Chapter 61

Opening Feast

They made their way into the Great Hall and sat at their appropriate tables. They had said their hello's to their friends, and sat down to wait for the first years to be sorted into their different houses. Harry looked up to the head table and found that there were a couple of seats that were still open. He knew who one of them was going to be, but he wondered who the other one belonged to. He found that he didn't have to wonder for long, because the headmaster stood and got the students attention. "Welcome to another year at Hogwart's. I hope that you all had a good summer, and that you are ready for another year of learning. Now let us start with the sorting, then I have a few announcements to make before we eat." With that, Professor McGonagall led the nervous first years into the hall, and to the front. When they were there, she brought out the stool and the sorting hat. Everyone could tell that there was one student that was with them that was obviously not a first year. They weren't left wondering who she was for long, for McGonagall said.

There was the sorting song as usual that told of new friends, and old foes alike. Then went on about the different houses, before telling an offbeat joke about the founders that had the students and teachers alike laughing quite a bit. When he was done, Professor McGonagall pulled herself together and started with her speech.

"We have a transfer student with us this year. She is the daughter of our new DADA teacher, and she will be joining the third years. We will sort her first, then the rest of the first years. Will you all please welcome Ms. Dawn Lupin." There was a smattering of applause from throughout the hall as Dawn went up to the stool, and placed the hat on her head. She heard the hat start whispering to her as soon as she put it on her head, and she got some interesting information from it, even tho it also gave her more questions that weren't going to be answered at this time.

"Hmm, you have a quick mind, and a trusting soul. There is something else that is well hidden that you don't even know about, but will find out within this year. You will do well in many houses, but there is one that you are meant to be in. You will do well in the house of your parents, and you will be put there. Don't worry about what I had said about a secret from your past that will be found out this year, you will find that it fills a hole that you feel deep within your heart, a part that you have been missing. Do well young Lupin, for you will be having an interesting year this year." With that said, the hat yelled out 'GRYFFINDOR', and Dawn Lupin went to sit with the rest of her house and waited for the rest of the first years to be sorted. She wondered what the hat was talking about, but she knew that it would be good. How did it know that there was something that felt like it was missing from her heart. She shrugged and applauded for the new students as they were sorted.

The rest of the sorting went quite well, and each house got around eight new students, four boys and four girls. This was a big year for students, and the headmaster and head of houses were happy. Gryffindor got a total of nine new students, because of Dawn being sorted into the house with the first years.

When she sat down Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Ginny, Neville and the rest of her new friends said hello and welcomed her into the house. "It's great that you got into Gryffindor Dawn? Where's your dad, I thought that he would be with the teachers by now." When Harry was looking at her and asked that question, she noticed that he had the deepest of emerald green eyes. It was weird, she thought that she was the only one who had those eyes, and she was told that they were the same as her mothers. She didn't remember her mother, for she had died when she was yet a baby.

"He will be sitting in a couple of minutes Harry. He and the other new teacher are waiting for the Headmaster to introduce them. They won't be long. They wouldn't miss the feast for anything. That's an unusual eye color you have Harry, I was told that it was a rare color for witches and wizards. I have the same color, and I was told that my mother and my grandfather had the same color. I don't remember my mum very well. She died when I was still a baby." She smiled, but Harry could tell that the smile didn't go to her eyes.

"That's ok Dawn. I know what you mean. I lost both my parents when I was a baby also, but I was adopted by the Weasley's the day after they were killed. As for my eye color, I was told that my mother had the same colored eyes also, but I don't know anything about my grandfather." He had a genuine smile for her, and she warmed up to the group quickly. She was already their friend from earlier in the summer, but she seemed to be drawn to Harry for some reason. She knew that he and Hermoine were a couple now, but it wasn't anything like that, it was more like he was supposed to be part of her life for ever. She took and put that in the back of her mind to research as the headmaster stood to give some start of term announcements.

"I am sorry to say, but Professor Lockhart will not be rejoining us to teach DADA this year, he had an accident at the end of last year, and is now a permanent resident of St. Mungos psychiatric ward. I am glad to announce that we will be having two new teachers teaching DADA this year, it was only going to be one, but the other one was just recently pardoned of all crimes that he was accused of doing 12 years ago, and he will be joining us to help teach the class. Will you all please join me in welcoming Professor's Remus Lupin and Sirius Black." There was a loud applause as the two professors made their way from the back room to the head table to take their seats. The applause seemed to be coming the loudest from the friends that knew about him being innocent, but didn't know he was going to be teaching this year.

Remus Lupin stood to talk first. "Thank you headmaster, we are glad to take the position this year, and hope that we will be able to teach for further years to come. I know that some of you know me from meeting me this past summer. I would like to let you know, that my door is always open for talking about any of your problems that you might have. Well at least during the day it is, I wouldn't like it if you came to see me in the middle of the night." When he said this last part, he gave a little chuckle along with the rest of the student body. "Now I will let my distinguished co-professor say a few words, but I should warn you, he isn't much of a talker."

After the laughter from the last statement died down, Sirius Black stood up and faced the students. "Very funny Moo... Remus," he cut that last word off quickly when he remembered that none of the students knew that they were part of the Marauders, and the ones that knew who the Marauders were, namely the Weasley Twins, wouldn't leave them alone if they knew. "All I have to say is that you can all trust us to teach you what you need to know, and that you have no need to worry about the guards that are guarding the castle at this time. But I'm sure that the headmaster will be telling you about these when he next talks." Sirius sat down at this time, and Dumbledore stood up to finish his beginning of term announcements.

"As usual the forbidden forest is forbidden for students to go into. The guards that Professor Black was talking about are the Dementors that you will see standing guard outside the gates of the school. They are here to prevent an attack of our former Minister of Magic or those that might follow his lead. Don't worry, they are not allowed into the school itself, and you don't have to worry about them. Just leave them be, and if you accidentally get too close to one, stay still, and go see Madame Pomphrey as soon as they go away. Mr. Filch also reminds me that there is a list of forbidden items on his door, and not to use magic in the halls between classes. Now that we are done with the beginning of term announcements, dig in." With that said, he clapped his hands, and the tables were laden down with all kinds of food and drinks for the students to enjoy.

A/N: Ok I'm sure you could probably figure out who she is, but I will let you tell me. Please remember that this is an AU story, so there are things that aren't going to be cannon or by the books. The same things are going to happen, but I have changed some of the events around. Considering that year six is coming out in July, woohoo, my sixth year in this book might be different from I originally planned. I don't know yet, but I hope you enjoy the story. Please as always read and review. —Donald