The trio now turned quartet boarded the train. As they looked for a compartment, Ron realized he didn't have Scabbers. He immediately turned on Hermione when he heard his mother calling his name. He ran to the window where she gave him the rat, yelling, "Don't lose him!"
They once again began looking for a seat while Harry was explaining how he ended up at The Leaky Cauldron. "I didn't mean to blow her up. I just... I lost control."
"You were angry," Aurora understood.
"Brilliant," Ron grinned.
"Honestly, Ron, it's not funny. Harry was lucky not to be expelled," Hermione lectured.
"I think I was lucky not to be arrested actually," Harry added.
"I still think it was brilliant," Ron repeated.
The group came to stop in front the last compartment. However, there was a sleeping man in a seat.
Hermione glanced inside. "Come on. Everywhere else is full." She walked in and Ron let Aurora in next, as was custom.
Aurora had to resist rolling her eyes. 'Wizards and their customs. At least Harry and Hermione don't know of them.' Aurora sat against the window so the boys could have the seats. Her shoes were far from uncomfortable.
Ron sat beside Hermione, across from the sleeping body. Harry sat across from Hermione. Ron stared at Aurora who looked like she had an aura because of the way she was leaning on the wall. He quickly transferred his eyes to the sleeping man. "Who do you think that is?"
"Professor R.J. Lupin," Hermione answered immediately.
"Do you know everything? How is it she knows everything?" Ron snapped.
"It's on 'is suitcase, Ronald," Aurora replied, point upwards at his luggage.
"Oh." Ron blushed.
"Do you think he's really asleep?" Harry asked.
Aurora glanced down at him, noting how his eye lids didn't twitch. "'e appears to be. Why?"
Harry stood, pulling the doors closed. "I gotta tell you something." He pulled down the screen.
By the time, storytime was finished, it was muggy and raining outside. "Let me get this straight. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban... to come after you?" Ron asked.
"Yeah," Harry responded blandly.
"But they'll catch Black, won't they? I mean, everyone's looking for him," Hermione reasoned.
"Sure. Except no one's ever broken out of Azkaban before... and he's a murderous, raving lunatic," Ron contradicted himself darkly.
"Thanks, Ron," Harry commented sarcastically.
The train wheeled creaked as they slowed to a crawl before
"Why are we stopping?" Hermione asked before adding, "We can't be there yet."
The train shook so Aurora moved to go to the door, looking both ways. Everyone else was curious too. She poked her head back in, closing the door.
"What's going on?" Ron demanded.
"I don't know. Maybe we've broken down," Harry tried to reason. As if right on cue, the lights went off.
"Power outages aren' possible. The train is opera'ed by magic," Aurora reported.
Ron moved to the window.
"Ouch, Ron. That was my foot," Hermione complained.
Ron pressed up against the window. "There's something moving out there. I think someone's coming aboard."
The whole train shook and Hermione's nervous pants were seen, the temperature dropped so much. Then again, they were in Scotland so the low temp wasn't unheard of.
The window where Ron's hand was began to freeze over. Even the bottle of Mr. Lupin's water was frozen.
Now, this was unheard of.
The train was jerked again.
"Bloody hell! What's happening?" Ron demanded.
A black smoky figure approached their see-through door. It's grim-reaper hand didn't even touch the door or handle, but their handle began to turn on its own, pulling the door back. It's necrotic hand grabbed the door, pulling it back further. The beast was revealed to be what Aurora recognized as a dementor.
The children recoiled. Crookshanks hissed. Scabbers hid.
The dementor zeroed in on Harry, sucking out his soul, and the boy grew pale before the previously sleeping professor jumped up, a mystical blue light emitting from his wand. Harry slumped over, unconscious.
Aurora dove for him, checking his vitals.
The lights had come back on and Harry's head had fallen into Aurora's lap.
"Harry. Harry, are you all right?" Hermione was calling out.
Harry slowly came to and Hermione gave him his glasses. "Thank you," he bade. He put them on.
Remus held out a KitKat. "Here, eat this. It'll help. It's all right. It's chocolate." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
Harry looked at the doorway where the Dementor had last hovered before he had passed out. "What was that thing that came?" he asked.
"It was a dementor," Remus answered.
"They guard Azkaban," Aurora explained.
"It's gone now. It was searching the train for Sirius Black." Remus stood, moving to leave. "If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver." He reached the door, turning back to Harry. "Eat. You'll feel better." And, with that, he left.
"What happened to me?" Harry asked, the chocolate making a popping sound as he bit.
"Well, you sort of went rigid. We thought maybe you were having a fit or something," Ron added.
"Correction. He did. I knew it was a natural reaction of someone with your status." She could also smell the second soul residing in him. However, it wasn't a whole soul. It was just a piece.
"And did any of you... you know... pass out?" Harry asked.
"No. I felt weird, though. Like I'd never be cheerful again," Ron declared.
"But someone was screaming," Harry insisted. "A woman."
"No one was screaming, Harry," Hermione contradicted.
Aurora put a hand on her arm. "What she means to say is, 'We didn't hear screaming.'"
"Why chocolate?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
"Eating chocolate releases endorphins in the body and that makes a person happier. Dementors cause depression," Aurora explained.
Riding in the carriage to the castle, Aurora ran ahead and met with the Headmaster.
Dumbledore kissed her cheek. "I will make the announcement before any other," he assured.
Aurora lowered her head. "Thank you."
*
"Now," Professor Dumbledore began, "before we begin with the usual sorting, there is a new student transferring in. And, as the rumors may suggest, she is a Succubus. For those who do not know customs when in the presence of a Succubus, I suggest you research them. For those who do, there has been an update in their laws. Though certain acts are required to sustain her, she may decline and she may not be forced. Laws do state that anyone attempting to force a Succubus to engage in certain activities is allowed to become victim to them. Yes, she may kill. Please welcome, Miss Aurora Amor."
Ignoring the applause, Aurora walked out from behind the staff entrance and met Professor McGonagall. Shaking the woman's hand, she felt much like a contestant on a muggle television show. She sat on the stool and the hat met most of her shields.
"Based off what I can glean, which isn't much mind you... SLYTHERIN!" it yelled allowed. A table full of green dressed students leapt to their feet.
The hat was removed and the sorting continued as per usual. She was forced to sit beside a platinum blonde, but ignored him.
*
The sorting had finished and Dumbledore began a grand speech.
"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin... who's kindly consented to fill the post... of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor."
Lupin stood and bowed lightly. Aurora could smell the lycanthropy in him as well.
The boy beside Aurora nudged her, most likely to show off. He turned to the Gryffindor table and called, "Potter. Is it true you fainted? I mean, you actually fainted?"
"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron grumbled, his hand pushing Harry to sit normal.
Aurora just watched with a frown. She absentmindedly clapped still. Once she stopped, so did everyone else. Aurora rolled her eyes. And so it began.
"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher... has decided to retire... in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce... that his place will be taken by none other than our own... Rubeus Hagrid."
He suddenly stood up, moving the entire teacher's table. He was nudged so 'Hagrid' sat back down.
"That oaf is a teacher now?" Draco sneered, his voice thick with disgust.
"Finally, on a more disquieting note... at the request of the Ministry of Magic... Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban... until such a time as Sirius Black is captured. The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities... a word of caution. Dementors are vicious creatures. They'll not distinguish... between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you... to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know, happiness can be found... even in the darkest of times..." the candle he gestured behind went out, "if one only remembers to turn on the light." He waved his hand behind the candle in the other direction and it relit.