table. “Unsure if Hogwarts graduate but she’s coming from the Muggle world.”

“She’s a Muggle?” Ron asked shocked at the news. “She’s a-“

“She came from the Muggle world, Ron.” Hermione snapped at him giving him an angry looking. “Didn’t say she’s a Muggle. Seriously, Ron.”

Ron opened his mouth to argue but Harry had joined in the conversation to quiet them down as he pointed that the teachers were now entering and settling down.

“Maybe a Muggle-Born.” Harry simply said as Hermione moved closer to him as they watched Dumbledore enter with McGonagall at his side talking low behind him. “Or Half-Blood.”

They stared as the teachers settled in with Snape the very last to enter the room and looking as vindictive as ever.
His black eyes swept the room, he looked slightly harassed and he gave Dumbledore a nod to apologize for they waited for a little while for him to arrive before everyone can settle properly and wait for the headmaster’s opening of school year announcements.

“He would never change.” Harry spitefully whispered at Hermione as Snape’s gaze swept fast and past their table right at him. “I wish he dies first in this war.”

“Harry.” Hermione warningly told him. “I know he’s not.. he’s slightly terrible.. but he wouldn’t- “
“If he didn’t keep on goading Sirius that he’s a coward we know that he would not have done-“
“It was Sirius choice to do that-“
“Are you telling me that it was Sirius’ choice that he died?” Harry blurted out angrily at her that some of their friends stared at their part of the table.

“No.” Hermione snapped completely output. “I’m telling you that Snape is in the Order and therefore we should trust Dumbledore.”

Harry opened his mouth to argue more when the headmaster stood up to make his usual announcements and the talks and whispers quickly died down.

Harry gave Hermione a warning look before settling back down on the table with a frustrated look over his face.

“I’m sorry.” Hermione said scooting closer him. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Forget it.” Harry said giving her a nod. “Just forget it.”

He knew that he was irate.
He wanted to be alone.
He didn’t want to be in this feast tonight but they were buggering him to join them.

Harry’s eyes returned up a the staff table and noted how Dumbledore seemed to look more tired, older than he had ever seen him.

Was the war taking a toll at him?

His eyes moved around to McGonagall who was in deep conversation with Flitwick and Sprout about something and Trelawney kept giving nervous glances around her as she sat next to professor Sinistra.

There was a blank chair between Sinistra and Snape and Harry was sure that’s where the new DADA teacher was supposed to take her seat.

The headmaster stood up and opened up the Sorting Hat ceremony and the others waited in their exhaustion and hunger as the ceremony began and then took place to the finish.

Across the hall, Harry’s eyes moved around and slowly fell to the Slytherin table.
Draco Malfoy was quiet, stout and seemingly undisturbed even by his friends. There was a different gleam in his eyes as he stared up at the table.
Harry could have missed it but he didn’t – Draco had stared straight up ahead at Snape for which Snape returned with a curt nod and very slight movement of his head to tell him to pay attention to what was going on at the Great Hall.

Draco blinked and then he turned his head and suddenly, he stared right towards the Gryffindor table.
His eyes and Harry’s quickly caught one another – that gleam in them heightened.

He didn’t smile, he didn’t smirk but he gave Harry a nod as if he was giving him a message about something.

“What’s wrong?” Hermione asked staring at the direction that Harry was looking at.
“Malfoy.” Harry muttered looking away the moment that Draco blinked and looked away from him.
“What about him?” Hermione asked staring back at Draco who was back into a focused state staring up at the staff table as if waiting for something to happen.

Harry shook his head telling Hermione that it was nothing and pointed that the Sorting was nearly done and the headmaster was to make the announcements.

The headmaster stood up for his yearly announcements and reminders. He finally told the students that there were going to be a couple of changes in rules this year and that some familiar faces would be around this year for a couple more reasons.

The trio was sure that the ‘familiar faces’ would also include Lupin as they knew that the Order would be keeping a close watch at the school in guise of various of reasons in order to be closer to obviously protect Harry.

“An old Quidditch alumni will also be arriving to visit the school.” Dumbledore had said with a smile and a nod towards the house tables.
“Wood.” Ron reminded the other two. “Just like Charlie had said. Fred and George might make a visit as well. They’ve told us.”

“Flint as well.” Ginny snapped eyeing the Slytherin table. “I heard of it just before we got off the train. Probably because Wood is returning some people can’t help but compete back again.”

Hermione nudge them all to return their attention to the headmaster as he made a few more announcements before getting to introduce their DADA teacher this year.

“Finally, I would like to introduce our new teacher for the year.” Dumbledore had said looking over the other end of the table with a slightly narrowed gaze upon realizing that the teacher wasn’t there yet.

His eyes moved from the empty chair then at McGonagall who shook her head once with a blank stare back at him, obviously not knowing what to say.

His eyes settled on the chair an expression beyond wonder passed his face but it had quickly gone.

He turned back to the crowd with a small apologetic smile over his face as he opened his mouth to continue but then he was cut short.

His voice was drowned in as the double oak doors of the suddenly opened with a loud sound.
The interruption was so sudden that silence covered the whole hall as the headmaster was rarely ever interrupted at his speeches.

All heads turned to the entrance door of the Great Hall and for a moment, Harry was reminded when it was Hagrid who had done this. But he was way up at the staff table next to professor Sprout.

They waited as a silhouette stood by the entrance door as if waiting to be greeted by her entrance.
Slowly, the shadow moved forward and the silence around them was disturbed by the clicking of her boots.

Muggle boots.

“Wait. She looks – don’t you think she looks very familiar?” Ron slowly asked as they all turned towards the door.
“Hold on a second.” Hermione whispered back moving nearer the table to get a closer view. “Isn’t that - isn’t she that woman?”
“The woman in the news article?” Ginny asked in horror as they were almost so sure that it was her.
“She can’t be our new professor, right?” Neville joined them as they all stared at the direction of the woman who was slowly entering and walking down the middle of the Great Hall by the aisle that led to the staff table.

A tall, long dark-haired woman with dark eyes slowly walked forward the room with her arms crossed together over her chest as if expecting some sort of attack.

All eyes were upon her but she didn’t look like she gave a care about all of it. In fact, she entered and walked with her gaze focused only one direction – forward, towards the headmaster.

She walked slowly, taking all her time as if inhaling all the energy inside the room and as she passed the tables, even without looking at any of the students, she gave them a little bit of taste of fear and chills for some unknown reason.

Harry stared and couldn’t help but wonder why she felt something unexplainable in him as his green eyes followed the direction the woman took as she headed towards the staff table.

She was seemingly in her late 20s or early 30s with her very long black hair tied in a very tight ponytail behind her back that slightly swayed as she took every step forward.
She had a pale complexion and an enigmatic aura around her as her black eyes gleamed, focused and almost unblinking as she entered the Great Hall.

But it wasn’t her sudden entrance nor appearance that really silenced nor shock the room. No. they were both mesmerized and shocked by another reason and it was probably at the way she carried herself.

“Why is she wearing that?” Hermione asked the other two in a hushed whisper as they all stare at her as she passed the Gryffindor table and neared the high staff table.

They all stared hard on her physique as she neared and passed the Gryffindor and Slytherin table.

She wasn’t wearing the normal witches’ robes or any robe at all. She was wearing Muggle clothes.

She was wearing a pair of tight dark pants, a very dark purple long-sleeved blouse that was kept beneath an old-worn out looking denim jacket. And she paired everything with a big black Muggle boots that clicked at every step she took at the hall.

The silence was unnerving as she reached the table and only the headmaster looked down at her without any trace of fear or surprise over his face at the sight of her.

She stood tall a few feet from the staff table and even some of the faculty looked down at her with a slightly scared face as if she was some sort of plague that stood before them.

Her black eyes moved a little as she swept the staff table to acknowledge the older faculty before her and then her eyes stopped a bit longer over Snape’s direction.

He looked back at her, his facial expression passive before she looked away from him and back at the headmaster.

“I apologize for the delay headmaster.” the woman clearly stated as she uncrossed her arms before Dumbledore with a respectful nod again at the headmaster. “There was a problem in allowing me entry – seems like you’ve left your staff door locked.”

And then without hesitation, she stared at the side straight at Snape’s direction who looked back at her with a slightly stricken look as his lips curved and curl back at her.

“I will definitely look into it.” Dumbledore simply told her with a twinkle in his gaze and then slowly, he gave her a nod and a smile and in a tone only they could hear he welcome her. “Thank you for accepting my invitation. Welcome back to Hogwarts, Laura.”

Laura stared back at him without a blink, without a smile, without any emotion.
And then she gave him a very curt nod before turning to her left to reach her seat which was next to Snape who was still staring at her with a murderous looked for daring what she had done as she entered.

As she walked to her seat, the headmaster had straightened up and announced her as their new DADA professor.

“Finally, an alumni of Hogwarts herself.” the headmaster had loudly told the still awestruck crowd. “Please welcome your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor – “ he gestured towards Laura who had silently and formally nodded to the crowd without a smile as she settled on her chair.

“Please welcome professor Laura Veregnicea.” Dumbledore said with an applause that wasn’t immediately followed by neither the staff nor the students.

The applause had been given but in a very awkward and reluctant way. But Laura didn’t seem to care or be bothered by it.

She sat on her chair without once glancing back at the others over the table and her face staring straight ahead but not looking at anyone in particular.

“And now, the only thing we are all really waiting for-“ the headmaster said with a big smile. “Let the feast begin!”

It has taken Harry and the others quite some moment to regain themselves after seeing the new DADA professor. But soon, hunger took over and they ate like the rest of their schoolmates and staff at the Great Hall.

“Why would the headmaster hire her?” Ron asked the other two unable to take the idea off her mind. “I mean… She has a record. Did he miss the paper?”
“Obviously not.” Hermione simply said eyeing Laura up at the table as she ate by herself and like Snape, talked to no one else. “But we know the headmaster. Professor Dumbledore has a record of hiring people of… unlikely pasts.”
“But not a criminal.” Ginny said. “This one has been quite guilty – she’s been in prison for two decades. What does that tell about her?”
“She was pardoned.” Hermione pointed out again. “That tells him something. It’s not our business who he chooses.”

“Yeah. I’m sure Snape and Umbridge were good choices, Hermione.” Harry said unable to stop himself as he eyed Snape up at the table.

“That wasn’t my point, Harry.” Hermione said. “We all know that Umbridge was forced into this school last year. She wasn’t handpicked by the headmaster-“
“And Snape?” Harry said looking back at her. “I’m quite sure this discussion had been done many times over. The headmaster chose Snape and he’s still here despite everything he has done-“
“Because the headmaster has a reason for it, Harry.” Hermione snapped back at him unable to stop herself too. “I don’t understand why that’s never really sink in to you.”
“Oh, I don’t know Hermione maybe because he kept being what he is – an arse for the world to see that the headmaster is bloody ignoring-“

Ron, Ginny and Neville immediately sensed the heat between the other two.
Hermione was never the one to really disagree with Harry and Harry was not really the one to be on Hermione’s bad side however things recently, especially in regards with Snape was being a common argument between the two.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue further but Ron had suddenly turned his head and pulled their attention together.

“What the bloody hell are you doing here?!” Ron had loudly exclaimed.

Most of the Gryffindors turned as Oliver Wood arrived in a formal Quidditch official uniform while Fred and George came right next to him and looking excited to see the others as they were greeted happily at their old table.

Ginny embraced both brothers.

“I knew it.” she said as they greeted Harry. “You could have gone on the train with us.”
“We’re still considering now that Umbridge is gone.” Fred had said taking the seat next to Neville while George took the one on Hermione’s other side and Wood took the one next to Ron to be nearer Harry.
“The headmaster considered and offered we return.” George had said taking a plate for himself and immediately adding food on it. “Well, since that woman is gone I think it’s okay to return and finish our schooling.”
“You’re studying again?” Hermione excitedly asked them both.
“We’re considering Hermione. Don’t get yourself wet over that.” Fred said giving her a wink which she only returned with a blushing smile.

“But how about the shop?” Ron asked him. “The one you just opened?”
“We made a deal with mum and dad.” George said. “We told them we’ll behave and keep the shop running and in return for their blessing on that, we’d consider going back to school. They’ve already talked to the headmaster about certain arrangements. Bill would be here to help out on that.”

“Bloody amazing!” Ron said with a gleeful smile over his face. “We’re all mostly going to be here for the school year!”

“Yeah, don’t wet yourself too.” George said messing up his younger brother’s hair. Now come on. Let’s eat. I’m really starving.”

The feast began and continued on and the talks and excited chatters along all the tables flowed throughout the hour.

“You’re not studying right?” Hermione asked turning to Oliver Wood who had settled near them at the table.

“Coaching.” Oliver said. “We’re doing some projects management for the old field and I’m eyeing potential future international players.”

Oliver was proud then at that and then he looked at Harry’s direction with a proud smirk but Harry only gave him a small smile and a nod.

He then immediately remembered what had happened about his godfather that he’s heard of and quickly sent his sorry for hearing it and Harry only nodded at him.

“Saw Flint’s back as well.” George pointed out to remove Oliver’s attention to Harry who was back in being indifferent towards the rest of them. “Coaching too?”
“Yes.” Oliver said with a frown. “Young Malfoy also heard about the project management we’re trying to build for the team so obviously they’re trying to do the same. They’ve already donated a lot for the rebuilding of the locker rooms including the ones for the other players.”

“Bloody git.” Ron said shaking his head towards the Slytherin table as they huddled at the side where Draco was obviously boasting about the generous donation his family did this year for the school.

   Rain began to pour as both students and teachers began leaving the Great Hall after dinner.
Prefects, Head Boy and Head Girls led students to their dormitories giving the passwords to their rightful housemates.

“I’m glad you’ve taken my offer, Laura.” Dumbledore quietly said as they walked out of the hall using the back doors. “I am just simply glad you’ve taken my invitation after a while of consideration.”

“Looks like the doors are now working well.” Laura said as the headmaster opened a door for McGonagall and for her while her eyes settled on Snape who passed them without a word or a glance at her.

“Laura.” Dumbledore quietly said to gain back her focus on him.

“I’m thankful.” Laura answered in an almost bored tone as she nodded at him and at McGonagall. “But I’m not promising I’m finishing the term. I told you that I don’t want to be here.”

“But you are here.” the headmaster pointed out at her. “And that’s all that matters at the moment. I hope to change your mind soon.”

They reached the corridor that led to the staffroom and Laura stood tall before the headmaster, arms crossed once more over her chest like a habit she couldn’t shake off.

She only nodded at him.

“I can’t say I’m very happy to be here, headmaster.” Laura said and this time her tone was low and not spiteful in tune. “There are many things here.. I’m going to do my best to do my part of the bargain.”

“And in return, I shall do mine.” the headmaster promised her. “Are you sure there is nothing I can do to dissuade you into wearing something, comfortable?”

Laura almost smiled at him as she shook her head, her long and tight ponytail gently swaying behind her back.

“I’m already comfortable to where I am at. Don’t push it.” Laura said with a very short smile at the headmaster.
“Ofcourse she’s comfortable.” a very cold voice interrupted them. “In comparison to where she’s been.. I think this is.. heaven for her.”

The headmaster and Laura broke off their distance as Snape moved towards them with a glint in his eyes as if jealous that Laura was being given this attention by the headmaster.

“Snape.” Laura whispered his name through gritted him as she crossed her arms over her chest again and stood tall.

Her height was very close to Snape already and standing next to her, he was only a few inches taller than her.

“Laura.” Snape greeted her back with a smirk as her eyes narrowed when he called her by her first name. “Comfortable and enjoying your stay back here at Hogwarts?”

“Just like the old days.” Laura answered him with a vindictive tone in her voice this time.

“Severus.” the headmaster’s voice interrupted their deadly glare towards one another. “I would like to ask you about the books I asked to be taken from the shop you knew at Diagon Alley.”

Snape almost didn’t answer but Laura had interrupted him before he the headmaster could say anything else.

“I would like to excuse myself, headmaster.” Laura said straightening up. “I am too tired to join the faculty meeting tonight. I’m sure you understand my journey has been long.”

“I understand.” Dumbledore said. “Go and have some rest. I will have any important discussion tonight be noted to you by professor McGonagall in the morning. Your books are in order?”

“Yes.” Laura answered. “Professor McGonagall kindly took care of all of it. She also showed me earlier the dormitory I’m going to use for the school year.”

“I asked her that she gives you the one nearest your house before.” the headmaster clarified.

“She has given me exactly that.” Laura said and with a curt nod, she bid the headmaster goodnight and gave Snape a glare before turning away from the two of them without another word.

Laura had only been gone, out of earshot and out of sight for a split second before Snape sharply turned at the headmaster with a very scary glint in his eyes.

“What were you thinking?” he said almost spitting the words out at the headmaster’s face. “Are you out of your mind?”

Dumbledore only stared blankly at him, a calm look over his face.

“I don’t understand, Severus.” the headmaster simply said. “We needed a new teacher for the position-“

“Why her?” he demanded coldly as he followed the headmaster down the corridor as he started walking away from him, obviously not wanting to talk about the topic at hand. “Why her?”

“She is fit for the job, Severus.” the headmaster replied as he stopped and slowly turned at Snape. “You know I could not give you that job.”

He looked his Potions Master in the eye with an almost apologetic look from his own eyes.

“That wasn’t my point.” Snape said. “You could have taken anyone – anyone – but her.”

“Past is past.” the headmaster told him simply. “I made it very clear to her that I do not want problems. And she made it very clear to me that she would like to be away from that life-“
“You don’t know her.” Snape said almost begging him to listen to his whims. “You don’t know her, headmaster. You don’t understand – I know her-“

“I know you do.” the headmaster pointed out at him and this time a serious gaze was over his eyes. “If there is anyone in this castle right now who knows her more, who knows her better or best, it will be only you. Do not underestimate me of the history I know of, Severus.”

Snape didn’t answer.
He looked both hurt and insulted at those words.

“I’m trying to keep you safe, headmaster.”
“And I know I am safe with you around.”

Snape still didn’t look tired of fighting for what he was trying to tell the headmaster.

“Are we done?” the headmaster quietly asked him. “I would like to begin our meeting for tonight so we can finish early.”

Snape stared at him, disbelieving with the way he was treating him at the moment.

“Why do you trust her?” he asked him quietly without hiding the hatred over his face.
“Why did you?” the headmaster asked back without a second thought, without a blink.

Snape’s mouth opened for a retort but no word came out of it.

“Come Severus.” the headmaster said knowing that Snape was already defeated in the discussion. “Let us not argue about things we can do nothing about or rather understand.”

“You gave her a chance.” Snape blurted out unable to contain himself as he fought harder over the subject. “You gave her a chance knowing what exactly she is and where she has come from!”

This time, a look of slight anger came to pass from the headmaster’s eyes.

It vanished as quickly as it had come.

“Did I not give you the same privilege, Severus?” he quietly and calmly asked him. “Have I not given you the same chance she is enduring and basking on right now?”

Snape looked defeated but the look of hatred in his face didn’t ebb away.

“This is different.” Snape said. “You know what she’s done.. where… you know you’re endangering the students by trusting her to teach within these walls!”

“I have given you the same position – the same chance – knowing what you were and where you came from.” the headmaster answered him with a serious note to his tone. “Regardless of what you have done, despite it all – I gave you the same chance and allowed you to teach in this very premises you fear she will be teaching in.”

Snape’s anger seemed to heighten but McGonagall had come walking down the corridor with an utmost look over her face as she reached them

“We are ready for the meeting.” she had said. “Is there any problem here?”

Her gaze went from the headmaster then to Snape and back again.

Snape shook his head at McGonagall before swiftly sweeping past her with his large black robes billowing behind him.

“Anything for you to comeback,” Harry whispered in his dreams.

He suddenly awoke hearing the hammering of the rain over the castle roofs and the castle windows. Their dormitory was darkened and he could hear the sleeping snores of his roommates. He stared at the hourglass next to Ron’s table and saw that it was past midnight already..

He again had that nightmare of losing Sirius.
Most of the time he is sleeping, he would dream of Sirius and he would dream of the way and reason he was taken from him.

“I’ll do anything,” Harry whispered turning at his side, holding close beneath his pillow the knife Sirius had given him. “I’ll give anything for you to come back..”

Harry slowly fell back asleep, tightly holding in his hand the knife and in his heart, tightly holding onto Sirius’ and the life they could have had, he could have had.

“I wish you’re back.” Harry cried in his sleep unable to contain the loneliness and grief inside of him. “I wish more than anything for you to come back and I would do anything just to see you again.”
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Hogwarts, A Mystery