Disclaimer:I don't own any of this. I'm not making any money, nor do I plan to do so.
Harry and his friends heard a horrible scraping noise in the middle of the second floor corridor.
"Basilisk!" Ron squeaked.
"No, the basilisk didn't sound like that," Harry commented.
"Look!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing at a blue police box that had just appeared behind them. Just then, the door of the box opened and a tall, curly-headed man wearing a long, deep red coat and a super-long scarf walked out.
"Hello, there," he said cheerfully to the three teenagers, his large, warm, brown eyes twinkling.
"H-hello," stammered Ron.
"You must be students here," the man said, "Could you take me to your Headmaster?"
"Y-yes," said Harry, "but...who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor," he answered, "And I'm going to be your new Dark Arts professor. It seems your Headmaster has been having a spot of trouble trying to find a new one, so he called me. It sounded like fun, so I took the job. A jelly baby?" He took out a paper bag and offered its contents to the astounded children.
"He must be a relative of Dumbledore's," Ron whispered to Harry. "He acts just like him."
That man dressed all in black stared coldly at the Doctor.
"Hello, there. You must be the Potions Master. I've heard a lot about you. I am the Doctor."
The man smiled and stuck out his hand. He reminded Snape of a picture of some Muggle writer he'd once seen.
"I know who you are," snapped Snape, staring down his long nose at the outstretched hand.
Just then, Dumbledore arrived at the bottom of the spiral staircase. "Severus! Just the man I was looking for..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the other man.
"Ah, Albus! It's been years! You're looking well," said the Doctor with a huge, toothy grin.
Albus, his mouth agape, stared at the man as if he was trying to recognize him. After a long pause, he said, "Doctor?"
"Yes!" exclaimed the curly-headed man, laughing, eyes goggling. Dumbledore smiled and laughed with him and said, "You've had a bit of a regeneration since I saw you last."
"Three, actually," replied the Doctor. "And your hair is a bit lighter."
"Well, I AM over one hundred and fifty years old," said Dumbledore.
"A spring chicken," quipped the Doctor.
Dumbledore laughed heartily. "It's good to hear someone say that. Here at Hogwarts, they think I'm a bit of an old coot."
"Headmaster," interrupted Snape.
"Oh, yes, I needed to see my Potions Master. Doctor, this is Professor Severus Snape. Severus, this is-"
"The Doctor," Severus spat, his face a study in contempt. "We've met."
"Ah, good," said Dumbledore, sounding a little worried. "Well, Doctor, maybe one of these three can show you to your classroom and your office."
"I'll be happy to, Headmaster," volunteered Hermione. Ron stared at her. He couldn’t believe the girl could fall so quickly for a man with goggle eyes and big teeth.
"Doctor, this is Hermione Granger, one of our finest students," said the Headmaster.
"Pleased to meet you," she said breathlessly.
"Likewise," said the doctor, bowing slightly.
Hermione blushed.
"And these are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."
"Ah, yes, Harry, I seem to have heard something about you, but I can't remember what or where. At any rate, I'm pleased to meet the three of you, and I look forward to seeing you in my classes. Which way is my office?"
Hermione had to turn the Doctor around because he had headed out in the wrong direction.
Snape, watching the four disappear around the corner, frowned deeply at them before Dumbledore led him upstairs.