Updated as of 2/13/19

A/N: Just a general note for Year 3 – I used the schedule in the book. (Some scenes that are from the movie will not be in the same order as the movie)

Everyone was on the Hogwarts Express; the whistled blew as the train began to move. Parents waved with tears in their eyes at the first years while tiny siblings waved goodbyes to their older siblings. Mrs. Weasley dashed through the throng and up to an open train window, something in her hands.

"Ron!" she shouted as she hurried. "Ron!" She handed Scabbers to him through the window be had been leaning out of. "Oh, for goodness' sake! Don't lose him!" she shouted as the train started to pull away. Ron waved to her, embarrassed as he shrunk away inside the train.

Harry, Ron, Fiona and Hermione worked their way down the aisle, looking for an empty compartment. Each girl held their cat and of course Scabbers was in Ron's hand.

"I didn't mean to blow her up. I just ... lost control," Harry said to them.

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

"Honestly, Ron, it's not funny," Hermione said. "Harry's lucky he wasn't expelled."

"I think I was lucky not to be arrested, actually," Harry said.

"I still think it was brilliant," Ron said. He looked behind him to Fiona who nodded with a grin. Hermione nodded to a compartment with someone sleeping inside covered by their coat.

"Come on, everywhere else is full," she said as she opened the door.

"Who do you think that is?" Ron asked as the four sat down. Harry put his carryon bag up on the overhead shelf before sitting next to Fiona who sat next to the sleeping stranger.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione said.

"Do you know everything?" Ron asked. "How is it she knows everything?"

"It's on his suitcase, Ronald," Hermione said pointing to the name on the case on the shelf above the man.

"Oh. Wonder what he teaches," Ron mused.

"Considering our last Defense teacher lost his memory, I'd think it's safe to say that," Fiona said. "People say the job is jinxed anyways, we'll probably only have this one," She motioned to the man. "for a year as well."

"I just hope he's better than the previous ones we've had," Ron said.

"Considering one of them had Voldemort on the back of his head," Harry muttered and Ron made a face. "I don't think they could get worse."

"Do you have to say the name?" he asked. Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Voldemort. Voldemort. Voldemort," she said making him look at her with wide eyes. "Hey, look at that. You're still alive, aren't you?" He didn't respond but looked down to pet Scabbers who'd squeaked loudly.

"Do you think he's really asleep?" Harry asked as he looked around Fiona to the man.

"Seems to be. Why?" Hermione asked. Harry stood and closed the compartment door.

"I gotta tell you something."

…

"Let me get this straight. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you?" Ron asked.

"Yeah."

"But they'll catch Black, won't they? I mean, everyone's looking for him?" Hermione said.

"Sure," Ron said. "Expect no one's ever broken out of Azkaban before and he's a murderous, raving, lunatic..."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said. Suddenly the train's brakes screeched and the train slowed.

"Why are we stopping?" Hermione asked. "We can't be there yet." Harry stood and opened the door to look out into the hallway of the car as a bunch of other students did. The train lurched and he was thrown back to his seat and the door closed from the force of the lurch. Fiona put a hand on his arm.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"I dunno," Harry said. "Maybe we're broken down."

"Can magical trains break down?" Fiona asked.

"It's a normal train," Hermione clarified. "The station is just hidden by magic." Suddenly the lights went out but only for a few moments before it flickered back on. "Ouch! Ron, that was my foot," Hermione said before the lights had returned. Ron put a hand to the glass and looked outside.

"There's something moving out there," he said. The lights went out for good. "I think someone's coming aboard," Ron whispered. The train jolted again. The air turned cold and their breaths were visible. The glass started to freeze over, even the liquid inside the bottle next to the window. The train jolted again making Ron gripped the seat's edges. "Bloody hell! What's happening?" Harry glanced at the sleeping man beside Fiona before looking out into the hallway. A cloaked creature approached, tendrils of what looked to be tattered black cloth fluttered into view. Its hand motioned at the door before it opened. The hooded creature looked inside the compartment. Crookshanks and Grimm hissed while Scabbers hid in Ron's jacket. It looked around at each student before turning to Harry. Harry groaned as the creature leaned towards him. He started to shake slightly against Fiona, going stiff.

"H-Harry?" Fiona squeaked, holding onto him. Suddenly Lupin stood and held out his wand. A bright light came from it and the creature screeched before leaving. Lupin closed the compartment door. "Harry!" Fiona looked down to see him unconscious, his glasses had fallen off as well.

"He's only fainted," Lupin assured her. Fiona moved Harry so his head was resting on her lap. The lights came on and the train started to move again.

"Harry? Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked when she saw the boy beginning to wake. He looked up at Fiona who looked worried, before looking to Hermione who held out his glasses for him.

"Thank you," he said.

"Here, eat this. It'll help." Lupin held something out to him. Harry looked wary of it as he sat up. "It's alright. It's chocolate." Harry took it and sat up completely. He looked around at everyone before looking up at the door.

"What was that thing that came?" he asked.

"It was a dementor. One of the guards of Azkaban. It's gone now," Lupin said. "It was searching the train for Sirius Black. If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver." Lupin pu the rest of the chocolate bar on the seat beside Harry before he stood and opened the door. He turned back to Harry. "Eat. You'll feel better," he said before closing the door and walking out of sight. Harry took a bite of the chocolate.

"What happened to me?" he asked.

"Well, you sort of went rigid," Ron said. "We thought maybe you were having a fit or something."

"And-…And did any of you… you know, pass out?"

"No," Ron said. "I felt weird, though. Like I'd never be cheerful again."

"But someone was screaming," Harry said. "A woman." Hermione shook her head.

"No one was screaming, Harry," she said. Harry looked to Fiona but she shook her head as well.

"You feel alright now?" she asked him. Harry nodded unconvincingly.

"What happened to the dementor?" he asked.

"It was wicked! Lupin did something and there was this really bright light and it went away. Must not like light."

"It was a Patronus ," Hermione clarified, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"A what?"

"The Patronus Charm is the most famous and one of the most powerful defensive charms known to wizardkind. It is an immensely complicated and an extremely difficult. It's far beyond N.E.W.T. level."

"You're like a walking text book," he muttered. She gave him a sharp look.

"You mean we're not going to learn it at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"It's not likely. Even the most qualified wizards have trouble with it," Hermione explained.

Inside the great hall the choir sang in front of everyone the front row with large toads while a few students stood nearby with a few instruments. Once the song concluded, Dumbledore rose and approached his podium.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say, before we become befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Good luck, Professor." At the High Table, Lupin stood with a bow before sitting back down as everyone clapped.

"Of course," Hermione said as she clapped. "That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry."

"Called it," Fiona muttered.

"Potter…Potter!" Harry and Ron turned to see Draco sitting behind them. "Is it true you fainted?" The boy beside him mock fainted. "I mean you actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron said as he turned Harry away from them.

"How did he find out?" Harry asked.

"Just forget it," Hermione said. Fiona shot Draco a glare but he only smirked back at her and even had the nerve to wink at her. "Ignore him," Hermione said to her.

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher for many years has decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs," Dumbledore said. "Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid!" Everyone clapped. Hagrid was elbowed by McGonagall and quickly stood, knocking into the table and making a few goblets fall over.

"Woohoo!" Hermione called. McGonagall pulled Hagrid back down.

"Finally, on a more disquieting note… at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban," Dumbledore said. A murmur of apprehension filled the hall. "until such a time as Sirius Black is captured. The dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day to day activities, a word of caution: dementors are visicous creatures, they will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving." Harry swallowed. "But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times…" he waved his hand and one of the candles on his podium went out. "if one only remembers to turn on the light." He waved his hand the other way and the flame returned.

…

After the feast everyone went to their common rooms. The Gryffindor headed upstairs. Seamus ran ahead to the Fat Lady.

"Fortuna Major," he said but she held up a hand to him. She was singing and holding up a champagne glass in her other hand. "Here, listen. She just won't let me in," Seamus said to the others.

"Fortuna Major," Harry said.

"No, no, no. Wait, wait," she said. "Watch this… ahh haa haa AAAAAH!" Everyone covered their ears, even the surrounding portraits. The Fat Lady smashed the glass on the wall behind her and gasped. "Amazing. Just with my voice."

"Fortuna Major," Harry said again.

"Yes, alright. Go on." She opened the entrance with an annoyed huff.

"Thank you," Harry said as he and the others went in. "She's still doing that after three years."

"She can't even sing," he and Seamus said at the same time.

"Exactly," Harry said as the two walked towards the stairs. A ghost phased out and passed them. "Hey, man."

"Hey, man," Seamus said. Dean wasn't looking where he was going and walked through the ghost then proceeded to freak out.

"Ah! Ohh…" he groaned.

"That's awful," Hermione said sympathetically. Everyone headed to their dorms, excited for their first night back. No one slept right away in either dorm. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil immediately sat on Lavender's bed and began to talk, mostly about which boys had 'gotten cute' over summer. Hermione went straight to her books to be sure she had everything for each class. The other two girls, Rei Tsukuda and Olivia Lombardi started a game of Exploding Snap while they talked about the classes they were taking. Hermione would chime in the conversation every once and a while before she finally had all her things set and joined them. Fiona was getting ready for bed when Grimm came up and rubbed against her leg.

"Hey you," she said looking down at him. "Where've you been?" she asked softly, she had left Grimm in the common room during the feast but he hadn't come up to the dorms with everyone else. Grimm jumped onto the bed and dropped a note from his mouth. "huh?" Fiona picked it up and unfolded it, hiding it from view of the other girls.

How was your summer?

"Hmm…" Fiona folded the paper back up and put it in the bedside table. Grimm meowed. "I'm sorry, were you supposed to deliver a response?" The cat nudged her hand with his head. "It's our first night. You don't need to be wandering all about the dungeons so soon. Get some sleep, Grimm." The cat started purring as she pet him before he laid down.

The next morning one of their first classes was Divination. Everyone sat two to a table, some three, on bean-bag like chairs. Ron and Harry sat at a table together but Fiona nearby with another girl and boy.

"Welcome, my children. In this room, you shall explore the noble art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess the Sight." The teacher stood and bumped into a table immediately. "Hello. I am Professor Trelawney. Together we shall cast ourselves into the future. This term, we shall be focusing on Tasseomancy, which is the art of reading tea leaves," she said. "So please, take the cup of the person sitting opposite you. What do you see? The truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book, waiting to be read." She came around the room. "But first, you must broaden your minds." She put her hands on Seamus' head and shook them slightly. "First, you must look beyond!"

"What a load of rubbish," Hermione said. The two boys whirled around to look at her.

"Where did you come from?" Ron asked.

"Me? I've been here all along," Hermione said. Trelawney turned to Neville.

"You, boy! Is your grandmother quite well?" she asked.

"I... I think so," he said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Give me the cup." Dean handed her the cup. She hummed sympathetically before putting it back. "Pity." Neville grabbed the cup and Dean opened their textbook.

"Broaden your minds," Trelawney said. She walked around the room stopping by Ron. "Oh!" she made him jump. "Your aura is pulsing, dear. Are you in the beyond? I think you are."

"Sure," Ron said.

"Look at the cup. Tell me what you see."

"Yeah. Well, Harry's got sort of a wonky cross," Ron said as he flipped through his book. "That's trials and suffering. And that there could be the sun and that's happiness. So you're going to suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it." Hermione open rolled her eyes.

"Give me the cup." Trelawney took the cup, peers inside only briefly before dropping it with a gasp. "Ahhh! Oh, my dear boy. My dear… you have the Grim."

"The grin? What's the grin?" Seamus asked. Harry picked up his cup.

"Not the Grin, you idiot," Bem said. "The Grim."

"Like Gaunt's cat?"

"No," Bem said shaking his head. Everyone turned to look at him as he read from the book. "'Taking form of a giant spectral dog. It's among the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen… of death.'"

"Why can't you have normal years?" Fiona muttered.

The four students emerged from the bridge and made their way toward Hagrid's hut.

"You don't think that Grim thing's got anything to do with Sirius Black, do you?" Ron asked.

"Oh, honestly, Ron. If you ask me, Divination's a very woolly discipline," Hermione said. "Now, Ancient Runes, that's a fascinating subject."

"Ancient Runes?" Ron asked. "Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?"

"A fair few," Hermione said. Fiona gave her a look and Hermione gave her one back.

"Hang on." Ron stopped and turned to her. "That's not possible. Ancient Runes is on the same time as Divination. You have to be in two classes at once." He kept walking as she passed him.

"Don't be silly, Ronald. How could anyone be in two classes at once?" she asked. "'Broaden your minds. Use your Inner Eye to see the future!'" she said before laughing.

"I wonder what Hagrid's going to teach us first," Fiona mused.

"No doubt something big and scary," Ron said.

"We've faced Fluffy and Aragog," Harry reminded him. "I think we can handle it." Ron shuttered.

"Don't remind me," he moaned.

"Aragog?" Hermione asked.

"Hagrid has a giant spi-" Harry started but Ron cut him off.

"La-la-la-la-la!" Ron had plugged his ears making the three look at him.

"Giant spider… in the dark forest," Harry finished. Fiona tapped Ron's arm.

"You alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he whined before he shuttered again.

A/N: The two other third year Gryffindor girls (who don't have names in the movies or books) were just given random names.