"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?"

Someone was slapping his face.

"W -- what?"

Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking -- the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Karina and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face.

Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that -- that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

Harry looked around the bright compartment. Karina and Hermione looked back at him, both very pale.

"But I heard screaming --"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..." He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Karina from beside him, watching Harry anxiously.

"I Don't get it.... What happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.

"Well -- that thing -- the dementor -- stood there and looked around... I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face-- and you -- you I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching--"

"And Professor Lupin woke up and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "an-and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and the dementor turned around and sort of glided away.... "

"It was horrible," said Karina. "Did YOU feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again...."

Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he were recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know...."

Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?"

Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.

"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.

Karina looks at Harry knowing he's upset but trying to hide it, and grabs his hand. Quickly looking away before Harry sees her face she looks out the window. Harry felt his hand pulled into another warm small one. Looking over at Karina who is staring out the window he smiles a little then looks down at their hands. 

'She's just comforting you... Nothing more, nothing less' Harry thinks to himself. 

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

................................................................................................................................................................

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. 

Karina had already caught up with Draco and the others. 

"So do you know what happened?" Pansy asked with worry on her face.

"Pansy it was so crazy. A freaking dementor came aboard and was in the Gryffindors compartment."

"Karina I told you that you shouldn't have sat in there with them." Vincent says as he stuffs his face with jellybeans.

She glares at him then continues with her story, "The dementor slid open the door and then started to-I don't even know how to explain it...attack Harry... I guess. It was so scary. If the new Professor hadn't been there I don't know what would've happened."

Karina jumps as an arm is thrown over her shoulder. She glances to her side to see Draco then lets out a huge breath.

"Love I've said this once and I'll say it again... Stay away from Potter. He's trouble."

"Draco-"

Draco stops walking then holds onto Karina's shoulders. "Karina love you don't understand. You're so wrapped up in being their friend that you don't see how much danger it is to be even near them. Please just trust me."

"I do trust you Dray. Of course I do. But it's not their fault."

Draco sighs. He wants her to see so badly but she's so blinded that there is nothing that he can say to change her mind.

"Alright love just be careful please. I still don't like them or trust them but I won't tell you who to talk to and who not to. You'll do what you want anyways." 

"Aw you know me so well babe." Karina touches her lips to his making sparks fly. Their lips move together as Draco's arms wrap around her waist. 

Just as things are about to heat up a throat clears. Draco and Karina separate to see their group of friends standing staring at the two. 

"Are you two ready to go or do you need another minute to swallow each other?" Daphne smirks with her hand on her hip.

"Shut up Daph." Draco mumbles as he pulls Karina's arm past the group. The group laughs while watching Draco pull Karina away then they quickly follow the pair. 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. 

"So Harry what was that back at the train compartment?" 

Harry opened his eyes to see Ron leaning forward looking directly at him, "Uh what?"

"You know what Harry... Grey. What was her deal?" Hermione slaps her book shut glaring at him.

"Well after Ron and I saved her she's been really nice. She actually wrote me a lot this summer. I don't know I guess she is trying to change since we saved her."

"Yeah well it's weird." Hermione shivers in disguist.

"Well she did almost die Hermione. I would change if I were her too." Ron shrugs his shoulders. "What about her holding your hand? You can't tell us she didn't because we both saw you two holding hands very clearly."

"I guess she just did it for support and comfort. To tell me she understood and believed me... I don't know. What do you guys want me to say?" Harry says quickly feeling uncomfortable. 

"Did you see that big ring she was wearing? She is with Malfoy, Harry. She is a Slytherin. Nothing can happen." Hermione says dismissively. 

"Nothing will happen." Harry growls then turns to look out the window. 

The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer.  At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.

As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.

"You fainted, Potter? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. 

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Stop it Dray." Karina says coming up from behind Harry and Ron. She grabs his hand and tries to pull him up the stairs but he puts his dead weight down on the ground to stay put. He opens his mouth to say something else but is interrupted. 

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice; Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the delapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no -- er -- Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle, grabbed Karina's hand and led them up the steps into the castle.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

................................................................................................................................................................

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the dementor traveled that fast?

He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.

"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast...."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." 

He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other then looked at Karina who was already looking at them smirking.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. "First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape, wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry. It was the look that Harry always gave when he looked at Malfoy with Karina.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"And that explains a lot." Karina whispers to Pansy as they both laugh.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

................................................................................................................................................................

Karina's POV

Pansy's snores are the only sound that fill the dark room. Again a horrible warning has been given on the first day back to Hogwarts. It's honestly so crazy how this school is supposed to be the best of the best when it's not even the safest.

Feeling my ring twist around I look down to see hand in mine holding my jewelry. Glancing up at Draco's blank face my heart skips a beat. As I lay in his arms, legs tangled in his I try to figure out all the thoughts possibly going on in his head.

"You know we could get in big trouble for this. Seeing as it's after hours and you're in my room, in my bed even." 

Draco pulls my hand up to his lips then kisses my knuckles, "I'll take my chances." 

I giggle to myself then look up at him again, "What are you thinking about so hard? You're making yourself get wrinkles."

I move my hand slowly to his face then gently rub his forehead. Then moving my hands down I stroke his cheek. 

"I just-" He looks at me then looks down at the ring. "I just don't want to lose you."

"Dray you won't lose me. How could you possibly? I'm yours. No one elses. I want to be with you forever. You're my person Dray." 

"And you're mine Karina Lily Grey." 

Grabbing his face in both my hands I pull his head towards mine and connect our lips. His hand rests on my hip as our lips move in sync. 

"All mine." He groans while pulling apart from me.

"All yours."