In the Great Hall, all that could be heard were the students' rapt whispers and curious glances. From the Slytherin table to the Gryffindor table, everyone craned their necks and whispered to one another, discreetly pointing toward the head table, where the wizard in the blue coat was chatting placidly. The rumor—and now the confirmation—that the legendary Newt Scamander was at Hogwarts had spread through the castle at lightning speed (or, more likely, thanks to the rapid dissemination by Fred and George Weasley).
Albus Dumbledore, from his seat at the teachers' table, let the anticipation build for a few moments before letting out a soft, deep laugh that echoed in every corner of the hall, calling for silence.
"I see you've already noticed our guest of honor," Dumbledore began, a warm smile lighting his face. "I am pleased to inform you that our dear Professor Rubeus Hagrid has decided to take a well-deserved vacation for the remainder of this school year. And, to ensure that your education is not interrupted, Mr. Newton Artemis Fido Scamander has kindly agreed to help us fill that position. He will be your new interim Care of Magical Creatures teacher until Professor Hagrid returns."
The announcement was met with a gasp of astonishment and, a second later, thunderous applause from all the students. Having the author of the book and the most famous magizoologist in history as a teacher was a true privilege.
Dumbledore raised his hands to quiet the ovation.
"I sincerely hope that all of you had a very happy Christmas surrounded by your loved ones and a great start to the New Year," the headmaster continued, his tone growing warm. "May this final semester be filled with learning and camaraderie. Now, without further ado, let the feast begin!"
Dumbledore clapped his hands. Instantly, the thousands of plates on the tables were filled to the brim with the most exquisite delicacies the house-elves could prepare: meat, chicken, pastries, desserts, fresh fruit, and mountains of potatoes.
At the Slytherin table, the atmosphere was just as lively. Hestia Carrow speared a piece of meat with her fork, glancing with obvious annoyance toward the teachers' table.
"Damn it..." Hestia muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. "If I'd known that clumsy idiot Hagrid was going to be replaced by someone of Newt Scamander's caliber, I definitely would have taken Care of Magical Creatures this year."
Aurelian took a big bite out of a juicy, golden piece of roast chicken he'd picked up.
"There was no way to know, Hestia. It was a last-minute move by Dumbledore," Aurelian replied while chewing. "But if you're really that interested in the subject now, you can go see Professor McGonagall tomorrow morning and ask her if she'll still let you change your electives. She might not agree since we're halfway through the school year, but it doesn't hurt to ask."
Hestia seemed to consider the idea. A slow smile formed on her lips as she thought of the knowledge and prestige that came with being a student of Scamander's.
Aurelian then turned to his left, where Flora sat with her usual elegance.
"And you, my love?" Aurelian asked her. "Are you also interested in switching classes to see Scamander's animals?"
Flora took a delicate, long sip from her crystal glass. When she finished, she set it down on the table and slowly shook her head, her black hair flowing over her shoulders.
"Not at all," Flora replied with complete indifference. "I've never really liked magical creatures. They're too noisy, always dirty, and they smell bad. I prefer books and silence."
Aurelian smiled sidelong, amused by the girl's exquisite attitude, and took another bite of his chicken before speaking again.
"Well, if Hestia does the paperwork and goes to the gardens to see dragons and unicorns… I suppose it'll just be the two of us alone in Ancient Runes class, Flora."
Silence fell over the Slytherin trio.
The gears in Hestia's mind spun at full speed as she realized the fatal mistake she was about to make. By leaving Ancient Runes, she would be leaving her twin sister to enjoy hours and hours of exclusive, unmonitored time with Aurelian.
Flora nodded slowly, processing exactly the same thing. Her eyes lit up with a spark of triumph. Without wasting a second, Flora leaned toward Aurelian, wrapping both arms around his neck, hugging him possessively, resting her cheek against his.
Hestia narrowed her eyes, glaring at her sister from across Aurelian. The idea of studying creatures suddenly lost all its appeal.
Flora caught Hestia's murderous glare, and far from being intimidated, she simply gave her a wide, venomous smile—utterly mocking—from over her beloved's shoulder, claiming victory in that little battle.
Aurelian, sensing the sudden tension between his two fiancées and fully aware of the reason behind the silent war raging around him, decided to do what any intelligent man with a survival instinct would do in this situation.
He completely ignored the twins' attitude, settled into his seat, and continued eating his chicken prey with the utmost calm, thinking about how incredibly delicious that night's dinner was.
The next morning, the cold corridors of Hogwarts seemed to part before her like the waters of the Red Sea.
Hestia Carrow walked with a firm, solitary stride through the second floor in search of the deputy headmistress. Around her, the tide of students in robes of different colors quickly parted from her path, pressing themselves against the walls or averting their gaze. Although many students, especially those in the training club, secretly admired her for her undeniable beauty, her elegance, and her great strength, everyone in the castle knew it was best to admire the Carrow sisters from a distance. Getting too close or getting in their way meant earning a one-way ticket to the infirmary with a stinging curse courtesy of one of them.
Hestia was starting to get annoyed. She had already walked through half the castle, going up and down stairs, and there was no sign of the head of the House of Lions.
As she walked, Hestia mentally reviewed her strategy. The night before, her pride and ambition had gone to war with her immense possessiveness. She had decided to try asking about the class switch because, if she thought about it, it was a scenario she couldn't lose. If they said yes, she would have the pleasure of learning magic and about creatures directly from the legendary Newt Scamander. And if they said no, well... she'd be "forced" to stay in Ancient Runes, which meant that her scheming sister Flora wouldn't have Aurelian all to herself for even a single damn second. No matter what happened, Hestia came out on top. There were no downsides.
Finally, as she rounded the corner toward the Transfiguration courtyard, she caught sight of Professor Minerva McGonagall's unmistakable pointed hat and stern posture. The deputy headmistress had her back turned, sternly scolding a couple of young Hufflepuff students who had apparently tried to charm some teacups into singing.
With light, silent steps, Hestia slipped down the hallway until she was just inches from the professor's right shoulder.
She leaned in slightly and, in a soft voice, murmured.
"Professor McGonagall"
The weathered Scottish witch jumped, startling herself so much that she nearly dropped the scrolls she was holding. The two Hufflepuff children took advantage of the interruption to flee in terror.
McGonagall put a hand to her chest, turning her head quickly. Upon seeing who had caused her mini-heart attack, she closed her eyes for a second and let out a long sigh to calm her racing heart.
"By Merlin's beard, Miss Carrow… you gave me a fright. You're far too good at sneaking around for a student," McGonagall scolded her, picking up the hat that had fallen from her head in the shock. "Once my heart returns to its normal rhythm, tell me… what do you need me for so urgently?"
Hestia flashed a dazzling, polite smile that was perfectly rehearsed.
"My apologies for the startle, Professor," Hestia said without a shred of genuine regret. "I was looking for you because I was wondering if it would be possible to make an adjustment to my schedule. I wish to drop my elective in Ancient Runes to take Care of Magical Creatures for the remainder of this school year."
McGonagall frowned immediately. Her strict adherence to the rules dictated the automatic response she should give her student. She opened her mouth to explain that this was completely against the regulations, that at this point in the year it was impossible to switch classes, and that the syllabus was already too far along.
But the words died in her throat.
When she looked up, McGonagall found herself staring into the icy black eyes of Hestia Carrow. The young witch had wiped the polite smile from her face. Now she was staring intently at her; it was a gaze so intense and laced with a subtle, silent threat that, for a split second, it reminded Minerva of the way Archmages imposed their will on others.
The deputy headmistress swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down her spine under that predatory gaze.
"I... well..." McGonagall stammered, her resolve crumbling in the face of the Slytherin girl's overwhelming presence. "I'll see what I can do, Miss Carrow. It's an extremely unusual and untimely request, but… considering that your grades are perfect and your academic record is… impeccable, I'm sure you won't have any major problems adjusting to a new class halfway through the semester. I'll speak with Professor Scamander so he can add you to his roster."
The thick, threatening tension vanished into thin air as quickly as it had arrived. Hestia regained her dazzling, charming smile instantly.
"I'm so grateful, Deputy Headmistress. I knew you'd be understanding," Hestia said, bowing her head slightly in a polite gesture.
Without giving McGonagall time to add anything else, Hestia turned on her heel and began to walk slowly down the hallway, her head held high and a clear sense of satisfaction in each of her elegant steps. She had done it.
Minerva McGonagall stood frozen in the hallway, watching the lethal girl disappear as she turned the corner. She rubbed her forehead wearily, silently praying to Merlin and the founders that allowing Hestia Carrow into that class wouldn't end up causing any kind of trouble, tragedy, or headache for the kind Newt Scamander.
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