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“It seems that all of your credentials are in orders Ms.-” Dumbledore had started, but was cut off.
“Please, if you’re going to be hiring me, Headmaster, Valerie is fine.” The woman, named Valerie, said with a smile on her face.
“Ah, yes, well of course.” Dumbledore said, grinning with his eyes twinkling, surprised that hers did the same, her brown eyes seeming to explode with magic in the kindest way
“Well, then welcome aboard. I look forward to us being colleagues.” Dumbledore said before shaking her hand and rising, both of them starting to walk out of his office. Oh, it had been a few years since she taught, she was looking forward to it!
~YhaW~
Harry Potter was not having a good time, strike that, most of the students were not having a good time. Dementors, bloody dementors had attacked the train. He huffed softly as he ate, though he was glad for the chocolate that Prof. Lupin had provided him, apparently they had a competent DADA teacher this year. He was about to ask Hermione a question when the hall quieted, Dumbledore had stood up and raised his hand to speak.
“Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements, the first being our new professors who have joined us this year.” He got a few soft groans, but he let them go, he understood the lack of a consistent teacher for DADA.
“First, in our Defense Against the Dark Arts class, we have Professor Remus Lupin. A former prefect of Gryffindor, and second for Valedictorian for his year, I assure you he will be an excellent teacher.” Dumbledore said, gesturing to Remus who stood with a slight color to his cheeks at the praise. He sat down after the applause and then Dumbledore spoke again.
“As to our second new appointment: well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game-keeping duties."- Borrowed from Prisoner of Azkaban.
The applause for Hagrid was loud, almost too loud for Dumbledore to get under control, but he did. He smiled as Hagrid sniffed gently, he really was a gentle soul.
“And last, but certainly not least, it is my dearest displeasure to say that our beloved History professor has passed on. He has taken the steps to his next great adventure, and has thus so been required to be replaced.” He got applause from this, and smiled wryly, he needed to pay attention more to his children!
“Worry not, for he has been replaced by a breathing professor. Please, everyone welcome Ms. Valerie Frizzle, your new History professor.” He gestured to the red haired woman who had the Weasley’s jealous of the sheer volume and color of her hair. It was done up in a bun, but had the most frizzy quality to it, which had a lot of the younger students believing that's where her name came from. She stood up and gave a small curtsy, her robes were even more colorful than the headmaster’s.
“A greetings to you all, my children. I hope that my lessons will bolster your minds and hearts towards History.” Ms. Frizzle said, grinning widely and then taking her seat again. As she did so her hair moved for a moment before the students that were still paying attention saw a lizard appear. It’s body changed from red to green, before it went to her shoulder and rested there, before they saw her feed it some of the chicken at the table.
“Well, she should be interesting, I think.” Hermione said to Ron and Harry, who nodded gently. Harry tilted his head but it was Ron who spoke as Harry was still kind of mesmerized by her robes.
“Think she is related to the headmaster? I mean, look at her robes.” Ron said, while shoveling some food into his face. As Hermione was going to answer, Dumbledore spoke again. This time he told them of the Dementors around the school, and their reason for being there. Harry frowned softly at the thought, but shook it from his head. He would be safe, and they had not only a good DADA professor, but a history teacher that could do something if needed. It was going to be an interesting year, Harry just didn’t know just how interesting.
~YhaW~
“Welcome to my classroom, children! Though I am a professor, I am not as formal as most would assume. You may call me Ms. Frizzle, the Friz, which was popular with my old students, or Valerie.” Ms. Frizzle said as her first class had sat down. “Only in class, however, a little more formality in the hallways is expected.” She said, her hair shimmering again and the lizard from the night before appeared before doing the same act as said night, slumping to her shoulder with a wriggle.
“And how could I forget! This is Elizabeth Savannah Frizzle, or Liz as she prefers. She is my familiar, and has been so for many years.” She said, as she gently caressed the lizard on her shoulder. Said lizard flicked her tongue, before closing her eyes in relaxation.
“So first, who can tell me the last thing you were taught in this class?” She asked, sitting on her desk, facing the class as Liz sat on her lap and she caressed her softly. A hand was raised and she gestured to the student, asking for his name after.
“Draco Malfoy.” The blonde haired child said, getting no response from her aside from a curious look. He frowned for a moment, before he spoke. “We learned about the goblin war of Seventeen Thirty two.” He said, and she nodded, gesturing for him to sit down.
“Hmmm… a rather boring war, if I do say so myself. No casualties, which was marvelous, but it was over change of four sickles, rather ridiculous.” Ms. Frizzle said, huffing softly and waving her hand, before she blinked at the raised hand of another student, calling her and nodding after the same question she posed to Draco.
“Hermione Granger.” The girl said, before going on. “ The goblin wars were all we really learned about, mostly our history knowledge is self study.” Hermione said, getting a few grumbles from students, though they didn’t believe they would be able to sleep with a living professor anyway.
“A shame, really. While those wars have some importance, there is far more to history!” Valerie said, beaming. “Like, for example, who here can tell me about the gold influx of fifteen fifty five?” She asked, and when she got
no
answers she gaped. “No one at all? My goodness! It’s one of the pivotal points of British magical society!” She sighed softly at the blank looks, and then the smirk on her face made some of the students lean back.
“Well… what do you think, Liz? A nice… field trip might help here, hmm?” She said, and her familiar shook her head but smiled. She got up and clapped her hands. “Everyone get your notebooks and pens.” She said, and then blinked as only a few students did so, making her sigh, again. “My, my. Well, those with them, are you alright with notes being copied for the class?” She received nods from her question, and then she smiled again.
“Excellent! Follow me!” She said, starting to file out of the class. “No dallying!” She exclaimed back to them, and the students shrugged and followed her. They followed her to the outer courtyard when they saw her take out some kind of… horn from her bag? The muggleborns and half-bloods who knew of this device, plugged their ears when they saw her turn it to max.
“OOOH BUS!” She said, but due to her megaphone it came out amplified at a volume a little louder than the Sonorus charm. There were a few groans of discomfort, but otherwise the children were unharmed. They all, however, screamed in surprise when a yellow school bus came from the sky, landing with a soft teeter back and forth before turning, and then… smiling at the red haired woman. It was adorned with all kinds of images on it’s side, that moved and swirled. They were the planets, and some constellations. It was truly a sight to behold.
“Class, this is my bus. I call him Bussy, he loves it.” She said, and said bus smiled even wider, before turning and opening it’s doors.
“Everyone in! Go on… it’s perfectly safe, I assure you.” She said, and when no one made a motion she frowned. She was about to say something, when Harry went for the whole ‘Gryffindors Charge Ahead’, notion of his house, and did just that. He got inside and took a seat, marveling at how.. .normal it was in here. He had been in a few of these in primary school, so he knew the deal. Soon after him came Ron, and then Hermione, taking a seat next to him.
“She must have had loads of permission to enchant a whole bus!” Hermione said, and Harry shrugged softly. The bus soon filled up and then Ms. Frizzle sat in the drivers seat.
“Seat belts everyone!” She exclaimed. “If the purebloods need help, don’t hesitate to ask!” She said, and after some grumbling, help was asked for, and muggleborns and half-bloods helped out. “Excellent. Everyone ready?” She buckled in herself, and then grinned.
“Alright, bus! It’s been a few years, but I know you still got it! Lets see if old Cumberbund remembers us!” She said, closing the door and then revving the engine, before magic started to swirl and flow around the bus. With an almost pleased growl, the bus shuddered and in a flash of magic it was gone from Hogwarts.
The following trip was… amazing, to say the very least. Everyone enjoyed themselves, everyone loved the educational and magical aspect of the class. Their History teacher could travel back in time! She explained that they could only visualize, and not interfere, but it was still amazing regardless. According to them all, they spent a good three days learning all they could, and because of the magic of the bus, everything was completely fine. They came back ten minutes before the ending bell for the class chimed, and made it back to class.
“Now, I hope we learned well this class.” Valerie asked, getting nods and bright enthusiastic words in return. “Good! I will more than likely have these trips every other class, with a quiz in between, its good for retention.” She said, about to go on before the bell rang. “Oh… well it seems we’re… out of time. Have a good afternoon, class!” She said, getting soft chuckles before the class left, the next batch of students coming in. They were seventh years, and she could see that a few of them already knew about her.
“The Friz! Oh man, Dad told me so much about you!” One seventh year said, and she smiled. “My dad’s name is Carlos.” He said, and she laughed.
“How is that old pun machine?” She said, and the rest of the class filed in, oh, she was going to love teaching at Hogwarts.