Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter no no...but Paine and Rose are MINE miiiine -glomps- hehe

The Feast and a Chase

Now that the Sorting was finished Dumbledore rose to speak. He hadn't grown visibly older since Harry had seen him last year, but he looked as though he was carrying the weight of a great burden. He was wearing navy dress robes decorated with celestial golden embroidery. He had a red sash around his waist from which dangled on strings miniature bottles containing liquid of some description. His half moon spectacles sat high on his crooked nose and his blue hat reminded Harry of a nightcap with it's golden tassel swinging by Dumbledore's ear.

Harry's scar prickled painfully but he ignored it. He wasn't going to let someone else's mood change his feelings towards people!

' Now I will not detain you from your food for long-'

' Good!' Ron muttered eying his plate as his stomach gave a gurgle.

' -but as you may have noticed our numbers are somewhat diminished. I agree with our dear Sorting Hat and remind you that greater effort should be made to include others this year. I fear that under the circumstances this year will not be quite normal, but I will do my best to keep our beloved school running on it's own steam and to make sure you can still enjoy yourself learning,' he said gravely but there was a smile hiding at the corner of his mouth and his eyes held a twinkle. ' Now without anymore serious prattle, begin the feast!'

And the plates were filled with all manner of delicious edibles.

' Well what are we going to do about Rose?' Hermione asked, helping herself to some Yorkshire pudding.

' Who's Rose?' Ron asked eating his roast chicken. ' I want to know what's up wif tha' girl with Moo'ees lash name!' he said, his words being more and more unintelligible according to the amount of food he had in his mouth.

' That's her Ron,' Hermione said looking amused.

' Oh.'

' I think we should talk to him after dinner, before we go to our dorms,' Harry suggested digging into his potatoes.

' Can't 'Arry. We gotta show the migits to the common room,' Ron said looking disgruntled.

' Honestly Ron, anyone would think you didn't like being a prefect. And haven't you heard of delegating?' Hermione grinned.

' That's right!' Harry grinned back. ' You've got others under you now mate. Who are they?'

' Joy Amery and Jake Hobb,' Hermione said pointing further down the table to a golden haired girl and a dark coloured boy.

' I'll tell them what to do and explain that we need to meet a Professor and then we'll go ask Professor Lupin some questions.'

' Don't you mean interrogate him!' Ron said, by now also grinning.

HpHpHp

Over at the Slytherin table Draco was introducing Paine to his ' group'. Having now met Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson (who was eying him like he was part of the feast), Amber Jinx (former member of Pansy's group with a tan and short honey blonde hair) and Blaise Zambini (who was the only decent person in the lot, Paine thought), Paine felt like he had just been sucked into some sort of cult following.

' So,' Draco said.

' So what?' Paine frowned.

' So... are you just going to abandon her?'

' Why do you care?' Paine asked suspiciously.

Taken aback yet again Draco realised he'd said something distinctly un-Malfoy-ish.

' Girl's got spunk,' he said trying to remedy his slip-up then realising he'd just complimented her, he swore under his breathe. Damn his stupid reputation and evil git of a father.

' Hmm..' Paine said somewhat mollified. Draco's 'cult' had gone back to eating. ' I'd see her to her room, but then I wouldn't know how to get to mine,' Paine murmured.

' I'll accompany you if you want... Parkinson?'

' Yes Drackie-poo,' Pansy said grinning evily.

' Shut up! I've told you a million times NEVER call me that! You'll show the first years our dorms and brief the other prefects, I've other business,' Draco sent a death glare her way and then looked back at Paine wondering why he was helping the dark haired boy.

' Problem solved,' he said smirking.

' Thank you,' Paine said grudgingly.

' Don't mention it,' Draco replied quietly and silence was once more prominent interrupted only by the sounds of food being consumed.

HpHpHp

Rose looked appreciatively down at her meal. She had roast chicken, Yorkshire pudding that was golden and pudgy and mashed potato with gravy. She helped herself to some steamed broccoli and cauliflower before digging in.

Rose mad a small delighted moan when finished, her stomach sated. But then as the first course vanished the dessert started appearing. Hot apple pie, blueberry pie, fruit mince pies, trifle, brownies, strawberry tarts, white chocolate mousse, chocolate mud cake, banana cake with chocolate icing, sponge cake, carrot cake and many more including an ample supply of ice cream flavours. Rose just gulped, wondering how much more she could fit in as the delicious smells toyed with her tummy. In the end she settled upon some apple pie and plain vanilla ice cream, figuring she could always have something different tomorrow. One thing was for sure, they didn't feed the students this well at Durmstrung.

' I love food, don't you?' Luna asked, her dreamy smile similar to the expression on Rose's face.

' I think that anyone with enough good food in their stomach can have no cause to be horrible.'

' We should invite You-know-who to one of our feasts then,' Luna proclaimed quite seriously while some students near who had overheard giggled.

' I have to visit my Uncle-' Rose began.

' Professor Lupin?'

' Yes, and I was wondering if you would mind coming since I don't know the way to our rooms...'

' Oh yes, then we can ask him if Crumple-Horned Snorkacks will be included in this year's syllabus!'

Before Rose could ask what exactly Luna meant, Professor Dumbledore stood again.

' Now before you all go to your beds and pleasant dreams I need to say that Mr Filch's list of dangerous and interestingly disruptive objects has grown to an alarming length and can be found outside his office. Also remembering that magic shouldn't be used between classes in the corridors and the forest out on the grounds is forbidden to students so please, try to restrain yourselves,' he said his eyes twinkling like stars. ' And last, but certainly not least, Quiddich trials will be held in the third week of term. Please contact Madam Hooch if you wish to play for your house. Oh and, you'll be pleased to know that Mr Remus Lupin is back as our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

Those who remembered Lupin cheered wildly and the others joined in (except of course most of the Slytherins who had preferred 'that evil Umbridge woman!' quote Hermione).

The teachers and pupils started filing out and Hermione went to talk to the other Gryffindor prefects. Rose took Luna by the arm and started to leave, then realising she didn't know where she was going, switched places with the girl, pushing her gently in front of her. Paine, glimpsing Rose and Luna leaving, copied her by grabbing Draco's arm (much to his embarrassment) and hauling him in pursuit.

' Come on Hermione, hurry up! That girl's escaping,' Ron said loudly, to be heard over chatter.

' I'm done now,' she said taking Ron's hand and pulling him along, leaving Harry to try and catch up.

Rose's thoughts as she followed Luna were along the lines of protection. Her uncle knew her better than anyone, except maybe Paine. He had visited Rose and her mother once a month since she was born, having licensed a portkey (a family photo) to make travel easier. They weren't as close as a father and daughter, but they were made from similar molds and that tends to draw people together. Plus he was the only father figure she had. When she had needed to move to Hogwarts he had agreed to let her do things her own way, even though he sometimes thought that wasn't the best course of action. That was why even though she knew about Harry, Ron and Hermione, and through them Draco Malfoy, she had chosen not to meet them before school had started. Trust didn't come easily to Rose and she didn't want to bare her soul to questioning until she absolutely had to.

Draco meanwhile had kept up a string of questions and comments since they had left the Great Hall. Mostly to distract himself from the tingling feeling that the other boy's grip had caused. His brain didn't want to accept the fact that the feeling wasn't entirely caused by the circulation being temporarily cut off.

HpHpHp

' Why the heck would Moony keep this kind of information from us if she was coming to Hogwarts?!' Ron spluttered, his ears still a faint pink from Hermione's contact.

' Maybe because it wasn't our business,' Hermione said calmly.

' Not our business!!' Harry growled. " We could have shown her around and supported her couldn't we?!'

' Maybe... maybe she didn't want us to,' Hermione said.

' Why the hell not?!'

' Well, think about it Harry. She's moved from Durmstrung for some reason, probably something big... Would you want to go somewhere unfamiliar and be asked lot's of questions right after that ordeal? I think Professor Lupin was just protecting her privacy to give her a bit of time to recover.'

Both boys looked at her a bit gobsmacked. She was probably right of course, Harry thought, she almost always was.

' I guess that's what I would have done too...' Harry admitted.

' So what do we do then?' Ron queried.

' Take it slow, let her say what she's comfortable with and then don't push it.'

As they rounded the corner into the corridor housing Lupin's office, they came face to face with none other than Draco Malfoy, who it seems was listening into the conversation taking place in the office....

Thanks be to beta Natalie. You're the only one I know for sure is reading this. :)