"If we are with your family again next summer, Ron, you and your brothers better pack the night before or so help me I'll castrate you all," Zuri snarled to the tall red-headed boy and promptly started maneuvering her way through the crowd in the train's corridor until she caught up with Ginny, Luna, and Hermione.

"Your sister is one vicious lioness," Ron stated to Jenci while paling at the thought of Zuri's threat.

"Actually, she's more like a wolf," the other boy stated with a grin as he bid the now confused boy farewell and caught up with the Neville and I as we tried to keep sight of the girls.

We caught up to the girls as they opened a compartment and looked inside. When we were able to see... okay, when I could see being as I am the shortest still... we found a sleeping young adult who had light brown hair streaked with white strans of stress pulled back into a low ponytail and his skin was a ghostly bronze. He leaned heavily against the wall and looked completely gone with the wind and butterflies. I noticed that he'd taken one of the window seats also. Meanie.

"Who's that?" Neville asked as he tried to peer over Jenci's shoulder and over everyone else's heads at the sleeping form.

"Professor R.J. Lupin," Hermione replied as she stepped inside and settled next to the window.

"Do you know everything?" Zuri asked with amusement as she went to sit next to the other girl.

"No, not everything, just most things," Hermione replied with an amused smile. She pointed at a bag at the man's feet. "It has his name on it."

"That's called cheating," I stated with disapprovement as I went to sit next to the sleeping form. I rubbed my still hurting shoulder as I watched Jenci take a seat next to his sister.

"We're going to go see some of the other years," Ginny stated as she and Luna disappeared and Neville went to sit next to me.

"Well I see the cat dragged more than dirt in," Blaise's voice called as I heard him charging down the train's corridor.

The next moment, the door slid open to reveal a taller Blaise in full school uniform. His dark skin glowed darker than I remembered and his black eyes danced with mischief. His dark hair was curlier than ever and he flashed a smile that had shining teeth that were snow white. He then smacked me upside the head with a wrapped item that he then set in my lap and went to sit under the window.

"That was uncalled for," Zuri reprimanded as she kicked Blaise's shin.

"T'was not," he argued as he rubbed his leg and glared up at her. "He called me a snake without slither."

"That's what your upset about?" I asked incredulously. Surely, my other comment had insulted him.

"Well yes," he replied with a glare at me. "It's not funny. I was placed in Slytherin for a reason."

"To long for actual reality?" Jenci asked with utmost innocence.

"Oh, sod off," Blaise growled.

"I thought the other comment would--"

"Oh, come off it, mate!" he laughed. "That was a poor sarcastic comment."

"Well as long as you're not going to hurt me for that one, I guess we're even," I laughed nervously.

Though Blaise was a great best friend, you didn't let your guard down ever. If there was something I learned about being sarcastic in my friend's presence, I knew he'd get me back at the most opportune moment. Especially right before a Quidditch match. Hence, my nervous.

"Would you open your gift already!" Blaise exclaimed as he noticed I was starting to look thoughtfully at him with nervous eyes.

I shook myself out of my thoughts. "Let's see, I know it's a book. It hurt when you hit me with it." I unwrapped the paper and looked up to share an evil grin with him.

"What did he get you?" Hermione asked with a knowing voice.

"It's a book of 1001 pranks and practical jokes," I announced with a positively cheery voice.

"Oh, no," she groaned. "You had to encourage him."

"Indeed," Blaise replied. "It had to be done. Someone needs to prank the Weasley twins."

"So you're going to use a book they might already have?" Zuri asked.

"No, we're combining all the ideas we like into one big prank," he stated. "We discussed it over the summer by owl."

"This should be an interesting year," Jenci stated with a smile.

I noticed that Neville was being yet again unusually quiet. "What's up, Nev?" I asked the now not so shy boy, or so I hoped not as shy.

"I've been in a halt since I got to growing fur and getting paws," he replied bluntly as he looked up... okay, fine, down at me with a wary grin. "It's been frustrating."

"Well Jenci's at the same stage," Hermione stated. "Maybe you two should work together during the next couple of months. I'm sure we'll all be done by these next two months."

"Mione, nobody's going to get it in the next two months," I stated sincerely. "We don't have all day to practice and you most certainly don't have it. You're taking practically all the electives on the list. Which, by the by, I don't know how'll you'll manage. It'll be a strenuous year for you."

"I'll be fine," Hermione laughed cheerfully. "I'm invincible."

"You're so not funny," I growled with a pointed look, but sighed in irritation as I, yet again, noticed Misha settled onto my shoulder. I looked over at the sleeping man and cocked my head to the side as I examined him. "He looks oddly familiar. Actually, it's helluva strange familiarity, you know, Misha? Nevermind, you can't answer, can you? No, but that's not the point. This man looks familiar... I've seen him before yet I can't remember where."

"Harry, please stop talking to yourself and then to the cat," Hermione stated with an amused expression. "It's rather strange."

"Lo siento," I apologized with a sheepish grin and then went thoughtful as Neville started to doze and Hermione started to read.

Blaise and I dealt with the visit from Malfoy later on, but were happy to just threaten him with the sleeping Professor. Zuri and Jenci trailed out to talk with some of their friends in Ravenclaw. Time went slowly still as we stayed awake long enough to have some food from the cart lady, get changed into our robes, and then trail back into our sleepy, lazy atmosphere.

It was hours later that I suddenly jerked awake. I felt something creeping up my spin and I shivered. It was dark and pouring rain and hellcats outside. I shivered again. It doesn't rain, it pours. Just like trouble. Trouble.

The train suddenly jolted to a stop and we heard yelps and crashes of trunks falling from down the train and the lights went out. Hermione woke with a startled yelp as her cat, Crookshanks, clawed her. I felt Misha cling to my shoulder and felt his claws retracting back and forth as he hissed viciously. Blaise snarled as he woke up from what I'm guessing was a great nap and look around. Neville was awake and eyeing everything carefully. I felt a growl rise in the back of my throat as I shivered again.

I got to my feet and went to the window and noticed it was raining and shitting out hellcats heavier than what I had originally guessed outside, but the water on the window turned to mist and looked suddenly frozen. I rubbed a circle into the window as I heard Blaise get up and lean over me and we both peered out.

"Something's moving out there and it looks like it's trying to get on board," Blaise stated with a low dark voice.

I shivered again. "Whatever is going on, I'm beginning to not like it."

Yeah, just like trouble. Pouring rain and hellcats. Damn.

Someone stumbled in and fell to the floor and was followed by another person. "Jenci, watch where you're walking, you git!" Zuri's voice sounded agitated and she peered up at me and then glanced at the others.

"Zuri, Jenci, get into a seat," I growled and they did what I said. Wow, simplicity. There's a first.

"Do you know what's going on?" asked another voice that belonged to Ginny as she stepped into the compartment; Luna followed her.

"No, but wait in here and I'll be right back," I stated as I felt danger coming closer; the air grew colder. I had to get that danger away from here. "I'm going to see what the hell is going on here."

I slid outside and noticed a black robed thing coming toward me. No, it wasn't coming toward me in a walking form; it was gliding. Shit. Can we say something's not right here?

I swallowed and then bared my teeth in challenge and let a low dark growl vibrate and bubble out of my throat. The creature didn't pause and kept coming. Then I felt it.

"Stay where you are," I heard a deep baritone command as I felt, more than notice, someone slip out from the compartment, but all that mattered were the voices.

I stumbled back and roared as I fell into a vision. A fat whale of a man with beady eyes and plain colors coming towards me with a maniacal grin and crazed eyes, all the while carrying a huge sharp knife that flashed a silver streak in the light. Then an ugly being kept treading toward a woman with bright green eyes and fiery red hair and she held a child to her breast as she cried and pleaded. The man said stuff that I chose to force myself to ignore and then I saw the green light and the shriek of the woman. I roared wildly and clawed at my ears as I heard Harry yelling at me angrily after I had done something; they weren't memories or any that I could remember at the moment, but then blackness fell upon me only to be slapped back into reality by one hysterical Zuri.

I pushed her off me and pulled away and backed up until I was a few feet away from everyone that stood outside looking at me. "Don't touch me!" I snarled as the Professor tried to comfort and help me.

I didn't want comfort or help; I wanted to be able to concentrate without these images in my mind. I wanted to breathe again. I felt tears rushing from my eyes. I shook furiously and tried to rub my arms to get more warmth, but decided on a more different approach as I grabbed ahold of my silver pentacle that Blaise had gotten me first year for Christmas and muttered in Latin. It didn't help.

Zuri went inside the compartment and Hermione followed along with Neville. Blaise kneeled next to me with a dark frown and without warning, punched me in the jaw. I sprawled over to the side and then glared up at him.

"Was that effing necessary?" I spat angrily as I felt reality rush back to me. Maybe it was.

"Uh, yeah," he snorted. "And besides, that's for the other comment. Oh, and for Zuri also."

"Oh!" was the only thing I could reply with as I held back the words that were trying to rush out that would no doubt get me a detention if used in front of the adult.

There was a loud snap then that made us both jump and I pulled back and curled up while rocking myself slightly. It was still cold and not all the shock had disappeared. Professor Lupin broke chocolate into pieces and handed it to the others in the compartment and then handed the last two pieces to Blaise and me.

"Here," the baritone voice said to me as the man handed me a piece of chocolate. "Eat it, you'll feel better." I shook my head stubbornly and watched the man warily as I pointedly didn't munch on the chocolate. There was something off in those amber-gold eyes that shined like metallic pools.

"What in Hell's Bells was that?" I asked with a wary look up at the man.

"It's a dementor," Lupin answered with a frown as he pointedly looked at the chocolate and then to me, the kid, who just ignored his pointed glances. Go figure. "They guard Azkaban."

"Oh, joy," I cheered in sarcasm. "Just what we need on a train, an effing creature that screws with the mind; I see this year is going to be utterly exciting."

The man raised his brow as he crumpled the chocolate wrapper and then put it in a nearby trashcan. "I'm going to talk with the driver then I'll be back. Eat the chocolate, Mr. Potter."

"It's Mr. Dresden," I called after the man as he disappeared to the front of the train. "Wait, what?" I turned to look at Blaise. "What's wrong with Zuri?"

"Mate, you threw her off of you in a feral manner when she woke you up," Blaise replied. "She looked really upset. And even if she hadn't been upset, I'd still hit you."

"Shit!" I groaned.

The one girl I actually really like and I upset her. Damn, I'm good. Next thing I plan to do involves me trying to impress her by stomping on the flowers I get for her. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Come on, mate, up you get," Blaise snorted as he helped me up off the ground and we entered the compartment and together we sat underneath the window. I leaned against Zuri's legs and smiled apologectically up at her. She smiled as she began to run her fingers through my hair. Misha trotted up to me and leapt up to land on my chest and crawled up to settle on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry I tossed you off of me, Zuri," I apologized sorrowfully up to her. "If I'd been right in the head, I'd never would have done that."

"I know that, Silly," she laughed softly. "You just surprised me and I was hurt a bit, but I realized what was going on. You're forgiven. What happened anywise, Harry?"

"I think I saw my mother being murdered and my uncle coming at me with a knife," I muttered and felt Blaise stiffen next to me. "Then I heard Harry yelling at me, but I can't remember when he'd ever be that angry."

That was a lie. Harry'd been angry plenty with me in the past. Justly so, too.

I looked up to see that Neville had Luna curled in his lap and Ginny at his left hugging him. Hermione sat next to Jenci who had an arm about his sister's shoulders as Zuri who kept running her hand through my hair while she shook every so often.

Lupin entered as the train started moving again with a look of surprise at those curled up close to each other and gave us all a stern look. "I haven't poisoned that chocolate." We, the group, spared him a glance. Then the others looked between Hermione and I. We both popped the pieces of chocolate into our mouths and were instantly feeling better and we nodded with a smile to the others who follow soon after.

At that moment, I wanted to repeatedly slam my head into something hard. Chocolate. Duh.

Lupin shrugged and slid into the seat Hermione and Jenci. "Are you all right, Harry?"

I let a growl bubble out of my throat and pass my lips as I eyed the man suspiciously. "Who are you to me?" I grunted when Blaise elbowed me. I eyed him warily and let a small grin replace my dark frown.Yeah, talk about jumping right into the matter. I turned to look back at the older man. "I know I've seen you before, but I don't know where." A name came to mind as I examined the man. "Why is it that I want to call you Moon or Moony or Moona when I see you? Have we met before?"

He burst into laughter which made me tense. "You're as thoroughly studious as your mother Lily."

"So I did know you?" I asked with a confused look.

"Not since you were a baby," he chuckled. "How interesting... how utterly interesting."

"Great," I groaned. "Another groupie."

Hermione snorted. "Yes, we all love you so much that we worship the very ground you walk on, Harry." This made the others snort and burst into laughter.

"All's fair in love and war, Hermy," I sang with a cheerful tone when I felt sort of miserably confused and starting to get a headache. "And besides, I have other uses for you, darling."

She glared at me. "You know I hate that song."

"But it's a great song!" I replied with amusement. "Alice Cooper was the man when he put it out."

She glared darkly and huffed. "Indeed."

"She agrees!" I cheered and Zuri handed me five galleons and Blaise handed me five more.

"You betted that I would agree?" Hermione exclaimed in irritation and disbelief.

"Hell yeah," I laughed; my Chicago accent overtook the British one for the time being and when I spoke, Lupin looked at me with a deepening frown. I decided to give in. "Mr. Lupin, I was adopted and moved to Chicago when I was eight. That's why I do not sound so British, accent-wise."

"Oh," he said and looked at me with a small smile. "I think I heard that somewhere, come to think of it. Minerva warned me that if I see you around with a guitar, not to be surprised. She told me that she heard you were in some kind of a rock band back where you lived."

"Yeah, the Blacklisted Knights," I replied happily. YAY! Something I knew about and enjoyed talking about. He looked at me with amusement. "You should come to Chicago in the next year or so. We might be able to play some songs for you."

"Are you doing shows now?" Jenci asked.

"Not yet," I replied. "We should be by this summer, but who knows if Tim the Bartender in the local pub will let us. He probably will since I helped him out of a bad case."

"And what was that?" Ginny asked with amusement.

"Honey," I laughed with hearty amusement. "That'd be telling and I don't kiss and tell."

"Sure you don't," Blaise snickered, but grunted when I elbowed him. "Oh, come on. It's not like I'm the only one that knows."

"There's others that know?" I asked, a bit horrified at the idea of everyone knowing that I liked Zuri... a lot.

"Sure, but since we can't talk about it, I'll keep my mouth shut," he teased.

"You're mean," I stated with disapproval.

"Yeah, and still you keep coming back," he snickered.

"I'm beginning to think I shouldn't," I snorted.

"Like that would ever would happen," he snorted. "You can't bleed me out of the picture."

"I am the Walrus, so there!" I proclaimed and he looked up in absolute confusion as his mouth quirked into a queer smile of zilch understanding.

"What the bleeding hell are you bloody well talking about?" he asked as he started to laugh.

"I am the Walrus, so there!" I repeated with a triumphant smirk and nodded my triumphant to Hermione who had muffled her giggling by covering her mouth. Lupin shook with silent laughter as Zuri and Jenci burst into laughter at their sudden understanding.

"D-d-do you quote every song you know?" Jenci snickered.

"Why I do believe yes," I stated with a grin, "yes, I do."

"Honestly," Hermione giggled loudly, but then muffled her laughter again.

"Hello," Ginny growled. "Some of us don't get what's going on. Like to intrigue us?"

"B-b-but that would be telling," Zuri giggled as she held her sides and leaned over with laughter.

"As Harry said earlier to Cal, I am voting you off the island," Ginny stated when a growl as she, Luna, Neville, and Blaise looked between themselves in confusion.

"Aw, come on," I laughed.

Life was good. Vive la Confusion. Now rock out and howl to this illusion.

Hey, that rhymed!

It was later that night after the train stopped and we got onto the carraiges that took us up to the school. McGonagall took Hermione and I aside to discuss Mione's schedule and my reaction to the dementor thingies. Then we made it to the feast where we all ate fitfully. Afterwards, I showered quickly, pulled my hair back, and then went to bed. Misha curled up against my stomach like usual and purred himself to sleep.

I fell asleep. My dreams were nay. I was good.

But good wasn't lasting and I figured that out come morning.

Update

I am pleased that I am starting to kick it through the story. I've been working on second year since I've decided to do it, but I don't know when it'll be finished... probably around Christmas... Also, I've been doodling with future scenes with Umbridge in fifth year and some scenes for fourth year. They are promising from the looks of things.

I might not be able to update again for awhile, but not to worry. I'll be trying to get the chapters through, but I do need to tell you that I might be too busy with two research papers I have to do. Classes are ending... wow! I made it through my first semester of college... tubular! I've already choosen my new classes for the upcoming semester. Well, gosh... I feel utterly creeped out by saying that. What's even creepier is I designed an entire schedule format in Microsoft Excel to see how my schedule looks... can we say nerd?

Well I have to get off and get some sleep. I have a full day tomorrow and I need some sleep. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave comments. It helps. Thanks. Te amo. Hasta luego y buenas noches.