Gwen was not really pleased at the prospect of working so closely with Professor Dumbledore. She was to meet with him every day after classes and work until supper time on her defense skills. She thought Dumbledore was a little weird and he made her really nervous.

But, she thought, this is just the challenge you were looking for. And Harry respects him greatly. That has to stand for something. He is the greatest wizard ever.

Gwen had the potential to become the greatest witch and under Dumbledore's watchful eye there was no doubt that she would go on to do great things.

Her first meeting with him was to be in his office and she waited by the statue McGonagall had told her of until Dumbledore joined her. He nodded and whispered "Canary Cream." The statue leapt to the side and Dumbledore ushered her onto a rotating staircase. She looked around in amazement at the smooth gliding motion of the stairs in their upward spiral.

They stepped off when they had reached the top and Dumbledore ushered her into a chair. "Minerva tells me that you have an interest in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Yes sir. I'd like to teach it here someday if I might."

"As you know the position is not the most long term."

"I think I might be able to change that." Gwen said with a bright grin.

Dumbledore nodded. Minerva was right. This girl was a delightful handful.

A silence followed that made Gwen very uncomfortable, yet Dumbledore seemed much more at ease in the quiet. She waited for him to say something and though it took a long time she was glad she did.

"Well, if you want the job we must begin your training post haste."

Gwen sat up again that night, gazing out of her dormitory window at the grounds thinking about all of the things Dumbledore had taught her that day. They had not moved into the practical application yet, nor would they she was aware for quite some time. There was a lot of theory behind the skills needed to defend oneself and to teach it one needed a full understanding of the field. Dumbledore wanted to train his soon to be Defense Against the Dark Arts professor well.

A movement caught her eye and she followed it down with her head. Something was crossing the grounds but it was too dark to tell what it was. If only the wind would push the clouds away from the moon, Gwen thought. As if the wind had heard her thoughts the clouds swiftly moved out of the way.

The cloaked figure was back, but this time it was sneaking into the castle.

To be continued in Episode Forty Five