The Return
The cool morning air kissed your cheeks as you awoke. Basking in the final moments you would grow to cherish within the familiar comfort of your home, the daunting journey of today greets your thoughts.
Today, the day where you travel to Hogwarts as to commence your teaching position within the Defence Against the Dark Arts. The memories made within your time as a student within those halls flood around you once again, the nostalgic childhood joy of that magical castle gives you a slight buzz. Ah, but alas, I must get out of bed to make it in time. Glancing over your packed luggage waiting by your threshold, you make your way to your bathroom, mindlessly putting yourself together to appear presentable for your first day at the job. Your dark chocolate hair slightly curled and fragrant of vanilla, framing your face as it matches with your similarly dark robes. Speckles of your gold earrings and sporadic jewellery glisten slightly as you peer back at yourself facing your mirror. Before leaving your abode unturned and neatly awaiting your return, you eat breakfast and quickly down your coffee. With a huff, you confidently take the first step down towards the train station, the soft clicks of your pointed heels atop the cobblestone pathway accompanying you and your thoughts.
As you settle finally within your train compartment within the old steam express, the slight rocking of the carriage comforting you as your eyes travel along the landscapes racing past outside the train window. Picking up some light reading, time escapes you quickly, as you are surprised how unexpectedly swift the sight of the historic castle towers peep over the mountains, fully allowing you to once again relish in the awe of the architecture as you did long ago commence your enrolment at Hogwarts, as a fifth year.
Gathering your belongings, as you hurriedly stepped off the carriage, inhaling softly as the woodsy air engulfs your lungs, a familiar voice calls your name. “Y/n!”, the tall and scruffy figure of Hagrid waves to you. A smile creeps onto your face as you walk up to the figure, quickly becoming wrapped up in his arms as he hugs you. “Although I should greet ya as Professor L/n now, eh?” He says with a soft chuckle and a pat on your back, reminding you of your size difference as you jolt slightly.
“Yes, I suppose so, Hagrid! How relieved I am to see you again; I do hope life is treating you well.” You offer him a smile as you both engage in soft conversation, walking towards the school grounds. The man always held a spot in your heart as you viewed him in the sorts of an uncle, supportive figure, and of course, a kind friend throughout your time at school.
The exchange feels unreal, never had you thought you would be returning, and as a professor? Knowing your past, a career as wholesome and valued never once occurred as a possibility to you. That was, until Dumbledore offered the position to you relentlessly upon finding your location with great difficulty. Still to this day, you did not know how he sourced your whereabouts despite your disappearance from society.
The empty castle seemed surreal, without the bustling of giggling and chatty students—the stillness of the building greeted you softly. As Hagrid guided you to your chambers, he toured the unfamiliar dungeons where your room resides, taking in the warm ambience of the location which you always wondered how the teachers lived in. Despite the expectations of the dungeons, your quarters—consisting of a fireplace surrounded by the living space, small kitchen and offset bedroom and bathroom appeared rather welcoming and cozy.
Thanking Hagrid, you settled your belongings down on the wooden floor with a slight thud. “Oh, and upon yer welcome and the start of the school year, Professor Dumbledore has called a staff meeting. This evening, 6pm! Do ya reckon yer can find ya way to the staffroom?” He questioned as you listened tentatively. Nodding, “Oh of course, I will manage. Thank you, Hagrid, I’ll see you then?”, You smiled as he agreed and went about his way. Leaving you with a warm “Welcome back, y/n.”, closing the large wooden door to your room behind him.
As you turned around, dismantling your deep black robe upon the coat stand at the entrance—you huffed with a flick of your wand, sending your belongings swiftly to all shelves, drawers, and corners of your room neatly. Kneeling, the amber glow of the fireplace grew as you lit it, warmth filling up the living room. Circling around the space as to soak up your new home, a slight smile graces your lips as you find your antique book collection lining the shelves of the quarters, your clothes adorning the closet, and your detailed oil paintings cascading across what used to be the blank walls. You always did have a talent for painting. Moving to welcome yourself to your desk, you thought it best to continue your lesson plans, textbooks for the dark arts and defence spells splayed across the large wooden surface. For the next few hours, you lose yourself among the myriad of words and to the soft hum and crackle of the firewood within your presence.
Glancing at the clock, you steal yourself from concentration. Shit, the meeting is in five minutes. Quickly collecting yourself with a swift check in the mirror, you leave your newfound space of comfort for the halls within the dungeons, climbing the stairs upwards to the staffroom as you wrap your robe back round your shoulders. With slight hesitation, you take a deep breath as you push open the door for the staffroom. Upon looking forward, the welcoming and jeery faces of who once were your professors greet you kindly.
“Ah! I see you have made your way! Professors, meet our newest addition to the staff, Professor L/n. She will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts alongside Professor Lupin.” The booming voice of Dumbledore carries towards you as he extends an arm towards you. The backs of your co-workers turning to view you.
“Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, my apologies for any tardiness.” You express, taking the headmasters hand and shaking it.
“You are not late at all y/n! Please, find a seat. We were just beginning the meeting.” He responded kindly. With a nod of your head, you carry yourself to the only available chair left at the long table, somewhere in the middle, next to Minerva McGonagall and Hagrid. Greeting the two figures once again, Minerva brings you into a hug as she quietly welcomes you back, having taught you. Recognising the man across from you, you assume it to be Remus Lupin, and offer him a friendly smile, not having a chance to meet or look at the others at the table as Dumbledore began the meeting, you pay close attention.
Settled into the slight cushion of your seat, your mind taken entirely by the words of the headmaster as he explains the plans for the year as well as a few housekeeping notices—you couldn’t help but feel the slight gaze of someone on you, not daring to look around to discover who. Figuring to yourself that it is probably any of the professors as you are a new face, you unfurrow your brows and dive back into the words within the room being exchanged.
“And lastly, the new additions to our staff! I welcome both Remus Lupin, and Y/n L/n as the professors who will both be teaching DADA, as previously discussed.” Albus introduced you as well as your old classmate, the teachers around you clapping softly and offering kind glances and soft welcome backs. Whilst smiling back and taking the opportunity to look amongst the faces surrounding you, a pair of familiar eyes lock with yours.
Taking your breath for a split-second, your mouth slightly open as he looks back. His dark orbs opening the floodgates to a million shared memories between the two of you. Wait, I- How did I not know he was a professor here?! Swiftly stealing your glance back to the older man preaching to the group, your eyes resort to stare at a spot on the table instead—your thoughts shifting to the man sitting a few spaces across and to the left of your position. How did Dumbledore conveniently leave out the part that he was a professor here? Caught in your mind racing, the uneasy feeling of someone’s eyes resting upon your features returned. Oh, it is him staring, you figured as you finally identified the familiar sensation.
As the meeting drew to an end, and as the seats around you shifted as everyone began to stand up, you were stolen from your concentration—peering up as Minerva greeted you once again. Her motherly hug engulfing you once more, you could not complain. Returning the embrace, you reminisced on her impact she had on you. Acting as such as a real mother towards you as yours had not, you internally thanked Minerva and frequently wrote to her once you left Hogwarts for a short while.
“Oh y/n, I’m so happy to see you again dear! It’s been too long, and look at you! You have turned out to be an even more gorgeous woman since the day I last saw you!” She exclaimed whilst studying your face, holding onto your hands between the two of you.
“As am I Professor McGonagall, it is very surreal to be teaching alongside you now.” The corners of your mouth upturned as you looked back at the older woman in adorance.
“As such, you must address me on a first name basis now y/n! Oh my, where have you been all these years?” She softly said, with what appeared to be a slight glisten in her eye.
Averting your eye contact, another familiar voice joined your conversation.
“I wonder the same thing, Minerva!” The warm smirk of Remus greeted you as he pulled you into a hug, “Y/n, it has been too long, old friend.” He softly muttered whilst pulling away, making eye contact.
“Alas it may have been. Remus, old buddy how are you?” You peered back at the now slightly less tall man, examining the silver specks which have appeared amongst his brown hair.
“Well, well! But y/n how on earth are you here? From my recollection it was just a few years after graduation from which I last saw you! Only whispers of appearances since…” He addressed, looking concerningly into your eyes.
“Ah, yes. Well, that story is for another time perhaps. However, it was great seeing you all again.” You said quietly whilst slightly nodding your head and backing up a bit. “I really must return to my quarters now, I’m a bit behind in prepping for my classes. Remus, I will meet with you again before our classes commence?” You cut off the conversation, and with a nod from Lupin and the motherly look of inquisition from Minerva, you waved them off and quietly snuck out of the staffroom.
Realising the return of these old faces tore you back to an old reality made you falter; you placed a hand on your chest as you stood outside the door to the lively room. Collecting yourself, thoughts, and breath, you failed to realize another presence accompanying you within the dark hallway.
“Y/n?” His deep voice tore through the silence, causing you to jolt your eyes open.
Upon meeting his eyes again, it felt almost like your heart paused.