The Revenge I got

It was a nice, sunny day at Hogwarts, school for witchcraft and wizardry. Pure light fell through the windows into his office and the green carpet almost looked like the young, fresh grass outside of the school. After all this time spring was finally back to bring happiness, again.

He sighed as he glanced into the direction of the light blue lake that lay next to the dark forest.

He was definitely irritated. All this work as a teacher took its toll on him. He hadn't had a good rest in a long time and now the only thing his mind screamed for was to let himself sink into his big plushy armchair and drift of into the world of dreams, the sunlight on his face, warming him through and through.

He was glad that on his request the headmaster had given him living quarters and an office that were not, as the Slytherins' dorms, in the dark dungeon. He hadn't liked it there anyway throughout all the time he was a student here. Still he felt a chill run down his spine when he thought of the cold evenings he sat in front of the fire in the common room and wished it would warm him up, if just a little bit. But even though it had been a real fire, not lit with the help of magic, the hot flames never seemed to reach far enough.

Again he sighed, a tired sigh, while his eyes slowly fell shut.

~*~

The halls of Hogwarts were filled with talking students. Everybody was outside of their houses and all the noises seemed to become one loud buzz. Echoes of shouting pupils flew from wall to wall. And a beehive could not have been livelier. Ghosts floated over the heads of all the others and talked back and forth, arguing and debating. All in all it was strange sight to see everyone so at peace with themselves that there was a smile on every face, rreally every face, even Peeve's.

Dinner was near and Dumbledore had announced that she would be there. She was the only word they used to refer to her. But after all she was famous, a living legend, the most powerful witch to have graduated from Hogwarts, probably the most powerful ever.

Even though this was slightly exaggerated the students believed it.

"Hey, do you know the latest news?" a shrill voice screeched excited. A boy next to the owner of the voice winced and rubbed at his right ear while turning around.

"So what's new Amelia?" he asked with a frown on his lips, obviously irritated.

"Oh come on! Don't you look at me like that. You should be happy; you should have some fun for once Hermes. In all the time we've been here I haven't seen you laughing freely once."

The boy's eyes became slits and their forest green color almost changed into black. His fist clenched to his sides he hurried over to the steps that leaded to the Owlery.

Amelia sent a glare to his back and turned around to talk with a girl of her age that she knew from "Defense against Dark Arts". Still her face seemed somewhat saddened after watching Hermes go without a second thought.

~*~

Half an hour later the picture was still the same. The only changes were the dark clouds now covering the sky.

First raindrops had already fallen and the mass of gray towering over everything else made the castle seem very small from the outside. It didn't take long until the first bolts shot out of the sky and thunder boomed loudly. It was then that Hogwart's Deputy Headmaster, "Defense against Dark Arts" teacher and Slytherin's head awoke with a start.

Grey eyes shot open in an instant and the wand he always carried with him was pulled. A tired curse came over his lips as he realized that it had been false alarm. Sighing the young man stood up, still half asleep walking up to the window in order to close it. He was surprised though as he saw one of the horseless carriages hurrying up the path to the castle. He watched it nearing and wondered to himself who'd be so stupid to come to Hogwarts right now. The rain was pouring down now and soaking everything. The sweet, spring-atmosphere had been washed away, the illusion of eternal peace with it. As the carriage arrived at the front of the castle, the window had already been closed, the room's owner left.

~*~

The young woman that had sat inside of the carriage had indeed been no one else but the famous witch every body had had talked about. By now, already dry again, she was taken to the rooms she would be living in for the next weeks. A small house-elf was leading the way, holding a lamp in one hand and waving with the other wildly while he explained something to the following witch. He didn't notice that she did not listen to him, or the far-off look inside of her eyes.

It had been quite a time since she'd been here last. Seven years to be exact. Still Hogwarts seemed to be the same as she'd left it. Most of the professors were still here, teaching. Well, apart of Minerva McGonagall, who had after all almost lost her life back in the days of war. She'd never been the same, had never talked to anyone about the things she'd to go through. When she finally did open up it was a person nobody would've guessed. Severus Snape, Master of Potions, still teacher, nowadays father of two children, one four the other two years old. Everyone had been surprised at this, even Dumbledore who, so is the saying, had spilled his hot chocolate over his beard as he heard of the proposal. The family lived in a cottage, near Hogwarts.

It was then that the witch suddenly noticed that the elf had stopped his ramblings and looked at her, obviously expecting her to do something.

"Eh, excuse me?" she asked with a small voice, embarrassed that she didn't know what to do. Irritated by the fact that she was nervous because of a mistake in front of a house-elf almost angered her. It wasn't like she thought of the little beings as below the humans like others did but still it seemed to be just wrong, blushing in front of a house-elf.

"But miss, you not know the password no more? Headmaster told you should know how to get in. I sorry, so sorry, miss." The elf said, bowing low, so that his ears already reached the dusty floor. As he looked up, though, surprisingly there was no angered witch towering over him but... well nothing. Confused he looked around until he noticed the normally hidden way to the room. Her room. She was back at Hogwarts, that was for sure. The elf smiled. He, of course, knew who she was and indeed she hadn't changed one bit (or so he thought). Duffy, son of the most rebellious house-elf ever, Dobby, walked away, smiling. 'Soon' he thought.

~*~

During this the youngest member of the staff had made his way to speak to the Headmaster himself. Sitting in front of a large fire, in a huge armchair, a mug of hot chocolate in his hands the young man told about the carriage which he had seen. He was slightly irritated by the way Dumbledore smiled at him all the time but didn't think anything of it.

The Headmaster on the other hand for once knew why he was smiling. He did know who it was inside of the carriage. He'd spoken to her, persuaded her to come and visit. His plans for her were already set. He would resign as Headmaster after the next two years. He knew it was his time, his beard by now almost reached the floor and one time he had almost tripped over it.

He knew that they would accept his offer. 'Two Headmasters at one time, I bet there has never been something like that here at this school.' He chuckled, satisfied with himself and his plans. His features though changed rapidly as the younger turned his head sharply to look at him.

"What is it you aren't telling me?" he asked. "You do know who it is, don't you?"

"I do know!" Albus Dumbledore answered but shrugged it of at almost the same moment. "But really, you will see her at dinner, which will take place..." he looked at the clock on the wall, next to some old photos. "...in exactly three minutes!" he nodded to assure himself and stood up to walk over to his desk. He picked something up and then motioned for the other to follow as he made his way out of the door.

The great hall was already filled with students as they arrived. Everyone was eager to see her. Giggling girls watched as the two newcomers made their way to the staff table.

"Now where is she?" he asked as he sat down on the right of Dumbledore. "Now, now, don't be like that. You might scare her, we wouldn't want that, now would we? After all this time, you two meeting again, this will truly be a feast this evening." The old professors eyes twinkled brightly before he turned away to discuss something with professor Sprout. It was two minutes later that the door to the hall was opened again.

~*~

And then there she was, standing there, insecure and still surprised at her own decision to come. One step after another took her to the staffs' table, were her eyes rested on those blue, twinkli... 'Wait a minute, those aren't... Dumbledore's eyes are pure blue, he would never change his eye-colour and they aren't twinkling like they're supposed to.' It was then when she realized who she was looking at, that her face seemed to fall. "Malfoy!" she whispered, but the hall has fallen deadly silent, so that he heard her. With a similar shocked face Draco Malfoy, son of the by now dead deatheaters Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, stood up and nodded. A bit louder he replied: "Nice to meet you again Granger."