Mixing Lessons: A Hogwarts Whouffle AU

Chapter 1: Bumping Into You

Chapter 1: Bumping into you

A/N: This fanfiction is set before Harry's birth, around when He-who-should-not-be-named had just graduated Hogwarts and was gathering his army. Enjoy!

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"Good morning, Professor Oswald." Albus Dumbledore--the schools headmaster-- said to Clara Monday morning in the corridor. Clara had her scrolls tucked neatly in her messenger bag and a quill between her petite fingers. It was only her first month of teaching, second week of school. Still she was anxious and nervous with each and every class.

Clara grinned at Albus, "Mornin', Albus. How are you this morning?" Clara stood beside him, students rushing past them to get to class.

Albus shrugged and offered a smile, "Like everyday, old and happy," He chuckled and stroked his long white beard. "You?"

Before she could think she blurted, "Anxious." Immediately Clara regretted saying it. She but her lip nervously.

Dumbledore clapped her on the shoulder. Clara was surprised that he was only a couple inches taller than her. "It'll be okay, Miss. You'll get used to teaching, give it time."

Clara nodded, "Thanks, I better get going. Classes start in a few minutes. Don't wanna be late." She kindly waved him off and walked away, her hair bouncing behind her and cloak bellowing out.

Clara turned the corner and ran into something warm and soft. "Oh ! Sorry--!" Clara looked up to find gorgeous grass green eyes looking down at her. The man smiled at her. Clara took a few steps back away from him and grinned nervously, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear meekly.

"No, it's my fault. I should've been looking." The man with thick brown hair said with a mischievously attractive grin. He held out his left hand, "I'm John by the way, John Smith." Clara noticed he had a copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard in his hand and was probably reading it when they ran into each other. He quickly tucked it inside his bag.

Clara took his hand with a smile and shook. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith. I'm Clara Oswald, I teach herbology." Shaking, she took her hand away and tucked it in the pocket of her black cloak.

His eyes changed, almost like he was disappointed, but he maintained his grin. "Oh, interesting. I teach Defense Against The Dark Arts."

Clara suddenly knew why he was disappointed. The mysterious man, John Smith, taught Defense Against The Dark Arts, the worse of all subjects. In school, she had always hate that subject. It was stupid and encouraged kids to learn more about the Dark Arts. "Oh, well um I have a class to teach, so see you around." She felt her cheeks grow hot and mentally slapped herself. "Bye." Clara waved goodbye and started down the corridor, away from him. She secretly hoped they would never crossed paths again.

John looked behind him and smiled, thinking to himself 'Not again'.

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"Mornin' class!" Clara grinned, secretly very anxious inside. Her chest was filled with hot air and she felt her cheeks being very warm. "Today we will be learning about Gillyweed, which allows you to breath underwater. Although its rare, it used to thrive everywhere throughout the wizard world..." Clara rambled on and on for many minutes until it was time for the children to leave. Once everyone was out of the room, Clara slumped in her chair and ran her hands through her hair. She removed her spectacles and placed them on the desk before rubbing her face. "Ugh..." She groaned before standing and walking out her classroom, locking it behind her.

Clara headed towards the Great Hall and down the corridors. Her heels made soft click-clack sounds on the wood flooring. "Clara!" She heard a male voice behind her and stopped in her tracks to turn around. Behind Clara was John Smith, again. Clara softly smiled, secretly wishing he'd go away. "There you are." John said, catching his breath from running. "Are you going to the Great Hall?" Clara nodded. "Great, me too, I'll come with you." He smiled.

'Stop smiling. It hard to not like you when you do that.' Clara thought to herself. "Alright." Clara smiled a fake smile before turning back around and sashaying down the corridor, barely recognising his presence.

"Herbology, huh? A bit boring, right?" He said absentmindedly, chuckling to top it off.

Clara turned to him, eyes ablaze. "Uh, no, actually. I love herbology, all plants have different uses and meanings. I find it fascinating." she said with her chin in the air.

John shrugged, "I always hated that lesson."

"What about Defense Against the Dark Arts? An absolute rubbish lesson." Clara retorted.

"I like learning how to defend yourself against the Dark Arts."

"What was that?" she said.

"I like, learnng how to stay away from it." John admitted, hands in his pants pockets and looking at the ground while he walked. "Why do you hate it, Miss Oswald?"

Clara licked her lips and shrugged, "I dunno, I just don't think the kids should be taught it that's all. It encourages them to read more into the Dark Arts. Always hated it as a kid." Her spectacles began to slip down her nose, so she moved them back up her nose with her pointer finger.

"That makes sense." John smiled at her, shrugging. One of those gorgeous half smiles that guys do when they like a girl. A tingly feeling began in Clara's stomach and moved up her chest then to her cheeks, which became hot. "C'mon," John ducked his head while he walked inside the Great Hall, teenage girls giggling as he passed them. Clara followed close behind. "Here." John smiled again and pulled her chair out for her. She sat down and blushed.

'Stop!' Clara screamed in her brain. 'He's trouble, stop!'

Clara reached for the buttered rolls and put one on her white glass plate before loading up in mashed potatoes, turkey, and macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese had always been her all time favourite. In her childhood, when she would stay home sick from school, her mum would make her bowls of macaroni and cheese to make her feel better. Her mum had died four years ago of liver failure. Even now macaroni and cheese reminded her of her sweet mum.

"Cookie?" John asked, offering her a delicious-looking chocolate chip cookie. She shook her head. "Okay, more for me." He grinned bad took a nubble of his cookie.

Clara mentally slapped herself in the head for somehow feeling an attractive towards him after knowing him for four hours. 'I have to stay away from him.' She promise herself.