ALPHA VERSION
A/N: It took me quite a bit of time to come up with this chapter because of a lack of planning. Though, it is now up and I hope to see review alert in my mailbox soon. Criticism are heavily encourage, flame are not. If you like something tell me, if you don't tell me as well. Thanks to everyone who review, it makes writting a lot more easier. A special thank you to DarIm for his excellent insight. You should see your proposition in the next chapter ;)
Disclaimer: See Prologue.
Chapter 02 – Met the Children of Nightmares
Young Harry Potter opened his eyes under the sun’s grace. Yawning and stretching, a little smile worked his way to his lips as he remembered why he was waking up in one of the Leaky Cauldron’s room. Upon escaping is uncle wrath yesterday, the wizard had walked a long way before stopping and asking himself: What now? He was considering flying to London, but he didn’t really know where that was from Surrey and had finally dropped the idea when he remembered that he had to carry his trunk with him. Fumbling through his belongings for some idea, he had heard something moving behind him. Whirling and wand in hand, he had come face to face with a large black dog who was watching him from five feet. The dog’s appearance was probably what make him panic; to make it simple, it was looking like an old rag and Harry, frantic, had tripped on the sidewalk and end up on his back while at the same moment he heard a huge BANG!
The Knight Bus had made his apparition on Magnolia Crescent and for eleven sickles, had been driven to the Leaky Cauldron entrance. Waiting for him at the entrance was none other than Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic himself! A little chat between the two, reassurance that he was all right and that there would be no consequence for his outburst was all it took for Harry to be finally release and to rent a room for the remaining summer holiday, three weeks. Three weeks where he would be able to do everything he wanted to.
Still smiling, Harry took out one of his old black robe and dressed while thinking of his day. Should he go to Quidditch shop to admire the brooms and the equipment? Or maybe he should go to Fortescue for some ice cream and a little chat with the man? But as he cast a glance at the mirror, he decided that his first trip would be Mrs. Malkin’s robes for all occasion, it seems he had outgrown his old one. He took one delicious breakfast, wave at Tom before finally making his way out to Diagon Alley.
There were numerous wizards everywhere with colourful robes and pointy hats doing their shopping. Boisterous, the Boy-Who-Lived walk casually across the Alley, ignorant of some glances from the customers, until he climbed the marble stairs of Gringotts. The boy had to wait in line for about five minutes before it was his turn to be served. He gave his key to the goblin with a polite smile and seconds later found himself surrounded by three other wizards on their way to their vaults. He put about fifty galleons in his pouch for his school supplies and went back in the cart.
Minutes passed before he ended under the sun’s ray. Taking a deep breath, he savored his freedom before walking the trek to Mrs. Malkin’s robes for all occasions. It took him a good portion of the morning to finish his clothes shopping. This had been a result of Mrs. Malkin adamant protest against his hand-me down clothes that peek under his robes.
His hands full of packages containing robes, shirts, pants and underwear, Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron under the careful and amused glance of the bartender. The young wizard settled his purchase on the desk and took a look at his money pouch…only to gasp in surprise. He had spent 45 galleons only on clothes! No wonder the Weasleys were using hand me down if it cost so much. Though, he had to admit that those clothes were fitting him quite nicely and they were much more comfortable than his old cousin’s. Smiling as never before, he trotted back to Gringott to get his pouch full again and spent the rest of the day shopping for his school supplies. This was a wonderful day for a wonderful summer.
Harry quickly established some sort of routine. He would wake up at about nine in the morning, ate a breakfast with Tom before going into Diagon Alley. There he had first made all of his homework at Fortescue Parlor, even receiving a free sundae every half an hour. People where chatting around him about the new racing broom or the escaped Sirius Black. Harry had had a very strange feeling when he had first seen the man’s face on a poster in the Alley, as if he had seen the prisoner somewhere before but couldn’t place it.
Quickly that routine had change a bit with his school work done. He had started to read his new books with a speed that even surprise himself. Ancient Runes, which he had decided to take at the end of the year with Cares for Magical Creatures, was very interesting. The simple prospect of creating his own spells was appealing and made him devour the basic book, doing exercises to make sure he understood completely.
Wait until Hermione and Ron learn this. One is going to be ecstatic and the other will think I’m going mad.
With a chuckle, he stood up and carefully placed his book in his bag. He had finish the required book from the school and another one recommended from the clerk at Flourish and Blotts and was now working on his transfiguration, he even had rewrite his potions essay three times since he had established himself at the Leaky Cauldron! Snape was going on for a surprise. Harry had to admit potions were quite fascinating without Snape constantly breathing on the back of his neck. How each and every ingredients react depending on the temperature, the cauldron, the time between the stir, so much details that could go wrong. Even if he had difficulty to, he now had a bit more respect for the man who called himself his potion teacher for Snape had managed to obtain Mastery in the subject after all.
With an ease that speak of familiarity, Harry made his way between the crowd of wizards who were doing there school shopping to Flourish and Blotts; he wanted to get some more book on Ancient Runes, Potions and Transfiguration. Waving at the clerk with a little smile, the gryffondor perused the shelves until he found some interesting work on the three subjects: Transfiguration and Dueling: Beginner’s Guide, Bubble and Toil: Potion’s study guide and Glyphs for Spells: How to Decipher them. Satisfied, he paid and walked the trek back to the little club where the Weasleys and Hermione were going to meet with him for lunch. This summer was just wonderful and he was excited about going back to school.
He was humming on the way back and, oddly enough, a thrumming took place in his train of thoughts and a happy sixteen years old slytherin ‘smiled’ in the darkest corner of his mind…
Yes, I am going home…
The remaining week had been pleasant. The Weasleys had rent rooms at the Leaky Cauldron as Hermione, the following days had constituted of pranks from Fred and George (‘Did we show you this wonderful cream Harry?’), late homework for Ron and light reading for Harry and Hermione, games of chess and exploding snap and, of course, school shopping for his two friends and the other redheads. Ron had, as Harry had thought, been left wide eye when he had learned that Harry had done all of his homework and more, while Hermione had been beaming constantly at him when she would catch him with some book in hands. The wardrobe change had brought different reactions from the gryffondor: Percy had ignored it completely, Fred and George had grinned and start yelling about the Heir of Slytherin coming back -particularly with his dark green shirt and black trousers-, Ron had gaped, Mrs. Weasley had commented on how dashing he was now, Ginny had simply been beet-red, Mr. Weasley had told him it was fitting him quite nicely and Hermione had exclaimed ‘It’s about time you get decent clothes Harry and not some rags from your disgusting cousin!’ which had been met by a bunch of nodding heads.
It was discussing the future Cares for Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes classes that the group made there way to Platform nine and three-quarter.
‘I’m telling you Harry, and you should know too since you read the require books did you not, that we are only going to start with deciphering runes’ was saying Hermione.
‘But when do you reckon we will start creating our own spells?’ was asking the raven hair boy.
‘If you would read Hogwart’s a History, you would know that the class primly focus on curse and ward breaking and will have a bit of spell modification in our seventh year if we manage our OWLs on the subject.’ retorted the annoyed witch.
‘Uh…I was hoping I could create a spell to fly. You know, like without a broom…’
‘Harry, there must have been millionth of attempt at this spell and no one come close to doing it.’ Sighed his friend.
I’ll show you how well I can do…
‘We’ll see Hermione, we’ll see…’
Frowning, Harry ended the conversation there, wondering how he could achieve something no one had ever manage to do.
Mr.Weasley had got an official ministry car and they had driven from the Leaky Cauldron to King’s Cross Station in half an hour. The streaming engine was waiting patiently in all of his red glory while parents wished one last time a good year to their children while those were running around looking for friends to share some summer vacations story or to simply greet them. Cats were mewing and owls hooting in the middle of this cacophony. One whistle. Harry took a deep breath, a smile stretching his lips, for there was nothing better than the wizarding world. Another whistle. It was time to mount up if you didn’t want to be late. A series of hugs and tears from Mrs. Weasley and soon the seven students found themselves on the train. Last whistle. The train took off with the last goodbye of parents and children and finally they left behind a world of strangers for the familiarity of Hogwarts.
‘Come on, let’s find an empty compartment’ said Harry.
And so they crossed all the carriage until one of the very last compartment, but it seems that all had at least one person in them. Casting a glance at the last of them, Hermione caught the figure of an old man with graying hair and old robes who seemed to be asleep against the window.
‘Let’s get this one. He is asleep, let’s just be quiet.’ She said as she opened the door and started to pull her trunk with her. Glancing at each other, Harry and Ron shrugged and soon joined their friend.
There was a moment of silence as they contemplated the other passenger. He had short light brown hair flecked with gray and looked quite ill and tired. His face was pale and he sported two dark rings under his closed eyes. His robes were old and darned here and there.
‘Who do you think he is?’ asked Ron, the question that Harry was asking himself too.
‘Professor R.J. Lupin.’ Was the casual answer from Hermione, earning herself two incredulous stares. ‘It’s written on his trunk’ she clarified.
‘The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher you think?’ murmured Harry.
‘What else could he be teaching?’
‘Potions! I would be eternally grateful to the man if he gets rid of Snape for us!’ exclaimed Ron with a distant smile, probably imagining the scene and ignoring the two exasperated sighs that echoed his idea. There was some ruffling sound as Hermione opened her book on Charms, before the silence of the compartment was broken, again, with Ron’s question.
‘So Harry, what did my dad wanted to tell you yesterday?’ he asked referring to yesterday dinner when Mr. Weasley had asked Harry to come with him outside.
‘He said…’ casting suspicious glare at the teacher ‘…that Sirius Black was one of Voldemort’s - shiver from Ron and Hermione - most trusted followers, his right-hand man. They supposed that he is looking for me, to avenge his old master because he kept murmuring in his sleep He’s at Hogwarts, he’s at Hogwarts’
Hermione gasped, Ron was left gaping, but Harry was…indifferent. He didn’t really care and he couldn’t explain himself why he couldn’t care. There was a murderer tracking him after all, but, in all of this, he was calm. A part of him wanted to scream his frustration at another trouble year at Hogwarts, but there was another part, this small part that thrived for challenge, that was welcoming another dangerous year at the Wizarding School.
I have faced Voldemort after all, haven’t I? I’ve faced him when the Dark Lord had possessed Professor Quirrell and another time in the Chamber of Secrets…
The Chamber of Secrets…He wondered if the Basilisk’s corpse was still there, lying dead on the marble floor. Maybe he could get some ingredient from it? He had read in Fantastical Beasts and Where to find Them that the King of Snakes’ body parts were rare and exotic potions ingredients. He would need to check this out later. Maybe get Professor Snape to collect them and let the man have half of them? This would certainly help in their relationship, well he hoped. He truly enjoyed the potion making art after all of his summer reading. The last book he had bought, Bubble and Toil: Potions study guide was one of the best to explain the basic of potion making and recommended some tricks to remember the more challenging part of the class. He was going to buy one for Neville as a Christmas gift; it would help the poor boy.
Soon the sun finished his descent and let place to a pitch black night with blistering rain and sometimes a lonely lightning bolt would make itself known. Lights flicked on the compartment, not disturbing it’s occupants at all for it was a grumbling stomach of one Ronald Weasley that shook the other two out of their reading.
‘Sorry, mumbled the redhead, do you think we’ll be there soon?’
‘I don’t think so, answer the brunette with a look at her watch, we have about an hour and a half still to…’
She was roughly interrupted when the train started to slow down quickly, making it hard to keep their balance. Curious, Ron cast a glance outside the window before addressing himself to the other teenagers.
‘There is movement out there, seems like some people are boarding.’
Second later the lights flicked out and let them consider the rapidly decreasing temperature that seems to make icy veins appeared onto the window of their compartment. Harry rose up and opened the rigid door with difficulty because of its frost hinges. He had barely enough time to put his head out of the compartment that he found himself on the ground with a massive body press onto him. Grunting he managed to stand up.
‘Sorry, didn’t see you there’ said a familiar voice in the shadow.
‘Neville?’
‘Harry is that you? Great I was looking for you. Do you know what is happening out…Ouch!’
‘Sorry Neville, is there a place I can sit?’ asked Ginny Weasley who just happened to stumble upon poor Neville.
After some tumbling, fumbling and stumbling, the other two students managed to found themselves a seat and conversation start up again only to be roughly interrupted by a hoarse voice coming from the corner of the compartment.
‘Be quiet!’
And they became quiet. Moment later a shadow glide across the corridor between the compartments, its long robe billowing behind it as if caught up in a powerful wind. The shadow came to a halt in front of their door and a bony and putrefactive hand found its way to the handle, slowly opening the door. There it stood in all of his nightmarish glory; dark cloak covering it from head to toe and only a hole for mouth, its presence brought up shiver from the group of wizards. But nothing could prepare them for the long raspy breath it took, as if trying to breath something other than air.
Harry felt cold all of sudden, at the same moment he felt a flaring pain in his head. But everything was out of his mind as he heard screaming. It was a women pleading and there was this cold laugh resonating in his head, fog clouded his mind and he had the distinct impression he had heard a scream of fury just a moment before. Though, all of that didn’t matter. There was this women screaming and this cold laugh and whooshing sound, and there was this women screaming and this cold laugh and whooshing sound and there was this women screaming…
‘Harry! Get up Harry!’ started to pound in is head in harmony with his headache. And he suddenly felt a slap across his face. Straightening up quickly, he collided with Ron’s head, making his headache all the more painful.
‘Ooow!’
‘Sorry. What happened?’ he asked his friends, while assessing the situation. He was currently sitting on the compartment floor, Ron was trying to get up, Hermione seemed to be comforting Ginny and Neville was pale as a ghost.
‘The dementors, guardians of Azkaban. Take this, said Professor Lupin giving him a bar of chocolate, it will help with the aftereffect. I’m going to see the machinist.’ And he left without another word.
‘You gave us a fright Harry. While everybody was just trembling and moaning, you went stiff and it was like you were in another world man’ said Ron who was helping Harry to steady up.
‘What happened? What make it back up?’ asked a still shocked Harry. He had fainted…why was he the only one who had fainted? He needed to check those dementors in the library. It was Hermione that answered his question this time.
‘Professor Lupin stood up, stepped over you and faced the creature wand in hand. He then said No one in this compartment is hiding Sirius Black under his cloak, leave now. But it didn’t and then he agitated his wand and there was this odd grey mist between himself and the dementor who quickly fled the train as if gliding.’
‘No one else fainted?’ asked the young wizard, hoping that maybe he wasn’t alone.
‘Nah mate. You were the only one. Ginny was sobbing and trembling, but no fainting.’
It was with a shooting headache that Harry reached Hogwarts…
Never again I’ll be bested by those creatures…
Whispered a voice in his head, his conscience he thought, for he agreed entirely with it…
‘Hey Potter! Is it true you actually fainted when the dementors check your compartment?’
With a groan, Harry Potter found himself face to face with a blonde boy by the name of Draco Malfoy and with his headache full on, he was in no mood for the slytherin.
‘Get off Malfoy, I have no time for this’ was his cold answer.
‘So it’s true? The Great and Mighty Potter brought down by the big black hooded dementors? What a pity it must be for the light side if you are supposed to be their savior.’ Draco was smirking all the way through his little speech. Though his smirk quickly wiped off when he caught the worn figure of a professor making his way up the stairs. With one last snort in Harry’s direction, he turned heels and stalked down the Entrance Hall to the Great Hall.
‘Thanks Merlin, the git is done.’
The group made their way to the Great Hall, Hermione being accosted by professor McGonagall about some schedule revision before the start of term. Ron, Harry and Neville took seat at their red and gold table, ignoring the laughter coming off the slytherin table where Malfoy was making a show of Harry fainting in front of dementor.
‘He was not so smart when they check his compartment.’ said Fred when he caught the direction of their furious looks.
‘He was close to wetting his pants, all shaking and sweating as he was’ add George.
Harry was about to say something when the oak door opened with a loud BANG to let the tiny Flitwick lead the forty or so first year in the Great Hall. There was no more sound as the Sorting Hat was put on his stool, when he suddenly started to sing.
Another year’s down
And it’s the sorting time now!
Will you find your place in Hufflepuff
Where hardwork and patience is their share
And loyalty a priority?
Or maybe you’ll stick with the green,
Those are the ambitious and the cunning,
Those are using every means,
For they are Slytherins.
Will your place be with the witty minds?
In this case Ravenclaw is for your kind
The curious and knowledgeable one.
But maybe that’s not what you’re looking for
Or you simply wish for more?
Chivalry, bravery and courageous heart
Do well in the house of Gryffondor.
Alright little one, put me on
For it is now the sorting time!
Everyone applauded the Sorting Hat as it was bowing to the four tables before immobilizing and waiting for the first student who was going to be sort this year. Harry tuned out the sorting at this point, only acclaiming with the rest of his house when a new student found his way to the red and gold.
Soon everyone was seated, Hermione and McGonagall coming back right after the sorting, and Dumbledore rose up for his usual speech.
‘I am please to welcome everyone for another year at Hogwarts! As some of you may have notice, the ministry has deemed necessary for the dementors to guard the domain of our school. I recommend caution for everyone. Dementors are not creature who will wait for excuse. They will strike and fast and cannot be fooled even by invisibility cloak.’
‘But on a more joyous note, let me present to you your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin – there was polite applause- and I have sad news. Professor Kettleburn has decided to retire himself to take care of his last living part. It is my pleasure to announce that Hagrid will replace him as professor of Care of Magical Creatures. And now let the feast start!’
Food appeared everywhere and joyous laughter was soon heard all across the Great Hall. Somewhere, in Harry’s mind, an odd thrumming sound took the place of a painful headache.
I am now back home…