Flora And Fawna [HARRY POTTER]

42

There came a time in every student's career when they were asked to sit down with their head of house ad discuss what they wanted to do with their future. This meeting, which happened in fifth year, as well as their OWL scores would determine which classes they would need to take in their last two years at Hogwarts. In Rosie's fifth year she had been perfectly honest with her head of house, Professor Flitwick, and told him that she had no idea what it was she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She was doing well in all of her subjects but there was nothing in particular that she wanted to do. Like Penny wanted to be a chef, and mesmerize muggles with her potions skills. Bill wanted to do something do do with curses, because he excelled in charms and defense. But Rosie did well in all her classes and didn't feel particularly attached to any of them.

Which is why she was once again sitting in Professor Flitwick's office, sipping tea, and discussing what she was going to do after Hogwarts, as the end of her seventh year was quickly approaching.

"Have you decided what you want to do yet, Miss. Black?" The head of Ravenclaw asked in his usual, squeaky voice. Rosie shook her head.

"I haven't found anything that feels right yet," Rosie admitted. "The headmaster approached me about a teaching position after I graduate, but I don't know of any position besides Defense Against the Dark Arts that would be open and it doesn't seem to me that it would offer very much job security."

Professor Flitwick grinned, but nodded all the same.

"What about a job in the muggle world then? Your friend Miss. Jefferson wants to become a muggle cook. And Headmaster Dumbledore has informed me that you've been completing your muggle schooling over the summer so you could very easily join a university. You could become a muggle teacher?"

Rosie tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, and imagined it. She loved children, that much was obvious in the way she acted around her nephews. She was also a fairly good instructor, as she had been able to coach Bill through his last few years of schooling without a problem. Teacher did sound interesting, and she could have holidays off to spend with Harry when he was out of school as well. Slowly the idea began to sink in and the longer it's there the more she begins to like it.

"I have a friend at King's Cross College in London who owes me a favor if you wish. I can get you an interview?"

Rosie grinned at her head of house, and nodded finally.

"That sounds splendid, Professor. Thank you."

*******

Rosie's next weekend off was spent in London, where she had arrived by train before the morning sun had even risen. There was a horrible commute, but Vernon didn't work on weekends and Rosie had no intention of making the man drive her there on one of the few days he had off. She supposed she could have driven herself, or even taken the Knight Bus, but she didn't particularly like either of those options. Rosie had just barely passed her drivers test after all.

"Thank you for meeting with me on a weekend, Professor Edwards," Rosie stepped forwards to shake the beautiful woman's hand. Professor Katelyn Edwards was a prestigious woman was a prestigious reputation. She had gotten accepted into Oxford straight out of secondary school and she had graduated with a masters in a mere four years. She was brilliant, and she was also a halfblood witch that Professor Flitwick had had the honor of teaching at Hogwarts ten years earlier,

Professor Edwards shook Rosie's hand firmly, her stern expression melting into a kind one as Rosie introduced herself.

"Filius speaks very highly of you," Professor Edwards said as the two women sat down on either side of a small table. Professor had asked Rosie to meet her at a small cafe not far off campus, for privacy and discretion as they would be speaking about Rosie's Hogwarts education as well as her muggle one. "He seems to think that with a little coaching you might even surpass my brilliance."

Rosie blushed prettily, and the older woman smiled at her, noting the way Rosie's hair shone like spun gold in the early morning light.

"Professor Flitwick is too kind," Rosie said softly, staring down at the cup of tea a waitress had placed in front of her. It looked brilliant, but Rosie was so nervous she was afraid she might spill it all over herself. "He's been particularly patient with me taking so long to decide my career."

Katelyn grinned, having no qualms about taking a long sip of her own tea. 

"You and I both know that Filius doesn't have a patient bone in his entire body. You've done nothing that every other seventh year hasn't already done my dear. Hopefully this meeting will shed some light on your decision though.

"Filius has sent me your school records, both those from Hogwarts and your muggle schooling, and I must say that I am very impressed. As far as I know there is no other witch or wizard who has gone to the trouble of maintaining their previous schooling as well. In my opinion it just goes to show that Filius was right on the nose about you, but I do have to go through with this interview in any case."

Rosie looked surprised, and unsurprisingly Professor Edwards accurately interpreted the emotion on her face. 

"Yes, Filius took the liberties of submitting an application for you, and by your expression i'd guess he told you this meeting was for something else. Perhaps for you to decide whether you were interested in a career in muggle teaching?" 

Rosie nodded dumbly, her tea long forgotten as she watched the enchanting woman throw her head back and laugh.

"I shouldn't be surprised," Katelyn chuckled, grinning widely. "So as to make sure there are no other surprises though, your dear head of house wrote a wonderful letter of recommendation for you and submitted you muggle grades to the college, and your hogwarts grades to me. This interview is just a formality and I am pleased to inform you that you have unofficially been accepted as a student for the fall semester."

Rosie blinked, then her eyes widened.

"I'm not even entirely sure I want to be a professor, let alone that I want to go to college," she protested weakly. "I just don't know of anything else I might want to be."

Professor Edwards smiled secretively, leaning forward towards the younger girl so that Rosie could smell her perfume in the air.

"No one decides to be a teacher, darling girl. We simply have nothing else we would rather do."

*******

A little more than an hour later Rosie and Professor Edwards left the cafe together, after having sat and talked their way through several more cups of tea. Once they were on the sidewalk, and Rosie's golden hair was shining in the afternoon light, Katelyn turned towards Rosie with a coy smile.

"It was wonderful meeting you, Miss. Evans," She said formally, bringing a smile onto Rosie's face. "If you would like, I would thoroughly enjoy meeting with you again, this time on a much less formal basis."

Rosie, who had enjoyed the intellectual conversation she had been able to have with the older woman, smiled shyly, then nodded.

"I would like that as well, Professor Edwards," Rosie said, making the smile on Katelyn's face grow. 

"If we're to meet as friends, you should call me Katelyn, Darling girl."

Professor Edwards' hand reached out to stroke Rosie's hair, and Rosie blushed. There were a few more words between the two women before they parted ways, Rosie with the professor's contact information and Katelyn with the promise that Rosie would get in touch as soon as she could.

It wasn't until Rosie was nearly half way home that she began to wonder if perhaps Professor Edwards was not simply interested in a intellectual conversation. And Rosie had to wonder if perhaps she wouldn't be interested as well.