(The Potters and the Prisoner of Azkaban, act three, chapter two)

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Molly Wealsey was seen running towards the train with Percy's old rat resting in her hand. Ron Weasley was standing by one of the windows to take him from his mother. "Don't lose him!" She warned him.

"Please do." Rebekah said, not understanding what was so important about that rat. She understood that it was Ron's pet, but if she had to choose between having no pet or that thing, she would've definitely choose the first option.

"Look, we don't know which one of us it was, but we didn't mean to blow her up. We just lost control." Harry said to the others as they walked through the train in search for an empty compartment.

"Speak about yourself, Harold. I was happy when I saw her floating away like stupid some balloon." Nora said to him. "She deserved what she got. She shouldn't have said what she said."

"Honestly, she deserved to be still hanging there." Sirius said in a bitter voice.

"Brilliant." Ron commented, agreeing with Nora.

"Honestly you two, it's not funny." Hermione said to them, before turning to Ron. "They were lucky not to be expelled."

"I think we were lucky enough to not be arrested." Harry said.

"Honestly, I don't think they'll end up in jail so easily." Elena said. "I mean, they were the only ones who have been able to 'defeat' Voldemort three times by now."

"Yeah, they need them." Jeremy said, agreeing with his sister. While the Mikaelsons knew it was true what the Gilberts were saying, they still hoped it wasn't. A community shouldn't count on innocent kids to stop a dark wizard.

"I still think it was brilliant." Ron spoke.

"Come on. Everywhere else is full." Hermione said, calling back the two Potters as they entered a compartment, where only a sleeping man was in. A compartment more empty than this, they weren't going to find.

"Who do you think that is?" Ron asked, looking at the man as he and Hermione sat down opposite the sleeper.

"Professor R.J. Lupin." Hermione responded as the two Potters put their bag above them on the shelf.

"How do you know everything?" Ron asked her as Nora sat down next to the professor with Harry on her side. "How is it she knows everything?"

"It's on his suitcase, Ron." Nora said, pointing above her at the professor's bag, next to hers.

"Oh." Ron muttered. "Wonder what he teaches?" Ron asked them, looking down at Lupin.

"That's obvious. There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Do you think he's really asleep?" Harry asked the others as he looked at the man.

Nora poked Professor Lupin in his arm.

"Seems to be. Why?" Hermione asked him.

"We gotta tell you something." Nora spoke as Harry closed the door, shielding them from anyone who could overhear them.

The camera showed them how how it was storming outside before it closed in on the compartment of the four (+ Remus), focusing back on them again.

"So let me get this straight. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you two?" Ron asked the Potter after they explained what Ron's father. The heavy rain hitting the window besides him.

"Okay, I know you said you can't tell us anything, but, come on." Caroline said. "Does Dumbledore not realize how confusing this is? Are you after them or not?" She asked the Black, who shook his head, calming down most of the people in the room.

"But why did you escape after twelve years, why not earlier?" Finn asked. "Of course, people are gonna think that you're after them."

"Not my finest moment." Sirius replied, not really answering the question. He knew the answer, but he didn't give it to the oldest Mikaelson, knowing that if he did, Dumbledore would just swoop in and make Sirius or anyone else didn't answer that question until the people saw it for themselves.

He would much rather keep silent about how he had seen the rat on Ron's shoulder in the Daily Prophet, than get taken from the room so that he couldn't watch the rest of his daughters life.

If only the people around him knew how much he was mentally cursing Peter and Dumbledore.

"Yeah." Harry nodded.

"But they'll catch Black, won't they? I mean everyone's looking for him." Hermione asked.

"Sure. Except no one's ever broken out of Azkaban before and he's a murderous, raving lunatic."

"Thanks, Ron." Harry said.

"Yeah, really helping with the situation." Nora added.

"Why are we stopping? We can't be there yet." Hermione said. The four of them shared confused looks with each other as the train was going more slowly by the minute.

Harry stood up and opened the door of their compartment, just to see heads sticking out of other compartments as well. Then the train stopped with a jolt and Harry fell back to his seat next to Nora as the door slid back closed.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we've broken down." Harry said, but then the lights above them went out, causing it to be almost impossible to see what was happening.

"Ouch, Ron! That was my foot." Hermione said when Ron stepped on it and the lights flickers back on.

"There's something moving out there." Ron said, not listening to Hermione as he laid his hand on the window and almost pressed his face against it too, to have a better look at what was happening outside.

The lights went back out.

"I think someone's coming aboard." Ron said as the train jolted once more. In the mean time, their breathing was turning visible from how cold it was.

And Ron looked back horrified to the window as the raindrops on it started to freeze. Even the water in the bottle on the table in their compartment was starting to turn into ice.

Both of the Potters rubbed their hand together as an attempt of warming them up.

"Bloody hell! What's happening?" Ron asked after the train shook again but none of his friends answered his question as they watched a shadow appear in front of the door. Well, more like floating.

A hand came from under the cloak and opened the door, slowly, putting his hand on the door to slide it open even further. Nora didn't know what was happening. She didn't know if the others could feel it as well, but she was feeling miserable. Not because of the could, but off the things happening in her head. The emotions she was feeling.

Two figures with cloaks entered their compartment and Nora grabbed Harry's hand as Crookshanks and Belle started hissing at the two floating creatures and Scabbers even crawled into Ron's jacket because he was scared. His head popping out to see what the two were going to do.

It didn't take long for the two figures to set their gazes on the Potter twins and ignore the three other people in the compartment. Harry and Nora didn't know what was happening when the two creatures above them drew a long breath. They felt like the air was being sucked straight out of their lungs. And they did it two more times, coming even closer to the twins, when the new professor woke up next to Nora.

Remus stood up and pointed his wand to the two creatures. The tip of his wand lighted up, causing the two figures to turn away from the light. Not that they wanted too, cause Hermione saw them trying to hold on to the door, but eventually they let go.

As the creatures went further and further away from them, Nora and Harry's eyes started slipping shut, but not before they heard a voice of a woman. A voice screaming no.

It was silent in the room. Nobody really knew what to say, after what they had just experienced. Not after reliving their darkest and loneliest moments they had ever lived through.

"What the hell was that?" Kol asked as he felt the warmth return back to his body.

"Dementors. Guards of Azkaban." James replied with a shudder.

"Are Nora and Harry okay?" Elijah asked in worry as he saw the two fainted kids on the screen.

"They're okay." Regulus said to him, trying to reassure him, but that didn't help the father from feeling worried for his daughter and his nephew. 

"Did anyone else just feel like-"

"You're never gonna be happy again?" Stefan finished Jeremy's sentence.

"I never wanna feel like that again." Caroline said, shaking her head.

"It's a normal feeling with Dementors. They drain feelings of happiness and joy. That's why the ministry thinks they're perfect to guard Azkaban." Lily said, with a pitiful look towards Sirius, who nodded at her, telling it was okay. At least he was out of there now.

"Didn't Hagrid get sent there last year?" Rebekah asked, getting nods from the spirits in return.

"Poor Harry and Nora." Bonnie said with pity. They were not even on the grounds of Hogwarts yet, and they were already attacked by Dementors.

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"Nora, are you all right?" Nora heard Hermione's voice as she started to come by, to find herself lying on the seats of Hermione and Ron, opposite Harry, with the new professor by her side. It was clear that Harry had woken up earlier then her since he was already sitting up with Hermione and Ron next to him.

"Here, eat this. It'll help." Professor Lupin said as he handed her some of his chocolate stash.

He didn't have to tell her twice. She bit off a little piece as she awkwardly looked at everyone looking at her.

"What was that thing that came?" Harry asked the professor.

"It was a dementor. One of the guards of Azkaban. It's gone now. It was searching the train for Sirius Black." Lupin reassured them as he placed his chocolate down next to Nora. "If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver."

As he stood up and opened the door, he turned back to Harry, who still hadn't eaten from his chocolate. "Eat, you'll feel better." And he gave a smile to Nora, who was happily biting on her chocolate.

"What happened to us?" Harry asked the others once the professor was officially gone.

"Well, you both sort of went rigid. We thought you two were having a fit or something." Ron explained as Hermione sat down next to Nora.

"And did either of you two, you know, pass out?" Harry asked and Hermione shook her head.

"No, but I felt weird, though. Like, I'd never be cheerful again." Ron answered.

"But people were screaming." Harry said to them.

"No one was screaming, Harry." Hermione told him with a concern look.

Nora finally looked up at them. "Yes, there were. I heard it too."

Nora saying that made Hermione and Ron even more worried about the twins.

Elijah shared a worried look with Jasmine next to him.

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They see many carriages drive past the river to get to Hogwarts, to all of the students actually entering the school. "Potters! Granger! I want to see you three!" A voice came from the four their left. A voice they quickly recognized as McGonagall's. The four quickly moved out of the crowd over to their head of house with worried expression on their faces.

"There's no need to look so worried. I just want a word in my office." She said to the two Potters before turning to Ron. "Move along there, Weasley."

Professor McGonagall quickly guided them out of the hallways into her office, where she motioned the three kids to sit down as she herself settled down on her chair behind her desk. "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potters."

Before one of the two could even answer that they were fine now, Madame Pomfrey came storming in the office.

"We're fine. We don't need anything." Harry said as Nora nodded her head, showing that she felt the same.

"Oh, it's you two, is it? I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?" Poppy asked as she bend down to stare at the twins, very closly.

"It was a Dementor, Poppy." McGonagall answered.

"Setting Dementors around a school." Poppy said with a scoff, clearly disagreeing with who agreed to it. "They won't be the first ones to collapse. Yes, they're all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-"

Poppy was cut off by both of the Potters. "We're not delicate!"

"Of course, you're not." Pomfrey said as she started taking Nora's pulse.

"What do they need? Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?" Professor McGonagall asked the matron.

"We're fine." Harry said, already bitter by just thinking what Malfoy would say if he knew the two of them were spending the night in the hospital just because they fainted.

"Well, they should have some chocolate, at very least."

"We already had some. Professor Lupin gave them to us all." Nora said.

"Did he, now?" Madame Pomfrey asked with a tone of approval. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies."

"Are you sure you both feel alright, Potters?" McGonagall asked the two, sharply, making both of the Potters nod their head.

"Very well, kindly wait outside, Mr. Potter, while I have a quick word with Miss Granger and your sister about their timetable, then we can go down to the fest together." Professor McGonagall said to the Potter boy, who left the office with Madame Pomfrey.

It didn't take Nora and Hermione to finish up their conversation with McGonagall, so the three walked out of the office not even five minutes later. Both of the two friend smiling brightly.

When the three entered the Great Hall, both of the Potters had noticed some younger but also some older students pointing their way, making them both wonder if the story of what happened on the train was already traveling around the students.

The three quickly sat down, Hermione and Nora opposite their two other friends, while both Nora and Harry also sat down next to a Weasley twin. Nora was again sitting down next to Fred, just like in her first year, when they had officially introduced themselves to each other.

"Everything all right, love?" He asked as he had seen them walking in wit McGonagall, who was making her way over to the table at the front of the Great Hall.

"They're so cute." Caroline spoke as she looked at the two friends on the screen. One obviously having feelings for the other, while the other one had no idea at all.

"Boys? Who needs them anyway?" Kol asked, glaring at the redhead, who was getting closer to his niece.

"You're one." Bonnie said in confusion, but Kol hadn't heard her.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Nora asked in return, giving him a small smile. "I can't believe we missed the sorting again." Nora said as she looked over to the new first years at the end of their table.

"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 feat. First, I'm please to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor." 

Most of the students applauded for their new professor as he stood up and took a bow.

"Of course! That's why he knew to give you the chocolate." Hermione said as the four of them kept clapping, loudly. And they were not the only one. The woman, who they had never seen here before, was clapping louder for Lupin than any of the other teachers.

"See how sour Snape is looking." Nora whispered to the twins besides her.

"I think he's very happy to have Lupin here." George replied with sarcasm as he mocked Snape's expression.

"Potter! Potter!" A voice hissed from behind Harry and Nora immediately rolled her eyes as she saw it was Draco Malfoy, who was trying to get Harry's attention. "Is it true you fainted?" He asked as one of his 'friends' pretend to faint. "I mean, you actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy." Ron said to the Slytherin as he and Harry turned back around to their own table, seeing the girls glare at Malfoy behind them.

"As some of you may know, Professor Kettleburn and Professor Babbling, our Care of Magical Creatures and Study of Ancient Runes teachers have decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs and her family. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that their places will be filled by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid and Mary Macdonald."

The woman next to Lupin stood up and so did Hagrid on the other side of the table, next to McGonagall, nearly toppling the staff table as he did so. But Nora was sure she saw Flitwick's water goblet fly off the table.

Despite that all the three house tables started clapping even louder than they did for Lupin. Some of the Slytherin's too, but they quickly stopped when they received glares from some other people on their table.

"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 time as Sirius Black is captured." Dumbledore spoke, causing worried murmurs to fill the entire hall.

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."

"Yeah, you can say that." Damon muttered.

"We definitely haven't seen the last of these Dementors yet." Klaus said to his siblings.

"Therefor, 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," Dumbledore waved his hand, causing a candle to stop flaming. "if one only remembers to turn on the light." The candle burned again.

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"Fortuna Major!" Seamus spoke to the Fat Lady since he was the first Gryffindor to reach the top of the stairs that led into their common room.

The Fat Lady quickly shushed him and continued to sing her song.

"Here listen, she just won't let me in." Seamus said as he turned to Harry and Dean behind him on the stairs.

"Fortuna Major!" Harry tried again.

"No, wait, wait, watch this." The Fat Lady said to him, before starting to sing again, louder as she went on, causing every single student at the front to cover their ears. The Lady kept screaming, trying to break the glass, but when that wasn't happening, she smashed it to the wall behind her. "Amazing, just with my voice."

"Fortuna Major!" Harry tried once more.

"Yes, alright. Go in." The Fat Lady spoke, a bit disappointed that they didn't complement her.

"Thank you." Harry replied with sarcasm as she opened up the portrait to finally let them in.

"I can't believe she's still doing that." Harry said to Seamus as the two were the first ones to enter the room.

"I know. She can't even sing." Seamus replied as the boys separated from the girls, both groups going up on different staircases.

"Oh, I missed you." Nora said as she laid down on her bed.

"Even with five, that is a better dorm than her bedroom was at the Dursleys." Rebekah said with a sad tone.

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Happy birthday to Harry Potter and a late birthday to Neville Longbottem :)

Words: 3290

Posted: July 31, 2024

Be sure to comment. I love reading them and it keeps me motivated!

xoxo Kat <3