They climbed out of the train, to be greeted by Hagrid's familiar figure.
"Harry, Hermione, Ron, Crystalline! How're you three doing", Hagrid cheerily asked, and the four were for glad to be with someone who wasn't treating them like porcelain dolls.
"We're doing great Hagrid! Harry spend half the summer staying in Leaky Cauldron, Hermione's been in France and I've been staying with the Weasleys", Crystalline said, her tone falsely bright.
"Ah yes! I yer in the picture with the Weasleys. Hey, congratulations on yer dad winning that lottery, Ron. If there's anyone who deserves it, it's Arthur", Hagrid said, clapping Ron on the back, making the redhead flinch.
"Well, bye Hagrid. We'll see you at Hogwarts", Hermione said, her voice, which had been uncharacteristically subdued, brightening up a little.
"Seriously, Hagrid needs to control his strength", Ron complained, rubbing his back as they made their way to the carriages.
Seeing Hagrid had greatly improved their mood. He truly did tend to have that affect on people.
"Er, guys, if you don't mind me asking, what did you see when the dementor came. I mean, it must've been terrible if you all blacked out", Skylar asked, ignoring Harmony's shout of "SKYLAR! That's so rude!"
"You know kid, you're lucky it's us you're asking.
Try not to ask Slytherins such unsubtle and insensitive questions. Well, anyone for that matter, but Slytherins in particular", Harry advised, while Hermione clucked her tongue disapprovingly.
"So, that means you're not going tell, are you?", Skylar asked.
"No we're not", Ron stated firmly.
"Hey Potter, did I hear right! Did you faint in the train! Did the ickle dementors scare you", came the unpleasant voice of Draco Malfoy.
"Urgh, go away Draco!", Crystal irritably called out.
"Well, well, well! If it isn't my dear, blood-traitor cousin. Heard Aunt Aquamarine and Uncle Zircon finally kicked you out for good", Malfoy sneered.
"HOW DARE YOU-", Crystalline took out her wand, pointing it at the other blonde, when allof a sudden, they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"I hope everything is going smoothly here, right, Mr Malfoy, Ms Gray", asked Professor Lupin.
"Who's that", Malfoy mumbled.
"A new Professor, Malfoy. Why, scared", Hermione, who had heard him, whispered back, tauntingly.
"Ah, of course Professor. I was just having a chat with my dear cousin", Malfoy replied, before going away, sulkily.
"Good, good", Professor Lupin said, departig in the opposite direction.
They all could have sworn that they saw a mischievous glint in his amber eyes.
"You know, maybe our new defence professor isn't nearly as incompetent as the others", Hermione conceded.
At hearing this, Crystalline's lips stretched into a smirk. It was quite rare for Hermione to be mistake and she decided she thoroughly enjoyed proving her bushy-haired friend wrong.
What, she may be the chosen for Hufflepuff's spear, but she was Slytherin at heart and goodwill wasn't something that came naturally to their lot, but it could very well be faked or forced.
The four climbed in a carriage, the golden quartet took up another, Fred and George joined their friends Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson in the next while Neville accompanied The sandy-haired boy who's name Harry kept forgetting, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.
The BlackLights stepped out of the carriage, when they were at once accosted by Professor McGonagall, who marched them up to her office.
"Professor what is going on? Have we done something?", Hermione enquired once they had settled down in McGonagall's office.
"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Ms Granger, Ms Gray. Professor Lupin sent me a letter saying that the four of you had, ah, quite unsavoury reactions to the dementors", she stated.
The four exchanged exasperated looks. They knew what this was about and they weren't liking it one bit.
"We're fine Professor. You don't need to be concerned", Hermione expressed, strongly.
"Actually Ms Granger, as the Deputy Headmistress, I feel I do have a reason to check up on students who have been through a traumatising ordeal", Professor McGonagall sniffed.
"We're alright Professor, truly. We've already eaten chocolate and feel much better than we had before", Crystalline smiled.
"Very well then", she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
However, just as they rose up to leave, Professor McGonagall called out,
"Wait. There is something else I wish to discuss with you four."
"Yes Professor", Hermione asked.
"You four have selected four subjects each, haven't you?", McGonagall asked.
At their nods, McGonagall further stated, "I'm afraid that the maximum limit for subjects is three subjects per person, for there is not enough time for one person to attend more than three extra classes.
Thus you have two options. Either drop a class, or we must arrange for some, ah, unconventional methods."
"Professor, what exactly do you mean by unconventional methods", Ron asked, the look on his face saying that he wasn't sure that he even wanted to know.
"A time-turner Mr Weasley", McGonagall stated patiently, causing them to gasp.
"However", McGonagall continued on, "the ministry is only willing to supply one, which means that either you all work it out somehow or only one of you gets to attend all four classes.
If you choose the second option, that is."
"Don't worry Professor, we will all work it out somehow", Harry declared.
"So I assume I should take this to mean that you're all taking all four of your chosen subjects", McGonagall asked, a rare smile stretching on her face when they all nodded.
"That's it. You four may leave. I'll call you to my office tomorrow to give you the time turner.
Do remember to hand it over before summer holidays. The Christmas and Easter holidays too in the case that none of you are staying in Hogwarts", McGonagall ordered, handing over their time-tables.
"So how are we going to work this out?", Crystalline asked.
"Well, we are all taking Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures and two of us are taking divination and muggle studies each, so it's a little easier to sort this out.
How about, in our first time, we mostly follow the time-table, including our differing classes, except for one class we all share, then we'll use the time-turner to go back and attend it", Hermione suggested.
"And then, with the rest of the day free, we'll complete all our homework, eat, rest and research for our,extracurricular project", Crystalline added.
"Wait, aren't we going then travel forwards and continue on as normal. This time turner is only supposed to be used for our classes", Hermione protested, earning deadpanned looks from her friends.
"Seriously Hermione", Ron groaned.
"We'll be driven mad if we do that. Besides, McGonagall never explicitly mentioned that we couldn't use this to make more time to rest and do our homework", Harry frowned.
"But-", Hermione said weakly, before sighing.
"Besides", Harry added, smirking, "when have we followed rules."
"Well, these aren't just normal rules.
We could very well endanger ourselves, change the entire world, maybe in less than pleasant ways, like, we could make it so the war never stopped, and everyone we know and care about, like the Weasleys, were dead!", Hermione exclaimed, hysterically.
At this, Harry and Ron exchanged surprised looks. It wasn't like Hermione to express her worries so openly.
"Hermione, relax, and stop worrying so much. It'll be fine", Crystalline said, soothingly.
"What if one of you died? I don't want to lose you", she mumbled.
Crystalline gently pulled Hermione into an embrace, which the other two soon joined.
"Hey, it's alright", Harry said softly. They never hugged or even had too much physical contact often, but they enjoyed it when they did.
"Thanks. I'm not this emotional too often, it must be the dementor along with my periods", Hermione whispered.
At this the two boys looked a little awkward, while the girls laughed lightly.