"I have some announcements." Dumbledore said.
"Please welcome back, Hagrid."
Hagrid stormed in "Sorry, I'm late some bloody bird named Errol delivered my release papers."
Ron was blushing since that was one of his family's owls. Hagrid stopped next to us. Harry got up and gave him a hug. Hagrid sat down at the staff table.
"Thanks to Professor Sprout and the Mandrakes everyone has been
unpetrified."
The door burst open and Willa ran straight towards the Gryffindor table. She threw her arms around me and hugged Neville, Hermione and Harry and awkwardly shook Ron's hand.
"In wake of recent events all exams have been cancelled."
I saw Hermione frown. I'm glad for the break though. It was finally summer. I spent a lot of time with Neville, Harry and Hermione over the Weasleys. Hermione went to France during the summer as well. We all went to Diagon Alley.
"You should get a pet, Hermione." I said tugging at my friend's arm eagerly.
"What should I get?" Hermione asked.
"An owl!" Willa exclaimed.
"Harry always lets me use Hedwig so an owl wouldn't be useful."
"I would suggest a toad, but I'm positive you don't want a toad." Neville said.
"Correct, Neville."
"Speaking of Trevor, I need to get him some food." Neville said.
"And I shall buy some treats for Archimedes." Willa said.
"Okay."
"We'll meet you two up at the cashier." Neville said.
"Okay, Nev."
They walked away. Hermione and I walked towards the cats.
"Oh, I like this one."
I looked to see a cat with bushy red fur. The helper got the cat out of the cage and handed it to Hermione. We met up with Willa and Neville at the cashier. I looked around maybe I could find something for Dinah. My eyes settled on a collar with the Hufflepuff colors on it. I looked through my pocket and found some knuts but I didn't have nearly enough for it.
"I could buy it for you if you want." Neville's voice suggested from behind me.
"I couldn't ask you to do that, Nev."
"You sure?" He asked knowing I would eventually give in.
"Okay, I'll let you buy it but I'll pay you back."
"No need to pay me back, that's what best friends do." He smiled.
I smiled back and we purchased everything. We met up with our parents.
"Oh, you got a cat." Daniel, Hermione's dad said.
"Yes, his name is Crookshanks." Hermione told her dad.
I took Dinah from Mason's arms and slipped the collar around her neck.
"You like it, girl?" I asked her.
She purred in thanks.
"Did you have enough money to buy the collar?" My dad asked.
"Actually, no but Neville was nice enough to buy it for me." I smiled at my best friend.
"That was sweet of you, Neville." Alice said.
"It wasn't a problem."
The day continued. It was now time to board the train.
"Who's this guy?" Willa asked as we walked into our usual compartment.
"It says his name is Remus J. Lupin." I read the battered up suitcase.
"Didn't he go to school with our parents?" Neville asked.
"Yes, but he was three years behind them."
Neville nodded.
"He looks a lot older than he his." Willa said.
I looked over at him and his mousy brown hair was flecked with grey and he had scars around his face. I wonder why.
"How old would he be?"
"He's thirty three." I said.
Willa nodded. We sat down and talked quietly amongst ourselves not wanting to wake him up. About forty five minutes into the journey he stirred.
"I didn't know I had company." He said.
"Hello."
He surveyed us and asked Neville "You're Alice's son, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Thought so."
"I'm Delaney Romero." I introduced myself.
"Any relation to Robert Romero?" He asked.
"He's my dad."
He nodded.
"I'm Willa Disney."
"Muggleborn, I presume."
"Yep."
"What houses are you three in?"
"Gryffindor." Neville said.
"No surprise there." He said. Neville and I both knew that his dad Frank was a Gryffindor.
"I'm a Hufflepuff."
"Slytherin."
"You don't see lots of muggle borns in Slytherin." He said thoughtfully.
"I like making my mark."
Just then there was a knock on the compartment door.
"Come in."
Harry and Hermione walked in.
"Hello Harry and Hermione." Remus greeted.
"You three know each other?" I asked.
"Well, he was one of my dad's best friends at Hogwarts and he helped raise me along with my uncle and aunt and Sirius." Harry said.
We nodded. The train ride continued. We went to the castle. It was now time for the sorting. It went off without a hitch. Lessons started. I noticed the day after the full moon that Lupin was absent and we had to deal with Snape as our professor. His first assignment was an essay on werewolves. After this essay I suspected that Lupin was a werewolf. It was now a day after class.
"Delaney, can you stay back for a moment?" He asked.
"Um, sure." I said nervously.
"I guess I'll go."
"Actually, you can stay too Neville." He said.
"Um okay."
"So, what do you need professor?" I asked.
"I know you suspect something about the essay that Snape had assigned."
"What do you mean?"
"I know you probably realized that we weren't supposed to cover werewolves for a while."
"Yes, I did."
He took a deep breath and said "I'm sure he assigned that essay so someone would figure out I'm a werewolf."
"Didn't Hermione figure it out as well?"
"She and Harry already know." He said.
I nodded.
"I trust you two can keep the secret?" He asked.
"Sure." Neville and I said.
"And you may go."
Neville and I walked out of the room. The day continued. It was soon the holidays. We were at Harry's house.