Harry, Ron, and Hermione found a compartment at the very back of the train. Everywhere else was full. Some were with groups chatting and catching up with friends, and some contained students using the train compartment as a personal broom cupboard for inappropriate actions. The compartment they found had a man fast asleep next to the window.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students, and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.
"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window. "Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.
"How'd you know that?"
"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. "Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.
"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed. "Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?"
Harry flicked his wand into his hand and pointed it at the new professor, and incanted, "Tumultum Silentia". A spell shot from his wand and took a dome shape around the man.
"Done! Now we can talk freely without disturbing him." The usual conversation picked up between them. From Quidditch league matches to the history of Hogsmeade and its shops. Ron had visited there before, a few years ago to see Charlie with his mother and father. He told them about shops and what the sweet shop Honeydukes sold. "You both have the slip signed, don't you?" Ron asked them. They both replied in the affirmative. After the cart lady passed and they had lunch that Mrs. Weasley had packed. They sat in compatible silence. Hermione read a school book while Ron read the Quidditch weekly magazine. Harry meditated for his occlumency building his mindscape. To his friends, he looked like he had dozed off. After a couple of hours, they were paid a visit by their favorite three people in the world: Malfoy and his boyfriends.
"Look who it is! Weasley and Potty."
"Malfoy, are you insulting the name of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter?" Harry's wand slipped into his hands, and his eyes started glowing. The boy's eyes widened, and he paled. Such insults could lead to a court battle or an honor duel easily or start a blood feud at worse. Draco Malfoy was many things, but uneducated about these customs, he wasn't. "I am sorry... Heir Potter. I did not want to besmirch your family's name." He said, distaste visible. "I would hope so... Now, why are you and your boyfriends here?"
"They are not my boyfriends!" Malfoy exclaimed. "It is alright, Draco dear. We all have our preferences. If you are not ready to accept the fact that you are gay, no problem. Even though everyone can see it as the day."
"I am not gay! And they aren't my boyfriends!" Malfoy half yelled. "Shouting that won't change a fact, Draco dear. I hope you go now and think about it. And once you realize it, do not come after me, as I bat for the other side of the quidditch pitch than you." Harry gave him a smile, and Malfoy sputtered. "Now shoo, unless you want more advice about coming out with your sexual preferences... But if you need more, you should go to Madame Pomfrey. She would explain it better."
"I AM NOT GAY POTTER!"
"Shush now... You don't want to wake up the Professor and get detention, do we?" Harry questioned, neglecting to mention the fact that he had put a silencing dome on the Professor. Malfoy paled again and said, "Come on. Let us go." Malfoy went away, not wanting to get more embarrassed or receive a detention.
The trio burst out laughing. "That was Brill- brilliant Harry." Hermione wheezed out between laughs, and Ron agreed. Their laughing was accompanied by the sounds of the drizzle. Hermione opened the straps of her cat's basket. "Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leaped lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled, and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away. "Get out of it!"
"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily. And they started arguing... Again. Harry sighed and said that he was going out to free his legs. He walked up the length of the train but stopped at the sight of an oddly filled compartment. There were three blonde girls in the compartment with an older guy, two Hufflepuffs, and a Slytherin with a Firstie. He recognized Susan and Daphne. The boy's name was Cedric, a sixth-year Hufflepuff. He smiled and knocked before entering.
"Hey, Guys! Can I sit here for some time?" Susan looked at him before smiling and saying, "Harry! Yes, come in! make yourself home!"
"Daphne, Susan, Cedric... Right?" He asked. "Yes... Cedric. Cedric Diggory."
"Harry Potter. Nice to meet you. And you are..." He turned to the small gaping girl who was looking at him with wide eyes. "You-you are... Harry POTTER!" she was nearly looking like a crazy fangirl by the fact she was meeting Harry. 'She may be one... like Ginny'
"Yes... I just said it, didn't I? So, who are you?"
"Astoria... Astoria Greengrass." She replied, blushing. Harry looked at Daphne, who was looking like she was controlling herself from laughing at the girl. "Your sister?" She nodded. "Oh! You are Daphne's sister! It is a great pleasure to meet you, little miss Greengrass." He gave her a charming smile and kissed her knuckles. The girl looked like all her dreams had come true and were smiling and blushing like mad. She bent down and rummaged through her trunk and took out a book and a quill. Harry was looking at her quizzically.
She handed him the book, 'The Boy-Who-Lived and the rampaging dragon' along with the quill'
"Can I have an autograph, please?" She gave him puppy dog eyes. Harry felt uncomfortable. He had never given an autograph even to Colin Creevey. "Err... what do I have to do?" He asked, finally not knowing what to do. This proved too much for Daphne. She burst out laughing with the rest of them. Astoria glared at them for making fun of Harry. "Sir, you just have to sign it."
He took the quill and simply wrote 'Best wishes to the beautiful Astoria Greengrass: Harry Potter.' "Here you go. My first autograph ever for you, my lady. And none of the sir stuff, call me Harry." Astoria looked like Christmas had come early.
"Are you and Daffy dating?" She asked and sounded excited at the prospect. "NO " Daphne shouted, "We are barely friends." Potter was handsome. She had to give him that. With his beautiful Green orbs and nest of black hair, which were perfect to put her hands in while kissing, he was a fine specimen. Also, he had grown this summer in terms of muscle and had a fine body. She would not mind him as his boyfriend, but that was not ideal while they were at Hogwarts- At least in public.
"Oh my dear, Ms. Greengrass, you wound me. I thought we were good friends after the end of last year." Harry said. They were by no means dating, but he had to admit that Daphne looked beautiful, so did Susan, and if she looked anything like her hot aunt... She was going to turn heads.
"Do I, Potter? Well, I will give you real ones when we practice dueling this year." Daphne snarked. "You overestimate yourself, Ms. Greengrass. Why don't you remind me who came first last year?" She glared. "We will see Potter. We will see."
Harry turned to Cedric, and the conversation started around Quidditch. They both were seekers of their respective houses. Cedric was a humble and kind boy- A true Hufflepuff. "We should see who wins this year's Gryffindor Hufflepuff match. We haven't faced off in the last two years. Last year, the match was canceled, and in my first year, I was in the hospital wing."
"Then may the best wizard win!" Cedric exclaimed, and they shook hands. The girls rolled their eyes at their enthusiasm. Harry turned to Astoria. "So, little miss Greengrass, which house do you want to go in?"
"I don't know. Daffy is in Slytherin, while Hufflepuff sounds good from what these two told me."
"Why not Gryffindor. And I advise you not to go in Slytherin." Harry said.
"Why Potter? I am a Slytherin. Do you have a problem with us all in general, or is it the Gryffindor Slytherin Rivalry?" Daphne asked with a bit of irritation.
"Neither. Your common room is so gloomy. It is a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps hang on chains. It looks like a room from a horror book. And it is in the Dungeons, always cold. Gryffindor tower on the other hand is on the Seventh floor. Straight view of the Black Lake and the Quidditch pitch. We also have wild parties for every Quidditch match. Whether we play or not, can you compare to it?" He asked.
"It is not... Wait a minute. How the hell do you know, how our common room looks like? You don't even know where it is!" Harry's eyes widened before he replied with a smirk, "Oh, your common room, the one behind the wall next to the picture of the shipwreck?" Daphne's eyes were wide with shock and was gaping. "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" Daphne yelled.
"I am Harry Potter." He answered, taking a leaf out of Dumbledore's book. Daphne scowled but did not push it. Suddenly the train slowed down.
"Are we there yet?" Astoria asked. "No, it is still too soon. We can't be there yet," Cedric said. The atmosphere was getting colder. The rain was heavier. The train was now completely still. "Have we broken down?" Susan asked. The chill increased, frost started forming on the glass, the lights flickered. Harry's eyes widened. These were all signs of the Dementor effect. He clamped down on his Occlumency. The chill was increasing. He heard a voice at the back of his head, 'No, not Harry, not Harry, please.' The rest of them were shivering. Astoria was crying. A dark wraith-like Figure appeared outside the door- A Dementor. It opened the door. Harry summoned his Patronus Memories in his Occlumency. "There is no Sirius Black here. Begone." It didn't listen. It glided forward.
'No, not Harry, not Harry, please.' No, not this one. "Such things make me and your father proud beyond words, Harry." Yes. "EXPECTO PATRONUM" The dragon appeared. The Dementor screeched and fled. Harry directed his Patronus across the train corridor. All the rest of the dementors shrieked too. It was joined, by a wolf Patronus. A few minutes later, the shabbily dressed Professor appeared as the lights came back on. Harry was still standing with his wand held aloof. "Are you kids all right?"
"Yes, Sir, Harry shot a silver dragon thing... A corporeal Patronus if I am right, at the Dementor, and it fled." Susan said. The man's eyes widened. "You can produce a fully corporeal Patronus?" Harry nodded. "You should check the rest of the compartments. By the way, I am Harry. Harry Potter." He introduced himself.
"Remus Lupin. I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. You should have some chocolate. I will check the rest of them." He said and went ahead. Harry turned to them. Everyone's eyes were wide. Astoria looked at him in reverence. "I guess you all should eat chocolate. I will go and check on Ron and Hermione now." He said and left before they could ask questions.
He hurried to his compartment and saw that Hermione and Ron were safe. The Professor had saved them by his Patronus. They talked about the experience. The Professor returned and told them to change as they would be at Hogwarts soon.
By the time the train reached Hogwarts, it seemed that the word about his Patronus had spread. People were shooting him awed looks and Whispering about his Patronus.
They boarded a carriage and journeyed to Hogwarts Great Hall. Before they could enter, Professor McGonagall came and addressed Hermione. "Miss Granger, I would like for you to visit my office before the feast starts." She said before turning to Harry, "Are the Rumors true, Mr. Potter? That you produced a fully corporeal Patronus."
"Err... Yes, I did. A dementor had entered our compartment. So I had to do it." Harry said, rubbing the back of his head. "Can I see it?" Harry nodded. "Expecto Patronum" The dragon appeared. "A Great Horned Hebridean Black." She whispered. "It is my Family Symbol," Harry said loudly enough for nearby people to hear, who were gaping and whispering at the Patronus. "50 points to Gryffindor, Mr. Potter for protecting the students and performing an advanced spell." She said. She turned to Hermione and took her to her office. Harry went to the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table. People were still looking at him in awe. The teachers sat at their table. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling. Professor Flitwick raised a Goblet to him when their eyes met. Snape sneered. Lupin was talking to Professor Sprout. Hagrid was not present, most likely leading the first years to Hogwarts.
Hermione soon returned. "What happened?" Harry asked.
"Professor wished to talk to me about my schedule for the year." She answered. Any further conversation stopped as the first years came in and the hat sang. Astoria was sorted into Hufflepuff. Good for her. The sorting ended, and Dumbledore stood up.
"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. "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. 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 with 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.
"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 game-keeping 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. "Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"
The food appeared, and they dug in. Harry's thoughts were, 'And so another year begins. Hopefully, it would be a normal one, however unlikely it seems. Let's hope for the best.'