Chapter 2 – The End of Summer, The Start of School
A few hours later, with the sun streaming in through the window, Hedwig and Snowfire looked at each other, from atop the wardrobe, and nodded once. Hedwig glided down to Harry's pillow, while Snowfire hopped over to Andrew's web-hammock.
The two owls looked at each other again from opposite sides of the room, nodded again and leaned in to their master's ear, before letting out an almighty screech.
"WHA!" both the boys screamed, Andrew going one further and literally falling out of bed.
"Very un-funny!" Andrew growled once he got to his feet.
They took turns getting dressed in the en suite bathroom, then they went downstairs and had breakfast. Tom served them, in the same room they had spoken to Fudge in earlier, a full English breakfast each, though Andrew said no to beans.
After they had finished eating, Andrew said he would be back soon and moved to leave for the Temple, when Tom showed Jarod, Dela and Mel into the room.
"Oh, good morning, Master," Andrew said in surprise.
Jarod looked a little stern before he tossed Andrew his Holo-com, "This," he started scolding "was given to me by the Minister for Magic."
"I'm sorry, Master," Andrew answered, bowing his head, "do I need to explain myself? Or have you already been told the whole story."
"I've been told that you all but kidnapped Harry so you wouldn't lose your temper with the Dursley's guest," Jarod answered, his hands on his hips.
"Then you know everything, I apologise, again, Master." Andrew kept his head bowed, both in shame and in respect for his Master, also he didn't dare look Jarod in the eye whenever he was in trouble.
"You are forgiven, but in future be mindful, and think before walking out of a situation like that," Jarod said, placing his hand on his Padawan's shoulder.
They spent the next few minutes, discussing the events at Privet Drive from both the boy's points of view. In the end, Jarod decided that Andrew had in fact been worn to his last nerve, along with Harry as well.
"Harry?" Dela asked, he looked up at her. "Could you come with me for a moment? I'd like to get a drink and I presume you would know more about the menu than I."
Harry and Dela left and Jarod had the two remaining Padawans sit down.
"Now, while the Minister was returning your Holo-com to me Andrew, he requested the services of the Order." he began. "The Council has decided that it's high time for you both to be given an assignment without the assistance of your Masters."
"What is it, Master?" Mel asked, excited to be able to spread her wings a little.
"First of all, Harry is not to know about this, so if he does find out the facts I am about to tell you, I don't want to hear that he found out from you." Jarod told them sternly.
The two Padawans nodded and he continued. "Now, this Black character, as you may or may not be aware, he has escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban."
Mel was only aware from the Muggle news that he was an escaped convict with a gun but Andrew nodded.
"Apparently he was a big supporter of Voldemort," Andrew answered, adding for Mel's benefit, "the conductor on the Knight Bus told me and Harry a little about him."
"Right, well the suspicion is that he has escaped to hunt down and kill Harry," Jarod explained.
"WHAT!?" Andrew and Mel exclaimed together, sitting up straighter.
"He has been heard in his cell, muttering 'He's at Hogwarts' over and over in his sleep," Jarod continued, "given his history as a supporter of Voldemort, it is believed that he thinks he can help his Master return to power by killing Harry. Your assignment is protection detail, not just for Harry, but for his closest friends. You're the best for this particular job, given that, not only are you at the school already, but you're in Harry's house."
"So, I'm to shadow Harry and Ron," Andrew started.
"And I have to protect Hermione and Ginny." Mel finished.
"Precisely," Jarod answered, "this means that if they choose to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas then you are to stay too."
"But, what if any of them decide to come home?" Mel asked. "We can't stay to guard Harry and protect the Weasleys and Hermione at their homes."
"You are correct, which is why you are to inform me if any of Harry's friends decide to come home, we'll arrange an escort for them to get home safe and stay with them." Jarod answered.
"I should warn you," Jarod continued, "the Sith have been approached about this as well."
"Why?" Andrew asked, "The Sith don't exactly do protection."
"True," Jarod answered, sighing as he sat in the same chair Fudge had been in before, "Fudge told them about the thirteen people Black killed, the Sith saw it as an opportunity to test young Jaxon Starr. I've been informed that his orders are to shadow you and Harry, if he sees Black, he is to kill him."
"So if Black shows up, protect Harry and let Jax do the dirty work?" Mel asked, not liking it.
"Exactly," Jarod said as there was a knock on the door, Jarod called for whoever was there to come in and the door opened.
Tom stepped inside, saying he was sorry to say that there were no additional rooms available, however he had expanded the room that Andrew and Harry were in, conjuring a couple of extra beds.
With that said, Jarod told the two Padawans that their assignment was beginning immediately and that their school things were already in the car outside.
"Oh I already took care of that Master Jedi," Tom said with a bow, "their belongings are now in room eleven."
"Ah, thank you Tom, I take it Muggle locks are mere child's play for you," Jarod answered with a chuckle, "very well, Andrew, Melanie, good luck and may the Force be with you."
"Oh, I almost forgot, here you go Andrew," Mel said, pulling Andrew's Hogwarts letter out and handing it to him.
"Oh, I just remembered, Andrew the results from the blood scan you sent in." Jarod said.
"Yes?" Andrew asked. Jarod handed Andrew a folded piece of paper, Andrew opened it and read the contents. "Wow!" he exclaimed.
"Wow what?" Harry asked as he and Dela came back, the latter sampling a firewhiskey.
"Your midi-chlorian count," Andrew answered. "It's twelve thousand!"
"Wow," Mel answered. "That's fairly high."
"To explain Harry, Master Cooper's last count was eighteen thousand, mine was fifteen thousand and the average four-year-old Youngling is about nine thousand." Andrew explained. "And you've never even been trained in a class!"
"As Mr. Olivander said, Harry, we can expect great things from you." Jarod praised, patting the boy on his shoulder. "This will be good practise for you, Andrew, for the day you eventually take a Padawan of your own."
After the Masters left, Andrew and Mel got to talking quietly, they were certain that the easy part of the assignment was protecting Harry while he was staying at The Leaky Cauldron, simply stay with him and avoid Knockturn Alley. Mel took the time to call Hermione, while Andrew sent Snowfire to Ron to see what his family were doing.
Hermione's family were staying at The Leaky Cauldron as soon as they got back from France, they would be in London on August the twenty eighth. Ron's response to Andrew's letter, was that the Weasleys were already packing up, they were in Egypt and would also be staying at The Leaky Cauldron, they would be there within the next week.
So again, the two padawans knew that until they had to leave for King's Cross, their assignment was an easy one. But how they were going to get Harry, themselves, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the twins, Percy and Mr and Mrs Weasley from Diagon Alley to King's Cross safely was beyond them. Not to mention Hermione's parents too.
"That's thirteen people, we'd need at least three cars!" Andrew hissed the morning Ron's letter arrived.
"We'll have to talk to Ron's parents, with Mr Weasley working at the Ministry, maybe he already knows." Mel answered.
Deciding not to worry about it for the moment, Andrew and Mel had a rather relaxing time, roaming Diagon Alley with Harry, doing their homework at the ice cream parlour, where the proprietor supplied them with help and unlimited ice cream, and eventually, getting their school shopping done.
"Oh wow!" Andrew exclaimed one day as they walked past Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"What?" Mel asked, looking over his shoulder.
Andrew and Harry stared avidly at the latest racing broom on the market, The Firebolt. They read the plaque silently.
"0-150 miles an hour in ten seconds?" Andrew almost squealed, his need for speed sending him into near geek-mode. "That's faster acceleration than a Formula One car!"
Mel then took the opportunity to grab the boys by their ears and literally drag them away. "One, it's just a broom!" Mel told them off. "And two, you've both got a broom already." she scolded them as she dragged them to the Apothecary to buy things they needed, like potions supplies.
After they were done there, Andrew and Harry needed new school robes as they had both gained a few inches in their arms and legs, so it was off to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Finally they went to Flourish and Blotts for their school books, as it happened, Mel had chosen the same subjects as Andrew and Harry.
As they got to the bookshop they were surprised to see an unusual display in the window, a cage, inside of which were multiple copies of 'The Monster Book of Monsters'. The truly shocking thing was that the books were essentially trying to kill each other.
They looked at their book lists and saw that that was the book assigned for Care of Magical Creatures. "Oh, so that's why Hagrid sent me a copy for my birthday and said it would be useful!" Harry exclaimed.
The store manager nearly cried when Andrew and Mel walked in and said they needed two, but almost kissed them when they used the Force to help him get their copies.
After that they all got copies of 'Unfogging the Future', 'Intermediate Transfiguration' and 'The Standard Book of Spells: Grade Three'. Harry got a little transfixed on one of the books in the divination section, as did Andrew when he saw what he was looking at.
"Oh I wouldn't read that," the manager said when he noticed they were staring at a book entitled 'Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst is Coming', "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere, it's enough to frighten anyone to death."
it wasn't the title they were staring at, but the picture of a huge black dog on the cover. Once they left the shop, the boys explained to Mel that the night they had run away from Privet Drive, they encountered a dog that looked almost identical to the one on that book cover.
"It was probably a stray dog," Mel reasoned, "you were both stressed that night, no sense seeing things that aren't there."
The day before they had to catch The Hogwarts Express, Harry, Andrew and Mel ran into Ron, Hermione and Ginny, all sitting at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour.
"You've all been tanned," Andrew commented jovially as the three of them sat down.
Ron laughed and pointed out that the three of them had been looking for Harry and the Jedi all morning.
"We got our stuff once we'd done all our homework," Mel explained.
"How did you know we were at the Leaky Cauldron?" Harry asked.
"Dad," replied Ginny.
"Did you really hold a lightsaber to Harry's uncle's throat?" Hermione asked Andrew, looking stuck between worried and scolding.
"Sadly yes, I'm sorry to say his sister wore me down to my last nerve," Andrew answered, bowing his head again as Mel rubbed his back.
"Your Dad doesn't know why Fudge was waiting for us when we got to The Leaky Cauldron, does he?" Harry asked Ron.
"I dunno mate," Ron answered.
"But you can ask him tonight," Ginny added. "We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too. So you can come with us to King's Cross tomorrow."
"I'm there too," Hermione said with a smile. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"So they're not coming tomorrow?" Mel asked.
"No, why?" Hermione asked.
"That's a relief," Andrew blurted out, causing the others to look at him, "okay, can't say why so don't ask, but me and Mel have been given our first solo assignment."
"How can it be solo if you're working together?" Ginny asked with a grin.
"We call it a solo mission when you're not being accompanied by a Master," Mel answered, leaving Andrew to continue.
"Basically we're charged with being your bodyguards," Andrew explained, pointing out that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were involved in their assignment.
"Must be cause.." Ron started but Ginny stomped on his foot to shut him up.
"Anyway!" Mel shouted, to take the attention off Ron's near slip of the tongue. "We're somewhat worried about how we're going to get thirteen people safely to King's Cross, but with your parents not coming Hermione, we only have to worry about eleven."
"So have you three gotten your books and things?" Harry asked, deciding not to debate anything and move on.
Ginny showed off her new books, the same that Harry, Andrew and Mel had bought while Ron showed them his brand new wand.
"The store manager burst into tears when we walked in and told him we needed three of those!" Ron laughed while pointing at Ginny's copy of 'The Monster Book of Monsters'.
"That's funny, when we said we needed two he nearly kissed us," giggled Mel.
"I bet you 'helped' him," Ron laughed.
"We did actually," Andrew laughed too.
"What's all that Hermione?" Harry asked, point at three bulging bags on the chair next to her.
"Well, I'm taking more subjects that you, aren't I?" she answered, pointing out that the books were for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Ancient Runes, but she got cut off when she said she was taking Muggle Studies.
"What the blooming-hell for?" Mel blurted out. "You're a Muggle-born, you taking Muggle Studies is about as pointless as my Master taking it!"
"Well, yes, but it'll be fascinating to learn about Muggles from the wizarding point of view," Hermione answered earnestly.
"If I had less brain cells than a broom.." Andrew started.
"If?" Ginny poked.
Andrew pretended to glare at her. "I'd bet good money that you'll be teaching that class before Christmas."
Hermione ignored him and said she still had some money left to buy herself a birthday present from her parents.
"How about a nice book?" Ron asked innocently.
"I could recommend a few good wizarding novels in Flourish and Blotts." Andrew added earnestly.
Hermione dignified them with a smile and said she really wanted an owl, Ron then added that he wanted to get Scabbers checked out and they went to the Magical Menagerie.
Once inside they split up as best they could. Hermione started looking in the cages at the owls while Ron went to the counter to talk about his rat.
The witch there tried to suggest Ron get a new one, since it was sounding like Scabbers might be nearing the end of his life, patches of fur missing, a tattered left ear, a missing toe on his paw, with all that it seemed obvious.
Ron however was sentimental and wanted to keep Scabbers. "Well," said the witch, "if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic." she reached under the counter and brought up a small red bottle.
"Okay," answered Ron, "how much – OUCH!"
Ron's cry was caused by a cat going for Scabbers like a maniac, causing the rat to dive off the counter and run for it.
Harry and Ron ran out after it and Andrew went with them, partly to help them search but mostly to keep to his assignment.
Ten minutes later, Ron found his rat, hiding under a bin outside the Quidditch shop. "What was that?" he asked, massaging his head and putting Scabbers back into his pocket.
"It was a cat … I think," Andrew answered. "It moved so fast I couldn't be sure."
"Where are the girls?" Harry asked, looking around.
"Probably getting Hermione's owl, come on, let's head back" Ron said.
When they got back, the girls were coming out, Hermione and Mel having a somewhat heated argument.
"Ron's going to flip when he sees it Hermione," Mel said with exasperation. "It tried going for his rat once, what's to stop it happening again?"
"Oh stop fussing Mel, Crookshanks will be staying in our dormitory and Scabbers in Ron's." Hermione answered simply.
"You bought that monster?" Ron spluttered.
"He's gorgeous isn't he?" Hermione answered, nuzzling the somewhat ugly cat, who purred happily.
"I couldn't say, I'm more of a dog person," Andrew answered, hoping it got him out of the argument.
"Oh? Which breed?" Ginny asked, trying to get out of the inevitable argument between Ron and Hermione.
"Huskies are my favourite, they just look ..." Andrew tried to find the right words before giving up and sighing, "gorgeous!"
Mel giggled at her fellow Padawan and finally stepped between Ron and Hermione. "Okay, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, let's call it a day and move on." she started marching towards The Leaky Cauldron, calling over her shoulder. "We'll just have to make sure that there's always at least one door between the two of them."
Hermione handed Ron his Rat Tonic and followed. Once they got there, they found Mr Weasley sitting at the bar, reading 'The Daily Prophet', which was showing another story about Sirius Black.
"Still no luck catching him?" Harry asked. It turned out that everyone at the Ministry had been pulled off their usual jobs in order to catch him.
"I wonder if there will be a reward if we caught him," Ron thought aloud, "it'd be good to get some more money.."
"Don't be ridiculous Ron," said his father, looking strained, "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old boy."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that Mr Weasley," Mel interjected.
"Yeah," Andrew added, "I didn't mention this earlier, but Jax has also been brought in on this, he's under orders to kill Black on sight if he can."
"The Sith have asked a boy to kill someone?" Hermione asked in outrage.
"It is common amongst our ranks," said a voice behind them, they turned to find Drexia Lee standing there. "We test them at a young age, to see if they are capable of making the killing blow."
"But what if he can't?" Ginny asked, a little fearfully.
Drexia looked quite upset for a moment. "He'll be executed," she responded with a tear in her eye. "I know you think me a cold-blooded killer," she said to the two young Jedi, "but I do love my son, I wish that The Master would wait until he's a little older, but you don't defy The Master if you value your life!"
"Then I hope Jax never lays eyes on Black," Andrew said honestly as Jax walked in with his shopping.
"I've finished Mother," he called happily, looking for once like the young boy he was supposed to be, before he noticed that they had company. "Payne, Jabobs." he said to the Jedi with a nod.
"Jax," they said back.
"I understand we'll somewhat be working together this year," Jax said, trying to look unhappy about it.
"Yep, it's gonna be fun," Andrew answered, leaning back on the bar as Jax rolled his eyes.
Jax excused himself to go and put his shopping away upstairs and his mother stayed behind.
"I have one question," Andrew said to the Sith Lord.
"Go on,"
"What happens, if Jax faces Black, and Black escapes?"
Drexia sighed and smiled. "If that were to happen then, so long as Jax were simply outmatched, nothing more would come of it."
Hermione and Ginny sighed in relief, not liking the whole point of Jax's assignment at all.
Just then, Mrs Weasley, Fred, George and Percy came in, also laden with shopping. Percy walked up to Harry and the Jedi, shaking hands with them like they had never met before.
"Are you well?" he asked, only to be interrupted.
"Harry!" shouted Fred, in a posh accent.
"Andrew!" shouted George, in a similar tone.
"Simply splendid to see you old boy." Fred proclaimed, shaking Harry hand vigorously.
"Absolutely spiffing," added George, mimicking the action.
The girls fought hard not to giggle as Percy scowled. "That's enough, now," said Mrs Weasley.
"Mum!" exclaimed Fred, acting like he'd only just noticed his mother, letting go of Harry to seize her hand. "How really corking to see you..."
"I said that's enough," she said with a little more finality, before putting her bags down in an empty chair and turning to Harry and the Jedi. "I suppose you've heard the exciting news?" she pointed to Percy's Head Boy badge.
"Second Head Boy in the family," she said proudly.
"And last," muttered George.
"I don't doubt that," said his mother with a frown. "I notice that they haven't made either of you prefects."
"Probably because they'd help rule breakers instead of punish them," Drexia laughed out, "yes I've heard of the infamous, 'Gred and Forge' is it?"
Andrew couldn't hold it in any longer and had to lean on the bar to keep upright as he laughed himself sick. "Where on earth did you guys come up with names like that?"
"First year, Christmas," Harry answered, recalling the first Christmas he'd spent at Hogwarts. "Mrs Weasley knitted all of us a jumper with our initial stitched on."
"And we came in saying 'I don't know why she does this every year, we know full well our names are 'Gred' and 'Forge'," added the twins.
This caused another round of giggles, much to Mrs Weasley's disapproval.
"You two should set a good example to Ginny!" she snapped at the twins.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily, before he announced he was going up to change for dinner.
George sighed and pointed out that he and Fred had tried to shut Percy in a pyramid while in Egypt, but their mother had caught them.
That night at dinner, they discussed a small change in sleeping arrangements, Mel was going to move into Hermione and Ginny's room while Ron bunked with Harry and Andrew. Jax and Drexia were offered a seat with the rest of them but they declined.
When the subject came up of how they were getting to King's Cross, the Jedi took a keen interest in the topic.
"The Ministry is providing us with a couple of cars, and not to worry, they're modified, so everyone and everything will fit in easily." Mr Weasley explained, causing the Padawans to visibly relax.
After dinner, everyone felt full and sleepy, Andrew helped Ron to finish packing, and then moved his things into his and Harry's room, just as Mel was coming out.
"Well, back to school tomorrow," Andrew pointed out sleepily as he lounged on his bed.
"Yeah, no adventures this year I hope," Ron answered as he slid under his bed covers.
"We'll have to wait and see," added Harry, using his practise sessions with Andrew, he reached out with the Force and flicked all the lights out.
"Well done," Andrew yawned, and was out like the lights.
The next morning was a little hectic, but not as much as the year before. Tom woke everyone up at seven o'clock sharp, they were dressed and fed by nine, rechecked that they had everything packed by ten and out the door straight away.
Andrew and Mel stood guard, Andrew at the front of the first car and Mel at the back of the second car, while Mr and Mrs Weasley packed all the trunks into the boot of each car.
Next in was Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and all their pets in the front car, the Jedi waited for everyone else to get in the second car, before Mel slid in beside Ginny and Andrew took the passenger seat.
They made it to King's Cross in record time since the Ministry cars seemed able to squeeze themselves between gridlocked cars, once there, the drivers rushed into the station and brought back trolleys and they made it to platforms nine and ten with a good half-hour to spare.
"We'll go in pairs since there's so many of us," announced Mr Weasley, he was about to take Harry through before Mel stepped in front of them.
"I'll go first, make sure the coast is clear," she stated simply, stepping through the barrier swiftly.
Behind her quickly came Harry and Arthur, then Percy and Ginny. Mel waited for Ron and Hermione to come through before she started to take her friends to the back of the train, Percy noticed his girlfriend and this year's Head Girl, Penelope Clearwater and went off with his trolley to greet her.
Mr Weasley stayed with Mel and the others, sticking to Harry like glue as Andrew caught up to them, announcing that he was the last one through the barrier.
Mrs Weasley brought over her older three sons, gave each of her children a kiss, then Hermione, then Harry. "Do take care, won't you Harry?" she said, before she turned to the two Padawans and pulled them both into a tight hug, she kissed each of them on the cheek and said. "Watch over my children, dears."
"Yes, do keep an eye on them," Mr Weasley added.
"Both eyes," Andrew answered.
"As often as we can spare them." added Mel.
While Mrs Weasley was handing out sandwiches, Mr Weasley took Harry to one side for a quick word.
The whistle blew to announce the train was about to leave, Andrew stood firmly with one foot on the train and the other on the platform, Mr Weasley seemed to be waiting for Harry to say something important until Andrew lost patience, guards slamming train doors shut didn't help.
He focused on something that angered him, Marge Dursley sprang to mind, and let out a quick jolt of Force lightning, which hit the ground right next to Harry's foot. The two of them jerked their heads up and Harry ran for the train.
Andrew leaned out of the way as Harry leapt through the door, before pulling himself onboard. There was a small amount of clambering once the door was shut as all the Weasley children, Harry, Hermione, Andrew and Mel all tried to lean out of two windows to say goodbye.
Once the train had turned the corner, and the nine children had unstuck themselves from the window and each other, they split up, Fred and George to find their friend Lee, Percy to find his girlfriend.
Ron nearly told Ginny to go away before Mel reminded him that she was their friend too and a fellow third-year, plus, it would be easier for her and Andrew to do their job, if she stayed with them. So the six of them moved into an almost empty compartment, at the rear of the train. The only other occupant was a man, sleeping by the window. He was young, though with flecks of grey in his otherwise light-brown hair, his robes were shabby with lots of darning patches, and he looked ill.
"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron asked.
"Professor R.J. Lupin," the Jedi answered together.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked, confused. "Jedi thing?"
Andrew let out a low chuckle as Mel pointed out it was written on his case, which was sitting in the luggage rack above his head.
"Wonder what he teaches," Ron thought aloud.
"Probably Defence Against The Dark Arts," Ginny answered, pointing out that with Lockhart gone that was the obvious option.
"Well I hope he's up for it," Andrew sighed, concerned with how ill he looked.
"So what was so important that Dad nearly made you miss the train?" Ginny asked.
Harry paused for a moment as he thought about how to word it, the others all sitting down except for Andrew, there were only six seats to a compartment and Lupin was using one, so he toyed with the idea of making a web-hammock, but instead sat on the floor under the window.
"He told me that," Harry paused again. "The Ministry think that Black, escaped from Azkaban, to kill me."
"Well, the cat's out of the bag," Andrew announced, "now you know why me and Mel have been assigned as your bodyguards."
"You'll have to be really careful, Harry," Hermione said, "don't go looking for trouble."
"Trouble usually finds me," Harry said, a little annoyed that everyone seemed to think that he wasn't careful.
Andrew, Mel and Ginny laughed. "That's not entirely true you know," Mel pointed out.
"She's right, first year, you opted for going after the Stone, last year, you agreed to going into the Chamber," Andrew added, then he put on a voice from Muggle game shows. "And what will our contestant get up to this year, ladies and gentlemen?"
Harry and Ron laughed, despite the subject they were talking about. "How thick would anyone have to be to go looking for some nutter, who wants them dead?" Ron asked.
"Was that a rhetorical question?" Mel asked with a small grin, she was sat by the door, keeping an eye on anyone coming down the carriage.
"All we need to know is that Harry, and the rest of you, are safe as long as Me and Mel do our jobs right," Andrew stated as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
"What's that noise?" Ron asked suddenly, everyone quieted down and heard a small whistling sound. "It's coming from your trunk, Harry."
Harry got up and fished out his robes and pulled out what looked like a Muggle spinning top, it was spinning and letting out a whistling sound. Harry explained that it was a 'Pocket Sneakoscope' and that it was supposed to light up, spin and whistle whenever there was someone untrustworthy around.
Harry was quick to put the Sneakoscope back in his trunk, wrapped in a lot of clothing to quiet it down. All six of the students were concerned that the noise might wake up the Professor. The topic then turned to Hogsmeade, at which point Harry stated that he wasn't permitted to go.
"Yeah, his aunt signed his form but then Fudge confiscated it, giving some cock and bull story that his uncle was supposed to sign," Andrew explained heatedly.
"Probably because of Black," Ron sighed, he tried to offer that he, at least, would stay at Hogwarts instead but Harry wouldn't hear of it.
Andrew on the other hand, took out his permission slip, touched the tip of his wand to the corner of that parchment, and calmly said "Incendio." setting it on fire.
"What are you doing!" Harry and Ron exclaimed as the parchment burned to nothing.
"My job is to guard Harry at all times," Andrew said as he held the ashes in the air with the Force, before tossing them out the window, "how can I do that if I'm not by his side?"
Harry was upset that his circumstances had cost Andrew something precious, but conceded that it made sense.
At one o'clock, the witch with the food trolley came by and Harry bought some cauldron cakes to share out. Ron asked about waking up Lupin, then he wondered aloud if the man had died, only Hermione pointed out that he was still breathing.
A few hours later, Andrew was starting to dose a little, but then he sat bolt upright, as did Mel.
"You okay?" Ginny asked, noticing the sudden movement.
"I sense something," Andrew answered.
"A disturbance in the Force," Mel added, standing up and moving into the corridor.
"What could be the matter?" Ron asked. "We're nearly there aren't we?" just as he said that, the train started slowing down. "Excellent, I'm starving," Ron announced.
"We can't be there yet," Hermione answered him.
"Then why are we stopping?" Harry asked, looking out of the window.
"Harry! Get away from the window!" Andrew hissed, grabbing him and pulling him into the centre of the compartment, in the corridor, Mel had drawn her lightsabers, Andrew drew his too.
The train came to a sudden, jolting, stop, causing luggage in the overhead racks to fall out along the carriages. As soon as that happened, the lights went out, causing the Jedi to ignite their lightsabers.
"What's going on?" Ron asked, looking around by the light of Andrew's saber.
"Do you think we've broken down?" Harry asked, sitting down between Ginny and Professor Lupin.
"Dunno," Ron answered, Andrew frowned as he looked around, he deactivated his lightsaber, slid his wand into the hilt and said "Lumos," igniting a much brighter blade.
Ron leaned over to the window and wiped a hole in the mist. "There's someone out there, I think people are coming aboard.
Just then, Lupin stirred and awoke. At the same time, Neville came into their compartment and sat in Mel's vacated seat.
"Quiet," Lupin said horsely, Mel groaned outside and Andrew's head shot around to face a cloaked figure that just opened their compartment door.
"MEL!" Andrew shouted, moving to attack her attacker, but then he screamed in pain and fell to his knees, clutching at his head as hundreds of fears and memories flooded his mind.
When he came to, the lights were back on, the train was moving and Professor Lupin was offering him a piece of chocolate.
"W-what in Satan's name...?" Andrew asked in shock, looking around to find Ron, Ginny, Neville and Mel sitting in an expanded compartment. Harry was being helped back into a seat by Hermione.
"You and Harry passed out," Ron answered "are you okay?"
"Here, eat this, you'll feel better," Lupin told Andrew and Harry.
"Who screamed?" Harry asked a little frantically.
"Andrew screamed," Ron answered nervously.
"No, it was a woman's voice," Harry said firmly.
Andrew, still not taking the chocolate from Lupin, leapt to his feet. "Where's that … that monster gone!"
"It was a Dementor," explained Lupin, handing chocolate to everyone before practically forcing half the bar into Andrew's hand, "one of the Dementors of Azkaban."
Everyone stared at him. "Eat up, it'll help, I'm going to speak to the driver, excuse me." and with that Lupin was gone.
Andrew sat down again, shakily, Mel asked if he was alright.
"I think … I just realised what that warning was about." Andrew answered her.
"What warning?" Neville asked.
"When I started teaching myself telepathy, there was a warning in the book I was studying from. It said, 'keep your mental barriers strong at all times', and went on to explain that … sometimes you can hear things you wish you hadn't." Andrew explained.
"Meaning?" Hermione asked.
"I was just overwhelmed, by every ounce of fear, of every person on this train," Andrew was holding his aching head again. "It was an overload," he looked at them all, making them realise that he had seen some of their memories.
"Do you have any idea what I heard then?" Harry asked, hoping to know who it was he had heard scream.
"I'm sorry Harry, but imagine you just got about fifteen seconds, of about a hundred different channels blasted into your head at once." Andrew answered.
"And I'm asking you to tell me what you saw on one of them," Harry replied, "I get it, no chance."
"What I don't get," started Mel, "is that exactly happened?"
"Well … that thing … that Dementor … stood there," Ginny started, Harry pointing out that he had looked and it didn't have feet, "and it looked around, at least I think it did, I couldn't see its face, and you two ..."
"I thought Harry was having a fit or something," said Ron, still looking scared, "he went sort of rigid and fell off his seat, he was twitching."
"You had passed out, clutching your head with a pained look on your face," Neville added, looking at Andrew.
"And then, Professor Lupin stepped over you both, walked right up to the Dementor, and pulled his wand out," explained Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' but the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."
"It was horrible," said Neville in a higher than usual voice, "did you feel how cold it went in here?"
"I felt weird," agreed Ron, shifting his shoulders, "like I'd never be cheerful again..."
Ginny started crying, causing Hermione and Mel to go and comfort her. "But didn't any of you … fall off your seats?" Harry asked.
"No," Ron answered, looking worriedly at Harry, "Ginny was shaking like mad and ..."
"And what?" Andrew asked, Ron looked at his sister questioningly and she nodded at him, unable to speak.
"She kept muttering, 'no Tom, stop!', or something like that." Ron finished,
Andrew looked thoughtfully at Ginny. "Memories?" he asked, again she nodded. "I think I could guess what happened to you Mel."
"I found her curled up in a ball in the corridor after the Dementor left," Neville said.
"You remembered that night when you were six," Andrew said with sympathy, Mel nodded as her own tears started to flow. "I'm starting to suspect what makes Azkaban such a scary place to go."
"Why's that?" Ron asked, but just then, Professor Lupin returned.
He looked around with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate you know..." causing everyone to take a bite, which made them feel instantly better.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes, are you alright Harry?"
Harry said he was fine and Andrew piped up with a question. "You are our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, right Professor?"
"Yes I am, Padawan…?"
"Payne," Andrew answered, shaking Lupin's hand "Andrew Payne."
The others all introduced themselves, Mel pointing out that they were all third-year Gryffindors, and Andrew asked another question. "These Dementors, did they make us remember our worst memories?"
"That is one of their… talents," Lupin answered cautiously, "some people simply feel miserable in their presence, others recall frightening or depressing memories."
"Might explain your reaction, Harry," Andrew said, patting his friend on his shoulder. "And you Ginny had to be remembering your 'visit' to the Chamber of Secrets a few months ago."
"So what happened when you were six?" Ron asked Mel, tactlessly.
Mel looked down at the floor, screams of death and gunfire ringing in her ears, then she looked up with tears in her eyes again.
"My family was murdered," she answered, "don't ask me why, I've no idea. But the only reason I survived was because when their killers came into my room for me, their bullets stopped in mid air. They went to stab me, and their knives flew out of their hands and into their feet." she paused to take a breath. "The Force saved me that night, and the next day I was living at the Jedi Temple, as an orphan."
The rest of the compartment was stunned into silence, Harry had known a little about the story, but not the whole thing. "I'm sorry," Harry said, reaching across Andrew to place a hand on her shoulder.
"I wish I hadn't asked," Ron said, his shoulders slumping.
The rest of the trip was conducted in sombre silence, but finally they pulled into Hogsmeade station and there was a rush to get off the train, it was freezing in the driving rain. The seven Gryffindor students waved to Hagrid while he was calling for first-year students for their journey across the lake, and joined the crowd of people trying to get a carriage up to the school.
"Just think, it was a year ago today when you crashed," Ron laughed, looking up at the sky wistfully.
"Don't remind me," Andrew moaned, vividly remembering the spectacle he'd caused.
They piled into a coach, Andrew and Mel taking note of the skinny, winged black horse that was linked up to it and they set off, Neville having been pushed into the carriage in front.
"What do you suppose is pulling us?" Ron asked, causing the two Jedi to look at each other, telepathically deciding not to say anything, since it was never a good thing to be able to see something that nobody else could.
"Oh that's just spiffing!" Andrew spat as they passed through the gates and into the school. The others looked out the window and noticed that Dementors were flanking the school gates.
"They're guarding the school?" Mel asked incredulously.
"Looks like it," Ginny answered timidly.
"Well this is gonna be a fun year," Ron growled sarcastically.
Hermione said nothing, watching Harry worriedly as he tried to duck away from the window.
Once they got out of the carriage, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and McCarthy were waiting for them. "You fainted, Potter?" Draco asked mockingly. "Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"
"What does it matter, Draco?" Jax asked coldly, as he and Lupin got out of the next carriage. Malfoy paused, muttered something and turned to walk into the castle. As he passed them, Jax paused. "It's all an act, remember that, maybe one day you'll get to see the real Draco Malfoy."
He walked in without another word and the Gryffindors followed. They intended to enter the Great Hall with everyone else when Professor McGonagall called out. "Potter, Payne, Granger! I want to see you three!"
Andrew led the way, gently parting the crowd with the Force until they reached her. She told them that they weren't in trouble and ordered Ron, Ginny and Mel to move along. After that she led them all to her office, once there, she had Harry and Hermione sit and, gently, pushed Andrew into her own chair, much to his protests.
"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead, informing me that you two were taken ill on the train," she said, looking at Andrew and Harry as she leaned on her desk, looking both stern and concerned.
Before anyone could answer her, there was a knock on the door. Madam Pomfrey came bustling in without waiting for an answer, Harry tried to say he was fine, while looking thoroughly embarrassed, but the Matron cut him off.
"Oh it's you, is it? I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"
"It was a Dementor, Poppy" answered Professor McGonagall. They exchanged a dark look.
"Setting Dementors around a school," Poppy muttered, pushing Harry's fringe back and feeling his forehead. "I've no doubt that he won't be the first who collapses."
While she moved to check Harry's pulse, she looked sternly at Andrew. "And what madness have you been playing at? Honestly, just because you're a Jedi doesn't make you invincible!"
Andrew laughed. "Well I was affected by the Dementor too, but for different reasons," he said, before going on to explain what had happened to him and what Professor Lupin had done after the train started moving again.
At that point, Madam Pomfrey nodded approvingly. "At last, we finally have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies."
"Are you sure you're feeling alright boys?" McGonagall asked, Harry said he was fine.
"Just a sore head Professor, other than that I'm just embarrassed." Andrew answered.
"How so?"
"I simply learned the hard way, I have much to learn about telepathy still."
"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her timetable, then we can go down to the feast together."
The boys left with the school matron, who said she would be back shortly, with some pain relief for Andrew's head. By the time she got back, Hermione and McGonagall were just coming out. Poppy handed Andrew a small Phial and told him to drink it all, Andrew downed the substance and instantly felt the pressure in his skull lift.
"Ooh, that's nice!" he sighed, commenting on the lack of pain, before scrunching his face up in confusion. "What flavour is this?"
"Some medicinal potions actually change their flavour depending on the drinker," Madam Pomfrey explained. "So there's no way to really tell, what did you taste?"
"The weirdest mixture of mint and strawberry!" the Jedi exclaimed.
As they got to the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick was carrying the Sorting Hat and its stool out, causing Hermione to complain a little that they had missed the Sorting. The three of them joined their friends at the Gryffindor table, but before Harry could explain why they were called, Dumbledore stood from his seat, at the centre of the teacher's table.
"Welcome!" he said, his voice carrying across the silent hall. "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..."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "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 paused, not looking happy about this fact at all. "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," he looked pointedly at Andrew and Mel, "or disguises, or even Invisibility Cloaks." At this, Andrew and Mel noticed Harry and Ron look at each other pointedly. "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 our Prefects, and our Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors."
After looking around the hall, Professor Dumbledore continued. "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, to Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was some, mostly, scattered and unenthusiastic applause, except from the Gryffindors who had seen him tackle the Dementor on the train. Ron pointed out, while they were clapping, that Snape looked angrier than usual that he had been looked over for the post yet again.
"As to our second appointment," Dumbledore continued, once the applause had died out, "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," there was a collective gasp of surprise, "who has agreed to take on this teaching job, in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Andrew was the first to stand on the bench he was sitting on, as he whooped and cheered along with the other Gryffindor students, Hagrid was blushing like mad and Ron was stating he should have know, given the biting book they had been set.
Once this applause gradually came to a stop, and Andrew had sat down again, Dumbledore stated that was all the announcements and called for the feast to begin.
The hall was filled with laughter and chatter as people ate and talked about what they did over summer. Harry and his friends were eager to finish eating quickly so that they could go and congratulate Hagrid on becoming a teacher, hoping it somehow made up for being wrongfully expelled.
As soon as Dumbledore called for everyone to go to bed, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Mel and Andrew jumped to their feet and ran down to the teacher's table. They were rather surprised to find Jax there, already shaking Hagrid's hand, but then Andrew, Ron and Harry remembered that he had been there when Fudge had taken Hagrid away.
"It's good to see you getting a little compensation at last," Jax said simply.
"It's all thanks ter you an' the others tha' cleared me name," Hagrid answered, wiping his teary eyes.
He went on to tell them that as soon as Kettleburn had handed in his resignation, Dumbledore went straight to him to offer the job.
"Dream come true eh?" Ron said, reaching across to pat Hagrid's shoulder, causing the new teacher to bury his face in his napkin again. At that point, Professor McGonagall shooed them all away to bed.
They joined the line of their houses, Slytherin in Jax's case, and made their way to their common room. When the Gryffindors got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, she asked for the password, at which point Percy called from behind the crowd that it was 'Fortuna Major'.
"I'll never remember that!" Neville moaned, he'd always struggled to remember the passwords.
Once through the portrait hole and across the common room, the boys and girls split and went up their own staircases.
In the girls staircase, Ginny said goodnight to Mel and Hermione and went to step into the second-year dormitory, only to be stopped by Mel.
"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.
"To bed," Ginny yawned tiredly.
"Wrong room dear," Mel giggled softly. "You're a third-year now, you're bunking with us." she then took the younger girl's hand and led her up to the next floor.