❝ new professors ❞

"Are you alright?" George questions, waving his hand in front of Carina's blank expression when she doesn't clap for the last first year being sorted into Gryffindor. "You've hardly spoken since the dementors stopped the train."

The absentminded brunette blinks rapidly and swats his hand away, glancing around and smiling as if she's only just realized where she's at. Sitting next to George and with Fred and Lee directly across from her in the Great Hall, Carina takes a moment to let in the sights of her second home that she's dearly missed.

"I'm fine. It's Mum I'm worried about," she finally admits. "She's been acting different these past few days."

"I wouldn't read too much into it," George says in a weak attempt to comfort her. He almost puts his arm around her shoulders but decides against the embrace at the last second. "Everyone's parents have been on edge lately."

"I suppose you're right," Carina agrees, realizing his suggestion does help to explain away the majority of her concern.

"Aren't I always?"

"Don't push it."

The train ride was quite boring compared to their previous years. After the dementors left with no new leads as to where their victim is, the hallway was on a strict patrol of prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl. This left no opportunities for Fred, George, Lee, and Carina to plant their usual pranks and gave her plenty of time for her thoughts to wander as they remained cooped up in their compartment.

Her mother hasn't been herself since the argument with Uncle Moony, despite the fact that they had both promised Carina to have put it behind them. Laura avoided Remus up until it was time for him and Carina to leave, and was easily irritated when someone asked her about it. She was even in a sour mood during Carina's apology dinner, growing particularly snippy when she mentioned the stray that had been in the backyard.

Carina knows it's not her place to worry about whatever adult issues are plaguing her mother, but sometimes she can't help herself. Though the woman would never dare to openly admit it, her daughter is the only support she has outside of Remus.

Carina is fully brought out of her thoughts as Professor Dumbledore stands up and a hush falls over the room. Not wishing to dwell on things she can not change, she pushes all negative thoughts away so that she can start her fifth year off right.

"Before we are distracted by an undoubtedly bountiful feast, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who has kindly conceded to fulfill the post of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore introduces. "Good luck, professor."

Polite applause fill the Great Hall to welcome their newest professor, lead by Carina cheering louder than anyone as Remus stands up. She nudges Fred's and George's sides, getting them to cheer wildly and, subsequently, causing the rest of Gryffindor house to grow louder as well, turning the polite noise into chaos.

When he can once again be heard, Dumbledore introduces Rubeus Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. When the students applaud this time, it's Harry who leads their house in cheering louder than the rest.

The headmaster starts to speak again, and this time the news he has to share isn't as light-hearted.

"Finally, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, be host to the dementors of Azkaban until such a time when Sirius Black is captured."

"He can't be serious," Harry groans from a few seats down as hushed gossip spreads throughout the room.

"Of course not," Fred says, causing the others to glance at him confusedly until his grin gives him away. "He's Dumbledore."

Fortunately, Dumbledore holds up his hand to silence the room before everyone can yell at the boy.

"The dementors will be stationed at every entrance of the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution; dementors are vicious creatures. They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you," he wants, his tone far graver than Carina has ever heard. "It's not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light."

With that being said, Dumbledore ends his annual start of term speech and the welcoming feast begins. Conversation hardly flows between the students as they eagerly dive in to the long awaited meal, more excited about the food than they are about catching up with their friends.

Gradually, chatter picks back up as stomachs grow full and hardly anyone can touch the desserts. Carina is about to ask Lee about his summer when a different conversation catches her attention.

"Potter! Potter," Draco nearly shouts, prepared to lean across the aisle between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables if Harry doesn't acknowledge him. "Is it true you fainted? I mean you actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron scoffs, turning Harry away from the blond before he can defend himself.

"You fainted?" Carina asks, to which he replies with a mere shrug of his shoulders.

"Yes," Hermione answers for the boy when he attempts to tell his cousin otherwise. "The dementor really got in his head."

"It's nothing, really," Harry lies. "I'm okay."

"Good," she says simply, only half joking as she points her fork at him threateningly. "Don't let it happen again."

"What?" This isn't the reaction he expected from the older girl in the slightest. "Why?"

"Because that's embarrassing! I can't be related to someone who gets taken out by floating trash bags."