Chapter 7
Anti toxin

Soraya was woken the next morning by Madam Pomfrey.

"What time is it?"

"Three O'clock. You missed breakfast and its lunch time now; you didn't eat a lot last night. How are you feeling?"

"I felt better."

"How does your back feel?"

"Good...except when you press there."

"Yes I thought so...that's the deepest place where the spike went in." Soraya sighed and thought bitterly at this obvious examination. 'Nah...you don't say!' Madam Pomfrey proceeded to change her dressings. Soraya could see in the mirror that the wound had shrunk by half. She studied herself in the mirror too; Soraya noticed she looked very pale.

"One more day with a bandage and then your wound will be gone. Now take it easy for the next day or so as I don't like your colour very much."

"I get it nothing strenuous."

"Exactly."

When Madam Pomfrey had finished dressing Soraya's wound she strode out and went back down the stairs. Soraya changed and left her room a short while afterwards. There was no way she was going to stay there and be treated like an invalid. Because when Madam Pomfrey left she told her to stay in bed and go back to sleep. She also gave orders to Sarah and Derick to pop in every now and then to see how she was feeling. Soraya left a note saying she was absolutely fine, and will see them at dinner. 'P.S don't come looking for me as I don't want to be found!' She left this on her pillow as she heard Sarah and Derick leave for the sanctuary.

Soraya slowly opened the door and made sure the coast was clear. She noticed by her door that her Firebolt's tail had been mended and was now back to its usual colour. She smiled as she looked at her broom and then looked about to see if anyone was there. But no one was around to say they had mended the tail on her broom. Soraya wanted to thank them and so she waited. But after ten minutes still no one came. So she shrugged her shoulders and snuck down the stairs. She hummed a song that always made her feel better some how. She didn't know where she heard it from but it made her heart always feel at ease. But it was a very bad time to hum now, as she was caught trying to sneak out by Snape.

"So the hero stirs...and how is she feeling?" Snape had a smirk on his face and a gleam in his eyes.

"I am feeling fine sir, and please don't call me that."

"I shall call you whatever I please...that's a very interesting tune you were humming a second ago. Do you know where you got it?"

"I don't know sir. I have always known it but can't think to where I have heard it before." Snape gave her a very inquisitive stare; it made the hair on the back of Soraya's neck stand on end.

Just then a sudden idea hit her like a bolt of lightening.

"I have an idea to how you can pay me back sir, since you insist on being in my debt." Snape's lip curled, as he thought of the possible things she could make him do.

"Oh it's nothing really, and I promise it won't hurt at all. Just don't call me a hero ever again Ok? I think that's simple enough don't you sir?" Snape's old face came back and now he looked a bit dangerous at the insolence of this child. Soraya got the impression that not a lot of people have ever talked to him like that. But he nodded and stared at her for a while, and then an uneasy silence began floating in the air. So Soraya then turned and started to walk away until Snape spoke again.

"I take it that you shall be joining everyone else for lunch?"

"No I'm not hungry, and I think I'll sleep by the sea until dinner."

"Shall I send a student to wake you for dinner?"

"No! If I'm not up by then, well...then I will just sleep on I suppose." Snape gave Soraya a very odd look as a horrible thought erupted in her head. 'What if he sends Malfoy?'

She shuddered at the thought as she stepped out in to the back garden. She noticed it was warm and sunny, with a cool breeze wafting over her face. She took off towards the cliffs and felt free again, here and there people waved to her and she waved back. Thankfully not once did she see madam Pomfrey or her foster parents as she flew over to the sea. Then she finally reached her destination, and the sea breeze made her feel very sleepy. So she stretched out her cloak and laid down on to it, and fell asleep instantly. At first it was a deep dreamless sleep, and she didn't know how long it went on for.

Before Soraya knew it she was going down a long dark corridor. The song that she had always known started in her dream again with the same women's voice. She ended up in a perfectly square room made up of grey bricks; it had only one window next to a fireplace. She noticed that there was a man standing there in a black cloak and was looking right at her. Soraya didn't want to leave as the room suddenly became hazy and blurry.

"Wait who are you?" But she whizzed out of the room and back down the corridor.

She woke up to her scar hurting and someone nudging her with their foot. Soraya was really annoyed and felt like hitting this person, until she saw who it was. Snape had a look of impatience on his face, so she decided to get up without any resistance.

"Yes sir?"

"Dumbledore sent me to get you for dinner, madam Pomfrey wants to see you eat something too. By the looks of you I would suggest the same thing." Snape was right as Soraya looked very pale and malnourished. She also looked and felt very exhausted as she got up, and wanted to go back to sleep again.

"But sir I said if I was up then I would come and eat, and if not then-"

"Don't argue and just do as you're told."

"Hold on you can't order me around as I am not at school yet; and besides I want a couple of questions answered anyway."

"I'll answer as long as you come to dinner." Soraya thought about this and nodded. "Ask away...but make it quick as the others are waiting for us at dinner."

"Ok...why does Dumbledore keep sending you to get me, and why are you so concerned with my well being? Don't say you don't because I can hear it in your voice and see it in your eyes." Snape cleared his throat and looked away from her in an annoyed fashion, when he next spoke it was in a soft but dangerous tone. If this was to scare Soraya it wasn't working at all and she just merely looked bored at the answer.

"It is none of your business to how I feel...but I'm telling you now it is not your concern, and neither are the decisions of the headmaster." Snape didn't see Soraya roll her eyes as she knew he was lying. But if he didn't want to admit it then far be it for her to say otherwise.

"So you don't know why then? Me too sir."

She mounted her broom leaving a slightly bewildered Snape behind, and then Snape mounted his broom a second later. Soraya looked back a few times to see Snape struggling to keep up with her. This was no easy task on his nimbus two thousand and one, because compared to her Firebolt...it was slow.

She arrived at dinner, and suddenly felt very ill as she smelled the food. 'I am so not hungry!' Soraya saw Snape land behind her, looking both breathless and very annoyed. She still thought he looked very strange on a broomstick. Soraya approached the table and sat in the chair that her friends saved for her.

"Where were you? We waited for you all morning."

"Sorry...I didn't get up till about three."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine Dean...all I want to do is go back to sleep. But instead I get woken up by that over grown bat."

"What at your house?"

"If he did that then it would be like waking up from a dream to a very bad nightmare. Actually what am I saying it was that bad when he woke me up." Soraya proceeded to explain what she did today.

"You did nothing else but sleep? I wish I could do that for a whole day."

"Well you could too Ron if you had a nasty great big gash in your back the day before." Hermione said hotly as Soraya laughed at Ron's sentence.

Then dinner was served and Soraya looked at it grudgingly. She sighed and looked to Dumbledore who was smiling kindly at her. Madam Pomfrey mouthed silently to Soraya which looked like. 'Eat up, eat up.' So she forced herself to have some soup and bread.

"I can't face desert Harry. I will see you guys tomorrow after your lessons, Ok?"

"Yeah...see you then Soraya." Soraya excused herself and set off for home on foot as the path wasn't far from the cabin.

Halfway down the tree shadowed path she stopped and could feel a salty solution filling her mouth. She ran off the path and stopped a few yards away. She wretched behind a tree until her stomach was empty and wiped a hand across her sweaty brow. Then she continued her journey home.

Soraya was nearly home when she suddenly felt dizzy, and the world started spinning in her head. She collapsed on to the ground unconscious in her back garden.

The next morning she was woken by Sarah and Madam Pomfrey.

"How are you feeling?"

"Very tired."

"Here take this. It will give you back some energy."

"What is it?"

"Well I wasn't sure until you collapsed last night and I heard that you had slept all day. But the spike in the dragon's tail that ripped in to your back...might have had a nerve toxin making you sluggish and easy prey. You see only young dragons need this to hunt fast, quick creatures. As they can't fly till they are about ten years old. Now the nerve toxin leaves the spike a few more years afterwards. Now this dragon has only been flying for a year, and there was enough toxins left in its tail spike to deal with you."

"So that's the anti-toxin?"

"In a matter of speaking yes, you know I think Dumbledore was right about you."

"Really?"

"Yes he said you pick things up very quickly, well hear you are." Soraya chocked and spluttered, as it tasted like some nasty, sticky and silkily sweet kid's medicine. "Yuk!"

After Madam Pomfrey administered the medicine she proceeded to remove Soraya's bandages and examined her back. All that was left was a long, thin line stretching from her left shoulder to her right thigh. It was hardly noticeable unless she stood in direct sunlight where it would hit her scar tissue and shine a bit. Soraya examined the scar and sighed.

"One more scar for the road that is life. Oh yeah! Sarah how did I get back in to my room? I don't remember going back up the stairs."

"Amily found you first when she was coming back to the house to go to bed. She ran back to the feast to get me and Derick; she had a panic stricken look on her face. We couldn't read what she was saying, so she pulled me to your body. I went back to get help and the rest is history." Soraya could see all of this happening in her mind and felt very angry. It burned on her face and in her eyes. She seemed to radiate her hate at the sight of her being carried in to the house like a doll.

"What's the matter Soraya?"

"I hate being weak!"

"Well here's some news that might cheer you up. Today we are going to go to Diagon alley to get your school things, and I'm sure you will find it very interesting." This did make Soraya cheer up, but the aura of anger still hung around her with gusto for a while longer.

"How are you feeling now Soraya?"

Madam Pomfrey spoke so suddenly that it made Soraya jump. Soraya she was so deep in thought at that exact moment that she just forgot all about everyone else. She looked up at Madam Pomfrey and felt her energy coming back again.

"Very hungry Madam Pomfrey; I think the potion is taking effect. So I am going to have some breakfast before I go to Diagon Alley today."

"I am not surprised with the way your stomach was emptied last night-"

"That is a real winner when it comes to putting people off their food."

Madam Pomfrey smiled a bit and then left with the empty bottle in her left hand.

At breakfast Soraya wasn't kidding when she said she was hungry. She had at least three or four portions of everything before she felt satisfied. Then they headed to Diagon alley in the car. They parked down the road from the Leakey Cauldron. It was quite busy in the pub and a lot of the seats were filled.

Just then a man called their names and came hurrying over to them.

"Nice to see you again Arthur, and you too Molly. Soraya meet Molly Weasley...Arthur's old ball and chain." A woman with the same red hair gave Derick such a piercing look it could cut glass. That he looked away as soon as he met her eyes. Soraya didn't think this was someone to cross, and felt a bit apprehensive to be so close to her. Then her eyes became softer when they rested on the girls, and her mood changed instantly.

"How do you do dear, have you met our son Ron yet? He is supposed to be in the same year as you so I hope he will behave himself."

"Yes he's a very nice boy Mrs. Weasley, and we are friends already."

"That's good to hear; and he is behaving himself isn't he?" Soraya nodded.

"Good. You came to get your school things I expect then we shall not keep you any longer. Come along Arthur!"

"Yes Molly dear, so nice to meet you all again."

Soraya and the others proceeded to the back of the Leaky Cauldron to a wall. Derick took out his wand and tapped three bricks and an arch way instantly appeared. Diagon Alley wasn't how Dean described it at all, in fact it was a lot better to how described it.

First off they stopped at Gringotts the wizard bank. Soraya and Amily didn't think too highly of the goblins, but grew to like them as they were so polite. Soraya loved the mine cart rides and had to hold back a laugh as they got off and Derick looked a bit green. Sarah gave him a strange purple looking pill and it cured him instantly. Amily had her own vault as the Hungs had left her what she tried to say was a small fortune. But Amily was more likely to be a millionaire at the amount her grandmother had left Amily's parents. Soraya wasn't jealous, as Sarah and Derick had just as much in their vault as Amily. So they took out some money in theirs for Soraya.

They came out and their first stop was the cauldron shop. Soraya and Amily stared at all the sorts of cauldrons there were in that shop before buying the right size they needed.

Soraya liked to look at the robes in Madam Mankin's robes for all occasions shop. There were all sorts of colours and materials in there. The shop owner looked at Soraya's cloak for a while and smiled at the craftsmanship.

"My mother made it."

"Is that her?" Madam Mankin said as she pointed at Sarah.

"No my mother died after she made this."

"Oh I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it; I never actually got to know them to miss them." Madam Mankin sighed and fitted Soraya and Amily for their first school robes.

Then it was time to go to the apothecary shop to get potions ingredients. Soraya didn't like this shop much as it reminded her of Snape. She looked a bit disgusted at a few of the choice ingredients. But that was only when the shop assistant turned his back to her and went to see another customer.

The next stop was Mr. Ollivanders wand shop. He had a very odd expression on his face when he saw Soraya.

"All of my clients I have ever served to have their first wands were no older than eleven years old. So what's going on here?" Derick stepped up to explain to the dumbfounded Mr. Ollivander.

"She's a late comer. Dumbledore had an agreement with a man ages ago, she was not to enrol in to Hogwarts until Amily was old enough to go there."

"I see...very well then." Soraya didn't feel very safe when Ollivander scanned her with his eyes and measured her arm. She felt very relieved to leave his shop at last, when she had finally got her wand that is. Amily's wand contained a Unicorn hair, made of Mahogany, and eight inches in length. It took a bit longer to find Soraya's wand.

All the while Ollivander kept on grumbling. "It's so difficult to find a wand for a person that has nearly reached maturity!" But finally they did and she thought it was magnificent when they finally found it. The wand contained a Phoenix feather, made of Redwood, and eight three-quarter inches in length.

Derick and Sarah insisted on getting Soraya a birthday present, so they got an eagle owl at Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"You both have golden eyes see?" Soraya smiled at Derick. He did have a point about the owl's and Soraya's eyes, they were indeed exactly the same colour.

"Could be handy in the future...if you use a certain spell. I might help you out with that in the near future. But with your photographic memory I'm sure you'll be able to do it yourself." Derick mused. Soraya had no idea what he was going on about, but it must have been something mischievous. Because at that precise moment Sarah shot him a warning look and he said nothing more about it.

Before lunch they had to get the books for Amily and Soraya at Flourish and Blotts. Soraya felt her face burning when they had to ask for the books on her list. The shop assistant nearly had a heart attack and looked at them in horror. When he looked at the list of how many books they needed...for only two students attending Hogwarts. She thought he was going to faint when he saw the school letter and he stared at her in amazement. He staggered under the weight of books. In the end he had to use levitation spell just to get them on the counter. Soraya loved to see the use of magic with wands, but in this case it was embarrassing. She hid her face when he cast it and everyone in the shop stared. Derick and Sarah cast the charm too as no one was able to carry Soraya's and Amily's books. They dreaded having to carry them to the car when they were outside in the muggle world again.

So to lighten their hearts they had ice-cream sundaes at Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream parlour. Now Soraya and Amily have had ice-cream before, but they had to agree this was the best ice-cream they have ever had. Florean Fortescue was very pleased to hear that and said what nice children they were. It wasn't long before Derick wanted to have a look at Soraya's school letter. He had never read it before and was confused to why the shop assistant stared at her in such a way to get her books. The others laughed when he leapt out of his seat in complete and utter surprise.

"Thirteen books? How are you going to learn thirteen books on top of homework and exams? OWLs are brain busting enough! How are you going to do OWLs on top of five more years of work? I swear this time Dumbledore has gone too far!"

"Calm down Derick!" Soraya explained to him about her special photographic memory. Also to how Dumbledore would drop a year or two if it was too much.

"Ok Soraya. But still it's an awful lot to do on your first year. Even by Hogwart's standards it's still a lot to do."

When they finished their ice-creams they all went back to the Leaky Cauldron. They sighed when the levitation spell was taken off. They heaved the books in to the boot, and couldn't help but smile at the bewildered looks on the muggles faces.

When they got back Derick and Sarah used levitation spells to get all the girls things in to their rooms. As there was no way they could carry all this up the stairs, and it seemed very dangerous to do so.

When all their things were finally put away. Soraya and Amily ran down the stairs and flew to see Harry and the others outside the cabin. Everyone looked in a concerned way at Soraya.

"We heard you collapsed last night. Are you Ok?"

"Totally fine, and I'm eating again if that's what you mean. Madam Pomfrey made me drink a potion. It tasted bloody awful...but woke me up very well." She told them about the toxins and the potion being the anti toxin.

"I told Madam Pomfrey about that." Hermione said in a proud sort of way. Ron made a face behind her back and Soraya had to hold down a laugh. But Ron was clipped around the ear as she turned round and caught him in the act. Hermione definitely did not see the funny side of things.

Dean spoke up again ignoring Hermione.

"Been to Diagon Alley yet?"

"Yeah we just went this morning. I got an eagle owl as a birthday present and Amily got a Tawny. I never saw much in owls, but now I got one of my own I think there brilliant creatures."

"I got a snowy owl called Hedwig."

"Ginger cat called Crookshanks."

"Tiny owl called pig."

"Pig?"

"Yeah it's a bit of a funny story really." Ron told them the story and they laughed.

Then Harry had a big smile on his face.

"Oh yeah! How did carrying your books work out?"

"Let's just say the weight of the extra books made the car sink a couple of inches into the road."

"How many books?" Soraya told them all about the letter and the work she had to do next year. Even Hermione looked gob smacked, whilst the others just looked horrified.

"Hermione's good but not even she's that clever!" Hermione pulled a face which made Ron stop talking in his tracks.

"So how are you going to do this Soraya?"

"Ever heard of people with photographic memories Hermione?"

"Yes but...Oh! Your one of them aren't you?"

"Seems to be that way, and don't ask me how but I just seem to absorb information."

"Well then you should have no problem with the books...but your homework and the owl homework is hard enough-"

"-Dumbledore said if the work is too much then I can drop a year."

"Well then I have nothing more to say."

"Bloody Hell! Hermione silent...that's like a new wonder of the world!" Everyone laughed as Hermione scowled at Ron. But stopped almost immediately as she drew her wand. They took a step back and stared at her, but she just smiled and polished it. The others breathed a sigh of relief and Ron looked particularly relieved.

The rest of the week was very peaceful and fun until the tour of the crystal caves. Soraya and Amily were told to go too as they have never been before. They were very apprehensive and didn't tell their friends of what was in there. So they followed behind them in to the caves with very worried looks in their faces. The whole thing but the ground was covered in crystal and looked extremely beautiful. They laughed as the crystal disorientated the student's shapes. It was more like a tunnel of fun mirrors, and each one portrayed the students in a different way. Even the teachers were having a bit of a laugh except for Snape of course. He just walked along and glared at any student who would dare laugh at his ridiculous reflections. Soraya didn't think they were ridiculous at all, and just poked her tongue at him behind his back when no one else was looking.

They then came to a huge chamber at the end of the crystal tunnel. All the sides were made of prisms, squares, triangles and all sorts of shapes that Soraya had never seen before. At the very end was a clean sheet of crystal which looked like a giant mirror. It was the size of Hagrid but stretched for a couple of wardrobes across. Everyone looked at their reflection and gazed at its beautiful jagged crystal frame. Soraya and Amily stood at least a few feet away from the others who had gathered round it. They knew what would happen if they accidentally touched it, and Soraya didn't feel like being a vegetable at the moment or at any point in her life.

"Don't touch the mirror!" Jane said loudly directing it at Malfoy and some other people who were about too.

"Why? It's just a mirror!" Malfoy drawled as he stopped in his tracks to touch it. Soraya rolled her eyes and shook her head at the impertinence of Malfoy. She heard Snape sigh in an annoyed way, but didn't look at him to certify this. Jane just looked at Malfoy with an angry expression and spoke with a tone of hate.

"Because it will show everyone the worst thing that happened in your life, and then amplify it by ten fold!"

"T-ten fold?" Malfoy said as he suddenly he looked very shaken and stepped quickly back from the mirror. Everyone else did the same with shocked looks on their faces. They didn't believe that a mirror could be so cruel.

"Yes only a person that's had a perfect and wonderful life can touch it without fear. I don't think there's any one here even close to that description. At the way I see all of you steeping back." Harry, Soraya and Amily stayed well back from that mirror for the rest of the lesson. Just in case Malfoy got the idea to shove them in to it. But he looked as apprehensive to go near the thing as they did.

They left the cave with a silent sigh of relief, and Soraya could swear she heard one coming out of Snape's mouth. The sun was shining and a cool breeze was blowing in from the sea as usual. Soraya and Amily had lunch with their friends and talked excitedly about Hogwarts.

"Five days and school starts." Ron said gloomily as he tucked in to a ham sandwich.

"I suppose it won't be too bad. After all that means there's four days before we start lessons, and this way you have a chance to explore the castle and find everything Soraya."

"What do you mean Ron?"

"When we all go back to Hogwarts tomorrow of coarse."

"All of us?"

Just then Dumbledore stood up and made a speech.

"I would just like to thank Sarah and Derick. For putting us up for the past couple of weeks and laying out splendid meal after meal of food." Everyone clapped and cheered as this was their cue to do so. Soraya didn't take much notice after that and watched Dumbledore, until he had finished. After lunch Dumbledore held Soraya and Amily back with a mysterious grin on his face.

"We will see you guys in a minute at the pound."

"Ok, see you there." The two girls turned back to Dumbledore and the other teachers. Sarah and Derick stood behind Dumbledore, and beamed at Soraya and Amily.

"You know we leave tomorrow after lunch?"

"Yes sir."

"I had a word with your new parents. They agree that if you want to come with us or go on a train either way suits them fine. But the questions remains to what do you want to do?"

"What do you say to that Amily?" She jumped in to the air and clapped with a smile on her face.

"So you are both coming as well, that's excellent news. You better go see your friends and pack your things." Soraya thanked Dumbledore and their parents, and then ran to the pound where their friends were waiting.

Soraya explained their situation. So the whole group of them went back to the house to help Soraya and Amily pack. Nearly all of Soraya's books were already unwrapped.

"You read eleven books in a week?" Ron said not daring to believe it.

"Ten and a half actually, I will read the others when I get to Hogwarts. Remember Ron I have a photographic memory. So I absorbed these books straight away. Let's see now what have I got left? I've read all the transfigurations books...due to Hermione's constant warning about it. Nope I've read all the standard book of spells grades 1-5 and I've read History of magic. So all that's left is standard book of spells grade six, one thousand magical herbs and fungi to finish and magical drafts and potions. Hmmm...the potions one is the thickest; I never thought I'd see the day that books would be that thick in my life."

"There are a hell of a lot thicker ones at school, but unfortunately our potions teacher isn't. So don't go saying you know what to do otherwise he will bite your head off about it and say you're a show off...isn't that right Hermione?" Hermione ignored Ron as he looked slyly at her, and then continued to unwrap the books.

"He does that and I will bring my cauldron crashing down on his greasy head!" Harry and Ron laughed while the others looked horrified. But no smile flickered on Soraya's face and she looked serious.

She hated being questioned for everything and having to give the answers to everyone. At one point it drove her crazy and put one of Cartmen's gang in hospital when he was acting dumb. She got a year's worth of detentions for that.

"You're bloody amazing!" Soraya looked taken back; she had no idea of what to say back so she just grinned weakly and laughed. They finished unwrapping and packing the books in to the camping bag. Then proceeded to strap it on top of the trunk.

Amily looked disappointed as first years weren't allowed to take their brooms. So after the girl's things were packed, they took all their brooms for a last flight around the sanctuary. Amily noticed that Anthony was staring longingly at the Firebolts when they eventually landed by the cabin. So she did something that no one would have ever foreseen. Amily tugged Soraya's cloak to follow her and she complied. They walked over to Anthony who looked as mean as ever. But was still nothing compared to Snape at all.

Amily walked in front of him and handed him her Firebolt. He had a confused look in his face as Amily signed to Soraya. Soraya looked shocked and amazed at what Amily was telling her. But nodded none the less and interpreted what she was saying to Anthony.

"Amily says you can have this...until she gets back from Hogwarts in July."

"Is-is she sure?"

"Yes she wants you to keep it safe for her. Because then she will know its safe when she starts her first year at Hogwarts." The broom was still in Amily's outstretched hand as Anthony was bobbing up and down like a lunatic. Then he kissed Amily on the cheek.

"Thank you, thank you..." He kept saying that for about a minute or two before actually taking it from Amily's hand. They walked off not looking back at an ecstatic looking Anthony who was an embarrassing sight to wizards everywhere right now.

"She did what? Are you mad?"

"She knew what she was doing Ron as she couldn't take it with her. She gave it to Anthony because he works at our home and he always wanted one. So we told him who gave it to us and why so we know he will take good care of it." The others agreed and said that sounded reasonable enough, Ron just shook his head.

"Still say you're mad! Or you could have given it to me."

"Yes...but you know what Malfoy is like, he would use his knowledge of magic against her. She can't take on both Crabbe and Goyle on her own either. They would take the Firebolt away from her faster than you can say no!"

"I still say you're mad!"

Then the farewell feast came the next day, and everyone was excited to get back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore exploded fireworks over head well in to the night, no one went to bed until midnight.

Soraya woke with a start in the middle of the night. She had that dream again but something else had woken her up. She looked out the window, and saw an extra carriage had landed in the back garden. She never actually got a proper look at the horses...horses? 'No these look more like dragons, or a cross between them and horses.' Then she knew what they were, she had read somewhere about a flying horse with this description. It was known as a Threstrel and can only be seen by people who have seen death, she didn't worry and went back to sleep.

The next morning after breakfast. The girls were told to take their trunks in to the back garden, and then mount them on the carriages. Soraya's trunk wouldn't budge and Amily could just barely move hers. So Hagrid came up the stairs and without any strain he picked up Soraya's and Amily's trunks. They liked Hagrid as he was a very friendly man and they loved the way he talked, even if he couldn't say some words right. Their trunks were loaded in to the spare carriage with Harry and Dean's trunks.

Two hours later and it was time to leave. Sarah and Derick said their goodbyes to the girls as they climbed aboard the carriage.

"Stay at Hogwarts for Christmas this year and then come back the second year. Trust me there is nothing like having a Christmas at Hogwart's, and we shall send presents."

Soraya waved and sat opposite Harry and Dean, they all put their feet up on the trunks. They had a do-it-yourself foot rest for the journey to their new school. The coaches took flight and it was a surprisingly smooth trip. Soraya looked out of the window and saw the land turn from neat hedges to wild countryside the further they went. It was dark when Soraya finally spotted it.

A huge castle on top of a small mountain, or something in the middle of a gigantic lake.

"So what do you think of our home for this year?"

"I have never seen anything like it before Harry. In the words of Ron Weasley I think its bloody brilliant!" Amily's mouth dropped when she looked out the window, as Harry and Dean were laughing at Soraya's comment.

"You know something I think he would say something like that right about now."