Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.

Note: So new story for Harry Potter. This will take place 4 years after the events of Deadly Hallows and Severus Snape survived. So that said, this is obviously AU. This is not related to Crossing Ways and is no sequel or prequel, just a new story.

Summary: Four years after the defeat of Voldemort and Harry Potter once more returns to Hogwarts, only this time as a teacher. Will the Boy Who Lived face up to the many new challenges of new students, old teachers and possibly a new love?

Warnings: slash and AU warning.

Author: Laurenke1.

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Defeated Voldemort, looked through his thick rimmed round glasses at the looming castle. Home was the first thing that crossed through his mind. The warm southern wind that played across the empty ground of the castle messed up his already messy black hair.

The immense castle ahead was the famous Wizarding school called Hogwarts. Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry had been a scene for an immense battle four years ago to defeat the evil wizard Voldemort. Harry shook his head; he did not wish to think about that.

This was a new change. He would not return as a student but as a teacher. That was why he was here on this fine day in the month of August. Just days before when he had turned 21, he had received a letter from headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

She had asked for an appointment. Harry had not thought about it for a long time and had sent his new brown barn owl back with the answer. He took a deep breath and then walked up the stairs, butterflies flying in his stomach.

He pushed open the heavy doors and walked inside, eyes taking in the marble staircase to the right and the four houses hourglasses stood .They were empty at the moment and Harry suppressed a grin at the memories of the red rubies that always haunted his fondest memories.

The entrance hall was silent and empty without the usual students who usually crowded the many magical hallways and staircases. Harry welcomed the silence. Too few times had it been really silent in his life and it was all he longed for.

In the past three years he had tried to get his Auror license but with the publicity and the fact that rumour had reached him that he had been favoured into being picked as an Auror, it had been the last drop even after the year that Harry had taken out to get his life back into order, as far as that was possible for the Boy Who Lived.

"Ah, Harry, there you are. How was your journey?" The soft voice that came from the stairway shook Harry from his thoughts. He turned to the stern looking elderly witch whose hair was tied back in a bun. The thin lips softened into a smile and Harry smiled as well as he saw his former head of house.

Headmistress McGonagall eyed her new professor over her glasses. Harry had grown a bit taller than the younger male who she had seen in the last battle when he had finally defeated Voldemort. The young man still looked thin yet the smile that came to his face was easy and the green eyes were no longer haunted. Yet something appeared to be missing, some measurement of peace that was not there but that should be.

"Yes, thank you. The journey was uneventful," Harry slipped his backpack from his shoulder, nodding at the headmistress. He was telling the truth, the journey had been uneventful except for the always present thing that people recognized him, whispering and staring at him.

"I am glad you could come, Harry, especially at such a short notice. It seems that we, as Professor Dumbledore had to say so many times, once more are a staff member short. Our Defense against the Dark Art teachers, Professor Bill Weasley, has decided to aid his wife in raising their children. I am sure you must have already heard from your strong affiliation with the Weasley family."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He knew that she meant Ginny Weasley, his girlfriend of the past two years. Many people, as well as the Wizarding paper, the Daily Prophet, had a bet going when he was going to marry her. Instead Harry had decided to stop all speculations and give Ginny the freedom she wanted. They had had announced a break from their relationship as Ginny moved to continue her apprenticeship in the Healing Arts and Harry was free to travel or to teach.

"Yes, I heard it from Ron," Harry decided not to say anything as he took a step back when one of the castle's ghost came soaring past. Harry smiled in greeting and then sobered.

"Come, we shall go to the staff room where we can talk. We need to discuss your class schedule and of course the payment. I am sure you will want to live in the castle, it is what most teachers do," The elderly witch accepted Harry's arm as he offered it to her.

"Are you still Head of Gryffindor house, professor?" Harry, former Gryffindor Golden Boy, still had a sore spot for the old red and gold colours of his house. He had painted over his room in said colours, but then had grown bored.

"No, Bill used to be. I am sure the students will appreciate it if you are to take over head of house. A headmaster or mistress cannot be a head of house. It would be unfair to the other houses. There are a few changes in the staff but you will see that soon enough."

"But Neville Longbottom is still professor Sprout's apprentice?" Harry stopped in front of the wooden door of the staff room, not daring to enter. It had been drilled into him as a student never to enter the teacher's lounge, only once when he was in his third year with professor Remus Lupin.

Harry felt a pang of pain in his heart at the memory of the werewolf. Lupin had died in the final battle, here at Hogwarts and for a moment Harry was lost in the noise of that day. It was merely a memory and when he felt the headmistress' hand on his arm, he forced a smile to his lips.

"Sometimes it is best that we do not forget those that died that day. Even when the memory hurts us and haunts us. But we learn to smile and laugh again and the horrors of those times fade away so that we may only remember why so many people died. But come inside…" She pushed open the door and Harry stepped inside the darkly lid room.

Noise and light exploded around him and for a moment Harry feared that an attack was going to happen. He drew his wand, blinking when all he saw was a large banner, in gold and red with welcome Harry Potter, new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher written on it. He tried to make it look casual as he put his wand in the pocket of his jeans, trying to breathe through the tenseness in his shoulders.

He forced a smile to his face as he saw the teachers' surprised look. There was little charms professor Filius Flitwick who nearly fell from his stack of books. He was steadied however by the Herbology professor Pomona Sprout. The younger man who waved at Harry was Neville Longbottom, his former housemate.

The yellow eyes of his flying teacher Madam Hooch locked with his own and Harry quickly looked away to the big bearded guy standing next to her. Rebeus Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor and Harry's friend since his first year made him feel slightly at ease as Hagrid waved with a big hand.

"I am sorry. I was caught off guard," He quickly said, swallowing away the butterflies in his stomach.

A seemingly amused snort reached his ears and Harry looked to person standing near Hagrid, with his hands crossed over his chest. The dark hair and the dark eyes that rose and held his own made Harry slightly dizzy. The thin lips curled into the familiar sneer and then the strong dark voice came that belied the pale appearance.

"Potter is never caught off guard."

Feeling a smile pull at his lips Harry inclined his head and acknowledged, "Professor Snape."

Severus Snape, Potion Master and Head of Slytherin house nodded as well as he answered, "Potter."

Harry could feel all the tension drain from his body. If Professor Snape did not think it was dangerous or strange that Harry had pulled his wand when they had surprised him, everything was seemingly right with the world.

"I think we should go ahead and welcome our new colleague," the voice of Headmistress McGonagall came from behind him and Harry stepped further inside, tearing his eyes away from the stern black figure of Professor Snape.

He spoke with everyone, accepting their congratulations on the new job. His eyes scanned the room, settling on the dark figure which was watching him as well. Harry sighed; he could never read Professor Snape.

He had seen the memories that had saved Professor Snape from a life in Azkaban. He had testified in favour of the man to save him from that very life. Yet while the man had been recovering from the snake bite that had nearly ended his life, Harry had stayed away.

He had so many questions which he had wanted to ask Professor Snape but he had stayed away for his own peace of mind. Snape was the only one alive who had known his mother well but Harry had made his peace a few years ago. He would not bother the older wizard with those foolish questions and perhaps Snape would not bother him with the same loathing and hate they once had.

"So how are things between you and young Miss Weasley, Harry? I am sure we will be seeing a lot of her here soon," Harry fidgeted with the glass in his hands as Professor Flitwick asked the question as they stood together with Hagrid.

Harry could hear the soft voices of Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Snape behind him. "I am not sure you will see a lot of her, professor. Well, she and I sort of, we broke up," He looked down, not seeing the sad gaze of Professor Flitwick.

He nearly dropped onto his knees as Hagrid patted him on the shoulder. "Oh, don't worry, Harry, you will find yourself a nice lass or lad sometime soon. I mean only the entire Wizarding world wants to see ya married so there is no pressure."

Laughing softly at the attempt Hagrid made to cheer him up, Harry turned to face the half giant. He froze instead as he met the intense black eyes. Professor Snape was watching him as he spoke with the headmistress. Finally Hagrid drew him back into the conversation but Harry could not forget the strange jolt in his stomach and as the evening progressed he merely discarded it but never truly forgot it either.

So that is the first chapter. So tell me what you think? Review of course. If anybody is willing to be a beta reader for this story, let me know.