Harry woke earlier than usual the next morning and he snuck downstairs for a cup of tea. Tom blinked blearily at him but poured him a cup, which Harry took upstairs with him. He curled up by the window with Crookshanks on his lap and watched as the sky slowly lightened. It had been a long while since he'd last taken the time to admire the sunrise.
The quaint atmosphere didn't last long due to Ron barging into his room with an irritable scowl.
"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he grumbled, urging Harry to get dressed. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know, his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy…"
"Isn't Percy seventeen?" asked Harry. "Can't he just fix it with his wand?"
Ron looked dumbfounded. He clearly hadn't thought of that, and neither had Percy by the way Ron ran out to tell his brother exactly that.
Harry rolled his eyes in amusement but set his cup aside to get dressed. He pulled on a new pair of slacks he bought, along with a white t-shirt, his tie, but left his robe in his trunk for later. He'd burnt all of Dudley's old cast-offs—something that had been surprisingly therapeutic—and had instead purchased a whole new wardrobe for himself, both wizarding and Muggle. He had t-shirts, long-sleeves, polos, school shirts, jeans, shorts, slacks, undergarments, and even some new socks and shoes. He tugged on a pair of comfy dress shoes and ran his fingers through his hair with some Sleekeazy's, the curls managing to quell into something less of a bird's nest.
"That looks better, dear," his mirror praised, having spent the past few weeks commenting on his unruly hair. Harry just rolled his eyes and grabbed his last dose of his nutrient potion, swallowing it with a grimace. He'd purchased a whole case of them not long after arriving in Diagon, and he could already see the difference. He had filled out, his cheeks no longer caved in, and he was pretty sure he'd grown an inch or two. He could also eat more than he ever could this quickly after the Dursleys', something that he appreciated but also moaned at the fact that he'd never thought of nutrition potions and such when he was younger. After washing the taste away, Harry went to tend to his pets.
"Hedwig, I'm going to let you fly to Hogwarts, all right?" said Harry. Hedwig nibbled on Harry's fingers before taking off. Harry turned to Crookshanks, who had plopped himself on Harry's trunk. "You, on the other hand, are going to have to ride with me. And I need you to not attack Ron's rat, all right? I know he's not really a rat, but I can't have Ron mad at me."
Crookshanks just stared at him balefully before letting out a low mrow and jumping off the trunk to trot towards the door. Harry figured that was the best answer he was going to get and he used his knowledge of wandless magic to make his trunk lighter. Wandless magic was not as difficult as people made it to be, meaning that nearly every witch or wizard should be able to cast first or second year spells by the time they graduated Hogwarts. Harry, at the insistence of Hermione, had practised long and hard to be able to cast wandless spells while they were searching for Horcruxes. And despite wandless magic being less powerful than using a foci such as a wand, that practise had come in handy when Hermione had accidentally broken his wand and they'd had to share hers.
He'd been practising his magic ever since he came back in time but it was much weaker than it had been when he was an adult. He'd expected it since his magic as a whole was much more stable—and not to mention the fact that he had had a larger quantity of magic as an adult—than when he'd been thirteen (one of the reasons why he'd had difficulty with the Patronus Charm, something that most adults had issues with), but it was frustrating nonetheless. He was at least thankful that wandless magic wasn't detected by the Trace and that the magic couldn't be connected to him since he was in one of the most magically concentrated areas of Wizarding Britain, and so it was better than it had been after weeks of diligent practice.
His trunk now light enough to carry without breaking his back, Harry dragged it downstairs to eat breakfast with the Weasleys. Mr Weasley was once again reading the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny of a tale about a love potion she'd made as a girl. By the description of the potion, it wasn't a true "love potion" and only decreased the user's inhibitions similarly to alcohol. Otherwise, Harry would have been upset with her. He'd long learned the truth of what love potions did.
Percy stormed in then about his Bighead Boy badge, and Harry shook his head to wave away the thoughts.
Leaving, as Harry fondly recalled, was as chaotic as he remembered. Hermione's barn owl, named Athena, was fluttering her wings nervously next to Percy's screech owl Hermes. Despite the Weasleys' and Hermione's insistence, Harry refused to stuff Crookshanks into a wicker basket that Mrs Weasley had conjured.
"He hates tight spaces," Harry insisted when Hermione tried to coax the large cat into the basket with a mouse.
"What are you going to do with him, then?" Hermione cried, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"I'll hold him," said Harry, picking his miniature tiger up. Crookshanks purred tauntingly, making Harry grin into his fur.
"Whatever," Hermione huffed just as Mr Weasley informed them that the cars were there.
Harry was marched across the street and into the first of the two old-fashioned cars, each with a well-dressed wizard in matching emerald velvet. That's not conspicuous at all…
Compared to what Harry recalled from all of his rides to the train station (second years' in particular), this ride was particularly uneventful. They were ushered onto the platform and Harry was pulled aside by Mr Weasley.
"I want you to give me your word that you won't go looking for Black," said Mr Weasley.
"Mr Weasley," said Harry in exasperation, "I don't go looking for trouble. If Black shows up, it's more likely that he'll find me instead of me finding him."
Mr Weasley was frustrated. "Promise me, Harry."
Not wanting to drag this on any longer, and not wanting to annoy the man, Harry said, "Fine, I promise I won't go looking for my parents' betrayer." Of course, thought Harry, he already knew where his parents' betrayer was, and so he didn't have to go looking after him.
"Thank you," sighed Mr Weasley in relief.
The train whistled and steam began to billow into the air. "Arthur, what are you doing?" cried Mrs Weasley. "He's going to miss the train!"
"He's coming, Molly!" Mr Weasley said, ushering Harry towards the scarlet steam engine.
Crookshanks's claws dug into Harry's arms as he raced toward the train and hopped on, yelling a quick goodbye over his shoulder. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were waiting for him.
"I'm going to find my friend," Ginny said as a courtesy before leaving.
Ron just shrugged, not bothered that his sister wouldn't be joining them, and the three of them set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment. As Harry expected, all were full except for the very last one at the end of the train. Remus Lupin was fast asleep in the corner, and now that Harry knew he was a werewolf, he realized that he was likely ill due to tonight's full moon.
"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they quietly sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats furthest away from Lupin. Harry's hands trembled as he recalled the last time he'd seen the man—his body, lying beside his wife's and bloody, and also a twisted version of his spirit, encouraging him toward his death.
"Remus Lupin," Harry said just as Hermione whispered, "Professor R J Lupin."
"How d'you know that?" Ron asked, glancing at them with a bewildered expression.
"I'm not sure about his first name," said Hermione, glancing at Harry curiously, "but it's on his case." On the luggage rack over the man's head was a small, battered case held together with neatly knotted string. The name Professor R J Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.
Harry hadn't been surprised the first time around because he hadn't known of Remus's disability, so why did his case have Professor written on it? He would have to ask Lupin later.
"Well, I hope he's up to it," Ron said doubtfully when it was revealed that Remus would be their professor Defense Against the Dark Arts. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway, what did my dad want with you, Harry?"
"He made me promise to not find trouble," said Harry with a grin. Ron snorted at the irony. Harry didn't find trouble; trouble found him.
"Really?" said Hermione with a raised brow, not believing his statement.
"Really," Harry insisted. "He made me promise not to find Black."
"Well, that'd be something you'd do, wouldn't it?" Hermione said, holding her hand to her mouth in concern. "But Black's dangerous, you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry—"
"I already promised I wouldn't be looking," Harry muttered. Was he really so brash as a third year that his friend would think that he'd willingly run after who they believed to be a convicted murderer?
"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily. Ron and Hermione were taking the news as badly as they had the first time, believing Black to be a murderer out for Harry's blood.
As Ron and Hermione discussed Hogsmeade—something that didn't interest Harry after spending a few weekends there, as well as the fact that he hadn't even gotten his slip signed—Harry merely listened as he pet Crookshanks, who was gazing at Lupin with curious orange eyes.
"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked him.
Harry shrugged. "You guys will probably have some fun," he said.
"What d'you mean?" Ron asked with furrowed brows.
"I can't go," Harry explained. "I haven't got my permission form signed."
"You're not allowed to come? But—no way—McGonagall or someone will give you permission—" Ron said, horrified by the thought of Harry being confined to Hogwarts. "—or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle—or they can forge your Aunt's signature—"
"Ron!" whispered Hermione sharply, taking mind not to wake Lupin unlike Ron, who was quite loud in his horror of Harry not being allowed to go to Hogsmeade. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose—"
"But if we're with him, Black wouldn't dare—" said Ron confidently, making Harry question once more whether he was that ridiculous as a thirteen-year-old. He suspected that he would not like the answer. He was still quite brash as an adult, after all.
"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street. Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?"
Harry winced when the conversation turned to Black's 'crimes' and he was quite relieved when Ron yelled loud enough to potentially rouse Lupin, making their conversation halt.
As the train moved steadily north, the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker as the clouds overhead thickened. Crookshanks had fallen asleep and at one, the plump trolley witch arrived with the food cart.
"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding to Remus. "He looks like he could do with some food." In amusement, Harry wondered how Ron would react if Harry told him that he was acting similarly to his mother. Mrs Weasley had reacted similarly whenever Harry showed up at her doorstep, looking thinner than he ought've.
"Don't bother," said Harry, "I'll just buy him a few meat pies him and a drink." Harry, who knew what would happen before long, also purchased some hot chocolate and a few chocolate frogs.
Again, their conversation lulled in favour of not awaking Lupin, and soon Harry heard footsteps in the corridors. Draco, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, pulled open the compartment door.
"Well, look who it is," drawled Draco. "Potty and the Weasel."
"Well, look who it is," Harry mocked back, "Ferret and the Trolls."
Draco snorted and plopped onto the seat beside Harry, stealing one of his chocolate frogs. "Is that the best you can come up with, Potter?" Draco asked, amusement in his eyes.
"I don't know," said Harry casually, much to the confusion of the compartment's other occupants. "Is that the best you can come up with, Malfoy?"
"Touché," Draco said. "I'm taking this, by the way." He held up a chocolate frog and also snagged some sugar quills.
"Whatever." Harry rolled his eyes and Draco left, leaving Crabbe and Goyle to totter after him in confusion. They had likely thought that they'd be having a fight, and by their expressions, so did Ron and Hermione.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron exclaimed. "Are you suddenly friends with that ponce?"
Harry snorted. "Don't be silly, we're not friends," he said. "We've just agreed to put aside our differences and not be enemies anymore."
"Put aside your differences?" said Ron in disbelief. "Mate, differences are all you've got! He called Hermione a Mudblood!" Harry winced, having not quite forgotten that, exactly, but having not quite remembered it, either.
"I know," said Harry, "and I don't forgive him for that, but I'm tired of fighting with him. Besides, he's not that bad. We saw each other a few times in Diagon Alley and talked a bit."
Ron was frowning at him and Harry hoped that this didn't devolve into a row.
"I think that's very mature of you, Harry," said Hermione after a few moments of strained silence.
"Thanks," said Harry, glancing over at her. "Just know that I'm not agreeing with his views or anything, Hermione. You're like a sister to me. I'd never think so lowly of you."
Hermione, to Harry's surprise, launched herself forward to hug Harry. He flinched at her sudden movement but wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, Harry, I know you didn't mean it like that!" said Hermione, letting go of him. "I think of you as a brother, too."
Harry smiled down at Crookshanks, who had been startled awake from Hermione's hug, something inside him singing giddily at Hermione's words. This was the first time she'd said something like that, though he'd known that they shared familial feelings for each other in the future.
There was a knock on their compartment door, saving Harry from saying something, and Neville peaked his head in. He beamed when he spotted Harry.
"Hi, Harry!" he said loudly, only to be startled into silence when Hermione shushed him and pointed to Lupin. He flushed and came in, shutting the compartment door behind him.
"Hey, Nev," said Harry. "What's up?"
"I wanted to show you my new wand!" Neville said with a grin, brandishing a very handsome brown wand that was thicker at the handle and tapered into a rounded tip. It had leaves and vines etched on the side, running up the length of the wand. It was also not the wand Harry remembered him getting in sixth year.
"Congrats!" said Harry with a grin to hide his puzzlement, prompting Ron and Hermione into echoing him.
"It's English Oak and dragon heartstring," Neville said, cradling it like it was something special, and to him, it probably was. "My Gran also got me a new wand holster, see?" Harry did see. It was plain black with gold stitching and it fit snugly to Neville's forearm.
"I got one, too," said Harry, showing Neville his green-scaled one in turn. "That's a nice one. Your wand's English Oak, you said? You've got a warrior's wand, then," Harry admired. "English Oak wands are said to choose those who are extremely loyal and morally strong, and dragon heartstring? That's a powerful wand core, Nev. It's a perfect fit for you."
"Is it?" said Neville in surprise, looking inordinately pleased. "Thanks!"
"Where'd you learn all of that?" Ron asked him in wonder.
Harry shrugged. "I did a lot of reading in the summer. There wasn't much to do in Diagon other than walking around and looking at shops."
While Ron was flabbergasted that he'd willingly read something that wasn't their assigned reading, Hermione just looked proud.
"You read some wandlore? Can you tell me what my wand means?" Hermione asked, her eyes sparkling at the thought of learning something new. "It's vine and dragon heartstring."
"Vine was a common wood used by the druids and it's an ancient tradition to be used in wands. It's less common today since not many people consider it a tree anymore, and its users are just as common as its wood. They're said to choose those who seek a greater purpose and who strive to be above the ordinary. They consider the whole of a witch a wizard, their hidden personalities and desires, and so they're even more difficult to choose someone they deem worthy. Dragon heartstring cores are extremely powerful and are quick to learn and are curious things, the easiest of cores to turn to the Dark Arts."
Hermione, who'd likely looked up some about her wand but found barely anything, looked astounded at his description of it. She also looked extremely pleased and somewhat embarrassed, as Harry had potentially revealed information Hermione would have rather kept quiet. This was why most didn't share the particulars of their wands.
Not one to be left out, Ron asked for Harry to tell him about his wand, as well.
"Willow wands are made for those who are caring and lean more towards charms and healing spells than anything else. They also choose those who are insecure about themselves, but also those with the greatest potential," said Harry kindly when Ron flushed in embarrassment at the 'insecure' part. "They are also extremely adept at non-verbal magic. Unicorn hair chooses those who are as loyal as them, and while they're not that powerful on their own, your wand wood certainly makes up for that. They don't turn to the Dark Arts easily, though they're quite adept at dark charms, and prefer those who are routinely joyful and have strong morals."
Ron, like Hermione and Neville, was both embarrassed and pleased with Harry's reading.
"You reckon I'll be good at Charms, then?" Ron wondered.
"You did master the Levitation spell quickly after you'd struggled with it earlier," said Harry as pointed out, "and that was when you were using your brother's wand. Wands aren't really meant to be used by multiple people, either, and I reckon Charlie's wand had a stubborn wood."
"Wow, that's so fascinating!" Hermione gushed. "What books did you read? Do you know if the library at Hogwarts has them?"
Harry shrugged and listed off a few titles he could remember, which Hermione was quick to scribble down. It was unlikely that Hogwarts had all of the books available, almost all of them had come from the Black's library in Grimmauld Place, so Harry expected to be seeing some packages being delivered to Gryffindor Table soon.
Harry glanced outside as a branch was thrown against the window by the howling wind outside.
"We must be nearly there," said Ron, looking out the window, too, as the train began to slow.
"We can't be there yet," said Hermione with a frown as she checked her watch.
"Yeah," said Neville, glancing at a pocket watch. "We've got another hour or two until we're supposed to arrive."
"So why're we stopping?"
Harry's heart began to hammer in his chest as the train moved slower and slower, the rain continuing to rain overhead. The train jerked to a stop and Harry was quick to grab Crookshanks before he was thrown to the ground. Distant thugs and bangs told him that luggage had fallen from their racks, and without warning, all of the magic-powered gas lamps went out, plunging them into darkness.
"What's going on?" Ron said.
"Ouch!" gasped Hermione as Ron walked around blindly. "Ron, that was my foot!"
Harry scooted backwards warily and pulled Neville with him, positioning himself in front of his friend. He knew what would happen when the dementors came and he didn't want to risk his friend hearing his parents being tortured into insanity, something Neville had admitted to him in fifth year when Harry had awoken from night terrors about his own parents.
"D'you think we've broken down?"
"Dunno…"
There was a squeaking sound as Ron wiped the condensation off the window, peering outwards.
"There's something moving out there," said Ron. "I think people are coming aboard…"
The door to their compartment suddenly opened and someone stumbled in. "Ouch!" hissed Ginny as she fell over Hermione's legs.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked her.
"I was looking for Ron—"
"Come in and sit down—" said Hermione.
"Ow, Ginny!" Neville exclaimed when Harry pulled her behind him and she stepped on his foot.
"Quiet!" an achingly familiar voice rasped, causing them to quiet at once.
Little bluebell flames appeared in Lupin's hands, illuminating the silver scars on this tired, grey face. His eyes, however, were alert and wary as he glanced around.
"Stay where you are," Remus ordered them as he slowly got to his feet. He approached the compartment door, but it slid open before he reached it. Harry, as the closest to the door, felt the bone-chilling cold before anyone else as the dementor drew in a long, slow, rattling breath.
Fighting against his urge to cast his Patronus, Harry waited for Lupin to say something. All the while that cold sunk into his very soul, making his breath catch and his body tremble. Distantly, he heard a scream. His mother's scream he knew, terrified and pleading. He stumbled back and fell heavily onto the seat beneath him, shuddering even as Remus urged the dementor out.
"Harry!" someone yelled his name. "Harry! Are you all right?"
"Fine," Harry rasped, jerking away when a hand came into his vision, likely to try and slap him into consciousness.
The light was painfully bright and he swallowed as something small and warm lept onto his lap. Crookshanks, he knew, once he felt the purring rumble through him. Everyone was staring at him in worry, though Neville and Ginny's faces were white. Harry reached a shaky hand upward to wipe the cold sweat from his head and he pushed himself up, grasping Crookshanks for comfort.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.
Harry licked his lips. "Yeah," he rasped. "Just—I thought I heard…" He didn't think he heard, he knew he heard.
"Heard what?" Hermione said earnestly.
"Someone was screaming, a woman. For me, I think…" Harry admitted, eyes trailing over to a grey-faced Lupin.
"Here," said Remus, shoving a steaming mug of hot chocolate in his hand that he'd purchased earlier. Harry grasped the cup with trembling hands and took a sip, sighing as warmth sunk back into his heart.
"Where's the dementor?" asked Harry after a few more sips.
"I drove it off," said Remus. "All of you, eat some chocolate. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"
He walked past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.
"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" Hermione asked, watching him in concern as she wrung her hands.
"What happened?" Harry asked, ignoring the question.
"Well—that thing—the dementor—stood there and looked around. I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face—and you—you—" Hermione stumbled over her words as her eyes shined with tears.
"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron. "You went sort of rigid and fell into your seat, shaking—"
"And Professor Lupin walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," continued Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away. . . ."
"It was horrible," whispered Neville. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"
"I felt weird," said Ron, hunching in on himself. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."
Harry glanced over at Ginny, who was huddled in the corner with her arms around her. She gave a small sob and Hermione went over to comfort her.
"Did anyone else…?"
"Ginny," Ron said lowly, glancing at his sister in concern. "She started shaking like mad, even worse than you, I think."
Concern welled up in Harry and he grabbed one of the hot chocolates he bought and shoved it in Ginny's hands. "Drink," he ordered her kindly. "You'll feel better, trust me. The cold will go away."
Ginny did as told and slowly, her shivering began to subside. Harry shoved a chocolate frog into Neville, Hermione, and Ron's hands, as well.
"Ginny," Harry suddenly said, "who were you sitting with before you came here?"
"Luna!" Ginny gasped. "Oh, Harry, can you go see if she's all right? She's right down the hall…"
Harry grabbed all of the chocolate he could, much to everyone's confusion. "What are you going to do with that?" Ron asked, bewildered.
"There are first years on the train," Harry said. "They'll probably be feeling the effects worse than we are."
"Oh, let me help!" Hermione surged forward, grabbing some chocolate frogs. Neville and Ron, and Ginny also stood to help.
"Give one to everyone you see," Harry said before he pulled Ginny with him. "C'mon, let's go check on your friend."
Though Harry didn't show it, he was extremely concerned for Luna. She'd become a good friend to him and he could remember the time she'd told him of her mother's horrible death that she'd witnessed. She'd also helped him, once, with the thestrals. It was only right that he helped her.
Ginny led the way to her compartment and Luna was curled up, quivering in her seat. "Luna!" Ginny ran towards the girl and pulled her in a hug, and Harry knelt beside the blonde.
"Here, Luna," said Harry in his kindest voice, holding out a steaming mug. Luna's head lifted and Harry's breath caught at the grief in her wide, red-rimmed blue eyes. "The hot chocolate will make you feel better."
Luna's hand trembled as she reached toward the hot chocolate, and even though he wanted to stay and comfort her, he took his and Ginny's chocolate to ration out to the other students. Harry ran into Lupin after handing a chocolate frog to a group of second year Slytherins.
"What are you doing, Harry? You should be resting," Remus said in surprise.
"I'm fine, Professor," said Harry as he headed to a different compartment. "I'm handing out chocolate to everyone else."
Remus didn't know what to say to that, so he instead helped Harry with the last of the chocolate before escorting him back to their compartment.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," Remus said once they sat down. Ron and Hermione had already returned, and Harry assumed that Ginny was still with Luna while Neville was with whoever he'd travelled with for most of the train ride.
Harry shoved the meat pies and hot chocolate he'd bought for Remus into his hands, refusing to listen to his claims that he didn't need them, and turned to glance out the window.
The remainder of the train ride was silent as they tried to fight off the lasting effects of the dementors. Though he'd expected it, Harry felt drained and melancholy. Crookshanks, perhaps sensing his mood, curled up in his lap and thrummed, trying to cheer him up. When the train stopped—this time at its intended stop outside Hogsmeade—the rain was coming down in icy sheets. Harry left Crookshanks with Hermione's owl and he cast a warming charm on himself and his companions, as well as an umbrella charm to stop the sheets of rain from reaching them.
Those around them huddled beneath the invisible umbrella and Harry caught sight of Ginny and Luna fighting against the crowd. Neville was with them, as well.
"I'll be right back," said Harry, and before his friends could say anything, he lept back into the rain. He cast a few charms on Neville, Ginny, and Luna to warm them up and keep them dry and he gestured to Ron and Hermione, who were staring at them.
"Thanks, Harry," Neville sighed in relief as they all met up and crawled into a carriage pulled by the thestrals, which Harry avoided looking at.
"No problem, Nev," said Harry as he eyed Luna and Ginny in concern. "Are you two all right?"
"We're fine," Ginny said, her voice still trembling a little. Luna said nothing as she stared down at the ground listlessly. Harry fumbled for a chocolate frog that he'd saved and set it in her hands, closing her fingers around it.
"Eat, Luna," said Harry sternly, ignoring his own desire for the chocolate.
Luna frowned but opened the chocolate. She silently offered him a bite with a stern look in her eyes. Knowing that she wouldn't eat it otherwise—Luna was stubborn like that—Harry bit the head off the frog, leaving the rest to the blonde.
Their carriage ride was quiet and Harry ignored the sideways, concerned looks Ron and Hermione kept sending him. He was fine; or he would be, at least.
Beside him, Luna shuddered as they passed the two Dementors playing sentry beside Hogwarts's gates. Harry wrapped an arm around her though he knew that no physical warmth would be able to warm up the deep, chilling cold in her heart.
As they trudged up to the castle, Harry caught sight of Draco. His face was whiter than normal and he caught Harry's eye.
"Are you all right?" Draco mouthed. Harry nodded and perked a brow. Draco looked worse than he felt, and he had a feeling that he hadn't been spared by the dementors' powers. Other than a sharp, jerky nod, Draco ignored him.
"Potter, Granger!" Harry heard Professor McGonagall calling them. "There's no need to look so worried—I just want a word in my office. Move along there Mr and Ms Weasley; you too Mr Longbottom and Ms Lovegood."
Harry felt his companions' stares on their backs as they were ushered up to McGonagall's office.
"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter," Professor McGonagall said once they sat down. Harry didn't deny it as Madam Pomfrey came bustling in.
"Setting dementors around a school," Madam Pomfrey muttered when it was revealed that he'd nearly fainted due to a dementor. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate—"
Ignoring the indignation he felt at the 'delicate' part, Harry said, "You should be worried about Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. I gave them some hot chocolate and a chocolate frog, but Ginny was all white—probably affected by last year—and we found Luna curled in on herself in her compartment. You should probably check Nevile, as well..."
"Were they?" Madam Pomfrey said with narrowed eyes. "I'll have to see to them, then. Now, Mr Potter, have you had any chocolate yourself?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I had some hot chocolate. Me, Ron, Hermione, and Neville also passed some around to the other students."
"Did you?" Professor McGonagall said in surprise. "Well, that was very thoughtful of you, Mr Potter."
Harry shrugged away the praise and told them about Lupin, who'd been the one to tell them about the chocolate.
"Did he now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"
"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry in exasperation.
Harry was directed into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left, likely in search of Luna and Ginny, still muttering to herself. Harry only had to wait for a few minutes until Hermione and McGonagall emerged, Hermione looking extremely happy about something—most likely about the fact that she'd just been given her time-turner, the chain of which Harry could see at Hermione's neck.
"Oh," said Hermione softly as Professor Flitwick carried the Sorting Hat and the stool out of the hall, "we've missed the Sorting!"
No one pointed at Harry as he passed, making it likely that they hadn't heard of his dementor-induced 'fit', and it wasn't long before Dumbledore got past the introduction of the dementors to introduce their new teachers.
"I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was some scattered applause, but Harry and those who'd been in the compartment with Lupin and who'd been handed chocolate by him clapped hard.
"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed into Harry's ear needlessly. Harry was already staring at the Potions Master. Harry didn't quite know how to feel about Snape; on one hand, the man had done his best to make his life at Hogwarts as worse as it could possibly be, while on the other, he'd saved his life numerous times and had even died for him. As Ron was pointing out, Snape's expression was one full of loathing, and instead of being directed at Harry, it was directed at Remus.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the applause died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that this place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Beside him, Ron and Hermione sat stunned. Then, they all joined in with the roaring applause coming from the Gryffindor table. Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face, was staring at his hands with a wide grin. Harry assumed that he hadn't expected such a welcome, especially with the sour expressions on the expressions of those who didn't like the man or knew he wouldn't be as good a teacher as Kettleburn, most of them Slytherins and Ravenclaws.
Dumbledore ended his speech by waving his hands, causing the empty gold platters in front of them to fill with food. Harry ate as much as he knew he could stomach—more than he could recall ever eating after a summer of being near-starved. After they finished eating, they congratulated Hagrid and joined the rest of their peers heading up to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
The portrait of the Fat Lady stared them down and said, "Password?"
"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"
"Oh, no," Neville moaned, likely knowing that he'd forget the password. After they reached their dormitory and changed, Harry took out a biro and inkwell and walked over to Neville.
"Here, Nev," said Harry, quickly scribbling the new password on Neville's hand. He cast a quick Imperturbable Charm on it so it wouldn't be washed away. He also cast Notice-Me-Not charm on it so that only he and Neville could see it.
"Thanks!" Neville grinned down at his hand and Harry smiled at him before crawling into his four-poster. He lied down beside Crookshanks, who had already curled up on the pillow beside him and thought, I'm finally home.