Disclaimer: See Chapter 1!

Our stay at Leaky Cauldron was a ready relief. After all the craziness that had occurred that one night at the Dursleys I was happy to be back in the world where you could talk about you're homework without being scared someone will over hear you. I slept late everyday and by the time I was awake Harry had already left. We had gotten our money the first day along with our supplies and since then Harry could be found walking around the streets or at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. I on the other hand could be found at sitting at various benches sketch or perhaps reading a book. On the last day of the holidays I was sitting at the bar in the Leaky Cauldron sketching the scene around me when I heard people walk in. I glanced up from the witch with a glass of wine I was drawing to see who it was. A smile lit my face as I saw Harry with Ron and Hermione walk in talking and laughing. I slid the sketch into my folder and in turn stuck the folder in my bag. I stood up and ran over to my friends and hugged both of them smiling.

"How are you guys?" I asked hugging Ron, who looked very freckled.

"We're good you?" Hermione asked.

"Peachy! I'm so happy to see you. What a summer we've had. I mean between Ron shouting over the phone and Harry blowing up our Aunt, well there's just been no down time." I said in a mock tone of seriousness. Then I spotted the cat Hermione held in her arms. "Uhhh Hermione? Is that a baby tiger?" I asked.

"No. It's a cat. His name is Crookshanks." She said matter of factly.

"Right. Anyway, is anyone else hungry? I'm starving."

"Hannah, you haven't eaten in a week. Of course you're going to be starving." Harry said rolling his eyes. And it was true. I hadn't eaten much in the past week. Don't ask me why because I have no idea. Just then Mr. Weasley looked down the stairs a Daily Prophet under his arm.

"Harry! Hannah! How are you two?" He asked in his jolly tone.

"Fine thanks." Harry said.

"Peachy." I replied for the second time that day, getting a look from Hermione. "I'm gonna run up stairs to drop off my bag. I'll be right back." I headed upstairs as Harry asked about Sirius Black then all sound was muted. I set bag on my dresser and looked in the mirror. My heart was going a bit faster than it had been earlier and I knew why. Seeing Ron registered the fact that his older brother would be here too. I pulled my hair up letting my bangs fall gently across my forehead and cheek. I looked at reflection and noticed something. I was finally to look less of a stick. I had some…curves where I had just been straight before. That was a definite improvement but it wasn't much.

"This is as good as it is going to get I guess." I muttered.

"He'll love it dear." My mirror responded.

"Right." I turned and walked down the stairs to see Fred shaking his mother's hand with over the top enthusiasm and Percy looking burned. I bit back a laugh at Percy's pompous expression and slid into the group.

"Second Head Boy in the family!" Mrs. Weasley said proudly as I approached.

"And last." Fred muttered.
"Well no doubt there! You two haven't made Prefects!" She huffed.

"Who'd want to be? It takes the fun out of life." George countered.

"Fine example you set for your little sister."
"Don't worry mother. Ginny had other brother's to look to." Percy said in a haughty voice that made me laugh before I could catch it. The entire Weasley family, plus Harry and Hermione turned to look at me.

"Sorry." I said quietly.

"Hannah, how are you? Enjoy your holidays?" Mrs. Weasley asked, moving to hug me.
"As much as I could being at the Dursleys." I said with a smile. She smiled back but it was a strained sort of smile that sent a red flag up in the back of my head. Something was up but I couldn't place it.

Dinner that night was enjoyable. Three tables were pushed together so the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and I could sit together. Each one of the five courses was delicious and the conversation around the table never seemed to cease.

"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow dad?" Fred asked as we started in on the amazing looking chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry is providing cars." Mr. Weasley replied. We all looked at him questioningly.

"Why?" Percy asked.

"There for you Perce," George said seriously, "They'll have flags on the hood with HB on them---"
"---for Humongous Bighead." Fred finished. I chocked on my water and everyone else, except Mrs. Weasley and Percy, snorted into their puddings. Fred and George smacked me on the back which only made me cough more.

"Guys stop." I said through coughs and they obeyed.

"Why is the Ministry sending cars Father?" Percy asked again smugly.

"Well, err…seeing as we haven't got one anymore….and I work there they are doing us a, uhh favor." Mr. Weasley stammered out, but I noticed is ears were turning red just like Ron's did when under pressure. Thankfully Mrs. Weasley spoke up letting her husband breathe.

"Good thing too! Imagine what a sight you'd be on the Underground." She shook her head as if to clear the image. "You're all packed aren't you?"

"Ron isn't. He's dumped all his new things on my bed." Percy said.

"God Percy, is there anything that can't be perfect around you?" I asked. He glared at me but turned back to his mother. The git.

"Well you better go pack properly; we won't have much time in the morning." Mrs. Weasley said looking sternly at Ron who was glaring at Percy. After that dinner was done. We all headed to our rooms to finish packing. Since I was done I followed Hermione to hers and helped her pack.

"How many subjects are you taking again?" I asked as I handed her book after book.

"I'm not sure. Quite a few." She said thoughtfully.

"Well thank you Captain Obvious. I never would have guessed." She rolled her eyes in exasperation but I noticed a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "God, I'm so glad to be going back."

"I know what you mean. As much as I love my parents they don't get it. They don't understand what it's like."

"I know." I heard muffled shouts from somewhere down the hall but didn't really want to go find out what was up. "So Percy, Head Boy. Wow, as if he wasn't enough of a hot head."
"I know. But we do have to listen to him and respect him."

"Respect? He's done nothing to gain my respect." Hermione looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "If someone wants me to respect them then they should prove they should be you know?" Hermione just shook her head and kept packing. "Whatever. I'm gonna head to bed. Night Hermione."

"Night Hannah." I walked to my room passing the twins who were grinning from ear to ear and I didn't want to know why. I changed into my p.j.'s and crawled into bed thinking of the coming year at Hogwarts and finally drifting into a restful sleep.

I woke the next morning with 15 minutes to get ready before we had to leave. I took the fastest shower of my life and ran down the stairs with my hair still pretty much soaking to see all of our trunks being loaded into the cars the Ministry had sent. I realized everyone was already in the cars so I hoped in one and ended up sitting next to Ginny. The ride to King's Cross was quite, that is after Mrs. Weasley lectured me about walking about in the cold September air with wet hair. Once we reached the station, Mr. Weasley walked right, and I mean right, next to Harry until we reached the barrier.

"Alright, let's go in pairs as there are so many of us. I'll go with Harry first." HE took Harry's trolley and leaned casually against the barrier, falling through. Percy and Ginny were next followed by Mrs. Weasley and Hermione, the twins then me. I walked through the barrier and saw the sparkling scarlet steam engine that would take us to Hogwarts. We loaded our trunks and the twins took off in one direction, Percy in another. I was about to board when Mrs. Weasley grabbed my arm.

"Hannah dear, will you give these to Fred and George? They left them in the car next to me." She asked giving me an armful of books.

"Of course." I replied taking them and once more trying to board the train.

"Oh and Hannah?"

"Yeah?"

"Be safe." I smiled at her and noticed she looked worried.

"I will Mrs. Weasley. I promise." I jumped on board, balancing the books and headed to find Hermione, Ron and Harry. I finally did find them and we found an almost empty compartment. The only person in the compartment was a Professor R. J. Lupin.

"Guess that's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher huh?" I asked.

"Has to be." Hermione replied.

"How do you know?" Ron demanded.

"Because there is only on open teaching position at Hogwarts." She said impatiently.

"And that's DADA." I finished.

"Oh. Got it. Anyway, Harry what did you want to tell us?" He asked Harry who was staring out the window.

"Huh? Oh well, it's just that."

"Sometime today would be nice Harry." I said.

"Shut up. Anyway it's just that, Sirius Black is out to get me." It went so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Pardon?" I asked looking at Harry who suddenly looked sick.

"Yeah well you see, he was Voldemort's right hand man and wound up in Azkaban after Voldemort disappeared. Everyone reckons that he wants to kill me seeing as I'm the downfall of Voldemort."

"Oh, wow. Okay then. That explains why Fudge wouldn't sign your Hogsmeade slip." I said and Harry nodded sadly.

"Harry you mustn't go looking for trouble!" Hermione said looking extremely pale.

"I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble looks for me!"

"Plus why would harry want to go looking for someone who wants to kill him?" Ron asked. Just then the witch with the food cart arrived. Harry bought some cauldron cakes and I bought some chocolate frogs.

"Should we wake him up?" Ron asked looking at Professor Lupin, "He looks like he could use some food." And that he did. He was skinny pale and his robes were in tatters.

"Don't worry dear; if he wakes up and is hungry I'll be in the front with the driver." With that she set off down the hall.

"Oh man!" I said catching sight of the books I was supposed to give to Fred and George, "I'll be right back okay? I need to give these to the twins." I stood up and set off down the corridor passing Malfoy and his body guards on the way. Thankfully he didn't say anything to me, most likely saving it for Harry and Ron, his two favorite victims. I walked along the corridor looking through all the compartments for the one I needed to find. Finally at the end of the train I found Fred and George sitting with their best friend, Lee Jordan.
"Hey." I said sliding the compartment door open, leaning casually against the frame. The three fifth years looked at me for a moment like I was from another universe.

"Hey Hannah." Lee finally said.

"Hey Lee, how were your holidays?"

"Pretty good. Boring without any Quidditch games that required my commentary but I lived." He said jokingly.

"I can see that. Anyway, Fred, George, these are from your mother." I dropped the books on the seat next to George, "She says to not forget them a second time."

"Oh. Thanks." George said lacking any kind of real thanks.

"Geez George don't be so happy. You're draining my energy." I said looking from one twin to the next. Before I could ask what was up when the train slowed and came to a jerky halt. The lights went out as I fell forward into the compartment. I felt a pair of arms pulling me up right and sitting me in a seat.

"Uhhh thanks." I said to whoever it was.

"Anytime." Replied a voice that had to be Fred. Just then the compartment door opened again and in fell Draco Malfoy.

"Oh for Merlin's sake." I muttered just loud enough for Fred to hear.

"What's going on?" George asked through the darkness.

"I don't know. But it can't be good." Lee answered. Just then everything went cold. I could suddenly see my breath in the low light and my skin was covered in goose bumps. I moved closer to Fred and tried to see into the corridor. Then for a third time the compartment door slid back and a dark figure filled the doorway. The last little bit of warmth that had still been in the compartment was gone along with every happy memory. Everything, that I could see through the low light, got fuzzy and I started to shake then a voice entered my head. A terrified scream then a flash of light and quiet.

"I can't. Not you." A cool voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

"Hannah. Hannah!" A different voice called. Someone was shaking me and then I opened my eyes. I was on the floor of the compartment with Fred, George, and Lee clustered around me. Draco stood off to the side.

"What, what happened?" I asked

"You fainted." Fred said looking worried.

"What was that thing?"

"An Azkaban guard." An icy voice said. I looked at Draco and wondered why his voice sounded so much like the one I had just heard. "A dementor."

"What the hell was it doing here?" George asked. Draco shrugged.

"Beats me. But did you really just faint Potter?" He asked trying for malice and not quite succeeding.

"Yeah I did. But I'm not the one who came running in here like an idiot am I?" I snapped back.

"Don't dementors suck out all your happy memories leaving you with your worst ones?" Lee asked changing the subject. Draco nodded. We all looked at each other with something like fear or wonderment.

"Who screamed?" I asked suddenly.

"Come again?" Fred and George said.

"Someone screamed and then there was another voice…." I trailed off at the looks the four boys were giving me. "Never mind. I'm gonna head back to my compartment and make sure everything is okay there." Without another word I ran back to the compartment where my best friends were. I slid the door open and walked in on shaky legs and sat next to Harry who looked awful.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. You?"

"Besides the screaming in my head and the creepy voice, and passing out, I'd say I'm great." He looked at me in awe. "What?"

"Minus the creepy voice the exact thing happened to me."

"Well isn't that comforting?" a soft clearing of a throat made me turn towards the window where Professor Lupin stood with a bar of chocolate.

"Take a piece. It'll make you feel better." He handed me a piece of chocolate and I took it looking him in the eyes wondering if possibly this years DADA would be better. As he met my eyes though he froze and his face was an expression of shock that he quickly recovered from.

"Thanks." I said eating the chocolate. Instantly warmth flooded my veins and I felt so much better. "Proof that chocolate is good for you." Professor Lupin smiled at me then turned to Harry.

"You sure you're alright Harry?" He asked. Harry nodded and the Professors gaze was back on me. "And you Hannah?" I looked at him wondering how he knew my name but nodded without asking. "Good. We should be there soon. I'm going to speak with the driver." And with that he left.

"I don't get it…what happened?" Harry asked as soon as Professor Lupin was gone.
"Well that thing, the dementor looked at you, well I think it did and you…you…" Hermione began.

"You fell out of your seat and went rigid and started to twitch. I though you were having a fit or something." Ron finished.

"Then Professor Lupin stepped over you and said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our robes, you may go.' And when it didn't he muttered something and a silver thing flew out of his wand and the dementor left."

"Sound better than what happened in our compartment." I said.

"What exactly happened?" Harry asked.

"Well I was just standing at the door talking with Lee and Fred and George, and then the train jolted and flew into the compartment. Then it went dark and I managed to grab a seat and then the dementor came in and next thing I knew I was on the floor looking at Fred, George and Lee."

"Ah." Harry said.

"Yeah. Anyway, besides Harry anyone else fall off their seat or start shaking?" I asked.

"No. Ginny was shaking but that's all." Neville, who I hadn't seen before now, answered. Lupin was back and told us that it would be ten minutes till we reached Hogwarts. WE didn't talk much on the rest of the trip and when the train stopped in Hogsmeade we were happy to get out. We hopped in a carriage and set off towards school. AS we reached the gates I saw two dark hooded figures floating on either side of it. I closed my eyes and thought of the happiest memory I had and didn't open them again till we were past it. Once the carriage stopped, Ron and Hermione stepped out first then Harry and then me.

"You fainted Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" Draco Malfoy asked as he made his way through the crowd towards us.

"Ignore him Harry." I muttered.

"Shove off Malfoy." Ron snarled.

"Did you faint too Weasley? Did the scary old dementor scare you?"

"Is there a problem?" asked Professor Lupin who had just gotten out of the next carriage.

"Oh---uh—no Professor." Malfoy said with a hint of sarcasm. I rolled my eyes and pushed Harry forward walking away.

"At least he didn't call for his mummy." I snapped. He glared at me but let me pass without a word.

As we walked through the doors of Hogwarts I felt my face light up in a smile. I loved this place and I actually belonged. Before I could add to my list a sharp voice caught my ear.

"Potter! Granger! I need to speak with you." Professor McGonagall called over the crowd. Harry and Hermione headed towards her and I went with Ron. "Hannah! I need you too!" I froze in pure shock causing Fred to run into me. I was never the one anyone needed to talk to. It was always Harry. I picked my way through the crowd to her and she led us to her office. We sat down in the chairs facing her desk and she began.

"Professor Lupin already owled us and said you'd taken ill on the train Potter." She stated, "Both of you." Before either of us could say anything there was a soft knock and Madam Pomfrey bustled in.

"Oh. It's you two. Been doing something dangerous?" She asked looking at harry, "Or get hit with something?" She said this time at me and I felt my face get hot. "Sending dementors around the school. They won't be the last to collapse mark my words. Yes, they are all clammy. Awful, especially to the already delicate---"

"I'm NOT delicate!" We both said.

"Of course you're not." Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly.

"What does he need? Bed rest? Perhaps he should spend tonight in the hospital wing?" Professor McGonagall asked in her sharp voice.

"But Professor Lupin already gave us some chocolate on the train!" Harry said.

"And there are two of us. Not just him." I pointed out. Plus the image of having to spend the first night in the hospital wing was awful.

"We finally have a Defense teacher who knows his remedies. Excellent." Madam Pomfrey went on as if I hadn't spoken.

"Are you sure you two are alright?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes." We chimed simultaneously.

"Well then, kindly step out while I have a word with Miss. Granger. And so we did.

"Great way to start off the year eh?" I asked. Harry just looked at me and sighed. "Oh, I get it. Because you've got some madman out to get you, you can be all 'Woe is me' now right?"

"Shut up Hannah."

"Fine." I walked away from him down the hall and as soon as the door opened to the office, and Hermione and Professor McGonagall came out we went to the feast. As we reached the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick was carrying a stool and tattered old hat out.

"Oh," Hermione whispered, "We've missed Sorting." I nodded and we quickly and quietly slipped into our seats that Ron had saved for us.

"What was that about?" he asked. But before Harry could explain Professor Dumbledore stood and began his speech.

"Welcome! 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." Anytime now, I thought. "As you will all be aware after the searching 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 and while they are with us I must make it plain that no body is to leave this school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises, or even Invisibility Cloaks." He added flatly. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I all looked at each other then at our plates knowing he was talking to us. "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 no students run afoul of the dementors." Percy swelled with pride and I caught Ron rolling his eyes. "On a happier note, I and pleased to introduce two new members to our staff. One being Professor Lupin who has agreed to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts." There was scattered unenthusiastic applause but all of us who had been in his compartment clapped loudly.

"And second is our own Hagrid who will be taking charge of Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Kettleburn has retired to enjoy his remaining limbs." The entire Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and applause as Hagrid turned bright red. It made sense really. Who else would give us a biting book? "Well I think that's all of importance. Now let the feast begin."

A/K: Okay. Sorry it took so long and a heads up it will take a while for the next one. I leave for Germany tomorrow (YIKES) and so…yeah. Anyway I'll come back and jump right back on it. Thanks and please review!