THE DEMENTOR ATTACK
Natasha was woken up by Hermione the next morning. She got ready really fast, and the girls were going down to have breakfast, when Ron came out of his room looking irritated. "The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."
"I have to tell you guys something.", Natasha said to her three friends as she saw Ginny going a bit far. But then Fred and George came out of Ron's room and Natasha decided to tell them afterwards. When they went down for breakfast, Natasha found that others were already there. Mrs. Weasley made them sit around the table and Mr. Weasley was sitting and reading the paper.
"What were you saying?", Hermione asked Natasha as they sat down. "Later,", Natasha muttered as Percy stormed in.
Natasha had no chance to speak to the other three in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly. Hermione had managed to buy a pet cat the day they went to whom she named as Crookshanks. Hermione and Simran thought it was a cute name but Ron thought it otherwise. From the very beginning, Crookshanks seemed to have developed a hatred towards Ron's rat Scabbers. Natasha did not find this abnormal as cats always chased rats. But Ron hated the cat anyways.
"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."
"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?". He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.
"I am sure that Scabbers will be alright, Ron. I am sure that Hermione can make him behave.", Simran said.
"Yeah Ron. I am sure that, we can find a way.", Natasha agreed. Ron just huffed.
Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.
"They're here, he said. "Come on people.". Mr. Weasley marched all of them across the short stretch of pavement toward two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.
"In you get, Natasha," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.
Natasha got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Simran, and, Ginny while the boys went to the other one. The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Natasha noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.
Natasha saw that, Mr. Weasley was walking very close to Natasha. "Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Natasha.".
Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Natasha's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Natasha, he leaned casually against the barrier. Natasha imitated him. She knew that, it must be a way to get into the platform without them noticing. In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.
Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Natasha. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run. They were followed by Ron and Simran then Fred and Hermione then Mrs. Weasley and George. "Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again.
Natasha saw Simran and Ron exchanging glances and turning away to hide their laughter. Natasha and Hermione just giggled at their interaction. Natasha and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione and Simran and finally Natasha. She was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave her an extra hug. "Do take care, won't you Natasha?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron...no, they're not corned beef.". Simran's face showed disgust at the mention of Beef. Natasha knew that, according to her culture Beef was something that she couldn't eat.
"Natasha," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."
He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Natasha followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.
"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave -" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.
"It's OK. Mr Weasley. I know that Black is after me. I mean I guessed it. The way the minister said me, it was apparent that he was lying.", Natasha said, not wanting to admit that he was eavesdropping.
"Ohk. But how did you guess that, I was going to say about this?", Mr. Weasley asked.
"Lucky guess, I think.", Natasha said. But Mr. Weasley looked unconvinced.
"Natasha, you must be scared - "
"I'm not," said Natasha sincerely. "Really," he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"
Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.
"Natasha, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but -"
"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"
"She's coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Natasha and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word -"
" - that I'll be a good girl and stay in the castle?" said Natasha gloomily. "I hope to go to Hogsmeade, please!"
"That is ok, Natasha. As long as you stay safe. I just want you to make a promise.", Mr. Weasley said.
"Promise me, Natasha," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens don't go looking for black -"
"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Natasha blankly. She still felt that, there was something people hiding from them.
"Swear to me that whatever you might hear -", continued.
"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.
Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Natasha ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let her on. Simran and Hermione looking at her demanding answers with their expressions.
"We need to have a private talk about something.", Natasha said looking at them.
The four of them went down the corridor looking for an empty compartment and found it at the very end. The compartment had only one occupant inside who was sleeping next to the window. The four of them checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. Natasha recognized him as her DADA teacher who came after Lockhart the previous year.
"Isn't that Professor Lupin?", Simran asked looking at the professor.
"Yeah. He is. I wonder what he is doing in the train.", Hermione said.
"Maybe he is a bit late in joining the staff at Hogwarts.", Ron said. The professor was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.
"What did dad tell you, Natasha?", Ron asked.
Natasha explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given her. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck. Simran was also looking horrified and worried, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "So, what we thought was actually true? You mean that, he is actually after you?"
"How thick would Natasha have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill her? said Simran shakily.
"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."
"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too..."
"But if he is a really dangerous and cunning, I think it will be a really difficult to catch him.", Simran said. "and that too, if he comes in front of no-majs, they will not have any defence , will they?"
"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.
A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.
"It's coming from your trunk, Natasha," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Natasha's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.
"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Simran interestedly, standing up for a better look. "in my first school, one of my classmates who was very paranoid had this thing."
"Yeah...mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Natasha."
"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?", asked Natasha shrewdly.
"No! Well...I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys...but how else was I supposed to get Natasha's present to her?"
"Stick it back in the trunk," , Natasha advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up. I don't want to get into detention first day only."
"I don't think that, teachers will give punishment for waking them up.", Hermione said.
"Snape certainly would.", Simran commented.
Ron gave the Sneakoscope to Natasha who stuffed the Sneakoscope into one of her robes, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.
"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."
"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"
"Are you serious? Is that the only complete wizard settlement in the country? There are many in each state of India.", Simran asked.
"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"
"What's that?", asked Natasha wanting to know about the places they could go.
"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything...Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next."
"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -".
"-and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying. Simran was just looking at the three of them as they spoke, having absolutely no idea what was being spoken.
And thus, a long discussion began about Hogsmeade and the places that they can visit.
Hermione was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as they finished talking.
"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away. Simran caught it in her hand, and was looking angrily at Ron for it.
"Get out of it!"
"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.
Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.
The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. Natasha was very confused by the cat's behaviour. It was true that, cats didn't like rats but Crookshanks looked like he wanted to kill the rat at that very moment though it had just eaten some biscuits.
At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.
"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."
Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.
"Er - Professor?" she said. "Excuse me - Professor?"
He didn't move Natasha might have thought that he was dead, if not for the steady breathing that he had.
"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."
"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean - he hasn't died, has he?"
"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Natasha passed her.
"Why does he have so many scars in his face?", Simran asked.
"I have no idea. He did have these scars when he came last year, didn't he?", Natasha asked.
"Yeah I think so. I mean we didn't see him this close before, did we?", Ron said.
"I do hope that, he is alright.", Ron said with a final look at him. But Natasha had a small feeling. The professor seemed a bit more familiar now. It was as though she had seen him somewhere outside of Hogwarts. She had gotten the same type of feeling about black when she was going through the Diagon Alley. She just dismissed the feeling and continued on with her lunch.
Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and three people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Draco Malfoy was the first student that Natasha met and introduced to in the wizarding world. She had a complicated thing with Draco Malfoy while the other three hated him to the core. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms. Natasha completely hated the two, even more after the fact that she had to turn into one of them using the Polyjuice potion the last year.
"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Weasel and his friends along with someone who certainly has nothing there.". Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.
"Be nice Draco.", said Natasha but she knew that, he was doing all this because he had to put up an appearance in front of others. But she still hated it when he did that.
"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"
Natasha was now getting angry. There was a limit to everything. Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort.
Draco then noticed the adult who was present in the compartment. "That's a teacher, isn't it?", he asked to Natasha.
"New teacher," said Simran, who got to her feet, too, in case she needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?". Draco's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. Natasha was relieved at this, as she did not want a fight even before the school began.
"C'mon,", he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. Simran and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.
"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -"
Ron made a violent gesture in midair. "Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful..."
"You both really should try and stop fighting every time you both see each other, you know.", Natasha said to Ron. "I know that, your both families have some kind of feud between you both, but we are just thirteen and young for all this for god's sake."
"I will it when he stops it. I still don't know, why you are being nice to him sometimes.", Ron said.
"He is not bad all the time you know. He can be good sometimes.", Natasha said. Ron wanted to argue more but kept quiet.
The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.
"We must be nearly there. Forests are becoming less and less dense." said Simran, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. The words had hardly left her when the train started to slow down.
"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."
"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.
"So why're we stopping?", Natasha asked, they had to change their robes fast, if they were nearly there.
The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.
Natasha, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.
The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.
"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Natasha.
"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"
Natasha felt his way back to his seat.
"D'you think we've broken down?", Simran asked. "Do you think this happens often? This train is supposed to be running on magic, isn't it?"
"I have absolutely no idea. But by the looks of other students, this is absolutely not normal.". Natasha said.
There was a squeaking sound, and Natasha saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.
"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."
"But who can that be? It can't be students who missed the train! Didn't you guys come directly come to the castle last year, when you missed the train?", Simran asked.
"Yeah. Then who can these people be?", Ron wondered.
The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Natasha's legs.
"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -"
"Hullo, Neville. Next time please be more careful" said Natasha clutching her legs. Ron somehow searched for Neville in the dark, and pulled him up.
"Natasha? Is that you? What's happening, and who just pulled me?", Neville asked.
"No idea! It was Ron. Sit down. -" , Natasha said.
There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.
"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Natasha felt her pass, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.
"Who's that?"
"Who's that?"
"Ginny?"
"Hermione?"
"What are you doing?"
"I was looking for Ron. I have no idea, how I made it here. Any idea what's going on?", Ginny said.
"Come and sit down. Even we are totally blank about this.", Simran said. Natasha felt Ginny moving. "Ouch!" said Neville.
"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.
Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Natasha could hear movements in her corner. None of them spoke. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. Natasha thought that, it was a nice trick.
They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.
"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.
But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.
Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Natasha's eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water. Natasha felt totally sick and cold. it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Natasha's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.
And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings. Natasha felt her own breath catch in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart. Natasha felt as though she was completely consumed by the cold and as though it was dragging her down. She then heard screams, terrible screams of what seemed to be women's from far and she completely blacked out.
"Natasha! Natasha! Are you all right?"
Someone was slapping her face. "W-what?"
Natasha opened her eyes; there were lanterns above her, and the floor was shaking - the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Her three friends were kneeling next to her, and above them she could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Natasha felt very sick; when she put up her hand to feel her forehead, she felt cold sweat on her face.
Simran and Hermione heaved her back onto her seat.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously who also looked really sick. He looked sicker than the rest of the others.
"Yeah," said Natasha, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"
"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still. Natasha looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at her, Neville was looking awfully pale nearly as much as Ron.
"But I heard screaming -" . A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.
"Here,", he said to Natasha, handing her a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."
Natasha took the chocolate but didn't eat it. "What in the world was that- that thing?", she asked, but she had a suspicion on what it actually was.
"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."
Everyone stared at her. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. Natasha felt even more sick, as she realized what had attacked her. "Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."
Her friends helped her up as she ate the chocolate. It felt really good and she was glad to have one.
"We have got to change our clothes. I think we are nearly there.", Hermione said. The boys went out so that the girls could change to the toilets.
"Are you sure you're okay, Natasha?" said Simran, watching Natasha anxiously as they changed.
"I don't get it ... what happened?" said Natasha, wiping more sweat off her face.
"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around - and you - you -" , Ginny said.
"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Hermione, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching -"
"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."
"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?", said Natasha awkwardly.
"No," said Simran. "Ron was shaking like mad, though. I think you both were the one most affected."
"Even Neville looked bad.", Ginny added.
As soon as they finished changing, they let the boys back inside.
They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.
"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. The four friends turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.
"All right, you Four?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. They then followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Natasha could only assume, by an invisible horse.
The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Natasha felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. The other three kept looking at her sideways, as though frightened she might collapse again. As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Natasha saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. She wondered what they were doing at Hogwarts. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione, Ron and Simran got out.
Natasha waited for another student to go out, but then before she could reach her other friends she was swarmed by the other students. When she got out, someone muttered into her ear, "Are you alright? I heard from others that you fainted."
Natasha turned and saw Draco. "I feel alright, Draco. The Professor saved me and gave me chocolate.", she said.
Draco just nodded and joined his cronies. Natasha rushed to find her friends and found them waiting near the entrance.
"Where were you, Natasha?", Simran asked worriedly.
"I was just swarmed by people.", Natasha said as the four of them went inside.
Natasha had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"
Natasha and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. "Move along there, Weasley and Ms Simran."
Ron and Simran stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Natasha and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. "Do you think, they are in some trouble?", Ron asked.
"No way. I don't think they did anything wrong.", Simran said.
Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Natasha and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter."
Before Natasha could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.
Natasha felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that she'd passed out, or whatever she had done, without everyone making all this fuss.
"I'm fine," she said, "I don't need anything. The Professor gave us-"
"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at her. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"
"Its not my Fault, Madam Pomfrey.", Natasha defended herself.
"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.
They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. "Setting Dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Natasha's hair and feeling her forehead. "She won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate -"
"I am not delicate!", Natasha protested.
"Of course, you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking her pulse.
"What does she need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should she perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"
"I'm fine!" said Natasha jumping up.
"Well, she should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Natasha's eyes.
"I've already had some," said Natasha. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us. That made us feel very better.", she said.
"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"
"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.
"Yes," said Natasha.
"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."
Natasha went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. Natasha wondered what did the professor mean by fixing. Hermione had taken all the classes, which Natasha knew was impossible to accommodate. She hoped that, McGonagall persuaded Hermione to drop some classes. She had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.
It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.
"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"
The two of them went and sat next to Ron and Simran who had saved them seats. As soon as they came, Simran shifted place to one beside Ron. Which made Natasha giggle a little.
Natasha explained everything to Ron and Simran, and turned to Dumbledore when he came to the podium. "Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Natasha gulped. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.
Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Natasha, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. "On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to come back for the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Natasha among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.
"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Natasha's ear.
Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Natasha, who liked the potions master, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing.
Severus was once again in a bad mood. After appointing Lockhart, the last year, Dumbledore now put a werewolf as a professor. He did not mind about his posting at the end of last year, as there was no full moon approaching. But now, he has been appointed full time. The students were now in full danger of getting attacked by a werewolf. Though Severus was brewing the Wolfsbane potion, Severus did not trust the man. The main reason was that, there was two Marauders in the loose now, and the other one was a madman, whom Severus hated as much as Voldemort and James Potter. Severus had a suspicion that, Lupin maybe helping his old friend. Severus hoped that he was wrong, but he still hated the wolf.
"But he did not have a problem at the end of last year! What happened to him now?", Simran asked.
"I have no idea.", Natasha said.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Now, the four of them were stunned. They looked at each other in amazement. Natasha was really happy for the new development. Natasha knew that, Hagrid deserved this after the sad last year, where he had to go to Azkaban.
"And also, I am announcing that Hagrid will also receive classes in private as the he was found not guilty of the charges he was expelled for.", Dumbledore said with an even more bigger smile. "He will be continuing with his third-year curriculum."
That made Natasha even more happy. Natasha knew that, Hagrid was suspected for the chamber of secrets fiasco that happened fifty years ago. Now, as Hagrid was cleared of all charges he was allowed to continue his studies in some way.
Then she joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Natasha leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.
"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"
Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth. "Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Natasha, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could reach and began to eat.
It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. The four of them, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid.
At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.
"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.
"All down ter you four," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it...great man, Dumbledore...came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough...It's what I always wanted, and lettin' me continue my studies... Great man he is..."
Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.
The four of them joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"
"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"
"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.
Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. The three girls said goodnight to Rona and went to their Dormitory. Natasha climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its six four-poster beds.
"Hello girls.", Natasha said with a smile to Parvati, Lavender and Fay.
"Hello, Natasha, Hermione and Simran. I hope that you had a good vacation.", Lavender said.
"Yeah it was awesome.", Hermione and Natasha said together.
"Nīvu uttama rajadinavannu hondiddiri endu nāanu bhavisuttene (I hope that you had a good holiday)", Parvati asked to Simran.
"Haudu nānu oḷḷeyadannu hondiddēne", Simran said with a smile. ( Yes, I did have a good one.)
After talking for some time, girls went for sleep. Natasha though her mind was disturbed due to the dementor attack, slept peacefully.