I don't own the story or the characters of Harry Potter, this work is entirely fan-made. The rights to everything Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling. I also have no beta or proof-reader (at least not a human one) so expect some mistakes from time to time.
The great hall was scarcely populated the next morning; apparently, the dementors had affected lots of students, making them drowsy and unmotivated to get up. Luckily, it was a Sunday, so they had a day to lie in and settle back into Hogwarts life. The breakfast even seemed less extravagant than usual, being porridge, toast and an assortment of grains and fruits. No eggs, or bacon or breakfast sandwiches like one of Hermione's favourites, a Croque Monsieur that she had with her parents in France that summer. How everything could turn so bleak, so quickly was beyond everyone, but they didn't try to make a difference to their situation. Harry was languidly eating his porridge when Hermione came over brandishing four timetables, three of which she handed out to the group, keeping one for herself. "It isn't too bad this year. First Monday back and we have Potions, Herbology and Defence in one day. Nice!" Neville said excitedly. "Then we have the first electives, Arithmancy or muggle studies then Divination or Ancient Runes." Hermione was brimming with excitement as the others attempted to share in her enthusiasm to brighten their moods. Harry took his schedule and marked something on it that the others couldn't see, then slid the paper into his pocket and continued to eat his breakfast. At 9:45, Professor McGonagall came marching over and beckoned Hermione to her office to discuss her 'schedule'. "Something is definitely up with Professor McGonagall. She made no remarks about Quidditch to Zoe, didn't nod to us after she left like she normally does, and didn't even comment on the fact that I was making a rude gesture behind my back to Malfoy, who is coming over in about three, two, one… Malfoy, how lovely of you to grace us with your disgusting presence."
Draco responded to the middle finger that Harry shot his way and started to drawl. "So, Potter, I hear you fainted on the train yesterday. Is a dementor that terrifying to you? I wonder if it would've sucked your soul out if that Professor hadn't stepped in to help you cope." Harry just shot him a hopefully intimidating look. "No matter, I needn't concern myself with how weak you are anyway." Harry growled and his eyes started to turn a fiery red but he was stopped from doing anything by Dean Thomas, who was watching the whole ordeal from next to him. Draco turned his head towards Zoe and his smirk grew. "So, fancy practising quidditch with me this year, get to know each other's skills a bit? I'm sure we could learn a lot from each other." She rolled her eyes and shook her head quickly. "No thanks. Would you knock it off Draco, I'm not going to practice with you. Besides, I don't need any more training, especially not from a stuck-up Slytherin like yourself." Malfoy's nostrils flared. He looked to be thinking of a retort. "You can't say no to me forever, Zoe." He strode off and left Harry in a fit of rage. It was a miracle that he didn't implode. "Are you alright? He had no right to say that to you!" Harry was fuming as Neville and Dean were trying to stifle laughter; Seamus had failed miserably at it. "What?! What is so funny about that?!" He growled out, making the three recoil. Seamus still found it hilarious and was less afraid, so he spelt it out. "Harry, don't be like that, he had the right to do that. I don't think she should 'cause he's a dirty snake, but he can ask." He started to chuckle again. "Oh, that brought some light into the world. Haha! Draco Malfoy just tried to ask out Zoe Potter." He broke down in a fit of laughter and ran from the great hall clutching his stomach before Harry could catch him. Harry looked over at his sister, who was wearing a wild blush. He facepalmed and left his porridge whilst he wasn't throwing up at the thought of Malfoy and his sister.
Hermione and Harry spent some time walking around the less Dementor-infested parts of the grounds, taking in the sight of a white sheet covering the grass. "It really shouldn't be this cold and snowy in September, it should be more rainy and dismal, but for that absence, I'm not complaining. Besides, the snow really is beautiful." Hermione remarked whilst helping Harry over a large tree stump at the edge of the forbidden forest, near Hagrid's quaint hut. He hoisted himself down from their sitting position and started to frolic in the snow, making large dents in the frosty sheet covering the flowers. Hermione joined him and they started to swirl around in a sort of impromptu dance. First Harry moved and swept to Hermione's right and grabbed her hands in his, then she pulled them both into a traditional ball-room stance. "Hermione, you know I can't dance properly like that. Why you can is beyond me," she pretended to be mortally wounded but laughed it off. "But I wouldn't change it, you're too good for that." As if punctuating his point about not being capable of dancing, he tripped over her feet and pulled them both down to the ground, Hermione landing on top of him. "Oof, Hermione!" He complained as she rolled off him with a snigger. As she bent over to help him up, his eyes flicked to her open coat and cardigan, where he saw a faint glimmer of gold between her-. 'NO!' his brain shouted at him, telling him not to think the end of that sentence. "Hermione, what is that gold thing around your neck?" She panicked at her hand went to her chest, buttoning up the cardigan with a fuss. "O- oh that. It, umm- oh its nothing, a necklace my parents got me in France." She proved it by reaching around her neck and drawing out a gold chain with a red stone set into it. "Wow, it's lovely. Well, there goes your birthday present idea." He joked, which she smiled sheepily at. "Well, whatever the case, it is not quite as pretty as you, my Queen." She smiled sweetly as he cast the bluebell flame spell at his hand, where a small flickering spark turned into a dancing fire, contained in his palm. They walked back, hand in hand, Harry cradling the flame.
They seemed to be the only ones in high spirits, besides Hermione and Harry, plus Seamus Finnigan who was howling in laughter as they exited the portrait to the common room. Fred and George had always loved the snow, especially when they learned its most useful property, ammunition. They had each charmed a pile of snow to hurl balls of itself at teachers and Filch. Professor Flitwick nearly gave them points for the spell, but decided against it, as he knew that the Deputy Headmistress would surely decimate him. Professor Lupin had fired back with charmed snowballs of his own until they had nearly used up all of the snow in the main courtyard, but he soon quit to the safety of his office and a mug of hot chocolate. They were quickly running out of targets until they spotted Ginny and Percy nearing each other on the way to the owlery, neither watching where they were going. So, being the resident mischief-makers, they each got balls of snow to look like they came from both of their siblings. They waited behind a wall for the ensuing argument. "Ginny, what do you think you're doing?! Are you attacking the Head Boy? I could get you into detention if I so pleased, so explain yourself, young lady." Fred and George winced, thinking that they might have gotten Ginny into more trouble than necessary. Then she fired back. "I'm sorry Percy, did you think that I would just 'attack' you without reason? Besides, we all know that you have to get permission from your head of house before you put people into detention, so what do you think Professor McGonagall will say when I tell her that you have been flaunting your badge and the slight power it gives you all over the students? She won't be pleased, especially since the matter of someone else throwing snowballs at you is so trivial." The twins that were hiding behind the stone arch raised their eyebrows and took the chance to nail Percy in the head with snowballs in plain sight. "Sorry Perce, but she's right, you need to loosen up a bit." Ginny was left in the wake of the twins being chased back to the castle by Percy, who kept reciting rules and regulations at them as they taunted him.
Today was not a good day for Ron Weasley. With the dementors affecting everyone's mood, no one was willing to play wizards chess with him, or more accurately, lose to him. He was the undisputed champion of wizards chess, not just in his year, but the whole of Slytherin. They normally wouldn't mind playing a game with him, even if he did tend to gloat about being a 'master-strategist' to anyone brave enough to listen to him waffle for an hour. On top of the boredom issues, Scabbers, his pet rat looked more ill and sullen every day, not coming out of his cage or pocket until it was time to eat. Naturally, Ron thought that it might just be an after-effect of the Rat tonic that he bought from the Magical Menagerie, but now, not so much. Every time he went to go out of the dorms or the common room, Scabbers would try to scamper away and run to his cage. Eventually, after an hour of trying to get Scabbers to come down to lunch with him, he relented and the rat stayed in his cage, seemingly not having moved an inch when Ron came back to the dorm. He muttered "Lazy rodent" and got to work on unpacking, an ordeal he would have to settle with doing whilst everyone was moping around. He had finished unpacking his last pair of socks when Draco and Blaise came marching into the dorm room, Blaise following like an idle servant until he was actually ordered around when he put his foot down. Draco was livid and from what Ron could hear, Draco was angry at one of the Potters. 'Probably Heir Potter and his stupid mudbl- girlfriend.' His mother and father had pestered him so much that the word was nearly wiped from his repertoire. Nearly. But he still used it in spite. 'Why did she go for him, not me. I'm smart and funny, and I'm Pureblood, doesn't she know what I could do for her? Being a Slytherin doesn't help either. Still, got to try harder, so I'll have to ask her to Hogsmeade.' His rationale was that if he showed how passionate he was, he could win her over. 'Great mindset' he would tell himself in the mirror. How could Draco talking about Miss Potter make him so desperate to win over Granger?
Lupin was currently enjoying a hot beverage in his office when Severus Snape walked in. He looked marginally less sour than usual, he noted. "I have the potion here, Lupin. Make sure to take it as or before the moon rises above the mountain." He placed down the phial on the man's desk and made to go for the door. "Severus, would you care for a mug?" He lifted his left hand to show what was in it. Snape eyed it and then the Professor curiously, then sat down. "That would do pleasantly, thank you. But why now? You could have been nicer when we were children. Well, I suppose you were less swine-like than Potter and Black." As the mug of brown liquid appeared in his hands, he took a sip and remembered his better childhood, with his mother on a warm summer eve, playing with bubbles in the garden, or sitting by the hearth and drinking cocoa like this before his father came home and ruined things. Lupin only said a few words. "I am truly sorry. I would like to make amends." Severus' face softened. "I can try to, but don't expect me to like those other two. I never liked Pettigrew anyway."
Trying to work on Snape, starting with Lupin, it makes sense, as he had the least amount of things for Snape to hate.
Just a general filler chapter, but it was needed, I personally think. Hints to certain things in the future of the story littered throughout this chapter, so pay attention.