Embers | S. Black

5.

Amara pushed away any thought of Severus or the Marauder's or Lily or anything to do with her past out of her mind as she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. She was tired of her life being dictated by her past, instead she needed to focus on the fact that she would be teaching for the first time in her life today, and more than that, she was going to be meeting Harry. Really meeting him, not the little baby boy she knew 11 years ago, but the person he had grown up to be. She was just about to walk into the hall when she heard someone calling behind her. Turning around, she saw a golden curl flopping against the wind, bright purple elegant robes, and the whitest teeth she had ever seen smiling down at her.

    "Hello! I'm glad I caught up to you, you walk rather fast, I must say," he said, through his abnormally white teeth

    "I'm sorry, I must have not heard you," she said, with a tight smile, a bit confused as to what the man standing in front of her wanted. And then, she recognized him, "oh wait, you're the new Defense Against the dark Arts professor right? Forgive me, but I don't recall your name"

    At the mention of her forgetfulness, he looked stunned, like really stunned. Amara never thought someone's eyebrows could raise so high, "Oh, maybe this will help!" he said, pulling out a book from his robes. His face right in the middle, teeth shining, eyes winking.

    "Wow, you always carry a book with your face on it?" She said, sarcastically, looking at his real face, now imitating the one on the cover.

    "Yes, of course! You don't?" He asked, with a more patronizing tone.

    "Nope, can't say that I have," She said, through stifled laughs. Amara could not believe this was an actual conversation she was having.

    The man didn't notice her failing attempt to keep from laughing and continued to smile widely, "No worries! Here, you can have that one," He said, handing her the book, "And because it's your lucky day, come by my classroom later for an autograph along with it," it was Amara's turn to be surprised. She looked up at him with wide eyes, still trying to hide her laughs.

The nerve of this man.

    She turned the book over and saw the name in big bold lettering that read 'GILDEROY LOCKHART' on the front. She looked back up at him and said sarcastically, "Oh, thank you. That's very generous of you," she turned back to the door, prepared to leave and get away from the conversation.

"Wait! I never got your name - for the autograph, of course," He said, reaching out to stop her

"Amara, Amara Raywood."

"Well, Amara, it was a pleasure, I'm sure. I hope I'll be seeing more of you!" He said, boldly, tapping the book lightly.

" 'Kay..." she stifled, not quite sure if she had imagined the whole conversation or if Lockhart was actually that presumptuous. Finally able to get away from the egotistical man, she made her way down the Great Hall, and up the stairs to the long table at the front.

    Looking down the table, she thanked the heavens Severus was not at breakfast. Even after a night of sleep, she was still angry at him and would rather stay away from him for the time being. She did, however, see Professor Mcgonagall sitting near the end and walked up to the empty seat next to her. Mcgonagall's face lightened narrowly as Amara approached the seat.

    "I see you've met our resident celebrity," She said, referring to the book still in Amara's hand, rolling her eyes.

"Is that what he is? I thought he was just desperate for attention," Amara joked with the professor, as she put the book down. A comfortable moment of silence sat between them while she put food on her plate.