Prelude to Moondance

    Lunch passed quickly, and next was Herbology. Undoubtedly, Frank Longbottom was the best at Herbology out of the entire seventh year class. His skills with plants and his knowledge of them was astounding, sometimes the professor was even amazed. Today they were learning about rare types of mushrooms that were used for magical potions.

    "Now, as you all know, the most common mushrooms that are used in the magical world are the Fungi Imperfecti. The most powerful mushroom that can be used for making potions is the Lion's Tooth mushroom. However, the Lion's Tooth mushroom is very similar in character, design, shape and general characteristics to the more common and less powerful Banded mushroom. You have both of those mushrooms in front of you. At this time, please note the differences, they will be tested on the N.E.W.T‘s," explained the male professor, a little African man just over 5 feet tall with a toothy smile.

    Sariyah and Lily stared at the two mushrooms they were given to share and observe, and became very puzzled, as the differences between the two were very specific and diminutive.

    "Well...the bands go in different directions," observed Sariyah.

    "Actually, that's just the way the mushroom's turned, Sar," explained Frank, looking over at her mushroom.

    “Oh,” said Sariyah, her nose scrunched in confusion. “Okay, well...the colors are a little different, right? This one has black bands and the Lion’s Tongue or whatever is dark red bands.”

    “Wow, Sariyah, I have never heard such correct grammar. I didn’t know ‘is dark red bands’ was proper English,” sneered a brown haired Slytherin girl who was standing diagonal from her. Sariyah could only glare at her, as she wasn’t really interested in losing her temper again.

    “Anyway, Lily, like I was saying, the bands on the Lion's Mane are slightly different colors. And this one has little dots, see?” Sariyah leaned towards the mushroom and pointed them out to Lily.

    “Very good, Ms. Khan,” said the little professor. “Five points to Gryffindor.”

    Sariyah brushed off the small victory, but not until after Remus nudged her and gave her a knowing smile. The rest of the class passed by with Frank earning the Gryffindors twenty more house points, all in all, quite the victory for the day.

    They headed back towards their respective common rooms, and in the hall met up with James, Sirius, and Peter, who all looked like they had been burned more than a few times, as they were working with fire-breathing lizargons (miniature dragons) that day.

    “Aww, you poor thing,” Lily cooed to James. “I’ll help you fix those burns.”

    Sariyah rolled her eyes and fell back a few steps from Lily and James to join Sirius and Remus, who were walking a little farther behind the former two. Peter was nowhere to be seen.

    “I wonder where Pete’s gotten to?” asked Sirius, pausing and looking around.

    “I don’t know, he was just with us, wasn’t he?” replied Remus, scanning over the crowds as well.

    “Maybe he turned into that corridor or something,” suggested Sariyah, pointing to a deserted hall. “Let’s go look for him, he’ll be scared if he’s alone, no doubt about that.”

    They broke off from the stream of students heading back to the common rooms and headed into the dimly lit corridor. After walking a few paces, they heard a slight whimpering sound and began walking a little faster.

    “That sounds like Peter,” Remus said worriedly.

    “Someone else is with him too though,” added Sariyah, her sharp ears picking up another voice. “Three-maybe four other people.”

    They rounded another corner and found Peter, pinned against the wall by two Slytherins, a blundering oaf named Derek Reynolds and another tall boy named Sebastian Nott. A familiar white glow illuminated from the hair of the young man prodding Peter with his wand, and right beside him, a black haired Severus Snape.

    “Malfoy!” roared Sirius angrily. Lucius turned his piercing gray eyes on Sirius and was about to attack, but it was too late.

    “Expelliarmus!” was the cry shouted from the three rescuers, and three green sparkling rods shot from three wands at the Slytherins, and soon wands were flying everywhere and clattering on the ground.

    “Let him go, Malfoy,” said Remus, in a very calm, low voice. He would never show anger, but when his voice lowered, Sariyah felt a quiver run through her, as she heard the loathing in his gentle voice.

    Malfoy let out a snarl like a tiger and charged forward towards Remus, who quickly stepped aside and deflected his attack by tripping him. Malfoy landed in a disgruntled heap on the floor.

    “Do something!” he roared at his colleagues. Snape was the quickest; in a flash he had picked up his wand and hit Sirius with a hex. Sirius yelped in pain as he fell to the floor, his legs limp.

    The other two Slytherins were too slow for Sariyah, who had said “Accio” far before they could move, and had their wands in her possession. “Don’t move,” she commanded them, now with four wands pointing towards the two large wizards (theirs, Malfoy’s, and her own). They did not dare move, for fear of being attacked by four wands and whatever else Sariyah had up her sleeve.

    Severus pointed his wand at Remus, but he didn’t utter a word, as Sariyah had quickly pointed two of her wands half an inch away from Snape’s right cheekbone. Peter and Sirius had their wands pointed dangerously close to Malfoy’s face, and it was all in all a very impressive standoff. They held this position for perhaps thirty seconds until a voice broke through the midst.

    “What in the name of Merlin is going on here?” asked a woman’s voice. Professor McGonagall, the middle-aged and sprightly transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor house had turned the corner just in time to witness the standoff. “Lupin! Khan! Explain yourselves!” she said shrilly, her angry eyes darting from student to student.

    Remus dove into an explanation about the Slytherins torturing Peter, his wand all the while unmoving from Malfoy’s pale face.

    “That’s enough then,” she said, giving angry looks to all the students. “Wands down!”

    Sariyah slowly lowered her wands, glaring at Severus the whole time. He became red as she stared at him angrily.

    “You four, go back to Gryffindor house. I’ll deal with you later. And you other four, come with me. You will be seeing your house head and I promise you nothing good will come of this!” she shouted, a frightening sight. Sariyah gave Professor McGonagall all the wands she was holding except her own. Remus and Peter heaved Sirius up from the ground and Sariyah performed the counter jinx and the jelly-legs jinx was quickly undone. The four made their way back to the tower of Gryffindor and entered the portrait hole.

    “Well, that was interesting,” said Sariyah, ducking as she entered. She almost always scraped her head at the top of the hole leading into Gryffindor tower, as it was quite small, and she was a little taller than the average female student.

    "Yeah, if that's what you want to call it, interesting," Sirius growled, sinking into a chair by the fire, massaging his calf muscles. "What happened, Pete? How did you end up with them?"

    "I had stopped to tie my shoe," answered Peter sheepishly. "And the next thing I knew, I was being carried off into a dark hallway."

    "Well, at least you're okay," sighed Sariyah, taking the seat across from Sirius. "They're such bullies, they really have nothing better to do."

    "They're jerks, all of them. Especially that Malfoy, he's the worst, the ringleader," muttered Sirius, still rubbing his legs.

    "I just hope he doesn't have children, can you imagine?" Remus said, shaking his head. They all shuddered at the thought.

    "I wonder where everyone went?" murmured Sariyah. She went to look at the message board, on which was posted a new letter, reading that students were to report to the main hall after the first day for some important reminders.

     "Shit," she said, slapping her hand against her forehead.

    "What is it?" asked Sirius, looking at her.

    "Remus, do you remember that letter we got on the train? The one that said that we were supposed to be at some meeting tonight?" Sariyah asked Remus, still staring at the paper.

    "Yeah, I do, it was at 8, though, right?" he asked. He looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh...holy...Jesus."

    The clock read 8:30 pm.

    Remus ran to the portrait hole while Sariyah grabbed Sirius, who had, in the span of about two and a half minutes, fallen asleep by the fire.

    "Wha?" mumbled Sirius. "I think there was something else in that hex that Snape put on me."

    They hurtled out of Gryffindor tower as quickly as they could, down three flights of stairs, finally bursting through the tall doors of the great hall, only to be stared at, yet again, by the rest of the school. They quickly walked to the Gryffindor table and sat at the far edge, beside some fourth-years.

    "Well, I see that our Head Boy and Head Girl have decided to grace us with their presence," said the speaker. To Sariyah's shock, she realized that it was their Potions teacher, Professor Malodor, the skinny, tall witch with piercing blue eyes and shiny black hair that was speaking.

    "What is she doing talking?" Sariyah hissed to Remus. Remus shrugged his shoulders, and looked back at the Professor.

    "As I was saying," Professor Mara Malodor continued, "there are significant threats among us this year. I urge students to take all their classes, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts," (she looked at Professor Evander, who smiled politely back), "very seriously."

    She threw a nasty gaze at the Gryffindor table before sitting back down at the teacher's table. Uncertain applause filled the hall.

    "Thank you, Professor Malodor," said the headmaster, rising from his seat. "Any further updates will be given to you on your notice boards. That will be all."

    Remus and Sariyah stayed behind the as the other students filed out of the hall to explain their late appearance to the Headmaster. They walked up to the head table, but a hand blocked their way.

    "Detentions," said Professor Malodor. "That's the least you should get for coming to this meeting late. I daresay Dumbledore picked the wrong persons for the job?"

    Sariyah's eyes narrowed slightly, and she was about to answer when she saw Professor McGonagall heading towards them.

    "Don't worry about them, Mara," she said huffily. "They are in my house, and I can account for their absence." She was now glaring at the Potions teacher, and the younger woman turned sharply and walked away.

    "Now you two are coming with me," McGonagall said sharply. "Dumbledore wants to have a chat with you."

    Remus felt a cold sweat build up on his forehead and became paler than he usually was. They followed McGonagall to Dumbledore's office, awaiting their fate.