The sky turned dark on our way to Hogwarts, and the sun soon disappeared behind ominous rain clouds. The weather seemed to fit the mood of what Harry told us. "So let me get this straight. Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban to come after you?" Ron asked. "Yeah," Harry answered. "But they'll catch Black, won't they?" Hermione wondered. "Sooner or later, they hafta. If the Ministry and Muggles don't, then the Congress is bound to spot him. 'Cause everybody's lookin' for him," I reasoned. "Sure, except…no one's ever broken out of Azkaban before…and he's a murderous, raving lunatic," Ron said. "Thanks, Ron," Harry sardonically said, his best friend's comment made him feel that much better.
A split second later, the train slowed to a sudden halt. "Why are we stopping? We can't be there yet," Hermione asked. "What's going on?" Ron almost shrieked. "Don't know maybe we've broken down," Harry suggested. "Ouch, Ron! That was my foot!" Hermione exclaimed as the lights went out. "There's something moving out there," Ron shuddered as he gazed outside. Time seemed to drag on as more and more lights went out on the train. "I think…someone's coming aboard," Ron whispered as the train gave a huge, sudden lurch. Not a second later, the temperature suddenly started to drop. "God Almighty, is it me, or did it suddenly jus' get cold in here?" I asked, shivering and teeth chattering. Hermione's breath could be seen in wisps and you could hear the crackle of frost forming on the window and nearby water bottle. "Bloody hell! What's happening?!" Ron shouted, somehow not waking up Professor Lupin, who was still asleep next to Harry. We looked the compartment door, and saw a heavily, black-cloaked figure practically gliding on air. It undid the latch locking the door and slid it open, revealing gnarled, bony fingers and sharp claws, all belonging to a hand, made of decaying flesh. Crookshanks hissed at it, and Scabbers squeaked and hid in Ron's jacket. The figure was heavily breathing and seemed to set its gaze on Harry.
Harry sorta looked like he was having a mini seizure, wriggling around and grunting in effort while the hooded creature breathed heavily. Then the professor set to wake up with a start and pointed his wand at the creature. A powerful blinding light came from the wand's tip and it made the creature back away, leaving Harry alone to turn stiff and pass out on the seat.
"Harry…. Harry," Hermione called when the creature was gone and all was calm. He slowly woke up and slightly moaned from exhaustion. I handed him his glasses and he gratefully took them. "Here, eat this. It'll help. Don't worry, it's chocolate" Professor Lupin handed Harry a couple of brown square pieces. "What was that?" he asked. "It was a Dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban, no doubt looking for Sirius Black. Eat, you'll feel better," the professor said before leaving our car to talk to the train conductor.
Harry took a bite of the professor's chocolate, and it brought back some of the color back to his face. "What happened?" he wondered about what went on when he blacked out. "Well, you sort of went rigid. Like you were having a fit or something," Ron answered. "And did any of you, y'know, pass out?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head "no". "We didn't but, when that Dementor was here, it felt like everything around us, even the air, it all got cold," I noted. "Yeah, I thought I'd never be cheerful again," Ron added. "But there was someone screaming… a woman," Harry said. "Harry, no one was screaming," Hermione said.
It was still raining heavily when the train stopped in Hogsmeade station. The carriages that 2nd years and older took had covers on them to protect us from the rain. Before we were seated, Professor McGonagall had called Hermione and Harry over to take them to the Hospital Wing for Madam Pomfrey to check them out. "Redcreek and Weasley, you can move along into the Great Hall. Your friends are not in trouble," she assured. "What do you suppose McGonagall wants to see them for?" Ron wondered. "Coulda been when the Dementor came on the train and almost knocked Harry unconscious. Professor Lupin musta mentioned it," I mused. "Let's go then, they must be starting the feast," Ron said. "You do realize that they have to do the First-Year Sorting and there's a performance from Flitwick's choir before they bring out the food, right?" I mentioned. "Oh, no!" Ron cried. "This is what happens when you and Harry take a flyin' car to school and almost get killed by a territorial tree," I muttered. "You're still going on about that? That was last year!" Ron argued. "Honey, I'll hold it over y'all's heads even after we're rollin' in the grave," I warned creepily. She's completely mental, Ron said in his mind. "I am not mental!" I said indignantly. "Did you just read my mind?" he asked in surprise. "Did I? I just heard you call me crazy, but you didn't speak it. Freaky!" I said, slightly shocked.
Then Ron's stomach gave a huge growl, reminding us that it would be a while until his appetite would be satisfied. "Ron, if it makes you feel any better, I'm hungry too. So hopefully there ain't a lot of First-Years and the choir doesn't take too long," I slightly complained, rubbing my own stomach in response. "Let's hope," Ron agreed and we rushed to the Great Hall.
The sorting ceremony went on as usual, and Professor Flitwick's choir sang a song that had the famous witches' incantation from Shakespeare's Macbeth. Right as the choir finished Hermione and Harry seemed to appear out of nowhere next to us. "Where were y'all?" I asked. Hermione was about to answer, but Professor Dumbledore stepped up to his podium and raised his hands. "Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts! Now I would like to say a few words, before we become too befuddled by our excellent feast," Professor Dumbledore announced. "I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor!" At this, our new professor stood up and gave a half way bow while nodding, and sat back down. Everyone applauded for him in respect. "Of course! That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry," Hermione noted.
"Potter…Potter!" a voice the four of us dreaded hearing whispered. Ron and Harry turned around to see what Malfoy wanted. "Is Longbottom telling the truth? I mean, you actually fainted?" he asked in glee as one of his housemates mocked-fainted next to him. "Shove off, Malfoy," Ron warned before turning himself and Harry back to facing me and Hermione. "Just forget it," Hermione whispered. "What y'all's word for a person like him? Fred taught it to me… oh yeah, that tosser," I commented. "Good one," Harry commented and high-fived me. We turned our attention back to Dumbledore's speech. "…now our Care of Magical Creatures for many years, has decided to retire, in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I am delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other than our own, Rubeus Hagrid." Most of the houses cheered for Hagrid when he stood up. Seamus and I whistled our approval for him before the Hall settled down.
"And 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, until Sirius Black is capture. The Dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds," the headmaster continued. There were whispers all around about the presence of the Dementors and Sirius Black. "Now whilst I have been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution…" Then his voice got real low and foreboding. "Dementors are vicious 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, give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving. But you know, happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times…when one only remembers to turn on the light," he finished by magically putting out and reigniting a candle on his podium.
Then he said the magic words that we were all waiting for, "Let the feast, begin." "Oh, finally!" I exclaimed with Ron agreeing with his mouth full of food he was stuffing in his mouth. I gathered a baked potato, some pasta, and even had some authentic fish and chips. One of the new First-Years sat next to me. "Hi, I'm Ezra Redcreek. What's your name?" I asked. She extended her hand and said, "I'm Mackenzie Reynolds. What year are you?" "I'm a 3rd Year," I said. "Is your whole family magical?" "Uh-uh, my mom's a witch and my dad's a No-Maj." "A what?" "Right, use the English version, Ez. No-Maj is what we call Muggle in America," I explained. "Oh, does it mean anything?" "It's short for Non Magical, And I'm guessin' you's a No-maj-born?" "That's right. By the way, the way you talk is interesting," she noticed. "I've been told. Should I start sounding like this more often?" I jokingly asked in an exaggerated British voice. That made her laugh, and she said, "No, but keep trying, you almost have it." "So, what classes are you looking forward to, Mackenzie?" I wondered. "Transfiguration, Maybe Charms, and Astronomy," she said. "Good, 'cause the classes here are very engaging," I said. "What? Freddie, don't tell me our favorite Yankee is fibbing to an innocent First-Year?" George called down from his spot at the table. "It can't be. I thought we raised you better, Ezzy," Fred chimed in, shaking his head in mock shame. "Oh, hush you two. Don't confuse her," I said, covering her ears and turning back to her. "Don't listen to them jokers, they'll lead ya astray," I rolled my eyes at them. "But you still love us!" the twins said in unison. "That's debatable," I mumbled and added, "However, they are the best pranksters ever to walk the halls of Hogwarts," finishing with another attempt at a British accent. "Not bad, Ezzy darling," Fred commented. "Are they hard, the classes?" Mackenzie asked. "At first, everythin' may be confusing, but I promise it gets easier with time and practice. A bunch of kids here start off not knowing how to do spells, but you'll pick it up," I said. "I hope I don't mess up," she said. "You'll be fine. And there's a lot of people here you can make friends with. I mean, look at me, I'm friends with those two knuckle-headed twins over there, Redhead, Four Eyes, 'n Ms. Brainiac over here," pointing to my best friends next to me. "Oi!" Ron exclaimed. "Look who's talking, Shrimp," Harry jabbed back at me. Hermione just rolled her eyes, but smiled in agreement. "Aw, shaddup," I rolled my eyes at him. I talked to Mackenzie and some of her new friends from the train for a little bit longer when the desserts appeared and directed her to the Gryffindor Prefect while the rest of us went to go talk to Hagrid for a little while.
"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione beamed. "'Twas Dumbledore's idea. Still can't believe meself…he came down to me hut an' asked me if I wanted the job after Professor Kettleburn had enough…great man, Dumbledore," Hagrid explained and was very excited. "Can't wait for our first class with you, Professor Hagrid," I said. "Aw, shucks," Hagrid went red in the face a little bit. Then McGonagall shooed us away to go to our dorms.
The staircase leading to one of the hallways switched its position and led us straight to Gryffindor Tower, where the Fat Lady picture was guarding the entrance. "Fortuna Major," Seamus said the password. She didn't even hear him and was attempting to sing high opera notes in order to shatter a glass she was holding. "She won't let me in," Seamus complained. "Fortuna Major," Harry tried again. "Wait, wait! Watch this," the Fat Lady objected before trying to break the glass again, but this time, she practically shrieked the notes out in a tone-deaf way! Seamus, Harry, Dean, Neville, Ron, and I had to cover our ears so we wouldn't go deaf from her screeching, as well as the nearby pictures. In a desperate, but obvious way, she broke the glass against the column behind her. "Amazing, just my voice!" she boasted. "You wish!" I muttered under my breath and added, "Now for the last time, Fortuna Major!" "Yes alright, go in," she huffed, letting us through. "Crazy woman," I said, loud enough for her to hear before she could shut the door on me. I rushed up to the room that I shared with the Patil twins, Hermione, and Lavender that was labeled "Third Years." I got ready for bed as fast as humanly possible, stroked Polaris as a goodnight gesture, with him pecking at my ear as to say goodnight, and fell in to a dreamless sleep.