-CHAPTER 3-

THE DEMENTOR

The next morning Hermione awoke to a cup of tea. She hadn't slept very well in the night, as she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. She dressed hurriedly and packed her belongings into her trunk. When she, Ron and Harry reached Kings cross-station, they found they had twenty minutes to spare. Mrs Weasley suggested that they go through the barrier two at a time, as there were so many of them. Mrs Weasley went first with Harry, then Ginny and Percy, Hermione and Arthur, and finally the Weasley twins. Mrs Weasley kissed all her children, Hermione and Harry. Hermione was embarrassed, but also delighted that Mrs Weasley would treat her as one of her own. Mr Weasley took Harry behind a pillar and seemed to bring him deep into a conversation. The Weasley children and Hermione boarded the train and waited for Harry. All too soon, the train began to move, and men were starting to shut compartment doors. Harry ran towards the train and Ron threw open the door, standing back to let him on the train. Harry jumped and landed on the floor of the train with a thud.

'I need to talk to you in private,' muttered Harry to Ron and Hermione, as the train picked up speed.

'Go away Ginny!' said Ron bluntly.

Ginny stalked off in a huff. Harry, Ron and Hermione went on down the corridor in search of an empty compartment, but all were full except from one at the very end of the train. This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Ron and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts express was usually reserved for students, and so they had never seen an adult on it before, except for the witch that pushed the food trolley. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby pair 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 grey.

'Who do you reckon he is?' asked Ron, as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats furthest away from the window. Hermione could see his name printed on the trunk above his head.

'Professor R.J Lupin,' she stated.

'You really are a know-it-all!'

'It's on his case Ronald,' replied Hermione. 'He obviously teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, but it looks like one good hex would finish him off doesn't it?'

'Sirius Black escaped to come after me!' Harry said shortly. No sooner had Harry said that, the train slowed down and the compartment door opened. In the doorway stood a tall figure, with a long black cloak covering it's face. Hermione felt like all her happiest feelings were being sucked out of her, and Harry screamed, collapsing on the floor. Professor R.J Lupin's eyes flicked open, and he grasped his wand from the pocket of his robes.

'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' he shouted. A silver doe erupted out of his wand and drove the thing away. Hermione scrambled down on to the floor and began to slap Harry's face. When he had awoken, Professor Lupin broke an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces, telling them to eat it. He swiftly strode past and went to have a word with the driver.

'Dad told me about them things. They're dementors,' Ron explained. No one talked for the remainder of the journey. When they reached the castle, everyone headed off to their separate common rooms, to go to bed.