Remus arrived at Platform 9 ¾ very early. He wanted to make sure he had a seat; as he moved along the platform and onto the train, memories of his first train ride to school overpowered him. He had spent the time in a corner, avoiding the exuberance of the other two boys in the compartment, two boys who were to become his best friends. He remembered the mad rush for seats, how you had to band together to get a compartment. Well, he was the only adult and no student was going to willingly sit with him. Remus felt it best to not arrive in the thick of things.

The new teacher settled himself in the corner of the last compartment next to the window. He pulled out a book and read, keeping an eye on the time. Students trickled in, faster and faster until a flood of wizarding children stood on the platform, making enough noise to drown out a thunderstorm. Remus found it impossible to read. His head began to throb, so he closed his eyes. He had not intended to fall asleep.

Remus was woken by a sudden motion as the train rounded a bend and picked up speed. He kept his eyes closed, hoping to fall asleep before anyone joined him in the compartment. His headache was worse, and he did not feel like socializing. Not that any student would want to talk to a new teacher, a complete unknown. Not unless they were hoping to get on my good side and avoid detention.

Remus' thoughts were brought abruptly to the train as he heard a whispered, "Who d'you reckon he is?" It was a boy speaking.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," a girl stated at once.

Remus wondered how she had known, a thought echoed by the boy.

"It's on his case," she replied. Of course, Remus thought. His name was on his battered suitcase, testimony to his last teaching job in a muggle library three years ago. He did not mean to eavesdrop.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," the boy continued a conversation Remus had partly missed while wondering if he could avoid listening. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway…"

Remus was slightly offended by that, but then he realized that with the full moon only two days past, he must look awfully sick. He was jolted from this line of thought as a second boy's voice mention Sirius Black. Remus winced inwardly as he realized the boy speaking must be Harry Potter.

Time passed. And then a piercing whistle sounded that echoed in Remus' sore head. He very nearly forced himself to pretend to wake up, if only to stop the noise. Before he could do that, however, the first boy pulled something from Harry's trunk and told the girl that it was a Sneakoscope. Remus sighed, waiting for them to make it quiet.

After what seemed ages, but was probably more like a minute, Harry said, "Stick it back in the trunk, or it'll wake him up."

Remus realized that Harry was talking about him, and was highly grateful as the noise was deadened. They children began to talk about Hogsmeade and Remus was lost in memories. He remembered hours spent poring over the wide selection of candy in Honeydukes, trying to choose just one. Sirius always insisted on buying a little bit of each. He also remembered whole afternoons spent trying to get as much as possible for as little as possible at Zonko's Joke Shop, which was James' favorite store. He remembered drinking butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, watching the world go by.

Somewhere in the middle of his happy, miserable reverie, Remus caught the first boy's name, exclaimed in indignation, "Ron! I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose—" the girl was cut off.

And it all comes round to Black again. Remus mentally sighed. As the girl began to talk again, he opened his eyes slightly. As he had thought, Harry looked exactly like his father. But Remus' attention was diverted as Ron said, "Don't let that thing out!" A second later a large ginger cat slipped out of a wicker basket on the seat next to the girl. It sounded as if Ron did not get along with the cat, and he and the girl were on the way to a full-blown argument when Remus moved. It was slight, he just turned his head away and continued to pretend to sleep. But it was enough to remind the three of his presence, and they quieted down. For a time, Remus did not need to pretend to sleep.

He was woken by Ron's voice. "Do you think we should wake him up? He looks like he could do with some food."

I could, but I don't think I will have anything, thanks. I still haven't got my appetite back. Remus stayed silent as the girl approached.

"Er—Professor? Excuse me—Professor?"

Sorry, I don't want anything. I wish I knew your name. But he said nothing out loud. He knew that he wouldn't be very sociable with this head-ache.

"I suppose he is asleep? I mean—he hasn't died, has he?" Ron asked quietly.

Remus laughed inwardly as the girl replied, "No, no, he's breathing." This statement rather amused Remus, because the first full moon after his friends found out he was a werewolf, he had woken to the sound their voices. "But, Madam Pomfrey," they had asked, "he is alive?" the nurse had responded, "Well, he's breathing, isn't he?"

Today is a day of memories. I wonder what tomorrow will bring? But of course, today wasn't finished yet. Three other boys walked in as it started to rain, and a fight may well have started, but Remus, who was in no mood to listen to the noise of a fight, gave a slight snort as the cat's basket fell to the floor. Unnerved by the presence of a teacher, the three intruders left.

The afternoon seemed to last an eternity. Remus had once again fallen asleep, when the train started to slow down. The girl stated that they could not be at Hogwarts yet, but Remus could think of no good reason for the train to be slowing. And then he remembered Dumbledore's letter. Oh, no. Not dementors.

Another boy, Neville, entered the compartment soon after the lights went out and the train came to a halt. And then, he finally learned the girl's name as she collided with another girl, Ginny. Hermione allowed Ginny into the compartment, but there was such a racket what with the five children in confusion that Remus could hardly hear anything.

"Quiet," he said. His voice was hoarse from disuse; he had not said a word since before eleven o'clock that morning. He murmured a spell that allowed him to hold light. But just as he stood to investigate, the door to the compartment slid open.

A towering dementor stood framed by the doorway. It took a slow, rattling breath, and Remus shivered as the cold penetrated the whole room. He could feel it sinking into his bones as memories of the day he was bitten, memories of transformations, andthe day after his friends had died vied for prominence in his mind. But he had to stay calm, and sane. He took a deep breath as he heard someone collapse behind him.

"None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go." But the dementor did not move. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to find a happy memory. He pushed aside the crowd of dismal memories and settled on James and Lily's wedding. It was one of the last times they had all been together and happy, with no worries. "Expecto patronum," he muttered, and his wolf-like Patronus flung itself at the dementor. It turned and glided away.

Remus wanted to just collapse and try to hide the dark memories that had been stirred up, but instead he turned steadily to check on the children. Hermione and Ron were bringing Harry around. While the others worried about Harry's having heard screaming, Remus was not surprised. He pulled a bar of chocolate from his pocket and began to break it into pieces.

Remus handed a large portion to Harry and said, "Here. Eat it. It'll help."

Harry looked at him and asked, "What was that thing?"

"A dementor," Remus returned. "One of the dementors of Azkaban." They all stared at him. "Eat. It'll help. I need to speak with the driver, excuse me…"

Remus left the uncomfortable silence of the compartment for theemptiness of the hallway. He ate the last bit of chocolate himself as he headed toward the front of the train. He could get more chocolate up there, for one. He also needed to let Professor McGonagall know that Harry had reacted poorly to the presence of the dementors. But Remus had expected that. With a history like Harry's… Remus had had to work awfully hard to resist the dementors himself, and Harry had no experience…

The driver willingly lent Remus an owl. He scribbled a quick note to McGonagall.

Professor,

We'll be at Hogwarts in about ten minutes. I just thought I ought to let you know that the dementors have searched the train, and that Harry collapsed. I think he's all right but, well, I expected his reaction to be worse. Thanks,

Remus Lupin

He automatically signed his full name on it, as though he were back in school. He looked at it, shook his head, and sent it off. Remus set off toward the last compartment of the train, eating a chocolate frog. When he entered the compartment, the five fell silent. He looked around and realized that no one had eaten the chocolate.

"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know… We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes. Are you all right, Harry?"

No one said anything for the rest of the train ride, which was mercifully short.

A/N—I realize that this ends very abruptly, but it is only part one of this chapter. The other part is the feast, and Remus meeting an old school 'friend' of his. I also realize that I forgot a disclaimer. So here goes. I do not own any of these characters. The plot is basically Ms. Rowling's, since I am just taking a very good work that I love, and putting it into a different perspective. Therefore, a lot of the dialogue is in the book. I do not claim any quotes that are in the book as my own. I just really like them, a lot. Also, I don't know if anyone has ever said what shape Remus' Patronus takes, so since they are supposed to be somehow significant to the person, I figured it would be wolf-like. Being a werewolf is a major part of who Remus is, whether he wanted it or not.