Chapter 29: Dementors

Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter and I am happy to say this story has over 150 followers! Thanks for all the support guys. I hope you like what I have planned and also if any of you have seen the Harry Potter Tournament of Houses it is a fun game show. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.

As the Hogwarts Express was on its way to school, Sam went to Harry's compartment to see him, Ron and Hermione sitting down with a man sleeping in the corner.

"Who's he?" Sam asks.

"All we know is his name is Remus Lupin." Harry said.

"How?" Sam asks.

"It's on his luggage." Hermione points.

"Oh. Well here Ron your mom gave him to me just before we left." Sam said handing him Scabbers.

"Scabbers." Ron smiles holding his rat close. "Thanks mate."

"Hey uh guys were any of you in contact with Penny over the break?" Sam asks.

"Not recently, why?" Hermione shook her head.

"She was pretty distant to me when I saw her. It was like she didn't want to be near me." Sam said.

"Oof what did you do?" Ron asks.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her since we left Hogwarts." Sam said.

"Did anything happen before you left?" Harry asks.

Pausing Sam thought back to what could have happened then he remembered something, the kiss.

"I better go find a compartment." Sam said walking out.

"Oof sounds like he really screwed up." Ron said.

"Ron." Hermione glares.

Walking down the hall, Sam leaned against the window.

'Oh man that's why she's so distant. She's angry at me because I kissed her.' Sam groans holding his head.

"Hey Sam." Turning around he saw Eric and Cole walking towards him.

"We've been looking all over for you." Cole said.

"Sorry guys, had to give Ron his rat back." Sam gestures to the compartment.

"He should really think about getting a travel size cage for that." Eric said.

"Weasley's buying something? That's a laugh." A familiar annoying voice said.

"Oh no." Sam rolls his eyes knowing full well who that was.

Looking down the hall he saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle walking towards them.

"I heard when their mother got the money she almost had a heart attack." Malfoy mocks as Crabbe and Goyle snicker.

"Like you're one to talk. I heard your dad got fired from the board." Sam brings up shutting them up. "Guess you won't be getting your allowance until daddy gets a new job. I wish I could have seen the look on his face. Was it as dumb as when I handcuffed him to the rail?"

"That was you?!" Malfoy said outraged.

"Like father like son, neither one of you can stand my magic tricks." Sam said.

"Why you." Malfoy growls.

"I got more important things to deal with so why don't you go find a place to sit and shut up for the rest of the train." Sam said as they tried to walk past only for Crabbe and Goyle to block their paths.

"What does Slytherin's Champion think he's too good for us now?" Malfoy asks.

"Too good for you maybe." Eric mumbles.

"What was that?" Malfoy glares.

"I said he's too good for you. Do you need to clean out your ears?" Eric asks making Sam and Cole snicker.

"Who are these two? Your servants?" Malfoy asks.

"They're friends and unlike your boneheads, these two are the best." Sam gestures.

"Boneheads? Oh I am gonna—" Goyle reaches for his wand but before he could grab it Cole punched him in the face startling everyone.

Crabbe tried to attack him but Cole elbowed him in the face making him stumble back.

"Whoa Cole." Sam said amazed.

"What? Did you think I was slacking off while you were here?" Cole chuckles.

"Who punches people?" Crabbe groans.

"I do, and I'll gladly do it again unless you three get lost." Cole threatens.

"You better listen to him Malfoy." Sam smirks.

Malfoy was about to snap when he noticed something.

"Leave him alone Malfoy." Turning around Sam saw Daphne, Liz and Barnaby with their wands out.

"Step away from them right now." Barnaby said.

Growling Malfoy turns to Sam and storms out with Crabbe and Golye struggling to keep up.

"I can't believe you've been putting up with that jerk for years." Eric said.

"Welcome to my world." Sam chuckles as the other Slytherins walked over to him. "Thanks for the save guys."

"Are you kidding? It's been great." Liz smiles surprising him.

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

"Sam your big declaration has changed my life. Other houses are actually talking to us. I'm sitting with some Hufflepuffs to talk about creatures." Liz smiles.

"We wanted to say thank you for everything." Barnaby smiles.

"Really? Even you Daphne?" Sam asks.

"Let's just say not many people keep referring to me as the Ice Queen anymore." Daphne admits.

"Well I'm glad to hear it." Sam smiles.

As they made their way back to the compartments Sam didn't notice Merula looking at him from behind a wall.

After helping Eric and Cole find a compartment, Sam looked around for an open one when a flash of light went off making him cringe.

"Colin is that you?" Sam asks rubbing his eyes.

As he got some sight back he saw the excited little Gryffindor up in front of him.

"Hi Sam great to see you again." Colin smiles.

"Yeah you too. Uh don't you already have a picture of me?" Sam asks.

"Not as Slytherin's Champion. Any chance we can find Harry and I can get another picture of the two of you?" Colin asks.

"Uhm Colin…" Sam cringed not wanting to go through this.

"Sorry Colin but I need him for a bit." Tulip said walking over. "Good friend coming through."

"Tulip." Sam smiles as she pulls him into a compartment.

Inside it was Chiara and Neville were sitting down.

"Hey there he is. The new school celebrity." Chiara giggles.

"Stop rubbing it in." Sam said as he sat down next to Neville.

"Having a hard time adjusting?" Neville asks.

"It's so weird. The way everyone is looking at me, whispering about me, I don't think I like it." Sam cringed.

Well don't worry Snape, you got friends like us to help keep the fame from going to your head." Tulip chuckles.

"Not to mention all your new supporters." Chiara adds.

"Thanks guys." Sam said feeling a little better.

As the train was nearing Hogwarts, it was dark and raining outside.

In his compartment, Barnaby was leaning against the wall as Sam was doing a card trick for Blaise.

"I'm telling you Blaise he's really good." Barnaby said as Sam shuffled the deck.

"Is this your card?" Sam asks holding up the 2 of Diamonds.

"Nope, not even close." Blaise shook his head.

"What?" Sam turns to it. "Oh for crying out loud." Grabbing the card he crumbles it in his hands and tosses it to the ground.

"Uh is that really necessary?" Blaise asks.

"Pick it up." Sam points.

Slowly Blaise picked the card up and uncrumpled it revealing the card was the 9 of clubs.

"Is that your card?" Sam asks.

"That is my card. How'd you do that?" Blaise chuckles.

"Sorry it's a secret." Sam chuckles.

"I can't believe you fooled the Malfoy's with these tricks." Blaise said.

"Believe it." Sam said.

"Hey I'm rooting for you this year on the Quidditch team. Now that you're our Seeker maybe we'll have a better chance of winning." Blaise said.

"One can only hope." Sam said forcing a smile.

As he and Barnaby walked out Sam immediately banged his head against the door.

"As if I didn't have enough pressure being Slytherin's Champion now they want me to bring home the Cup." Sam groans.

Trying to make him feel better Tulip reaches to put her on Sam's shoulder but the second she did the train came to a halt making all of them stumble and Tulip falls on top of him.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Chiara asks.

"We can't be at Hogwarts already." Neville said.

As Sam looks up he sees Tulip had fallen onto his chest.

"Tulip I'm happy you tried to cheer me up but this might be a little much." Sam groans.

"S-Sorry for once this was not intentional." Tulip stutters getting off him.

"Something must be wrong with the train." Chiara said.

"Hey guys." Neville whimpers getting their attention. "Something's out there."

As they looked to the window they felt the area around them get colder and colder.

Looking to the door something began moving towards them.

Reaching for his wand, Sam readied himself for whatever it was when the door swings open revealing a horrifying creature in a dark coat.

Seeing this Neville cowers in fear while Tulip and Chiara hug each other nervously.

"S-Stay back." Sam said as the creature turned to him letting out a hissing strange noise Sam cringed in pain as he fell to his knees before he suddenly started to hear voices.

"Please take my son to safety and when he's old enough tell him how brave his family was." Lucy said.

"What's his name?" Snape said.

"Sam." She said when an awake Prof. Lupin stepped out from the corridor and blasted the Dementor with a white spell making it flee.

"Sam are you okay?" Neville asks as Sam groans holding his head.

"Are you alright?" Lupin said bending down to him.

"Ugh what happened?" Sam asks as Lupin held out a piece of chocolate.

"Here eat this." He said but Sam was hesitant. "Don't worry it's chocolate."

"What was that?" Neville asks.

"A dementor. The guards of Azkaban. I encountered another one near the back. No doubt they were searching the train for Sirius Black. I need to have a word with the conductor." Lupin said getting up. "You kids better get ready, we'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon.

Breaking the chocolate Sam took a bite.

"What happened?" Sam asks.

"It was terrifying, one look at it and you fell what happened?" Chiara asks.

"I don't know. I-I thought I heard Prof. Snape for a second." Sam admits.

"Prof. Snape? Sam, he's at Hogwarts. He's nowhere near here." Tulip said.

"I heard him, he was talking to a woman. She sounded like she was in pain." Sam said.

Confused all of the three of them look at each other before looking back at him.

"You didn't hear anything?" Sam asks.

Soon they were all wearing their robes and arrived at Hogwarts, as Mr. Flitwick's frog choir was serenading the halls Sam looked around for any sign of Eric and Cole but didn't see them anywhere.

When the song ended, the school applauded them allowing Dumbledore to step forward.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few things to say to you all and as one of them is very serious best to get it out of the way so we can get on with the feast." Dumbledore said clearing his throat. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some dementors of Azkaban who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

"Translation, Sirius Black." Ron whispers.

"Dementors will be stationed at every entrance at the school and while they are with us I ask that none of you try to leave the school without permission. They are not fooled by tricks, disguises, or even Invisibility cloaks and other enchanted objects." Dumbledore as Sam and Harry glanced at each other.

While all the other students seemed anxious and nervous about these new guests Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Now on a happier note I am delighted to say we will have some new additions to our school staff. First I'd like to welcome Prof. Remus Lupin as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher." Dumbledore said as Lupin stood up and everyone applauded him.

"That's the guy who drove the Dementors away on the train." Liz whispers.

"Well, looks like we actually have a decent teacher this year." Barnaby said.

"And while I am sad to say Prof. Kettleburn our Care of Magical Creatures Teacher retired last year in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say his post will be filled by none other than our very own Rubeus Hagrid who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his Gamekeeping duties." Dumbledore said as Hagrid stood.

"Well that explains the biting book." Sam chuckles.

"While I believe Hagrid will be an exceptional teacher I am thrilled to say Hogwarts found some spunky and very knowledgeable assistants to aid Hagrid in teaching. Students of Newt Scamander himself, and through high recommendation Eric Brody and Cole Morrison." Dumbledore announced as Sam spotted his two friends enter from the back.

Standing up he and Harry appuladed them while everyone looked at them with interest.

"So that's who they were. I heard they were on the train with us." One boy said

"I heard one beat up Crabbe and Golye without even needing his wand." A girl said.

'Yeah no wand.' Sam thought nervously.

"While they are young they have proved to me their knowledge of Magical Creatures and working alongside Hagrid I believe they will make an amazing team." Dumbledore said.

"Assitant Teachers, that's pretty impressive." Liz said eager to see what they know.

"No way am I gonna be taking orders from those two. They can't order me around." Malfoy said.

"Actually, as long as you're in Care of Magical Creatures they can and will order you around." Sam points out much to Malfoy's frustration.

"Well I believe that's all you need to know. Let the feast begin." Dumbledore said as food appeared all over.

From his table, Sam watched as Dumbledore led Eric and Cole to Hagrid.

"Boys meet Hagrid, you'll be helping him for the year." Dumbledore introduced.

"Hello sir." Cole said nervously.

"Sir? Oh you boys don't need to be so formal. Call me Hagrid." Hagrid chuckles shaking both their hands.

"So you don't mind having us as your assisstants?" Eric asks.

"Not at all, I could use extra hand. Plus after a little incident with your friends, I need to help teach a certain spider to open up." Hagrid said.

"Well we're happy to help." Eric said.

"Perfect. Let's eat and then we can get you boys moved in." Hagrid said gesturing for them to sit down.

While Cole sat down next to Hagrid, Eric sat down next to Prof. Flitwick.

"I heard your choir. Even from the back room it sounded impressive." Eric said.

"Thank you." Prof. Flitwick chuckles.

"How do you manage to teach frogs to make those sounds?" Eric asks interested.

"Lots of practice, for them and their owners." Prof. Flitwick said cutting his steak.

Hearing this both boys were finding Hogwarts more and more interesting.

Smiling Sam was happy to see them blending in, turning his gaze Sam was on the lookout for someone and in the corner on the opposite end, there he sat. Prof. Snape.

Seeing him, Sam couldn't help but think about the moment they had last year.

Even though Snape denied it, Sam thought he was really bonding with his Potions Master.

Not to mention he's part of the reason Sam wasn't letting all this fame go to his head. He wanted to make sure he didn't let him down.

When the feast ended, all the students headed back to the common rooms.

Exiting the great hall, Sam turns to see Snape waiting for him.

"A word." Snape said looking at him.

Leading him into the hallway, Snape crosses his arms.

"You want to explain why two boys from your orphanage are here at Hogwarts?" Snape asks.

"Well Dumbledore hired them because they were very knowledgeable in Magical Creatures." Sam said nervously.

"But pray tell how did those two become so knowledgeable about anything magical." Snape said.

"Uh after my first year we sort of ran into Newt at King's Cross. For helping him, Newt agreed to teach them about Magical Creatures. He's been teaching everything he's known since then." Sam said.

"Do you know how dangerous it is having them around the school? If they learn the truth Hogwarts and Dumbledore will be in big trouble." Snape said.

"As far everyone knows they're Squibs like Filch, you know but better and more potential to be likeable." Sam said.

"I heard they punched a student on the train." Snape said not buying it.

"It was Crabbe and Goyle, they've had it coming since they got here." Sam said.

"Don't let your loyalty to your friends cloud your judgment. If you want them to make it to the end of the year don't let them get away with such recklessness. Now that they're Assistant professors they'll be expected to adhere to high standards. One of which is not harming a student during class. Do I make myself clear?" Snape asks.

"Yes sir." Sam nods.

Sending Sam back to the common room, Snape walks down the hall to see Dumbledore sending off Eric and Cole with Hagrid.

"Ah Severus, evening." Dumbledore said.

"Why would you do such a thing? As if the Ministry doesn't question enough of your decisions." Snape asks.

"I think they have potential Severus. I saw them capture some of the most elusive magical creatures known to man. Newt Scamander was one of my closest students. If they've earned his trust, I trust them." Dumbledore said.

"You trust too many. Everyone else may not know who those boys are but I do. If the wrong people look into it Sam could be pulled in." Snape said.

"You seem very worried about Sam's future." Dumbledore said interested.

"Don't start with this again." Snape said.

"Newt and I took care of everything Severus. Anyone at Hogwarts is safe." Dumbledore said.

"I'll be the judge of that." Snape said walking away.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say Severus is finally opening up to Sam." Dumbledore chuckles.

Between the Dementors and the new Hogwarts staff, the new year at Hogwarts was off to a very exciting start.