Harry, Ron, and Hermione settled into their places at the Gryffindor table. Harry looked around him.

He looked up at the staff table and saw two empty chairs. These, obviously, belonged to Hagrid and McGonagall. Then Harry looked over to the spot where he had looked four times before to see his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And there, talking cheerily with Dumbledore, was Remus Lupin.

"Look!" Harry said, getting the attention of his two best friends.

"It's Lupin!" Ron exclaimed happily. "Dumbledore brought him back!"

"It's not really much of a surprise. I'm sure Dumbledore feels that we'll all be a lot safer with him here at a time like this," Hermione said calmly. But as Harry looked at her, her gaze shifted and her eyes grew wide.

"What is Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Look," she nearly whispered. "Under the table."

Harry and Ron both followed her gaze and saw, at Lupin's feet, a very large, very familiar black dog.

"I don't believe it," Harry said, a grin spreading across his face.

"Blimey," Ron said, starting to chuckle. "He's looking at us." All three realized that the dog was, in fact, looking at them, and, in the best way a dog could, smiling at them.

Harry's view was suddenly blocked by a group of passing students. He could see Cho Chang among them. He was happy to see that she was laughing. She looked in his direction and gave him a small smile, which he returned gratefully. And then Harry realized that Cho wasn't the only one looking at him. All over the Great Hall whispers and quick glances were being thrown

his way. He nearly grimaced.

In fact, the Great Hall was full of whispers and sideways looks. After the events of the previous year, everyone was confused, and scared. And then there was the added news of Lupin, and his new pet. Harry could also hear bits and pieces of a reoccurring topic. It seemed there might be a new girl at Hogwarts.

Harry was drawn from his thoughts as the doors to the Great Hall opened and

McGonagall led in the first years. And there, at the back of the group, looking out of place with her muggle clothes and confident stride, was Fina. There was a buzz of whispers when she entered the room, and they continued throughout the Sorting Hat's annoyingly long song.

At last the song ended, and everyone applauded. McGonagall began unrolling a long roll of parchment. "I will call each of your names and you will sit on the stool and put on the hat. I trust the houses will accept

their new members happily. Also, one house, will be receiving a new fifth year student."

With that she began calling the first years up, one by one, to be sorted. Houses cheered as they received their new housemates, but very few eyes left Fina for more than several seconds at a time.

"Cantman, Jean!"

"Slytherin!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited nervously for Fina's name to be called. Harry glanced across the hall and noticed a certain Slytherin who seemed to be observing her in a similar nervous manner.

"I heard she's French, transferred here from Beauxbatons," Lavender Brown whispered to her best friend, Parvati Patil.

"Jacobs, Micheal!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Kippling, Sarah!"

Harry didn't hear the Sorting Hat's decision as he wondered why Fina had not been called with the other J's.

When the last first year ("White, Eric!") had been sorted ("Hufflepuff!"), the hall went deathly quiet, listening as McGonagall called the name all had been waiting to hear. "Jennings, Serafina!"

The whispers began again instantly as Fina walked towards the stool. It suddenly hit Harry, Fina was being sorted. From the moment she had introduced herself, Harry just sort of assumed that she would be in

Gryffindor. But what if she wasn't? Harry frantically looked towards Ron and Hermione, who were also watching Fina, and noticed that they must have been having the same thoughts about their new friend.

"She's not," Seamus Finnigan said. "Ginny Weasley met her already. She's American."

Dean Thomas's eyes lit up. "American? Really? You know what they say about American girls..." He faded off with a sly grin at Seamus, who laughed heartily. Lavender gave him a sharp look, but before she could say anything someone shushed them. Fina was putting on the hat.

The entire hall drew in a breath and leaned forward as if with one mind. The Hat was quiet for a long time and Fina's eyes were closed for the duration. Finally, when the tear in the Hat opened to sort the young woman, it paused.

"Gryffindor!"

The entire hall released a breath as the Gryffindor table cheered. Fina sat the Hat down on the stool and walked happily over to the small space next to Harry where people slid down to make room for her. He looked over a bit smuggly at Malfoy who, to Harry's surprise, wasn't looking daggers at him, but staring, with clear disappointment, at Fina. Harry looked to Fina. The brunette had her face in her hands, elbows resting on the table, as she looked back at Malfoy with a meaningful yet unreadable expression for only a moment before turning her eyes away.

"Hi Sirifanna, was it?" Lavender asked, trying to remember the odd name as she leaned over the table, holding out her hand. Harry had been so caught up in worry over Fina's sorting results that he had barely registered that Fina was not the name called.

Fina looked at her empty golden plate a bit annoyed before taking Lavender's hand and correcting her. "It's pronounced Sarah-f-E-na, but Fina will do."

Lavender turned a bit pink in the cheeks. "Sorry. Well, its nice to have you." She slid back into her seat and Seamus mouthed the words 'See. American.' to her in a rather obvious way.

"Yes, I'm an American," Fina said, making Seamus duck a bit in his chair. Dumbledore rose from his chair and everyone looked up. "Tuck in!"

Suddenly, an amazing array of foods appeared on the table before them, and everyone began filling their plates. "Very cool," Fina stated casually as she stabbed a steak with her fork and moved it to her plate. "What's in the pitchers?"

"Water and pumpkin juice," Hermione said, helping herself to some chicken.

"What kinda juice?" Fina asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Pumpkin."

"I'll take the water, thanks," Fina said, looking a bit disgusted.

Everyone continued eating and chatting about their summers. Lavender and Seamus were officially an item now, as were Alicia Spinnet and Lee Jordan. Parvati had spent the entire summer at some sort of Divination camp. And apparently Neville had grown several award winning plants. There was also a rather long conversation that had begun as naming off the teachers to Fina, but developed into a free-for-all forum in which everyone voiced their

opinions of each teacher.

Once the plates had been cleared and everyone was chattering happily with in their inner circles, Dumbledore rose to his

feet, silencing everyone.

"Well, now that everyone is well fed, I'd like to ask for your attention. As you all

remember," he said, his face becoming more serious, "there were many disconcerting events at the end of last year. I am sure that you all have questions and concerns. I know that many of your parents have not chosen to be behind me in this matter, several parents have even decided to remove their children from Hogwarts. I, however, remain convinced that there is no point lying to you. This year is going to be hard, and quite possibly very frightening. There are several new restrictions to be announced also. As always, the forest grounds are off limits for any and all purposes. Also, the town of Hogsmeade is off limits, to everyone."

There was a rise of whispers in the hall. In past years Hogsmeade was only off limits to first and second years. Everyone else was entitled to the scheduled weekend visits.

"I know this may be upsetting to many of you, but we feel that it is in your best interest. Curfew has been raised by one hour for all students. No one is to leave the castle without permission from a staff member. Each dorm room will now have it's own password. I would also like to welcome back Professor Lupin, who's return I'm sure is appreciated by all students. And lastly, I want you all to remember that no matter what, you are safe here," he finished, surveying the group of young people in front of him.

Harry could see the proud sparkle in his eye. Harry was sure that Dumbledore had no doubt that Hogwarts would protect them in the coming year. Harry, however, looked at the faces around him, the people that meant the most to him, and did everything for him, and he wondered quietly if he would be able to protect them.