By the time Sarai and the others reached the carriages after leaving the train, they all were a healthy amount of drenched in the rain. Sarai could hear Hagrid, the school's game keeper calling through the crowd for the first year students. She felt badly for the first year students, having to cross the Great Lake in the pouring rain.
Once Sarai managed to squish into a carriage with Dean, Seamus, and Katie she looked out the window to see the sight of the magnificent castle through the rain.
"It's freezing out there." Chattered Katie while rubbing her arms warming herself up. "I hope they kept the castle warm this time."
"Imagine what the first years feel like." Dean mused.
Seamus who was sitting closest to Sarai shook his head, and water droplets from his hair splattered throughout the carriage. Sarai scrunched up her nose in annoyance as he said, "I think I'd just go home if I had to row in weather like this. We got lucky our first year."
While the carriage trotted along Sarai could see the giant iron gates of the castle nearing. She saw two more hooded dementors standing guard on either side. She elbowed Seamus,
"Hey look there's more of them." she pointed out.
The carriage fell silent as everyone craned their neck out the windows to see the ominous creatures. Katie visibly shuttered, and out the corner of Sarai's vision she could see Dean shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"They're probably here searching for Black," Seamus said, "He'd be mad as hell to come here though."
"Yeah but they say he's already mad," Katie mentioned, "Everyone in Azkaban is."
With that terrifying thought left in the carriage for everyone to ponder about, the ride was silent the rest of the way. Sarai was left to her thoughts to wonder Why was Black after her? The thought crossed her mind, and led to many more questions, why didn't her uncle warn her. And for the first time in her life she began to wonder, what kind of man her father was.
Before she knew it, the carriage came to a halt, and the four piled out of the carriage. Sarai scanned the crowd and spotted her Uncle, exchanging words with Malfoy. She saw the Golden Trio in front of him. She narrowed her eyes before she started to make her way towards them,
"Sar?" Dean asked behind her, she turned back and gave her three friends a smile,
"I'll see you all at the feast, I want to ask my Uncle something real quick." She promised. And with that she made her way towards Remus.
By the time she reached him, Malfoy had disappeared, and the golden trio had made their way towards the castle. "Everything alright?" She asked gesturing to the direction Malfoy had headed,
Remus smiled reassuringly, "Oh, it was nothing. That kid was just taunting Harry for fainting earlier."
She rolled her eyes as the pair set off towards the castle, "He's a git. I'd watch out for him." She warned Remus, before pausing. " But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about,"
Realization his Remus's face like a tsunami, telling Sarai he already had some understanding of where the conversation was going. He gently placed both hands on her shoulders, "Not here, alright? Later." He promised.
Sarai huffed, already annoyed that she had to wait. It was bad enough she found out her father was involved in the Sirius Black situation through eavesdropping on basically strangers, but it was even worse that Remus was making her wait to answer her questions.
Before she could make her way into the great Hall, Remus Waved his wand and instantly Sarai felt warm hot air around her body. Freshly dry, she did feel a bit better as she walked into the enormous dining hall. It was a giant sea of pointy black hats seated that the table and the gaggle of first years standing at the front of the hall towards the professors table. Sarai set off towards the Gryffindor table, and quickly settled into a seat between Lavender Brown, and Dean. Seamus was sitting right across from her, looking impatient.
"How'd you dry off so quickly?" Dean demanded, before Seamus cut him off.
"I'm starving, they need to hurry with the sorting this year so we can eat." he complained.
Sarai giggled, "Maybe you can convince Dumbledore to let us eat while they're being sorted."
"Don't joke McKinnon, I will."
While to Seamus, it seemed like eternity for the new first years to get sorted, the ceremony flew by fairly quickly to Sarai. But that was mainly because she wasn't paying attention to the first years, she was watching Professor Snape. The Potions Master, was glaring fiercely across the table towards her uncle in a glare she's only seen once before. To Harry Potter. And if looks could kill, Harry would no longer hold his title as the boy who lived. She had known Snape to be a spiteful professor, but luckily managed to stay as far out of the way as possible throughout his courses. She didn't fear much, but a small part of Sarai did fear Snape.
She felt a nudge from Dean which jolted her out of her thoughts, "You alright?" He asked, "You've hardly paid attention to the sorting."
She shook the thoughts away from her mind, just another question to ask Remus. "Yeah, sorry. I think I slept too much on the train."
Before Dean had a chance to respond, he was interrupted by the Headmaster, Dumbledore, who stood up to speak.
"Welcome!" Said Dumbledore, with a great booming voice, "To another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and 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."
That was something Sarai could agree on. While Remus had many talents, being an amazing father, wizard, and soon to be professor. Cooking was not on his list of skills. And that was also passed down to Sarai. Neither of them could cook to save their lives.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "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."
Dean shuddered beside her. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore 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 added blandly.
Sarai sighed quietly. There goes her chance of sneaking into Hogsmeade. Not that she had an invisibility cloak, but she knew for a fact that Remus knew the castle like the back of his hand at this point. He would definitely be aware if his niece went on a little 'adventure' without his permission.
"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," he said.
"Yeah because prefects, are going to save us from Dementors," Sarai muttered sarcastically. Dean snickered, before nudging her foot.
"On a happier note," Dumbledore continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. "First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post ofDefense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Sarai clapped loudly with Dean and Seamus. Further down the table, she could see Harry and the others who were in the compartment on the train with them clapping just as fiercely. The rest of the crowd gave unenthusiastic applause, but Sarai hardly cared. He was going to do great.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Remus died away. "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. However, 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 Gryffindor table roared with applause for their favorite game keeper. Hagrid, whom was recently exonerated from a falsely accused crime last year, was a gentle giant. He, in Sarai's personal opinion was the most qualified in the school to teach the course. The applause droned on a little longer for Hagrid, than it did for Remus, but once the cheer died down, Dumbledore concluded with Seamus's favorite words from the entire speech.
"Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Sarai, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could reach and began to eat.
"Merlin, Sar. Do you ever eat while you're away on break?" Dean teased, to which she responded with a vulgar gesture, while gobbling down a turkey leg.
Seamus roared with laughter, "By the looks of both her and Professor Lupin, I'd say she got her cooking skills from him."
"Shove off, Seamus," Sarai said through bites of food, "You were just as hungry as I was." She swallowed a big chunk of food, "And just so you know, we eat. But nothing tastes as good as Hogwarts food in my opinion."
The night went on, and the three spent the rest of the feast catching up over the break. The halls echoed with laughter and chatter, as silverware clanged against plates of porcelain. By the time the feast ended, Sarai, was rubbing her belly completely stuffed. Eventually the students made their way back to their house common-rooms. Sarai exchanged a sleepy goodnight to Seamus and Dean, before following Lavender, and Parvati up to the girls dormitory.
Making her way to her four poster bed, she barely kicked her shoes off before flopping on her mattress and falling asleep.
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