Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Seventeen

She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door. A few moments later the door was opened by a man in his late fifties. He threw her a questioning glance.

"Good Morning. My name is Cynthia O'Leary..."

A smile appeared on the wizard's face. "Ah, Miss O'Leary! I'm Headmaster Horatio Monroe." He motioned her to follow him. "Please take a seat."

Cassiopeia sat down in front of the desk. The headmaster took a pile of parchments which Cassiopeia recognized to be her application.

"Miss O'Leary....I take it's miss?"

"Yes. I'm not married."

"And your blood status is half-blood?"

Cassiopeia suppressed a sigh. Oh brave new world where the blood status was ranking higher than the academic qualifications. She nodded.

"You didn't attend Hogwarts though?"

"No, but I took my O.W.L. and N.E.W.T." She gestured at the parchments.

"Yes, I saw you achieved remarkable results."

Cassiopeia smiled, "Thank you," silently wondering what he would have thought about her actual results if he already considered her downgraded marks 'remarkable'.

"So, I think you're aware that we are a school for Muggle-born students only?" When Cassiopeia nodded, the headmaster continued, "How do you feel about Muggle-born magic?"

Cassiopeia looked back at him, inwardly frowning at the strangeness of this question. Choosing her words carefully, she answered, "I think it's not wise to underestimate Muggle-born magic."

Headmaster Monroe eyed her for a long moment. Then he nodded. "Well, we're always in need of adequate teachers so for all I care you could start teaching here right away. But all our new teachers have to be interviewed by the special forces of our government first. So if you pass that interview I'll be delighted to welcome you to our institution."

Cassiopeia swallowed. "The special forces?"

"Yes. There'll be coming someone of those..." His voice trailed off.

"Now?" Cassiopeia resisted the urge to jump up from her seat.

The headmaster simply nodded, oblivious to her concern.

Cassiopeia tried to relax but it wasn't that easy. The special forces surely were the Death Eaters. Depending on who of them was going to come, her little adventure might just be over before it even started.

"I'll take you next door. You can wait there."

Cassiopeia followed the headmaster to a small room furnitured with a table and two chairs.

"I wish you good luck and would be happy to see you soon." Headmaster Monroe smiled again and left the room.

Cassiopeia eyed the chairs for a moment but decided against sitting down. After a while the door opened again and Cassiopeia unconsciously held her breath.

It was Dolohov who entered the room. Cassiopeia exhaled slowly. At least he was none of the Slytherin gang who had known her almost all her life. He would hopefully not recognize her.

Dolohov took a seat and shot her a bored glance. "O'Leary? Sit down."

Cassiopeia nodded and sat down on the chair opposite him.

"Blood status?" His voice was sharp and somehow accusing.

"Pu...uhm half-blood," Cassiopeia replied.

Dolohov eyed her disdainfully. "What are you going to do if one of the Mudbloods here doesn't behave?"

Cassiopeia stared back at him. The way he had asked his question irritated her, as did the question itself but if she wanted this job she had to play along. "I'll report them."

"How do you react if a pure-blood orders you to do something?"

Cassiopeia resisted the urge to scream  at him. Instead she lowered her eyes and said, "I'll obey."

Dolohov nodded and pushed his chair back. "Ok. You may teach the filth. But always remember, no advanced magic, no Dark Arts, no defence. We'll know if you disobey and we won't tolerate it."

"Yes."

Dolohov eyed her sternly for another moment, momentarily looking as if he was going to say something further but then he got up and left the room without another word.

Cassiopeia watched him leave and slowly relaxed.

******
Author's note: There we go with another chapter! Hope you enjoyed it :)