McKinnon

| CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE |

     The news of Remus being a werewolf had spread like wildfire around the school, but not nearly as fast as the news of Sirius Black being innocent and her father. All through the last week of school Sarai was bombarded with questions from her fellow schoolmates, to a point where she was starting to get dizzy from all the buzz and excitement. She hardly knew how Harry Potter managed being famous at all. Ofcourse she had already debriefed Seamus and Dean about her little adventure, and were now helping her escape any troublesome questions from the rest of the school.
   Remus had officially resigned after nearly bitten the four children during their night out, and had gotten into a long argument with Sarai about her finding a different more suitable guardian to take care of her. Sarai was having none of it. She had undoubtedly won the argument, with a little help from Grandpa Lyall, who had sent in a howler to him as soon as he'd received the word.  A little birdie had also told her, that Sirius was somehow involved in helping Sarai make her case against Remus as well, which definitely earned him some brownie points in Sarai's books.
   Since the chaos of her little adventure and the constant bombardment of the school, Sarai hadn't been able to catch Michael alone whatsoever. It was as if fate was keeping them apart. One day, however, while she was strolling through the corridors of the castle, however, she ran into Michael quite literally.
"Sorry—oh!" Sarai cried out softly as she looked up at Michael. He wore an uncomfortable expression as he helped her up.
"My fault," he mumbled, looking at the floor. "Are you feeling better then?" He asked quietly.
Sarai furrowed her brows as she noticed the change in his behavior since the previous time they had spoken. "Yeah." She spoke softly, "m'alright. How have you been?"
"Alright. listen," Michael said finally bringing himself to look at Sarai's face. "My Dad— he caught word of Professor Lupin's condition. He er—-"
Sarai narrowed her eyes as she listened closely to every word Michael said. Her breath hitching in her throat as she waiting for him to continue talking.
"Yes?"
"He- erm—- he doesn't want me around that sort of crowd." Michael said sheepishly looking back down at the floor.
Sarai stood there blankly, "that sort of crowd?" She parroted, "what sort of crowd, Michael?"
Her change of tone caused Michael to wince and look up at her apologetically. "You know my family's history with werewolves, Sarai. You have to understand. My dad he hates them. And your father he's—-well he's one of them."
Sarai felt irritation rise in her chest, "Yeah because he was attacked by Fenrir Greyback! He was a victim too!" She argued.
All around them there were a few whispers from other students watching the scene unfold before them.
"It's not—-it's not his fault, Michael!"

"I know that—"

"Then tell your father to get his wits about him!" Sarai exclaimed. "Why are you telling me all of this anyway?"

At this Michael hung his head in shame, "my father," he mumbled, "he doesn't want me around you anymore. He said you folk are dangerous getting mixed up with a werewolf and Sirius black."
Sarai glared at him as hot tears brimmed in her eyes. "Fine then! Be that way."
"Sarai I—-"
Suddenly Sarai lost her focus on Michael as two sets of arms linked with her own.
"C'mon Sarai." Astoria said as she and Blaise started dragging her away, "that blokes not worth an ounce of your time anymore."
Sarai's face flushed with embarrassment as she let Astoria and Blaise lead her away. The tears were still threatening to fall as the pair rounded a corridor and into an empty classroom.
"Never let them see you cry, McLupin." Blaise said finally as she found herself settled down at a desk. "It gives them too much power."
Sarai grimaced as she attempted to form a smile. "Th-thanks." She said halfheartedly, as a tear slipped down her cheek.
Astoria pulled up a chair next to her and draped a pale slender arm around the girl, pulling her into her embrace. "He's a jerk," she murmured, "and a coward."
"Want me to hex him, McKinnon?" Blaise offered.
Sarai snorted softly as she listened to the sound of Astoria's heartbeat next to her ear. The girls brunette hair was cascading down her shoulders and tickled Sarai's nose.
"No, it'll just cause more trouble in the long run." She said sighing. "Plus it's not his fault his dad's a douche. I can hardly blame him."
"Well I can," Astoria said crossly as she ran a finger through Sarai's hair. "How dare he blame Professor Lupin for something he can't control? He's the best Defense professor Hogwarts has had in ages!"
Sarai smiled softly, as she listened to Astoria rave on about her father. "Thank you." She said quietly.
Astoria waved her off, "it's nothing, but honestly it's a shame he's in Ravenclaw. He has a poor job of showing his intellect if he listens to the rubbish his father tells him."
Blaise snorted, "he's much too awful to be put in Hufflepuff. The Sorting Hat had to place him somewhere."
Sarai let out a small giggle as she tried to imagine Michael in different houses. "He doesn't strike me as much of a Gryffindor either." She added.
"And I would skin the bloke alive if he was in Slytherin." Astoria chimed in.
"Okay, Tori." Blaise said gently patting his friend's shoulder. "Tone down the violence, are little cub here hasn't seen that side of you yet."
"Little cub!?"
"Tori?!"
Both girls exclaimed at him. Blaise held his hands up in defense, "Joking! Joking!" He said in alarm. "Jeez so sensitive the two of you are."
Sarai sat up from Astorias embrace as the two exchanged an annoyed look. Before they both rolled their eyes at the boy. Astoria turned her body to face Sarai fully before speaking,
"Have you packed everything for the break?"