In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Dementors on the train

"But I heard screaming —" A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolateinto pieces. 

"Here," Remus said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece, before distributing the rest of the pieces to the others "Eat it. It'll help." Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it yet

"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin. 

"A Dementor. One of theDementors of Azkaban." He crumpled up the now empty chocolate wrapper and put it inhis pocket. "Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..." He strolled past the group and disappeared into the corridor. 

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" Hermione asked her friend

 "I don't get it... what happened?" Harry asked

"Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around. I mean, I think it did, Icouldn't see its face — and you — you —" 

"I thought you were having a fit or something," finished Ron "You wentsort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out hiswand," added Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.'  But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of hiswand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away" 

"It was horrible," Neville whimpered "Did you feel how cold it got when itcame in?"

"I felt weird," Briar nodded "Like I'd never be cheerfulagain" Next to her, Ginny let out a sob and Briar instantly wrapped her arms around her. She knew exactly what that feeling had reminded Ginny of

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" Harry asked

"No," Henry said

The group fell silent, all trying not to look at Harry, who was feeling incredibly awkward

But their silence was saved when Remus Lupin walked back in. He chuckled when he noticed Harry still hadn't eaten the chocolate "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..." Harry smiled nervously and took a large bite out of it, instantly feeling warmer "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," He said "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Fine," Harry muttered, embarrassed. 

"Briar?" He asked his daughter

"Yeah," She smiled stiffly

When they arrived at the platform, Briar lost sight of her father and she guessed he had gone to meet with the other teachers. So the group of students split into two carriages, which trundled them up to the waiting castle

After the long sorting ceremony for the year, the feast finally began and the kids all hungrily dived in, having missed this food for months

So they were all gutted to stop eating when Professor Dumbledore waved for their attention so everyone fell silent "Welcome! To another year at Hogwarts! Now I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm please to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor." Remus stood to his feet to bow, and screams and cheers broke out from Briar and her friend group "Now, our care of magical creatures teacher has decided to retire, in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce, that his place will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid"

"Go Hagrid!" Hermione cheered, with the rest of her friends

"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" Chatter immediately broke out in the hall, with everyone remembering seeing it on the train journey "Until such a time as Sirius Black is captured" Remus cast his eyes to his daughter who was already watching him, a knowing, and curious look in her eyes "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. Therefore, 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...if only one remembers to turn on the light"

At the end of the feast, when all of the students returned to their dorms, Briar really smiled to herself as she lay in bed. A smile she hadn't expected. Hogwarts was where she felt safest, and now not only was she safe and reunited with her friends, but her dad was finally under the same roof as her. For once she actually felt like she was home.