"The Serpent's Teeth"
(A Tom Riddle love story)

1st September 1944

I found myself slightly stumbling forward after using the Time-Turner.
And am now standing in front of the directors office timidly knocking on the door.

Apparently the area is protected, since I didn't just run into the room like I had originally thought on doing.

A thin calm voice tells me to come in.

I slowly enter the tower room, which differs slightly from the one from my time. Fawkes, some equipment and also the portrait of the man who is currently looking at me straight in surprise.

"Good day, Professor Dippet. My name is Hazel Hayes I'm the new girl that was announced to you," I smile at him faking shyness and hand him my papers.

"I'm sorry, miss. You were not announced to us."

" I wasn't? But, it had been decided since last year that I was to attend school here. My former director promised to make all the necessary adjustments so that I would be able to attend. Does this mean that I can not attend classes? "

"Oh, yes, yes. I see that you are a great witch. Excellent grades, but you didn't get lessons in Home Economics? "

"What is Home Economics?"

"You learn to cook with magic to, wash, rinse, and the like. Anything that a witch needs for her life," he smiles at me.

He kind of reminds me of a senile grandpa ....

"I have never received any kind of classes in this subject, Professor. Is that going to be an obstacle to my graduation at Hogwarts? "

"No, not do not worry. I assume that a clever witch like you, can learn things like that in no time. You can attend your last year here without a worry, even if it comes a bit sudden, as you must have noticed... You are here earlier than the other students. Normally the students board on to the Hogwarts Express in London, and only arrive here in the evening hours. Well, since you're here, the Sorting Hat might as well decide where you belong. " The headmaster says whilst slowly getting up from his chair and it occurs to me that I'm not supposed to know anything about the hat.

"A Talking hat, sir?"

"Yes, you will put the hat on and it will decide in what house you get sorted. There is Hufflepuff, everyone who has a good heart goes there. For the brave ones Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin stand for intelligence and for trickery, but do not worry, there you will also find true friends.
The hat will decide in which of these houses you belong. The house you get sorter in is a sort of family replacement at Hogwarts.
There you will learn, sleep and live. Do not worry, the hat has never been wrong before."

"Now that's really reassuring," I smile at him again and put the not so ugly warm hat on my head.

"Now look at that! A clever little head you got there, Miss and you don't lack on list and on courage. Hmmmm interesting, interesting. Where do you thing I should place you? "

"Gryffindor," I whisper timidly.

Gryffindor has been my home in the past few years, and also Professor Dumbledore is the tutor. Yes, I was kept informed about all the circumstances that exist in this year.

"Well, then, it should be so. Gryffindor! "

Beaming I take the hat off my head and put it in front of me on the desk.

"A Gryffindor. Well, well make your house honor, Miss. Your tutor, Professor Dumbledore, who is also the teacher of Transfiguration is coming to pick you up at any moment," he says smiling at me encouragingly.

Silently, I look around a little, after a few minutes someone knocks on the door and a young Professor Dumbledore enters the room.

My eyes widen and my breathing stops.

With auburn hair and beard the future headmaster stands in the doorway and smiles at me as wise as forty years later.

Does he know that one of his current students is going to want nothing more than his death one day?

No, of course not, I answer my question.

How would he know?
But he may have a hunch, after all we are talking about Dumbledore.

"You sent for me, Amando?"

"Yes, Albus. This here is Hazel Hayes, your new student in Gryffindor.
She comes from America and is going to attend her last year here at Hogwarts. May I ask you to accompany her to her tower, Albus. "

"Of course, Amando. Follow me Miss Hayes ."

As we arrive in the common room I notice that it looks almost exactly the same as in my time.

It's Almost identical!

Only the chairs seem new and are arranged differently.

"Your dorm room is up those stairs, miss.
Your name is already written on the door. Do you have any questions? "

"No, no thanks. I just want to get to my room and unpack. "

"Have a good evening Miss Hayes."

"Please call me Hazel. I'm only eighteen," I smile at him and carry my suitcase up the spiral staircase.

Once in the room I go straight to the bed at the back of the room that was, in my time, my bed.

With a spell all of my belongings tidy themselves out.

Curious, I walk into the bathroom.

I really hope that they have hot showers!

Oh Crap!

There are none!

And I was hoping that we Wizards where ahead of the Muggles, who started to install showers in their bathrooms in the 50s.

Well, rejoiced too soon!

Back in the corner is a bathtub with graceful Lion feet made of brass.

The water flows from different colored taps.

Are we in a clown school or something?

Sighing, I stash my toiletry bag on the top shelf, with my 5ft 8inches I'm not necessarily small, especially for this time.

I have read that humanity has become taller in recent decades.

At least we have a mirror, which is apparently really good.

My copper-red, waist-length hair shines and sparkles fiery in contrast with my blue eyes.

I quickly set up my beige top again and put on a little pink lip gloss.

So now I'm presentable, but I'll have to wear my school uniform until tonight.

Let's see if I can shorten my skirt a little...

I look at myself in the mirror critically.

The black pleated skirt is knee-length, the blouse is more like a shirt and the blazer is misshapen.

I feel absolutely uncomfortable in this clothes combination, I have to do something about this urgently!

In my free time I'm running around with my baggy pants and thick sweaters and big shirts,but not during class.

Somehow I need something, which gives me a business sense so that I can concentrate better, and the easiest and best way of doing that is with my clothing.

A few simple spells fix the problem within seconds.

A glance my fathers clock, I had gotten in the past and brought with me because it fits in this decade, shows me that the older students are now on the carriages and the ones that are going to start attending from today onward are on the boats.

That means that I can already go to the dining hall, but then I would be noticed like a colorful sheep.

Well what do I do now until dinner and distribution of the houses?

I wonder if the Room of Requirement already exist?...

A little later, I am happy in front of the door that just appeared on the seventh floor.

It exists!

Fantastic!

But its not really surprising, it was probably built in when Hogwarts was founded.

I could have thought of that sooner.

But anyway, now I'll always have a quiet place to get back to when I need some time alone.

I look at my old pocket watch once more.

Oh damn!

The Students should be here by now!

Great its the first day and I'm already late.

I hurriedly make my way to the Great Hall..

As I enter the hall, all the students are sitting at their tables, and a poor first year is sitting on the chair with the Sorting Hat on his head.

Poor guy, I don't really remember much of my first year.

A grim man is standing next to the door which I just entered and is looking at me like he'd like to hang me upside down from the ceiling.

Is that Filch's predecessor? If so, then it seems that being grim belongs to the profession.

I wonder if they get paid more if they they're able to scare the students?

With a slight smile I hurriedly make my way to the end of the Griffindor table and sit down next to a very handsome, blond boy.

"Hi, I'm Hazel, Hazel Hayes, and you are?" Smiling, I stretch out my right hand to the boy, and he takes it with a firm handshake.

"Bailee Trent, pleased to meet you," he smiles at me charmingly and I feel instantly comfortable in my 'new' house.

A good start is always something beautiful.

"Where do you come from and where were you born?" He asks and looks me up and down.

Looks like this habit was already present before the 90s.

With a coquettish smile, I shake my red curls.

"I'm from America and am in year seven. You?"

"I'm also in year seven. Welcome to our class.
Hey, I'll introduce you to a couple of other people in our grade. The kid next to me is my best friend James Leatherby and that is his girlfriend Casey Clayworth," a pretty girl smiles greeting me from the opposite side of the table.

Her friend nods at me, grinning.

"Hello, you two, I'm Hazel," I say with a shy smile.

A very pretty girl stretches out her hand to me.

"Hi, I'm Tracey Sparrow, also in your class", she shakes my hand firmly.

"And this is my twin brother Sasha," an equally handsome boy winks at me charmingly.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Hazel. "

"I know," says the girl with brown hair.

"We noticed, as you introduced yourself to Bailee," she smiles at me cheekily.

With a good feeling in my stomach, I turn to the sorting of the students. People are clearly friendly, the year can only get better!

Later, in the dormitory, I notice that I'm in a room with Tracey and Casey and we also have a shy girl with curly, blond locks named Jacklyn Salyer with us.

Overall I'm pretty happy with my first day in the past, and more than happy to be received so well in my house. The three girls and three guys are immediately appealing to me.

I look forward to the next day, and with no thought of my weird and difficult task, I waste no time and fall asleep.