When Gwen looked up, the compartment was bright again. She was shivering, eyes burning and the image of Tom imprinted behind them. The train was rattling beneath her and her face was drenched in a cold sweat. She glanced around; next to her, Harry was on the floor, heaving.
She jumped up, as did Ron, and they grabbed him by his arms to get him back in his seat.
'Are you OK?' she asked. She'd completely forgotten her own ordeal, wanting nothing more than to never see or hear Tom again.
'Yeah,' said Harry. His eyes darted toward the door. 'What happened? Where's that-- that thing? Who screamed?'
Gwen faltered.
'No one screamed,' said Ron nervously.
Harry looked around. Hermione reached out to touch Gwen's arm. She, Gwen, hadn't even noticed Ginny and Neville looking very pale.
'But I heard screaming--'
A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.
'Here,' he said, handing the pieces out. He gave Gwen and Harry particularly large pieces. 'Eat. It'll help.'
They all took the chocolate. Gwen couldn't bring herself to eat. She felt nauseous.
'What was that thing?' Harry said, his voice shaking.
'A dementor,' said Lupin. 'One of the dementors of Azkaban.'
Everyone stared at him. Gwen realised she was still standing. Professor Lupin scrunched up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. Suddenly feeling unsteady, Gwen sank down into the empty seat between Harry and Hermione.
'Eat,' Lupin repeated. 'It'll help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with the driver.'
He strolled past them and disappeared into the corridor.
'Are you sure you're OK, Harry?' said Hermione anxiously.
'I don't get it... what happened?' Harry wiped his face.
Hermione hesitated. 'Well, that thing-- the dementor- it stood there and looked around-- I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face-- and you-- you--'
'We thought you were having a fit or something,' Ron said. 'You sort of went rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching--'
'And Professor Lupin stepped over you and walked toward the dementor and pulled out his wand,' said Hermione, 'and he said, "None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks" and when the dementor didn't move, he said something and this silvery thing shot out of his wand at it and it turned around and sorted glided away...'
'It was horrible,' said Neville, his voice a pitch higher than normal. 'Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?'
'I felt weird,' said Ron. 'Like I'd never be cheerful again.'
Ginny was pale and looked petrified. 'Why would one be on the train?'
'Dementors,' Gwen said, eyes staring straight ahead but unseeing. 'Are Azkaban guards. They're horrible. I never realised how--' she inhaled shakily. 'Dad said they're put in Azkaban to guard prisoners to punish them...' She hadn't realised she was still trembling. Hermione put her arm around her.
'They're looking for Sirius Black,' she went on. 'You're not supposed to be able to escape from Azkaban with dementors there.' The chocolate was beginning to melt in her fingers. The others had already eaten theirs. Harry managed a bite.
'But did any of you-- fall off your seats?' said Harry awkwardly.
'No,' said Ron, looking at Harry anxiously. 'Gwen was shaking like mad, though...'
Gwen swallowed uncomfortably. Tom's image was still ingrained into her brain, a mould creeping upwards and tainting her vision. She shivered again and Hermione tightened her arm around her.
Professor Lupin came back then, glancing around the compartment.
'I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know,' he said, looking at Gwen. Even though she didn't have the stomach for it, she took a small bite, and was surprised to feel warmth enveloping her cold limbs. She ate the slab, feeling much better at the end.
'We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes,' Lupin said. 'Are you two alright?'
Gwen managed a small, unconvincing smile, and nodded.
'Fine,' Harry murmured beside her.
The rest of the journey was quiet, each taking it in turns to go to the bathrooms to change into their robes. Ron and Hermione were keeping watchful eyes on both Gwen and Harry, but Gwen was more focused on the latter. She had been affected by the dementor, of course, but Harry had taken it the worst, it seemed.
Eventually, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station and there was a great scramble to get onto the platform. Gwen let Orion out of his cage when they stepped onto the platform, who, before disappearing into the night sky, gave her a gentle nuzzle with his beak. It was freezing and pouring rain and Gwen wished she'd brought a hat or a thicker coat. Ginny disappeared into the crowd with one of her second year friends, but Neville stuck with Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione, Trevor the toad croaking from beneath his hat.
'Firs' years! Firs' years this way!'
The familiar, booming voice brought a warmth to Gwen's chest. She, Harry, Ron and Hermione all turned, squinting through the rain to see Hagrid's massive outline on the other end of the platform, beckoning terrified looking first years toward him for their traditional journey across the lake.
'Alright, you lot?' Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him but had no chance to speak because the mass of people was shoving them away along the platform. Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of school out onto the mud track where stagecoaches awaited.
Gwen found herself staring at the coaches. In front of each one, there was a giant, skeletal horse with huge leathery wings. She nervously approached with the others, eyes fixated on the creatures. She wanted to ask what they were but nobody else seemed phased. Given what had happened on the train, she didn't want to be the only one who didn't know what the creatures were; it would just fuel her humiliation.
They'd lost Neville in the throng, so the four of them climbed into the first empty one they found, and when the door shut behind them, the coach set off, pulled by the great, skeletal horses. It smelled faintly of mould and old paper inside, and Gwen realised this was her first time ever riding in one. She'd missed it last year due to arriving in the flying car.
The road to Hogwarts was bumpy and wobbly, and the four sat in silence, Gwen, Ron and Hermione sending Harry looks every now and then. Gwen tried not to think of Tom, whose dark eyes kept creeping into the back of her head.
As the carriage trundled between two magnificent, wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Gwen could see two more towering, hooded dementors, outlined in the darkness. She felt a wave of sickness engulf her again and closed her eyes tightly, leaning back against the carriage walls, failing to notice Harry do the same.
Eventually, they reached the castle and the carriage came swaying to a halt. Gwen got out first, grateful to be rid of the bumpy ride which only fuelled her nausea.
As Harry stepped out, the last of them to do so, a drawling, delighted voice came up behind them.
'You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?'
Malfoy elbowed past Gwen and Hermione to block the way up the stone steps of the castle, his eyes gleaming maliciously.
'Shove off, Malfoy,' said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.
'Did you faint as well, Weasley?' Malfoy said loudly. 'Did the scary old dementors frighten you too, Weasley?'
The roots of Gwen's hair turned scarlet. She was just reaching for her wand to scare Malfoy off when a calm voice emerged from behind them.
'Is there a problem?' Professor Lupin had just got out of the next carriage.
Malfoy gave Lupin an insolent stare, his pale eyes taking in the patched up and shabby robes and the worn out suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, 'Oh, no-- er-- Professor,' then he smirked and nodded for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him up the stairs to the castle.
Gwen threw Professor Lupin a grateful look.
Hermione nudged Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors and into the magnificent entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed a beautiful marble staircase that led to the upper floors.
The door to the Great Hall was open at the right; Gwen followed the crowd toward it and had barely a chance to glimpse the enchanted ceiling when a voice called out, 'Potter! Granger, Everill! I want to see you!'
Gwen, Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. As usual, her hair was in a tight black bun and her squared spectacles framed her eyes. She was wearing robes of a brilliant scarlet.
'There's no need to look so worried, I just want a word in my office,' she said. 'Move along there, Weasley.'
Ron stared after them as Professor McGonagall ushered Gwen, Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd, across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, warm fire, Professor McGonagall motioned the three of them to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said, rather abruptly, 'Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you'd both taken ill on the train.' Her eyes were flicking, somewhat accusingly, between Gwen and Harry.
Feeling Harry shift beside her, Gwen opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, there was a soft knock at the door. Madame Pomfrey, the nurse, bustled in.
Harry glanced at Gwen, his cheeks red, and Gwen swallowed uncomfortably. She could tell Harry was embarrassed for passing out on the train, and Gwen wanted nothing more than to completely forget the whole ordeal.
'Oh, it's you, is it?' Madame Pomfrey said, bending down to stare closely at Harry and then did the same to Gwen. 'I suppose you've both been up to something dangerous again?'
'It was a dementor, Poppy,' said Professor McGonagall.
Gwen did not miss the dark look the two women exchanged.
'Setting dementors around the school,' Madame Pomfrey said disapprovingly, tapping each of Gwen's cheeks. 'Nasty creatures, he won't be the last one who collapses.' She was now pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. 'Yes, they're both quite clammy. The effect those things have on people who are already delicate.'
'I'm not delicate,' Gwen and Harry both said at the same time.
Madame Pomfrey ignored them, now grabbing their wrists in turn to check their pulses.
'What do they need?' Professor McGonagall asked anxiously. 'Bed rest? Perhaps they should spend the night in the Hospital Wing?'
'I'm fine!' Harry said loudly, while Gwen hid her face in her hands. Merlin, she wanted nothing more than to just forget all of it.
'Well, we should at least get them some chocolate,' Madame Pomfrey said, prying Gwen's hands from her face to inspect her eyes.
'Professor Lupin already gave us some on the train,' Harry said, coming to Gwen's rescue. Madame Pomfrey stood up straight again, an approving look on her face.
'Did he, now? Finally, we have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies.'
'Very well,' McGonagall said, not entirely convinced. 'I shall be writing to your families to make them aware of the situation.'
Gwen's heart dropped to her stomach. 'No!' she cried, startling her teacher. She cleared her throat. 'No, Professor, please. Don't write to my family.'
McGonagall raised an eyebrow at her. 'Miss Everill, you do understand that I have a duty of care toward my students.'
'I do, I do,' Gwen pleaded desperately. 'But please, don't write to my parents. I just want-- I don't want to worry them.'
She knew that the second her mother found out about this, all the hard work Gwen had put into moving on from the previous year. McGonagall writing to her parents would reverse that, and that didn't even begin to cover what her mother might do if she knew. Best case scenario would be to pull her out of school.
McGonagall only nodded. 'Are you sure you both feel alright?'
'Yes.'
'Yes, Professor.'
'Very well. If you'd both kindly wait outside, I need to discuss with Miss Granger her studies for the year.'
Gwen and Harry followed Madame Pomfrey out of the office, the latter of whom disappeared down the torchlit corridors toward the hospital wing. Gwen and Harry didn't speak. They had nothing to say, they both understood what hung in the air between them, an almost tangible sense of dread after the event on the train.
Gwen found herself lacing her hand through Harry's reassuringly, a knowing look passing between them. They let go when Hermione emerged from the office, looking rather pleased, followed by McGonagall, and the four of them made their way down to the feast.
As they reached the entrance hall, Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was leaving the Great Hall, carrying the Sorting Hat and a wooden stool.
'Oh, no,' Hermione whispered. 'We've missed the Sorting.'
Gwen had yet to witness a Sorting Ceremony, aside from experiencing her own two years prior. Last year, she'd flown into school with Harry and Ron with Mr Weasley's bewitched car.
Professor McGonagall moved away from Gwen, Harry and Hermione, making her way to her empty seat at the teachers' table that headed the Great Hall. As quietly as they could, the other three made their way to Gryffindor table, ignoring the prying eyes and whispers of other students as they shuffled past, finally making it to where Ron was sitting, Harry taking the space behind him and Gwen and Hermione sitting opposite them.
'What was all that about?' Ron whispered.
None of them had a chance to respond as, at that moment, Professor Dumbledore, the Headteacher, got to his feet.
'Welcome!' said Dumbledore, raising his arms in greeting. '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.
'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. Gwen and Harry exchanged a look '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.'
Percy, who was a few seats down from Gwen, puffed his chest. She had to refrain from smiling.
Dumbledore paused again; he looked around the hall, his light eyes serious; nobody dared move or make a sound.
'On a happier note,' he continued. 'I am pleased to welcome two new members of staff to our ranks. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'
There was some scattered applause; only those who had been in the compartment with Professor Lupin clapped loudly, Gwen among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to the other teachers, all dressed in their finest robes. Professor Lupin gave a small smile to the hall. There was something appealing about him, Gwen thought to herself.
'As for our second new appointment,' Dumbledore continued. 'Well. I am sorry to say that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. However I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Ruben's Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties.'
Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at each other, stunned. They joined in with the applause, which was particularly tumultuous at the Gryffindor table. Gwen leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his hand, a wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.
'We should've known!' Ron cried over the applause, pounding the table. 'Who else would have assigned us a biting book?'
Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione were the last to stop clapping. As Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.
'Well, I think that is everything of importance," Dumbledore said. 'Let the feast begin!'
The golden plates and goblets before them filled with food and drink. Gwen, her appetite suddenly returning, helped herself to everything she could, potatoes, roast beef, mash and sausages and gravy and vegetables. The feast was delicious, the hall echoing with chatter and laughter and the clatter of knives and forks.
Gwen finished her meal as quickly as she'd begun it, she, Harry, Ron and Hermione all eager for the feast to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. All of them knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him, especially after what they had found out the year prior.
Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard, having been framed in his third year for a crime he hadn't committed, and it had been Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione who had cleared his name last year.
At last, when the leftovers of treacle tart and pumpkin pie had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that they were to go to the dormitories.
They weaved through the students toward the teachers' table.
'Congratulations, Hagrid!' Gwen cried, placing her hand over Hagrid's enormous one and giving it a squeeze.
'All down ter you four,' said Hagrid, wiping his face on his napkin. 'Can' believe it... great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... It's always what I wanted—'
Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.
Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione joined the Gryffindors making their way up the marble staircase. Gwen was feeling full up and tired now; she'd forgotten just how many staircases there were, but eventually, the Gryffindors reaches their dorm tower, where the Fat Lady, in her bright pink dress, awaited for the password.
'Coming through, coming through!'
Percy forced his way to the front of the crowd, his voice echoing above the chatter.
'The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!'
Neville, who was beside Gwen, visibly shrunk. He's always had trouble remembering the passwords.
The Gryffindors climbed through the portrait hall, splitting at the staircases that led to the girls' and boys' dorms. They divided and climbed their respective spiral staircases.
Gwen was the first of the third year girls to reach the dorm, closely followed by Hermione, then Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and Clara Culpeper. Excitedly, the girls burst into a rush of chatter, gushing about their summers and telling stories of their holidays.
The girls, although tired, stayed up late into the night, sharing sweets and chatting. Gwen had missed this. She had missed the dorm and her four-post bed and the pale, late summer moonlight spilling in through the tower windows.
As Gwen finally drifted off to sleep, she dreamt of running the halls of the castle in the night, chasing a great, black dog.