No One Wants to Die Alone

One sultry evening at Beauxbatons Academy, a figure stood on one of the balconies, overlooking the grounds. Lucid silk drapes flowed behind the figure that stood, taking in the sweet air filled with the scent of night blooming flowers. The figure, which was clearly a woman by her curves, stood looking outwards, her robes billowing behind her. Her hair was golden brown that shimmered from the light illuminating from behind, and had dark blue eyes that always sparkled as if she had just drunk a glass of wine. As she looked into the dark moonlit sky, she could see a small flapping thing in the distance, slowly approaching. It was an owl carrying something in its mouth.

It swooped in, dropping a letter at her slippers. She picked it up and glanced at the owl that now sat on the balcony railing, fluffing its brown feathers. Glancing at it, the letter was addressed in green ink which said:

Mademoiselle Annabelle Caron

Third Floor Balcony

Beauxbatons Academy

She turned it over to see the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seal and opened the letter carefully. Inside there was a note that said:

Dear Mademoiselle Caron,

We are in dire need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Madame Maxime mentioned that you were seeking a permanent teaching position and suggested that you might consider this offer. Please write back as soon as possible with your reply.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts

A smile came across her now delighted face and she said excitedly out loud, "Oui! Bien sûr!" and walked to a small oak desk in her chamber where she found parchment and a quill to write:

Headmaster Dumbledore,

I gladly accept the position. Please send further information so I may prepare for the upcoming year.

Sincerely,

Annabelle Caron

She quickly addressed it and gave it to the owl. "Send this letter as quickly as you can. Vite!" The owl took off quickly as soon as she finished instructing it into the moonlit night.

* * *

The next day, Annabelle went to Madame Maxime to tell her about the letter and her decision to teach at Hogwarts. As she walked to her office, she saw some students that littered across the courtyard studying for their finals, which were only two weeks away. She walked to the end of a hallway where there was a giant statue of a swan. She said, "L'amour du chocolat," and the statue blinked, flapped its gigantic wings and waddled aside, revealing a large golden door. She walked up to it and tapped on the door. "Oui? Qu'est-ce que c'est?" a woman replied. Annabelle carefully opened the door and said, "C'est moi, Annabelle Caron."

"Oh! Do come in, ma chérie!" she said excitedly.

Inside there sat a woman who looked in her middle forties wearing a light blue dress and robe with her hair pulled back in a tight bun. She stood up showing how tall this woman actually was. She looked around seven feet, much taller than Annabelle, who stood about 5'4". "Madame Maxime, I know that summer is so close and I wanted to let you know that next year I..."

"Je sais, I know," she replied. "Congratulations. I zhink that you 'ill be a great teacher at Hogwarts."

"How did..." Annabelle started.

"Dumbly-dorr 'as told me all about it! I'm so 'appy for you, ma petite bijou!" Madame Maxime explained.

"I'm going to miss this academy with all my heart," she said and smiled.

Madame Maxime smiled back at her. A moment of sheer joy overcame her and Madame Maxime walked up to her, took her into her arms and gave her a hug. A tear fell down her cheek as she stepped back and looked at her fellow colleague, who felt like her own daughter.

She wiped her face and said, smiling, "You should get to class and tell your students."

Annabelle nodded and left slowly, turning to smile at her and shut the door to head to her class. When she arrived to her bright, light-filled classroom, she noticed that all of her students were already all there. She quickly checked her watch (which was a Muggle watch, because wizard watches always seemed to confuse her) and sighed in relief to see that there was still five minutes left before the bell was to ring. As she walked in the children who were second years started to talk to her (in French). "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Caron," said one boy.

"Comment allez-vous?" a girl asked.

"CARON! IN HERE NOW!" screamed a man from a conjoining room.

"Oh god no, she thought. What did I do this time?" she thought. Annabelle walked to the open door and stepped inside.

The door slammed magically behind her. Sitting at the desk was an extremely pissed off middle-aged man who had short choppy blond hair and a nose that reminded her of a pug. "DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR CLASSROOM WHEN STUDENTS ARE PRESENT! GOD KNOWS WHAT MISCHIEF THEY COULD BE BREWING WHILE YOU WERE AWAY!" he screamed at her.

"I'm sorry Nelson, Madame Maxime wished to see me, and besides, you were here in the other room so I don't see why I am being yelled at," she said calmly.

"But, what if I wasn't in here? You must have constant vigilance, child, or you will get what's coming to you," he said darkly.

"But..." she interjected.

"No Buts. Get in there and teach those idiots," he snapped.

"Fine," she replied as she stormed out of the room. When she got out, the children started to whisper and giggle because they all knew that she got yelled at.

"Silence. mes petits choux. Ecoutez s'il vous plait," she started to say. She always felt like they tried to suck up to her than feel her wrath when she got angry with them. " I have an important announcement that I need to address to all of you," she started. The students all became silent because even though she was not as bad as Professor Seulhomme, she could become their worst nightmare if they tested her. "Monsieur Seulhomme, you might want to listen on this as well," she said, pointing her voice towards his office.

Nelson lazily strode in and leaned on the doorway getting impatient. "Next year, I will not be student teaching at Beauxbatons." A sneer came across his face as she talked. "I will be taking up the position of Defense against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Commotion started as the students started to whisper in an extremely worried fashion. Some of the students started to whisper and distressed looks instaniously appeared upon their once happy faces. Professor Seulhomme was one of the most horrible teachers at Beauxbatons and with Professor Caron gone, he would have to teach and torture them all. As she tried to desperately calm them, the students just wouldn't hear of it.

"If you can all behave these couple of weeks, I can allow some freedom in my class, by means of a study time for the exam, But, If you think that you can slack off, I'll make the exam extra fun." Professor Seulhomme grinned evilly at the students and strode back into his office slamming the door behind him.

"How can this be fun if you'll be leaving us?" A student asked trembling with fear.

They all knew that with Caron gone, Seulhomme would be there to freely torture and humiliate them all next year. "How are we to survive next year? Professor Seulhomme will murder us, if she doesn't get to us first," whispered a second year girl to the person sitting next to her, trying to hold back the tears. Annabelle couldn't believe what she was hearing. The students actually liked her. Tears started to form at Annabelle's always sparkling eyes. She walked slowly to her desk and slumped in her chair. She tried to wipe her eyes and turn her chair so she wouldn't have to face them. She didn't want them to see her cry. It would show them she was weak. A few seconds later the students quietly got up from their seats and approached her desk. When she turned she was surprised to see the students around her desk. What surprised her even more, they all started to give her hugs. "Finally," she thought. "I have won."

That evening an owl flew in and dropped another letter that said:

Mademoiselle Caron,

I will be sending a friend of mine on August 28 to bring you to Hogwarts. She used to be a student and Beauxbatons and you might know her. Her name is Fleur Dealcour. Also enclosed is a list of what each year has learned. Hope you have an enjoyable summer.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster

On the last day of school Annabelle went to Seulhomme's office to tell him "à dieu." She knocked on the door. "Enter," said a muffled voice. Annabelle carefully opened the door to see the agitated professor grading papers. "Ah, Annabelle Caron, just the person I was looking forward to see," he said sarcastically.

"Wait," he said as he stood up. He walked up to her and he didn't stop, causing her to back up into the door. "Look, since I have watched over you and been harsh on you, I think you owe me a little something," he said, his voice becoming strangely silky and soft.

"Huh, pardon me, but what are you referring..." she started to say.

He grabbed her hand and placed it to his groin. "You owe me," he said.

Annabelle whipped her hand away from his grasp and slapped him across the face so hard that it left a distinguishing red mark.

"I owe you nothing, you fucking pervert. À dieu. I hope you burn," she said as she opened the door and slammed it in his face.

* * *

She left Beauxbatons the next morning to she returned to her parents' home in the United States. Little did she think, but her parents barely recognized her by her extremely non-Muggle attire and accent when she got off of the plane near her home. Annabelle certainly had an enjoyable summer first preparing her lesson plan, then spending time with her Muggle friends whom she hadn't seen in years since she was in France getting "schooled". She did her fair share of partying with them, but it was one particular morning that stunned her. The phone had rung on morning and she tried to say hello, but it was hard and painful to speak. She felt her tongue swell up, so she immediately went to the bathroom to check it out. She looked in the small mirror and slowly stuck out her tongue. Apparently, she had gotten her tongue pierced the previous evening and due to her most likely drunken state her friends probably cajoled her into it. She sighed and carefully removed it. It was painful, but she didn't think it was appropriate.

August 28 came faster before one could say 'Quidditch'. Around noon, a polite tap came at the door of her parents' home. Annabelle opened it and there stood an extremely beautiful woman with long silver hair. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen and thought she must be a veela or something. She then recognized her as Fleur Delacour, who was a former student at Beauxbatons. " 'Ello, are you Annette Caron?" she asked. Since it sounded like this person was having trouble and the accent was French, Annabelle responded in French. "Yes, that's me. Hold on, let me grab my things," she said showing Fleur in. She stopped and took a good look at her, then said, "Weren't you in the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Yes. You were that new student teacher from America, right?" Fleur responded.

"Yes I was. What a memory!" Annabelle exclaimed.

"Yes, you had trouble with your French in the beginning, because you tried to compliment me, I think, but you insulted me," Fleur recalled.

"Do you know how awful I felt?" asked Annabelle. "Every time I saw you I tried to apologize." She said as she ran up the stairs to get her things trying to change the subject. Fortunately Fleur did it first.

"We will be traveling by Floo powder," said Fleur, spoken louder so Annabelle could hear her.

"Wait." She stopped. " Floo powder? This house isn't in the system, though," Annabelle responded.

"Temporarily it is. I pulled some strings at the Ministry," Fleur replied.

A few seconds later, three suitcases and two trunks floated down the stairs. "You think you brought enough?" she said in her most sarcastic French tone.

"No actually, because I need a new teaching outfit for the appropriate weather that

they have at Hogwarts, parchment, ink and more quills," she replied in a serious tone.

"OK then, we may drop these off at Hogwarts and then we can stop at Diagon Alley for the supplies you need," Fleur instructed.

Fleur and Annabelle both went to the fireplace and then glanced at each other.

Annabelle then whipped out her wand and preformed a simple engorgement charm which made the fireplace extremely tall and wide. They both glanced at each other once more, but this time fleur smiled in approvement and Annabelle smiled back. After dragging all of her luggage and themselves in, Fleur pulled out some Floo powder and threw it on the floor. Fleur yelled " 'OGWARTS!" and they disappeared.

* * *

They arrived in an enormous room lit by numerous candles and a large welcoming fire which they just flew out of. The floors were dark chestnut accompanied by antique Persian rugs. There were a few pictures on the walls of scholars who lay asleep in their chairs, unaware that someone had arrived, and three narrow paned windows. Opposite the fire there were two bookshelves, one already filled with books and one empty, waiting for someone to fill its contents. Annabelle looked near the fire at the two chairs that were in front of it. They were both of burgundy worn leather that looked comfortable to fall asleep in. Although everything seemed so dark and mid evil, she enjoyed the warmth that it emanated. "This is your new home at school. It's not as bright and beautiful as Beauxbatons though," she said to Annabelle airily.

Annabelle thought otherwise. She was completely smitten and enchanted with the room she encompassed. It was such a beautiful place: dark, mysterious, romantic. "You can unpack later, wait no, the house elves can do that," started Fleur, but she stopped and gawked at Annabelle's outfit. "Well, are you going to change?" she asked.

"I don't have any outfits that would be warm enough. They're all silk and it would be too cold for me to wear them," she replied.

"Fine, let's go," Fleur snapped.

The duo stepped into the fireplace and seconds later stepped out into a different place. It was dark and smoky. A bar. "This is the Leaky Cauldron. This bar connects to Diagon Alley," Fleur said as she walked to a back door and Annabelle followed behind her acknowledging the bartender. When Fleur opened the back door she came upon a wall. She whipped out her wand and tapped them in an odd pattern. The wall opened to a bustling marketplace. They stepped into the market, the wall resuming its normal form behind them. "What did you say you needed?" Fleur asked.

"Uh, quills, ink more parchment paper and new outfits for teaching," she replied eyeing a beautiful burgundy dress with matching robes.

"Okay, clothes first," Fleur said, not trying to give into the desire that was shopping.

They walked into Madam Malkin's shop and bought the dress she was eyeing. As they were paying for it, Fleur instructed the woman at the register to make sure that it was brought to Hogwarts immediately.

"No problem," the woman replied.

After they had purchased all the supplies that she needed, Fleur looked at her watch and turned pale. "Mon Dieu! We need to go, now!"

They ran into a shop and got to the closest fireplace, because Apparition onto Hogwarts grounds was impossible. When they got back to Annabelle's room she started to run to her room to change but Fleur stopped her. "There's no time!" she said and motioned to follow her. Fleur and Annabelle ran down flights of stairs to two large carved doors. Fleur quickly pushed the doors open and both stood there out of breath.