It wasn't long until everyone was heading back to school. This year Calleigh actually got to the train station on time and but still had a hard time finding a compartment to sit in. Most of them when she got on were full with people she didn't much know. But there was one that was mostly empty. The only person it held was a man fast asleep at the window. His robes were torn and weathered and he looked very sickly but Calleigh did not mind. She felt as is she knew if, but knew that would have to be impossible unless.
She glanced down at her necklace her father had given her. Maybe her parents had known him and the necklace gave her that feeling. It had to be the only explanation. Shortly after sitting down next to the window she heard Harry, Ron and Hermione coming down the corridor obviously not able to find a spot themselves either.
"Hey Calleigh, do mind if we sit in with you and your guest?" Ron asked teasingly.
"No, course not. I am guessing he is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Remus Lupin," Calleigh stated.
"You sure he looks as if a hex would fix him for awhile," Ron said doubtfully.
Calleigh didn't talk much to them, but she was able to overhear some bits of their conversation at first. They had something about not to go looking for trouble with Black. Then they started in about Hogsmeade.
"Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."
"Why can't you go?" Ron asked.
"The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form. And no one else will, I know."
"I am sorry Harry. Can you go Calleigh?" asked Hermione sincerely.
"Of course I can't go. Hermione, with everything I have told you bout my Uncle do you think he would sign my permission?" Calleigh laughed amusingly. "He didn't even want me to come to Hogwarts,"
"Oh yeah, that is right. I am sorry for asking Calleigh. I just forgot you know."
"Yeah, I know. It is alright Hermione," said Calleigh still laughed.
It wasn't until mid-afternoon that Professor Lupin presence became useful. It was able to scare off Malfoy and his goons. But he helped them in other ways later as well.
"Are we almost there yet? I am starving!" Ron grumbled while leaning past Calleigh and Professor Lupin to look out the black window.
No sooner had the words left his mouth did the train start to slow down and stop.
"Great!" said Ron.
"We can't be there yet." Hermione protested.
"So why have we stopped? Calleigh, what do you see outside?"
"It looks as if people are coming aboard. I don't like this. Look at the window!" gasped Calleigh.
The window was becoming covered with frost and was as cold as ice. A few moments later all of the lights in the lamps went out.
"Ouch! Ron that was my foot!" gasped Hermione.
"Sorry."
"How's bout we all just sit down since we can't really see," Calleigh suggested and it sounded like the people in their compartment complied.
In a little while Neville and Ginny entered their compartment. Both of them seemed to be trying to find a spot to sit down without much luck. Neville tried to sit on Crookshanks and Ginny tried sitting on Harry. Calleigh thought it to be a little funny, but they were making a lot of noice.
"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.
Professor Lupin had appeared to at last woken up and he was holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired gray face but he seemed to be as alert as ever. He started to move toward the door, but it slid open before he could reach it.
In the door way stood a tall figure cloaked in black. Its face was hooded but you could briefly see a slimy gray hand. As if it could sense their gaze it looked around and drew a long slow rattling breath. It made the air go cold and everyone felt horrible.
Calleigh didn't want to move she felt like everything her Uncle had ever done to her had come all at once like a flood. She didn't want to move but looked around and saw Harry shaking like mad and started to slide to the floor. This caused Calleigh to immediately spring from her seat to help him up. She looked up at the thing which made her feel worse but she held onto Harry and dragged him a little farther away.
The thing didn't want to leave and she didn't know what to do. She thought she looked like a total idiot and no one would ever speak to her again and swore that she felt blood running down her arms and legs and her back. It made her shiver before she passed out hearing a terrible agonizing scream.
Calleigh woke with a start as though she had just had a bad dream where she was falling. She looked around and kept imagining what they had been saying about how stupid she was. She didn't dare speak because she was so unsure of her voice.
"Are you two alright?" Hermione asked with a look of concern on her face.
"Yeah, what happened?" asked Harry groggily.
A loud snap made everyone jump. Professor Lupin was breaking chocolate into pieces for all them. He gave some to each one.
"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.
"That was a dementor, one of the ones from Azkaban. Eat it; it will make you feel better,"
He then strolled out of the compartment and disappeared into the corridor.
"What happened?" asked Harry wearily, now back in his seat.
"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"
"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching –"
"And Professor Lupin stepped over you and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' While eh was saying this Calleigh somehow managed to get out of her seat and pulled you away from the dementor which calmed you down a bit. Still 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…."
Professor Lupin came back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned the chocolate, you know…."
They all took a bite out of the chocolate and they all seemed to look better. Neville ate his in his next two bites while everyone else just ate away quietly,
"We will be in Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you alright, Harry?"
Harry didn't ask how he knew his name. "Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.
"Calleigh, may I see you in the corridor?" asked Professor Lupin, still smiling.