1 September 1993

Molly nearly lost her mind staying at the Leaky Caldron until the 1st. After only a day of pub food she started to head to the burrow for a few hours each day to cook for her children and Harry. Unfortunately, Molly seemed to have some issues with portion control and would cook to the point that only half the food could be consumed. While she allowed Hermione and Harry to wander Diagon Alley alone, she, along with Charlie and Percy would show up periodically to make sure they were okay. Harry grew a little annoyed, after spending almost 3 weeks unsupervised, he had grown to enjoy the freedom of no one checking in on him.

Hermione purchased all of her books before Molly made a trip to get all the other boys their supplies. Harry was dumbstruck at the amount of books Hermione had to purchase, still trying to work out what these hidden perks were. No matter how he tried to cajole the answer out of Hermione and Percy, they kept their lips firmly shut. Hermione had to try 3 different copies of Monster Book of Monsters before she got one that wasn't missing most of the pages. The shop keeper looked like he was about to hit the little red head when she came back the 3rd time.

Charlie left the day Arthur arrived with Fred, George, and Ron. Ron was badly sunburnt while Fred and George looked far too pleased with themselves. Ron refused to share a room with Fred and George, apparently still very angry about them switching his sun paste. Harry graciously offered to let him bunk with him, having Dobby set up a cot for the angry red head. Everything seemed to make Ron angry the last days of break. Scabbers was ill, when they went to get rat tonic, a ginger cat with a squished face attacked him. Hermione fell in love with the old feline, the shop keeper offered to sell him for only 5 knuts. Apparently, Crookshanks the half-kneazle, hated everyone and the shop keeper was only too happy to let him go. Ron woke Harry up at half 3 screaming at Dobby for knitting too loud, making the little house elf cry. Harry snapped at him, telling him he could bunk with his parents if he couldn't control his temper and apologize to Dobby. Hermione was woken up a few minutes later.

Arthur Weasley pulled Harry aside the morning they were waiting for the ministry cars to pick them up. Arthur had become quite attached to Harry and liked to think of him as a 7th son. Molly warned him not to tell him anything, claiming he was too young but he knew it was better to be prepared then send the boy to school blind. So he told Harry that Sirius Black was the Potters secret keeper and the ministry believed Black escaped to come after the 3rd year. Harry didn't have a chance to tell his friends until they were settling into a compartment on the train.

"Who do you reckon he is?" Ron whispered loudly, pointing at the shabby man who was sleeping soundly on the train.

"Professor Lupin. Probably our newest DADA professor." Hermione grunted as she stowed her trunk in the overhead, Harry reached up give it the last push before stowing his beside it.

"How do you know? How do you know bloody everything?" Ron gaped as he rubbed his back on the compartment door.

"Eww Ron. Stop it! It says it on the his luggage." Hermione scrunched up her nose at her brother as he tried to scratch his peeling back, again.

"Oi! I can't help it! It's bloody maddening, the paste finally healed the burn but now I'm constantly itchy." Ron whined as used a quill to scratch his back, his eyes rolling back in his head with a dopey smile on his face.

"Ron, you're shedding everywhere." Harry chuckled as he took his seat by Hermione.

"So, what did my dad want?" Ron asked as he paused his scratching.

"Well, apparently, Black is the reason my parents are dead and he broke out to kill me." Harry said grimly.

"Shite!" Ron exclaimed and resumed his scratching.

"Yeah, your dad begged me not to go hunting him, like I'm going to go looking for a deranged murderer." Harry scoffed and sat back with his arms crossed.

"I'm glad he told you, I think I heard mum and dad arguing about whether they should."

Hermione smiled slightly, lightly squeezed his arm in support.

"I don't see why they wouldn't. I'm not a child." Harry groused as he watched Hermione pull 1 of the manny tattered books she came back from Egypt with, she fell asleep before the end of the first chapter.

"Chess?" Ron asked then made a strangled sound in the back of his throat as he scratched his lower back. Dobby quickly set up a chess table for them, since they couldn't access the table by the window. Neville, Luna, and Eloise stopped by but didn't stay, deciding to go back to their own compartment. Dobby set about a feast before the trolley lady came around, leaving Ron in heaven.

"We can't be there already." Hermione mumbled sleepily as the train started to slow and darkness fell outside. The compartment grew cold and the occupants could see their breath before suddenly the lights went out, causing Hermione to squeak in fear. Harry moved closer to Hermione, as a black hooded figure glided towards the closed door. When a skeletal hand reached forward to open the door and float in, Harry instinctively moved to block Hermione from its view. Hermione closed her eyes as she heard screaming, Luna and Celeste screaming. She heard the ceiling collapse and could almost smell the smoke from the cauldron.

"None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our robes." Hermione distantly heard, followed by some incantation she didn't recognize. The screams in her head lessened and the cold receded before Hermione opened her eyes to find she was pinned under something heavy. Squirming, she recognized Harry's unruly black hair and familiar scent.

"Harry?" Hermione gasped and managed to reposition him so his head was on her lap, he apparently fainted.

"Eat this, you'll feel better. He'll be up in a mo'. Give him some as well." Said a gruff voice. She looked up to find the professor awake. He had sandy blonde hair and looked very ill, his face covered with light scars. Hermione took the chocolate from the shabbily dressed man with a weak smile. "I'm going to talk to the conductor."

"Was that really a dementor?" Ron asked shakily, staring blankly out the window.

"Think so." Hermione whispered as she suckled on the chocolate and ran her ringers through Harry's messy hair.

"Felt like I would never be happy again." Ron mumbled, closing his eyes and shoving the large chunk of chocolate in his mouth.

"I heard Celeste." Hermione whispered in a pained voice.

"Who screamed?" Harry whispered but didn't move, enjoying the soothing touch.

"No one screamed, mate." Ron mumbled, looking at them for the first time. He frowned, wanting to rip his injured best friend away from his sister.

"Oh...uhh." Harry opened his eyes to find Hermione's hair tickling his nose and his face rather close to her chest.

"Eat this, Harry. It will help." Hermione smiled kindly at him, making him flush a deep crimson and sit up quickly.

"Thanks." Harry mumbled, shoving the chocolate in his mouth quickly.

"Mina!" Luna rushed into the compartment and jumped on her friend in tears. Hermione held her tightly as Luna buried her face in Hermione's hair, breathing deep shuddering breaths. "I heard mummy and you and...him."

"That was awful!" A pale Neville blurted as he ushered a shaky Eloise into the compartment.

"What were those things?" Eloise shuddered.

"Dementors." Ron said miserably. Hermione was breaking off pieces of her chocolate bar to give to her friends.

"What?" Eloise asked.

"They guard the prisoners at Azkaban." Neville said, feeling better as he ate the chocolate.

"Why are they here?" Luna wailed, Hermione rubbed circles on the distraught girls back.

"They think Black is coming to Hogwarts." Ron grumbled.

"Why?" Eloise gasped, her eyes wide with fear.

"For me." Harry sighed.