McKinnon

| CHAPTER EIGHT |

On Halloween day, Sarai was making her way down the corridors to her father's office. Remembering the conversation before about him needing to retrieve a shipment of a gryndilow, she had spent the early morning in the common room, trying to get a head start on her homework. Frustrated after a few hours of trying ton concentrate over the loud chatter of first and second years spending their weekend, she set off towards his office.
She rounded a corridor making her way down, when she caught sight of a black figure in the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks and whirled around to see a black dog hiding behind a pillar. It had long shaggy fur, with tuffts of it missing, likely a brawl from another creature marking it as it's next meal. It looked frail, skeletal even as if the creature had missed a few meals, with glowing yellow eyes. Sarai backed away slowly, fearful of what the rabid animal might do next.
It gave a soft whine, as he sniffed around the floor, as if searching for something, while slowly edging closer to her.
"S--stay.." She stumbled over her words, she backed up before tripping on her robe and falling backwards. "Stay back!" she cried fearfully. "D-Don't hurt me!" She cried out throwing her arms up to protect her face.
The dog slowly approached, with a menacing look. He opened his mouth, revealing his sharp fangs. Sarai shut her eyes whimpering, before she felt a soft wet lick on her arm.
Opening her eyes once again, she saw the dog sitting quietly next to her, giving her another lick on her arm. She took a deep breath, before shakily raising her hand. The dog stopped, waiting patiently as if expecting her to pet him. She reached out before footsteps could be heard in the corridor. The dog jolted up and ran off before she could blink.
She whirled her head around to see Harry turning the corridor. He stopped and stared at her in confusion, "Why are you on the floor?"
She quickly got up rubbing her elbow in pain from where it had landed on the cobblestone floor. "I tripped," She answered, before dusting herself off.
"Professor Lupin didn't sign your Hogsmeade form?" Harry asked, surprised to see her. "I'd have thought he'd be the first one to sign."
Sarai shrugged her shoulders, "Technically, he did. But then Sirius Black escaped Azkaban and he took the form away. It's alright though, I'm actually on my way to see him. Did you want to come?"
Harry shook his head, "I just had some tea with him, but I'd double check on him. I saw Snape give him a potion, and he drank all of it!" He said with concern in his voice, "I tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen."
Sarai smiled at Harry gratefully. It was nice to see someone else care for her father's well-being, even if it was misguided. "Yeah, my dad has some health issues, it's not the first time he's had to take a potion from Professor Snape." She reassured Harry, "I'm sure he'll be okay. Thanks, Harry."
She gave him a smile before making her way back down the corridor. Harry stared after her shocked by her nonchalance.
Sarai walked briskly, trying to make her way to Remus's office before she ran into any other wild creatures running about the castle. When she entered his office she could see him making a sour face from the potion he had taken earlier. She could faintly see the steam rolling off the goblet.
"I just ran into Harry," She said announcing her entry. Remus looked up from the stack of papers he was intent on grading, allowing a smile to grace his face. "He's worried Professor Snape poisoned you."
Remus chuckled in amusement, as he pulled his stack of papers away from the space the empty chair was in front of. "He did allude to something like that, yes."
In the corner of the room stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.
"Is that the Grindylow?" Sarai asked, taking a second to closer examine it, "It looks like it's dying."
Remus nodded, Surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "Like I was telling Harry, earlier. We shouldn't have too much difficulty with him. Not after Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice those abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."
At the mention of creatures, Sarai recalled her encounter with the dog she passed on her way here. "Dad?" She asked curiously, as she took a seat across from him at his desk. "Do stray creatures often make their way into the castle?"
At this, Remus raised a brow curiously. "No," He said slowly, "Why do you ask?"
Sarai shrugged, "I just saw a stray one running through the corridor, frightened me a bit but it seemed harmless afterwards." Casually stating while stealing a sip of tea from his mug. She scrunched up her face in disgust, "What is this?"
"Rooibos," Remus answered while still trying to understand what sort of stray she was talking about, "What creature are you talking about, Sarai?"
Sarai waved him off, "It's not a big deal it seemed harmless, it was only a dog."
With this, Remus shot up and out of his seat, alarm displayed on his features. "Where?!" He demanded.
Sarai was startled by her uncle's reaction, "I dunno, he was just in a corridor. He ran off somewhere, probably outside," She suggested, concerned. "What's wrong? It's just a dog."
Remus must have realized that Sarai was watching him very carefully, so he sat back down in his seat, clearing his throat. "Nothing," He said unconvincingly, "Just worried about it getting lost is all."
The two carried on in each other's company as Sarai pulled out her textbooks to continue with her homework. With the help of Remus, she was able finish off her charms essay, and complete the homework he assigned for them the other day.
"Hey Dad," Sarai asked, apprehensively, "Do you remember that boggart from start of term?"
Remus not looking up from his stack of papers and textbooks, "Hmm?" In response,
"What happened to it?"
Remus looked up, now curious to her motives, "I still have it kept locked away, Why do you ask?"
Sarai shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her cheeks tinted a light pink from the memory, "Well," She began, she swallowed before continuing, "I was hoping to see if I could have another go at it? I never actually got to complete the lesson that day."
Remus tilted his head carefully considering the idea. Before he had a chance to respond, Sarai chimed in once more, "Plus, I think it'd be a great idea to get some more practice in with magic. You know casting spells isn't my strong suit." She pleaded.
Remus's face brought out into a kind smile, "Alright, alright." He said, "But we start off slow." He emphasized.
Sarai beamed at him, excited for the second chance. She waited patiently, as Remus went to retrieve the boggart, ready to get started on her lessons.

--

At the feast, Dean and Seamus were animatedly describing all of Hogsmeade to her. She smiled brightly, as her dearest friends as they described Zonko's, a joke shop, Dervish ands Bangs, the equipment shop for wizards, and Honeydukes, the sweetshop where they had stocked up on items to bring back for their friend. Dean managed to grab a sugar quill to bring with him to the feast so she could enjoy one of them early. The three chatted animatedly, as Sarai told the two about the extra practice she got with the Boggart she had trouble with start of term.
The feast was amazing, Sarai had second helpings of everything, and carefully glanced at Remus to see that he was also doing the same, while chatting animatedly with Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor. From across the way she could see Professor Snape flitting his eyes back towards Remus repeatedly, with a strange look in his eye. But Sarai neither knew or cared for the reason why. She focused her attention to her friends and the food that was in front of her. While living with Remus, never left her starving. They never had lavish feasts or a surplus of food. It was a struggle for her father to be able to hold down a job while 'falling ill' every month. While Sarai didn't have any luxurious clothes, Remus always made sure she got a decent sized wardrobe compared to his shabby clothes. Nevertheless, Remus made extra care to see that all of Sarai's needs were met while she was under his care. Including sending her off to her adoptive grandfather's home, Lyall.
The feast was a pleasant experience for everyone, and as Gryffindors returned to their common-room Sarai, was holding her stomach proudly. She had tackled a half of a pumpkin pie by herself for dessert and was ready for the sugar induced coma she was about to be in. But when her and the rest of Gryffindor house reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.
"Why isn't anyone going in?" Dean asked curiously.
"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the hold up here? You can't all have forgotten the password -- excuse me, I'm Head Boy --"
And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."
People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.
"What's going on?" said Katie, who had just arrived.
A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Sarai, Dean and Seamus moved closer to see what the trouble was.
"Merlin's beard--" Muttered Dean as he shuffled closer to Sarai and Seamus.
The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.
Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.
"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.
It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.
"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.
"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.
"Oh yes, Professor-head," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs.
"Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

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