not, then just thanks for reading. On with the chapter! And, I'm sorry I can't answer anybody's questions. It'll give the
story away, and what fun would that be? So, now that I'm done rambling, on with the story!
A New Dawn
Chapter Four,
One eventful day
Walking down to the Great Hall wasn't the happy cheerful experience that it once was. Everything felt different, somehow.
Empty, almost. It may sound melodramatic, but you try having something like that dropped on you and see how YOU feel.
Serena suddenly felt different from her fellow students; now she knew what it felt to be like in Harry's shoes, except that
her parent's hadn't died.
She sat and stared at her breakfast. It didn't look apitizing in the least. Not with her stomach all tied up in knots like it
was.
Hermione looked at her friend, worried. She hadn't seen her this depressed ever. And for Serena, being that depressed was an
all time low. Something must've gone on that had gotten her that way.
"Alright!" said Ron rather loudly, making passersby stare. He didn't care. "We have DADA today! Yes!"
Serena smiled. "You're certainly happy about that, Ron. Why is that, by the way?" she asked.
"Fred and George said that Professor Lupin was great. Ever since then I've wanted to go to his class. And now I get the
chance!" said Ron excitedly.
Serena just laughed. "I hope he's better than our other two DADA teachers."
Harry snorterd. "Just about anybody could be better than our other two DADA teachers," he replied.
"Too true." said Serena.
Hermione shook her head. "You guys are all hopeless, you know that?" she said.
"Thank you, Hermione." said Serena laughing.
Joking and visiting with her friends were just the things she needed to get cheered up. Only a little bit, though.
DADA was a great class, although Serena and Harry didn't get to do anything with the boggart.
Sighing, Serena was about to leave. "Miss Tuskino? May I have a word?" said Professor Lupin.
"Yeah," said Serena, waving the others on, telling them she would catch up to them in a minute. She turned to Lupin.
"I wanted to ask you if you would do a special favor for me," said Professor Lupin. "I want you to write a report on
boggarts and patronus's, and I want you to work on making a patronus." he said, shuffeling through his papers.
"Aren't patronus's supposed to be really hard, though?" asked Serena.
"Oh yes, way past Ordinary Wizarding Level, but I have no doubt that you can do it. I want the paper handed in in two weeks
and I want you working on your patronus." replied Professor Lupin.
Serena nodded. "Okay, Professor." she said.
Before she got to the door Professor Lupin called her back. "I forgot to give you this," he said, handing her a letter. "Do
not show this to anyone. Not even your friends, least of which Mr. Potter." he said.
Serena, looking slightly confused and not altogether reassured, nodded. "Okay, Professor." she replied, heading out of the
office.
Professor Lupin watched her go with a grave expression. "I don't think she'll like what it says." he said to a person in
his office.
"But she needs to know," replied that person.
Serena ran to her next class, Potions, giving Professor Snape a note. He read it with his usual sneer in place and told her
to take her seat.
Potions went without incident, other than Neville melting his SECOND cauldron that day, which Snape wasn't very happy about
and so he gave Neville a detention.
Serena and Ron and Harry made their way to lunch, happy to be out of Potions class. Serena usually liked it, but today it
was one of the last things on her mind. When that happened, she couldn't concentrate very much on anything.
The letter in her book bag was weighing heavily on her mind ever since she had gotten it. She had not yet had a chance to
read it, but wanted to very badly, although she had grown very weary of letters lately.
"Poor Neville," said Serena, sitting down to her lunch. "Snape really could've made his detention AFTER lunch."
Harry nodded. "I know. Evil-"
"Hi, guys." said Hermione, sitting down to eat her food. As usual, she wolfed it down as quickly as she could.
"Hermione," said Serena, "You're going to make yourself sick."
Hermione shrugged. "Then I guess I'll have to be sick." She looked around. "I'm going to be late." she finally muttered.
Serena looked at her friend with a raised eye brow. She looked at the boys who looked as equally confused.
They finished with their lunch and headed out to what was to be Hagrid's first lesson.
Harry and Ron were trying their best to make Serena laugh, trying to outdo one another with wit and sarcasm. When one had
the upper hand they would throw a death glare at the other, hopping that Serena would not see them.
"You guys are clowns, you know that?" said Serena, laughing and putting her arms in each of theirs.
They smiled, satisfied. Mission accomplished.
Only, Pansy Parkinson had something to say. "Why, Tuskino, I didn't know you were able to get a boyfriend, let alone two at
once." she sneered. "Boys would have to be crazy to be with yout."
Serena smiled pleasantly. "Still, Pansy, it's more than you've got, so I would quit bragging about yourself." she replied.
Pansy glared at Serena and was about to reply when Hagrid came walking up to the class.
"Follow me," he said, waving them all on.
They all reluctantly followed behind their new Care of Magical Creatures teacher.
Hagrid looked at Harry, Serena and Ron and smiled a little bit. The group turned a bright red color under Hagrid's gaze
and broke apart, embarassed at having been caught.
From the Slytherin group, Malfoy shot a glace at his class-mates. In his opionion it was a shame that such a pretty girl
could be put in GRYFFINDOR. She would have been better suited for Slytherin, he thought, continuing marching along with the
rest of his class mates.
After they had gotten to the paddock where Hagrid wanted them he told them to open their books.
Everybody looked around at each other, confused. How were they to open them? The idea had long left their minds when the
book tried to bite their arms off at the book store.
"How?" asked Malfoy quietly, rolling his eyes.
Hagrid looked around, looking for the source of the sound.
"How do we open the bloody things?" said Malfoy more loudly this time.
"Yer supposed ter stroke the spine," explained Hagrid as though it were the easiest thing in the world.
He went into the forest for a moment. As soon as he was done Malfoy had to open his big mouth, AGAIN.
"Gosh this place has gone to the dogs. Giving us a book that bites?"
Serena rolled her eyes and was about to say something but Hermione (who had just shown up) beat her to the punch.
"I thought they were funny," she said.
Malfoy sneered. "Oh, yes, clever, real WITTY, giving us a book that would eat us if it could."
Serena snapped. "If it weren't so clever, than how come the great Draco Malfoy couldn't figure out how to open it? I get
the impression that the book has more brains than you do, Malfoy." she said coldly.
Hermione, Harry and Ron and all the other Gryffindor's gaped at each other. Serena wasn't usually like that to ANYBODY,
even if that person was Malfoy.
Malfoy gave her a cold glare. "You have no right to insult me, you little (AN; Remember, I don't like swearing in my
stories. Sorry! It rhymes with witch, though. :)."
Harry and Ron jumped into action. "You take that back, Malfoy." said Harry, pulling out his wand, as did Ron.
"Put them away, guys. He's not worth it. Even if he was fungus on a shoe, he STILL wouldn't be worth it." said Serena,
glaring at Malfoy.
Harry and Ron weren't happy about being told not to curse Malfoy, but having been Serena that told them, they did as they
were told.
A second later Hagrid came back with some of the strangest looking creatures on the face of the planet.
"Now, who can tell me what these beauties are?" asked Hagrid looking around.
Instantly Hermione's hand went up. "They're Hippogriffs," she replied.
"Right you are, Hermione." said Hagrid, beaming at her. Then he turned to the class. "Now, I need two voulenteers."
As that was said the class backed up and Harry and Serena were left standing in front.
"Great!" said Hagrid beaming. "I thought it might be you two."
Harry and Serena looked at each other. Just like everybody to back out on them.
"Okay you two, here's what you need ter do." said Hagrid. "You need ter bow to them. Why don't you start out on Buckbeak?"
Serena nodded. "Okay," she said, taking a breath and walking up to the beast. She was about to bow to Buckbeak when Harry
walked up to her. "Allow me," he said.
Serena nodded. "Okay," she said.
Harry looked at Buckbeak and bowed. At first Buckbeak didn't bow. Serena was starting to get a little worried. She didn't
want a headless Harry.
"You might want to back up there, Harry." said Hagrid.
Then, all of a sudden Buckbeak bowed, keeping his large orange eyes on Harry's face.
"Oh, good. I reckon he might let you ride him now." said Hagrid, picking up Harry and put him on Buckbeak. Then he went
over to Serena, who looked startled.
"Fancy a ride?" asked Harry, grinning as Hagrid put Serena on behind him.
"I guess," replied Serena.
Hagrid slapped Buckbeak's behind and Serena had to grab Harry's waist if she didn't want to fall off.
As they left the forest floor they looked around them in amazement. It sure was pretty up in the air.
"Look!" yelled Serena, pointing in the direction of the lake. They could just see the giant squid lazing about, moving its
tentacles above the water.
"I wouldn't mind playing Quidditch on one of these!" yelled Harry as they flew above the Quidditch pitch.
Serena grinned. "I could just imagine Malfoy's face if he saw you playing on a Hippogriff!" she yelled.
They flew passed the Whomping Willow and grazed the lake on their way back.
They could see some fishes jumping here and there out of the water, looking brilliantly colorful in the midday sun.
All too soon the ride was over and Harry and Serena jumped off Buckbeak.
"Very good, you two! Very good!" said Hagrid, clapping them on the back.
Malfoy walked up to Buckbeak and did something to provoke the beast. The great beast reared back and sliced at Malfoy's
arm a little bit, throwing him on the ground.
"Hagrid, he needs to get to the hospital!" said Hermione.
Hagrid, who had been calming Buckbeak down, picked Malfoy up and said as he passed the class. "Class dismissed,"
"I think he deserved it," said Ron, walking up the halls. He had been in a fairly bad mood since the 'Hippogriff ride'.
"Ronald!" said Hermione. "However bad he is he didn't deserve it."
Harry was feeling a little bad for his friend. The two girls he liked didn't really like him that much.
Serena looked at Hermione and the way she was looking at Ron. Sighing, she said. "Ron, can I have a word?"
Hermione looked surprised. "I guess it is true what Pansy Parkinson said. I would never have imagined that what she said
about you would be true." she said, walking away.
"Hermione! Wait!" said Serena, running up to her. "I-"
Hermione swung around. "You have Harry, isn't that enough for you?" she said. "You're one of the most popular girls in
school, isn't that enough for you? What are you still doing with Ron and I? You don't need us."
Hermione ran away, leaving Serena feeling empty. A sneaking suspicion crept into her mind. "I'll see you guys later. I've
gotta do something." she said, running up to the Gryffindor common room.
Serena rushed up the girls dormitories. She ran into her room and, lying on her bed for everybody to see was the letter
that her brother and sister gave to her. Covering her mouth she muttered, "Hermione, why? Why did you read it?"
Mina came up to her from the common room. She looked at her little sister look on in horror at the letter lying on the bed.
"Hermione saw it," was all Serena could say before collapsing on her bed in deep sobs.
Mina sat on her bed and patted her little sister's back. "It'll be okay, Sere. Just give Hermione time. She'll accept it
later on."
"Do you promise?" asked Serena.
Mina nodded. "I promise, little sis. I promise."
Okay, end of Chapter. This was exciting to get out. I hope you all like this chapter. I loved writing this one. My favorite part writing was the Hippogriff part. I loved writing that part. A little Harry/Sere fluff. R&R, if you want. If not, I'm glad you've read this story!