A/N: Although this is a sequel, you don't really have to read the first story to get it.

Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. This also applies to every chapter posted under this story.

Side Note: Thank you, Jessica Moon for the sequel's title.

"Hello," I said, turning my back on the group of Seventh Years to face the blackboard. "My name is Elizabeth Eden." I wrote my name, trying very hard to not cough as I inhaled a cloud of chalk dust.

I turned around just as a bright eyed blond boy said, "If you're our substitute, why haven't you been here for the past week?"

"Uhm," I began, having a flashback of partying with Kate in her new home within Hogsmeade, "there was an emergency, which delayed Dumbledore's getting a hold of me."

"How long are you staying?" asked another.

"Until your professor returns," I said, realizing that although this was my first day on the job, I had already lost all emotion in my voice. "Now then, onto the lesson..."

Maybe I should briefly explain the events that brought me to this point... During the summer of Sixth year, Sirius and I discovered that we weren't right for each other. By "Sirius and I", I mean I, and by "discovered that we weren't right for each other", I mean discovered he was sleeping around when we were together. It's complete brilliance on his part, if you ask me.

Immediately after I broke up with him, Seventh year started and in an attempt to ignore the rumors, and Sirius, I threw myself into my school work more than any Ravenclaw ever had before, which is really saying something. After Hogwarts, I got a job with the Daily Prophet and climbed my way up the ladder until I was the Editor in Chief.

All in my corporate life was going well until very recently the Ministry started censoring what we could and could not put in the paper. The Minister of Magic and I both thought that I should step down from my office and take a break from the editing world. Although I expressed myself rather well and told Cornelius that I wasn't going to be a part of his idea of "truth", he insisted that I take a break, saying that I would see things from his perspective after being away from the pressures of my job.

And that is how I found myself doing Dumbledore a favor by taking the place of one of his professors while he/she was away on business for the Order, which Dumbledore had solicited me to join many a time before. I had decided to take the job because it was close to Kate's house, and would give us more of a chance to see each other. Kate had also ensured me that there were new additions to the Staff, and that there were rumors of a few other teachers in their early twenties. Although I hadn't seen the staff yet, I was excited to not be the only professor below fifty years of age.

I gathered my things as the students left the classroom and followed them towards the Great Hall, nervous about whom the new young staff members were and whether I knew them.

"Professor Eden," Dumbledore smiled, motioning to one of the two empty seats to his left as I approached the table. I took the seat I was appointed, smiling politely. "How did your first day go?"

"Everything is so," I paused to find the right word but was unable due to the surge of emotion within me. "I seem to be the only thing that's different, it's somewhat startling." I meant my older age and newly bleached blond hair which had replaced the red bob I had sported throughout my years at Hogwarts.

He smiled again, his eyes coming alive, "You are mistaken, my dear. It seems as if you have not heard the news about the additions to the staff."

"I have, but I am yet to notice them," I said between bites of food. I had forgotten how delicious Hogwarts food was. "Well, besides myself, of course."

"Severus Snape is the new Potions Master," he stated simply. "You went to school together, did you not?" He looked over to see that I had frozen with my spoon halfway to my mouth. "Is there a problem, Elizabeth?"

"Not at all, sir," I said, feeling as I had in Fourth year when I went to talk to the Headmaster about having all of my classes with Sirius Black yet again. "We were just not on the best of terms last time we parted."

"No matter, the Headmaster spoke, waiving the issue aside. "That was nearly six years ago."

"Right, Headmaster," I replied, causing us to eat in silence for a few moments. "Are there any other additions to the staff?"

"You are currently replacing the newest member," He smiled, remembering something he was unwilling to share. "There is one more professor," he said, "but I highly doubt that you are acquainted with her."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Valora Vasquez. She is the teacher for the newly Ministry appointed class," he replied, his voice empty of resentment which mine had been filled with when the Ministry interfered in my work place. "She is at the end of our table."

I leaned and looked to our left, seeing only McGonagall. I looked the other way and saw a dark skinned woman a bit on the chubbier side with brilliant green eyes and honey colored curly hair.

"She's beautiful," I said.

"Yes, however," Dumbledore cleared his throat, "whether she can teach or not is a completely different matter."

"Right," I said, realizing that no matter how old of an age I would reach, Albus Dumbledore would continue to make me feel like a simple minded child. It was the negative effect of his grandeur. "What does she teach?"

"Muggle Relations," he said, sipping some of his drink. "It's been added to the curriculum due to the inability of most wizards to keep their powers a secret when dark wizards roam their streets."

"Muggle Relations?" I questioned, nearly laughing.

Just as I was about to voice my thoughts of the class to Dumbledore, Severus Snape took the only empty seat at the table which happened to be to my left, silencing me for the rest of the meal as we all sat in silence, Severus occasionally making a cynical comment to Dumbledore.

"It's insane," I said a few hours later, splayed out on Kate's couch. "I feel as if I've stepped back in time! I don't feel like a professor at all."

"Well, you should," she said as she walked around the living room, cleaning up after her fiancée, Parker Calaway. "Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts right now, offering your students extra help with their homework?"

"I've been there for one day, Kate," I sighed. "The only thing I've really done is teach them how to use the index of their textbooks."

"Liz, you can't slack off, you need to teach them!" she said, stopping in the middle of her nightly chores. "They are young impressionable minds, and you have to mold them." I stared at Kate silently. "I'm sorry," she sighed. "I'm a bit upset at Parker, an I think I may be taking it out on you."

"Maybe," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"What did you say?" she snapped.

"Nothing important," I replied, clearing my throat. "You'll never guess who is the new Potions Master!"

"Whom?" she asked, absentmindedly. "I rather liked Slughorn."

"Well, it's Severus Snape," I said, taking several moments to pronounce the name, to make sure that it made it's mark on her memory.

"Snape?" she asked, as shocked as I was, fully stopping her chores. I nodded in reply. "But the last time you talked to him--"

"He snitched on my personal relationship to my arch nemesis," I said, smiling.

"Arch nemesis?" she said, cocking an eyebrow. "Aren't you being just a bit over dramatic?"

"Well," I shrugged, "close enough."

"Was it awkward?" she asked. I had succeeded in my mission—I had distracted her from her relationship issues with Mister Calaway.

"A bit," I replied. "I'm neither jumping out of joy to work with him, nor dreading it more than I dread most social interactions." Silence retook the room. "There's another addition to the staff."

"Whom is he or she replacing?"

"She is not replacing anyone," I said, for once taking enjoyment in gossip. "She's the teacher for the newest Ministry improvement in places they should not be interfering in. She's the Muggle Relations professor."

"Muggle Relations?"

"My reaction exactly," I smiled. Her name is... Oh, Merlyn, I can't believe it! I've forgotten!" I was never too grand at remembering things. "It's a foreign name and.. and... Valerie? Vernal Martinez? Valentina--"

"Valora Vasquez?"

"Yes!" I said, glad to have the name at last. Had Kate not known it, it would've bugged me for the rest of the night. "Wait, how did you know her name?"

"She's one of the most famous Death Eater hunters in the Ministry," she replied, throwing a copy of the Daily Prophet at me. "Her name is plastered on the front page of the Prophet, how did you not notice?"

I scoffed, "Yeah, like I read that government controlled trash." I looked over the small type font, seeing the names of many of my employees, and the name of Valora Vasquez posted repeatedly throughout the first few pages of the newsletter. "Hmm," I said, looking at the picture of her grinning as a few wizards, who were trying very hard to hide their faces, were booked away. "I wonder what she's doing in Hogwarts."

A/N: R&R.