Chapter 9- Back Home
Harry drew his wand out of his pocket. The train had come to a stop; many students were looking out of their compartments to see what was going on. 'Not again,' Harry thought. He heard the prefects shouting orders at everybody to remain in their compartments.
"Should I be scared?" Cassie asked, breathing heavily.
"Maybe," Harry whispered. He tried going through his mind and finding a happy moment, just in case a Dementor showed up. Harry heard the worried voices of his school mates and the prefects still shouting orders. They were doing a brief head check.
Malfoy passed by their compartment.
"You okay?" He asked bluntly. Harry wasn't sure if he was talking to just Cassie or both of them. Either way, they both nodded.
"What's going on?" Cassie gasped.
"We're not really sure," Malfoy replied sitting down next to her. He closed the doors and locked them. "All I know is, for now, we're on lockdown. Nobody goes in or out of this compartment until we know it's safe. Got it?"
They nodded again. The lights began to flicker, and finally went out. Cassie started glowing, panting as she stared into the hallway.
"What's up with you?" Harry asked. Cassie only glowed when she was doing something with her mind.
"Huh?" She looked at herself. "Oh, I don't know," she said. The glowing stopped immediately. Moonlight began to shine through the window, illuminating their faces. They were both looking out the door, panic stricken, puffs of breath escaping their blue lips. Harry was still trying to focus on a memory. He needed to be prepared for the worst case scenario.
He could hear it. It's dry, raspy breathing was gradually growing louder. He began to feel it too, his insides were freezing over, his mind was ice. Then he saw it, the hooded cloak covering its face, an eerie dead looking hand creeping out of the cloak. It stopped and turned to Harry, breathing in the atmosphere. Harry was sure it was going to attack him. He could feel it sensing his soul. It smelled his fear. To Harry's surprise, it turned and moved on; the glass on the door froze over.
"Now what," Cassie whispered when the Dementor was out of sight.
Harry heard screaming coming from a compartment behind him. He got up and tried unlocking the door but he felt something pull him back. Malfoy was clinging to the other end of his cloak.
"Are you mad Potter?" He asked, "What part of lock down do you not understand?"
"Somebody's got to help them," Harry said breathlessly.
"There are prefects scattered all over the train. It's not your place to go running around while there's a Dementor."
Harry was confused. Harry wasn't sure if Malfoy was being annoying or trying to protect Harry. Either way it bothered him. Harry got up again and headed towards the door.
"Stop," Cassie said from her little corner. Her eyes were glowing as she placed Harry back into his seat. He tried moving but he didn't have any control of his body anymore.
"Let me go," he said furiously as he tried to struggle out of his chair.
"No Harry, listen. Draco's right. You can't just come out of here and expect to take on the Dementor."
"I'm under oath," Malfoy said, slight concern in his voice, "I can't let any of you leave until it's safe."
"But I know the Patronus Charm. I can fight it," he said, still trying to break free of her mental hold on him.
"Impressive...," Cassie commented, "but it doesn't matter. The staff members on board are probably working on it right now."
"You don't know that," Harry said grumpily. How could she agree with Malfoy? Telling him that the fact he could fight the Dementor didn't matter.
"Actually, I do..." Harry saw a white flash illuminate the hallway, the Dementor swiftly gliding past the door. The glass on the door melted and the lights came back. All was as it had been before. Harry's coldness slowly thawed out and he felt Cassie release him from her grasp.
"I gotta go now," Malfoy said urgently. He tried to get up but fell back down; he looked at Cassie whose hands were still digging into him.
"Oh sorry," she murmured apologetically as she let go of him.
"Don't worry about it," he said, fixing his sleeve, "I'll see you later." With that, he got up, unlocked the door and closed it behind him as he began to stroll the halls again.
"You and him are driving Ron nuts you know that?" Harry said when Malfoy was out of earshot.
"Why?"
"Because Ron loves you," Harry blurted out. He had done it now. He had violated the friendship rules and just spilled out Ron's huge secret. Why did he have to do it? He was praying that maybe he had just imagined himself saying it, or maybe she didn't hear. This was too much to hope for though.
"I love Ron too," Cassie replied honestly. She tilted her head in slight confusion.
'Not like that you idiot,' Harry though to himself, 'Was she really that naive?' Harry rolled his eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing," he muttered. She was hopeless.
Ron and Hermione returned a few minutes later.
"Are you guys alright?" Ron asked, sitting down next to Cassie.
"Yeah we're fine," Harry said, "Who got rid of the Dementor?"
"McGonagall," Hermione replied, "She was furious. Nobody knows how it got on or why, but I heard the teacher's saying they think that it was looking for something."
The rain was still pouring heavily as the students left the train and approached the Hogwarts castle. It looked dark and mysterious in the rain storm but still welcoming. Lightning illuminated the sky as Harry and his friends rode in the carriages pulled by thestrals to bring them to the castle. The Entrance Hall was flooded with puddles and mud. Harry saw Peeves drenching some third years in the hallways with water balloons.
As they walked into the Great Hall, Harry noticed a lot of eyes were following them. What could they possibly be staring at? 'Okay, if I was out there and saw us walking in like this, what would I stare at?'
'Cassie,' the little voice answered him.
During the sorting hat ceremony Harry noticed they all looked like they fell into the lake, rather than rode across it in a boat. Ron continuously grumbled about how hungry he was and how the ceremony was taking too long. When all the students were finally sorted, Dumbledore stood for his start-of-year speech.
"I'm sure that all of you know," he began, "the rise of the Dark Lord has put us all in great peril." There were anxious murmurs throughout the tables. "And so, it is in times like these, that we need to stand together as one. Slytherin and Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, must all become united. For if we fall apart, we will stand no chance in surviving the war that is rapidly approaching. And I'd like to remind all of you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. Also, I'd like to introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Sanchez." Polite applause erupted from the students as the new teacher rose from the table. Harry noticed Snape wasn't even making eye contact with her. Now that Harry thought about it she looked almost a like a girl version of Snape. She had short, slick black hair, a stern face, and a somewhat crooked nose. "Now, let's eat," Dumbledore finished, and with a wave of his hand, the plates in front of them filled with food.
Over dinner, Harry caught up with his friends Seamus and Dean, talking about their summers and whatever else they could talk about. People from other tables occasionally came over to introduce themselves to Cassie (mostly boys, Ron went crazy). After dinner, Ron and Hermione led all the Gryffindors to the portrait of the Fat Lady and announced the password ('butterbeer') and showed the first years where their dorms were.
Harry got tired pretty quickly and headed up to his dorm. On his bead he saw a large parcel. It was long and skinny, attached was a note. Harry opened the envelope and read:
Now that Miss Dolores Umbridge is no longer the headmaster I do believe there are some things that need to be put in order. You regain your place as Seeker on the Gryffindor Quiddith team, as Ginny Weasley has resigned. Attached is your Firebolt. Enjoy!
Professor Dumbledore
Harry couldn't believe what he was reading. He had almost forgotten about his Firebolt (did he just say that?). He ripped open the parcel and saw his Firebolt, in mint condition, just as he remembered it. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. He ran back down to the common room, Ron and Cassie were still talking in front of the fire.
"Ron! Ron! My Firebolt! It's back! I'm Seeker again!"
"You have a Firebolt?!" Cassie exclaimed.
"What about me?" Ron asked. "Was there something on my bed?"
"I dunno," Harry shrugged, "I was too excited."
"You're so lucky Harry! I'm still riding a Nimbus 2002," Cassie said in awe. "Well anyway, I'm going to bed. Night guys."
"Night Cassie," Harry and Ron said.
Harry and Ron went upstairs to their dorm and changed for bed. Ron was ecstatic about getting his broom back. He also regained his spot on the Quidditch team. Harry crawled into bed, dreaming of flying again on his Firebolt.
