Stepping out of the fireplace Anastasia brushed soot off of her blood
red robes. She headed out back to the magical entrance to Diagon Alley
checking her pockets to make sure she had everything. As she raised her
wand to open the entrance she realised that she'd forgotten her book list.
Turning around suddenly she ran smack into a boy about her age. She blushed in her embarrassment as he offered her a hand up. She dusted herself off again and offered him her hand in introduction. "My names Anastasia. I prefer Anya but. I'm really sorry about nearly knocking you over, but I forgot my book list. I've just transferred to Hogwarts this year from the Pacific Wicca Academy. I'm a fifth year. I'm really really sorry about that."
"That's okay. I'm Harry Potter, I'm in my fifth year also, if we have the same electives is can help you get all your books if you want?"
"That would be really great thank you.
They talked for quite some time as they slowly made their way towards Florish and Blotts. There Anya took some time too look around at all the various subject areas around the first floor level. Harry helped her find all her books for that year including her ones for care of magical creatures and divination.
While at the care of magical creatures section she also grabbed a copy of a tremendous book entitled Advanced Trainers Guide to Training Difficult Magical Creatures, written by Romulus Romanus. When Harry showed her to the Divination sections after picking up a copy of Cassandra Vablatsky's Unfogging the Future she also grabbed a couple of books on something called psychometry, which Harry had never heard about before. As he directed Anya towards the transfiguration section he was surprised to note that she slipped not one but three books on Animagi into her pile of books.
As Harry waited for Anya ten minutes later as she picked up a final couple of books that she wanted to get Harry took a quick browse of the magical pranks section as she returned from the potions section of the store carrying a towering pile of books. She placed them on the counter next to his and made her way over to where Harry stood. It was then that he noticed the names of the two authors of a prank book practically hidden at the back of the section. He picked it up and smiled. Sirius had never told him that he and Harry's father had written a prank book. Harry seemed to sense Anya behind him and turned to face her. She smiled at the book in his hands and said, "I should have picked you as a prankster at heart. It's good to find a kindred spirit every once in a while." She also picked up a copy of the book and the two headed back to the desk and bought all their books.
After buying all their books the two of them headed back to the Leaky Cauldron for some lunch before they would head back into Diagon Alley to finish their shopping. They got their lunch and sat back in the far corner of the room, away from prying eyes. They talked for a while, discussing a variety of subjects from school to Quidditch. Harry was a bit put off when she told him that she had made her state's representative Quidditch team as their principal seeker at the age of eleven.
After they had finished with their lunches Harry suggested to Anya that she leave her books in the room he was staying at here at the Leaky Cauldron while they finished their shopping. Which, given the sheer weight of them, she gladly accepted. Their first stop was the apothecary to stock up on potions supplies, then they went to Madam Malkin's where Harry bought some causal wear robes so he wouldn't need to always wear Dudley's old things and Anya brought some new robes also including a beautiful blue velvet dress robes that went well with her eyes, and put a sizable dent in her pocket.
After they had gone to most of the shops and spent a sizeable sum of their money Harry and Anya went to have some ice creams at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour before Harry led Anya up to his room where she retrieved her books and finally the couple bid each other farewell and Anya returned to the fireplace to return home with her days shopping.
Once Anya had left Harry packed all his new school things into his trunk scowling at the number of books they had been given this year, especially for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Though it was his favourite subject by far, they last time they had been assigned so many books, all by the same author, they had ended up with the most stupid teacher they had ever had, Gilderoy Lockhart.
Harry hoped that these feelings of impending doom were not prophetic at all, but just the result of one to many bad experiences.
After having finished his dinner Harry headed straight for bed looking forward to the next day and finally seeing Ron and Hermione, even though it was to be the last day of the summer holidays. And as he slowly drifted off to sleep he couldn't get the thought of Anya out of his head.
Before Harry woke up properly there was a gentle scratching at the door and as Harry came to realize this fact he beamed, as he was sure of what he would find on the other side of the door. Sure enough as soon as he opened the door a large black dog that looked like a grim brushed past him and he closed the door behind it.
As he turned around Harry heard the faint popping sound of Sirius transforming into himself as Harry wheeled to face him. Harry was so glad to see Sirius again he gave him an almost bone crushing hug in greetings. It had been two months since the two had seen each other; they hadn't even been able to exchange frequent owls, only while Sirius had been at Remus' home.
It was at least five minutes before they let go of each other. Harry was the first to speak after they broke apart. He said, "It's good to see you again Sirius."
"It's good to see you too, Harry. How has your holidays been? Been keeping yourself out of mischief I hope?" Sirius smiled down at Harry.
"They've been okay, especially after I came here. And how can I keep myself out of mischief when there's nothing to make mischief with?" Harry half laughed.
"Good point. Looking forward to going back to Hogwarts I bet. Do you know who made prefect yet? I know Hermione will be, but did you get the badge or Ron?" Asked Sirius.
"I did. But the funny thing is Hermione hasn't owled me saying she'd got prefect. Her last message didn't even mention it. Knowing Hermione she'd be over the moon acting like she hadn't expected it." Harry frowned, "I plan to ask her when she gets here but, I just find her lack of response worrying."
"It's always possible that she was offered the position but turned it down. Maybe that's why she didn't say she'd got the badge."
As midday approached Harry and Sirius, in his Animagi, form went downstairs and sat at a table waiting for the Weasley's and Hermione to arrive. It wasn't long before Hermione and her parents arrived. They found Harry easily. Five minutes later Ron was the first of the Weasleys to arrive. Following him were Fred then George, then Mr and Mrs Weasley then Ginny and Bill.
They all sat down together at the four tables that Tom had put together for them and had lunch before the Weasleys and Hermione's family all went to Gringotts. Afterwards, Mr Weasley went back to the Leaky Cauldron with Hermione's parents while everyone else went shopping for their school supplies.
It was a long day but finally as dusk fell everyone congregated in the Leaky Cauldron and dumped their school supplies in their respective rooms before they finally went down to dinner. Dinner was a wonderful five-course meal ending with a strawberry pudding before finally everyone headed up to bed ready for the long trip to Hogwarts in the morning.
Harry woke up early the next morning. Dawn was on the horizon and the room was starting to light up. Harry sat up in bed and realised that Sirius was already up; he could hear his off key singing emanating from the small bathroom off his room.
When both he and Sirius were ready they made their way downstairs to meet up with Hermione and the Weasleys. After breakfast they all made their way outside with their trunks and cages and took the underground to King's Cross station. Many other students were already there waiting for the train to leave with their parents. Fred and George soon disappeared when they saw Lee Jordan. Ginny soon left to catch up with a group of fourth year girls.
Everyone placed their things on board and when eleven o'clock came around everyone was on the train and it slowly pulled away from the station. Harry headed forward to where the prefects were to meet while Hermione, Ron and the rest would find him a seat for when the prefect meeting had finished.
When he reached the front of the first carriage Harry was caught by surprise when he saw who the other Gryffindor fifth year prefect was. He instantly recognised the young girl dressed in a set of Gryffindor robes wearing the red and gold prefects badge that he had thought for sure would have gone to Hermione. He smiled nervously as a wide beaming smile graced her face setting off a swarm of butterflies in his stomach.
Harry said "Hello." To Anya feeling slightly nervous again at being in her presence as he had the day he had first meet her in Diagon Alley. The new Head Boy for this year, some guy from Ravenclaw that Harry didn't know, came to usher the two of them inside. But apparently Anya did know him for as soon as she saw him she greeted him as one would an old friend. "Hey Slacker. Long time no see."
"Lil' Ani is it really you?" He said as he wrapped his arms around her and they hugged each other. "The last time I saw you was, what, just over five years ago."
"Yeah that sounds about right." Anya replied as she pulled away.
"Last I heard your mum enrolled you in Pacific Wicca. And about your mum, how is she anyway? Aside from Professor Lupin a couple of years ago your mum was the last best teacher that we ever had."
"Wait and see."
"How many potions are you planning on exploding in your uncle's class? Five hundred? A thousand?"
In a highly put upon tone Anya replied "ME! When would I EVER explode a potion, I have not IDEA WHY you would think such a thing about me."
"Maybe because when we were making a friendship potion in my first year you slipped in a half dozen Knarl quills and a pinch of muggle Sage into your uncle's demonstration potion and it blew up five minutes later in his face."
"Guilty as charged. Any way we should be heading in, everyone else looks ready to get started."
As they entered the compartment Harry managed to hiss in her ear, "Your mother taught Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts?"
"For nine years. I grew up at Hogwarts."
"AND your uncle's Professor SNAPE?"
"Don't sound so surprised, only a Snape can have this sallower face. And anyway, we all have to be related to some one don't we. Besides, at least he's not my father." She said as she sat down next to Hufflepuff prefect Ernie Macmillan.
An hour later Harry and Anya wound their way down towards the back of the train as Harry looked into each compartment looking for Ron and Hermione. In the final carriage he found them. In the very last compartment just as the witch with the lunch trolley pulled up in front of it. Both Harry and Anya bought themselves lunch and sat down in the compartment with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Fred, George and Sirius (snuffles). Harry sat down next to Sirius and Anya occupied the window seat next to him.
As the train steamed northwards Harry was busy talking with Ron, Fred, George and Neville, as Neville didn't know the truth about Sirius they couldn't talk directly to him. Hermione on the other hand was reading through one of the onerous texts for defence against the dark arts, it was the enormous volume on remedies, while Anya was fast asleep against the window which was slowly going grey as the clouds continued to roll in to sight.
It wasn't too long before heavy rain was lashing against the windows and the lights had to flicker on to combat the sudden darkness. Harry could hear the rumbling of thunder over head and suspected that one hell of a lightning storm was brewing up there.
Ten minutes later Harry looked at Sirius as he nudged him on the arm to gain his attention. When Harry looked at Sirius he simply nodded towards Anya, who was still fast asleep against the window. It was then that Harry realised that she wasn't sleeping as soundly as he had first thought but was tossing restlessly in the grips of a nightmare.
She would jerk her head every once in a while and Harry could swear he heard he mumbling, saying things such as 'no' and 'stay away' or 'not again, please, please not again'. Harry reached over and shook Anya awake. When he did this the effect was instant.
Anya jumped as she woke suddenly, completely out of breath. Just then a fork of brilliant lightning filled the sky, lighting the entire compartment. Everyone there, except Anya, jumped as the shockwave of sound caused by the lightning hit them in almost the same instant.
It took a full minute before Anya breathing returned to what it normally was and for her to curl up in a tight ball in the corner where she sat. Just then they realised that the storm had lifted when they heard the light above them flicker off again. Everyone was looking at each other in amazement; everyone knew that there had been something up with that storm. Wild thunderstorms didn't just appear and disappear so fast, unless magic was some how behind it.
Some time later the train pulled into Hogsmeade station and all the students piled out of the train and onto the platform. From the other end they could hear the familiar sounds of Hagrid calling all the new first years to him for their traditional journey across the lake. Harry, Ron and Hermione all wave to him as they made their way with the rest of the students to the carriages. When they reached the carriages Harry stopped dead at the sight that greeted him. Instead of the usual invisible horses that usually pulled the schools carriages Harry plainly saw hundreds of black winged horses ready to pull the carriages full of students up to the castle. He said nervously "Guys, what are those?"
"What are what Harry?" asked Ron clearly puzzled.
"Those THINGS, in the shafts? They're some sort of weird horse." He said clearly baffled that Ron hadn't noticed what he had.
"What ever usually pulls them I guess. I can't see anything."
Harry went to open his mouth just as Anya stepped up beside him and said clearly in his ear "Don't worry, your not hallucinating them." And as she walked past him to the carriage door she said "they're just Thestrals. Only those who have seen death can see them."
Anya followed by Harry then Sirius, and finally Ron and Hermione all hoped into the same carriage together. When they had all taken their seats and closed the door Harry asked her " Can you see them?" She just nodded, "If you don't mind me asking, who.?"
"Did I see die?" he nodded "My divination teacher at Pacific Wicca. She was. incurably ill.." Tears streamed down her face as she stopped talking, the memory still painfully sharp in her mind. Harry noticed that there was a light drizzle of rain outside as the carriage started to move.
By the time that they reached the castle steps Anya had finally stopped crying and the drizzle had ceased to fall. The five of them joined the crowd of people headed for the Great Hall. They managed to find some seats at their table half way towards the front. It was now that they finally were able to look at the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Harry heard Fred say "Blimey" as he realised who it was while George simply said, "it can't be". There was a murmur around the hall as everyone from sixth and seventh year that had noticed the new teacher sat talking about her to each other. Harry looked carefully at her; she had long black hair, braided down the back, sallow skin, and black eyes that instantly made him think she was related to Professor Snape in some way sat between Professors Snape and Sinistra.
Once everyone was seated and the first years had been sorted into his or hers respective houses Professor Dumbledore stood up for his usual start of term speech. Looking slightly more tired then Harry was used to seeing him he stood ready to welcome them again. "To all our new students I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts," there was a loud applause from the older students, reinforcing Dumbledore's greeting, "And to those of you who are not so new welcome back." A louder cheer erupted, when it ceased he continued, "I would also like to introduce to you, all though I'm sure our sixth and seventh years will all remember her very well, Professor Anita Black. Who will once again be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts." The sixth and seventh years all over the hall, including the Slytherins, cheered at this news much louder than the whole school had at Dumbledore's greetings to the students.
The black haired witch who sat next to Professor Snape said loudly and clearly with out standing "it's so good that they remembered me." Quite a few people around him sniggered at this and a number of sixth and seventh years laughed lightly as well. Professor Dumbledore than continued with the announcements "I have also been asked to remind you older student and to inform those in their first year that magic is not permitted in the corridors. Also first years should know that no student unless so ordered and accompanied by a teacher is to enter the Forbidden Forest and a number of our older students should remember that also." He looked pointedly at the Gryffindor table, specifically at Fred, George, Ron and Harry. He returned his attention to the entire school and said, "Now it's time for something far more enjoyable, tuck in." And as those last two words left his mouth all over the hall food filled the once empty plates before them.
After the feast was ended and the plates had magically emptied themselves Harry and Anya soon gathered up all the new Gryffindors and showed them the fastest way to Gryffindor Tower. Once there they gave the Fat Lady the password and entered the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry pointed out which stairwell was for the boys' dorms and which one was for the girls' dorms. Once all the first years had headed up to bed Harry and Anya wished each other a pleasant nights sleep before they both went off to bed themselves.
Harry woke the next morning to light streaming in through his curtains. He could feel Sirius laying at the end of his bed. Deciding to leave him sleep for a little while longer Harry carefully pulled himself into a sitting position and put his glasses on. He slipped off of his bed and carefully made sure to close the curtains then he went down to the common room.
Anya and quite a few other Gryffindors were already there some having already headed downstairs to breakfast. Anya smiled at him and Harry's stomach was again doing that funny butterfly thing again as she said "You'd better go wake Ron up so we can go meet Hermione for breakfast."
"Where'd Hermione go?"
"Library, I think." Harry simply snorted in laughter and ran back upstairs. When he got there Ron was still fast asleep. It took a few minutes, but with some 'careful persuasion' his friend grudgingly got out of bed. As they left the dorm Harry held the door open for Sirius who was now also awake.
Once they were in the common room they joined Anya and the other Gryffindors now flocking for breakfast. After they had left the common room and were making their way down to the great hall Harry asked Anya. "Do you know why Hermione's gone to the library?"
"She only said that it was 'important research' no specifics sorry."
When they reached the great hall finally they found Hermione already there nose deep in a very large book called Controlling the Elements, which was written by some guy named Tempest Malstorm. It was so large that Harry was sure it would take at least a year to read it from cover to cover. Harry couldn't fathom why Hermione would choose such a book to read, let alone why she would class it as important research.
After they had finished their breakfast they headed off to History of Magic. History of Magic was always the most boring of subjects in Harry's opinion. This one was no different than usual. Within the first five minutes half the class had fallen into a dumb stupor and within the next five the rest of the class, excluding Hermione, were soon to follow.
After wards they all traipsed down to the dungeons for double potions, which, after five minutes, became apparent was going to be one of the worst that they had ever had, even by potions standards. Professor Snape had set them to mix an extremely intricate potion called the Draught of Diffused Dreams. Most of the ingredients were not in their potions kits and only half of those were in the students' cupboard. And because of the intricacy of the potion it would take them at least a months worth of classes to complete.
Fortunately for him he had partnered up with Anya, which had earned him countless evil looks from Professor Snape, which meant he found the topic a little less intimidating and he was able to complete the days work on the potion with out any great deal of trouble. Even Snape, who took any chance to nit pick at his work, simple brushed past him with out a sound.
Once they had cleared away their things they all headed up to the great hall for some lunch. Harry ate with some semblance of dread as he thought of what was likely to happen during their time with Professor Trelawney grateful that the lesson wasn't going to be a double period.
When they got there Harry soon realised that the lesson was going to be worse than any other divination lesson he had ever had to date. When Harry had first got into class it took Trelawney no time in saying that Harry's death was imminent and by the end of the lesson she had again predicted his horrific death twice more. But it was worse, Harry felt, for Anya. It had taken Trelawney no time at all to start laying into her. She kept making both subtle and overt hints that she, too, would meet an horrific death but, unlike with Harry, that she would die at the hands of a traitor with whom she trusted her life completely to and also that she would soon learn some home truths that she may have wished to be false.
Harry was grateful when the lesson ended and they were free to go. The Trio headed downstairs to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom where they were to have their first lesson with their new teacher, Professor Black. Harry found himself wondering if she was related at all to Sirius, and instantly resolved to ask him the first chance they got.
Harry was slightly apprehensive as he entered the room; with good reason three of the last four DADA teachers had tried to harm him in some way. He sat up the back next to Anya; Hermione sat next to Ron on his other side. They all pulled out their workbooks, the text that had been nominated for that lesson, their wands and other essentials and placed them all on the desk.
Everyone sat quietly waiting and it was nearly five minutes before Professor Black entered the room, dressed in black billowing robes that looked dull when set aside her glossy black hair. She smiled at the class before her and said "Good Evening Class. I hope you all enjoyed you holidays. Now since none of you know me and I know none of you save one I would like you to introduce yourselves to me. Nothing to flash just your name, hobbies and favourite things, like sport, classes. and least favourite things. for example. your least favourite teacher. Starting with. you dear." She pointed to Harry in the front row.
"Ummm. Well I'm Harry and I like playing Quidditch, my favourite classes are generally Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures." Lavender and a couple of students snorted at this and Professor Black shushed them, "And I hate divination, potions and the two teachers I hate the most are Professors Trelawney and Snape." Everyone laughed at this, everyone hates Snape it was just a given of not being in Slytherin.
Professor Black smiled kindly at this and said, "Severus. Professor Snape, has a tendency to rub a lot of people up the wrong way, I'm sure the majority of the student body and teaching staff feel that way about him. Okay and the young lady next to Anya, would you please introduce yourself?"
Hermione introduced herself in much the same way and then Ron then all the other students until they had all introduced themselves to her. Once they had finished Professor Black sat on the desk at the front of the classroom and looked carefully around as she spoke to them. "My name. as Albus. Professor Dumbledore so kindly informed you. is Anita Black. I attended Hogwarts many years ago and was in Gryffindor myself, much to my families and especially brother's disgust. I played for the house Quidditch team and was a chaser. I always loved Defence Against the Dark Arts as a child, which is why I followed that vein through out my life. Upon my graduation I entered the employment of the Ministry of Magic through the Aurors' office in the final years of Voldemort's last reign of terror and managed to see some action before Harry here gave us all a well earned break. After Voldemort's downfall I left the Aurors' office and took up teaching here for nine years as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, until two months before you started here. Since then I have spent a number of years researching and writing, the fruits of which are the books you purchased this year for this class.
"I know that we're suppose to be here for a double period, but I'm going to give you your homework for me and allow you to use this last hour of this lesson, for this week only, to work on your essay. The topic this week will be 'the characteristics of werewolves and windigoes, and the advantages and disadvantages of going up against one of each of them.' References for both of these creatures can be found in the creatures' volume of my set of books, but higher marks will invariably go to those who research OUTSIDE of my books. Okay class, use this time well and I'll see you next time. You may all go."
The class all filed out of the room and some split up and went various directions. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Anya all headed for the library, at Hermione's insistence, and Ron and Harry grudgingly agreed when Anya offered to help them with their DADA essay.
It was the end of the week and most of the students were enjoying the warm sunshine. All except the fifth and seventh years, who had tonnes of homework to complete for the following week that they had all allowed to slide. Harry and Anya were working together on a nasty potions essay, a tiresome transfiguration essay both due on Monday, along with an essay on the proper care and maintenance of Biting Bromeliads for Tuesdays herbology lesson.
It was after dark that the pair finally left the library only after a harassed looking Madam Pince ushered them hastily out into the dark corridor. Anya wrapped an arm in one of Harry's and the pair of them slowly made their way back up to Gryffindor tower.
When they finally arrived in the common room they were both surprised to see Ron making out with some girl from the fourth year on the large comfy sofa in front of the fireplace. Harry led Anya quietly around the common room and up the stairs to the boys' dorms where they sat talking into the night.
Late the next morning Harry woke up on his bed, arms wrapped around a still sleeping Anya. He tried to pull himself free with out her but as he slowly pulled his left arm from under her Anya slowly came to. When she was partially wake she sat up against the bed head and covered up a large yawn before she spoke. She didn't seem perturbed by waking up in the boys' dormitory in the least.
Once they were both fully awake Harry headed down to the common room while Anya went to get changed. It was a further five minutes before she had returned to the common room dressed in a simple blue medieval style gown
Turning around suddenly she ran smack into a boy about her age. She blushed in her embarrassment as he offered her a hand up. She dusted herself off again and offered him her hand in introduction. "My names Anastasia. I prefer Anya but. I'm really sorry about nearly knocking you over, but I forgot my book list. I've just transferred to Hogwarts this year from the Pacific Wicca Academy. I'm a fifth year. I'm really really sorry about that."
"That's okay. I'm Harry Potter, I'm in my fifth year also, if we have the same electives is can help you get all your books if you want?"
"That would be really great thank you.
They talked for quite some time as they slowly made their way towards Florish and Blotts. There Anya took some time too look around at all the various subject areas around the first floor level. Harry helped her find all her books for that year including her ones for care of magical creatures and divination.
While at the care of magical creatures section she also grabbed a copy of a tremendous book entitled Advanced Trainers Guide to Training Difficult Magical Creatures, written by Romulus Romanus. When Harry showed her to the Divination sections after picking up a copy of Cassandra Vablatsky's Unfogging the Future she also grabbed a couple of books on something called psychometry, which Harry had never heard about before. As he directed Anya towards the transfiguration section he was surprised to note that she slipped not one but three books on Animagi into her pile of books.
As Harry waited for Anya ten minutes later as she picked up a final couple of books that she wanted to get Harry took a quick browse of the magical pranks section as she returned from the potions section of the store carrying a towering pile of books. She placed them on the counter next to his and made her way over to where Harry stood. It was then that he noticed the names of the two authors of a prank book practically hidden at the back of the section. He picked it up and smiled. Sirius had never told him that he and Harry's father had written a prank book. Harry seemed to sense Anya behind him and turned to face her. She smiled at the book in his hands and said, "I should have picked you as a prankster at heart. It's good to find a kindred spirit every once in a while." She also picked up a copy of the book and the two headed back to the desk and bought all their books.
After buying all their books the two of them headed back to the Leaky Cauldron for some lunch before they would head back into Diagon Alley to finish their shopping. They got their lunch and sat back in the far corner of the room, away from prying eyes. They talked for a while, discussing a variety of subjects from school to Quidditch. Harry was a bit put off when she told him that she had made her state's representative Quidditch team as their principal seeker at the age of eleven.
After they had finished with their lunches Harry suggested to Anya that she leave her books in the room he was staying at here at the Leaky Cauldron while they finished their shopping. Which, given the sheer weight of them, she gladly accepted. Their first stop was the apothecary to stock up on potions supplies, then they went to Madam Malkin's where Harry bought some causal wear robes so he wouldn't need to always wear Dudley's old things and Anya brought some new robes also including a beautiful blue velvet dress robes that went well with her eyes, and put a sizable dent in her pocket.
After they had gone to most of the shops and spent a sizeable sum of their money Harry and Anya went to have some ice creams at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour before Harry led Anya up to his room where she retrieved her books and finally the couple bid each other farewell and Anya returned to the fireplace to return home with her days shopping.
Once Anya had left Harry packed all his new school things into his trunk scowling at the number of books they had been given this year, especially for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Though it was his favourite subject by far, they last time they had been assigned so many books, all by the same author, they had ended up with the most stupid teacher they had ever had, Gilderoy Lockhart.
Harry hoped that these feelings of impending doom were not prophetic at all, but just the result of one to many bad experiences.
After having finished his dinner Harry headed straight for bed looking forward to the next day and finally seeing Ron and Hermione, even though it was to be the last day of the summer holidays. And as he slowly drifted off to sleep he couldn't get the thought of Anya out of his head.
Before Harry woke up properly there was a gentle scratching at the door and as Harry came to realize this fact he beamed, as he was sure of what he would find on the other side of the door. Sure enough as soon as he opened the door a large black dog that looked like a grim brushed past him and he closed the door behind it.
As he turned around Harry heard the faint popping sound of Sirius transforming into himself as Harry wheeled to face him. Harry was so glad to see Sirius again he gave him an almost bone crushing hug in greetings. It had been two months since the two had seen each other; they hadn't even been able to exchange frequent owls, only while Sirius had been at Remus' home.
It was at least five minutes before they let go of each other. Harry was the first to speak after they broke apart. He said, "It's good to see you again Sirius."
"It's good to see you too, Harry. How has your holidays been? Been keeping yourself out of mischief I hope?" Sirius smiled down at Harry.
"They've been okay, especially after I came here. And how can I keep myself out of mischief when there's nothing to make mischief with?" Harry half laughed.
"Good point. Looking forward to going back to Hogwarts I bet. Do you know who made prefect yet? I know Hermione will be, but did you get the badge or Ron?" Asked Sirius.
"I did. But the funny thing is Hermione hasn't owled me saying she'd got prefect. Her last message didn't even mention it. Knowing Hermione she'd be over the moon acting like she hadn't expected it." Harry frowned, "I plan to ask her when she gets here but, I just find her lack of response worrying."
"It's always possible that she was offered the position but turned it down. Maybe that's why she didn't say she'd got the badge."
As midday approached Harry and Sirius, in his Animagi, form went downstairs and sat at a table waiting for the Weasley's and Hermione to arrive. It wasn't long before Hermione and her parents arrived. They found Harry easily. Five minutes later Ron was the first of the Weasleys to arrive. Following him were Fred then George, then Mr and Mrs Weasley then Ginny and Bill.
They all sat down together at the four tables that Tom had put together for them and had lunch before the Weasleys and Hermione's family all went to Gringotts. Afterwards, Mr Weasley went back to the Leaky Cauldron with Hermione's parents while everyone else went shopping for their school supplies.
It was a long day but finally as dusk fell everyone congregated in the Leaky Cauldron and dumped their school supplies in their respective rooms before they finally went down to dinner. Dinner was a wonderful five-course meal ending with a strawberry pudding before finally everyone headed up to bed ready for the long trip to Hogwarts in the morning.
Harry woke up early the next morning. Dawn was on the horizon and the room was starting to light up. Harry sat up in bed and realised that Sirius was already up; he could hear his off key singing emanating from the small bathroom off his room.
When both he and Sirius were ready they made their way downstairs to meet up with Hermione and the Weasleys. After breakfast they all made their way outside with their trunks and cages and took the underground to King's Cross station. Many other students were already there waiting for the train to leave with their parents. Fred and George soon disappeared when they saw Lee Jordan. Ginny soon left to catch up with a group of fourth year girls.
Everyone placed their things on board and when eleven o'clock came around everyone was on the train and it slowly pulled away from the station. Harry headed forward to where the prefects were to meet while Hermione, Ron and the rest would find him a seat for when the prefect meeting had finished.
When he reached the front of the first carriage Harry was caught by surprise when he saw who the other Gryffindor fifth year prefect was. He instantly recognised the young girl dressed in a set of Gryffindor robes wearing the red and gold prefects badge that he had thought for sure would have gone to Hermione. He smiled nervously as a wide beaming smile graced her face setting off a swarm of butterflies in his stomach.
Harry said "Hello." To Anya feeling slightly nervous again at being in her presence as he had the day he had first meet her in Diagon Alley. The new Head Boy for this year, some guy from Ravenclaw that Harry didn't know, came to usher the two of them inside. But apparently Anya did know him for as soon as she saw him she greeted him as one would an old friend. "Hey Slacker. Long time no see."
"Lil' Ani is it really you?" He said as he wrapped his arms around her and they hugged each other. "The last time I saw you was, what, just over five years ago."
"Yeah that sounds about right." Anya replied as she pulled away.
"Last I heard your mum enrolled you in Pacific Wicca. And about your mum, how is she anyway? Aside from Professor Lupin a couple of years ago your mum was the last best teacher that we ever had."
"Wait and see."
"How many potions are you planning on exploding in your uncle's class? Five hundred? A thousand?"
In a highly put upon tone Anya replied "ME! When would I EVER explode a potion, I have not IDEA WHY you would think such a thing about me."
"Maybe because when we were making a friendship potion in my first year you slipped in a half dozen Knarl quills and a pinch of muggle Sage into your uncle's demonstration potion and it blew up five minutes later in his face."
"Guilty as charged. Any way we should be heading in, everyone else looks ready to get started."
As they entered the compartment Harry managed to hiss in her ear, "Your mother taught Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts?"
"For nine years. I grew up at Hogwarts."
"AND your uncle's Professor SNAPE?"
"Don't sound so surprised, only a Snape can have this sallower face. And anyway, we all have to be related to some one don't we. Besides, at least he's not my father." She said as she sat down next to Hufflepuff prefect Ernie Macmillan.
An hour later Harry and Anya wound their way down towards the back of the train as Harry looked into each compartment looking for Ron and Hermione. In the final carriage he found them. In the very last compartment just as the witch with the lunch trolley pulled up in front of it. Both Harry and Anya bought themselves lunch and sat down in the compartment with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Fred, George and Sirius (snuffles). Harry sat down next to Sirius and Anya occupied the window seat next to him.
As the train steamed northwards Harry was busy talking with Ron, Fred, George and Neville, as Neville didn't know the truth about Sirius they couldn't talk directly to him. Hermione on the other hand was reading through one of the onerous texts for defence against the dark arts, it was the enormous volume on remedies, while Anya was fast asleep against the window which was slowly going grey as the clouds continued to roll in to sight.
It wasn't too long before heavy rain was lashing against the windows and the lights had to flicker on to combat the sudden darkness. Harry could hear the rumbling of thunder over head and suspected that one hell of a lightning storm was brewing up there.
Ten minutes later Harry looked at Sirius as he nudged him on the arm to gain his attention. When Harry looked at Sirius he simply nodded towards Anya, who was still fast asleep against the window. It was then that Harry realised that she wasn't sleeping as soundly as he had first thought but was tossing restlessly in the grips of a nightmare.
She would jerk her head every once in a while and Harry could swear he heard he mumbling, saying things such as 'no' and 'stay away' or 'not again, please, please not again'. Harry reached over and shook Anya awake. When he did this the effect was instant.
Anya jumped as she woke suddenly, completely out of breath. Just then a fork of brilliant lightning filled the sky, lighting the entire compartment. Everyone there, except Anya, jumped as the shockwave of sound caused by the lightning hit them in almost the same instant.
It took a full minute before Anya breathing returned to what it normally was and for her to curl up in a tight ball in the corner where she sat. Just then they realised that the storm had lifted when they heard the light above them flicker off again. Everyone was looking at each other in amazement; everyone knew that there had been something up with that storm. Wild thunderstorms didn't just appear and disappear so fast, unless magic was some how behind it.
Some time later the train pulled into Hogsmeade station and all the students piled out of the train and onto the platform. From the other end they could hear the familiar sounds of Hagrid calling all the new first years to him for their traditional journey across the lake. Harry, Ron and Hermione all wave to him as they made their way with the rest of the students to the carriages. When they reached the carriages Harry stopped dead at the sight that greeted him. Instead of the usual invisible horses that usually pulled the schools carriages Harry plainly saw hundreds of black winged horses ready to pull the carriages full of students up to the castle. He said nervously "Guys, what are those?"
"What are what Harry?" asked Ron clearly puzzled.
"Those THINGS, in the shafts? They're some sort of weird horse." He said clearly baffled that Ron hadn't noticed what he had.
"What ever usually pulls them I guess. I can't see anything."
Harry went to open his mouth just as Anya stepped up beside him and said clearly in his ear "Don't worry, your not hallucinating them." And as she walked past him to the carriage door she said "they're just Thestrals. Only those who have seen death can see them."
Anya followed by Harry then Sirius, and finally Ron and Hermione all hoped into the same carriage together. When they had all taken their seats and closed the door Harry asked her " Can you see them?" She just nodded, "If you don't mind me asking, who.?"
"Did I see die?" he nodded "My divination teacher at Pacific Wicca. She was. incurably ill.." Tears streamed down her face as she stopped talking, the memory still painfully sharp in her mind. Harry noticed that there was a light drizzle of rain outside as the carriage started to move.
By the time that they reached the castle steps Anya had finally stopped crying and the drizzle had ceased to fall. The five of them joined the crowd of people headed for the Great Hall. They managed to find some seats at their table half way towards the front. It was now that they finally were able to look at the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Harry heard Fred say "Blimey" as he realised who it was while George simply said, "it can't be". There was a murmur around the hall as everyone from sixth and seventh year that had noticed the new teacher sat talking about her to each other. Harry looked carefully at her; she had long black hair, braided down the back, sallow skin, and black eyes that instantly made him think she was related to Professor Snape in some way sat between Professors Snape and Sinistra.
Once everyone was seated and the first years had been sorted into his or hers respective houses Professor Dumbledore stood up for his usual start of term speech. Looking slightly more tired then Harry was used to seeing him he stood ready to welcome them again. "To all our new students I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts," there was a loud applause from the older students, reinforcing Dumbledore's greeting, "And to those of you who are not so new welcome back." A louder cheer erupted, when it ceased he continued, "I would also like to introduce to you, all though I'm sure our sixth and seventh years will all remember her very well, Professor Anita Black. Who will once again be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts." The sixth and seventh years all over the hall, including the Slytherins, cheered at this news much louder than the whole school had at Dumbledore's greetings to the students.
The black haired witch who sat next to Professor Snape said loudly and clearly with out standing "it's so good that they remembered me." Quite a few people around him sniggered at this and a number of sixth and seventh years laughed lightly as well. Professor Dumbledore than continued with the announcements "I have also been asked to remind you older student and to inform those in their first year that magic is not permitted in the corridors. Also first years should know that no student unless so ordered and accompanied by a teacher is to enter the Forbidden Forest and a number of our older students should remember that also." He looked pointedly at the Gryffindor table, specifically at Fred, George, Ron and Harry. He returned his attention to the entire school and said, "Now it's time for something far more enjoyable, tuck in." And as those last two words left his mouth all over the hall food filled the once empty plates before them.
After the feast was ended and the plates had magically emptied themselves Harry and Anya soon gathered up all the new Gryffindors and showed them the fastest way to Gryffindor Tower. Once there they gave the Fat Lady the password and entered the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry pointed out which stairwell was for the boys' dorms and which one was for the girls' dorms. Once all the first years had headed up to bed Harry and Anya wished each other a pleasant nights sleep before they both went off to bed themselves.
Harry woke the next morning to light streaming in through his curtains. He could feel Sirius laying at the end of his bed. Deciding to leave him sleep for a little while longer Harry carefully pulled himself into a sitting position and put his glasses on. He slipped off of his bed and carefully made sure to close the curtains then he went down to the common room.
Anya and quite a few other Gryffindors were already there some having already headed downstairs to breakfast. Anya smiled at him and Harry's stomach was again doing that funny butterfly thing again as she said "You'd better go wake Ron up so we can go meet Hermione for breakfast."
"Where'd Hermione go?"
"Library, I think." Harry simply snorted in laughter and ran back upstairs. When he got there Ron was still fast asleep. It took a few minutes, but with some 'careful persuasion' his friend grudgingly got out of bed. As they left the dorm Harry held the door open for Sirius who was now also awake.
Once they were in the common room they joined Anya and the other Gryffindors now flocking for breakfast. After they had left the common room and were making their way down to the great hall Harry asked Anya. "Do you know why Hermione's gone to the library?"
"She only said that it was 'important research' no specifics sorry."
When they reached the great hall finally they found Hermione already there nose deep in a very large book called Controlling the Elements, which was written by some guy named Tempest Malstorm. It was so large that Harry was sure it would take at least a year to read it from cover to cover. Harry couldn't fathom why Hermione would choose such a book to read, let alone why she would class it as important research.
After they had finished their breakfast they headed off to History of Magic. History of Magic was always the most boring of subjects in Harry's opinion. This one was no different than usual. Within the first five minutes half the class had fallen into a dumb stupor and within the next five the rest of the class, excluding Hermione, were soon to follow.
After wards they all traipsed down to the dungeons for double potions, which, after five minutes, became apparent was going to be one of the worst that they had ever had, even by potions standards. Professor Snape had set them to mix an extremely intricate potion called the Draught of Diffused Dreams. Most of the ingredients were not in their potions kits and only half of those were in the students' cupboard. And because of the intricacy of the potion it would take them at least a months worth of classes to complete.
Fortunately for him he had partnered up with Anya, which had earned him countless evil looks from Professor Snape, which meant he found the topic a little less intimidating and he was able to complete the days work on the potion with out any great deal of trouble. Even Snape, who took any chance to nit pick at his work, simple brushed past him with out a sound.
Once they had cleared away their things they all headed up to the great hall for some lunch. Harry ate with some semblance of dread as he thought of what was likely to happen during their time with Professor Trelawney grateful that the lesson wasn't going to be a double period.
When they got there Harry soon realised that the lesson was going to be worse than any other divination lesson he had ever had to date. When Harry had first got into class it took Trelawney no time in saying that Harry's death was imminent and by the end of the lesson she had again predicted his horrific death twice more. But it was worse, Harry felt, for Anya. It had taken Trelawney no time at all to start laying into her. She kept making both subtle and overt hints that she, too, would meet an horrific death but, unlike with Harry, that she would die at the hands of a traitor with whom she trusted her life completely to and also that she would soon learn some home truths that she may have wished to be false.
Harry was grateful when the lesson ended and they were free to go. The Trio headed downstairs to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom where they were to have their first lesson with their new teacher, Professor Black. Harry found himself wondering if she was related at all to Sirius, and instantly resolved to ask him the first chance they got.
Harry was slightly apprehensive as he entered the room; with good reason three of the last four DADA teachers had tried to harm him in some way. He sat up the back next to Anya; Hermione sat next to Ron on his other side. They all pulled out their workbooks, the text that had been nominated for that lesson, their wands and other essentials and placed them all on the desk.
Everyone sat quietly waiting and it was nearly five minutes before Professor Black entered the room, dressed in black billowing robes that looked dull when set aside her glossy black hair. She smiled at the class before her and said "Good Evening Class. I hope you all enjoyed you holidays. Now since none of you know me and I know none of you save one I would like you to introduce yourselves to me. Nothing to flash just your name, hobbies and favourite things, like sport, classes. and least favourite things. for example. your least favourite teacher. Starting with. you dear." She pointed to Harry in the front row.
"Ummm. Well I'm Harry and I like playing Quidditch, my favourite classes are generally Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures." Lavender and a couple of students snorted at this and Professor Black shushed them, "And I hate divination, potions and the two teachers I hate the most are Professors Trelawney and Snape." Everyone laughed at this, everyone hates Snape it was just a given of not being in Slytherin.
Professor Black smiled kindly at this and said, "Severus. Professor Snape, has a tendency to rub a lot of people up the wrong way, I'm sure the majority of the student body and teaching staff feel that way about him. Okay and the young lady next to Anya, would you please introduce yourself?"
Hermione introduced herself in much the same way and then Ron then all the other students until they had all introduced themselves to her. Once they had finished Professor Black sat on the desk at the front of the classroom and looked carefully around as she spoke to them. "My name. as Albus. Professor Dumbledore so kindly informed you. is Anita Black. I attended Hogwarts many years ago and was in Gryffindor myself, much to my families and especially brother's disgust. I played for the house Quidditch team and was a chaser. I always loved Defence Against the Dark Arts as a child, which is why I followed that vein through out my life. Upon my graduation I entered the employment of the Ministry of Magic through the Aurors' office in the final years of Voldemort's last reign of terror and managed to see some action before Harry here gave us all a well earned break. After Voldemort's downfall I left the Aurors' office and took up teaching here for nine years as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, until two months before you started here. Since then I have spent a number of years researching and writing, the fruits of which are the books you purchased this year for this class.
"I know that we're suppose to be here for a double period, but I'm going to give you your homework for me and allow you to use this last hour of this lesson, for this week only, to work on your essay. The topic this week will be 'the characteristics of werewolves and windigoes, and the advantages and disadvantages of going up against one of each of them.' References for both of these creatures can be found in the creatures' volume of my set of books, but higher marks will invariably go to those who research OUTSIDE of my books. Okay class, use this time well and I'll see you next time. You may all go."
The class all filed out of the room and some split up and went various directions. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Anya all headed for the library, at Hermione's insistence, and Ron and Harry grudgingly agreed when Anya offered to help them with their DADA essay.
It was the end of the week and most of the students were enjoying the warm sunshine. All except the fifth and seventh years, who had tonnes of homework to complete for the following week that they had all allowed to slide. Harry and Anya were working together on a nasty potions essay, a tiresome transfiguration essay both due on Monday, along with an essay on the proper care and maintenance of Biting Bromeliads for Tuesdays herbology lesson.
It was after dark that the pair finally left the library only after a harassed looking Madam Pince ushered them hastily out into the dark corridor. Anya wrapped an arm in one of Harry's and the pair of them slowly made their way back up to Gryffindor tower.
When they finally arrived in the common room they were both surprised to see Ron making out with some girl from the fourth year on the large comfy sofa in front of the fireplace. Harry led Anya quietly around the common room and up the stairs to the boys' dorms where they sat talking into the night.
Late the next morning Harry woke up on his bed, arms wrapped around a still sleeping Anya. He tried to pull himself free with out her but as he slowly pulled his left arm from under her Anya slowly came to. When she was partially wake she sat up against the bed head and covered up a large yawn before she spoke. She didn't seem perturbed by waking up in the boys' dormitory in the least.
Once they were both fully awake Harry headed down to the common room while Anya went to get changed. It was a further five minutes before she had returned to the common room dressed in a simple blue medieval style gown