Harry and Luna met at Platform 9 3/4 early. Fenrir had Apparated the boy to the edge of Knockturn Alley early in the morning so that he could reach Muggle London via Diagon Alley. He then took public transport to get to King's Cross.
He thought he would be alone on the platform for quite a while, but that was without counting on his friend's strangeness. As if she knew he would arrive at the platform this soon, Luna arrived mere seconds after him, a wide, dreamy smile on her lips.
In fact, the magic part of the station was only staffed by the train, the conductor and the lady who took care of the candy cart, with the addition of a few Aurors, presumably stationed there because of Sirius Black. The Hogwarts Express was due to leave at eleven o'clock and the two youngsters still had at least three hours before departure.
Harry approached the driver, asking him very humbly if they could get settled already or if they still had to wait. Pleased to see such a polite young man, the driver gave him a big smile and invited him aboard, joking that they would have no trouble finding an empty compartment.
Laughing softly, Luna grabbed her friend's hand and pulled him inside a train car. The choice being vast, they chose to settle in the middle. Once their trunks were packed and on Luna's advice, Harry pulled out a book on the creatures he had bought in Knockturn while she pulled out the latest edition of The Quibbler, a journal published by her father.
The minutes passed quickly without the duo realizing it. The chapter on the darkest creatures fascinated Harry who only took his eyes off the pages the rare times when his friend's soft laugh was heard. It was a nice sound and it didn't matter that he didn't understand what made her laugh.
It was one of the times when his head was raised that Harry saw an adult walking down the hall through the door window. This one didn't look like he was in his best shape, and the scars on his face reminded him of those that adorned some members of Fenrir's pack. This kind of scars mainly concerned those who had difficulty accepting their wolf and attack themselves when in wolf form. The adult didn't stop at their compartment, continuing his way to the back of the train and Harry went back to his reading. If the man was indeed a werewolf, he would only be a problem during a full moon and therefore had no interest in him at the moment.
Another two hours passed before they felt the train leave.
- Luna, your father never waits for the train to leave?
- Hmmm? Oh no, daddy is very busy with the newspaper you know. And then we spent all our holidays together.
The girl closed her paper, starting a long discussion about all the creatures she and her father had been looking for during the holidays. Harry was fascinated by what she was saying. Certainly, none of the creatures she was talking about appeared in the books he had read, but he was convinced that everything Luna said had a bit of truth. Maybe a different name or beings only visible to those who had a special gift… Like the Thestrals could only be seen by those who witnessed death.
The journey was far from over when they felt the Hogwarts Express stop. Harry looked out the window which was beginning to frost over and saw beings in large, flowing black cloaks entering the train. He saw that Luna was starting to shake, her eyes clouding even more than usual.
Harry felt the cold settle in his body but kept his mind clear. What was happening?
He quickly found the answer, he had just read a paragraph about the creatures that had just boarded.
This sudden cold, the long black capes. No doubt they were Dementors. These creatures that feed on every joyful thought, leaving only the worst memories in the head of their victim. No wonder Luna had recommended this book to him a few hours ago.
Harry determined that the most important thing right now was to protect Luna, who seemed to be very affected by their presence. He took her in his arms, trying to warm her up and hiding her face against his chest. He felt the girl shiver in his arms, her hands grabbing his robe with all her might. He felt the first signs of anxiety dawning on him and put these feelings aside, as he knew how to do for so many others.
Looking out the door window, he saw a Dementor stop and face him. The creature seemed to stare at him, if that was possible for a being without visible eyes, and tilted its head to the side, as if taken aback. It stood like that for a few seconds before turning away and continuing on its way.
After a few seconds which seemed very long for the two young people, a bright light-blue form appeared towards the back of the train and the Dementor passed by their door, as if pushed by a wolf in silver smoke.
Immediately, the temperature seemed to rise.
The man who had passed earlier appeared at the door of their compartment which he opened suddenly.
- Here, eat this, you'll be fine.
The two thanked the man and shared the chocolate he had just offered them. They saw the adult quickly leave, continuing to distribute his "cure" to the traumatized students.
Once the door closed, Harry and Luna resumed their places on the benches.
- How are you, Luna?
- I'm... I'm fine. I hate these creatures, Harry. There are so many fantastic ones around the world, why does it have to be this one that we come across?
- I don't know Luna. What I do know, though, is that it has to do with Sirius Black. Dementors are used in Azkaban, after all.
- Probably yes…
- Are you sure you're okay? You reacted violently to its presence.
- Yes… I saw the day when mum…
- Oh Luna…
- Don't worry, the chocolate Professor Lupin gave us is working, she reassured him with a smile.
- Lupin? Aaaah, okay. Get him appointed professor, smart move.
- Yes, the King of the Mountain places his pawns with intelligence. But since the Grim is already beyond his reach, this will lead nowhere. Tell me, Harry, the Dementor doesn't do anything to you?
- Hmm… It's a bit complicated… Let's say that since I was seven years old, I manage to ignore certain things and force myself to feel other things. A bit like boxes for storing sensations and feelings, I can put them in when I don't need them and take them out when they are needed. It's more complicated than that but it's basically something I know how to do.
- Mmmm
Luna nodded gently. Feeling the train resume its journey, the two young people plunged back into their reading.
Nothing else came to interrupt them until they arrived at Hogsmeade.
.oOÔOo.
The feast at the beginning of the year did not bring any surprises. Harry already knew the identity of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, the presence of D
ementors around the castle was obvious and he didn't care about Hagrid being promoted to professor.
The new professor was staring intently at the Gryffindor table, as if looking for something there. His eyebrows furrowed as his gaze scanned the table up and down several times. He leaned over to his neighbor, Professor Flitwick who answered him jovially. It was then that Lupin's gaze wandered over to the Ravenclaw table and fixed on Harry.
Harry had watched and noted that no one had informed his father's so-called friend that he hadn't been sorted among the lions. Interesting.
Professor Snape who was seated on the other side of the Charms professor looked at the Defense professor, lips curled up in disgust. His gaze followed that of the werewolf and stopped on the young man. The disgust was still evident in his expression.
Harry sighed.
- What is it, Harry?
- Snape…
Luna turned her gaze to the potions master and nodded gently.
- I don't know what he has against me. I'm good at his subject, I'm respectful... What does he need?
Marcus Belby, a fourth-year student who was sitting nearby, turned to him.
- Don't take it personally, Potter. Snape hates everyone who isn't in Slytherin, that's for sure. Although, I must admit, he looks frankly hostile when he looks at you.
- Thank you Belby, that reassures me, answered Harry with a sincere smile.
.oOÔOo.
Snape POV
Impossible… First the offspring of James Potter and now the wolf… Teaching all these dunderheads already was torture but now…
Agreed, young Potter didn't seem to be as dumb as his father. The fact remained that he looked like him so much apart from his eyes. And again, his eyes were obscured by those horrible glasses.
Well, the kid was showing some faculties in potions but nothing exceptional either. And Severus was sure that his colleagues greatly exaggerated his abilities in other subjects. A donkey like James Potter could never father such an intelligent child, even if that child also was Lily's.
And Lupin… He didn't know what Dumbledore was playing at but he was putting the whole population of the castle in danger with him. A werewolf can't be safe in a castle full of curious teenagers, he knew that personally.
And Black escaping from Azkaban. How did this jerk manage it? No one had ever escaped from that prison! And of course, Dumbledore was counting on him to protect his precious boy. How had he managed to get him to promise to protect Potter Junior?
Well. At least he would still keep the expression the old man had had when his protege had been sorted into Ravenclaw. It had been quickly masked but his sharp eyes had seen that widening of his eyes and his mouth that had gaped slightly. He remembered this memory each time he had the urge to gut the Boy-who-Lived just for the pleasure of seeing the face of his youthful enemy contort in pain.
.oOÔOo.
The first Defense Against the Dark Arts class promised to be interesting. Professor Lupin had taken his students to the teachers' room in which there was a cupboard that seemed to quiver.
A Boggart! Harry showed his enthusiasm as did his classmates, smiling and almost bouncing in place. This creature was among the creatures described in the book he had read a few days before.
Professor Lupin, once the creature studied and the spell used against it learned, had his students line up.
Harry carefully noted in his head all the fears of his comrades. What a great way to know the weak points of others. Lupin was definitely not a Slytherin, only pure Gryffindors would think of having his students face a Boggart, as if overcoming their fear in public was a sign of their courage.
The young boy had strategically placed himself last to make sure that his comrades would be too excited by their own experience to remember what his own Boggart would show. He wondered what would happen if he put away all his fear carefully. It was an experience worth trying.
When his turn came, Harry approached. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the professor seemed to tense when he saw which student had to face the creature.
Harry moved into position, wand held tightly in his hand, his gaze determined.
The Boggart, which had the shape of a wet kitten after its encounter with the previous student, gently turned to face him. He tilted his little head and rose in the air. He seemed to swirl on himself, starting several transformations that he let go of as he went. We could make out a big arm, a dog's head, a kitchen spatula… Its whirling picked up speed with each form attempted and abandoned.
All were knocked to the ground by the force of the blast as the Boggart imploded.
Gradually, the students straightened up and sat down, staring at Harry. The professor was the last to get up and he looked around, amazed.
- I… It's… Mr. Potter…
His mouth opened and closed several times. He dismissed the students, advising a visit to the infirmary to those who were injured during their fall and asking Harry to stay.
- Mr. Potter, this is the first time I've heard of a Boggart who… self-destructs.
Harry shrugged.
- Do you have an explanation for what just happened?
- No, professor.
Another shrug.
- Hmm… Right… Thank you mister Potter, you can go.
The episode of the Boggart explosion made it to the whole school even before dinner time.
