xxmrsradcliffexx: Okay! Lets see who's doing the disclaimer today!
dark: I know I know! ((pulls a piece of paper from a hat)) Bill!!!
xxmrsradcliffexx: ... ...((mumbles)) I wanted Fred and George...
dark: ((laughs)) It's a lucky draw ya know! ((hides the fact that the hat only contained Bill's name))
Bill: O.O Riight...
xxmrsradcliffexx: Oh just get it over with...((sulks in the corner))
Bill: All right. Harry Potter does not belong to Maidendark or xxmrsradcliffexx, it belongs to JK Rowling.
dark: Righto! Lets get on with it!
xxmrsradcliffexx: ((glomps Bill and mumble somemore))
Bill: Err...???
Chapter 2: Dementors
"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed, as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking seats furthest away from the window.
"Professor R.J.Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.
"How'd you know that?"
"It's on his case," replied Hermione, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name 'Professor R.J.Lupin' was stamped across one corner in the peeling letters.
After a few more minutes of talking about the Professor on board, Harry launched into the story where Mr Weasley had told him not to go looking for Black, and where Ron had said Harry wouldn't be thick enough to go after a nutter who was after him. Hermione was dead worried for Harry, and he wasn't expecting them to take the news so hard.
"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban." Said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done that 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…"
Before she could continue, a sound came from Harry's trunk, and when they checked, the Pocket Sneakscope was spinning fast as Ron held it in his palm. Ron said that maybe it was broken, as no one was doing anything untrustworthy in the compartment, and that it was like that too when he sent it to Harry using Errol. He later on admitted, after being questioned by Hermione, that he wasn't suppose to be using Errol, so maybe that's why it kept spinning.
Talking about it suddenly moved to the topic of Hogsmeade, which Harry had explained that Uncle Vernon did not signed the permission slip, as he ran away after blowing up Aunt Marge. Hermione had gotten to explain the history of Hogsmeade, when she decided to let Crookshanks, the cat she bought at Diagon Alley out. Ron had prostested, but she didn't listen. At one o'clock the plump witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door. Ron asked whether it would be a good idea to wake the Professor up, but he didn't stir when Hermione called him. The witch said not to worry, and that if he was hungry when he woke up, she would be up front with the driver. Professor Lupin might not have been a good company, but he being in the same compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Gole.
"Well, look who it is," said the blond haired boy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and Weasel."
Harry and Ron glared at him, while Hermione snorted.
"Heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley, did your mother die of shock?"
Before Ron could stand up, or Harry restrain him, another voice came in.
"Actually ferret, my mother was really happy." Samantha said, venom lacing her voice and her silver eyes now blazing with anger.
Draco cocked his eyebrow, smirking down at the girl who was at least a head shorter. A sapphire haired girl stood beside her, glaring silently at the three too. Then they heard a snort.
"Who's that?" Draco said, taking an automatic step backwards as he spotted Lupin.
"New teacher." Said Harry, who had gotten to his feet too, in case things got ugly. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"
Draco's eyes narrowed, he wasn't a fool enough to pick a fight under a teacher's nose. Samantha smirked, and Hermione smiled.
"Better get going ferret, wouldn't want to get detention on your first day now, would you?" she said, as Draco turned his heels and stalked of, Crabbe and Goyle behind him. She then turned to the golden trio, who were staring at her.
"Well, I came to see if Ron wanted his rat tonic," she said, holding up a bottle. Ron nodded and took it, smiling.
"Thanks Sam."
She grinned, and waved, proceeding back to their compartment with Alice behind her. Just as she passed by another few compartment, the train slowed and the lights dimmed. She glanced around to see a lot of heads poking out the compartment doors.
"Are we there already?" she asked, startled. Alice frowned and checked her watch.
"We can't be, it's still too early…" she muttered, whipping out her wand. Samantha followed suit and they continued to walk, ignoring all the puzzled faces looking up and down. As Samantha was about to slid their compartment door open, Alice pulled her shirt back, so that she was behind her.
"Shh…" she hissed, as she held her wand high. Her other hand moved slowly to the door, sliding it open quietly, and she ushered Samantha in. "It comes…"
When Samantha open her mouth to ask what had come, a cold feeling swept over her, drowning out her hearing and sight. She faintly saw Alice whipped her head and called out, but she couldn't hear, but she noticed a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling, and its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Her breath hitched and she struggled to breath, and from a distance, she heard a scream, screaming a name she was familiar with…
"AVA!!!!!!"
"Expecto Patronum!" A voice shouted, and a silvery smoke came out of a person's wand, charging down at the cloaked figure. The figure glided away as fast as it came, and a red head man burst in the compartment. Alice was shaking Samantha, who was out cold.
"Sam! Come on Sam! Wake up!"
Someone was shaking her, and it made her dizzy.
"A-Alice…?"
Samantha opened her silver eyes to meet onyx ones which were full of concern. Another person was standing at the doorway, looking relieved that both were unharmed.
"Sam, Alice…thank Merlin you both are okay…" Bill said, crouching down to his sister. Samantha stared in shock at him, wondering what he was doing here.
"Bill…? Why are you…how did you…?" she said weakly, feeling faint. Bill shook his head as he help her up to the chair. Alice sat down beside her, feeling her forehead, while Bill was digging something out of his pocket.
"I was on board as soon as the train left, I was suppose to get back using a portkey, but the lights went out before I touched it. As soon as I confirmed they were here, I rushed to find you and the others."
Bill wasn't looking at the two girls, but he was busy breaking a bar of chocolate he produced from his pocket. He handed the girls a piece each, and told them to eat it.
"It'll help with the feelings you're having now." He said, before making a move to leave. But Samantha stopped him.
"Where're you going?"
"I have to owl mum and dad about this, and I have to check up on the others." He said, before he was gone. Samantha looked annoyed that the only person she could talk to about the voice was gone, but she faced Alice and noticed she didn't show any hint of feeling faint of cold.
"Didn't you feel anything back there?" Samantha asked, taking a bite of the chocolate, which surprising made her feel warm and well.
Alice smiled weakly. "Sorry, I just don't really feel my emotions."
Samantha nodded, but tried to understand her best friend, after all Alice was a quiet girl. She never showed when she was in pain or hurt, so she thought it was best to leave her alone. Suddenly the compartment door slid opened again.
"Sam, Alice. Are you both okay?" Fred and George stood at the door, slightly panting.
"Bill told us you fainted Sam, Harry did too." Fred said, sliding the door shut as George sat down in front of the two girls.
"It's odd…I felt like…like…"
"Like you'd never be happy again., its called a Dementor." Alice finished, looking out the window. Fred and George were staring at the girl, as she was silent all the way.
"Anyway," Fred said, ending the awkward silence. "Me and George gotta change soon, and you two better too. We'll be there in about ten minutes."
Alice nodded, and Samantha just stood up, walking over to her trunk, when a thought of someone struck her.
"Hey, where's Ginny?"
Fred looked at her strangely. "She's with Ron, she went there earlier, maybe you passed her?"
Alice shook her head. "She must have been in the restroom when we walked back or something."
Alice and Samantha got off last from the Hogswarts Express, and stood at the far back of all the students. Alice was silent as she let her snowy white owl out of the cage, and it stood on her shoulder. The name of the owl was Kerial, named after her dead childhood friend in honors of him. Samantha didn't have any animals, as she told her family she didn't want one.
"Oh, there's one carriage left over there." Alice said, pointing forward. Sure enough, there was only the last carriage left, and Hagrid was gesturing for them to get in.
"Come on now you lot, in ter the carriage."
Samantha smiled at him warmly, but stood dead still at the carriage door when she saw who was inside.
"You…" she hissed, making the person turn. He looked worn out and tired, but it all vanished as soon as he saw the black haired girl.
"Merlin…don't I get enough already?" he muttered, unlike his usual self. Samantha didn't have time to retort as Alice shoved her in the carriage, and it took off.
Throughout the whole way there, no one said a word. Draco was staring out the window, while Alice had her eyes closed like she was sleeping. Samantha was drifting in and out of sleep, tired after the Dementor attack.
As the carriage came to a stop, Alice opened her onyx eyes to see Samantha sleeping. Draco had already made his way out, and his voice could be heard insulting Harry about fainting in the train. She sighed quietly, he didn't know Samantha fainted, that was enough. She gently shook her friend.
"Sam, come on. We're here…" she said, nudging her.
"Uhh…" Samantha stirred. She climbed down the carriage without looking where she was going, almost running into Bill.
"Whoa…You okay?"
She nodded, and whispered to him. "I had the dream…when the Dementor attacked…I heard…someone screaming 'Ava' this time…"
Bill's eyes widened. The Dementor effected her like it did Harry, meaning she would start remembering things more then just this. He cursed under his breath, but he turned to Samantha and tried to smile.
"It's alright. Just go to the feast won't ya? Harry and Hermione have gone off with Professor McGonagall for something I think…"
Sure enough, when Samantha turned her head to see, Harry and Hermione were trailing behind the Head of Gryffindor house. Samantha hurried over to Ron, and Alice didn't follow, instead, she went pass them but Samantha didn't notice.
The Sorting for the first years were boring to Samantha, even though she was excited when she first came, somehow the older students never found it boring for they get new friends everytime. She sighed. After the Sorting, she saw Harry and Hermione coming into the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. Harry sat beside Samantha, while Hermione beside Ron.
"What was that about?" muttered Ron to Harry.
Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the Headmaster stood up to speak, he trailed off.
"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…"
He went on about the Dementors searching the train, and how their school now had them guarding the entrance. He didn't look at all happy, and Samantha remembered how Mr Weasley had said Dumbledore wasn't happy with Dementors guarding the school. After that, he introduced two new teachers, one was of course Professor Lupin which she saw on the train, and the other one would be Professor Hagrid. They were all surprised, but happy all the same when Professor Dumbledore announced this, and cheered the loudest.
"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. Everyone could be seen helping themselves to the delicious food, but Samantha suddenly noticed that Alice was not by her at all.
"Hey…has anyone seen Alice?" she asked, looking at Harry who had his mouth full, Ron who was about to stuff his mouth with pie and Hermione who was sipping her pumpkin juice.
"I thought I saw her…" Hermione said, and Ginny cut in.
"She's down there, with Fred and George." She said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. The four looked further down the table, and sure enough Alice was sitting beside George. She looked paler then usual, and George looked like he was gonna start force feeding her if she didn't eat. Fred and Lee were having concerned expressions, while Alice tried to wave them off.
"What's wrong with her?" Samantha asked, and Ginny shrugged.
"I think the Dementors affected her."
"But she was fine just now." She said, glancing down again. Alice was leaning on George, who didn't seem to mind as he talked to Fred and Lee. She looked like she was cursing something as she held onto a piece of bread, seemingly forced to eat.
"Is she going out with George?" Hermione asked, and Ron who had his mouth full, choked, spitting out the contents. Unfortunately, Samantha was sitting in front of Ron, but she ducked in time and the food hit another unfortunate soul…
"What in Slytherin's name…"
The black haired girl glanced behind, seeing Draco Malfoy's back with the disgusting slime, she couldn't help but laugh. Harry snickered, Ginny and Hermione giggled. Luckily for Draco, no one else was paying attention to them. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to wipe of the slime, and he was glaring at the five Gryffindors.
"Weasley…" he began. "That was my bloody hair…"
Ron slapped his hand to his mouth, trying not to laugh. Draco made to whip out his wand, but at the time felt the slime clean off him. Alice stood between the tables, munching on a bread.
"Oh it's enough. I can't leave for ten minute before something happens?"
Draco grunted, and resumed his meal. Alice sighed and plopped down beside Samantha, the golden trio had resumed their meal too, while Ginny turned to Alice.
"Are you and George going out?"
Alice merely smiled, and commented on how delicious the pie was tonight. Samantha only nodded, playing along with her. Ginny gave up after a while, and thought of asking George herself later. Percy came over before everyone departed for their dormitories, telling them the password and asking how everyone was for the summer he wasn't there.
dark: And that's chapter 2!! So ... ya see the button at the bottom?? Clickkkkk...
xxmrsradcliffexx: Review or let Draco face the consequences!!!
Draco: O.o why me?
dark: ... ...cause you're a ferret! ((grins))
xxmrsradcliffexx: Suitable for dinner...((laughs evilly))
Draco: ... ... ... Help?