Back to Hogwarts
The dreaded time had come. Time to go back to Hogwarts. Rather than heading to the train station and towards the wall, like Cyrus usually did, they flooed there, stepping onto the platform, the mighty scarlet train waiting for them to board.
They were early, with few people arriving. Cyrus had given Xenophilius a long hug, promising to write and tell him if anything happened. He had Wepset hidden for the time being, not wanting to freak people out.
Grabbing their trunks, they boarded with a rather disheveled Remus behind them, finding an empty compartment. Remus had closed his eyes immediately, telling them if anything out of the ordinary happened, to wake him up.
He had also told them that they didn't have to sit with him. He felt touched when they said they wanted to, saying that they wouldn't disturb him while he slept. He also told them that if either snake came too close to him, they'd be turned into handbags.
Of course, he didn't actually mean it, an empty threat, he would never purposefully upset them, but they were just plain scary and genuinely freaked him out.
Cyrus was fidgeting, clearly nervous of what would happen at school. Luckily Luna and Charlie are here, making it far more bearable.
Then in no time at all, the train was full and moving, off to Hogwarts they went!
The ride was quiet, thankfully. Hearing Hermione and Rons voices, he had casted a notice met nots and privacy spells, not that they would have recognized him. The only other person they did let in, was Neville.
He's a good kid and Cyrus quite liked him, plus Cyrus knew that he was one of the very few people he could trust.
Once seeing the snakes, he too had freaked out quite a bit, though got used to them, kinda but not really, he mainly just trusted his friends.
Neville sat next to Charlie, and across from the twins. "Uhm, do I know you?" He asked, which was a fair question. "Neville, we've gone to school together and been dormmates for two years, how could you not remember me?" Cyrus joked, a hand over his heart showing fake hurt.
Neville squinted, then eyes widening. "Harry?" Cyrus smiled. "I went to the goblins, originally needing more money, but then it turns out I had some glamours on me, along with a bunch of charms, potions and compulsions, so here I am." He put it simply.
"It also turns out that my life had been a big lie. This is my sister Luna, Luna this is Neville," he introduces. Luna extends her hand. He shakes it. Relaxing a little, still uneasy about the Cobras that are looking at him weirdly.
"And that man is our new DADA teacher, Professor Lupin." Neville gives a considerate glance at the man sleeping peacefully. “And that’s Charlie, Charlie Potter.” He gives her a welcoming smile. “Hello.” She says politely, hand outstretched, he shakes it.
"Hermione and Ron have been looking for you, are you avoiding them?" Cyrus frowns. "They're not really friends. They're with Dumbledore, who's the one who had put all those charms and compulsions on me." Neville deserves to know the truth; he can't lie to him. "Well, they're sure going to get a shock."
They end up talking about anything and everything, quidditch, hair, books, favorite magickal creatures. Cyrus was explaining what Thestrals were when the train had stopped, looking out the window, they sure weren't at Hogwarts, so why did the train stop? It hasn't happened before.
They turned to the door, revealing some ungodly creature with rotting hands and a dark tattered cloak. Cyrus, from what Remus had explained earlier to them, guessed that this is a dementor. The air had gone cold, hairs on the back of their necks sticking up.
It barely made it inside before Cyrus had collapsed onto the floor. A woman could be heard screaming, followed by cold, cruel laughter.
Remus had jumped up from his seat, casting a patronus, chasing it away. Neville and Luna helped him back up onto the seat, clutching his scar. Reaching into his pocket, Remus offered some chocolate over to them. "Have some, it helps with the effects." Gratefully, they take it off him, splitting it into quarters.
Are you okay little speaker?
Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you.
"Do you have any more chocolate?" Cyrus asked, getting an idea. Remus laughs, handing him over several bars. "Thank you, I'm going to go and check in on the other students and see if they need any help, did you two wanna come?" Neville, despite his nervousness, nods, not wanting to run into one again.
Making their way out, Cyrus hands some over to them before splitting off. Peering into some of the compartments, he comes across an open compartment,
He approaches them, hand extended out with chocolate. Fawley, the Slytherin prefect who had been comforting them, raises an eyebrow, clearly wary and suspicious.
"Have some, it helps with the effects." He tries to make himself as friendly as possible, not wanting to scare them even more. He offers some to her too, not wanting to be on her bad side. She takes it. "Thank you," is all she says.
Luckily, they seemed to have calmed down a fair bit
"Hey what's your name? I don't think I've seen you around school before."
"Cyrus Lovegood, I'm a Gryffindor third year." He introduces himself. 'I have to go and check on my friends. Here.” He gives her some of the chocolate and leaves the compartment, shutting the door behind him.
The door opens again, Fawley steps out. "I appreciate what you did for the younger students. Children that age shouldn't have to go through that, thank you.”
Cyrus smiles at her. "It's my pleasure Miss Fawley, have good feast tonight," he says before walking off, coming across Neville and Luna on his way through the train. Charlie was already back in the compartment when they entered with a much more awake Remus Lupin. "So, how'd it go?"
"Everything went fine, the chocolate worked out fine," Cyrus answered. "That’s good to hear then.”
“What about you three? Got all the chocolate handed out?" They nod enthusiastically.