Puppet Strings (Hogwarts x Reader)

Chapter 1

Harry gave a hollow laugh.

"—or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle—"

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose—"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"But if we're with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare—"

"Oh yes he would," Y/n said. "You really think a couple of kids would scare someone who murdered thirteen people with one curse?"

Hermione was fumbling with the straps of her bag as she shook her head.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; a big orange thing leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved the very large cat—or very small tiger—angrily away. "Get out of here!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

"That thing has got a personal vendetta against my rat," Ron complained.

"Crookshanks won't hurt Scabbers, will you, Crookshanks?" Hermione asked the cat in a sweet voice.

It let out a grunt and settled into an empty seat.

"So, you're a transfer?" Ron asked Y/n.

Y/n nodded. "Yeah. I got letters in January from McGonagall and Dumbledore..." The whole thing still felt...off to Y/n. She wasn't sure why, but then again, why would Dumbledore personally request her to come to Hogwarts? And so urgently, too? "They said I could transfer to be with Harry."

"How's the whole sorting thing gonna work out?" Ron asked.

"I'll be sorted like everyone is," Y/n said, shrugging. "I'll just be the only third year up there."

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forward past the door of their compartment. At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously. "Er—Professor?" she said. "Excuse me—Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch as she handed Harry a large stack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean—he hasn't died, has he?"

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake Harry passed her.

He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Midafternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, three people appeared at the door.

Two were both wide and muscley; one was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; the other had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms. The third was pale and blonde. Y/n would have thought that he was sort of handsome, with his pale eyes, blonde hair, and hawklike features. She would have, that is, if it hadn't been for the fact that she knew exactly who this was because Harry had written her about exactly what sort of things he'd done to Harry in first and second year.