I look around the familiar hallways that I knew so well from eight years ago. The other students will be arriving soon and the sorting will be starting. I make my way into the Great Hall and make my way to the staff table were all the other Professors are already sitting, except for Hagrid who's helping the first years across the lake. I sit down between Professor McGonogall and Professor Sprout. The students have just come and sat down at their house tables and the first years are now coming in and sitting infront of the staff table. Minerva has just brouten out the Sorting Hat. As the Sorting Hat is singing, I look around the hall at all the students. As Minerva calls the students forward, I look up at the ceiling, gazing at the stars that are beginning to get a bit clouded up. As Professor Dumbledore stands up, I immediately put my attention on him.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now, before we start having our feast, I have a few notices I shall want to say. First of all, all first years should note the forest is forbidden to all students, that there is to be no magic used in the corridors. As most of you know as of last year, Lord Voldemort has returned to power," he held up his hand to signal silence as a lot of people gasped while some whispered to eachother. "There for, no student is to be staring at me. I look at him and a second later he turned away and started talking to Dumbledore. I continued eating out after dusk unless accompanied by a Professor. On a happier note, I'd like to welcome you new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Winters," A few people clapped and Dumbledore went on talking. "Also, I am very sorry to inform you that Professor Qittle retired. So, we have another new Professor here, Professor Mirana. She'll be your new Muggle Studies teacher," A few more people clapped. "I hope you all look forward to your new year here, and at that note, you may all start eating." He sat down and the plates filled with food. I took some salad that was on a plate, since I'm a vegetarian. As I started to eat my salad, I couldn't help but notice something; Severus was starring at me. When I looked at him, he turned away and kept talking to Albus. I kept eating my salad but couldn't help notice that he kept looking at me from the corner of his eye. To be honest, this caught me most surprised. It seemed to me that Severus had the utmost hate for me, well, besides James, when I went to Hogwarts with him. When everyone was done eating, Dumbledore stood up again. "Well, now that we are all full, I think It's about time for bed. So, off you go!" The students all got up and made their way to the dormitories while the professor got up and went to their offices. I went into my office, closed the door behind me and sat down at my desk. I opened up one of my desk drawers and took out a photo album and turned to the first page. There were many pictures of my friends from school on it. I looked over at a picture of Sirius tackling James in the common room and laughed. I smiled at the pictures and wondered how on earth I survived without my best friends. I closed the book and lay my head down on my arms and fell asleep.
The next morning I awoke to clear blue skies and warm weather. I yawned and stretched my arms as I got up. I put on my usual black robes and put my hair up in a ponytail. I cleaned my glasses off and put them back on. I put my wand in my pocket and set off towards the Great Hall for breakfast. I heard something skidding behind me, so I turned around to see what it was; it was my Norpheres, Chelsea. Norpheres's are small creatures that look like dragons. Chelsea is a snowy white Winter Norpheres, meaning that she cannot fly. She skidded around the hallway and jumped into my arms.
"Careful," I told her. "You could hurt yourself by running around like that," I smiled at her and set her down. She followed me into the Great Hall. I sat down at the staff table between Hagrid and Corinna, the new Astronomy teacher. I put some eggs on my plate and handed Chelsea some toast, which she gulped down quite quickly.
"So, Amy, ready fer ano'er year `o Hogwarts?" Hagrid asked me, quite cheerfully. I nodded.
"Yes, actually, I am," I replied, adding a smile. "Oh, by the way, I never did get to thank you for that book you gave me in my seventh year." Hagrid waved his hand and smiled. "No need ter thank me. Jus' glad yeh liked it." I nodded. "Very much, thank you." I took a fork and started eating my eggs. I handed Chelsea another piece of toast, which she ate. "So, Severus," Corinna said loud enough so that the staff table could hear at least a little, while looking at me. "Now would be the perfect time to tell a certain someone something." Severus seemed to go slightly pinked, while at the same time glaring at Corinna and saying barley above a whisper, "I swear, Corinna. If you say one more thing-" "OK, OK! I'm stopping! Sheesh!" I saw Severus look in my direction and I couldn't help but look back at him. Part of this was because he was diagonally across from me, and the other part I didn't quite know why. All I know is I just couldn't stop staring at him and didn't stop at all even when Hagrid tapped me on the shoulder. "Sorry?" I said, not taking my eyes off of him. There was some kind of warmness coming from him that I had never noticed when I had gone to school with him. "I asked yeh," Said Hagrid. "If yeh ever found time ter finish the book." I nodded. "Oh, yes. It was a great book. Thanks again, Hagrid." I don't know if he felt offended by me not looking at him when he was talking, but he seemed satisfied enough. I few more minutes and I snapped back into my senesces and continued eating. When the bell had rang, I got up from the table and walked down the hallways and into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Five minutes later, the Gryffindor and Slytherin students had come into the room and sat down at their desks. "Hello, class. I'm your new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Winters. Feel free to ask any questions at any time. I do not consider any question not worth answering or not worth asking, either." I saw a great look of relief sweep over some of the student's faces. "Put your books away, today we're going to have a hands-on experience. Now if you'd all take out your wands and follow me out by the lake," They all put their books away and took their wands out and were soon following me outside. I led them to the lake and stopped right next to it. "In the water," I said. "Are Hokaturs. They're a sort of water demon. Now, when they jump out of the water at you, wave your wand in a circle and point it directly at it and say, Corristium!" The class walked over by the lake and yelled so when one shot out at them. I had to help a boy named Neville quite a lot with this, though he seemed quite reliefed when I told him he did quite well. I taught my next class the same until it was time for lunch. I made my way back up to the castle with my class and went into the Great Hall. Most of the Professors were there already, and I sat down in between Albus and not noticing at first, Severus. I took a sandwich from a plate and started eating it when I noticed. He must have just noticed also, because a few minutes after I sat down he seemed quite tense. "Amy," Albus said. "Would you mind passing me the pumpkin juice?" I nodded. "Sure." I turned to Severus. "Severus, could you please pass the pumpkin juice?" Nodded and turned a bit pink as he passed the jug to me. I handed it to Albus. "Thank you." He said and took the jug from me. I took another bite of the sandwich when Chelsea ran into the hallway. She ran up to my feet and looked up at me. I smiled at her and handed her a sandwich. She gulped it down and started looking around the hall. I was still not sure why, but I got joy out of sitting next to Severus. When I had finished eating, I got up from my seat and went into my office. I took out a muggle book I had bought, The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly, and read for ten minutes till the bell signaled classes starting in ten minutes. I put my book away in my desk and made my way through the hallways and into my classroom. For the next two periods I showed the seventh years Grotins, a type of fire demon, and the first years I showed Tragoys, a creature that dwells in forests. After I had finished teaching the class, I made my way down to the Great Hall for dinner. I sat down between Minerva and Corrina. I took some salad and started eating it.
"So," Corrina said leaning over. "Who do you like?" She smirked and I turned pink in an instant. I wasn't sure why, though. "You must like someone, since your face is turning pink. Oh, come on, Amy." She started begging me to tell her who it was and it wasn't until she had stopped when it finally occurred to me; I liked Severus. And not just any kind of liking. I didn't like him as a friend. I was in love with him. I looked over at him and wondered if he felt the same way. I mean, just because someone looks at you it doesn't mean that they like you like that, but I wondered if it did.
Never knew I could feel like this
Like I'd never seen the sky before
The next few weeks was pretty much the same; everyday I tried to sit next to Severus without making it look like I had feelings for him. I kept teaching my classes without difficulty, although I had to call Draco Malfoy off a few times when he kept insulting Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. It was Monday now, and I was already comfortable with teaching. When everyone was in the classroom, I got up from my desk, my wand in my hand.
"Put your books away and take out your wands. We're going down by the forest today." There was a scrapping of excitement as everyone put their books away and took out their wands. I made my way out of the room and outside, a few feet away from the forest.
"These," I said as Chelsea jumped up onto my shoulder. "Is a Norpheres. There are different kinds of Norphereses. There are regular Norphereses, summer Norphereses, and Winter Norphereses. This, is a Winter Norpheres. Now, in the grass along here are some Norpheres's that are hiding. I want you to try and catch one. But don't take them lightly; they can be tricky. Now, I want you to try and stun them. If you catch one, just send up green sparks with your wand. But if you need help, send up red sparks. Also, don't go into the forest, even if the Norpheres flys in there." They started searching around in the grass and Chelsea jumped off of my shoulder and started sniffing around in the grass. I saw someone send up green sparks around by the high grass so I walked over.
"Professor, I think I have one!" It was Isabella. She had one of the smaller Norphereses in her arms. I was surprised, really, because Norphereses usually weren't that fond of anyone except other Norphereses.
"Very good! I've never seen a Norpheres taken to someone like that before!" She smiled. "Thanks, Professor." "I'd say ten points to Gryffindor." I turned around and went over to where there was red sparks shooting out of someone's wand. Sure enough, it was Neville. "You'd better go to the hospital wing. I'll tell your next teacher that you'll be late." He nodded and then clutching his arm where he had a big burn said, "I have potions next, Professor." I nodded and he walked back up to the castle. A second later, I was regretting saying that a bit. "Professor?" Isabella was standing behind me, still holding the Norpheres. "I was just wondering... D'you think I could keep him?" I thought for a moment and then said, "Perhaps. I'll ask Professor Dumbledore if there's anything against keeping Norphereses at the school." Her eyes whidended. "You mean it?" I nodded. "Just don't go around telling everyone that or else they'll be wanting a different creature every lesson." She smiled wide. "Thank you so much!" She set the Norpeheres on the ground and ran off, the Norpheres running right after her. The bell rang and I went back up to the castle with the rest of the students. I walked down the stairs to the dungeons and over to his classroom. I opened the door and looked around, seeing that none of the students were there yet.
"Um... Severus? Mr. Longbottom had an accedent in my class and might be coming to class late." He looked up from some papers on his desk and turned a little pink. I faught hard to not laugh, and it seemed to work, although I think I was turning pink also. There was a silence and I cleared my throat. "I'll go, shall I?" I closed the door and walked back up the staircase. "Oh yeah, Amy, that was so not stupid of you." I said sarcastically to myself.
"What was?" I turned around and looked behind me. It was Aria, the Astronomy teacher.
"Oh, nothing." I lied.
"What were you doing down there?" She asked me suspiciously.
"Nothing." I said again.
"You must've been doing something. I mean, it's not like you to just go walking around the school for no reason." I paused for a moment.
"I was just telling Severus that one of his students would be coming in late for class."
"Then it was something. And what were you saying was stupid? Did you ask him out or something?" She smirked.
"W-what? Ask Severus out? Aria, you know he hates me. He clearly showed that durring all seven school years." I said, but I could feel myself turning red.
"I know that. But you know. It's been, what, eight years now? His mood towards you might've changed." She said, winking. I laughed and shook my head.
"I doubt it." But I wondered if she was right.
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
At lunch, I sat down between Aria and Severus. I didn't notice I wasn't eating my sandwhich because I was thinking about what Aria had said. What if he does like me? I thought to myself.
"Are you OK, Amy?" Aria asked, looking at me.
"Hm?" I looked at Aria and stopped thinking. "Oh, yeah. Why?"
"You aren't eating, I've noticed, and you have that look."
"What look?"
"That look you get whenever you're thinking of something and nothing else. Hmm.. Could it be a certain someone?" She said, elbowing me lightly. I couldn't help it, but I looked at Severus and then back to her.
"No, I was just thinking about other things."
"Mmhm... Amy, how long have you known me?"
"Fifteen years; since I was a first year. Why?"
"And I've known you for thirteen years. Not a very big difference. I know that look on your face. You were thinking about someone." I smiled to myself and shook my head.
"It's nothing." I said in a I'm-not-going-to-tell-you way. She shrugged and went back to her food. I closed my eyes and wondered if he felt the same way about me. He turned pink every time he looked at me. Altough, I thought, you can never be sure. Oh well. I can wait for the future, and time will tell.