The Train.
That night, Harry, Ron and Hermione spent the time talking about various topics, ranging from Dumbledore to Quidditch to homework and their selectives.
Now, without the compulsions on all 3 of them, their view on the subjects changed. They would of course all be doing Charms, DADA, Potions, Herbology, History of Magic, and Transfiguration as they were required, but they had a change in all their electives. Hermione still wanted to take all, as well as Harry now, but no longer wanted to do Muggle Studies, as she had read you could take an OWL without actually taking a subject, and do self study. Ron still wanted to do Divination and Care of Magic Creatures, but was considering Arithmancy.
After about an hour of discussion, Hermione mentioned again that Dumbledore said he had sorted out a way for her to do all the electives, meaning Harry most-likely could too. Ron also decided on taking the 3 subjects. Harry was glad now that he had bought all the subjects, not including Muggle Studies or Divination. This just meant that they had to wake up earlier than the others in the morning and get an extra Arithmancy and Divination textbook for Ron and Harry, quite literally last minute.
"What do you reckon Dumbledore was tryna do?" Ron abruptly asked whilst they were finishing up History of Magic homework (more like Harry and Ron finishing, while Hermione proofread for mistakes), "You know, by putting the Compulsions on us? Stuff like that could send him to Azkaban."
"Well, considering the past 2 years, nothing good," Harry simply put.
The man had placed an artefact to make one immortal, a three headed dog, a mirror to drive a person crazy, and had the teachers create dangerous tasks (which weren't even that hard) inside a school of children, and hired a man possessed by Voldemort. All in their first year.
And then, in second year, let a monster roam around that same school full of children, not even bothering to think twice on sending them home. A girl, Myrtle, died the first time the chamber had opened, meaning he obviously knew where the entrance was as her body was in the same room, and did absolutely nothing.
He was not right in the head.
========================
The next morning, Tom woke Harry up. Well, he thought he woke Harry up. In reality Harry, Ron and Hermione woke up an hour prior, sneaking out to buy the textbooks and a few password locked notebooks. Hermione thought they could get 2 each, it would be useful for 3 to be connected together, via a charm she is determined to find, and they could talk when unable to physically, and one for themselves. Harry bought all 6 needed despite their protesting.
Harry had just gotten ready for the second time of the day when Ron came in, "You know, the sooner we get on that bloody train the better, despite Dumbledore and all that."
Harry huffed a breath of amusement, running a hand through his hair, "Tell me about it."
"I mean, Percy is accusing me of spilling tea on this photo of his girlfriend, Penelope something, and I just overheard Mum and Dad talking about how Sirius Black is out to get you."
Harry laughed at that. The whole Sirius Black thing just got stranger by the minute, in Harrys opinion. The only thing Harry knew for certain was that Sirius Black was definitely not out to get him. I mean, he was his Godfather, meaning he took an Oath to protect Harry, and why after 12 years would he only just escape?
They headed down for breakfast, which was chaos as usual. Harry had no chance to speak to Ron and Hermione whilst they all got ready for leaving, Mr and Mrs Weasley being too busy trying to make sure everyone had everything and piling it up ready to go outside The Leaky Cauldron.
They rode in the ministry cars disguised as taxis. It was entirely uneventful compared to The Knight Bus, and he almost missed it. Almost.
When they had reached the platform, with only 20 minutes to spare, Percy immediately made a beeline for Penelope. Harry and Ron followed Hermione on to the train, Ron snickering about Percy. Ginny, who followed on not too far behind them, was giggling, presumably about the same thing.
Ginny split off to find her friends almost immediately, leaving the trio in search for an empty compartment. Annoyingly, there was only one left, which wasn't full, at the end of the train. They just reached the compartment as the train started to take off.
Inside was a man, who was wearing awfully shabby wizarding robes, looking rather ill. He looked young, but had numerous grey hairs, and a scar running across his nose. Harry thought briefly the man looked familiar, but couldn't place where he had seen him and brushed off the feeling.
Probably around Diagon somewhere.
A quick glance at the mans case, whilst putting his own trunk in the luggage rack on top, gave Harry the mans initials and last name. R.J. Lupin.
"Lupin," Ron muttered, having taken notice as well, "who you reckon he is then? New teacher?"
"Most likely the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor," Hermione stated.
"He looks about a hex away from being finished off," Ron said doubtfully, before changing the subject to Sirius Black, "You reckon they have put in security at Hogwarts if the Ministry think Black is looking for you?"
Harry shrugged a shoulder, "Knowing the Ministry? Who knows, maybe a team of aurors around. Knowing Dumbledore? Probably not even that."
"They'll catch him eventually," Hermione stated, attempting to sound earnestly but it came out full of doubt, "I mean, everyone is looking for him, even the muggles."
"He was a top-security prisoner, according to the papers," Ron argued, "and no-one knows how he could of gotten out. He's the first person to have ever done it."
Harry decided to change the topic onto random things as the train continued the journey to Hogwarts, which eventually led to talking about Hogsmeade, which Hermione and Harry knew very little about, and Ron knew very little too, but more than them he supposed.
"Hogsmeade is the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain right?" Hermione asked, turning in her seat so she was faced towards Ron.
"I think it was the first, yeah, but there's a few now," Ron supplied, offhandedly, "I don't know much about the history. I just want to go to Honey Dukes myself. A sweetshop, full of sweets." He added hastily when he saw Hermione go to ask.
"It'll be nice to get out of school once in a while and explore Hogsmeade," Hermione sighed.
"You'll have to tell me," Harry shrugged, "Dursleys didn't sign the permission form for me, and even if I did I doubt they would let me go with the supposed threat of Sirius Black."
Ron and Hermione frowned, but before Ron could say anything, Malfoy appeared at the compartment door, looking at them with a sneer as usual. However, he wasn't followed by Crabbe and Goyle, which was definitely not usual.
"What do you need, Malfoy?" Ron said, the usual venom in his voice when speaking to Malfoy long gone since the removal of the Compulsions. He instead just sounded tired with a touch of annoyance.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at them, "Your acting weird."
Hermione arched an eyebrow, "Weird?"
"Yes," His scowl deepened, "Weird. At least we know your ears work."
Harry spoke up, "If your not going to tell us what your after, you can leave. We were in the middle of a conversation."
Malfoy went to speak but stopped when he noticed Lupin, "Who's that?"
"New teacher. What were you about to say?"
Malfoy shifted, "What are you up to? Your acting too... civil."
Hermione giggled as Ron snorted.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. We just decided to get over a few stupid things," Harry could barely keep a straight face at how baffled Malfoy looked.
"Is that all?" Hermione asked sweetly.
Malfoy gave them all one last calculating look before scoffing and closing the compartment door, disappearing down the corridor of the train.
"Reckon he will leave us alone?" Ron asked hopefully. He may no longer hate the prat, but he certainly didn't like him.
"Maybe," Hermione sighed before smiling cheekily, "Could you imagine that at the end of the year, us and Malfoy end up friends."
Ron looked horrified and Harry laughed loudly.
"Don't even joke like that Hermione, I'd die of a heart attack before I could do my OWLS."
====================
Outside, the rain thickened and the train travelled further up north. The windows showed a view of the dark and stormy skies, forest trees swaying with the wind. Rain hammered against the windows, roof and walls of the train. Lupin, or rather Professor Lupin seemingly slept as the three joked around and laughed with each other.
"How long until we're there yet?" Ron asked Hermione, who glanced down at her watch.
"About an hour left to go," She informed him, but right as the words left her mouth, the train slowed down and came to a stop.
Harry frowned, "Why are we stopping now then?"
Ron turned to look out the window as Hermione responded, confusion overtaking her face, "We can't be there yet."
Harry stood up and opened the compartment door, taking a quick peak out into the corridor. Multiple other heads were doing the same as the train came to a final stop. He closed the door and turned the handle to lock it just before the lamps went out, the dark taking over the compartment.
"What's going on?" Ron asked, still looking out the window.
"Ouch, Ron! That was my foot," Hermione hissed while Harry said, "No clue. Maybe we broke down?"
He sat down and felt something jump onto his lap, causing him to jump too. He looked down and saw the faint outline of Crookshanks.
"There's movement outside," Ron said, "I think someone might be coming aboard."
"Someone or something?" Harry mumbled, stroking Crookshanks.
They all jumped when they heard the rattling of someone trying to get into the compartment, but it stopped and moved on almost immediately.
"Most likely people trying to find out what's going on," Hermione whispered.
"I'm bloody starving, the feast better be good," Ron complained, after a beat of silence, causing Hermione and Harry to laugh.
"Be quiet," a hoarse, unfamiliar voice suddenly said. Professor Lupin woke up then.
None of them spoke for a while. Nothing happened until Harry pulled out his wand and whispered a small 'Lumos' so they could see each other. He had been practicing at The Leaky Cauldron after finding out the trace didn't work in Diagon due to the constant magic use all around, so he had basically perfected it. He could do it wordlessly and was going to practice it wandlessly back at Hogwarts.
Before anyone could do anything else, they saw a skeletally thin, towering, cloaked figure. The face was completely hidden beneath it's hood, and an actual skeletal hand attempted to pull the door open. The hand was glistening, and slimy looking. It looked as though it was decaying.
Thank fuck he locked that door.
As if sensing his thoughts, the hand was withdrawn. It got slightly warmer, only just barely. He hadn't even taken notice of how cold it got, but now he could feel himself shivering, the wand light shaking due to his unsteady hand.
The cold was deeper that just on his skin. It was in his heart- no, his soul.
He could hear faint screaming. He had to strain his ears to hear it. Terrible, pleading, terrified screams. He couldn't make out what they were saying, he wanted to help the woman - he knew it was a woman.
Just as quickly as the screams started, they stopped and Harry realised he had blacked out for a few moments. One moment he was sat there, staring at that thing and the next, someone was shaking him.
As he came back to himself, he noticed the lights flickering back on.
"-arry! Harry!"
He blinked and was face to face with Hermione. Ron was sat next to him, looking concerned.
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if you were alright."
As Hermione repeated herself, there was a jolt of the train, and it slowly started moving again.
"Uhm.." Harry couldn't get his brain to work for some reason. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, thinking he may be sick, "What- What happened? What was that thing?"
Lupin, who Harry completely forgot was still there, made them all jump when he broke a slab of chocolate into 3 pieces for them, "Here, this will help." They all took the chocolate but didn't eat it just yet.
"That was a dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban," he continued, standing up and walking to the compartment door, "Eat while I go speak to the driver," giving them a small yet comforting smile, he walked out of the compartment and closed the door.
"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked, letting go of Harry fully now to eat the chocolate, Ron doing the same.
"Bit disorientated, I don't exactly.. get what happened. You two?" Harry mumbled, taking a small bite.
Hermione frowned, "Well, the dementor kind of lingered outside of the compartment. It kind of looked as if it wanted you. I can't say for sure though, I mean, it didn't have eyes."
"You sort of just froze. We thought you were going to pass out on us," Ron supplied, finishing his chocolate, "We kept repeating your name, and you wouldn't come back to the present."
"Professor Lupin acted pretty fast, he unlocked the door and used some spell to create this silvery blue shield and it turned away."
"Well, he said 'Sirius Black is not here' before that Hermione."
"I hardly think that's relevant. Anyone can piece together that an Azkaban guard is looking for him on the train."
"Did you two react like how I did?" Harry asked, still a bit out of sorts.
"No, but we were still affected."
"I felt like I'd never be cheerful again," Ron shifted uncomfortably.
Harry sighed, "We can look into it at Hogwarts."
Hermione smiled as Harry ate the chocolate, no longer feeling as if about to throw up, and Lupin walked back into the compartment.
"We will be at Hogwarts in 10 minutes," he informed the three before looking directly at Harry, "Are you alright, Harry?"
He didn't ask how Lupin knew his name. For one, Hermione and Ron had been repeating it to get his attention, and two, he had the bloody massive lightning bolt scar covering the side of face and forehead, marking him as The-Boy-Who-Lived.
"Fine," he said, giving a weak smile. There was something about Lupin which felt familiar. Comforting. He had no idea what, but he would find out.
Crookshanks, who had been hiding underneath the seats, jumped back onto the seat and moved to sit on his lap once again when Lupin sat back down. They didn't talk much during the rest of the travel, all tired and hungry.
When the train finally stopped, at the station this time, there was the usual Hogwarts chaos as everyone tried to get off and back to the school as quickly as possible. It was freezing and still raining heavily outside.
Hagrid could be heard, and seen, calling out for the first years in the crowd, beckoning them to the traditional first year journey across the lake. They looked terrified, Harry thought with a silent snort.
Hagrid yelled, asking if the trio were alright, over the crowd, to which they waved and gave thumbs up at him. There was no way they'd be able to yell over the crowd and be heard.
Continuing on, they walked with the rest of the school-body. They followed the other students to the carriages, which Harry assumed were carried by some invisible horse. He thought he could make out a faint outline of them, but brushed it off as the rain making him see things and his exhaustion. And his hunger.
They climbed inside one, it smelled faintly of mould and straw. The carriage trundled towards the school as they talked quietly, distracting themselves from the train ride.
Just as Harry was going to say it felt good to be back at Hogwarts, it's magic welcoming him as they passed through the gates and wards (probably the Heir Ravenclaw thing), he noticed two more dementors, guarding each side and swallowed thickly. He knew the others saw them as well as conversation halted for a moment.
As the carriage swayed to a halt and they climbed out, Harry muttered to them, "I suppose there are guards this year after all." The words 'the worst possible guards imaginable' were left unsaid, but thought by all 3.
This year will be fantastic.