Sebastian
September 1st.
The first day.
Though technically, I had been going back and forth from home in Aranshire to Hogwarts over the summer to get my bearings, set up the classroom and my office and get surprisingly good advice from Professor Hecat before she retired for good.
"Ah, Sebastian Sallow... I should have known we'd cross paths again. But I will say, I am glad they chose you over some of the candidates I saw." She said as I entered her classroom for the first time as a Professor, not as a student.
And it was bloody intimidating.
She briefly touched on the curriculum with me, making sure to leave thorough notes everywhere.
"Don't you trust me, Professor?" I smirked, sifting through the fifth bit of parchment.
"Please, we are colleagues for today. Call me Dinah." She insisted.
I frowned but reluctantly agreed and forced the name to come off my tongue. It felt wrong, but it was the least I could do for the woman who put up with my shit for so long when I was a student.
Today though, when I got there early before the arrival of the students, the classroom was different. It was almost bare. She'd somehow taken the Hebridean Dragon skeleton with her, and now I felt like I had to do something with this room. But I suppose that could wait until I had more experience.
She'd put the skeleton there as a trophy from her work as an Unspeakable... maybe I could string Marvolo Gaunt from the ceiling to show my work as an Auror... might scare the kids into good behaviour...
But all I manged to do was shift a few books into my office and add a photo of Olive and the kids on my desk.
I sat in the chair at the desk, staring at it and the quills and parchment and wondered what the fuck I was thinking taking this job. Teaching? The guy who barely made it through exams?
I pulled out my pocket watch, I had half an hour until I had to be back for the sorting ceremony. My foot bounced under the desk and my fingers tapped along the wooden grains, fighting the battle in my brain telling me this was a mistake.
I could head there early...
Maybe a leisurely walk around would kill some time before I had to be in the Great Hall and I stood up from the quiet desk and straightened my tie, making sure to not have it too loose. Ominis would kill me if he knew I was slouching on my first day of being a literal Professor. But my shirt didn't sit right, it was tight around my throat and felt crooked tucked into my pants. The sweat in my armpits was pooling in the creases of my shirt despite how much antiperspirant I had put there.
You're a mess, Sallow.
I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand and just decided to leave anyway. Hopefully a walk amongst the cool cobblestone walls of the castle would calm my nerves.
If any of my old classmates could see what a mess I was right now, I'd never hear the end of it.
By the time I'd made my way to the Great Hall after walking at a snails pace through the corridors, I really wasn't that early after all.
"Ah, Professor Sallow! Glad you made it here and with time to spare, unlike your time here as a student." Professor Sharp greeted me as I entered the Great Hall with a smirk and an outstretched hand.
I accepted his hand, gripping it tightly and offering a warm smile of my own. "What can I say? I had to learn a thing or two about punctuality over the years," I replied, though the truth was that I had almost lost track of time during my anxious stroll through the castle.
"I have no doubt you did. You became an Auror, yes? I have to say, when I heard about it, I was shocked. I was certain I'd overheard you cursing the field many times over the years."
"Yes, that's true. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I'm glad I did. I'm certain I wouldn't be where I am right now if I hadn't." I said.
"I'm sure you wouldn't have." Sharp replied, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Now, you'll be sat over there between Professor Garlick and Professor Thakkar."
"Th... Thakkar?"
Sharp smirked, "Yes, Amit Thakkar. This is his second year teaching. Professor Shah went back to be with her sister and he was offered the position. He actually volunteered a lot of his time here since he graduated from Hogwarts."
I shouldn't have been surprised, it made sense.
"Well, thank you for the warm welcome, Sharpy." I said.
"You're most welcome. I look forward to working with you, Professor Sallow."
I thanked Professor Sharp and made my way to my designated seat between Professor Garlick and Amit.
"Ah! Sebastian!" Amit said as he spotted me walking over, "I'm so glad you are here. I was most excited when they told me you'd taken over Dinah's role."
"Truthfully, Amit, I'm glad to see you too. It's nice to have some familiarity here."
Amit let out a small laugh, "I understand. It can be intimidating the first few weeks, but I am certain you will find your bearings quickly. Spells and combat are your specialty from what I hear."
How much did you hear...?
"Yeah, I suppose they are."
Amit nodded, his eyes gleaming. "Well, I'm sure you'll bring a fresh perspective to the Defence Against the Dark Arts curriculum. The students will benefit from your experience and knowledge I am sure."
I flashed him one more smile before Professor Garlick joined me on the other side and exchanged a similar greeting about how exciting it was to have a student she had taught now teaching alongside her. Though, I'm surprised she was so thrilled, I wasn't exactly her most attentive student.
Soon we were silenced as students began to fill the halls, taking their seats at their designated house tables and I thought back to sitting there myself, acting absolutely disinterested in the newcomers and praying for the ceremony to be over, but today, I was as keen as I've ever been. Excited, even. I would be the first Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor these kids would ever know. They didn't have Hecat to compare me to. It was just me.
The Sorting Hat was placed on the stool, and the First Years were ushered in, all beady eyed and eager. Then the sorting ceremony began. The first years approached the stool one by one with Professor Weasley calling them by name.
As the ceremony unfolded, observing each and every students reaction, I felt nostalgic. I remembered Anne feeling so confident standing next to me when we were First Years. But me? I was anything but. Shocking, given the attitude I grew into, but I was trembling. When Anne got sorted into Slytherin like we expected, I still felt nervous. Sure we were twins, but my mother was a Ravenclaw and I was so scared we'd be separated. We'd never been separated.
Thankfully, I did get sorted into Slytherin with her and in the rush to leave the ceremony and get to the dungeons, I tripped over another small, First Year Slytherin who looked even more scared than I did.
But he held this arrogant facade and even roused on me for doing so, but he quickly changed tune when he needed me to remind him of the password.
"It's Ambition, Gaunt." I told him.
I snapped myself out of my memories, but couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I found myself reflecting on how much I had changed and grown since those days.
Amit leaned in and whispered, "Exciting, isn't it? The beginning of a new adventure for these young minds."
I nodded, my eyes fixed on the students. "Absolutely."
The sorting concluded, and Professor Weasley rose to her feet, welcoming both new and returning students. She delivered the usual start-of-term notices, reminding everyone of the Dark Forest's dangers.
"And you'll notice we've had a change of faculty this year with Professor Hecat moving on to enjoy her well deserved retirement. In her place, we have Professor Sallow joining us and I am certain you'll all give him a warm welcome."
Oh shit. That's me.
I did some absolutely embarrassing, awkward wave-smile thing and felt myself recoil right as I did it.
How the fuck are you supposed to teach a class full of teenagers, you imbecile.
But attention on me was short-lived as dinner appeared on the tables which I had never been more grateful for. Conversations buzzed around me as I engaged in small talk with Amit and Professor Garlick.
After the last crumbs had been cleared away, Professor Weasley stood once more. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I ask you to be upstanding for the school song!"
The first years looked confused, and the returning students grinned knowingly.
I sang along softly, consciously making an effort to at least try and remember the words I was so utterly opposed to singing when I was a student myself.
As the song concluded, I breathed a sigh of relief it was over for another year. At least I had twelve months to brush up on the words now.
I stood up as the more seasoned professors led the students out of the Great Hall, and I still couldn't shake the nerves.
Amit patted me on the back, causing me to jump a little. "If you need any help or advice, do not hesitate to ask."
"Thanks, Amit. I appreciate it," I replied.
I left and finally reached my quarters and sighed.
A condition of my employment was that I stay at the castle during the week for the first three months at least. I tried to negotiate due to having new babies at home, but Black is a notorious hard-ass who probably hadn't given his wife more than a moments thought since he got here.
Me, though? I hated every fucking second I was away from them.
I changed into my nightwear, begrudgingly throwing on a nightshirt that I so loathed to wear and climbed into my double bed that was too soft, too big and too lonely.
The room felt strange and unfamiliar without Olive and the kids, as much as I complained when Eloise climbed in between us most nights, I now missed it dearly. The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the window, keeping me awake for hours.
I groaned and pulled myself out of bed and grabbed parchment and a quill out of my desk and started to write.
"Hello, my love.
We just finished the Sorting Ceremony. It felt strange to watch one actually go smoothly after my last two that I'd attended.
You'll never believe it, but Amit is also a Professor here. And Divination!
I'm joking. It's obviously Astronomy. Please don't tell him I joked about that. He'll likely launch a telescope at my head.
The bed they've given me is too uncomfortable and I'm dearly missing the feeling of Ellie's foot in my ribs and baby vomit in my hair after those midnight feeds. I hope they're all behaving for you, and if it gets too bad, I'll tell Black to shove it and come right back. Or maybe smuggle a baby or two here with me.
I miss all of you so much and I will see you the moment classes finish of Friday. Give every single one of our kids precisely 16 kisses each, no more, no less.
I love you.
Sebastian."
I threw on a robe and walked myself through the corridors to the owlery and letting the letter go. There was something incredibly boring about being free to wander the castle and not have to use the cloak that I still had or the disillusionment charm. Where was the fun in that?
I stood in the cold crisp air and watched the owl take off across the Black Lake. I hated that I could see Aranshire from here. At least if they were still in Feldcroft, it wouldn't hurt knowing my family was just a stone throw away.
As I stood there, robe wrapped tightly around me to try and find even an inch of warmth, I couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness. The castle felt different when I wasn't just a student but a teacher standing alone in the owlery.
I used to enjoy being alone. Anne and Ominis always preferred their time together and I don't know how I didn't realise then what I know now. I was a third wheel. I studied alone, I worked alone... I loved the quiet sanctuary that was the Restricted Section, even if I wasn't up to anything sinister, but now I had a purpose that was more than a need to cure Anne. I had a wife. We had kids. And for once I never wanted to be alone again. I'd cop every single foot to the face and knee in the back if it meant my kids were safe in my bed with me.
I sighed and resigned to the fact it was way too cold to be up in the Owlery any longer and retreated back to my gloomy room and tried to find comfort in the sheets of the awful bed.
The night was spent with me stuck somewhere between sleep and wakefulness and I cursed myself for not bringing any sleeping draughts with me. As dawn approached, the orange and pink hues peeked through my window, I rubbed my weary eyes and decided to get up anyway.
Caffeine.
I needed caffeine.
I could never manage to teach a bunch of teenagers in this condition without some help.
I dressed in a suit, muttering profanities at the stiffness of it. The one thing I liked about being an Auror was that when I was doing desk work, I'd just wear a half unbuttoned shirt, no tie and rolled sleeves.
But Hogwarts had an image and I was expected to uphold it.
Yes, even little old me that grew up shovelling cow shit and dirt in the Feldcroft summers to pay my keep at Solomon's.
With myself as presentable as I was going to get, I wandered down to the Great Hall for breakfast, realising I'd beaten most of the other faculty.
Oh well. First pick of the food for you, pal.
"Professor Sallow?"
A small voice interrupted me as I served myself scrambled eggs.
"Uh, yep. That's me. What can I do for you?"
My eyes drew down to see a small Gryffindor girl standing before me. She clutched a parchment in her hand.
"I—uh. I think I have your class first, but I'm struggling to read my schedule and I don't know where the Dark Arts tower is."
"Right. What's your name?" I asked, trying to not seem to stern.
"I'm Hazel Quinn."
"Alright, Hazel. I remember seeing your name on my list. Let me finish up my breakfast here and I'll show you where the classroom is. Does that sound good?"
Hazel nodded, her nervousness easing a bit. "Yes, Professor. Thank you."
I finished my breakfast quickly, my appetite curbed by the responsibility of a student confiding in me on my first real day.
You aren't that approachable, don't think too highly of yourself...
I gained her attention and she jumped up from the Gryffindor table and followed closely behind me. As we walked towards the Dark Arts tower, I couldn't help but wonder how many students felt the same anxiety and confusion on their first day because she sure reminded me a little of myself.
"So, Hazel, how are you finding Hogwarts so far?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
She shrugged a little. "It's big, and the staircases move, and I got lost twice already. But it's kind of cool too."
I chuckled. "Yes, the moving staircases can be a bit of a challenge, but you'll get used to them. And 'cool' is a good way to describe Hogwarts. There's a lot to explore and discover."
As we approached the Dark Arts tower, I pointed to the entrance of my classroom. "Here we are. This is the entrance to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. We've still got about half an hour before class begins but just head in when you're ready, find a seat, and we'll get started when everyone is settled."
She thanked me softly and entered, taking a seat at the front while I walked into my office to glance over the curriculum one more time even though I'd been researching it like I was taking my N.E.W.Ts again.
The sounds of eager footsteps outside let me know that my first class of brand spanking new First Years were arriving and settling in.
My arrival down the stairs had the excited whispers dull to a hum and I realised that I was the person in control for the next hour. Hecat wasn't going to come barrelling down these stairs cursing me for breaking her most prized possession that she decided to hang in a classroom for some reason. No. I was Hecat now.
I cleared my throat, feeling more nervous than I ever had in my whole life. "Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you all heard last night, but I'm Professor Sallow and like you, this is my first day too. So, I'm hoping we can all forgive each other for any fumbles we might make as we navigate this together."
I scanned the room, noticing curious, apprehensive, and wide-eyed expressions. It was a strange feeling to be on the other side of the classroom, responsible for imparting knowledge to a group of young minds.
"Let's start with a simple question. Why are you here? Why study Defence Against the Dark Arts?" I asked.
A few hands hesitantly went up, and I pointed to a Hufflepuff girl in the third row.
"Um, because we need to know how to defend ourselves against dark magic?" she answered, her voice a bit unsure.
"Exactly," I nodded. "In this class, you'll learn to defend yourselves against various forms of dark magic. It's a crucial skill for any witch or wizard. Now, let's dive into our first lesson. Has anyone looked over their notes and seen what we'll actually be learning today?"
The students exchanged glances, and a few shuffled through their notes, clearly not having read them until this very moment. The only student I knew by name raised her hand slowly.
"Yep, Hazel. What have you got?" I encouraged.
"Um, Professor, I think we're starting with Lumos and Nox today," she said.
"Excellent, Hazel. Five points to Gryffindor."
Ah, my first points. And to a Gryffindor. Yeesh.
"Today, we'll be covering the Lumos and Nox spells. Lumos is a charm used to produce light from the tip of your wand, and Nox extinguishes it. Basic, but essential spells, especially when navigating dark places. Let's start with Lumos."
I demonstrated the spell and movement with my own wand and drew the movement on the chalkboard.
"Now, why don't you all give it a try yourselves. I'll give you a few minutes."
The students eagerly took out their wands, and I walked around the room, offering my expert guidance and encouragement. Some students, like Hazel, caught on quickly and produced a steady glow, while others struggled to conjure any light.
"Good effort, everyone. Remember, it's about focus and concentration. Lumos requires a clear image in your mind of the light you want to produce. Now, try it again, and this time, really visualise the light," I advised.
The students continued to practice, and gradually, the room filled with a soft glow as more of them successfully cast the Lumos spell. I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as I witnessed their progress.
"Since we've all got it now, we'll move on to Nox. Same concept, except we want to focus on removing the light. Give it a try."
And this time, most extinguished their wands immediately.
The rest of class was spent covering the importance of wand movements and incantations and answering questions like "how do I find the lavatory from the Quidditch pitch?"
But my majorly successful first class gave me the boost I needed. I remember that I was highly skilled in this area and my success rate of teaching spells was quite high, given my record with teaching Olive things.
I kept the rambunctious fourth years in line and bantered with the seventh years, already feeling like I was building a rapport with them.
"Professor Hecat was cool and all, but Professor Sallow is so much fun." I heard a seventh year Slytherin girl say to another as they left class, not realising I was following close behind them.
"And he's fucking hot, too!" Another exclaimed. I bit my tongue to not alert them to my presence just yet.
"Shame he's married with kids."
Hah. Still got it.
"How do you know?"
"He's got a ring on and his wife is an Auror, been all in the newspapers."
I smirked as I tried hard not to eavesdrop, but they truly weren't discreet at all.
"I do have kids, three of them." I confirmed in passing, walking my way back to the faculty tower.
"YOU BLOODY IDIOT WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME HE WAS THERE, I JUST CALLED HIM HOT!" One of them screaming, smacking the other girl in the arm.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the startled expression on their faces as they quickly realised I overheard their conversation. The Slytherin girls blushed and stammered, attempting to apologise.
"No harm done." I smiled.
This time, when I returned to my room, I felt confident. This was my element. I was able to be the teacher I'd always wished I had when I was a student. Not to say that any of mine were particularly bad, but sometimes one you can confide in like they were a friend was a pleasant change.
And tiny Hazel Quinn was going to be forever ingrained in my mind as the student who solidified my decision to teach by confiding in me that morning and trusting me, though she knew I was also new myself, to guide her and help her.
That night, I drifted off to sleep easily, knowing I had four more days of creating fun and informative lessons for my students before I was reunited with the four people I was doing all of this for. My family.