Chapter 3: Boys in Books are Better

Hello again!

I want to thank my reviewers and followers again. You have no idea how much that means to me.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter. And Dumbledore's speech is directly from the PoA book.

"Alyssa!" Jenna, one of my dormmates, slid up the bench to make room for Megan and I. "Did you guys see the dementors on the train? And outside the castle? What are they thinking, letting things like that around students?"

"I don't think it was Dumbledore's decision," Megan whispered, nodding to the headmaster.

He was watching the Sorting with great interest, but he seemed tense. I sighed.

"This must because of Sirius Black," I said. They both nodded in agreement. "What I don't get is why they think he'd come here."

"Who knows?" Jenna shrugged, biting her lip worriedly and moving further up the bench so that a just-Sorted boy could sit between her and Megan.

We sat in silence for a while, watching the new students get Sorted. I glanced over at the Gryffindor table to see Elena sitting next to one of the Weasley twins. He was saying something to her, a funny little smile on his face. Elena grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Who do you think that is?" Megan asked suddenly, gesturing to the staff table.

I scanned the teachers until I found a man I didn't recognize. He couldn't have been very old, definitely a few years younger than my parents, but I could see the grey in his hair from here. His robes were patched and shabby, and he looked exhausted.

"Must be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," I figured.

"He looks ill," Megan said, with a frown that was more concerned than disapproving.

"He-"

"Welcome!" Dumbedore boomed, making me jump. He had gotten to his feet, beaming down at us all. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

He cleared his throat before continuing. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused here, and though he didn't say it, I could tell he wasn't very pleased with the idea of "playing host" to dementors.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the school grounds," he continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises-or even Invisibility Cloaks-" He broke off here, and I could've sworn he glanced at the Gryffindor table. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."

I poked Penelope in the side and gestured to Percy, who was sitting with his chest puffed out. She chuckled and shook her head. I rolled my eyes. Why did guys do that?

"On a happier note," Dumbledore added. "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Told you," I whispered to Megan as the shabby man smiled tiredly.

The applause for him was somewhat halfhearted.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs."

I sighed in relief. Professor Kettleburn really couldn't afford to lose any more body parts.

"However," Dumbledore said, smiling brightly. "I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

The applause was much more enthusiastic for Hagrid, who had gone rather red and was grinning at his hands. Megan and I both cheered loudly.

"Well," Dumbledore said as the applause finally died away. "I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin!"

As he sat down, the plates and goblets on the tables were suddenly filled with food and drink.

"Hungry, 'Lyssa?" Megan asked, laughing as I grabbed a large piece of chicken.
I didn't bother answering. There were more important things to do, like trying to sample everything. I didn't manage it, of course. I never did.

"I swear," Megan said between mouthfuls. "My parents need to take cooking lessons here."

I wrinkled my nose. Megan's parents could not cook. At all. It was a miracle that Megan and her older sister, Alex, hadn't starved to death or died of food poisoning.

At the end of the feast, Daniel and I guided the first-year students up to Ravenclaw Tower. Most of them yawned or stumbled sleepily as we climbed the winding marble staircase. I smiled at them. Surely I hadn't been that small when I was eleven. Then again, some of them weren't much shorter than me. Not that that was saying much.

"This is important, so please listen up," I said as we reached the door with the eagle knocker. "To enter the common room, you have to answer a riddle. If you get it wrong, you'll have to wait for someone else to come and answer it, or for someone on the inside to let you in."

I reached out and knocked. As always, a soft, musical voice flew out of the eagle's mouth.

"Can one create something from nothing?" it asked.

"There is no such thing as 'nothing,'" I said. "There is always something, tangible or not. Therefore, there is always a base to create something."
"Well said," the eagle replied, and the door swung open to admit us into the common room.

The first-years looked around in awe. I grinned. Even after five years, it was still pretty amazing. There was a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw smiling serenly down at us at the entrance to our library, which, despite its smaller size, had nearly as many books as the main library. The huge windows offered an amazing view of the school grounds, although you couldn't see it very well at night.

"There's not a fireplace," a tiny, blonde girl said, sounding disappointed.

"Well, we wouldn't want all the books catching on fire," Daniel chuckled. "Don't worry, though. The temperature is magically controlled. It's never too hot or too cold."

The girl looked reassured, beaming up at him.

"Girls' dorms are through the door on the right and up the staircase," I said. "Boys' dorms are the same on your left."

The first-years straggled off in sleepy groups, disappearing up the stairs. The blonde girl was still smiling at Daniel.

"I'm Rose Smith," she said, once most of the others were gone.

Daniel raised an eyebrow and shook the hand she offered him.
"Daniel Matthews. You should probably go on to bed, Rose. Don't want to be exhausted for your first day of class."

She gave him one last smile and took off. I chuckled.

"Looks like someone's got a crush on you, Daniel."

He laughed. "I'm going up to bed. 'Night, Alyssa."

"Goodnight," I smiled, and we headed in opposite directions.

When I reached my dorm, the other girls were chattering excitedly.

"You're late," Megan observed, throwing a magazine at me.

"Prefect," I reminded her, tapping my badge. "I had to help the new students."

"Sure," Kathy grinned. "You and Daniel."

"He's cute, 'Lyssa," Jenna said.

I rolled my eyes, changing into my pyjamas. "Stop trying to set me up with people. And anyway, Daniel's not my type."

"What is your type?" Samantha inquired.

I pulled a book out of my trunk.

"Fictional."

Before they could say anything else, I climbed into bed, drew the curtains, and started to read by wandlight, tuning out the others' giggling.

I had a feeling that this was going to be a long, annoying year.