Hogwarts was once again in a festive mood since the Sorting. The first years didn't know better, but the rest pointed and gawked at the empty seat of the Defense of Dark Arts and at the two new professors.

The two new particularly good looking professors. They both sat upright and comfortable in their new positions as teachers in Hogwarts. The shorter, long haired one had deep dark eyes and a wide cunning smile. He conversed freely with his colleagues, as if he'd known them his whole life. The other one had humongous eyebrows, a head of golden hair framing his face and a posture that screamed elegance and propriety. Occasionally the two would exchange a glance, but otherwise no words passed between them.

Then the CRACK came and the doors flung open.

Moody shuffled into the Great Hall, his wooden leg clanking on the floor. He looked at the table and saw two unfamiliar faces occupying the seats of A History of Magic and Muggle Studies. Dumbledore had not told him anything about this.

As silence descended upon everyone, China picked and prodded at the suspicious food, surprise evident on his face. The food had just appeared out of mid-air, what is this place, made out of magic? England rolled his eyes at his colleague as if to say, No Duh This is Made Out of Magic.

England (Arthur Kirkland, Professor of A History of Magic), jerked out of his conversation with Minerva McGonagall as the third and final new professor stalked down the hall.

He seemed familiar…was it, he racked his brain for a memory of the distinctive face and looked over to China to see if the country that had been doing some extra reading would know the person. No such luck.

As Moody settled into his seat, the Great Hall was still silent as tension stretched taught over every mind. He shifted. It thickened.

"You're late," said the Asian professor suddenly, his voice punching a hole in the air."Very bad etiquette, being late."

Harry noted that his accent was one of an Chinese speaker who learned English the American way.

"Like you're the one to speak," his companion followed up. "You're the epitome of tardiness."

"That was years ago aru."

The other professor just harrumphed softly and let it be.

Dumbledore stood up and tapped his glass with a silver spoon. The Hall, which had already been silent first due to Moody's tension filled entrance and then to the tension filled dialogue between the two professors, shifted their attention towards him.

"First I'd like to introduce to our students three new professors who will be joining the staff and partaking in the wonders of learning in Hogwarts this year!" He chuckled, "It is always in my opinion that us professors learn as much from the students as you learn from us. But onwards towards out introduction. Professor Kirkland will be taking charge of a History of Magic since Professor Binns has just gone on vacation this year to seek out the meaning of death. I expect he will do wonderful."

"Thank you," said Kirkland.

"Professor Wang will be teaching a new Muggle History elective, open to all years from third and above. In our conversations I must say that the professor here does not teach a dry lesson."

Professor Wang nodded curtly to the students.

"Professor Moody will be handling the post of Defense of Dark Arts, I don't think that I need to introduce him more."

He nodded at Dumbledore.

"Now, let the feast...continue!"

Hermione glanced at the rest of the trio. It was certainly going to be an interesting year.

The next morning flocks of owls arrived as usual. This time, though, a more colorful bird was amongst them. It stood out with its oranges and greens and blues, and especially with its long sweeping tail.

"An eastern phoenix," breathed Hermione as it soared across the ceiling and towards the staff table. "I thought they were extinct!"

China looked up in surprise. It was FengHuang. Huh. He thought that she was dead, what with being the mortal type of birds who only go through three hundred cycles before dying. She carried an envelope and was flying directly at him.

He narrowed his eyes.

So it has come to this.

This so called vacation will be disrupted so it seems. China glanced at England, no doubt in his mind that it was the opium bastard who had disclosed his location.

As the letter was dropped into his hands, he sighed with relief when the envelope was plain and white with none of the embellishments to show that it was a Howler.

The contents were what he'd feared.

China abruptly stood up and started to walk out, pausing at England's side to lean down and whisper in to his ear,

"You've compromised me, Brit."

The other had the decency to look ashamed, but China was already out of the Hallway, rushing towards his classroom where he can install defensive spells and draw pentagrams of protection. Deep in his heart he knew that it was too late. That they were going to come and get him.

Honestly, he was a family man. His provinces were like his disciples and disciples were akin to children, or little siblings in this sense. His fellow countries, though. They were also like siblings, almost more so because while he could still attempt to baby his provinces (not that he did anymore) he couldn't baby Taiwan, or South Korea (not that he wanted to), or even Japan anymore. He knew that he was disliked, that in Asia probably the only country that others hated more than him was Japan. He loved them and they grudgingly respected him back and once upon a time, for a short period they were a very happy family.

That was a long time ago.

But just this year. Just this year China wanted to get away from it all for a while. He didn't want to be the useless old man, the old hardheaded father or big brother. And for some reason his country siblings were still attached to him although they showed it in the most inane ways, he doesn't want to let them do that this time.

This time was alone time (with England who doesn't count because no one counts England).

He settled into his chair, wincing at the morning chill that pervaded the room and resolved to have a fireplace installed here as soon as possible.

And waits.

He had new children to teach.