To Love a Vampire

Chapter Three - The New Defense Against Dark Arts professor

The Great Hall was large, larger than Nicky had expected. There were four tables, each with a different colored flag hanging above the tables. The green flags had snakes, the red flags had lions, the blue had ravens, and the purple had badgers.

Harry bid them good luck, and hoped they didn't go into Slytherin, and left to his respectable table, the table with the red flag decorated with a fierce lion.

Draco shook his head at him. He leaned in and whispered to Nicky, "If you belong anywhere, it should be Slytherin. Let him eat his words."

Nicky looked at him, puzzled. She shook her head. "I'd rather be put where I belong," she said. "I don't want to say where I want to go. If I chose Gryffindor, then you'll be angry. If I chose Slytherin, then Harry and them will angry. I think I'll go for the raven."

"Ravenclaw?" Draco asked. "Well, at least it's better than Gryffindor."

He turned to go, but she stopped him. "I have a question," she said.

He raised his silver eyebrows.

"If I do get put into Gryffindor, what will you do about it?" she asked, very curious as to what his answer could be. 'I would never want to talk to you ever again!' maybe?

Draco shrugged. "You wouldn't get in Gryffindor." 'Because you have a little bit of vampire in you', he wanted to say, but thought better of it.

Nicky shrugged. "If I do. I'm just speaking hypothetically."

"Then, I'm going to have to switch houses," he decided on. "I was told to protect you, and that's what I will do."

Nicky nodded, knowing very well he wouldn't be caught dead switching from Slytherin to Gryffindor.

Harold pushed her. "Come on," he said. "McGonagall wants us to follow her."

Nicky nodded, and smiled at Draco. The four new comers followed McGonagall to the head. She told the four to stop in front of the Staff Table, where it looked like the teachers sat. McGonagall started talking with a wizard who had a long white beard, and sparkling blue eyes.

"These are the new students," McGonagall explained. "The new students that here for the protection."

The other wizard Nicky knew to be Albus Dumbledore. She admired him greatly, for his concern for the school and all his students, and the whole world, and his great defeat against Grindlewald. She was sure that if there was 'The Greatest Wizard of All Time' award, she knew he would get it.

Dumbledore nodded, allowing for McGonagall to continue with their sorting. He stood up, and quieted the students down as McGonagall left to retrieve the hat.

"Everyone," boomed the aged wizard, "this year we have four new students. They will not be starting with the usual first years. They are here for certain reasons, and they will be starting with their respective years."

And the end of this, there were murmurs as McGonagall arrived with the hat and a stool. She set the hat down on the stool and began to call the names out.

"LeBouche, Harold," she called.

Harold stepped forward, and Nicky could've sworn she heard some sighs from the girls behind her.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

Nicky looked behind her and saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron stand up and applaud with the rest of the table.

"LeBouche, Louis."

Louis stepped forward - "Louie," he corrected - and placed the hat on his head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted.

The Ravenclaw table erupted in applause as Louis walked over to sit down. He winked at Nicky as she was called up.

She placed the hat on her head, and held her breath.

'Don't be nervous,' a small little voice inside her head said. 'Everything is going to be fine.'

'Are you my conscience?' she asked the small voice.

'What? No! I'm the hat, talking to you.'

Nicky nodded. 'Sorry.'

'Well, let's get this over with, shall we?'

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

Harold, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all jumped up and began clapping loudly, while Draco and Blaise clapped as well, just not very enthusiastically. She gave them a small smile and went to sit next to Harold.

Santiago was then sorted into Slytherin.

The Gryffindors began talking as they waited for the rest of the first years.

"Nicky, did you think you were going to be sorted into Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.

Nicky shook her head. "I didn't know what house I was going to be put in. I was hoping either Gryffindor or Slytherin."

"Why Slytherin?" Ron asked.

Nicky shrugged. "I know more about Gryffindor and Slytherin than any of the other houses. My mother was in Slytherin herself."

Hermione hushed them all as the first years crowded in.

---

Dumbledore stood up, and held out his hands to quiet the students down. As soon as they were all quiet, he cleared his throat.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts, for returning students. For new students, welcome to Hogwarts! Let me remind you all, that the Forbidden Forest has its name for a reason," he said as he looked down upon the trio. Nicky became curious. "Anyone who is caught out in the Forbidden Forest will have detention with Mr. Filch." He indicated his hand towards a shabby man who stood near the back, with a large cat at his feet.

"Mrs. Norris," Ron whispered in Nicky's ear. "Watch out for her. She's crazy."

"And, I would like to introduce you all to the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dia," Dumbledore continued. He held out his hand towards the blonde teacher.

She stood up, and bowed. She waved her hands to stop the students from clapping. She wiped at an invisible tear.

"First, I would like to thank Albus Dumbledore for choosing me for this job," she said. "And I would also like to thank all the teachers for being so kind to me the time I've been here. And I would also like to - "

"Do you mind?" Snape asked, sitting next to her. He glared at the doors that led to the Entrance Hall.

Dia giggled. "I'm getting to you, hold on."

Snape shook his head. "Sit down, Dia," he ordered.

Dia placed her hand on her heart and gasped. She then glared at him, crossed her arms over her chest, and then looked away. "Fine, see if I thank you!"

"Sit down!" Snape roared.

Dia squeaked, and sat obediently, with her hands in her lap.

Dumbledore's shoulders shook in hidden laughter. "Thank you, Professor Dia."

Dia squeaked in response, her face paled.

He shook his head as he smiled. He cleared his throat and addressed the rest of the hall. "There is a curfew, for the better protection of you all now that the Dark Lord has risen. The curfew is now at nine. Anyone caught out after nine, will serve a detention, no questions asked. I will have the Head Girl and Boy, and the prefects will all be patrolling. That is all I have for you tonight. I welcome you all back!"

---

Professor Dia stood at the double doors, bidding everyone good night. The four LeBouche children stepped out, and Nicky nearly smacked into her. Though they didn't connect, Dia fell regardless.

Nicky gasped. "I'm so sorry, Professor!" she apologized.

Dia waved her apology away. "It's okay, it happens all the time," she said, smiling.

The three boys looked at each other as the professor dusted off her bright pink robes. She picked off a large piece of dust as Filch walked by with his cat following.

"Argus!" she called. He stopped and turned around. "You need to clean the floor!" she called.

Filch sneered, and continued on his way, muttering under his breath.

Dia shook her head, and turned to the four still standing in front of her. She looked at each of them, her mouth still smiling. She raised her eyebrows. When the four didn't do anything, her smile disappeared. "May...I...help...you?" she yelled. She held her head back. The students all shook their head, and went their way.

"She's a strange one," Louis said.

Santiago nodded his agreement. Draco walked up to them.

"Blaise is already in the common room," he said to Santiago. He then smiled at Nicky, and he didn't see Harold give him a glare. "Gryffindor, are you?" he said.

Nicky nodded. "So, when are you going to talk to Dumbledore about switching houses?" she asked.

Harold looked at her wide eyed.

Draco shook his head. "First, no offense, but I wouldn't be caught dead in the Gryffindor common room, and second, I don't think we're allowed to switch. Besides, you have Harold." Draco looked at Harold, who gave a look that told him he was right.

Nicky nodded. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow then?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "Well, let's go, LeBouche," he said. He winked at Nicky, who smiled back. Harold glared deathly at Draco.

Santiago nodded, and put his hand on Draco's shoulder. They left towards the dungeons.

Nicky looked up at Harold, who was glaring heavily at Draco's back. Louis, noticed this, too.

Nicky put her hand on his shoulder. "Harold?"

"I don't want you to hang with him with out one of us with you," he snapped at her.

She shrugged her shoulders, and they walked up the Grand Staircase, Louis leaving them on the library floor, as he was told the Ravenclaw common room was near the library.

Harold and Nicky walked up the stairs in silence. Nicky kept thinking about the look he was giving Draco. Why would he look like he wanted to kill him? He was the one who wanted Draco to be one of the few students to watch out for her. Had he really changed his mind that quickly? Harold was still a mystery to her, even though she had known him for a year.

She then tried to think of when he started to think that way with Draco. Was it when he smiled at her? Was Harold jealous? She bit her lip to surpass the urge to laugh. Harold? Jealous? What a dumb thought! But, then again, he was only her brother by marriage. He can have those jealous feelings, and it not be sickly gross?

Now that she thought about it, he had been kind of clingy to her since their parents got married. He was always there when she needed somebody to be with, he even danced with her at all the dances their parents held, as they held lots of parties.

Nicky's thoughts were disturbed as someone pushed passed them, and tripped and fell on the ground with a thud. She recognized the person as Professor Dia.

The two ran over to her, and helped her up.

"I tell you!" she said. "Argus needs to not polish the floors so well!" She looked at Nicky and Harold. "I do hope you're going to your common rooms?"

Nicky nodded. "Yes, we are."

Dia nodded. "Good. Dumbledore just got word that someone has broke into Hogwarts, though he doesn't know who. Just to keep you two safe, go straight to your common rooms."

With that, she continued running, turned a corner, almost tripped again, and disappeared from sight.