"Ms Burke!" A voice called out.
Minerva McGonagall stood with Hermione and Harry behind her, her hair in a tight bun with a stern look on her face.
"A word in my office."
Theo let out a dramatic sob as he threw his arms around her "Goodbye, Arlene, we'll miss you!"
She rolled her eyes, shrugged his hands off and shoved people to make her way to the woman.
"Hi." She said awkwardly to Hermione, who replied with a wave.
McGonagall lead them outside the entrance hall and into a small room with a warm, roaring fire.
Once they were seated, she motioned to her and Harry and said "Professor Lupin sent an owl to say you two fainted on the train."
Before Arlene could open her mouth, a soft knock on the door was heard, and the matron, Madame Pomfrey came in.
"I'm fine!" Arlene and Harry explained in unison, both not wanting the professor to make a fuss.
Pomfrey turned and looked at them "Oh it's you, I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again? And you Arlene, how many times did I tell you to stay out of trouble."
Arlene knew Hermione hated breaking the rules, she was hoping they'd get more than two conversations before she found out about her reputation of wandering into the forbidden forest or taking a swim in the lake because she was bored.
"It was a Dementor, Poppy." McGonagall said, and she and Pomfrey shared a dark look.
The matron clicked disapprovingly "Setting Dementors around a school, they won't be the last to faint, terrible things they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-"
"I'm not delicate!" Harry said crossly.
"Of course not dear." Madame Pomfrey said unsentmindedly, taking Harry's pulse and checking her temperature.
"Maybe they should spend the night at the hospital wing?" McGonagall suggested.
"I'm fine." Harry said, jumping up.
"Never felt better." Arlene agreed as she stood up.
The two shared a look and knew exactly what the other was thinking, Draco would have a field day if he found out, the thought of what he would say was too painful.
"You should at least have some chocolate." Pomfrey said, now peering into Harry's eyes.
"We already had some," Arlene said "Professor Lupin gave all of us."
"Did he now?" She mused approvingly "So we've finally got a decent defence against dark art teacher?"
"Are are sure you two are okay?" Asked McGonagall sharply.
"Yes!" They both said.
"Very well, please wait outside while I have a word with Ms Granger about her time table."
When they got out, Madame Pomfrey passed them, muttering to herself.
Once she was out of eyesight, Arlene turned to Harry "I heard voices too." She told him.
"What?" He frowned.
"The screaming? I heard people talking" She said in a small voice.
"What were they saying?"
Arlene was about to make a vague excuse when the door opened and Hermione came out looking very happy about something.
The three of them followed McGonagall to the great hall, she wanted do desperately talk to Harry, but they both knew the moment McGonagall heard about the voices, they'd be manhandled to the hospital wing faster than you can say 'my father will hear about this!'
She led them to the Slytherin table first, luckily it was beside the Gryffindor one.
"She's alive!" Theo said, with an inhuman amount of fake surprise.
Blaise looked up from his newest Shakespeare book "We saved you a seat, although you missed the sorting, Draco has not shut up about Potter passing out since we arrived."
Arlene took a seat and was about to say something, when their headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up to give his welcoming speech.
Dumbledore had a calming and warm vibe, you couldn't help but trust him. Arlene would have been ready to put her life in the man's hands anytime, but now, she kept looking at him with suspicion.
'Do you really trust that man?'
"Welcome!" He boomed, cutting off her line of thought " 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. . . ."
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."
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumble- dore 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
"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, and Arlene could see Percy Weasly, her personal favorite of the redheads, raise his head proudly.
He looked around, it was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.
"On a happier note," he 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 of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,"
People clapped rather unenthusiastically, everybody knew he wouldn't survive to see a second year, the few people that had witnessed him banish the dementor on the train, clapped hard.
"Snape, 3 o'clock." Theo whispered, discretely, they all looked at him, surprised by the mount of hatred in his expression.
The look on Snape's face could not be described as anything but pure loathing, it was no secret he wanted the position of DADA teacher, and Arlene hoped he'd get it, atleast he'll get trampled by a herd of centures or something, but he did not want it to the point to the point of despise.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin 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."
Theo groaned "He assigned us that monstrosity!? I lost three pairs of shoes before I was able to trap it in my owl's cage! "
"He honestly expects us to trust a man who thinks there's a book better than Newt Scamander's brilliance with our education?" Blaise exclaimed with disbelief.
"Guys, I'm sure he'll do a great job." Arlene said, defending the half giant.
"You're only saying that because you want to snog Granger" Theo said, rolling his eyes.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore finished "let the feast begin."
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I owe you guys an apology, not updating then giving you this shity excuse of a chapter.