Hello... Again

Have You Ever Been in Love?

The sound of students' chatter filled the Magical Theory classroom. It was well over time for the lecture to begin, and their professor was no where to be seen. Several rumors began to spread amongst the students pertaining to their teacher's whereabouts. The assumption of lycanthropy was the most popular.

The door, which had closed itself at the time class should have started, bursted open of its own accord. All students turned their attention to the doorway. Agnes - Professor Blackwood to the students - marched into the masses. Her robes were disheveled and her hair unbrushed. Professor Blackwood hadn't even bothered fixing up her hair in its usual bun.

Professor Blackwood glared at the students before making way to her desk. She managed to mutter, "Study period," before flopping into her seat. She laid her forehead across her hands, appearing to go to sleep.

"Excuse me, Professor... but what about the lecture?" A Ravenclaw boy dared to speak.

Agnes glared. "Pardon?"

"Our lecture for the day. We were to continue the advanced study of the Nature of Magic."

"You have your textbooks, don't you?"

"Well, yes, but as a professor at Hogwarts, it is your job to educate us," the Ravenclaw challenged. "You haven't even given us an assignment to do."

"Then do work for another class. I don't care just as long as you're quiet."

The Ravenclaw boy was silenced along with every other student in the room. Professor Blackwood had never been in such a foul mood. Eventually, the students realized that Professor Blackwood had been serious and began to study one class or another. Some saw this as an opportunity to complete homework assignments they hadn't done for other classes.

With the sounds of flipping pages of books and quills on parchment, Agnes managed to drift off to sleep. If Dumbledore found out and had a problem with her actions, he knew where to find her.

~

The sun was going to set any minute, now. The students would already be on their way to dinner. If they weren't, they would be soon.

Agnes' mind loved to play tricks on her. To plague her. To haunt her with her memories. To remind her of what she had done.

Agnes sat alone on the bank of the Black Lake. She had a bottle of Pink Moscato wine in her hand. Though it was a wine with a very light alcohol percentage, it was the only wine Agnes cared for. A simple spell will refill the bottle need she run out. That's all that magic was good for - refilling alcoholic beverages. Though it wasn't wise to drink as a professor at Hogwarts, it was the only way she had ever found to be able to keep her composure after a night like the one she had found before. It clouded her thoughts. Even if it was only for couple hours; it was enough for Agnes to regain her composure.

The sound of footsteps on the soft grass of Hogwart's grounds were heard before Agnes saw the steps' master. It was coming from the way of the Forbidden Forest. Agnes readied her wand. There was no telling what it could be coming out of there. It was almost nightfall, for Merlin's sake! The fact that the footsteps could be heard indicated that it was a rather large creature approaching. Had to be ready for anything, right?

The steps came closer to the edge of the forest, and closer to where Agnes sat. Agnes raised her wand. "Aye, aye, aye! Easy there! I'm come 'n peace! I'm 'armless!"

Shocked at first, Agnes did lower her wand. Upon realizing who she had almost obliterated, she rolled her head to the side in a dramatic gesture. "Merlin's beard, Hagrid! Don't go dallying about the edge of the Forbidden Forest sneaking up on people. You'll get your bloody brains blown out!"