"Who do you think he is?" Ron asked nodding his head towards the sleeping man.
"Professor R.J Lupin." Seamus declared pointing at the top of the briefcase that was sitting war torn on the floor next to the man.
"I reckon he's the new defence against the dark arts teacher, only vacant teaching spot." I mentioned looking over at the man who'd moved in a way that I could see more of his face.
He looked old but still young at the same time. The old was reflected in the speckles of grey in his brownish hair. The young was reflected in his face, yet he look dead tired and seemingly ill. Professor Lupin looks as if he couldn't fight off an angry chocolate frog, perhaps he travelled from far away or perhaps they found him in the same place they found Lockhart. The last thing Hogwarts needed was to find another teacher that turns out to be a bust.
"Anyway, word on the street is that Sirius Black escape to fine me." Harry muttered and the group on the other side of the train got quiet to listen in on what Harry was saying.
"Dumbledore will protect you, and besides, the Azkaban guards are going to be patrolling the school." Ron shrugged keeping an eye on Lupin. "Dad has already told me all of this except that he's after you."
"We won't go looking for trouble this year. This year, we study." I declared looking at everyone with a serious face which made the other booth giggle and return to their own conversations.
The statement I made got a groan out of Seamus and I elbowed his arm jokingly. Our laughs were cut short by a whistle that came from the luggage storage above our heads. I looked up along with the other three to see just what was making that really irritating sound. I told Harry that I thought it was coming from his trunk and he pulled it down only to realize it was the Sneakoscope that Ron had gifted him for his birthday.
"I wonder who's around that untrustworthy." Harry muttered peaking out the cabin door for any wandering students.
"You think it's him? We haven't exactly had really trustworthy Defence teachers." Seamus asked sticking out his thumb out and pointing at the sleeping professor beside him.
"It would have lit up earlier." Ron explained covering it with his hands. "Put it away or you'll wake him up, anyway, Draco is probably near by. Harry, have you heard of Honeydukes yet?" Ron changed the topic and Harry shrugged. "It's in Hogsmead an it's a wicked sweet shop. It's got everything you could ever want in it."
"You'll have to tell me all about it." Harry uttered sinking into his seat and crossing his arms as a child would.
"What do you mean?" Seamus asked scrunching his eyebrows together.
"I told you about Aunt Marge, there was no possible way I was getting that form signed by Vernon or Petunia so I left, accidentally called the knight bus met with Fudge and now we're here." Harry explained very briefly before Ron eye's widened.
"You're not going? Nonsense, McGonagall will have to give you permission. Or we can talk to Fred and George! They know every which or way to sneak out of the castle undetected." Ron quickly explained let his mind run wild with ways to break out Harry.
"I really don't think sneaking out is a good idea with Black on the loose, Ron." Seamus said quietly trying not to crush any hopes Harry had.
"Yeah, I'm going to try something new this year. I'm going to try and not loose house points this year. It's a truly revolutionary concept." Harry joked shoving Ron with his elbow. "Besides, you'll have loads of fun without me."
"It won't really be the same." I smiled sadly looking at Harry with sympathetic eyes.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" The lady asked from outside the cabin with a smile.
"Do you think we should wake him? He looks like he could use a meal." Harry asked after he placed his own order.
"Don't wake him up, if he's hungry when he does wake, send him to the front. I'll be up there with the driver." The witch said gently passing Harry a whole pile of cauldron cakes.
Ron started to ask Seamus if the new professor was dead which sent them into their own conversation. Harry handed a cauldron cake to both of them which they accepted with a head nod and then he handed me a small stack of them. I took them and headed next door helping Harry hand out the snacks he bought for everyone. Harry and I were each left with one and we went back to our seats just in time to hear Seamus ask Ron how thick Harry would have to be to go after a nutter that was trying to kill him.
"Not thick enough." Harry laughed taking a small bite of his cake.
"I think that can be debated." Draco Malfoy muttered showing up in the doorway to our cabin. "You have done some pretty stupid things, like befriend Weasel over there."
"Leave it alone, Malfoy." I sneered at the pale boy who was way too confident for my liking.
"You've made some mistakes too, Ashlee. Befriending Potty and the Weasel was a terrible decision. I mean, look at him. His whole family is dirt poor." Draco snapped in the ginger haired boys direction making Ron stand up threateningly.
"Who's that?" Draco asked losing his smirk and looking at Professor Lupin.
"New teacher," Seamus shrugged. "Want me to wake him for you?" Seamus bluffed reaching over towards the man who had no clue the tension that was swirling around in the cabin which he chose to rest in.
Draco scoffed before turning and walking down the train to his own compartment somewhere far away from us. I lost interest in Ron's threatening words and turned towards the window to see the raindrops trickling down the windows in lines almost as if they were racing. I could barely see through the terrible weather but I could just make out the hills of green grass below. As I was looking out the window the sky got darker quicker until I couldn't see a single thing out of it. It also got fairly dark in the train and the lights flickered on above our heads and in the isle. The train started to slow and Ron smiled brightly.
"We must be there! Brilliant!" Ron stood up but Seamus looked at his wristwatch. "I can't wait to get my hands on that feast."
"We can't possible be there yet." Seamus muttered counting the hours on his fingers.
"Why else would we have stopped?" Ron questioned but sat back down and looked out the window with squinted eyes anyway.
Ron asked if we'd broken down but I wasn't paying attention. I was looking out the window at the increasingly dark sky. It became darker and darker until nothing could be seen out of the rain covered window at all. That made Ron look away from the window but i kept staring trying to see anything past the water on the glass. Just then the lights, in the corridor and on the luggage rack, went out. The entire train was covered in darkness. I heard some shuffling and then Neville's familiar voice ask if everything was alright. I felt Seamus grab my hand comfortingly. His hand was warm and practically engulfing mine but I barely realized it because I was so distracted due to the odd things occurring on the train.
"Neville?"
"Sit down."
"Move over."
"Somethings moving out there."
"I think someones getting on."
"Quiet."
The harsh whisper stopped our confused voices from making any further sound. Professor Lupin as apparently woken up from his long rest. He lit up the cabin with a dull glow from the fire that was crackling in his hand. The fire lit up his face and anyone could see he was still tired but his eyes were different. His eyes were those of a hunter stalking it's prey, or the eyes of prey being hunted. Either way, he was alert and listening for any unusual sound. We all stared at him, I don't know why everyone else did but I did it because he was easier to look at him than the corridor that could be concealing anything in its darkness.
Lupin made his way to the door only to have something fly in front of his flame. It was a very tall and dark figure, under a cloak and he reached the ceiling in height. Then it reached out from under the cloak with a hand that looked as if it had been decaying and floating in water for years before anyone found it. I gripped Seamus' hand tightly and he pulled me closer to him in the seat which I didn't fight. Then the figures hand retreated concealing itself back under the cloak that was tattered and worn.
The figure backed up and looked as if it was going to leave but instead in took a great breath in, almost as if it was trying to suck up every passenger in the cart. It got freezing cold in the cabin within a few moments and I found myself shivering in a terrified manner. It was dead silent in the room and Harry let out a groan of agony and we all averted our gaze to him who had his eyes rolling back into his skull and a look pure confusion on his face.
Time seemed to slow as Lupin performed a spell that cast the cloaked creature away and illuminated the room in a blinding bright light. Harry slipped from his spot on the bench and onto the floor. I quickly slipped out of Seamus grip and onto the floor next to Harry as did Ron. While Ron and I were nearing Harry the lights flickered back on and the train began to roll forward again. I slapped Harry across the face gently hoping the pain would wake him up.
"Harry get up!" I muttered giving him a little shake.
Harry let out a confused groan while his eyes began to flutter open. Harry looked distorted and very frightened. His face twisted as though he was going to be sick but he didn't. He slowly moved his hand to his face to pushed his circular glasses up his nose. After doing so he looked at his fingers and anyone could see the sweat shimmering on his fingers. I nodded to Ron and Seamus who then helped Harry to his feet and then back into his seat.
"Is she alright?" Harry asked rubbing his eyes under his glasses.
"Is who alright?" Seamus asked nervously looking at our poor friend.
"The woman who was screaming." Harry casually said as if someone had actually screamed.
"No one screamed Harry." I told him kneeling in front of him and placing both my hands on his knees in a friendly way.
"I heard screaming." He stubbornly put looking over to Neville for back up but Neville shifted away uncomfortably.
I pushed myself off of Harry's knees into a standing position. I heard a small snap and looked over my shoulder at Lupin who was breaking a piece of chocolate into smaller pieces.
"Eat this." Lupin then passed Harry a few small pieces of chocolate. "It'll help."
"What was that... thing?" Harry asked looking up at the man feeding him chocolate.
"A dementor." Lupin shook his head light and huffed handing a small piece of chocolate to everyone else assuming we were all as pale as Harry.
Everyone who was sitting on the other side of the train before the madness began were now standing by the door looking over each other to make sure Harry was okay. Ginny went looking for any of her brothers and Ron was the first one she found so she stayed to feel just a little safer than by herself. Lupin shoved the chocolate wrapper in the pocket of the coat he was wearing and grabbed his brief case off of the floor. He straightened his jacket and told us he was off to talk to the driver. Our friends in the hallway made room for Professor Lupin to pass swiftly through them.
We were trying to explain to Harry what had happened when Percy came by in a fit looking for Ron and Ginny. He made sure the both of them were okay and then took Ginny to his booth where he was probably with Penelope Clearwater, his girlfriend. We all brushed off his attitude and focus on the matter at hand. Harry didn't understand why none of us were effected by the dementor and just him. Ron tried to say he was having a fit but we all know Harry didn't randomly have a seizure. Harry looked awful, he looked ill, like he should be laying in bed with a bucket by his bed and a thermometer in his mouth. Everyone in the hallway sat back down in the booth across from us and made small talk but they kept glancing back over at us.
"I haven't poisoned the chocolate." Professor Lupin chuckled from the doorway of our booth. "Eat, you'll feel better. Trust me."
Harry took a cautious bite of his chocolate and it must have felt marvellous because he took a grand bite soon after.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes." Lupin told us while continuing to look at Harry. "Are you alright, Harry?"
Harry just nodded and continued eating his chocolate. I had sunk into my seat and closed my eyes. I didn't even feel the usual excitement for the welcome back feast and I don't think anyone else did either. All anyone could feel is the want to get off of this train. I felt a little bad for the first years who were enduring this on their first trip to Hogwarts. Welcome to Hogwarts kids, trouble seems to lurk around every corner while Harry's around. I crossed my arms over my chest and let out a great sigh. We weren't even at Hogwarts yet and something bad has happened to Harry. We were on the train next thing you know he'll be attacked at Kings Cross station. Then the thought of Dobby occurred to me and I realized something bad had happened to Harry at Kings Cross. I could feel Seamus subtly slide closer to me on the bench but I ignored it for now. It was easy to block everything out for ten minutes because nobody really said anything except for the odd are you feeling better Harry? And I already knew the answer to that.
I opened my eyes when we the train stopped, this time it stopped because we arrived at our destination. I took one final look out the window and saw the craze of people fighting to get into the castle and away from all the danger. I saw few dementors in the sky and there were two standing on either side of the path watching and looking at everyone that passed like one of the students had Sirius Black in their pockets. I didn't understand why they were keeping such a close eye on us. Was Sirius Black really crazy enough to attack one of Dumbledore's students? I understand the precaution but could it not have been done inconspicuously? I only stood when Seamus grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. I just kept watching poor Harry from the corner of my eye.
I made my way off of the train with Lavenders arm looped through mine. We were both frustrated, I could tell she was by her scrunched up nose and pouty lips. If I weren't already annoyed I would have chuckled at her. I found myself in a carriage with Harry, Ron, Lavender, Neville, and Parvati when it started to roll up towards the castle but at the last minute Draco jumped into our carriage. Crabbe and Goyle tried to do the same but I guess they couln't get enough speed. I laughed at the way they ran after us with one hand out stretched towards us. Draco noticed the same thing but he rolled his where as I laughed for the first time in a half hour.
"Is it true, Potter?" Draco asked with a very happy tone of voice. "Did you really faint when you saw the dementors?"
