The following morning everyone was up early, despite their broken sleep. The Ministry had organised cars for Harry and the Weasleys to get to Kings Cross station. Unsurprisingly though, there was no transport for Y/N. Hermione and Lavender both refused to go by car out of loyalty to him.

Y/N magically loaded their belongings into his pouch and smiled at Harry, chuckling: "Have fun in the car lad."

Lavender and Hermione took Y/N's arm as Na-Hath perched on his shoulder. Y/N smirked his cocky smirk, flipping off the Ministry workers and apparating the two girls away.

They landed directly on platform 9 and 3/4s and, once Lavender had recovered from apparating, boarded the train. They found a compartment that had a man, hunched and asleep in the corner, under a coat.

Y/N smiled to himself and said: "Let's take this one."

He signalled to the two girls and they nodded. They got themselves settled in the compartment, Y/N took their luggage out of his pack and stowed it away for the girls. Hermione got Crookshanks out of his cage and stroked him on her lap while Lavender sat looking out the window. Y/N suddenly heard Na-Hath speak to him.

Father, may I stretch my wings and fly to Hogwarts? I know the location.

"Of course Na-Hath" Y/N smiled and opened the window as the magnificent magical bird flew away.

They sat chatting quietly until the horn sounded and the train left the station, Harry and Ron eventually found them. Lavender sat next to the window on one side next to Hermione who cuddled into Y/N. Harry and Ron sat next to the sleeping man.

"Who is he?" Ron asked puzzled.

"Professor R.J. Lupin" Hermione answered with a condescending tone of voice. Y/N grinned.

"Do you know everything?" Ron asked Hermione.

"How is it she knows everything?" He turned and asked Harry who shrugged.

"Honestly! It's on his suitcase, Ronald" Lavender answered pointing up to his case.

"Do you think he's asleep?" Harry asked, motioning to the passed out Professor.

"Yeah he's out cold" Y/N added. It was just after a full moon. Y/N knew he would be exhausted.

"I have to tell you something" Harry said closing the door.

—~—

Harry finished explaining what Arthur had told him about Sirius Black hunting Harry and Y/N. Ron looked shocked but Y/N, Hermione and Lavender didn't look at all surprised.

"You knew?" Harry asked.

"It's why I got myself sent to Azkaban" Y/N answered nonchalantly. Hermione looked down and hugged into Y/N more. Lavender rubbed Hermione's back. Ron and Harry went wide eyed. Harry, under Hermione's direction, hadn't asked Y/N about Azkaban until he was ready to talk about it.

"What do you mean, Y/N?" Harry asked.

"Sirius was spotting near my ancestral manor in Yorkshire, and then my family's summer home in Leicestershire. He was looking for me and heading south towards London. I couldn't take the risk of him finding Hermione and her family so I made myself a visible target. Got myself sent to Azkaban so Black would know where I was."

"After he put wards and a complex illusion on Hermione's house so she and her family would be safe" Lavender said proudly, smiling at her friend.

"What was Azkaban like Y/N?" Ron asked.

Y/N furrowed his brow and Hermione sent Ron a look. She knew Y/N didn't like talking about it.

"How do you think it was Ronald? It's hell on earth surrounded by pure evil. You fight or you die. I did what I had to to survive."

Y/N's voice rose as he spoke and Hermione hugged him tighter and whispered lovingly in his ear, calming him.

The weather was foul outside but it suddenly turned worse as the train jolted to a stop and the lights went out.

"Guys I think something is out there. It's coming aboard" Lavender said peering out the window.

Y/N suddenly felt their presence. Dementors. Damn.

"'Mione stay behind me ok, I know what this is" Y/N said in his serious 'not fucking around' voice.

Hermione was scared but nodded as her breathe became visible in front of her, the window frosted over and a dark ominous presence moved to their compartment door.

A skeletal hand opened the door and Harry suddenly went rigid, Y/N shot up on his feet and stood face to face with the creature, staring it down. He heard it whisper angrily

...you...

Y/N sneered, anger in his voice: "He isn't here, fuck off!"

The creature snarled at Y/N as he unsheathed his wand.

"I'm warning you. You've got til the count of three. This isn't Azkaban, I've got my wand here."

Hermione stared at her boyfriend, too terrified to move as her mind was filled with the worst taunts of her former school life.

Lupin's eyes shot awake as he looked to Hermione and Lavender and raised a finger to his lips.

"One"

Harry passed out and hit the floor.

"Two"

Lupin's wand suddenly shot next to Y/N's left ear as he released a patronus which scared the Dementor away.

Hermione instantly jumped up and hugged into Y/N's back. He turned around kissing her head and shhushhing her in a compassionate way. While comforting his terrified girlfriend he looked at the wizarding standing in front of him with his cocky smirk.

"I had that covered" he said to the man.

"Y/N" The man smiled at the boy.

"Remus" Y/N answered back.

"That's Professor Lupin now" the man chuckled.

"Wait, you know him, love?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Yeah, Jacob and I spent some time on the road  with Rem-uh... 'Professor Lupin' a few years ago" Y/N chuckled.

"You've always been a remarkable boy Y/N, but how did you not react to the Dementor like that?"

"Got used to their attacks while I was in Azkaban, Professor. I refused to lower my Occlumency shields in there and feed them so... yeah they don't like me very much. I wanted to give it a chance to leave before casting my Patronus. Didn't want to get in more shit with the dipshit Minister."

"You can cast a patronus?" Lupin asked, looking stunned.

"Yeah full corporeal, Jacob taught me over summer" Y/N answered.

"Of course. Still remarkable. And you didn't answer my question"

"Oh right sorry. I was affected Professor. It took back me to... It doesn't matter. I was raised to look fear in the eyes and tell it to fuck off" Y/N answered coldly.

Hermione wrapped her arms tighter around her boyfriend. Sometimes she couldn't help but think he was too tough for his own good.

The only thing Remus could do was look at Y/N stunned and mutter: "Incredible."

Harry began to stir as Y/N leant down, gently shaking him and saying quietly:

"Come on Harry, back to the land of the living mate."

Harry looked around disoriented as Lupin looked down at him smiling and held out some chocolate.

"Eat, it will help. That was a dementor from Azkaban looking for Sirius Black. I need to have a word with our driver."

He quickly handed Y/N and Hermione some chocolate before departing. He nodded at Y/N as he left.

"Up you get Harry" Y/N said with a smile as he lifted him up under his arms with ease, much to Harry's embarrassment, placing him on the seat next to Ron:

"Eat the chocolate, Harry, it will fill your body with endorphins, make you feel better."

Y/N whispered in Hermione's ear: "like something else I can think of."

She giggled and blushed brightly before trying to compose herself as she and Y/N took their seats.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"You passed out mate, thought you were having a fit. Thankfully Y/N blocked the Dementor from getting any closer" Ron answered, his voice quivering as he was still shaken up by being so close to a Dementor.

"How?" Harry asked puzzled and still trying to recover.

"Um.. he sort of stood there and swore at it?"

Everyone laughed at Ron's comment.

"Professor Lupin cast a... what was it called again babe" Hermione asked.

"A patronus charm. It's an extremely advanced piece of magic. Beyond even N.E.W.T level" Y/N answered with his head back against the wall and his eyes closed. He had been dragged back to the Hole, he heard his mum screaming as she cut and sliced, Jacob roaring crucio...

"But you can do it?" Ron asked in surprise.

"Yes. I learned when I was training at Nurmengard before Hermione and I went to Dean and Penny's house."

Y/N opened his eyes and looked at his friends, pushing the painful memories deep down. He was an expert at pushing things down.

"There are two types. An incorporeal patronus and a corporeal."

Ron, Harry and Lavender looked like they were struggling to keep up while Hermione stared at her boyfriend with pride. He never ceased to amaze her.

"The incorporeal patronus is the... easier I suppose is the word, but less effective charm. It acts as a shield between yourself and the dementor, while a corporeal patronus takes the shape of an animal and will actively drive back Dementors and Lethifold."

"Could you show us babe?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Anything for you sweetheart" Y/N chuckled before kissing her. It quickly grew passionate, Y/N licking Hermione's lip before touching their tongues and then pulling away quickly. Hermione sat there stunned momentarily, closing her mouth and looking puzzled. The other three had looked away awkwardly.

"Sorry, just the spell needs inspiration" Y/N chuckled. He pointed towards the window and said in a booming, commanding voice:

Expecto Patronum

A silver/blue light shot out of the window and the four Gryffindors look amazed as it took the giant shape of a dragon which flew alongside the train for about twenty seconds before disappearing.

"Wow" Harry and Ron muttered in unison as Hermione jumped on her boyfriend's lap and restarted the passionate kiss. It was she who pulled away abruptly this time, gasping at Y/N:

"You are incredible, baby!"

Y/N smiled bashfully and replied:

"Thanks babe. I want you to learn the spell as well, in case I'm not there and anything happens. I'll teach you."

"If you're sure I can" Hermione stated hesitantly.

"Of course you can. You're brilliant" Y/N smiled. Hermione blushed before kissing her boyfriend again.

"What did you mean inspiration?" Ron asked puzzled, oblivious to the sweet couple moment happening across from him.

Y/N let a growl into Hermoine's lips as she rolled her eyes and sat back down next to Y/N. He scowled at Ron before stating matter-of-factly:

"You can only conjure a patronus with an extremely powerful, happy memory."

"What memory did you use Y/N?" Harry asked

"Well the first time I successfully cast it I was thinking of Hermione, and of our first kiss at the end of last year. Since then I have... other... happy memories that I think about" Y/N smirked.

Hermione blushed and turned her head slightly, biting her lip, thinking about their heated making out sessions. Lavender giggled excitedly, slapping her on the arm and whispering:

"I want details!"

The two boys in front of them were as clueless as a pair of flubberworms, oblivious to Y/N's meaning.

Y/N put his head back against the wall again, saying with his eyes closed:

"I need to rest for a bit anyway lads, you should do the same. Dementors take it out of you."

Lavender got up and sat next to Ron, allowing Y/N to spread out against the window, Hermione sat on his lap with her head on his chest, happily talking to Lavender as Y/N drifted off to sleep.