Moondance

"Please follow me," said the crisp voice of the elder woman who answered the castle door. Her witch's hat was perched on the exact center of her head, and everything about her seemed to be organized. She walked stiff and upright up the stairs, leading the woman who had knocked on the door down the long gray corridors. She stopped in front of a large stone gargoyle and glanced down the hall to make sure no one was watching.
"Chocolate Frog." She had only just finished the password when the gargoyle came to life and sprang out of the way, revealing a staircase of sorts. "Just stand on the staircase, and it will take you up to the Headmaster's office." She smiled briskly and walked off down the long hall.
The woman surveyed the staircase for a moment with cool green eyes, then hesitantly stepped on it. It immediately began escalating upwards, and after a short time, she reached another door. The second door slid open, and the Headmaster's office was revealed. It had many intricate items everywhere, curious little knickknacks and numerous spinning metal objects. The pictures of previous headmasters were on the walls, most of them looked quite jolly, but one was fast asleep. She smiled to herself, thinking that the office hadn't changed much since the last time she had been in it. Sheng fingers through her deep brown hair, a nervous habit she had picked up ages ago.

On a golden stand sat Fawkes. The bird had been eyeing the young woman from the second she entered. His large black eyes met her light green ones as she slowly moved towards him.
"Hello, Fawkes," she whispered. The phoenix blinked twice and chirped softly, recognizing the woman though he hadn't seen her for years. In a rush of bright red and gold feathers, he launched off of his perch and began flapping around the high ceiling of the office.
"Good evening, Sariyah," said a seasoned voice. Sariyah turned to face the one and only Albus Dumbledore, dressed in bright blue robes. His eyes twinkled behind gold-rimmed glasses that sat on his long crooked nose.
"Hello, Headmaster," Sariyah greeted, a large grin spreading over her honey colored face.
"I'm so glad you decided to answer the ad in the Daily Prophet. I honestly didn't believe that we were going to end up getting a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...and I don't know why I didn't think of calling you in the beginning, Sariyah. The thought never crossed my mind until earlier this year."
"Yes, Headmaster, although I don't think I would have been able to start any earlier than this year, what with all the goings on I had to deal with," she answered.
"Of course, of course...I am so relieved that it was you that we did end up getting. I could not have asked for a more qualified teacher. We haven't had a decent one since Remus was teaching three years ago."
Sariyah's eyes lost the happiness they held, and for a moment a glimmer of pain shot through them. She broke her gaze from Dumbledore briefly but quickly made contact ag's eyes narrowed slightly, inquisitively.
"Sariyah...I know you and Remus were very close when you were going to school here at Hogwarts...what happened?" asked Dumbledore.
"Another time, sir, I will tell you...I don't really want to talk about it right now," Sariyah replied, looking away from the wizened old man.
"Anytime you would like to, you know I am here. Now I must order you to leave my office and set up shop in the Defense room, as well as organize the things in your own office. Its good to have you back again, Sariyah." Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled. Sariyah smiled back and exited the office in a swish of lavender robes.

Albus Dumbledore sat down at his desk and sighed. Sariyah Khan had been one of the smartest students at Hogwarts ever. She hung around with the good crowd-the Gryffindor crowd. If he remember correctly, she and Lily Potter were best friends, and she and Remus were very close as well...what had happened there, Dumbledore couldn't comprehend. Even Headmasters didn't know everything about their students, and he didn't have time to think about it. There was much to be done before the evening came to an end.