Let Me Fall

"One last trip to Diagon Alley, Audney," Lamina said to the dog by her side, walking through the archway from the Leaky Cauldron. Audney, like the other animals living with Lamina, didn't wear a collar or any type of identification tag. But to stop her from looking like a stray, Lamina had bought a simple silver link chain to hang around her neck. It looked like a muggle choke collar, but held none of the same attributes. The mere thought of such items for animals disgusted Lamina.

Audney had settled into house life quite well. She was getting along with the other residents (all seven of them) well enough, although PiMne, the mink, had a tendency to chase the dog's curled tail.

It had been a month and a half already and Lamina was shocked at how fast the time went by. She had already made her lesson plans and got in touch with contacts for certain creatures she wished to show her classes. She had not run into any other teachers since Remus Lupin, and hadn't seen him since their first meeting. It wasn't as if she'd gone around introducing herself to every adult she saw, hoping they were teachers... neither had she talked to too many of the people she saw. Staring tended to make you stay to the sidelines when in large groups, and considering the time of the year, Diagon Alley was always busy. Although half-British, she had only been to England once or twice growing up.

Today Lamina needed to pick up some last minute items before catching the Knight Bus to Hogsmeade. The first item on her list was to get a lighter cloak for the early fall and spring seasons. She had been in such cooler conditions (the Alps, the Yukon, and once on Mount Kilamanjaro) before arriving in England, that most of her cloaks and robes were thick and heavy.

She, along with Audney, stepped into Madam Malkins. The bell tinkled above, late morning sun shining freely onto the worn wooden floors. Racks of bright coloured cloth, assorted by colour and hue, lined the walls and crowded the floor. Lamina closed the door quietly. The sun filtered through the four mismatched windowpanes, creating a soft look to the floor.

Madam Malkin addressed her from across the store; she was currently fitting a young girl with red pigtails.

Lamina went about the small, decorated shop looking at the different colours and materials. Audney stayed close to her, as she had since her first night at Lamina's cottage, and sniffed in the racks of cloths.

"I don't think that dog is allowed in here," said a young voice from behind the soon-to-be Professor.

Lamina turned around with one eyebrow raised. "Really?" she asked the young boy with a black cloak on. His badge was green with a snake and had 'Slytherin' written across it. "Well, Madam Malkin hasn't told me to put her out, so I think I'll let her stay with me," she said nicely to the kid.

The brown-haired boy stared into Lamina's eyes before looking at the dog once more. "She doesn't seem to like it in here." Children were very precocious. As endearing it could be, it also caused Lamina to sigh on more than one occasion.

Indeed, Audney was hidden behind Lamina's legs as the two talked. "Well, she's just frightened of new comers. I'm trying to get her used to people." Lamina smiled and stepped away. "Would you like to pet her?"

The boy, who seemed to be about twelve years old, looked at the cream coloured dog doubtfully. "She won't bite, will she?" he asked, but moved a hand to her head nonetheless.

"Not if you don't provoke her," Lamina told him truthfully. "What's your name?" she asked, giving him a nod.

"What's yours?" he asked back, sparing her the briefest of glances.

Not deciding to do the 'I asked you first' bit, Lamina told him, "Professor Court." Subtle, she thought, but very effective.

The boy's eyes widened. "You're a professor?" His mouth opened and closed a couple times before he spoke. "Kevin," he said, "Kevin Dalton."

"Well, Kevin, are you in second year?" Lamina asked him as she began to search through the racks of cloths again.

"No," he said indignantly. "I'm thirteen."

"Oh, sorry about that," she apologized, looking over her shoulder. "Did you happen to select Care of Magical Creatures as an elective?"

Kevin nodded and stopped petting Audney, much to her obvious chagrin.

"Well, I'll see you in class then," she said as Madam Malkin made her way over to them, "But I have to continue my shopping now, so I best finish." Lamina sent him a warm smile.

Kevin mumbled an awkward goodbye, eyes not meeting hers, ears turning pink.

Madam Malkin began assisting Lamina.

An hour later, she left the robe shop with a couple new cloaks and a new robe for Christmas time. Madam Malkin was quite the retailer.

Lamina and Audney made their way to the Apothecary. Audney stayed outside, behind a box to hide from anyone that might see her (she was still quite nervous around people: the reason Lamina brought her every time she went out). The dog wouldn't have been able to stand the smells inside the shop. Lamina could barely stand them herself.

Musty bottles lined the walls, bins of powder and fresh leaves sat below them. Behind the counter sat pickled specimens, pickled parts of specimens and many other... things Lamina didn't dare look at. She glanced around the store, going by the alphabetical labels on the shelves. Were all people who worked with potions this organized?

"Can I help you ma'am?" said a slow, gruff voice from behind the counter.

Lamina looked up. "Oh yes, I'm just looking for a few things." She brought her short list up to the man. "I'll need a beaker of bezoars, fifteen grams of crushed and dried gillyweed, and one small pouch of Mandrake root powder."

The hunched man nodded and copied down her list. "I'll be back with these in a moment. We don't stock much pre-crushed and dried gillyweed here, but I believe I have the amount you need."

"Thank you very much." She turned from the man and made a quick trip to the front of the store, nearly knocking into a black robed customer on her way. Lamina apologized, of course. She looked out of one musty window and saw Audney lying beneath it, waiting patiently.

She turned once again and nearly bumped into the same man as before. "Oh, I really am sorry about that."

The man made no comment, but walked away from her with an obvious sneer.

Slightly aggravated but keeping it inside, Lamina made her way back to the desk. The shopkeeper came back out within a minute.

"Here are your bezoars, gillyweed - crushed and dried, and Mandrake root powder," he said, handing her the small brown bag with her ingredients. "That will be two Galleons and eleven Knuts."

Lamina paid the man and took her bag. When she was leaving the store, trying not to knock over any bottles of vampire eyes that were stacked up high, she nearly hit the same man again. Resisting an aggravated sigh, she apologized once more.

"Maybe you should look where you are going, instead of cavorting about," the black-robed man spoke to her in a cold tone. He gazed down his rather large nose at her with disgust hinting in his eyes.

Lamina's jaw dropped and her eyes blazed almost literally. The man seemed to take little notice. "Well excuse me for not always seeing someone who blends in with the dark store so much," she said indignantly. "And I don't cavort," she added. Lamina opened the door and walked out, head held high. With a whistle, Audney ran out from where she was hiding and followed the wound up witch down the cobblestone path.

"Did you hear him?" she asked the dog, frowning and mouth working; not looking down. "Cavort. I do not cavort." She sent one last angry glare behind her (the man was long gone), and continued along Diagon Alley. Speaking in a brisk voice, "I think that's it. Is that it?" She pulled out her list. "Yes. We're going back now, Audney." Audney made no noises of protest and followed quietly, her bushy beige tail swishing in the air.

That evening Lamina brought all her packed bags and trunks outside her cabin. Her broom was fastened tightly to the largest trunk. "Is that the last of it?" she asked the five animals standing on the small weathered wooden porch. The three birds had already begun their flight to Hogwarts a couple short hours before. "Alright, Dumbledore warned me it was going to be loud, so all of you keep that in mind," she told the animals, and locked up the small place. Walking off the porch, she raised her wand in the air.

With a loud bang, a vibrant orange bus screeched to a halt before her. Audney howled in surprise and jumped behind Lamina's legs. PiMne, the mink, scampered up the back of Lamina's robes where she felt safest. Gambit and Loki hissed and arched their backs at the intruder. Scuttling through her hole in the porch, Dilean the bandicoot poked her head out, checking to see if all was good.

With a sigh, Lamina picked up some of her luggage and headed to the orange triple-decker bus with large letters across its side in dark blue, declaring it The Knight Bus.

"Sorry 'bout that ma'am," said the man (dressed in the same orange as the painted bus) who hopped out from its doors. "Didn' mean to frighten the lil' critters." The young man's hair, sticking out from under his orange hat, shone light blonde from the light exiting the bus' entrance.

"Quite alright," Lamina said, heaving her trunks into the side luggage holder of the bus. "I warned them." Slowly, one by one, the animals came to stand beside Lamina. PiMne dropped unceremoniously out from her robes.

"I'm sure you did, ma'am," the young man said, tipping his hat to her. "I'll just be gettin' that fer you." He took all her luggage and stowed it away before slamming the side of the bus back down. "Yer compartment near the back is ready fer you and yer pets."

"They're not my pets," Lamina said automatically. Not wanting to explain anything to the man, she continued, "Dumbledore contacted you, then?" She ushered the animals aboard.

"That he did. My name's Greg Gallomp, ma'am. And that th're is Ernie." Lamina stepped aboard and nodded to the driver, Ernie. "Yer name's Lamina, then?" She nodded and waited for Greg to stop staring at her eyes now that she was in better light. "Eh Ern, this 'ere is Lamina. Head'd to Hogsmeade, if I be correct."

"Ar," Ernie replied, not looking up at her.

"That you are," Lamina responded to Greg. "How much do I owe you then?"

"Ah, Dumbledore paid us fer you, ma'am. Said it was his way of helpin' you on yer way." When Lamina was about to refuse the generosity, Greg shook his head. "He even got you the pack'ge with hot choc'late, he did."

"Uh, thank you."

Greg showed her to the back of the bus where all the animals were already seated on her bed. With a bang, the bus started again. Lamina nearly fell on the floor with the speed the bus traveled. She leaned against the wall; arms spread out and stared at Greg like he was insane for working on such a thing.

"Be happy we fix'd this bus right up af'er the last one got burn'd," Greg told her as she sat. Using his wand, he summoned a mug and poured some hot chocolate into it. "Beds no longer move when we do."

"Why did the other one burn?" Lamina asked with a bit of hesitance to receive the answer. "It didn't crash, did it?"

Greg laughed. Well, he more so snorted multiple times. "Oh no! No, Ern up th're is a great driver, he is." The bus jolted to a stop and Dilean went rolling out from under the brass bed. Lamina's eyes widened as the marsupial came running back on her little legs. "It was just burn'd in the final war, it was. Got in the way." Greg hurried off to help an old wizard off the bus.

Lamina picked up Dilean with one hand and held her close. "We won't be on here for long," she muttered to the animals staring at her on the bed. "And if for some reason we are, I'll somehow fly us all to Hogwarts myself." Lamina took a sip of her hot chocolate.

After two more drop offs and three pick-ups (all of which Lamina avoided eye contact with), Greg announced that they'd be arriving in Hogsmeade in just a minute. This time they braced themselves for the stop.

"G'luck this year, Profess'r!" Greg called to her before the bus shot off with a thunderous bang.

"Never again," she said to the shaken animals about her. Lamina saw a carriage not too far from where she stood. She moved closer to the carriage, loaded her luggage inside and let the animals jump in.

Giving into curiosity and the light tingle on her skin, she moved to the front to see what motored the carriage, and whatever it was that she sensed was under the straps. Narrowing her eyes slightly to the front of the carriage, she reached out a hand. It touched something! Lamina took in a breath. "A Thestral..." she whispered.

An understanding how the magical beast lived, fed and moved sped through her system while her fingers moved along its scaly skin and over its wings. Its physical attributes imbedded their construction into Lamina's memory; its feelings for a second became hers. Lamina felt the bones just beneath the skin, its wings bony and very thin. A bit upset she couldn't see it (although, chiding herself lightly, seeing it would have made her see death before), Lamina tried to imagine what it looked like, just by how it felt and what she was learning.

She had always been able to understand animals. Without one near here, it was as if the world had become cold and distant... as if a part of her had left. People were too rash, too stupid in numbers and overly conceited about their power above everything else. Animals exemplified simplicity, the will to live, caring and many other attributes she appreciated.

Lamina jumped when the Thestral's muzzle touched her hand.

Reluctantly leaving it, she boarded the carriage and let the Thestral pull them forward to Hogwarts.

Lamina had a stomach full of anticipation as she rode up the path to her first visit to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She looked out the window as they approached and let her lips part for her appreciation of her new working facility. It was a hell of a lot bigger than she expected it to be.

"We're going to get lost more than once," she muttered to the other occupants of the carriage. She was met with agreeing meows, barks and squeaks. PiMne scuttled onto her lap and gazed out at the towering school with its many windows shining light upon their lone carriage. Her mink nose sniffed the air and she made small noises of excitement when a small clearance of trees showed the full moon shining off the lake. Well, Lamina thought, I'll know where she'll be half the time...

The carriage came to a stop and Lamina stepped out of it. The animals all clambered out behind her and immediately began sniffing around. Dilean started scratching at the soil off the side of the path, testing it out. She dug with her paws and long nose before running off and trying a different patch further out.

The front doors opened and the light slowly spread out across the front steps. It stretched down them onto the path where Lamina stood, each animal illuminated on a different area of the path or steps. Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, his shadow stretching to just before Lamina's feet.

"Ah Miss Court, it's lovely to see you again," Albus said, walking down the steps to greet her with a warm handshake. His shadow condensed with each step forward.

"Hello Albus," she replied with a large smile. She was happy to notice that he looked at her eyes when talking, but did not hold any sort of transfixion.

"I trust your trip here was full of jerks?" Albus asked, his eyes twinkling; an odd look when the rest of his face was mostly in shadow.

"Well, I only met one this morning, but other than that, the Knight Bus was a bit jerky, yes," Lamina responded humorously. She turned to get her bags.

"Don't bother with those, Lamina," Albus said lightly. "I'm sure a House-elf will be delighted to bring them for you."

Taking one last glance at the harness where the Thestral would be standing (she saw what would be a hoof scuff at the ground), she followed Albus into Hogwarts.

"Shouldn't the animals come with us?" he asked as they stepped inside.

"They'll find me later on if they stop going over their new residence this evening," Lamina said with a shrug. Audney ran into the school before Albus closed the doors. "This is Audney," Lamina introduced the dog with triangular ears. "She's been with me for just over a month, so she's going to be sticking close for a while."

"Yes, you mentioned that in your letter," Albus said, patting Audney twice on the head before setting off down the hall. "Tonight I will show you where your office and sleeping quarters are and how to get to the Great Hall from them," the Headmaster began to explain as Lamina walked in step with him. "Since all your classes will be outside, you won't have a classroom." Lamina nodded, remembering that from their previous talk over two months ago. "Minerva will give you your schedule tomorrow with your classes on them. You only teach from third year and up, and not all the students take Care of Magical Creatures, ergo you will have fewer classes than let's say, Transfiguration or Herbology.

"Although, since some other classes involve creatures of sorts, if you are available, you may offer your assistance in such classes as Transfiguration and Defence, if they are indeed using creatures in spells or learning."

Lamina nodded and tried to take note of what halls they were turning down. "So, I take it my room is on the first floor?" she asked as they passed yet another staircase.

"Yes, it will be easier for you to reach the outdoors and the Great Hall which are on the ground level."

"Hm, so I have a good location? What about the view?" she asked in what would be the voice of someone purchasing a home.

"You will get to see the sunrise over the Forbidden Forest," Albus told her with a smile.

Lamina made a sound of approval. "I'll take it then."

"Well that's good," Albus said as if he just got her to sign a contract, "Because your belongings are probably already there."

They reached her new quarters a few exchanged words later, and Lamina noted that it was on the opposite side from the Entrance Hall. The door was on a corner of two merging halls.

"As your sleeping quarters are attached to your office, you may have a painting, statue or knight of your choice to guard your entrance that is not already in use," Albus explained. "Usually the office of a professor is open to the students more often than locked, yet I highly doubt you'd want them barging in on you. If you find one you want, come get me and I will assign it to your door. If not, then you can use a password or spell to enter." He opened the oak door and held it for her.

"Thank you." Lamina stepped in and the candles all lit. Indeed, her belongings were already brought in, and the birds had arrived. Audney sauntered in behind her and walked diagonally across the room and into what would be her bedroom. Lamina looked around. The entrance opened to the left corner of the room, and she saw that all the couches and chairs were a shade of dark blue. There was a large L shaped desk in one corner. Across from that a fireplace with a rather large, plush couch and a matching chair on either side in front of the hearth.

She followed where Audney went and saw there was a petite hallway, with a bathroom on the left, and the door to her room straight through. They entered it.

"Large enough bed!" she exclaimed, putting a hand to her mouth immediately afterwards. "Sorry about that."

"Not at all." Albus smiled, walking in behind her. "I made yours larger, as I remember you telling me that your friends tend to enjoy sleeping on it with you. I take it everything is satisfactory?"

Lamina nodded, still looking around her room. There was a long dresser across from her bed, but other than that, a small closet and a bedside table, there wasn't much else to the room.

"You have one of the largest rooms out of all the teachers," Albus said, seemingly amused by her widened eyes. "With nine of you residing here, I thought it best for you each to get some space."

"This whole place is larger than my cottage," Lamina muttered, hand still covering her mouth, "Including the kitchen."

Albus chuckled. "I'll show you how to get to the Great Hall from here and then I'll leave you to settle in."

Lamina opened the two windows in her room and one of the windows in her office (which she thought it odd to call - there was a couch in there, for crying out loud). Loki jumped through the last, lowest window as the two left the room, and Gambit sashayed into the room, bottle-brushed tail held high, before Lamina closed the door behind her.

"Quite the assortment of animals you have with you," Dumbledore said conversationally as they set off back from where they came.

"They chose to stay with me, so I let them," Lamina said softly. "I never deny an animal in need, Albus. If they want to leave, I have no right to stop them."

After being shown the Great Hall (she was quite taken with the ceiling), Lamina set back to her quarters and started unpacking. She placed items around her room, clothes and robes in the dresser and closet, necessities in the bathroom and all her work was put in the desk drawers in the office. She knew that within a week everything would be strewed about the rooms. Hiamovi knows my underwear will be in my office drawers and vice versa, Lamina chuckled to herself.

An hour to midnight she went to bed. Audney sleeping at her feet, Gambit and Loki curled up on one of the two large pillows, and birds perched upon the large wooden headboard. The bandicoot was out hunting for worms and PiMne slept curled up on one of the squashy chairs out in the office.

The next day was the first meeting of the year. She would have the chance to ask any questions about classes, students and anything else that came to her mind. Lamina would meet the other Professors and staff, and get more familiar with the school grounds. Well, at least she had already met two of her co-workers; that left what? Approximately fifteen?