The Dementor

Tom had woken Arthur up the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea as well. He got dressed and as he persuaded and cranky Athena to get into her cage, David barged in, putting on a blue button up shirt.

"Come on, Arthur, the sooner we get to the train, the sooner I can get away from Sam, I swear he talks about his girlfriend non stop, especially because she's Head Girl herself."

He was referencing Penelope Clearwater, a Ravenclaw student who Sam started dating the summer before Arthur's second school year.

The two boys headed down for breakfast, where Ben was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Martha was telling both Chrys and Mary about a trick she did involving a cat's tail when she was at Hogwarts, making the two girls giggle.

"There's something I need to tell you and Chrys later." Arthur whispered to David as they sat down.

"Alright." He muttered back as Sam came.

Due to all of the chaos of leaving, there wasn't a chance to talk to David and Chrys as they were all too busy heaving all of their trunks down the narrow staircase of the Leaky Cauldron and pile them up near the door, with both Athena and Apollo, Sam's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. Beside the heap of trunks is a small wickerwork basket that spits wildly.

"Calm down, boy… you'll get out when we've reached Hogwarts." Chrys cooed through the wickerwork.

Ben stuck his head inside as he had been waiting outside for the Ministry cars.

"They're here. Let's go."

Ben had marched Arthur across the short stretch of pavement to the first two of old fashioned dark green cars, each being driven by furtive looking wizards, wearing emerald velvet suits.

"In you get, Arthur." Ben then said as he glanced up and down the crowded street.

Arthur sat in the back of the car, being shortly joined by David, Chrys and Sam.

Getting to King's Cross proved to be uneventful in comparison to when Arthur was on the Knight Bus, The Ministry cars may seem ordinary but he noticed that they were able to slide through gaps that Uncle Nicholas' new company car wouldn't be able to make.


They eventually reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare and the Ministry drivers got them trollets, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats to Ben and drove off, managing to jump to the head of a still queue for the traffic lights.

Ben had kept close to Arthur's elbow all the way through the station.

"Right…" He said, glancing around them all. "...let's do it in pairs as there's too many of us. Me and Arthur will go first."

Ben strolled towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Arthur's trolley and with a meaningful look at the boy, he leaned casually against the barrier, Arthur imitating him.

In the next moment, they fell sideways through the solid metal and onto platform nine and three quarters and looked to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine that puffed smoke over a platform that was packed with witches and wizards seeing their children off onto the train.

Sam and Mary appeared after them, both panting, having taken the barrier at a run.

"I see Penelope." Sam said, smoothing himself out as his face grew pink. Both Arthur and Mary caught each other's eyes and turned away to hide their laughter at seeing Sam be flustered as he strode over to a girl with long, curly hair.

Once all of the Merlons and Chrys joined them, Arthur and Ben led the way to the end of the train, past various packed compartments to a carriage that looked empty. They all loaded their trunks onto it, stowing Athena and Crookshanks in the luggage rack and then went back outside to say goodbye to both Ben and Martha.

Martha naturally kissed her children before doing the same to Chrys and to Arthur. She even gave him an extra hug, which he appreciated.

"Make sure you take care of yourself." She told him, her eyes oddly bright. "I've made sandwiches for all of you. Yours are bacon sandwiches, Arthur. Jack…."

"Arthur, come over for a moment…." Ben said quietly. Arthur knew what he's planning to say as he jerked his head towards a pillar. Arthur followed him, leaving the others.

"There's something I need to tell you before you go to Hogwarts."

"Don't bother, I already know." Arthur stopped him from explaining.

"You… do? How?"

"I actually overheard you and Martha last night. Sorry." Arthur said, feeling a bit guilty now.

"Well, it's not really the way I'd have you find out -"

"Hey, look, it's okay. You technically wouldn't have broken your word to Fudge and I still know what's going on."

"Arthur, I know that you're probably scared -"

"The only thing I'm even close to being scared of is these guards from Azkaban. I'm not trying to be a hero. If I've faced Voldemort, there's a good chance I can face Black if that ever happens."

"Arthur, I know you're tougher than most, and I'm glad you're not scared but -"

"Ben!" Martha called out, shepherding the rest onto the train. "Hurry up! It's about to go!"

"He's coming." Ben replied, before turning back to Arthur.

"Look, you've probably heard to stay in the castle like a 'good boy' but I know you So I want you to promise me that you won't go looking for Black." He demanded, leaving Arthur truly confused.

"Wh - Why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me?" He questioned.

A loud whistle then rang loudly and guards were walking along the train, slamming the doors shut.

"Just promise me -"

"OKAY! I PROMISE! Now can I go before I don't get on the train?" Arthur cut him off, walking off back to the train, which had steam billowing out and starting to move.

Arthur ran as fast as he could to the compartment door that David flung open and stood back to let him on the train.

They all leaned out of the window and waved at Ben and Martha until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"Alright, I need to talk to you in private." Arthur muttered to both David and Chrys as the train started picking up speed.

"Mary, if you don't mind…." David said to his younger sister..

"Alright, alright…." She said as she hurried off.

The trio then set off down to a compartment that seemed empty at the very end of the train. In it was only one occupant, a man that was fast asleep next to the window.

This struck them as odd because the Hogwarts Express is usually reserved for students and they've never seen an adult there before, excluding the witch who pushed the food trolley.

Whoever this person was, they were wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes and are darned in several places. He also looked ill and exhausted, and despite being young, he had light brown hair that had flecks of grey. There were also scars that went across his face.

"Who is that?" David whispered as they all sat and slid the door shut, making sure they sat as far as possible from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin." Chrys whispered back.

"How the heck do you know that?"

"On his case." She pointed up at the luggage rack over the man's head, where a small and battered case held together with neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was of course stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Must be our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." David noted, looking at his pallid profile.

The three of them already had two Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, each only lasting a whole year, leading to rumours thinking that the job was jinxed.

"Let's just hope he's up for it. He looks like even a simple charm could take him down." Arthur commented, hoping that this teacher would be better than Quirrell and Lockhart.

"Moving on… what is it you need to tell us?" David changed the subject.

Arthur would go on to explain about the argument between Ben and Martha and the warning that Ben had given him. Once he was finished, David looked concerned and Chrys had her mouth covered with her hand.

"So, he's escaped to come after you? You'll just have to not look for trouble." Chrys then warned him.

"Hey, I don't look for trouble, trouble finds me."

"Besides, this guy wants to kill him. Why would he want to go find him?" David argued against Chrys.

It seemed that they themselves are more scared of Black than he was, which he didn't understand.

"No one has any idea how he broke out of Azkaban as no one's ever done it before. Especially since he's a top security prisoner." David explained.

"But they'll catch him eventually, even the Muggles are looking out for him." Chrys said earnestly.

"Hey, what's that noise?" David then said suddenly as a faint, tin-like whistle went off from in the compartment. Arthur listened and realised it came from his trunk.

He stood up and reached into the luggage rack. He then pulled out the Pocket Sneakoscope from his robes. It started spinning very fast and glowed brightly.

"Ooh, a Sneakoscope." Chrys said with interest, standing to get a better look.

"It's just a cheap one. It went haywire as I tied it to Errol's leg to send it." David shrugged off.

"You didn't do anything untrustworthy, did you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"NO!"

Arthur stuck it into the trunk and into a pair of socks to ensure Lupin doesn't wake up. It worked as the socks deafened the sound and he then closed the lid of the trunk.

"We could have it checked out in Hogsmeade." David said as Arthur sat back down. "They sell stuff like that in Dervish and Banges with magical instruments and such. Jack and Kevin told me all about it."

"What else do you know about Hogsmeade? I've read it's supposed to be the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in all of Britain." Chrys said very keenly.

"It is. Though, I'm only going there because of Honeydukes." David shrugged offhandedly.

"And what's that?"

"A sweetshop…" David had a dreamy look. "...and they have everything. Pepper Imps, which you can smoke at the mouth, great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream. There's awesome sugar quills that you can suck in class and look as though you're thinking of what to write next."

"Well, I've read in Sites of Historical Sorcery that the inn was headquarters during the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack is meant to be the most haunted building in Britain."

"Wouldn't it be cool to get out of school and explore?" David said to Arthur, who looked out the window, trying to hide his jealousy.

"You'll just have to tell me all about it when you get back." He said, sounding pained, causing them to look at him confused.

"What?"

"I can't go. I didn't have the chance to have the Dentleys sign my permission form." He revealed, leaving them speechless.

Lupin then stirred as he turned his head the other way, his mouth slightly open and kept sleeping.

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily to the north and the scenery outside of the window started becoming wilder and darker with the clouds overhead thickening.

Outside of the compartment, people chased backwards and forwards. Crookshanks meowed and hissed as he still wasn't let out.

At one o'clock the witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door.

"Should we wake him up?" David whispered, pointing at Lupin. "He looks like he needs food."

"Professor? Hello, Professor?" Chrys said cautiously, nudging him to wake up, yet he didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear." The witch said as she handed Arthur four pumpkin pasties. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"Are we sure he's even alive? He looks dead." David questioned as the witch closed the compartment door.

"He's breathing." Chrys assured him as Arthur handed her a pumpkin pasty.

Despite not being good company, Lupin's presence actually had its uses.

Because mid afternoon, as it started to rain, blurring the view of rolling hills outside the window, the three heard footsteps out in the corridor and then three of their least favourite people appeared at the door.

Draco Malfoy and his two cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco has been enemies with Arthur ever since the first train journey to Hogwarts. Draco had a pale, pointed sneering face and belonged in Slytherin house, playing Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the very position Arthur plays on the Gryffindor team.

Both Crabbe and Goyle just exist to serve as Draco's stupid bodyguards. Both were wide and muscly, though Crabbe was taller with a pudding basin haircut and a very thick neck. Goyle had short, bristly hair with long gorilla arms.

"Well, look who it is." Draco said in his usual lazy drawl as he pulled open the compartment door. "Penny and Melly."

Both Crabbe and Goyle chuckled like trolls. Both Arthur and David thought it was a weak insult.

"I saw you brought that Weasley on your trip, Merlon. Did he die from shock in the end?"

David was about to punch him when Lupin gave a snort.

"Who's that?" Draco said with an automatic step back upon spotting him.

"Oh, he's just our new teacher. Do carry on with your weak insults, Malnourished." Arthur shot back, pulling David down to sit down.

Draco's pale eyes narrowed, partly because of Arthur's insult. He also wasn't cowardly and foolish enough to pick a fight under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon." He said resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle as they headed off.

"You would think he'd come up with better insults, but no… it's like he's getting dumber each year." David said as he massages his knuckles.

The rain started thickening as the train continued heading north with the windows now a solid, shimmering grey, gradually darkening until the lanterns in the corridors and over the luggage racks flickered to life.

And shockingly, Lupin was still asleep, even when the train rattled, the rain hammering loudly against the window and with the sound of the wind roaring.

"We must be nearly there by now." David said, looking out the pitch black window.

As the words left his mouth, the train suddenly started to slow down.

"Okay…. What's going on?" Arthur questioned with a confused frown.

"We can't be there yet. So why are we stopping?" Chrys added, looking at her watch.

The train started getting slower and slower and as the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain was now much louder against the windows.

Being the nearest to the door, Arthur got up and looked into the corridor. He saw heads sticking out from other compartments as he looked along the corridor.

Then the train came to a sudden stop with a jolt and there were distant thuds and bangs from the luggage that fell out of the racks. And then all of the lamps went out, plunging everyone into absolute darkness.

"What the hell?" David questioned as Arthru got back in the compartment.

"Did we break down?" Arthur asked as he felt his way back to the seat.

Then there was a squeaking sound, which came from David, who wiped a patch clean on the window to look outside. That's when he had a look of terror on his face.

"There's something out there…. People are coming aboard." He gasped as the air started growing so cold that their breaths were visible and all the water started to freeze into ice.

The compartment door then suddenly opened and someone painfully fell over Arthur's legs.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -"

"Move here, Neville." Arthur said as he managed to pull Neville up by his cloak.

"Arthur? Is that you? What's happening?"

"I don't know! Now sit down!"

"That's it, I'm going to go ask the driver and see what's going on." Chrys said and Arthur felt her pass him and heard the door slide open again, but it was followed by a thud and two squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Chrys?"

"Mary?"

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for David."

"Get in."

"Watch it!" Arthur said as he felt Mary grab his leg.

"Ouch!"

"Quet!" A hoarse voice suddenly spoke.

Lupin seemed to have finally woken up. Arthur could hear movement from his corner and no one spoke.

Then there was a soft crackling before a shivering light filled the compartment as Lupin held a handful of flames. They illuminated his grey and tired face, yet his eyes were alert and wary.

"Stay where you are." He then said with that hoarse voice slowly getting to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But before he could reach the door, it slowly slid open.

In the doorway, illuminated by the flames in Lupin's hand, was some cloaked figure that towered up to the ceiling. Its face was hidden beneath a hood.

Arthur looked down and his stomach clenched horribly when he saw the figure's hand. It protruded from the cloak and was glistening, greyish and slimy looking as though it was something dead having been decayed in water.

It was only visible for a split second, as though the creature under the cloak sensed his gaze and the hand had withdrawn into the folds of the black material.

And whatever was beneath the hood drew a long, slow, rattling breath, like it was trying suck more than air from the surroundings.

An even more intense wave of cold swept over everyone. Arthur also felt his own breath catch in his chest as the cold went much deeper than his skin, being inside his chest and into his heart.

His eyes then rolled up into his head and he couldn't see. He started drowning in the cold with a rushing in his ears like that of water. He got dragged downwards with the roaring growing louder….

And far away, he heard screaming. It was truly terrible, pleading screams that made him want to help whoever it was. But he couldn't move his arms, sensing a thick white fog swirling around and inside him.

"Arthur! Arthur, wake up!"

He then felt a hand slap his face, making him shoot up.

"What?"

He opened his eyes and saw that the lanterns above were lit and the floor was shaking. The Hogwarts Express was now moving and the lights came back on.

Arthur noticed that he was out of his seat and on the floor. Both David and Chrys kneeled next to him and above them were both Neville and Lupin watching him.

Arthur then realised that he was feeling sick and when he wiped his forehead, he felt cold sweat.

Both David and Chrys helped him back on his seat.

"Are you alright?" David asked concerningly.

"I… I don't know." Arthur replied, looking towards the door, seeing that the hooded creature was gone. "What the hell happened? Where'd that thing go? And who screamed?"

"No one screamed." David said, sharing a worried look with Chrys.

Arthur looked around the compartment and saw Neville and Mary looking at him, both very pale.

"I heard screaming -"

A loud snap made everyone jump and it was because of Lupin, who broke a large slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here." He said to Arthur, handing him a really large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Arthur took the chocolate and bit into it, feeling warmth spread throughout his whole body to the tips of his fingers and toes, erasing all the cold and sickly feeling he felt.

"What the hell was that thing?" He asked Lupin.

"A Dementor." He said, handing out the chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him as he crumpled the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat." Lupin repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…." He strolled past Arthur and walked down the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Arthur?" Chrys asked.

"I am now…. I don't understand. What happened?" He asked, wiping sweat off his face as he took another bite of chocolate.

"That bloody… Dementor stood there, looking around and you - you -"

"It was like you had a fit." David said, looking grim. "You went rigid and fell off the seat, twitching."

"Then Professor Lupin stepped over you, towards the Dementor, and pulled his wand out." Chrys took over explaining. "He then said 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' Yet the Dementor didn't go and so Lupin muttered something, and something silvery shot out of his wand and the Dementor turned round and glided away…."

"It was horrible." Neville said in a much higher voice than normal. "Did you feel how much colder it went when it came in?"

"It felt awful. Like I'd never feel any kind of happiness ever again." David said, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably.

Mary, who was all huddled up in her corner looked nearly as bad as Arthur felt before he had the chocolate, made a small sob, making Chrys come over to her and hug her.

"Did any of you fall off your seats?" Arthur asked/

"No. But Mary was shaking so much that I thought she'd fall." David said anxiously.

Arthur just couldn't understand, before he bit the chocolate, he felt weak and shivery, like he was recovering from a bad flu. He also now felt ashamed. How come he had gone to pieces like that when no one else had? Did it have to do with what Ben said that the guards, confirmed to be Dementors, would be drawn to him specifically?

Lupin had come back, pausing as he entered, looking around with a smile. "I haven't poisoned the chocolate, you know…."

Everyone else started eating the chocolate and all of them started to look better.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes." Lupin then said. "Are you alright, Arthur?"

Arthur froze for a second, seeing that he knew his name, though he didn't bother asking.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He instead nodded.


Everyone hardly talked for the rest of the journey. Eventually, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station and there was a huge scramble to get out with owls hooting, cats meowing and Neville's pet toad, Trevor, croaked loudly from under his hat. It was also freezing on the tiny platform, with rain driving down in visible icy sheets akin to glass.

Both Jack and Kevin came by the trio, telling them how Draco came into their compartment, wetting his pants in terror of the Dementors. This made Arthur's day a bit.

"Firs' years this way!" A familiar voice called.

The trio turned to see the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning some terrified looking first year students forward to be on the traditional journey across the lake.

"Alrigh', you three?" Hagrid yelled out from above the heads of the crowd. All three waved at him, knowing they'd have no chance to talk to him due to the mass of people around them leading them away from the platform.

They followed the rest of the students to a rough mud track where around a hundred stagecoaches awaited them all, each being pulled by themselves, according to Chrys, yet Arthur had that gut feeling that they were actually being pulled by Thestrals (black winged horses that are invisible).

This was further proven when they climbed inside one and after shutting the door, the coach set off by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach itself had a faint smell of mould and straw. Despite feeling better from the chocolate, Arthur started feeling semblances of being weak again. Both David and Chrys kept looking at him sideways, clearly frightened he'd collapse again.

When the carriage went towards a pair of truly magnificent wrought iron gates, which are flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Arthur saw two more of the hooded Dementors standing guard on either side. He felt a wave of cold sickness start creeping in and so he leaned back into the lumpy seat, closing his eyes until they passed through the gates.

The carriage then picked up speed on a long, sloping drive up to the castle itself. Chrys leaned out of the window to watch the many turrets and towers draw nearer.

Finally, the carriage came to a halt and both her and David got out.

As Arthur himself stepped down, he heard a delighted drawling voice.

"You fainted, Pendergast? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Draco harshly elbowed past Chrys and blocked Arthur's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face full of glee and his pale eyes glinting with malice.

"You're one to talk, so terrified of the Dementors that you peed your pants. If only you had a diaper since you're nothing but a big cry baby." Arthur retorted, making Draco look utterly embarrassed and growled.

"Is there a problem?" Lupin's mild voice said as he had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Draco gave Lupin an insolent stare, taking in the patches on his robes and the rather dilapidated suitcase.

"Oh, no - er - Professor." He said, dripping with sarcasm before he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle, leading them up into the castle.

The trio all hurried up, joining the crowd that swarmed up the steps and through the giant oak front doors, and into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit by flaming torches and had a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door to the right was opened as it led to the Great Hall and Arthur followed the crowd, barely glimpsing the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy right now.

But then a voice called out "Pendergast! Ranger! I want to see you both!"

The two turned and were surprised to see Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor house, calling over the sea of heads. She was a stern looking witch who had her black hair tied into a tight bun and her sharp eyes were framed in square spectacles.

Wanting to just sit and eat a feast of food, he begrudgingly fought his way over to her and with a sense of foreboding because no matter what he did, she always seemed like she had something bad to tell him.

"There's no need to look so worried. I just want a word in my office. Move along there, Merlon."

David stared as McGonagall led both Arthur and Chrys away from the crowd across the Entrance Hall and up the marble staircase, along a corridor.

Once they've reached her office, a small room with a large and welcoming fire, McGonagall had them sit down as she settled herself behind her desk.

"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Pendergast." She said abruptly.

Before Arthur could say anything, a soft knock on the door was heard and Madam Pomfrey, the school's matron, bustled in.

Arthur was now getting so fed up. It was bad enough that Chrys and David eyed him as though he'd faint again, but now everyone else is making a big deal out of it.

"I don't need anything -"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" Madam Pomfrey said, ignoring him and bending to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a Dementor, Poppy." McGonagall told her before they exchanged a dark look. Madam Pomfrey then clucked with disapproval.

"Setting Dementors around a school." She muttered, pushing Arthur's hair back and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the first one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate -"

"I'm not delicate!" Arthur cut her off, now feeling furious.

"Of course you're not." Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need?" McGonagall then asked crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"For goodness sake, I'm fine!" Arthur now jumped onto his feet, not wanting to be truly embarrassed if Draco learned he went to the hospital wing.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least." Madam Pomfrey said, now trying to peer into Arthur's eyes.

"I've already had some from Professor Lupin! Same for the others!" Arthur replied.

"Did he, now?" Madam Pomfrey said approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows remedies."

"Are you sure you feel alright, Pendergast?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine." He sternly replied with a look that told her that he doesn't want to be treated as some fragile piece of glass. She clearly understood the look because she nodded.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Ranger about her timetable, then we can go down to the feast together."

Arthur went out into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who headed off to the hospital wing, muttering to herself.


The wait lasted for a few minutes until Chrys emerged, looking happy about something, followed by McGonagall. All three of them then made their way back down the marble staircase and into the Great Hall.

It was truly a sea of heads, every student being seated in four long house tables, faces glimmering from the light of thousands of candles that floated above the tables in mid air. Professor Flitwick, a tiny wizard with white hair, carried an ancient hat and a three legged stool out of the Hall.

"We've missed the Sorting." Chrys said.

Whenever first years arrive at Hogwarts, they get sorted into each of the four houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin) by the Sorting Hat based on their attributes and qualities.

McGonagall would stride off to her empty seat at the staff table while both Arthur and Chrys went off to the Gryffindor table. People would look around at them as they passed through the Hall, a few even pointing at him. No doubt because of the story of him collapsing. He's going to give Neville a word about this.

They eventually reached and sat on either side of David, who managed to save them seats.

"What was all that about?" He whispered to Arthur.

"Tell you later." He replied as the Headmaster stood up to speak.

Professor Dumbledore may be very old, but he does give an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half moon spectacles and a really crooked nose. He's considered to be the greatest wizard of the age, if not of all time, yet that was part of why Arthur gave him nothing but loyalty and respect.

He always felt like he could trust Dumbledore, and as Arthur watched him beaming around at the various students, he now felt truly calm for the first time since that Dementor entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore said with the candlelight shammering 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 then cleared his throat before continuing. "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."

He then paused, which allowed Arthur to remember what Benjamin Merlon said about Dumbledore despising them and not being pleased that they're guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds 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." This made both Arthur and David look at each other. "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 students runs foul of the Dementors."

Sam, who sat a few seats along, had a real serious and stern expression on his face when Dumbledore paused once more, looking serious around the Hall, with no one moving or making a sound.

"On a happier note. I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year." He finally continued.

"Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There were some scattered, downright unenthusiastic applause. The ones that were in the compartment on the train with Lupin clapped the hardest, which included Arthur. Lupin definitely looked shabby in comparison to all the other teachers, who are in their best robes.

"Snape's pissed." David hissed in Arthur's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, stared along the staff table at Lupin. It's well known how Snape has always wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, yet even Arthur, who despised Snape with a passion, was taken aback by his expression twisting that thin, sallow face of his. It was beyond anger as it was the deepest of loathing, a look he wore every time he laid eyes on Arthur. Clearly both Snape and Lupin have a history.

"As to our second new appointment…" Dumbledore continued, moving on from the lukewarm applause for Lupin, which faded 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 gamekeeper duties."

The trio all stared at each other, stunned with this revelation. They then joined in the applause, which was loud, especially from the Gryffindor table. Arthur even leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and stared down at his large hands, his wide grin being hidden in the mass of his black beard.

"It makes much more sense now! Who else would set us all a book that bites back?" David thundered as he pounded the table.

The three were the last to stop clapping. As Dumbledore started speaking again, they noticed Hagrid wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin!"

All of the golden plates and goblets in front of everyone filled suddenly with both food and drink. Feeling so hungry, Arthur pretty much reached and ate anything he could reach.

It was a delicious feast as the Hall was filled with talk, laughter and clattering of knives and forks. The trio, though, were eager to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. Being a teacher would mean so much to him as he wasn't a qualified wizard, having been expelled in his third year, being used as a scapegoat by Voldemort himself for a crime the Dark Lord committed. Of course, all three of them cleared his name last year.

Eventually, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart were melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that they can all go to bed and they finally got their chance.

"Congrats, Hagrid!" Chrys squealed once they've reached the staff table.

"All down ter you three." He said, wiping his currently shining face on his napkin as he looked 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…."

So overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin and McGonagall shooed them off.

The trio all joined the Gryffindors that all streamed their way up the marble staircase and, being very tired, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady wearing a pink dress asked them "Password?"

"Coming through, Fortuna Major!" Sam said from the back of the crowd.

"Oh no." Neville said sadly. He always did have trouble remembering passwords.

After going through the portrait hole and walking across the large and circular common room, the girls and boys all divided towards their separate staircases to the dormitories.

Arthur climbed up the spiral staircase with no other thought than the fact he was happy to be back at Hogwarts.

Once reaching the familiar and circular dormitory with the six four poster beds and sitting on his own bed to change into his pyjamas, Arthur had one thing on his mind.

He was back home.


I had a few chances to have Arthur take some well deserved shots at Draco.

And Arthur feels like if people treat him as some little kid and as some fragile thing, he'll be mad as he considers it insulting.