Voicing is in regular
Thoughts are in italics
Parseltongue is in bold

By the time they got to King's Cross, Molly was in disarray. First the twins had been late getting up, and then all through breakfast they teased Percy about being head boy. It had been a long morning. Thankfully they made it fifteen minutes before the train left the station.

Harry ushered Ron and Hermione into the only compartment that boasted a sense of privacy, for the sole occupant of it was fast asleep. Hermione noted that Ginny had absconded with Fred and George in an attempt to find Luna.

"Who's the old guys?" Ron questioned when he saw the older person asleep.

"Professor Remus Lupin." Hermione stated.

"How is it that she knows everything?" Ron asked incredulously.

"It's on his suitcase, Ronald." Hermione said, exasperated.

"I have to tell you guys something." Harry muttered as he closed the door, "The man that escaped from Azkaban, Sirius Black, he escaped to kill me."

"What!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron, let him finish." Hermione hissed.

"Anyway, apparently he blames me for Voldemort's downfall and believes that killing me is the only way to bring him back. He did kill his friend Peter Pettigrew and fifteen Muggles, what's gonna stop him from killing me?"

"How do you know all this?" Hermione questioned.

"Mr. Weasley told me."

"No offence to Mr. Weasley, but he could have his information wrong." Hermione said very carefully, "It is very possible that the Ministry doesn't have all of the facts."

"My dad was a member of the old Order of the Phoenix; they would have the correct information." Ron snapped at her.

"Let me play devil's advocate," Hermione snarled, "I'm not saying your dad didn't relay to Harry was told him. I am sure that both sides kept secrets that very few people new about. I'm saying what if your father was not told an important piece of information or what if the Order didn't know about an important piece of information. I am sure there were spies on both sides."

Ron opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

"How do you know about all of this?" Harry was flabbergasted.

"It was a war, was it not?" Hermione asked, both boys nodded. "So, there would have been spies. Honestly."

But the boys never found out what 'honestly' was, because the train decided to stop at that exact moment.

"Why is the train stopped?" Harry asked.

Ron pressed his nose to the window, then whimpered, "There's something moving out there."

The temperature dropped to 0 oC, Hermione knew what was going on – the train was being invaded by Dementors.

The door opened and a black, gnarled, rotten looking hand appeared, it was followed closely by the rest of this thing. It appeared to be wearing a black torn robe and a single hole where its mouth would be. As it sucked all the happiness out of the room, Harry fainted, and Remus yelled, "Expecto Patronum! None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks!"

It took Harry awhile to wake up, and when he did they were almost to Hogwarts.

Remus handed Harry a piece of chocolate, "Here eat this, it'll help."

Taking the chocolate, Harry asked, "What was that thing?"

"It was a Dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban." Hermione remarked.

Remus nodded his head in Hermione's direction, "If you'll excuse me, I must have a word with the driver."

As soon as he left, Harry asked, "Who screamed?"

"No one screamed, Harry." Hermione answered, with sad eyes.

"But I heard screaming…a women." Harry countered.

"What did she sound like?" Hermione questioned.

"It sounded like she was pleading."

Hermione gave Harry her whole attention, "You have faced this we could never dream of facing." She lied through her teeth, "You probably witness your mother's death again."

"Hermione!" Ron scolded.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because that is what dementors do, they make you relive your worst memories." Hermione said in a small voice.

"That would explain why I felt like I did after mum sent me that Howler." Ron joked.

Harry laughed, "Hermione, what is yours?"

Hermione's eyes turned to ice, "It doesn't matter. You two wouldn't understand anyway."

"Hermione, my memory was my mother's death, how could yours be any worse?"

Hermione gave him a sad smile, "I'm not trying to one up you, Harry. I'm just not comfortable telling you just yet."

By this time the train had pulled into Hogsmeade's station. The students disembarked and climbed onto the magical carriages that would pull them to Hogwarts. By the time they got to the Castle it seemed like everyone knew that Harry had fainted.

Draco hissed, "Potter, psst, Potter, is it true you fainted, like actually fainted." He mimicked a girl's swoon. Draco caught Hermione's eye and winked, she smirked back.

"Come on, guys." Harry muttered.

But before they could make it into the Great Hall, they heard Minerva call out, "Potter, Granger a word, in my office if you don't mind."

And if we do? Hermione thought.

When they made it to Minerva's office, she rounded on Harry, "Is it true that you had an episode on the train?"

"It was just a Dementor, Professor." Harry explained.

"Are you sure?" Minerva questioned.

"Yeah, he's sure." Hermione asserted, "Professor Lupin even gave him chocolate."

"Oh, that's just splendid." Madam Pomfrey gushed, "We finally have a DADA professor who knows his remedies. Harry if you feel bad at all you know that you are welcome to come see me anytime. You certainly have been in my med-ward plenty; I even think I have a bed with your name on it." With that she left to go to the feast.

"Harry be a dear and go to the feast, Hermione and I have some things we need to discus and we won't be done until after the feast. She will meet you in the common room later." Minerva told him.

Harry quickly scampered out of her office.

"Well I certainly have that effect on students." Minerva sighed, "Except for you, why don't you tremble in fear of me?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders in a manner that mimicked Bellatrix's so much that Minerva shuddered.

"Hermione, it has come to my attention that you are taking too many classes to fit into your schedule. I propose that you use this." Minerva pulled out a gold hourglass necklace.

"That's a Time Turner." Hermione whispered, in awe.

"Yes it is. Do you know how to use one?"

"I've read about them, but I have never gotten to use one. For every time you turn it you go back two hours."

"I trust you to be careful with it." Minerva told her as she handed her a small book, "Read this and then I will let you go."

"Yes ma'am." Hermione said absentmindedly as she opened her new book.