*IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER*

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy stand before us, staring at us, arms folded looking both disappointed and angry.

Why are Harry and Amy here and not up at the castle? And why did Draco and I choose the Three Broomsticks, when inevitably the others would turn up?

"Sarah?" Harry says, a tone of anger in his voice. "Malfoy?"

"Okay, Potter, don't get your wand in a knot," Draco says, holding up a hand. He's actually being civil toward Harry right now?

"Why are you here? With him?" Harry hisses.

"I was going to ask you the same question," I snap.

"We're going," Harry says, grabbing my arm.

I yank my hand out of his grip. "No," I say firmly.

"Harry, Sarah," Hermione says. "People are trying to get through."

Glaring at Harry, I walk out the door, pulling Draco along with me. The wind is still as fierce as before, but the atmosphere is filled with anger.

"Sarah!" Harry yells after me, as Draco and I move off toward the castle. I can hear his footsteps patting along the snow behind us. We just keep going, ignoring him.

"Sarah?" Draco says, stopping us. "I think you should talk to your brother-"

"No!" I yell. "I have a right to hang out with whomever I want!"

"I know, but you need to sort this out," he says.

Breathing heavily, I nod. Once we get back to the castle, Draco moves off down to the dungeons and I run all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower, and wait for Harry. I need him to understand that Draco isn't all that bad anymore.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy come in almost an hour later - I wonder what took them so long - with snow all through their hair.

"Why were you with Malfoy?" Harry says, spitting out the name as though it's poison.

"What do you care?" I say. "You hate him."

"And so did you," he says. "What changed, huh?"

"He helped me. He helped me when you couldn't, okay," I say.

"And how did he 'help' you," Harry mocks.

I sigh. "The day - well night - I got out of the Hospital Wing after that last Quidditch Match, I...I had a panic attack-"

"What's that?" Harry asks

"It's a sudden overwhelming feeling of acute and disabling anxiety," Bonnie says, as if quoting from a book. "Pretty much she couldn't breathe and she was shaking and sobbing."

"Are you okay?" He asks, worried.

"I'm fine," I snap. "That's not the point - well, kind of, but it's not the point. Draco found me when I was having this panic attack, and he comforted me-"

"That doesn't mean that he won't hurt you," Harry says. "He comforted you, yeah, but then what? I don't mean physically hurt you, Sarah, he'll hurt you emotionally, and I don't want to see you hurt."

I take a deep breath. "Harry, can you please not be the over-protective brother for once? I'm giving Draco a chance, and you have to deal with it. He told me that he wants to change, but he's scared about how you'll react - he's scared you'll flip out on him."

"Well, tell him that's expected," he says. "Why change now after two years?"

"Because he's sorry," I say and I get up, ready to go up to the dormitory. "And if you want to stay enemies with him, so be it. I'm not going to join you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not long after I leave the common room, Amy joins me, sitting on my bed.

"Are you sure he's changed?" She asks me straight away. "Harry's right, what if he's lying?"

I stare at her. "Why would he lie? You don't know what he said to me that night. He was sincere, I know he wasn't lying when he said he was sorry."

"But why now? Why hate you both for two years, and just now say he's sorry?"

"I don't know," I say. "I guess that's just how he was raised: to hate us. He is genuinely sorry, I know it."

"Okay," Amy says. "I just don't want to see you hurt, and neither does Harry, he's just looking out for you."

"I know," I say. "Just sometimes he needs to lay off, I can make decisions very well by myself."

"Mm, okay. Oh, Harry also has something he needs to tell you, and it's really important. It's about Sirius Black and your parents-"

"What?" I exclaim, jumping up.

"Come on," Amy says.

We walk back downstairs and to the common room, where Harry, Hermione, Ron and Bonnie are all sitting, silent, with Harry looking out the window glumly.

As soon as we come down, he looks over at us and looks slightly relieved.

"Sorry, Sarah," he says.

I just nod. "What did you need to tell me?"

"Right, so..."

Harry goes on to tell me all about what he overheard in the Three Broomsticks. Sirius Black was best friends with our Dad, and Peter Pettigrew - whoever that is. Sirius Black was our parents' Secret-Keeper for some charm(which Hermione explained as the Fidelius Charm) which Black exposed their position to Voldemort. That disgusting traitor, I wish he were dead.

There was other stuff about Peter Pettigrew's death along with the other thirteen muggles, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that our parents were friends with Black, and he betrayed them and sold them out to Voldemort.

"I want to find him," I say, clenching my teeth. "I want to find him and I want to kill him-"

"Sarah!" Hermione squeals. "You don't mean that!"

"Oh I do," I say maliciously. "He got my parents killed, therefore, he deserves to die."

"Sarah," Bonnie says, worried. "Sarah, this isn't like you-"

"He got my parents killed!" I yell.

"Sarah!" Harry hisses. "Calm down."

"No!" I yell and I storm back upstairs to my room.

As soon as I get up there, I sit down on the bed and open the bedside drawer. I take out the silver locket Hagrid gave me back in first year. I don't know why I ever took it off.

I open it and look at the picture of my parents. They look so happy. I feel a tear slip from my eye, and I wipe it away. That traitor. That traitor, Sirius Black, he sold them out to Voldemort. He took a part in their death. These two happy parents, killed by the work of Sirius Black.

I sit there, staring at the picture, until the night looms over the room. Soon, Parvati, Lavender and Olivia enter.

"Sarah?" Parvati asks, staring at me. "Are you okay? You're crying."

I wipe away my tears. "I'm fine," I lie.

She looks at me unconvinced, but turn away to her bed and starts to get changed. Is it that late? I look at the clock on my bedside table, and it's eight o'clock. I've missed dinner.

I go over to my trunk and get out my pyjamas. I get changed, and climb into bed, holding onto my locket.

I miss them, even though I don't even remember them at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't wake up the next morning until it's almost noon. The dormitory is deserted, assuming everyone else is downstairs in the common room, I get dressed in some casual clothes and head down to see only Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy.

Harry is sitting in one of the couches, staring out the window into the slowly falling snow, Ron, Amy and Bonnie are chatting indistinctly and Hermione has all her homework spread out across the table in front of the fire. I should end up doing my homework too.

As soon as I hit the bottom of the spiral staircase, they all turn to look at me. Well, everyone except Harry who just continues staring out the window.

"Finally," Amy says. "You're awake."

"Where is everyone?" I ask, acknowledging the lack of life in the common room.

"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" Ron says. "It's nearly lunchtime. Bonnie was going to go and wake you up in a minute."

I just nod, and rub my eyes. I was up half the night trying to get to sleep. I ended up drifting off at about three in the morning.

Hermione lets out a sigh. "You two need to stop worrying."

"I'm fine, Hermione," I say, glancing at Harry, who has finally turned around from staring out the window.

"Listen," she says, exchanging looks with Ron, Bonnie and Amy. "You both must be really upset about what happened yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?" Harry says.

"Like trying to go after Black," Bonnie says sharply.

I roll my eyes. I'm not going looking for him. But if I come across him, I will hurt him in any way I can. I swear.

"You won't, will you?" Hermione asks anxiously.

"Because Black's not worth dying for," Ron says.

"You don't understand," I say. "Do you know what Harry and I hear every time a Dementor comes near us?"

They all shake their heads, looking apprehensive.

"We hear our mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort," Harry continues on for me. "If you heard your mums screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was a supposed friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her-"

"There's nothing you can do!" Amy says. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and - serve him right!"

"You guys said Black isn't affected by Azkaban like most people are," I say. "What's the point of him going back if it's not a punishment?"

"What are you saying?" Ron says. "Are you saying you want to - to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," Hermione says, slightly panicked. "Harry or Sarah wouldn't do that, would you?"

Neither of us answer. I don't want to kill him, but I do want him to feel the pain that we're feeling. The feeling of betrayal.

"Look," Bonnie says. "Harry and Sarah aren't going to kill anybody. That doesn't sound like them. How about we just focus on something else, like Christmas. How another we visit Hagrid? We haven't visited him in a while-"

"No!" Hermione says. "Harry and Sarah aren't allowed to leave the castle-"

"Are you serious, Hermione?" I say, almost laughing. "How many times have I been out of the castle? At Hogsmeade?"

Hermione stumbles for words.

"Come on, Hermione," Amy says. "It's Christmas, let them - or at least Harry - free."

"Yeah, let's go," Harry says. "And then we can ask Hagrid why he never mentioned Black betraying out parents."

Judging by Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy's looks, further discussion of Black was not intended.

"Or we could play chess," Ron says hastily. "Or Gobstones..."

"Let's go to Hagrid's," Harry says firmly.

"You guys can go," I say. "I'm going to stay, I have heaps of homework-"

"No you're not, Sarah," Amy says, grabbing my arm. "You're just going to stay up in the dormitory and mope."

Glaring at her, I grab my cloak before we leave the common room and out the portrait hole. We take our time descending down the marble staircases toward the Entrance Hall.

We step out the front doors into the wintery air. Shivering, we all make our way down to Hagrid's hut, which looks like an iced cake with the snow fallen on its roof, creating a path of footsteps in the snow. By the time we reach Hagrid's front door, our socks and the hems of our cloaks are soaked and freezing.

Ron stretches out a shivering arm and know is on the door. There no answer.

"He's not out, is he?" Bonnie says.

"Why don't we just call out?" I say plainly.

"Hagrid!" Harry calls, thumping on the door. "Hagrid, are you there?"

Through the thick wooden door, I can hear the thuds of heavy footsteps. The door slowly creaks open, revealing a tear-stricken Hagrid.

"Yeh've heard!" He bellows, and he clings himself onto Harry.

With Hagrid being twice the size of a normal person, Harry starts to get crushed by his ginormous weight. Ron, Hermione, Bonnie, Amy and I help to rescue him by each of us seizing his arms and heaving him off Harry. We steer him back into the cabin and over toward one of the chairs, with Hagrid allowing us. Once he sits, he slumps over the table and starts to sob uncontrollably, tears racing down his cheeks into his tangled beard.

"Hagrid, what is it?" Hermione asks, aghast.

"What's this?" I ask, pointing to a very official looking letter lying open on the table. At this, Hagrid begins to sob even harder. With this obviously being the reason, I pick it up and read it out:

Dear Mr Hagrid,

Further to our inquiry into the attack by a Hippogriff on a student in your c,ass, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you ear no responsibility for the regrettable incident-

"Well, that's no bad!" Ron says, clapping Hagrid's shoulder.

"That's not all of it, Ron," I say, looking over to Hagrid sympathetically, who continues to sob.

However, we must register our concern about the Hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal ofF Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and the Hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the Hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.
Yours in fellowship...

There follows a list of the school governors.

"Oh," Ron says.

"But you say Buckbeak isn't a bad Hippogriff," Bonnie says. "I bet he'll get off-"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" Hagrid chokes. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"
"You'll have to put up a really good defence, Hagrid," I say.

"Yeah," Hermione says, positively. "We can help you prove Buckbeak is innocent and safe."

"Won' make no difference!" Hagrid sobs. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak-"

He draws a finger swiftly across his necks, before giving a great wail and hunching over the table, face in his arms.

"I'm sure Dumbledore-" Amy starts, but Hagrid interrupts her.

"He's done more' enough fer me, already," he groans. "Get enough in his plate what with keepin' them Dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around-"

Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy turn to look at Harry and I, expecting us to say something to Hagrid about what they overheard in the Three Broomsticks. I don't know about Harry, but I can't bring myself to do it, considering Hagrid's state right now.

"Listen, Hagrid," Harry says. "You can't give up. Hermione and Sarah are right, you just need a good defence, and we can help. Call us witnesses-"

"I'm sure I've read about a case of Hippogriff-baiting," Hermione says thoughtfully. "Where the Hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened. And I could always go to the library and find other cases too."

"I'll help," I add quickly, smiling sympathetically.

Hagrid howls still more loudly. The five of us exchange glances to see what we can do to help.

"Er - shall I make a cup of tea?" Ron suggests.

We all stare at him.

"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron mutters, shrugging.

At last, after many more assurances of help, and a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid manages to calm down, blowing his nose on a very large handkerchief.

"Yer right," he says, his voice thick. "I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together. Yeh've done enough fer me, you five, so why don't yeh's head off back up to the castle an' enjoy yeh Christmas, eh?"

"You sure you'll be fine, Hagrid?" I ask.

"I'll be fine, Sarah," he says. "Now off yeh trot."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, nevertheless had the effect Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy had hoped. Harry and I, not completely ignoring the fact that Black betrayed our parents, have decided to stop plotting revenge. At least now I can out my head together to help Hagrid with his case.

All six of us spent all day yesterday in the library, going through books, and leaving with stacks of books to continue looking over in the Common Room.

"Here's something..." I say, turning the page in a large dusty book in front of the warm fire. "There was a case in 1722...but the Hippogriff was convicted - ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting."

I point to a picture drawn in great detail of the convicted Hippogriff after it was slaughtered to Amy, who shrivels up her nose in disgust.

"This might help," Hermione says. "Look - a Manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the Manticore off - oh - no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it..."

Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, magnificent Christmas decorations have been out up, despite the fact there are hardly any students left to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe line the walls, mysterious lights shine out from the suits of armour, unable to be seen, and the Great Hall is filled with the usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden lights and colourful baubles. The delicious smells of Christmas food waft throughout the halls, tempting everyone in the castle.

On Christmas morning, I awake to Amy shaking me. "Wake up, wake up! It's Christmas!"

"Oy, presents!" Bonnie says, throwing a pillow at my face.

Laughing, I shoot out of bed to see, at the bottom of my bed, a stack of presents. I notice that Hermione, Bonnie and Amy are already unwrapping theirs.

"Oh look, a Weasley jumper!" Amy says, smiling, pulling out the simple light blue jumper.

"I've got one too!" Hermione says, pulling out a red one.

"Same!" Bonnie says, already tugging on an orange one.

I grab the lumpy parcel sitting on top of the stack, and open it to find my very own Weasley jumper. This year 'round, it's purple with a yellow star. Also in the package is a tin of fudge and a dozen mince pies.

I open all the packages from my friends; from Harry I get a box of chocolate frogs from Harry, a stack of candy from Ron, a book called To Kill a Mockingbird from Hermione, a nice pair of brown winter boots from Amy, a heap of prank stuff - including Dungbombs, Stinkpellets, Dr Filbuster Fireworks and Fanged Frizzbees - from Fred and George and some (inedible)nut brittle from Hagrid.

"Hey, Sarah," Bonnie says. "That thin package is from me."

Eyeing her suspiciously, I pull out said package and rip it open. Inside is a thin book. I open it to see a picture of her and I about to board to Hogwarts express in First Year. I look up to Bonnie, who is watching me steadily and she eggs me to continue. I flick through all the pages to see photographs of our adventures through Hogwarts from First Year up until September First this year. On the page after that photo, it's blank except for one sentence, 'Sarah, fill this with awesome photos for the times to come'.

"Do you like it?" Bonnie asks, smiling hopefully.

I nod, smiling, as I get up and hug her. "It's beautiful."

I look down and notice a long thin package beneath three envelopes.

"What's that?" Hermione asks, eyeing the package.

"Dunno..." I say, and I rip the parcel open. I gasp as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolls out onto the floor.

Hermione, Amy and Bonnie all drop whatever they were holding to and come over to my bed to get a closer look.

"I don't believe it," Bonnie says hoarsely.

It's a Firebolt. The one that I admired back in Diagon Alley during the summer. The one I was most wanting to get. Its handle glitters as I pick it up. It starts to via rate in my hand, and I drop it accidentally. It hangs majestically mid-air, perfect height for me to just jump on and ride it. It's perfect, from the golden registration number at the top, right down to the perfectly smooth birch twigs that make up the tail.

"Who sent that to you?" Amy asks in a hushed voice.

"Is there a card?" Hermione asks.

I bend down to pick up the rest of the Firebolt's wrappings, but there is nothing there. Merlin's Beard, who'd spend this much money on me?

"I wonder who sent it," Bonnie says, once I announce that there is no letter attached.

"I wonder if Professor Dumbledore sent it," Hermione says. "I mean, he sent you and Harry the Invisibility Cloak in First Year anonymously..."

"Yeah, but that was our father's," I say. "He wouldn't spend this much on me..."

"I wonder if Harry has one?" Amy says.

I just shrug. "We can see them in a minute, I just have a couple of cards..."

I pick up the first one, which is noticeably Dad's handwriting. I rip it open and read the note inside.

Dear Sarah,

I know you don't have a present from me right now, because it's in my office. I want you to come up here as soon as you can so I can give it to you personally.
I love you,

Dad

Hm, I wonder what it is from Dad.

Shrugging to myself, I out the note down, and pick up the next envelope, which has a small bulge in it, with my name written in familiar handwriting. I rip it open, and read the all-too-familiar cryptic letter:

Sarah,

I would like to say a very belated Merry Christmas from the last twelve years. I wish that as a Christmas present, I could let you in on who I am, but it isn't safe just yet. When you find out, though, you may become angry. Instead, I have enclosed a small present, something that used to belong to your father. He used it a lot during his time at Hogwarts, and I dearly hope you will like it.
Merry Christmas,

-Padfoot.

I sigh. Who is this Padfot? It's becoming unbearable not know who they are.

I put my hand into the envelope, and clasp my hand around something metallic. I pull my hand out to reveal a golden snitch. As soon as the air touches it, it flies out of my hand, but unlike a normal snitch, it only flies a few inches away from me. Smiling, I catch it and keep it closed in my hand.

I open my trunk, one-handed and pull out a random sock to put the snitch in so that its doesn't fly off.

After putting the sock back into my trunk, I then turn back to my bed and open the last envelope, which this one has unfamiliar handwriting.

Dear Sarah,

Merry Christmas! Can you believe that it's been a whole month since we became friends? I can only just believe it. At the start of December I was buying Christmas presents for everyone, and I got stuck on you. I hadn't known you very well, so I decided to get you something that couldn't go wrong. They're tickets to this cool band. Meet me on Wednesday night at eight on the 5th so we can go to Hogsmeade. Have a good holiday!

From your new friend,

Draco

I smile, but then it fades. I had totally forgotten to get Draco something for Christmas. I'll have to get him something before he comes back to Hogwarts, send him a note saying that I forgot to post it.

I then pull out of the envelope two tickets to the band The Weird Sisters. I love them! They're my favourite band! Even though Draco didn't know me too well when he got them, he must've known that I would at least like them.

"What are they?" Amy asks, Pom ting to the tickets.

"Uh, tickets to a concert," I say quickly, stuffing them back into the envelope.

"Who from?" She questions.

"Uh..." I say, not exactly wanting to tell her who, in fear that she'll lecture me about Malfoy.

"Are they from Malfoy?" Bonnie asks.

At this I can feel a blush reach my cheeks.

"They are!" Amy says. "You don't like him, do you?" She asks seriously.

"No!" I say quickly. "I mean I like him, as a friend, but not like that. Harry would obliterate me."

Amy just laughs. "Anyway, we should go and see the boys. I want to see what they got."

"Okay," I say. "You guys go, I need to go see Dad, apparently he has my present in his office."

I quickly change into some sweatpants and my Weasley jumper before I leave the dormitory. I contemplate sticking my head into the boys dormitory to say a Merry Christmas, but I decide against it, as they'd probably force me to stay.

I leave the cozy warm common room and make my way down to the third floor and down the corridor to where Dad's office is. Once I reach the door, I knock three times before I hear his familiar voice say, "come in."

I push open the door, and Dad is at his desk, working on some papers.

"Merry Christmas, Dad," I say, closing the door behind me.

"Oh, Merry Christmas, sweetie," he says, looking up from his papers. "I like you jumper. Is it one from Mrs Weasley?"

"Yep," I say, popping the p. "What're you working on?"

"Oh, just stuff for school. Now, I see you're here for your present..."

"Yeah, and to say a Happy Christmas too," I say.

Dad just chuckles and reaches under his desk. He pulls out a long, thin package. Oh no, I know what this is.

He hands it to me and I take it. "Merry Christmas!"

I slowly unwrap it to reveal a shiny broomstick. I look at the handle and it's a Cleensweep Eleven. Certainly not as good as the Firebolt.

"Thanks Dad..." I mumble.

"What is it, honey?" Dad asks worriedly. "Is it not good?"

"No," I say hastily. "It's amazing, but, um, I kind of got given a broom for Christmas..."

Dad looks at me. "From who?"

I shrug. "It didn't have a card or note or anything. But do you want to know what type of broom it is?" He nods. "It's a Firebolt!"

"Oh wow," he gasps. "Are you sure it's safe? We don't know who its from."

"I think so. Who would tamper with a broom and give it to me for Christmas?" I say, but then I realise. Sirius Black. "You don't think..."

He just nods again. Oh dear Merlin. What of Black did tamper with the Firebolt?

"How about we get it checked for any curses or jinxes," Dad says. "And in the meantime you can ride this broom instead."

"Yeah, thanks Dad," I say. "And I'm not sure if Harry got one or not, but if he has, would we check his too?"

"Yes," Dad says. "Now, you run along and have fun with your friends. I really need to work on these-"

"Come on, Dad," I say. "Take a break, it's Christmas!"

"Oh..."

"Dad," I say, giving him a look.

"Oh, alright," he says. "Just for today though. I have to get classes ready for next term."

Smiling, I go around his desk to hug him. "See you at lunch?"

"See you at lunch, Sarah," he says.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turns out Harry did get a Firebolt. And like mine, it didn't come with a note or letter. I'm starting to worry that they did come from Sirius Black. If so, would he be trying to hurt us?

I want to hand them in to get checked, but I don't want to dampen the Christmas Spirit. So, I leave it be, and together - Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie, Amy, Fred, George, Amy's brother Tom and I spend most of the day outside in the snow, having snowball fights, building snowmen and making snow angels.

We spend a Christmas lunch in the Great Hall with only three other students - a Ravenclaw first year, and two fifth year Hufflepuff's - Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Dad.

The real Christmas feast is left until dinner. Similar to at lunch, all the house tables have disappeared, leaving one table in the middle of the Hall, surrounded by thirteen chairs and filled with many different Christmas foods.

"Merry Christmas!" Professor Dumbledore says, as the six of us enter the Hall. "Sit down, sit down!"

The six of us sit down at the end of the table, filling up the rest of the spots.

"Crackers!" Professor Dumbledore says enthusiastically, making me laugh. He offers the end of a large silver one to Snape who is sitting beside him. Snape reluctantly takes the end of it and tugs. With a large bang like a gunshot, the cracker flies apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture.

Harry and I share a look before we burst into giggles. Snape's mouth thins as he refuses to wear it and offers it to Professor Dumbledore, who immediately swaps it for his wizard's hat.

"Tuck in!" He tells us all, and following his almost-orders, we all tuck in. I heap a generous amount of mashed potatoes into my plate, as well as other delicious looking foods.

Just as one of the Hufflepuff's leave, due to feeling unwell, and only twelve of us are left, Professor Trelawney enters the Great Hall, dressed up for the occasion in a green sequinned dress and too much jewellery.

"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" Professor Dumbledore says.

"I have been crystal-gazing, Headmaster," Professor Trelawney says in her usual misty voice. "And to my astonishment I saw myself abandoning my solitary dinner and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the pro,things of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, I I do beg you to forgive my lateness..."

I roll my eyes. Sure she saw herself coming here instead of being alone, she chose to come.

"Certainly, certainly," Professor Dumbledore says. "You may sit here." He points to the chair that the fifth year Hufflepuff abandoned.

Professor Trelawney, however, does not sit down. She just stares at the seat, her eyes widening in fear.

"I dare not, Headmaster," Professor Trelawney says, fear-stricken. "If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine, the first to rise will be the first to die!"

"We'll risk it, Sybill," McGonagall says impatiently. "Do sit, the turkey is getting stone cold."

Professor Trelawney hesitates, before lowering herself slowly into the chair between Professor McGonagall and the second fifth year Hufflepuff.

Everyone starts to eat quietly, with no one talking. This feast is delicious. I notice Professor Trelawney has become quite jumpy, she gasps every time someone moves in their chair.

When everyone is finished the feats, two hours later, Ron and Harry get up first, making Trelawney shriek loudly.

"My dears! Which of you left his seat first? Which?"

"Dunno," Ron says uneasily.

"I doubt it will make much difference," Professor McGonagall says coldly. "Unless a mad axe-murderer is waiting outside to doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall."

Even I laugh at that.

"Coming?" Ron says, to Hermione, Amy, Bonnie and I.

Amy and Bonnie get up right away, but Hermione stays put. "No, I just need to see Professor McGonagall about something."

"Okay. Sarah?"

"I'll stay with Hermione," I say, wondering why she wants to see Professor McGonagall.

Yawning, Harry, Ron, Bonnie and Amy leave the Hall.

"What do you want to see McGonagall for?" I mutter to Hermione.

"I - I think those brooms were sent to you and Harry by Sirius Black, so I just - just want to make sure they're safe," she says.

"Oh good," I say in relief. "Because Dad and I thought the same thing."

Once the other students and teachers leave the Hall, leaving only Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore at the table with Hermione and I.

"Did you wish to see me, Miss Granger?" McGonagall says, wiping a her hands on a handkerchief.

"Yes," Hermione says, slightly shaking. "Um, Harry and Sarah were both sent broomsticks for Christmas by someone unknown."

"They were Firebolts," I add.

"And we both think that they were sent to them by Sirius Black," Hermione says. "We just want to make sure that they're safe to use."

Professor McGonagall just nods. "Let me see these broomsticks."

So, Hermione and I lead Professor McGonagall up the marble staircases all the way to Gryffindor Tower - with McGonagall asking us about who we liked out third-year classes.

Once we enter the common room, we see Harry, Ron, Bonnie and Amy admiring Harry's Firebolt.

Hermione and I look at each other, and split ways. She goes over into the corner of the common room, grabbing a book to hide her face behind, while I go up to the dormitory to get my own Firebolt to give to McGonagall.

Once I come back down, I can see Harry, Ron, Bonnie and Amy looking very angry - Harry being the angriest of the four.

"There's nothing wrong with it!" Harry says, and I notice a slight shake to his voice. "Honestly, Professor-"

"You can't know that, Potter," McGonagall says quite kindly. "Not until you've flown it at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed. Ah, thanks you, Miss Potter," McGonagall says, as I hand her my own Firebolt.

Professor McGonagall then turns on her heel and leaves the common room, taking both Firebolt with her.

"You were in on this Sarah?" Harry says angrily.

"Yes," I state matter-of-factly.

"What did you two go running to McGonagall for?" Ron says, just as angrily, in defence of Harry.

Hermione moves over to us, and stands up to face Harry and Ron defiantly.

"Because I thought - and Sarah and McGonagall agree with me - that those brooms were probably sent to you both by Sirius Black!"

And that's when Harry storms off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N:

Okay, I will get to the important message in a moment, but first things first:

This chapter isn't as long as my chapters normally are! And that's kind of a good thing, because I know my friends hate the long chapters.

Now, important message:

So, I'm thinking of entering the Watty's this year, with the first Sarah Potter book. But the thing is, to me, the first book is very poorly written and I think I can write it so much better. So, I've decided, that I'm going to re-write Sarah Potter(book 1) in time for the Watty's, which the deadline is August 31st.

Now this is quite a challenge, but I'm up for it. I've made sure to be organised and have certain amounts of chapters written by certain dates, so that I have enough time to edit and upload the parts before the deadline.

But the main question still stands: would you guys like it if I entered? Would you perhaps vote for the book? Let me know in the comments.

Also, because I am re-writing the book in such little time, don't expect too many updates on this book. I may be able to update it once before the deadline, but please don't pressure me, okay? Thanks.

Peace out guys, love you!

~Elise