Chapter 8

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When everyone was sorted to his or her house, Albus Dumbledore took stage.

"Welcome, Welcome… to a new school year at Hogwarts! But before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words…" He put his gaze more on the students, and they all stopped chattering. Sayoko included.

"I would like to warn you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students."

He then turned his twinkling gaze at Sayoko.

"and from our care taker Mr. Filch…there will be no spells in the corridors at all times."

Sayoko did not get it…but something told her that she could use her magic…as long as it wasn't spells.

"Quiddicth trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

A few chattering went on the back.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the corridor on the right hand side of the third floor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed a little, others laughed with Harry, but he was a few who did. Sayoko took it seriously, Rinoa cam closer to Squall, who was getting irritated. Seifer had a tiny smirk in his face along with Ion. Esther snuggled closer to Ion and Mana….well….

'Sounds good to explore to me!' She thought proudly.

"That is all…now you may have your…" Dumbledore said, then he snapped both of his fingers outward in the air, "…feast!"

Everyone almost gasped as several dishes of food appeared out of nowhere in front of them. And everyone started to dig in.

Sayoko smiled happily and took out some chopsticks. Ron and Harry stared at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Uh…what are those?" Ron asked.

"Well these are chopsticks…ever had Chinese?" She asked while she pointed at a dish with her chopsticks, then took one chicken nugget (A/N: I have no idea what the food were so I'll put things that are ordinary.)

"Nope." Harry and Ron said in unison.

Ron took the some fried chicken, Harry went with the Chicken nuggets and some salad, Sayoko ate almost everything, Hermione was eating salad and every now and then she would stare at how Sayoko eats…or more likely…

'What is it about those markings on her face?' Hermione thought out of curiosity.

Rinoa was busy chirping away with other girls…while clinging onto Squall, who was eating slowly.

Draco and Seifer just chatted…of how stupid the other students are. Ion and Esther just ate quietly. Mana on the other hand was chomping away, surprising the boys around her. Even the Slytherin prefect was amidst her.

Harry looked around a bit to recognize the people near Dumbledore. He saw Professor McGonagall sipping away in her wine glass while talking away with Professor Dumbledore. Hagrid was also in the table, eating away from the huge steak he had. Then he set his gaze upon a professor with an absurd turban, which to whom Harry known as Professor Quirrell, was talking to another teacher with greasy black hair and sallow skin. Then it happened very quickly, the other teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes, then a sharp hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead, forcing him to hiss and to clap his hand to his head.

Sayoko noticed this and nudged Harry a bit.

"Hey Harry… you okay?" Sayoko asked politely, while still holding onto a pocky stick (Which came out of nowhere.)

"N-nothing…but thank you Sayoko…" harry said and continued to ignore the other teacher. He then turned to the Gryffindor prefect, Percy Weasley.

Sayoko didn't take that as nothing. 'There's something really evil here…'. The pain in Harry's forehead went away and then he asked this.

"Hey Percy… who is that teacher? The one talking to Professor Quirrell." Harry signaled to him.

Percy came bit closer to Harry. "You know Professor Quirrell already?" Harry nodded, "Well he's talking to Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. He really knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts that Quirrell teaches."

Harry watched Snape for a while but Snape didn't look at him again.

Then after a while of eating, much to everyone's relief, it was the desserts that came up next.

Sayoko just took the ice cream lightly. Ron took a bucket load of ice cream. Harry went for the chocolates, and Hermione went with the salads again. Rinoa was too full to eat another dish… 'I have to keep my shape!'. Squall was just watching the fake stars overhead. Ion and Esther were just chatting while eating the Ice cream the received. Mana was eating the ice cream slowly, impressing more boys than ever.

Sayoko nudged Harry a bit.

"Hey Harry… I was wondering… what exactly is Quiddicth?" She asked.

Harry shrugged then turned to Ron, who was still eating, "Ron… what is Quiddicth?"

"You mean you don't know?" Sayoko and Harry shook their head, "Well Quidditch is a wizard game and it is quite rough… you have to fly in a broom to play and you also have to take the beating of the game." Ron explained. Harry and Sayoko can only nod.

"Sounds like fun to me." Sayoko said.

"Uh… one more thing…" Ron said weakly. "Most of the players get injured to a point that can kill them."

Sayoko and Harry were as white as ghosts.

Speaking of ghosts… where could they be?

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Somewhere in the basement…

Loud begging was heard through out the whole place.

"We really didn't mean to scare them…honest!"

Ghosts were behind silver bars.

"Please forgive us!" others begged.

"QUIET!" the figure spoke out of the darkness

Everyone fell into silence.

"I'll leave you here until…when I feel like it."

A short sniffling was heard.

"So later!" The figure then jumped into a pool of water.

And so the ghosts cried all the way, emptying their tears in the room.

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Back upstairs….

The banquet has ended and all four houses were lead by their prefects to their own dorms. Percy led the first years through the halls and along the hallways of Hogwarts. Almost everyone was so sleepy to even think about and mind the picture frames around them, pointing at them or whisphering to their fellow neighbor. Sayoko was happily skipping away, with a smile in her face. Rinoa was still clinging to Squall like a bug. Ron was side by side Harry, and was also quite weary. Hermione is still a tour guide to most of the people in the back.

The group stopped in front of very large portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she asked.

"Caput Draconis." Percy said clearly, while others started remembering it. Then the woman smiled, and the portrait swung open to reveal another hallway. They all went through and stopped to a large room. And to everyone's guess, including Hermione's endless ranting, this was the Gryffindor's common room.

Percy directed Sayoko and the rest of the girls to their dormitory and Harry and the other boys were directed to the other. Everyone climbed up two spiral staircases respectively of his or her own; obviously they were in one of the towers, found their beds at last. They all saw that their trunks had already been brought up. Since they were too tired to even talk, they pulled on their pjs and fell into their chosen bed. Squall, Harry, Ron and Neville are all in the same room, with other people. Sayoko, Hermione and Rinoa were all in the same room with other girls. Rinoa did play around in her bed before sleeping. Hermione read a book first and then went to sleep afterwards. Sayoko… was making a journal.

Well so much for a first day of school. Nothing bizarre at all… well maybe for ghosts. I met some new friends today and they are all friendly. But something bothers me about this school. Maybe that red haired girl, Mana, or that professor Snape. But I will try to have fun.

Sayoko…

With that, Sayoko put it away and slept away in her peaceful dreams. In one corner though, near a mirror, a figure had its gaze upon her.

"Good night, Sayoko." It turned and vanished.

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