I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
The Family that Chooses You
Chapter 49 – Dementor
Harry waved to Arthur and Molly as the Hogwarts Express left the platform. He was smiling externally but his mind was still reeling from the warning the Weasley patriarch had given him right before the train left.
He had confessed to the older wizard that he had heard them talking the night before, about how Sirius Black, the only man to have escaped Azkaban prison, was on the run and was for some reason heading towards Hogwarts of all places. Arthur had not been angry, surprisingly, and had made Harry promise he would not go looking for the escaped criminal.
Clearly Arthur had him confused for someone that wanted trouble. Harry never wanted trouble. Trouble wanted Harry.
Harry promised to stay out of trouble, he suppressed a snort, and would do his best to have a quiet and productive school year, suppressing yet another snort. He really did want both of those things. Life seemed to always want something else from him.
They made their way down the train. Most of the compartments had been taken since they had arrived late to the platform. The twins disappeared to find Lee and some others. Ginny stopped at a compartment with others in her year and Harry had waved to Luna as they passed. Percy went to the Prefects car near the front, proudly wearing his Head Boy badge.
As they reached the end of the train a door shot open in a compartment with the blinds drawn. An arm came out and grabbed Harry, yanking him clean off his feet and pulling him into the compartment. Ron cried out in alarm and Hermione yelled, both of them dropping their trunks and rushing forward.
Harry was not bothered however. He had recognized the arm the second before it grabbed him and he smiled at the touch, willingly throwing himself into the compartment.
"Gotcha!" Angelina yelled as she pulled the boy into her arms. "About time you showed up, Rabbit!"
He tackled her into a seat and hugged her tight about the middle. "Angelina!" he yelled happily.
"I've been waiting for ages," she scolded him as she squeezed him back. "Peeking out the blinds and hoping you'd wander down this far. Making me wait for you."
"She did," Alicia confirmed with a glint in her eyes. "Was a little creepy if you ask me, just hovering there and looking out like a stalker."
"Lucky no one's asking you then," Angelina said and made a rude gesture at the shorter girl from behind Harry's back.
Ron and Hermione stood at the entrance of the compartment, breathing heavily. Ron shook his head and snickered now that he saw what happened while Hermione looked a bit annoyed.
"Hey you two," Angelina said with a grin. "Well come on in." She waved her wand and their trunks drifted into the compartment, floating up into the racks at her direction.
"Hello Hermione," Alicia said warmly. "How was France?"
The bushy-haired girl sat by Alicia and soon they were talking about France and what they liked over there. Alicia traveled to France often and was happy to share experiences with the younger witch. Angelina and Ron talked about Quidditch League things while Harry was content to sit next to Angelina and relax for a moment.
After a little while the twins popped in, said hi to the girls, and left with a protesting Ron saying they needed his help with something. Hermione excused herself to use the restroom leaving the three of them in the compartment.
"How was your summer, Harry?" Alicia asked. She looked over at him carefully.
He crossed over and gave her a very tight hug. "It was okay. Thank you again for the food box and the first aid satchel. It saved me this summer."
She was happy to hear that it helped. She was sad to hear that they were necessary. "I'm glad they did," she said instead. When he leaned back, she gave him a mock glower. "And what's this I hear you getting in trouble with the law this summer?"
Harry giggled but went red, sitting back down by Angelina. "I wasn't charged, technically."
"Only because the Minister of Magic intervened," Alicia said waggling her finger at him. "My mother was beside herself with envy imagining your political clout."
"My what?" Harry asked.
"Harry! What did you do?" Angelina demanded.
Harry explained what had happened that night and his flight from Number 4 to London, and all the strangeness that happened since. He had exchanged letters with them over the summer but never went into details over what happened, only assuring them that he had left the Dursleys earlier than expected and he was safe.
"Lucky," Angelina said. "I wish I could have gotten away with blowing up one of my relatives like that. They're magical of course so they wouldn't have gotten that way. Not to mention I'd get into loads of trouble and the Minister wouldn't help me escape it."
Harry snorted. "Not like I meant for that to happen nor wanted it to happen either. Though I did manage to leave the Dursleys early."
"I know, just messing with you." Angelina ruffled his hair. "I'm happy to see you looking better this year."
He smiled. "Me too."
The door opened and Hermione returned with Katie in tow.
"Hey you found us," Angelina said.
"I spent a while talking to Leeanne and some others," Katie said, giving Alicia and Angelina hugs first then hugging Harry. "Then I found Hermione and she told me you lot were here so here I am." She reached into her pocket and gave Harry a card.
"What this?" he asked, happily taking the brightly colored card.
"From my little sister for all the candy you gave her," Katie said with a wry smile. "She wanted to send it during our trip but I told her I'd give it to you here."
Harry opened it and smiled with delight at the color changing words scrawled inside the card. She had drawn a good copy of the candy boxes Harry had given her and the enchanted drawing would open the lid and the word's Thank You would pop out before the drawing reassembled itself. "That's very nice of her!"
"She can be very nice. Just not to me. Her own sister."
Angelina snorted. "You love her. I remember when you first came to Hogwarts, worried more about her than you did yourself the first few weeks."
Katie flushed. "She was really upset when I left." She rolled her eyes while the other two Chasers made cooing noises at her and needled her with baby talk.
As the train chugged along the track, the twins returned with Ron and Ginny, the Weasleys piled into the compartment and they all chatted as they got closer to the school. Suddenly the train began to slow down.
"Are we there already?" Ginny asked.
"Can't be, we didn't hear the warning whistle yet," Alicia said with a frown.
The train came to a stop and Harry peeked out the window. "We're definitely not at the Hogsmeade station. We just stopped in the middle of nowhere."
The lights dimmed before going out completely.
The older students drew their wands, lights flared as they whispered Lumos. Pools of light appeared in the darkened compartment.
"Has the Express ever lost power like this before?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Not that I know of," Fred said slowly.
George opened the compartment door. "What in the world?" His breath was white, visible in the air. "It's freezing out here!"
"Let's all stay calm, I'm sure there's nothing to worry-" Angelina started as Harry walked past her slowly towards the open door. "Rabbit?"
Harry walked as if he was in a trance. He could feel something out there, something that really unnerved him. He felt his scar tingle. A noise filled his ears, something faint but slowly coming into focus.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Katie asked.
"Something's coming," he whispered.
A form fluttered into view, blocking the students from leaving the compartment. It floated over the ground; long ragged robes billowed without air. Long skeletal arms hung from frayed sleeves and an empty void where its face should have been stared at them.
George yelled and backpedaled, falling into Fred and the two fell to the ground. The others recoiled, blanching and crying out as the thing's sudden appearance. The air inside the compartment dropped in temperature and they all shivered in its presence.
"W-W-What do you want?" Ron asked the thing, his teeth chattering. He rose and aimed his wand at it, hand shaking terribly. "G-G-Get away from us!"
Harry stared at the floating figure. He also felt the chill but it seemed to sink deep into his skin and envelop his bones. The noise grew in volume and clarity.
"-not him! Please not him!"
He looked about the compartment, wondering who was talking. He did not immediately recognize the voice. It sounded familiar somehow, a voice he had heard a very long time ago. He realized he could not see the rest of the compartment anymore. He looked around wildly and saw only dark shadows and sinister green light.
And the cloaked thing standing in front of him.
"Get out of my way, foolish girl."
Harry's blood froze. He recognized that voice. It was a voice he heard for many years. It was the voice of someone he met in first year. The older version of a voice from someone in second year.
"No! Take me instead! He's just a baby!"
He wanted to help this woman who was screaming so desperately, but he was rooted to the spot. His bones had followed his blood and he felt like he was a block of ice. He felt like he was freezing, drowning. The figure came closer to him, filling his vision.
He heard the horribly familiar voice yell. He heard the hauntingly familiar voice scream.
He screamed with her.
Harry's scream filled the compartment, shocking everyone.
"Harry!" Hermione grabbed him to pull him back. She reached out and grabbed a shaking Ginny too. Katie took handfuls of Hermione's robes and pulled, dragging her and Harry and Ginny to the back of the compartment, scrambling in front of them.
Fred and George stood and they pulled Ron to them and they shouted Stupefy at the top of their lungs. Lurid red light flew at the thing but it barely flinched. Angelina snarled and her wand sent red light forward too while Alicia slid to the back, standing with Katie to shield the younger students. Ron's hand wavered but he sent a Stinging Jink to join the Stunners.
The ragged cloaked form ignored their spells and drifted closer, ignoring their efforts. It reached out with a long and withered arm. A horrid noise escaped the shadowy cowl.
Silver light shone from the hallway and finally the ragged thing flinched. It recoiled, hissing in recognizable irritation. The silver light pushed the form back and although it tried to claw its way closer, the light held it at bay.
A thin wizard appeared, his features tired and haggard. His eyes shone however, and his wand tip glowed with the silver light. He pushed and prodded with the wand, forcing the cloaked monster back. "Away with you!" he yelled. "Sirius Black is not here. Get back!" A bright silver form burst from his wand and it charged at the shadowy form, finally forcing it away completely. It fled from the conjured construct and did not return.
The man looked into the compartment; eyebrows raised at seeing the students within. "Are you all okay?" he asked tiredly.
"Wh-What was that?" Ron asked, voice shaking.
"A Dementor," the man said and most of the students blanched. "A prison guard of Azkaban." He noticed Harry lying on the ground at the back of the compartment and Ginny cowering beside him. "Are those two okay-" he said as he began to walk into the compartment.
Alicia's wand came up, pointed directly at him. "Wait, who are you?" she asked suspiciously. Her friends looked at her with shock but she remained focused on the stranger. "Adults typically do not ride the Express save for the Conductor, the Engineer, and the Trolly Witch."
The man smiled wryly. "Remus Lupin, I am the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. I was not able to get to Hogwarts prior to now and decided to take the Express for old times' sake." He put his wand into a pocket and slowly reached into another, revealing a large slab of chocolate wrapped in foil. "Share this among you. You need it for the shock. I will return momentarily."
Angelina carefully accepted the chocolate and they watched as Lupin backed out of the compartment and walked away. The lights returned and they breathed a sigh of relief.
Alicia took the chocolate from her friend and waved her wand over it. The wrapping shone white for a moment and she nodded. "Okay, it's safe to eat."
"Don't you think you're being paranoid?" Hermione asked.
"No, I don't. We got attacked by a bloody Dementor and a stranger appears? Better safe than sorry."
Katie knelt by Harry. After screaming he had fallen unconscious and he laid there, horribly pale. She felt his forehead, it was clammy and chilled to the touch. She rubbed his hands with hers. "Alicia's right. But I think he might be telling the truth. Chocolate is good for immediate shock. Mum told me that before."
The twins took the chocolate from Alicia and laid it out on a seat. Fred pulled out a leather bag and drew his Beater bat from it.
"You carry that around with you?" Angelina asked.
"Never know when it'll come in handy," Fred said seriously. He used the end of the bat to break pieces off and started handing them around.
They began eating and were surprised to feel warmth return to them. The train began to move again, making them feel even better.
George took Ginny into his lap and sat with her, Ron on her other side and they sat quietly. Fred continued to break the chocolate, more to do something aside from sit. Angelina hovered over Katie who continued to rub Harry's hands. Alicia drew Hermione into the seat beside the prone boy.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said.
"Don't be. I know it didn't seem proper for me to act that way."
"I know you were just being careful for us though." She frowned. "What was that spell you cast on the chocolate?"
"A Charm to check for most kinds of poisons or other potions. Not a complete check but enough for most things."
Hermione looked uneasy. "Do I want to know why you know that charm?"
Alicia sighed. "Let's just say it's a necessary one for Pure-blood society."
Harry's eyes flickered and he groaned. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
Katie helped him sit up. "A Dementor. It came into the compartment and you had a rough reaction to it."
Angelina gave him a piece of chocolate and he immediately ate it, feeling better.
"What's a Dementor?" Harry asked. He could still hear the echoes of the scream in his head.
"A dark creature." Lupin had returned and he stood outside of the compartment. When he saw Harry, he paled slightly and his voice hitched, but he continued to speak. "They feed on emotion. Their presence saps the will out of people, making them feel negative emotions. They feed on them and sustain themselves that way."
"That's horrific!" Fury and disgust warred on Hermione's face. "And they guard Azkaban?!"
Lupin nodded. "As you might imagine, they make effective guards. They stopped the Express to do an inspection. We shouldn't be stopped from now until we get to Hogwarts. If you need me, I will be walking up and down the train checking on people." He left.
Harry noticed Katie and Angelina looking at him worriedly and he tried to smile, to falsely show that he was okay. "Did anyone else hear screaming?"
"Only from you," Angelina said softly. "We were frozen there until the Dementor came near you. You screamed and we were able to act. Are you okay?"
"I heard screaming," Harry said slowly. "It sounded familiar." He clutched his head.
The girls lifted him off the ground and settled him onto a chair. "I heard Dementors can sometimes make bad memories come back." Katie looked queasy. "I certainly did a little just then. Maybe it's something from before?"
"Maybe," Harry said reluctantly.
They lapsed into silence, eating bits of chocolate not for taste or for hunger, but to do something in the dismal atmosphere.