"Hi Parvati, hello Lavender," Harry said awkwardly, quickly putting
down his fists.
"What happened here? You're all a mess! Renata, were you fighting with the boys?" asked Lavender Brown, sounding exasperated.
"We didn't start it. It was Malfoy. He was here insulting us so-"
"So you fought back?" asked Parvati Patel.
"That about sums it up."
"What are we going to do with you? You know you're not supposed to fight."
"Sorry," apologized Renata.
Renata didn't look or sound very sorry though, thought Harry.
"We were looking for your mum, Renata. Is she here?"
"No, she's coming later. Why?"
"We wanted to talk to her. We'll see you later. Goodbye."
They made their exit and outside the window it had grown dark outside and the countryside was passing them by. Eventually the train slowed to a halt. A voice from somewhere overhead reminded them to leave their luggage on the train.
The students stepped off the platform at the Hogsmeade Station. Harry had expected to hear Hagrid's familiar voice calling all the first years to the little fleet of boats that would take them to the school, but instead, Harry heard something completely different.
"All First Year students, immediately report to me or you will be left behind. Report to me and come to the boats!" It was the icy voice belonging to Professor Severus Snape, the potions master.
Harry looked around for Hagrid and didn't see him. He followed the other students (second year and above) to the horseless carriages waiting to take them to the school.
Harry got in with Ron, Hermione, and Renata. "Did any of you see Hagrid?"
"No. Just Snape," Ron said sourly.
"Where could Hagrid be then?"
"Who knows?"
"Think he's alright?"
"I dunno."
They approached the gates surrounding Hogwarts and once within them the carriages stopped and the students emerged.
Harry looked up and saw the castle poltergeist, Peeves. He had a water balloon aimed at Renata.
"Watch out!" Harry shouted to Renata.
Renata appeared not to have heard him because she didn't move. Maybe she had heard him, realized Harry, because she stuck her wand straight up in the air and muttered something. Harry watched as the water balloon Peeves had dropped shot straight back up in the air and hit Peeves. Renata and the others walk calmly on their way.
Harry and the others went inside and into the Great Hall. Harry and his friends took their seats at the Gryffindor table.
"Harry?" asked Ron nudging him with his elbow and nodding at the staff table. "What do you see?"
Harry followed Ron's gaze to the staff table. Professor McGonagall's place was empty, she was talking to the first years in another room; Hagrid's place was empty, they weren't sure where he was; Snape's place was empty, he had been leading the first years across the lake. No one appeared to be missing.
"Ron, I don't see what you-Sirius!"
"What's he doing here?" asked Ron.
"I didn't know he'd be here. I was going to ask you. Where's Professor Delano?" Harry realized it. "Sirius is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!"
Hermione scoffed. "That's impossible. Renata, didn't you say your mum was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"Yeah, and I wasn't lying. I just didn't say where she was teaching." Renata grinned. "She's in Bulgaria. My mom is helping to turn around Durmstrang. It'll be a better place now that Karkaroff is gone."
Harry sighed. "So that's why you knew Sirius would be teaching here. Because you knew your mum wouldn't be."
"Yep. Now shush, Dumbledore is talking."
Professor Albus Dumbledore stood, smiling at them all; his waist length silver hair and beard showed brightly in the candlelight. "Welcome to all you new first years! I hope your next seven years here are enjoyable. To all you returning students I have two words: welcome back! Before the Sorting takes place I have a few little announcements to make. First, you must note that the forest on the grounds in is strictly forbidden and no one is allowed inside. Also no magic is to be used between classes in the corridor, especially against another student."
Harry had the feeling Dumbledore glanced his way. He'd been caught with Renata the year before, turning Malfoy into a ferret.
"Let the Sorting commence!"
Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool in front of the first years, most of who looked quite shaken and pale, and she placed the Sorting Hat on it. The Sorting Hat was an old wizard hat, much patched and frayed over the years. A rip near the brim of the hat opened and the hat began to sing to the students and the teachers.
Eager faces, bright and young,
Great teachers of renown,
You'll hear a tale to delight you all,
If you'll just gather 'round.
If you're brave and pure of heart,
Gryffindor's your place to start.
When you are clever, quick, and wise,
Ravenclaw will be your prize.
For those with a fair and loyal mind,
Hufflepuff is just your kind.
If the end justifies the mean,
Slytherin is where you'll be seen.
Godric and Rowena,
Helga and Salazar,
The four met here a thousand years ago,
To teach you sorcerers all you need to know!
The hat ceased in its song and the students and teachers alike applauded.
Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll of parchment and began to read off the names. "Colfer, Abigail."
Harry watched as a little girl walked up and sat down on the stool. The Sorting Hat was on her head a few seconds before the brim opened and the hat announced its decision, "Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaw table applauded.
Harry looked back to the line of first years. Funny, there appeared to be a ghost chatting with them. Quite a young ghost, and not one Harry recognized in the slightest. McGonagall called the next name.
"Dorman, Eoin."
A boy with coarse brown hair went up to the stool and sat awaiting the hats decision, "Slytherin!"
The Slytherin table applauded as the boy came and sat down. The names went on and students went off to different tables.
Soon there were only three students remaining, or rather two students and the ghost. McGonagall called, "Smithington, Artemis." The entire hall seemed to be in shock as the ghost glided up to the stool and sat down on the stool. Harry watched as the scene played itself out: the ghost sat expectantly on the stool, McGonagall looked to Dumbledore, Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall held the sorting hat so it touched her head, to everyone's mild surprise, after a few seconds that hat made its announcement and the ghost became a Gryffindor.
The last two students were sorted. "Varing, Tyler" became a Hufflepuff, and "Wormwood, Athena" joined the Ravenclaw.
Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment and marched off with the hat and the stool. Dumbledore stood once more, "Before the feast begins I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Sirius Black."
The students began to mutter and whisper to each other at once. Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. "Please. Contrary to what many of you may still believe, Sirius Black has been proven innocent by the Ministry and by the accounts of several students. Also I would like to announce that though he does appear to be missing at the moment, Professor Remus Lupin will be filling in for Hagrid as Care of Magical Creatures professor for the time being. In addition to this we have hired some extra help for Argus Filch, the castle caretaker, so let me introduce Pip Pumblechook. Thank you and enjoy the feast!"
The plates in front of them magically filled with food and the students began to devourer it.
"Another new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," muttered a seventh year boy near by.
The boy sitting next to him replied, "They don't last very long, do they?"
Renata turned to Harry. "You do realize you won't be able to get away with anything now, don't you?"
"How do you mean?"
"I'm sure Sirius will check up on you. To make sure you don't end up in the forest or sneak off to Hogsmeade. I wouldn't be surprised if he confiscated that map of yours."
Harry sighed. She was probably right.
Hermione turned to Harry. "So you may have to break a few less rules. What's wrong with that?"
Ron answered for him. "It goes against the very fabric of his being, that's what's wrong with it. Harry's been breaking rules since he came here. Come to think of it all three of us have."
"Excuse me, I never started with rule breaking," Hermione said.
"No, that was our fault I'm sure," Ron retorted sarcastically.
"Actually it was!" replied Hermione.
"Stop fussing," said Renata, piling more chicken on her plate. "Think Sirius will make it more than a year?"
"No reason why he shouldn't. Why isn't Hagrid here? And where's Lupin?"
"I only wish I knew. I hope Hagrid is alright."
"I hope my uncle is okay. If he's filling in, he should be here by now," Renata said uneasily.
Harry looked and saw Renata was looking rather concerned. Just as the food disappeared of the sparkling plates and the desserts appeared and Professor Remus J. Lupin entered. He sat down at the staff table and murmured brief apologies for his tardiness.
When the plates were once again sparkling clean the students got up to go back to their houses. On his way out, Harry was stopped by Sirius.
"Harry, what happened to your face?"
"Er-"
"You were in a fight, weren't you?"
"He started it."
"Harry, you're not to be fighting at school. Who was it?"
"Malfoy and his friends. It wasn't at school. We were on the train. He definitely came off worse. We only ended up with a bloody nose and a black-eyed between us."
"Harry," Sirius grinned in spite of himself and had to start again. "Harry, you're not to be fighting. Understand? Ron's not to be fighting either."
"Yes, Sirius." Harry left to find the others. Hermione and Ron were waiting together by the door and Renata was talking to her uncle.
When Renata was done the four of them followed the other Gryffindors up to Gryffindor Tower. When they came to the portrait of the Fat Lady in the pink dress, Hermione said, "Grouchy Ghosts." The portrait swung open, admitting them to the Gryffindor Common room.
The room was the same as it had been all of Harry's years at Hogwarts. The armchairs were scattered about the room, the fireplace was burning brightly, there were tables set up for homework, and there were two staircases. One staircase led up to the boys' dormitories, the other led to the girls' dormitories. Tired and feeling as heavy as lead, Ron and Harry wished Hermione and Renata a goodnight and they trudged up the stairs to the door that read SIXTH YEARS. Behind the door the room was just as Harry had been picturing it throughout the summer; the five four-poster beds with their scarlet hangings were positioned around the room, the nightstands were beside the beds and at the end of each bed was the boy's trunk which had been brought up while they were at the feast.
Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean put on their pajamas, murmured goodnight, and climbed into their beds without another word.
In the morning Harry woke with the sunlight streaming in through the window. Harry stretched, yawned, and opened the hangings to retrieve his glasses from the nightstand. It took him a moment to remember where he was and after that it took another moment to remember that it was Saturday and he had no classes. Harry considered going back to sleep but instead he went down to the Great Hall for breakfast; he didn't bother to wait for Hermione or to wakeup Ron, the events of the night before were trickling back into his train of thought. Hagrid was missing. Sirius was teaching as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Lupin was filling in for the unexplained absence of Hagrid.
Harry was halfway through with his scrambled eggs when Ron, Hermione, and Renata came down.
"I was wondering when you'd come down," he remarked pulling out some chairs.
"Wondering when we'd come down? You didn't bother to wake me," Ron said.
"I was thinking about last night. Hagrid's not here, Sirius is, Lupin is. Don't you think it's all a bit strange?"
"Of course it is."
"I'm just glad we don't have classes today," stated Renata. "I'm just not up for classes today. I'm tired."
"Could it be because you were up half the night reading?" asked Hermione.
Renata shot her a quizzical look, "How did you know?"
"I woke up and saw a light over by your bed. I really hope you don't do that on a school night, Renata," Hermione reproached disapprovingly. "Otherwise you'll fall asleep in class and never learn a thing." Hermione said this as if not learning was the worst possible thing.
"Let's go outside." With nothing better to do they went outside for a walk around the lake. Outside, near in the lake, the Giant Squid was swimming about lazily. Harry decided the Squid had the right idea about relaxing. He and the others settled under a tree for a talk.
"You don't suppose that Malfoy got a black-eye, do you?"
"Not likely. If it was up to me I would have broken his arm, but there's only so much you can do without getting detention after all." Renata sighed.
"If we went to Durmstrang it would be so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident. Do you reckon anyone would believe it was his fault if we pushed him into the lake with rocks tied to his feet?" asked Ron hopefully.
"No, I don't think they would," replied Harry regretfully.
Hermione gasped, "That's awful! Both of you! I'm not sure that even Malfoy would deserve that."
"Actually, I rather agree with them."
"Renata!"
Renata just chuckled.
On their way to the Gryffindor table at lunch they passed Malfoy.
"Nice eye, Potter."
"Same to you. Oh wait, never mind, your face always looks that bad," replied Harry coolly. When he was done eating Harry looked up to the staff table to try and see Sirius, but he wasn't there. "I wonder where he is," he muttered.
"Where who is?"
"Sirius. I don't see him."
"He's probably in his study. He's got lesson plans to take care of. Let's see if we can find him."
Together, the four of them made there way up the stairs and through the halls until they reached the study occupied by the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He took a chance and slowly opened it. The room was empty.
"What happened here? You're all a mess! Renata, were you fighting with the boys?" asked Lavender Brown, sounding exasperated.
"We didn't start it. It was Malfoy. He was here insulting us so-"
"So you fought back?" asked Parvati Patel.
"That about sums it up."
"What are we going to do with you? You know you're not supposed to fight."
"Sorry," apologized Renata.
Renata didn't look or sound very sorry though, thought Harry.
"We were looking for your mum, Renata. Is she here?"
"No, she's coming later. Why?"
"We wanted to talk to her. We'll see you later. Goodbye."
They made their exit and outside the window it had grown dark outside and the countryside was passing them by. Eventually the train slowed to a halt. A voice from somewhere overhead reminded them to leave their luggage on the train.
The students stepped off the platform at the Hogsmeade Station. Harry had expected to hear Hagrid's familiar voice calling all the first years to the little fleet of boats that would take them to the school, but instead, Harry heard something completely different.
"All First Year students, immediately report to me or you will be left behind. Report to me and come to the boats!" It was the icy voice belonging to Professor Severus Snape, the potions master.
Harry looked around for Hagrid and didn't see him. He followed the other students (second year and above) to the horseless carriages waiting to take them to the school.
Harry got in with Ron, Hermione, and Renata. "Did any of you see Hagrid?"
"No. Just Snape," Ron said sourly.
"Where could Hagrid be then?"
"Who knows?"
"Think he's alright?"
"I dunno."
They approached the gates surrounding Hogwarts and once within them the carriages stopped and the students emerged.
Harry looked up and saw the castle poltergeist, Peeves. He had a water balloon aimed at Renata.
"Watch out!" Harry shouted to Renata.
Renata appeared not to have heard him because she didn't move. Maybe she had heard him, realized Harry, because she stuck her wand straight up in the air and muttered something. Harry watched as the water balloon Peeves had dropped shot straight back up in the air and hit Peeves. Renata and the others walk calmly on their way.
Harry and the others went inside and into the Great Hall. Harry and his friends took their seats at the Gryffindor table.
"Harry?" asked Ron nudging him with his elbow and nodding at the staff table. "What do you see?"
Harry followed Ron's gaze to the staff table. Professor McGonagall's place was empty, she was talking to the first years in another room; Hagrid's place was empty, they weren't sure where he was; Snape's place was empty, he had been leading the first years across the lake. No one appeared to be missing.
"Ron, I don't see what you-Sirius!"
"What's he doing here?" asked Ron.
"I didn't know he'd be here. I was going to ask you. Where's Professor Delano?" Harry realized it. "Sirius is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!"
Hermione scoffed. "That's impossible. Renata, didn't you say your mum was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"Yeah, and I wasn't lying. I just didn't say where she was teaching." Renata grinned. "She's in Bulgaria. My mom is helping to turn around Durmstrang. It'll be a better place now that Karkaroff is gone."
Harry sighed. "So that's why you knew Sirius would be teaching here. Because you knew your mum wouldn't be."
"Yep. Now shush, Dumbledore is talking."
Professor Albus Dumbledore stood, smiling at them all; his waist length silver hair and beard showed brightly in the candlelight. "Welcome to all you new first years! I hope your next seven years here are enjoyable. To all you returning students I have two words: welcome back! Before the Sorting takes place I have a few little announcements to make. First, you must note that the forest on the grounds in is strictly forbidden and no one is allowed inside. Also no magic is to be used between classes in the corridor, especially against another student."
Harry had the feeling Dumbledore glanced his way. He'd been caught with Renata the year before, turning Malfoy into a ferret.
"Let the Sorting commence!"
Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool in front of the first years, most of who looked quite shaken and pale, and she placed the Sorting Hat on it. The Sorting Hat was an old wizard hat, much patched and frayed over the years. A rip near the brim of the hat opened and the hat began to sing to the students and the teachers.
Eager faces, bright and young,
Great teachers of renown,
You'll hear a tale to delight you all,
If you'll just gather 'round.
If you're brave and pure of heart,
Gryffindor's your place to start.
When you are clever, quick, and wise,
Ravenclaw will be your prize.
For those with a fair and loyal mind,
Hufflepuff is just your kind.
If the end justifies the mean,
Slytherin is where you'll be seen.
Godric and Rowena,
Helga and Salazar,
The four met here a thousand years ago,
To teach you sorcerers all you need to know!
The hat ceased in its song and the students and teachers alike applauded.
Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll of parchment and began to read off the names. "Colfer, Abigail."
Harry watched as a little girl walked up and sat down on the stool. The Sorting Hat was on her head a few seconds before the brim opened and the hat announced its decision, "Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaw table applauded.
Harry looked back to the line of first years. Funny, there appeared to be a ghost chatting with them. Quite a young ghost, and not one Harry recognized in the slightest. McGonagall called the next name.
"Dorman, Eoin."
A boy with coarse brown hair went up to the stool and sat awaiting the hats decision, "Slytherin!"
The Slytherin table applauded as the boy came and sat down. The names went on and students went off to different tables.
Soon there were only three students remaining, or rather two students and the ghost. McGonagall called, "Smithington, Artemis." The entire hall seemed to be in shock as the ghost glided up to the stool and sat down on the stool. Harry watched as the scene played itself out: the ghost sat expectantly on the stool, McGonagall looked to Dumbledore, Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall held the sorting hat so it touched her head, to everyone's mild surprise, after a few seconds that hat made its announcement and the ghost became a Gryffindor.
The last two students were sorted. "Varing, Tyler" became a Hufflepuff, and "Wormwood, Athena" joined the Ravenclaw.
Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment and marched off with the hat and the stool. Dumbledore stood once more, "Before the feast begins I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Sirius Black."
The students began to mutter and whisper to each other at once. Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. "Please. Contrary to what many of you may still believe, Sirius Black has been proven innocent by the Ministry and by the accounts of several students. Also I would like to announce that though he does appear to be missing at the moment, Professor Remus Lupin will be filling in for Hagrid as Care of Magical Creatures professor for the time being. In addition to this we have hired some extra help for Argus Filch, the castle caretaker, so let me introduce Pip Pumblechook. Thank you and enjoy the feast!"
The plates in front of them magically filled with food and the students began to devourer it.
"Another new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," muttered a seventh year boy near by.
The boy sitting next to him replied, "They don't last very long, do they?"
Renata turned to Harry. "You do realize you won't be able to get away with anything now, don't you?"
"How do you mean?"
"I'm sure Sirius will check up on you. To make sure you don't end up in the forest or sneak off to Hogsmeade. I wouldn't be surprised if he confiscated that map of yours."
Harry sighed. She was probably right.
Hermione turned to Harry. "So you may have to break a few less rules. What's wrong with that?"
Ron answered for him. "It goes against the very fabric of his being, that's what's wrong with it. Harry's been breaking rules since he came here. Come to think of it all three of us have."
"Excuse me, I never started with rule breaking," Hermione said.
"No, that was our fault I'm sure," Ron retorted sarcastically.
"Actually it was!" replied Hermione.
"Stop fussing," said Renata, piling more chicken on her plate. "Think Sirius will make it more than a year?"
"No reason why he shouldn't. Why isn't Hagrid here? And where's Lupin?"
"I only wish I knew. I hope Hagrid is alright."
"I hope my uncle is okay. If he's filling in, he should be here by now," Renata said uneasily.
Harry looked and saw Renata was looking rather concerned. Just as the food disappeared of the sparkling plates and the desserts appeared and Professor Remus J. Lupin entered. He sat down at the staff table and murmured brief apologies for his tardiness.
When the plates were once again sparkling clean the students got up to go back to their houses. On his way out, Harry was stopped by Sirius.
"Harry, what happened to your face?"
"Er-"
"You were in a fight, weren't you?"
"He started it."
"Harry, you're not to be fighting at school. Who was it?"
"Malfoy and his friends. It wasn't at school. We were on the train. He definitely came off worse. We only ended up with a bloody nose and a black-eyed between us."
"Harry," Sirius grinned in spite of himself and had to start again. "Harry, you're not to be fighting. Understand? Ron's not to be fighting either."
"Yes, Sirius." Harry left to find the others. Hermione and Ron were waiting together by the door and Renata was talking to her uncle.
When Renata was done the four of them followed the other Gryffindors up to Gryffindor Tower. When they came to the portrait of the Fat Lady in the pink dress, Hermione said, "Grouchy Ghosts." The portrait swung open, admitting them to the Gryffindor Common room.
The room was the same as it had been all of Harry's years at Hogwarts. The armchairs were scattered about the room, the fireplace was burning brightly, there were tables set up for homework, and there were two staircases. One staircase led up to the boys' dormitories, the other led to the girls' dormitories. Tired and feeling as heavy as lead, Ron and Harry wished Hermione and Renata a goodnight and they trudged up the stairs to the door that read SIXTH YEARS. Behind the door the room was just as Harry had been picturing it throughout the summer; the five four-poster beds with their scarlet hangings were positioned around the room, the nightstands were beside the beds and at the end of each bed was the boy's trunk which had been brought up while they were at the feast.
Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean put on their pajamas, murmured goodnight, and climbed into their beds without another word.
In the morning Harry woke with the sunlight streaming in through the window. Harry stretched, yawned, and opened the hangings to retrieve his glasses from the nightstand. It took him a moment to remember where he was and after that it took another moment to remember that it was Saturday and he had no classes. Harry considered going back to sleep but instead he went down to the Great Hall for breakfast; he didn't bother to wait for Hermione or to wakeup Ron, the events of the night before were trickling back into his train of thought. Hagrid was missing. Sirius was teaching as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Lupin was filling in for the unexplained absence of Hagrid.
Harry was halfway through with his scrambled eggs when Ron, Hermione, and Renata came down.
"I was wondering when you'd come down," he remarked pulling out some chairs.
"Wondering when we'd come down? You didn't bother to wake me," Ron said.
"I was thinking about last night. Hagrid's not here, Sirius is, Lupin is. Don't you think it's all a bit strange?"
"Of course it is."
"I'm just glad we don't have classes today," stated Renata. "I'm just not up for classes today. I'm tired."
"Could it be because you were up half the night reading?" asked Hermione.
Renata shot her a quizzical look, "How did you know?"
"I woke up and saw a light over by your bed. I really hope you don't do that on a school night, Renata," Hermione reproached disapprovingly. "Otherwise you'll fall asleep in class and never learn a thing." Hermione said this as if not learning was the worst possible thing.
"Let's go outside." With nothing better to do they went outside for a walk around the lake. Outside, near in the lake, the Giant Squid was swimming about lazily. Harry decided the Squid had the right idea about relaxing. He and the others settled under a tree for a talk.
"You don't suppose that Malfoy got a black-eye, do you?"
"Not likely. If it was up to me I would have broken his arm, but there's only so much you can do without getting detention after all." Renata sighed.
"If we went to Durmstrang it would be so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident. Do you reckon anyone would believe it was his fault if we pushed him into the lake with rocks tied to his feet?" asked Ron hopefully.
"No, I don't think they would," replied Harry regretfully.
Hermione gasped, "That's awful! Both of you! I'm not sure that even Malfoy would deserve that."
"Actually, I rather agree with them."
"Renata!"
Renata just chuckled.
On their way to the Gryffindor table at lunch they passed Malfoy.
"Nice eye, Potter."
"Same to you. Oh wait, never mind, your face always looks that bad," replied Harry coolly. When he was done eating Harry looked up to the staff table to try and see Sirius, but he wasn't there. "I wonder where he is," he muttered.
"Where who is?"
"Sirius. I don't see him."
"He's probably in his study. He's got lesson plans to take care of. Let's see if we can find him."
Together, the four of them made there way up the stairs and through the halls until they reached the study occupied by the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He took a chance and slowly opened it. The room was empty.
