Letters By Night

Letters by Night

Chapter 1: Something New

Alanna Reid took a deep breath and knocked on the heavy wooden doors. She hoped she would be able to conquer this most recent task set before her: teaching at Hogwarts.

Alanna was to be the new Astronomy teacher. At twenty-five, it was her first job, and, her black hair fluttering behind her, she waited, tense and expectant, for the doors to be unbolted. At last, with a loud creak, they opened.

An old man peeked out, his floor length beard and hair making him look wizened, but his light blue eyes saying otherwise. "Hello. You must be Alanna Reid," he said, in a cheerful voice, as he led her in. She gathered her things and followed him into the dark, deserted corridor. It was late, and she yawned out of nerves and fatigue.

She walked behind the old man in silence, unsure of where he was taking her. Professor Dumbledore. He stopped at a staircase, after a few uncomfortable minutes of walking through a maze of hallways, and gestured up the stairs.

"Your quarters are just up these stairs, to the left. The Astronomy Tower is to the right. I hope you will be with us for a long time," he said, smiling, and then traipsed back down the hall.

Alanna carried her belongings up the stairs, shaking off the feeling of exhaustion. She brushed softly by someone who was coming down the stairs, a darkly clothed man.

"Sorry," she said tiredly, and he looked at her in a calculating way, from behind his shoulder-length black hair, and then continued on his way down the staircase. Alanna shrugged and went to her room, not even bothering to wonder why this strangely familiar man had been up in the Astronomy Tower.

Alanna nervously stepped into the Great Hall the next morning, looking around. She quickly spotted the staff table at the end of the hall, the only one with people sitting at it, as term had not started yet. As she walked closer, she gazed along the table with dismay. There was only one seat left.

She trod around the table, and sat nervously, feeling the eyes of the other teachers upon her. She looked to her left; she remembered this black robed man. Professor Snape. It had been more than eight years since she had last been at Hogwarts, but she recalled him with horrible vividness...she'd been terrified of him, and he wasn't very partial to Ravenclaws. He frowned at her with intense distaste, noticing she was staring, and she turned away to her right, looking at the elaborate chair next to her. In it sat Dumbledore.

"Good morning, Professor," said Dumbledore brightly.

She smiled, and meekly answered, "Good morning."

Dumbledore, who never missed anything, continued, "I see you have met Professor Snape," he said, gesturing to the dark-clothed, hook-nosed professor sitting to her left. "Severus, you remember Alanna Reid? She's the new Astronomy professor."

A corner of Snape's mouth twitched in a sort of half-smile. "Good morning," he said, sounding as though it were anything but. The other teachers, however, quickly vacated their seats and engaged her in conversation. She gave an inward shudder; she'd been hoping Snape wouldn't still be here. But she happily conversed with the other professors, glad to know that they weren't condescending, as she had expected.

Tiny little Professor Flitwick had also been there when Alanna was in school. "Ah yes, I remember now," he said squeakily. "You were the one with the -"

"The quill, sir," Alanna answered sheepishly. She had been pretty good at Charms - unfortunately, her aim was rather off, culminating in the memorable class when she accidentally sent a quill flying madly around the room, injuring several people. "I've had a bit of practice since then...Oh, hi, Professor Sprout!"

For the Herbology professor as well had been her teacher. She looked quite a bit older than Alanna remembered her, but was cheerful all the same. It struck Alanna as strange that she might now be considered and equal to all these people who had for her been symbols of authority, but perhaps she would get used to it in time.