(HP) The New Professor
Title: The New Professor
Fandom: Harry Potter
Author: jackiejlh
Rating: PG
Character(s): Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Neville Longbottom
Pairing(s): barely-there hints of Dumbledore/Grindelwald and Neville/Hannah
Warning(s): none
Author's Note: Written for the genhp_ldws Last Drabble Writer Standing competition. The prompt was "The Older Generation", which could be used in any context, for any story between 100 and 500 words.
Summary: What does Hogwarts do better, really, than beginnings?
The New Professor
Amidst the chatter of young voices, the new professor
walks toward the Head Table.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course-plans that involved saving the world
from itself, and maybe love, too, when there was a
quiet moment amongst the chaos.
But… well, all things must come to an end, and if that
plan was cut short too early, it was most certainly for
the best. Especially after… Merlin, he can't even
think about it without tears welling up in his eyes.
He'll do well at Hogwarts, he thinks, mentally changing
the subject. And maybe he can watch for anyone too
ambitious; anyone who might think to pick up where
he and Gellert had left off.
~*~
She'd never really expected to be back here. She'd had
plans, of course-a respectable job at the Ministry, a
cottage somewhere, a loving someone to welcome her
home. Maybe even children, one day.
Of course, the war stole all of that away, didn't it?
But such is life, and there's no point in crying now over
what will never be. Not excessively, anyway.
The offer letter from Professor Dumbledore-Albus,
she reminds herself-had been a godsend, in a way. A
change of pace will be nice; at least for a while. And
she's always enjoyed Transfiguration.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course; all the Marauders had. They'd fancied
themselves heroes, he supposes. Maybe they had been.
Well, most of them.
But war wasn't glorious. He'd seen so many die, and
nothing about it had been exciting or heroic.
Still, he'd kept hope; they'd all make it through, as
long as they were together.
And he had made it, for the most part, with the notable
exception of his heart, shattered on a long-ago Halloween
night and ground into dust by the intervening, lonely years
He's been searching for a place to call home for so long.
He hasn't belonged anywhere since….
Well.
Maybe McGonagall was right-it's never too late to
start over.
Perhaps he can belong here.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course-and he'd followed through on most
of them. Not all, but he supposes that's about the same
for anyone. But working for the Ministry was vaguely…
soul-crushing. He was tired of hating his job.
So, here he is. He's mildly terrified, truth be told, but
he thinks he can do this. After all the things he's
survived in this very building, teaching can't be too bad.
Besides, Hannah seemed impressed when he told her, so…
maybe things there will change for the better, too.
~*~
This is all like a second chance. A new beginning. And
what does Hogwarts do better, really, than beginnings?
With a determined nod, the new professor sits at the High
Table with the rest of the staff for the first time as the
doors open and the Sorting starts.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Author: jackiejlh
Rating: PG
Character(s): Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Neville Longbottom
Pairing(s): barely-there hints of Dumbledore/Grindelwald and Neville/Hannah
Warning(s): none
Author's Note: Written for the genhp_ldws Last Drabble Writer Standing competition. The prompt was "The Older Generation", which could be used in any context, for any story between 100 and 500 words.
Summary: What does Hogwarts do better, really, than beginnings?
The New Professor
Amidst the chatter of young voices, the new professor
walks toward the Head Table.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course-plans that involved saving the world
from itself, and maybe love, too, when there was a
quiet moment amongst the chaos.
But… well, all things must come to an end, and if that
plan was cut short too early, it was most certainly for
the best. Especially after… Merlin, he can't even
think about it without tears welling up in his eyes.
He'll do well at Hogwarts, he thinks, mentally changing
the subject. And maybe he can watch for anyone too
ambitious; anyone who might think to pick up where
he and Gellert had left off.
~*~
She'd never really expected to be back here. She'd had
plans, of course-a respectable job at the Ministry, a
cottage somewhere, a loving someone to welcome her
home. Maybe even children, one day.
Of course, the war stole all of that away, didn't it?
But such is life, and there's no point in crying now over
what will never be. Not excessively, anyway.
The offer letter from Professor Dumbledore-Albus,
she reminds herself-had been a godsend, in a way. A
change of pace will be nice; at least for a while. And
she's always enjoyed Transfiguration.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course; all the Marauders had. They'd fancied
themselves heroes, he supposes. Maybe they had been.
Well, most of them.
But war wasn't glorious. He'd seen so many die, and
nothing about it had been exciting or heroic.
Still, he'd kept hope; they'd all make it through, as
long as they were together.
And he had made it, for the most part, with the notable
exception of his heart, shattered on a long-ago Halloween
night and ground into dust by the intervening, lonely years
He's been searching for a place to call home for so long.
He hasn't belonged anywhere since….
Well.
Maybe McGonagall was right-it's never too late to
start over.
Perhaps he can belong here.
~*~
He'd never really expected to be back here. He'd had
plans, of course-and he'd followed through on most
of them. Not all, but he supposes that's about the same
for anyone. But working for the Ministry was vaguely…
soul-crushing. He was tired of hating his job.
So, here he is. He's mildly terrified, truth be told, but
he thinks he can do this. After all the things he's
survived in this very building, teaching can't be too bad.
Besides, Hannah seemed impressed when he told her, so…
maybe things there will change for the better, too.
~*~
This is all like a second chance. A new beginning. And
what does Hogwarts do better, really, than beginnings?
With a determined nod, the new professor sits at the High
Table with the rest of the staff for the first time as the
doors open and the Sorting starts.