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"Dad?" Noel calls, tugging at her dad's robes. They were at the station, he was silently looking at the train, mixed emotions running through his face, making it hard for Noel to understand what he was thinking.
He looks down at her and raises an eyebrow, "Jelly Bean?" He asks back playfully.
She huffs out a breath, "Are you going to get on or..." she trails off, and cocks her head to the train. He shakes his head as if ridding himself of unpleasant thoughts and grabs a hold of his trunk.
"Right, would you like to sit with me, or no?" He asks kindly as Noel follows him down the corridor. "I would like to sit with you," she says and smiles back at him as he turns to make sure she doesn't need help.
She sees his wary eyes, "I'm okay, let's just get you somewhere nice and quiet so you can rest.'' She says gently.
They make it to an empty compartment where her dad gently takes her trunk and puts it on the rack above, next to his own. They settle down comfortably, both on one side of the compartment. They had gotten to the station rather early, her dad wanted to make sure they found a good seat, so he could rest for the train ride to Hogwarts. It had been a full moon the night before, making him extremely tired so Noel was grateful the ride was as long as a full night's rest.
She pulled out her book, it was a little worn out around the edges and was full of her dad's annotations but she loved everything that he gave her so she settled comfortably and read her book as quiet snores filled the compartment.
A little while later the station was beginning to fill up with students and parents, she could hear the excited murmurs and reassurances that parents gave their nervous 11 year olds. As she looked out the window she spotted the familiar bunch of red heads and the two other members of the Weasley bunch.
Noel was in the same year as the golden trio, but in different houses. She had never talked to them, having severe social anxiety limits her to seeking out new conversations and she really only knows them by name, just like everyone else at the school.
She sometimes wished she had enough courage to get outside of her bubble to talk to one of them, or maybe not them specifically but just anyone in general, she doesn't have many friends, - or any friends for that matter. She had housemates, and school mates but not a true friend that she hangs out with on the weekends or outside of school hours.
Her father doesn't know of course, whenever the topic of friends comes up she brushes it off and starts to talk about something else because she remembers all the stories he would tell her, all the adventures and chaos he would get into, and just how much he loved Hogwarts. But it wasn't like that for her, she loved everything she learned and appreciated the materialistic aspect of it, but she doesn't have an emotional connection to the school, she's only in 3rd year so hopefully she grows to love the school just as much as her dad.
As she continued to watch the people outside she hadn't realized that the three gryffindors she was thinking of were outside the compartment. Ron had opened the door a little too forcefully causing her to jump a little. The 3 Gryffindors eyed her and the battered man next to her, but they couldn't go anywhere, now that the train was full, they would have no luck finding an empty compartment.
"Er- uh, hi," Harry greets awkwardly as the other 2 give her a sheepish smile. Noel didn't know what to do, and the 3 pairs of eyes on her were making her nervous so she stays quiet but tilts her head to the empty seats in the compartment.
"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. Noel slightly grimaced, shuffling closer to her dad, as the others tried their best to whisper.
"Do you know him?" Harry asked her quietly, seeing how she's started to fidget. Noel turns to look at him and Harry's eyes widen as he notices that she has 2 different colored eyes; one was a semi-dark shade of blue and the other a light sort of seaweed green.
Noel nods her head, "Yeah he's my dad," she says softly. She turns her head back to the window and the conversation ends there.
Harry turned to look at his friends, he really wanted to talk to them about Black but with the 2 other people occupying the room it felt a little awkward having a stranger listening in. Noel felt the awkwardness so she cleared her throat, as she clutched her hands to stop them from sweating.
"He- he won't hear you, he practically sleeps like the dead," she says, indicating to the snoring man next to her. "And-" she pauses, "I can go for a little while if you need privacy, but I- um, I don't have anything against you lot so whatever is so urgent, won't leave this compartment." She told them, a bit of shakiness in her voice.
The others deflate at her words and turn to each other eagerly to start talking
"He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?" Ron said as he eyes the man once more, "Anyway..." he turned to Harry, "what were you going to tell us?"
Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry... you'll have to be really, really careful. don't go looking for trouble, Harry..."
"I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."
"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" Said Ron shakily.
I wouldn't put it past him, Noel thinks as she remembers the past 2 years.
"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. Noel thinks about this and what her dad had told her since the news of Black's escape and even though the whole wizarding world, including her dad seemd to think that Black was a visious murderer, Noel thinks diffrently.
She had read upon Oct. 31st 1981 and Black's case had never made sense to her. She had always felt that there was a piece missing to this whole case. It also raised some questions of her own; Why didn't he have a proper trial?
Why didn't they check his wand?
Why didn't they in the name of Merlin use Veritaserum?
So if Harry was confronted with Black he would most likely want to kill him, but if Noel was confronted with Black she would most likely ask the important questions.
As the 3 continued talking Noel was having a difficult time trying not listen, and what really got her attention was when they started discussing Hogsmeade, she wouldn't be able to go, her dad would've gladly signed the slip for her but he had said that Dumbledore advised him not to, and it wasn't as she would want to go anyway. Hogsmeade is fun when you have your friends with you and you have money, both things are something that Noel lacks.
It was difficult for her dad to hold a steady job and now that her grandparents passed away, money is harder to come by. Since she had started at Hogwarts she used her dads' old textbooks, full of his own notes and his old Hogwarts robes as well. The color was faded and he had to sew patches onto it, as well as transfigure them into her house robes. Many people took to picking on her about it but she liked having things that belonged to her dad, it made her less lonely.
Last year was extremely difficult for books because of Professor Lockhart who had assigned 7 books that they couldn't buy at a second hand store. Fortunately for them, Lupin had known the old professor since schooling and knew that Noel would not learn a single thing with them, so they only bought 1. And it all worked out in the end because she didn't need the 7 books to pass his random quizzes, and by the end of the year he had lost his memory.
Everyone had settled down comfortably, Hermione was reading the charms book for this school year while Ron and Harry played a game of exploding snaps. Noel was laying against her dad, she silently watched them as Lupin continued to sleep.
The sound of the trolley coming down the aisle caught the teens' attention. Ron turned towards Noel as the Trolly Lady asked them if they wanted anything, "D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."
Noel could only smile shyly and shook her head, "He's fine."
"Don't worry, dear," the witch said, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver." Directing the statement towards Noel.
"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"
Noel held in a laugh. "No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed her.
Harry turned towards her once more, "Did you not want anything?" He asked as he noticed that she hadn't bought anything, looking like she needed something to eat as well.
"No, I'm fine." She told him, she furrowed her eyebrows as Crookshankes, Hermione's cat, kept looking at Ron's pocket, "I wonder what he wants," she said lightly. Harry turned his head to see what she was referring to and hid a grimace, already knowing that cat and Ron will not get along this year.
As they continued their way to Hogwarts, the trains running speed making the hills and valleys blurry, they heard footsteps outside the door, and there appeared the group's least favorite people. Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle were outside the door making an unnecessary amount of noise.
"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel." He moved his eyes to the other 3, "ah and Loopy is here as well." He said, but didn't continue when he spotted the man near the window.
"Who's that?" Asked Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.
"New teacher," Harry said, making Malfoy turn to leave, not being dim enough to start anything near a teacher.
The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared.
"Whe must nealy be there," Ron said as he made his way towards the window, his words dying out as the train slowed.
Hermioned frowned as she checked her watch, "We can't be there yet, it's too early."
The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.
"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry, from where he was sticking his head out the door.
"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"
Noel was nervously tugging at her dad's sleeves, trying to gently wake him up. Ron wiped the window from the fog, "There's something out there." He said. Suddenly the door opened and someone fell on top of Harry.
Neville's voice filled the room, as he apologized, when he moved to sit down he had accidentally sat on Crookshanks, making the cat hiss.
"I'm going to go see the driver." Hermione said, making her way to the door when there was a squeak on the other side. "Ginny?"
"Hermione?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Ron—"
"Come in and sit—"
As the commotion continued, Noel was chewing at her lip nervously, feeling a bit of blood in her mouth as she continued to tug at the sleeve.
"Quiet!" Said a hoarse voice suddenly. They all stood quiet. There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.
He checked on Noel first, seeing her nervous eyes, and swollen lip made his eyes soften, but before he could say anything, standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. An intense cold swept over them all.
Everyone watched horrified as the figure drew out a rattling breath towards Harry, who collapsed, before the professor could cast it away.
Noel watched from her seat as Hermione and Ron kneeled down next to Harry, watching him warily. Ginny was on the opposite seat, crying silently, while Neville and Lupin sat on the seats near the door.
"What happened?"
She heard faintly, but she wasn't paying attention to them. She was watching her dad as a sad, somber expression laid on his face. She furrowed her eyebrows not knowing why he looked so sad until she realized with a jolt that this was the James Potter's son.
But before she could analyze or assess, there was a loud snap, from when Lupin broke a piece of chocolate, offering it to Harry, "Eat it. It'll help" as he turned to the others, offering them some as well.
He smiled gently when he turned to Noel, and signed, ok? She simply nodded her head.
"What was that?" Harry asked, Lupin turned his attention towards him.
"A dementor, a guard from Azkaban," he made to stand up, they all watched him as he made his way towards the door,."C'mon, love," he said gently, making Noel spring up from her seat and follow him out.
As she reached her dad, she clasped her hand around his sleeve. He checked compartments, making sure no one was hurt. Once they made their way to the head of the train he turned towards her, "No trouble? Good ride, before you know..." he asked her.
She shrugged, "I guess. It took forever to wake you up." she said mirth dancing in her eyes.
"Sorry about that."
"The lady from the trolley said she'll be with the driver in case you're hungry. I didn't eat, either." she said as her dad nodded his head. "I'll see if I have enough to buy," he said thoughtfully, "Mhm yes with all the knuts, you carry in your pocket and the sickles I have to carry, we'll buy something enough for the both of us."
They ended up buying a cauldron cake to share, it'll have to do before they had to get to Hogwarts.
Lupin and Noel had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..." green eyes shining with playfulness. "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?" Harry didn't ask how he knew his name.
They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey.
The golden trio had stepped off and immediately made their way towards the carriages. Meanwhile, Noel stayed firmly next to her dad, who was towering everyone in his 6'2" frame.
"Noel, you can't go with me." He said, looking down at her. Noel sighed, she looked around nervously, and fiddled with the loose thread of her robe. Remus watches her and can't help but feel awful as the other kids sport their new shiny shoes, and clean pressed uniforms, while his daughter is wearing his old school robes with patches everywhere, and he turns to look down at himself and he looks the exact same.
Their every-day clothes aren't so bad. His grandpa jumpers are intact and his corduroy trousers fit him to a T. Noel wears overalls half of the time and they find pretty good stuff from the donation bins and second hand stores.
"Come, we'll get a carriage," he said. Noel happily followed suit, thanking Merlin that she didn't have to sit with a stranger.
As they got off, they both heard Malfoy taunting Harry for what happened to him on the train. "Is there a problem?" Lupin asked, Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase.
With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er — Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. Noel pursed her lips at the comment.
"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..."
Noel turned her head as she heard the doors open and saw Harry and Hermione enter the hall, hastily making their way towards the Gryffindor table. Her attention went back to the headmaster when he announced the new professor.
"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. Noel grinned as her dad stood up and gave a little bow.
The feast started after Dumbledore announced that Hagrid will be the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor.
When the feast finished the students were shooed away to their houses for a night rest.