Lost & Found ~ A George Weasley Love Story

6 ~ Standing Out

Monday, 6 July 1998
Hogwarts

Aino neared a large stone construction. It was the remains of an old castle but if she had not known that, she would barely recognize it as one. The first rays of morning sun illuminated the construction. As she was close enough, she could see a bunch of little creatures around the building.

House elves, she thought.

Aino had never seen a house elf before. Keeping other creatures in slavery had been prohibited in Finland since the First Wizarding War and as sad it was, most of the house elves ran away to Russia after the decree was set. Aino had reasoned that the creatures did not know any better and were afraid of change. So much so, that they were willing to leave a familiar country and language just to keep what they called a job.

Aino could not blame the house elves though, she was herself afraid of change, too. She had also left her home country to fight that feeling and probably start a new chapter in her life. She had immediately panicked when another man shoved her affection even if it was harmless and nothing had happened. She was afraid of an idea of change. After all, she thought, she was not that different from the underrated magical beings.

"Ms Kalla", her thoughts were interrupted by Headmaster McGonagall who was suddenly standing right next to her. She was holding a basket full of different ingredients for what seemed to be for potions.

Aino politely smiled at the older witch, "Good morning, Headmaster McGonagall."

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The rebuilding may seem to be in the beginning, but we have come very far from what it was after the battle", a half-hearted smile stayed on her lips as she motioned towards the working house elves. Aino was just commenting on the high work ethic of the house elves, but McGonagall hurried to continue, "Luckily the potions classroom is in the dungeons. However, the ingredient storage was destroyed...", she pressed her lips into a thin line, which Aino had noticed to be a habit of the older woman, before gesturing towards the remains of the castle, "Shall we?"

McGonagall started climbing the stairs and stepped through a hole in the castle wall. As Aino followed carefully on her steps. On their way, she tried to smile at the poor house elves but only got sneers back from them.

As the two of them entered to the castle, McGonagall started to explain where everything used to be before the battle of Hogwarts. "We were very much in luck that the dungeons didn't cave in in the middle of the battle. Otherwise, I don't know how we would've managed the work."

McGonagall kept her proper composure as she spoke, but Aino could see that the damage in the castle deeply pained her. Hogwarts must be like another home for her. It was understandable that she wanted to rebuild the castle exactly as it used to be. Looking around Aino found it unbelievable that the classrooms would be full of students in just a couple of months. The place did not remind her of a school of any kind.

The two of them entered the dungeons and it was like they were in a completely different place. Cold stone walls bordered a narrow hallway. Where the remains of the actual castle felt roomy, maybe because there was no roof in most of the parts, the dungeons felt pokey. As if all the air had been sucked from the place.

McGonagall stopped in front of one wooden door. Uneasily, the door creaked open revealing a rather small classroom. It looked like the whole room had been left untouched during the battle. A cold breeze of musty air welcomed the duo to step inside.

Aino shivered from the coldness. She was severely underdressed, only having a white, tie front crocheted cardigan to cover her shoulders with a top and a black, knee length straight skirt. As an optimist she kept remembering herself that it was good to know this beforehand – if she would end up teaching there, now she knew what to pack when moving.