On the Hogwarts Express, Jane and Neville sat down across from Hermione, and Crookshanks.
Minutes later, Draco, with Crab and Goyle by his side, opened the door.
"Hey Hermione," Draco said, "Is Ron still at St. Mungo's, with all the other feebs freaks."
Neville got up, looking furious. He started to storm toward Draco, but Hermione got up and got in front of him, blocking him. "Neville don't."
Jane got up and stormed up to Draco. She punched him in the chest, which was as high up on him as she could reach.
Draco laughed and walked away.
Percy soon showed up. "Hey guys, do you mind if I sit here?"
"I don't," Hermione said.
Jane shook her head.
"Fine with me," Neville said.
Percy sat down, next to Hermione.
"What's your cat's name?" he asked.
"Crookshanks," she said. "My parents thought it would help if they got me a pet. I had wanted an owl, so we went to the pet shop in Diagon Ally, but then I ended up falling in love with a cat."
"Well, that can happen."
"Hey, whatever happened to Scabbers?"
Percy pulled the rat out of his pocket. "I've got him. I thought of leaving him with Ron, whose home now, but Scabbers always seemed to like it at Hogwarts."
Crookshanks lunged at Scabbers.
Percey quickly wrapped her hands around Scabbers, while Hermione grabbed Crookshanks and pulled him off.
Jane suddenly felt really sad and scared, and she didn't know where it came from. She rocked back and forth, quickly, until she fell on the floor.
Neville quickly got down beside her. He touched her hand, gently.
Jane sat up. She grabbed Neville's hand, tightly, while trembling.
Neville gripped her hand tightly. He was clearly upset too.
Percy opened to door, and the bad feeling got worse, as a scary black creature was revealed.
"Expecto, Patronum," he yelled, as magic shot from his wand.
"Expecto, Patronum," another voice yelled.
As the bad feeling started to wear off, a man walked into the doorway.
"Thanks," Percey told him. "My Patronus charm is not very good. I don't think I could have done that on my own."
"You're welcome. I'm glad I wasn't the only one trying."
"Chocolate usually helps people feel better, after a dementor attack," he said, opening a candy bar and breaking it into pieces.
Jane stopped to pet the creatures pulling the carriages. "What kinds of creatures are these?" Jane asked.
"I don't know what they're called," Neville said.
"They're Thestral's," Luna explained, skipping up to them.
"You're not going mad," Percy assured Hermione. "They can only be seen by people who've witnessed death."
Percy, Hermione, Neville, Jane, and Luna all got into the carriage.
Jane noticed Hermione look awkwardly at Luna. "This is Luna," Jane introduced. "She's in my year."
awkwardly at Luna. "This is Luna," Jane introduced. "She's in my year."
The sorting ceremony went okay. Jane was surprised to see that everyone who was petrified had come back to school this year.
"Our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of magic business," Dumbledore announced.
Jane was upset to find that out. That dementor had been more horrifying than the thought of the escape prisoners.
"I, therefore, warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you."