2 years later...
"Happy 3rd year, Niff!" Rolf ruffled Y/N's hair and slipped into a compartment with his popular Hufflepuff friends, giving his 13-year-old sister a grin. "See you at Hoggy."
"Will you stop with that name?" Y/N asked, smoothing her hair and peeking inside the compartment. She waved at his friends.
"Nah, I don't think so." Rolf shrugged and pushed her out the compartment before slamming the door in her face. Y/N was left alone, standing in the middle of the train with her brown owl, Bamboo, hooting happily in his cage. She sighed.
Third year... the year where things get more challenging. The year where they get to visit Hogsmeade. It was a big upgrade from second year. Y/N wished for this year to finally be a normal year.
After evil teachers, giant snakes, secret chambers and all... well what'd she expect? Harry Scarhead Potter was her best friend, after all.
"Move out the way, Scamander." Draco Malfoy elbowed past Y/N roughly, causing her to wince. He was her worse enemy... "Potty, Weasel, and little Mudblood dumped you?" Malfoy sneered. Crabbe and Goyle, his dumb Slytherin friends laughed.
"Shut up about my friends, you white haired Seagull." Y/N spat back, straightening herself. Draco scowled at her and Crabbe and Goyle cackled.
"You're just a pathetic blood-traitor." Malfoy shot. "Don't talk to me, blood-traitor."
"Funny how you're the one who approached me." Y/N said cooly. "Because trust me, the last thing I wanted to do is talk to you." she rolled her eyes and walked past them, ignoring Malfoy's insults.
"In here, Y/N!" a sweet but sharp voice called from one of the compartments. Y/N beamed at the sound of a familiar voice and turned to see Hermione Granger waving at her.
Y/N stepped into the compartment she was in and beamed. Hermione immediately threw her arms around her girl best friend happily. Y/N noticed Hermione had grown taller than her by a bit. Or maybe it was just her extra bushy hair.
"Woah, hey, there." Y/N smiled as Hermione released her, before sitting down next to the bushy haired girl. Ron, her other sibling-like friend, was busy getting his rat to stay still and didn't acknowledge Y/N's entrance. There was also another unknown man sleeping beside him.
"Who's that?" Y/N asked and stared at the man sleeping beside Ron. The middle-aged wizard looked tired and almost homeless. He was fast asleep with a furry blanket wrapped around his body and most of his face.
"Professor Lupin." Said Hermione, pointing at the initials on his suitcase.
"Is he the Defense teacher?" Y/N asked curiously.
"We don't know," Hermione shrugged and then turned to Y/N with a smile."Y/N, we've missed you so much!" she beamed. Y/N rolled her eyes playfully.
"Of course you did... I've missed you guys too, a lot. A shame we didn't meet in Diagon Alley... hey, Ronald." Y/N greeted her favourite redhead, who was sitting on the seat opposite of the girls. Ron tried to smile back but his rat was struggling from his hands like mad.
"Scabbers, stop- hi- hello, Y/N." he finally stuffed the rat inside his pocket, where it stayed still and breathed heavily. Ron eyed Hermione's squash-faced cat, Crookshanks, in disgust and gripped onto his pocket. "Get it away from Scabbers!"
"Relax, Ron, he won't hurt Scabbers, right Crookshanks?" Hermione picked up her cat and hugged him tightly. Y/N pouted her lips and stroked the cat's chin playfully.
"Hello there, ginger," she said as the cat purred.
"You're bloody mad, you all are." Ron said dramatically. Y/N and Hermione ignored him and continued to play with the fluffy cat.
The train took off and the three waved at their parents from their compartment eagerly. Y/N could see her mother sniffing back a few tears. The Hogwarts Express then turned a corner, making the parents disappear from sight. Y/N sighed happily.
"Where's Harry?" she asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. Harry Potter was one of the first people who befriended her in their first year. They met on the Hogwarts Express and were best friends from then on.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other and grinned knowingly.
The two had always cheered for Y/N and Harry to be together since day one. Y/N had to admit, she did have tiny feelings for Harry, but didn't want to ruin their amazing friendship.
When Ron and Hermione continued to smirk, Y/N rolled her eyes. "Guys, it's just a question."
"He went to get food for Hedwig," Hermione said, mocking Y/N's casual tone. Ron snickered. Y/N ignored their tease.
"Oh, OK." she shrugged. "How are you two, by the way? How was your summer?"
"Oh, it was great!" Hermione said excitedly. "France was stunning and I got to see the beautiful buildings. The history and the people there- oh, Y/N, I wish you were there! " Hermione said with a wide grin. "But other than that, I read a lot of school books."
"Typical." Y/N muttered with a smile and Ron huffed. Y/N then turned to Ron. "I heard you went to Egypt with your entire family, Ronald. How was it?"
"It was bloody brilliant!" Ron replied excitedly.
He told Y/N about the Weasleys' Egypt trip and how furious his parents were when Fred and George tried to trap Percy in one of the pyramids. Y/N laughed and shook her head.
"Of course it was Gred and Feorge," she chuckled. "I actually remember, exactly two years ago today, they almost burned my head off with one of their fireworks... Thanks to them, I landed right into your compartment. I can't believe-" but she was interrupted. Someone slid open the compartment door, making the three Gryffindors turn.
Y/N found herself looking up at her best friend, Harry Potter. She let out a small sound that imitated a cartoon character's gasp. Y/N had always been close with Harry and would sometimes grow sheepish around him throughout their first two years. This year, he looked different. His hair was slightly longer and messier and he was a lot taller. He looked more grown up in general. Harry, too, was looking at Y/N with slightly raised eyebrows.
"Harry!" Y/N exclaimed a little too loudly,
"Y/N," Harry smiled. Y/N got up and hugged Harry tightly, making him turn a light shade of pink. Harry chuckled into her ear.
"How are you, Harry?" Y/N asked him while the boy sat down beside Ron.
"Very good, now I'm back with you lot." Harry replied and grinned at her. "What about you? How was your summer?"
"I'm great, It was great." Y/N said. "We went to visit our Auntie Queenie in America. But other than that, nothing much." said Y/N. "But Harry, do tell me about your some-what bubbly aunt."
Harry huffed at her sarcastic pun and smiled. "I already told you in one of my letters, it's not a really interesting story. Marge said things about my parents, I got angry, and then the next thing I know, she was floating out of our backyard."
Ron and Y/N roared with laughter and earned a stern glare from Hermione.
A grumpy looking Crookshanks leapt onto Harry's lap and curled into a ball, purring loudly.
"Hey there, Crookshanks." Harry said in a childish tone and scratched Crookshanks's ears casually.
Y/N realised she had a stupid grin plastered on her face and quickly wiped it away. Hermione smirked at her playfully.
"Y/N," Harry looked up. "Have you heard about Sirius Black?" he asked.
"Sirius Black? Oh, yeah, I have." Y/N had read about Black in The Daily Prophet. "The dark wizard who escaped Azkaban?"
"Yeah, him." Harry said and lowered his voice before looking nervously at the sleeping wizard next to him. "I-I've overheard Ron's parents last night..."
Harry told her about what he'd heard and Y/N listened carefully. Apparently, Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban just to find Harry and kill him. Y/N bit her lip anxiously and nodded slowly.
"Harry..." she whispered. "Why does he want to kill you?"
"I dunno," Harry replied with a shrug.
"Aren't you worried? That a killer is on the loose and is coming for you?" Y/N asked. "Because I am." she added, making Harry grin.
"Thanks, Y/N. But I honestly don't." He said with a shrug. "Voldemort's already been after me for years, so another killer wizard won't hurt." Ron laughed out loud and Hermione giggled. Even Y/N couldn't help but smile.
"Always acting tough and heroic." Hermione teased.
"I'm still mad at you guys for not bringing me on your little Chamber of Secrets trip." Y/N said when the thought popped into her head.
"We've already told you, Y/N." Ron said with a frown. "You were busy hexing Malfoy half a castle away and we didn't have time... my sister was dying!"
"Oh, yeah, sorry." Y/N shamefully said and added, "But never do that again-"
"Anything from the trolley, Dears?" The Trolley Witch stopped outside their compartment and smiled warmly, with her trolley full of sweets and snacks. Ron immediately stood up, making Hermione roll her eyes. Harry shook his head and ushered him to sit down.
"Sit down, Ron, I'm paying for all of us. I'm hungry." Harry stood up and handed a few Galleons to the old witch.
"But Harry-"
"It's a thanks for being my friends." Harry said swiftly and caught Y/N's eye. Y/N smiled at him and he smiled back. Harry felt a tiny flower blossom in his stomach.
"Thanks, Harry." Y/N said.
"Thanks." Hermione and Ron grinned at him.
"A bit of everything, please." Harry told the witch. She handed him a big haul of candies and snacks and the three feasted on them happily, talking to each other about their summers.
Y/N noticed Harry glancing at her a couple of times, but every time he got caught, he would turn away or blush.
Suddenly, after their long conversation, the train started to slow down slowly and finally stopped.
"What?" Ron said blankly, eating the last of their chocolate frogs. "Have we arrived?"
"No, it's still early," Hermione replied, checking her watch.
The four of them stood up to look between the compartments and saw some other students peaking their heads out of theirs. The four remained on their feet as they listened to the sounds outside carefully. Y/N felt a rush of coldness and shivered.
"D-do you g-guys feel suddenly c-cold?" Y/N asked. The other three nodded and rubbed their hands together. Suddenly...
Crash!
The train shook violently and they all fell backwards. Y/N fell backwards onto her seat and Harry fell on top of her awkwardly. They all breathed heavily in fear as the lights died off.
Y/N blushed when she noticed how close Harry was to her face and cleared her throat. Harry quickly noticed their closeness and got himself up, his face flushing red.
"Erm, uh, I- sorry," he pulled Y/N up by the arm.
"Yeah- it's OK, thanks." As soon as Y/N got up, she felt a gush of sadness and remorse. Her face suddenly fell and she could tell her friends felt the same horrid feeling. Y/N shivered nervously and got her wand out. She knew immediately what had caused them to shiver like this. She and Hermione looked at each other in the eye and gulped.
"Dementor." the two girls breathed in horror.
As if on cue, I giant hooded figure slowly floated in front of their compartment, making all of them whimper in fear. Their pets screeched horribly as the Dementor slid open the compartment door.
Y/N felt Hermione grip onto her elbow and saw Harry shudder violently. She felt depressed and cold, as if happiness didn't exist in the world. Harry started to shake again, and Y/N noticed something was off.
"H-h-harry?" she was shaking, herself, but saw that the boy was now sliding off his seat. She forced herself to go on her knees and grab Harry's unconscious body; he had passed out. She looked up at her two friends who were as stiff as a statue helplessly. "Hermione d-do something! Ron- help...me..."
Y/N could hear a faint voice of someone calling her name but didn't let go of Harry's body. Then, that someone pushed her aside and held up his wand, yelling an incantation at the Dementor.
A silver creature burst from his wand and ran over the Dementor, making it stumble and float away.
"Y/N, it's OK, move aside." Y/N looked up and saw Professor Lupin wide awake, putting a hand on her shoulder. Now that he didn't have a blanket to cover his face, Y/N could see that he looked tired and had scars all over his face, his clothes were old and scrawny. Professor Lupin continued when Y/N didn't move, "Y/N, he's alright, don't worry."
Y/N didn't know how he knew her name, but nodded and got up to sit on her seat. Professor Lupin kneeled down to check Harry's breathing. The three looked at their friend nervously.
"What was that thing?" Ron asked in horror, his hand shaking slightly.
"Dementor." Y/N said, and Ron continued to look confused.
"They're the creatures that guard the wizard prison, Azkaban." Hermione explained as she hugged her orange cat to her chest tightly.
"P-professor? Professor Lupin?" Y/N piped.
"Yes, Y/N?" he gave her a warm smile. Y/N looked down at Harry and asked,
"Is he going to be OK?"
"Oh, he will be." The Professor assured and stood up. "We all react differently from the Dementors, and Harry, well, he had a darker past than all of us...Well, I have to have a word with the driver, if you'd excuse me... if Harry wakes up, give him some chocolate." he handed Y/N the chocolate bar and left the compartment...
A/N ~ hope y'all like this fanfic so far. I love reading comments, so don't hesitate to comment something fUnNy~ Also, it means the world if you guys vote. But of course you don't have to. Just enjoy the story :) Thanks for checking in!
- ScribblingQuills