King's Cross station was definitely swarming with people by the time they had arrived, the three teenagers pushing their carts past muggles rushing off to wherever their destination was. Jane Price was struggling to keep up, immediately regretting her decision of volunteering to take her daughter and her friends to board the Hogwarts Express as she smoothened out her Ministry uniform.

"Florence, dear, will you slow down? My old legs can't keep up at this pace!" the older witch called out as she desperately semi-ran in her working heels.

"Mum, the train's leaving in about ten minutes!" protested Florence, who did not slow down at all, but ran faster as she spotted the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

The older woman—who was now trying to catch her breath —was relieved as the three had stopped in front of the barrier, Nicolai Clearwater and Alexander Haddlowe thanking Mrs. Price for letting them sleepover during the past few nights.

"It helped, you know. Not hearing Penelope and mum argue about Percy Weasley and their whole clan of redheads for one day." Nicolai told her friend's mum, who smiled in amusement.

"Oh you two know that you two are most welcome in our house anytime you please." she smiled at the two, Florence snorting from where she stood leaning against the barrier, "You overstayed your welcome, Clearwater."

"Florence." Mrs. Price chastised, only to be interrupted.

"You ate my jam!" She pointed a finger at her half accusingly, making the brunette feign a gasp.

"Alexander ate half the jar too!" Nicolai revealed.

"I did not! She ate it all with a spoon while you were sleeping."

"And you just sat around and watched her murder my jam?!"

"Children," Mrs. Price cut off hastily as their pointless bickering grew even more pointless, "You three have a train to catch. Wouldn't want to stay here and bicker about Florence's jam, would you?"

"I don't know, mum," began Florence, tapping a finger on her chin, "We could be at it for the whole day. A whole day bicker-fest, wouldn't that be cool?"

"Super cool." agreed Nicolai with a somewhat convincing nod, "Better than boring train rides." said Alexander with a bright smile.

"Oh come off of it, you three. The train awaits!"

"Alright, alright woman. I'll see you at Christmas break."

"Don't you woman me."

"Sorry mum. I love you." Florence placed a quick kiss on her mother's cheek.

"One more thing." the older woman reminded, making sure that she had grabbed the three's attention, "I got on a word from some of my colleagues. There are going to be Dementors guarding the castle grounds. When you see one, don't go near them, or try anything at all, you understand?"

The three nodded.

"And you stay on castle grounds. Sirius Black wouldn't be much of a threat inside the castle."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Price." The other two chorused before they all ran in to the barrier that had transported them into Platform nine and three quarters, where the big scarlet and black Hogwarts Express steam train awaited them. They had managed to get their baggage settled in.

"What in the world made you wear that?" Florence asked incredulously, pointing at the godawful green beanie Nicolai was wearing that she had only noticed now. She stuffed her trunk into the baggage area, Nicolai's face pulled in to an evident frown as Alexander finally had the chance to laugh. She glared at her friends, sighing inwardly.

"Nan gave it to me. Just this week. Mum said I can only take it off on the train because nan might find it offensive if I took it off. Mum said she'd be here at the station." she consciously looked around, "Although I don't see her anywhere..."

"Since when did you care if you offended anyone?" snorted Alexander.

"Since my own mum threatened to jinx me, that's when. Anyways, I'll be looking forward to murdering you on the train when I get this bloody cap off. How dare you laugh in the face of my demise."

"Come on, Nic, you know better than to make death threats with plenty of witnesses around. Save them for when you're granted discretion." joked Florence, pulling her friends into the train as they searched for an empty compartment.

"This is year is going to be awesome." said Nicolai as they shuffled around the train, peering at the different compartments.

"Why do you say that?'

"Penelope's graduating, Flo. She's going to be out of my hair!"

Alexander shook his head disappointedly, "Now who's going to battle the evil?"

Nicolai shoved him lightly, "Git." she said with a laugh

The train was filled with first years who didn't know where to go, Alexander staying behind to do his prefect duties while the two girls went ahead and settled into a compartment.

"Alexander!" Penelope Clearwater called out to him from one of the compartments, a broad smile on her face. She had the same brown eyes and rosy cheeks, but unlike her sadist younger sister Nicolai, she had a much brighter and approachable aura to her. Stood beside the Head Girl was the harbinger of all Mrs. Clearwater's stress; Percy Weasley. "Welcome to the Prefects team," he greeted, offering his hand.

He hesitantly shook it before flashing him a forced smile.

"Nicolai did board the train... did she? I heard her talk about picnics up on the train roof, now I worry if she's at it right now or if she's messing with me." Alexander laughed, reassuring the older sister that Nicolai was doing nothing out of the ordinary. "Well, she was looking for a compartment the last time I checked."

"Good that," she sighed in relief, Percy giving her an amused look, "Well, first duty as a prefect is to sort these first years out... Get them into compartments and then you could head back to Florence and my sister."

He nodded, "Sounds easy enough."

"Oh, and one more thing... If it's not too much trouble."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Please keep Nic in check. Heaven knows how much attention she's willing to bring on herself."

"Don't worry, Penelope. Florence's already took up the job as Nicolai's overabused nanny."

                                                                                                           ----
Nicolai and Florence had thankfully found a vacant compartment, where they had been disturbed by four different people before Alexander arrived.

The first one who had mistakenly opened their compartment door was Lee Jordan, who hastily said sorry as he rambled about the Weasley twins taking his trunk and hiding it in the fifth compartment of the third carriage. Apparently he had miscalculated and ended up startling Florence and Nicolai who were really deep into a conversation.

The second disturbance was the walking arse who went by the name of Cormac McLaggen, claiming to have been looking for a pretty face, before sending a wink at Nicolai's direction. The younger Clearwater flipped him off before rudely telling him to go away.

"He's full of it. Walking around like he's Merlin himself." muttered Nicolai darkly as the Gryffindor boy was out of eyeshot. "It's scary how species like them are allowed to breed." she shuddered, making Florence laugh.

"Don't be too mean, Nic."

"I can't help it, it's my specialty—" the third and fourth disturbance had arrived. The Weasley twins, or more commonly known as the roots of everything awful that has happened to Filch for the past few years. Fred, who you could tell by the vest with a big knitted F on it, came scuttling in to the comprtment, George swaggering behind his twin brother. Fred had Jordan's small trunk.

"Seriously!" yelled Nicolai, their racket causing her to drop her last chocoball that she had brought along for the trip, glaring up at the both of them. Oh if looks could kill. "What is with Gryffindors and lack of proper manners?
This compartment is clearly occupied!"

"We know," one began, "We saw you come in here."

"Thought it would be a good place to hide."

"You know a place where you could hide?" Nicolai began sweetly, as if trying to suggest something, the Weasley twins listening in intently. "Off the train when I shove your arses out if the window!" she barked, before pointing fiercely at the compartment door. "Now get out!"

"What's with cranky Ravenclaws, Georgie?"

"I don't even know."

"I'd go out and leave us alone if I were you. She once stayed true to her word and shoved Alexander's body halfway out the train window." recalled Florence, beckoning them out of the compartment, the two stubbornly complying.

Alexander had slipped in to the door as they got out, his brows cocked in confusion. "What were the devil spawns doing here with you two?"

"Practicing demonic activities, ofcourse." Nicolai stated bluntly, eyeing the Honeydukes paper bag that he was carrying. "Ooo. Are those for us?" she asked hopefully, the blonde boy nodding. "Well yeah, these are for you two." He handed them smaller paper bags.

"Jelly slugs and a cauldron cake for Florence. And Liquorish wands and pumpkin pasties for Nicolai."

"How come she gets the jelly slugs?!"

"She, unlike you, is a much more likeable person." Alexander retorted coolly. "You're lucky I even got you anything."

"Okay, Xander, what's the catch?" asked Florence, popping a Jelly slug into her mouth, "You're not usually like this." Alexander gave her a look, before plopping down on the opposite seat.

"Why would you two think that?" he said in mock offense, putting a hand over his heart like a frail sixty year old.

"Oh come off of it Xander. Your golden heart is as fake as... oh no who am I kidding, there isn't anything as fake your golden heart." Her face was hit by a chocoball. "Hey!" Florence chastised like a mum, "No wasting food."

"But seriously Xan, free food? There has got to be a catch. Knowing you, you've probably planted bombs under this seat and chose to give us food so we'd enjoy our last minutes alive." Nicolai said inferably.

"If I'd try to kill you, Clearwater, I'd have planned everything better."

"Okay no one's killing anyone. Spill, Alexander."

"Fine. Well, I was off to fetch some snacks for my self, you know, to leave you two in puddles of your own drool. But then I saw Jillian Devereux outside when I ended up buying too much. I-I didn't want her to think that I was some sort of pig so I told her that most were for you two so I didn't look like a fool."

"You did what?! You know I'm crushing on his older brother... The last thing I'd want him to think is that I'm a pig when it comes to food."

"You crush on a lot of people, Nic." Florence pointed out, not seeing the point.

"Whatever. You just initially ruined my reputation. Let me take my wrath upon you by dicing off your fingers."

"I don't even know how you're in Ravenclaw, Nic. You're as vile as those Slytherins" murmured Alexander, making her narrow her eyes at him while Florence sighed, smelling another pointless fight brewing.

"How... How dare you!" squeaked Nicolai, "I'm more of a Gryffindor rather than that slimy house!"

"Have you even met you?" Alexander retorted, "You're part Slytherin and you know it."

"W-Well then. Snakes are much cooler than badgers. Literally, cool and slimy."

"Badgers are much fluffier and cuter than snakes. I know I'm cuter than you."

"Well snakes eat bloody badgers!"

The two continued back and forth, defending their hypothetical houses as Florence sighed, helplessly looking at her two best friends who, despite being in the smart house, acted and started pointless rows with each other. She stared out the window, not noticing the drizzling rain until that moments. She watched the raindrops race down the glass window, only to have something black and blurry zoom past the window, making her gasp.

Florence scrambled up her seat, pressing her hands against the window as she tried searching for what had just flown past her train compartment. Her eyes desperately searched the now dimming skies for an answer. However nothing came. She saw frost clinging to the outer part of the glass, slowly creeping up as it consumed the whole window.

By this time Alexander and Nicolai had dropped their bicker-fest, staring at each other, wondering if both of them felt the sudden change in the atmosphere.

"Flo... This train, they did maintenance on their heating systems this year, right?" asked Nicolai, sitting nearer to where Florence had herself pressed against the window, Alexander following.

"I don't know." she breathed out in reply.

"I'm no expert but it seems a tad bit cold in here..." shivered Xander.

"Yeah, great going, captain obvious." chortled Nicolai just as the black thing zoomed past their window again.

"There!" Florence said suddenly, making her companions jump in their seats, "Did anyone see that?"

"See what?" The lights started flickering on and off, Nicolai letting out a string of profanities as she clung tightly to Alexander, feeling the train growing slower and slower, until it came to a halt. Alexander's suitcase had fallen off the overhead compartment, hitting him on the head. "Ouch!".

"What in the bloody hell is going on?!" she breathed out, as the lights completely flicked off. There was silence, the air feeling thicker and much colder as the three had their eyes open. Florence had blindly reached for the compartment door, looking out to see other heads popping out of their own compartments in curiousity.

"Does anyone have anything on them?!" groaned Nicolai, to be followed by a loud thud, "Get off, me Alexander. You're bloody heavy!"

"Well I'm sorry, it's not like I'm literally standing in darkness, is it?"

"You're not the only one who feels totally blind, you insufferable moron. Atleast I'm not sitting on anyone's face."

"I wasn't sitting on your face!"

"Yeah that was abit of an exaggeration. You were sitting on my bloody knee. Bloody git."

Florence whipped her wand out of her muggle clothes, "Lumos." Half the carriage was now illuminated by the small light that came from the tip of her wand, her two companions doing the same. Nicolai let out a shout.

"I saw something moving out there!" she said, pointing out the window that was nothing but pitch black. "Don't be ridiculous... There's nothing out there—"

"Oh but there is..." Florence cut off, standing in place as if frozen, a vague look on her face as she stared at the creature that stood before her. "It's a dementor." she whispered, barely enough for everyone to hear as it entered their compartment, the chilly air felt as if it had the capacity to freeze them to death.

"What's it doing here—" "Hush!"

"Don't do anything. It'll go away. It's only looking for Black so as long as we let it, the sooner it will go away." she whispered to her friends, staying still as the creature searched their compartment, leaving at once.

"Okay. That was bloody scary."

The train had arrived at the Hogsmeade station at nightfall, everyone still shaken from the Dementor. The halls were filled with food as everyone fixed their plates, Florence only interested in the marmalade and french bread that they had prepared, helping herself to a slice... or three.

As soon as everyone was too full to have another bite, all the empty platters and plates disappeared before them, all heads turning back to the Podium where Dumbledore stood behind. A brief speech about a New Defense teacher, Professor Lupin, and about the dementors roaming the school for patrols regarding Sirius Black's escape. After that, everyone was requested to get back to their quarters

"You guys want to play a bit of chess before we hit the sack?" asked Alexander as he had gotten down from the boys dormitories, already in his pajamas while the two were still in their school robes. "No," yawned Florence, loosening her tie, "I think I'll pass. I'm quite tired with all the running that I did—"

"What running? Where have you two been?" Alexander narrowed his eyes at them.

"Flo! I told you not to tell!"

"Tell what?" demanded the prefect boy, folding his arms across his chest.

"Relax, Xan. It's nothing, really. We just followed the new Defense teacher to his office, you know, his scars fascinated us so we went to get a closer look."

"If Professor Lupin saw you two and— wait, no, nevermind. I wasn't here, didn't find out about anything." he sighed inwardly, "Look, could you two please stay out of trouble for this year? We're on our O.W.Ls year, I'm a prefect and I cannot bear handing out punishments to you two."

"Oh sure," said Nicolai, picking at her nails, "I suppose you'd want me to stop breathing, too?"

"Works for us, Nic." muttered Florence, making Alexander laugh.

"So... Deal?" Alexander asked hopefully.

"We'll behave." Florence promised as the prefect sighed in relief, "I'll keep her tied, too."

"Thank you. Now, is anyone up for some chess?"

"You sure you want you arse handed to you on a silver platter, Haddlowe?" Nicolai smirked as the other one scoffed, "Oh you only wish you could beat me in chess, Clearwater."

"Oh, this is interesting... I think I'll stay to watch.." Florence said, sitting at one of the sofas as she got ready for the chess match of the century.

--------

a/n: Hello! Welcome to the debut of my first book after years and years of having a Wattpad account. I had a lot of drafts that I was too scared to publish because I was afraid that it wouldn't really click with people. So... This is the first book that I have been very confident with (confident enough to publish it.) I hope you guys will like it!

Lots of Love,
Denise