Lucius Malfoy had caught her coming home from the Leaky Cauldron that evening and asked just where she'd been. When she couldn't come up with a lie quick enough, he was quick to devise where she'd been, and who she'd been with. He scolded her and kept her under a watchful eye for the next few weeks.

(Y/N) didn't see Harry again until the first of September on Platform 9¾. He was surrounded by a family of redheads, with Mr. Weasley right at his arm. Hermione was with them, too, stroking a bright orange ball of fur she held in her arms and chatting happily with Ginny. Mrs. Weasley was distributing sandwiches to her children while she scolded the twins. They were hardly listening. George Weasley, who was taller and had more freckles from the Egyptian heat, caught (Y/N)'s eye and waved her over with a warm smile.

"Are you listening, (Y/N)?"

She tore her eyes away before her godmother could figure out where she was looking. "Yes," she said, though she'd stopped paying attention the moment she saw Harry's messy raven hair.

"I mean it," Narcissa said firmly. "If I give you this permission slip and I find out you're being reckless in Hogsmeade, I'll take it away in an instant."

It was all she and Draco heard for the past few days. With Sirius Black still at large, it took quite a bit of convincing to get Narcissa to let them venture away from the castle. But, after swearing up and down to stay out of trouble and around professors, she finally gave in.

"Mother, we'll be fine," Draco groaned. He cast a sheepish glance over his shoulder, towards Pansy Parkinson and a few other Slytherin girls who were looking their way.

"And (Y/N) write. I hardly ever hear from you, this year you must. Otherwise, I'll sit up worrying every weekend you go."

"Yes, I will,"

"And when she doesn't," said Narcissa, turning to Draco. "I expect letters from you letting me know you're both alright."

"Okay, Mother," he said.

She took them in one last time. "Alright." She gave each of them their permission slip before pulling them both in for a hug. "Have a wonderful year. Write if you need anything."

When she let go, Draco made a big show of rolling his eyes before he stalked off to board the train. (Y/N) knew it meant nothing; he'd write home to Narcissa as soon as he was in his common room. She said a quick goodbye to her godmother before she hurried after him.

It was close to eleven o' clock, and the train was crowded. First years scrambled to find a place to sit, some looking very unsure of where to go. Neville Longbottom was pushing through the aisle, chasing after his copy of the Monster Book of Monsters.

"Hello, (Y/N)," he greeted hastily. He was gone before she could respond.

All the way at the other end of the train, she saw familiar bright red hair and a freckled face. Ron stuck out his hand and waved her over. "(Y/N)!" he called. "We've got a compartment!"

She was relieved he found her, and she tightened her grip on her bag before she moved through to swarm of students.

When she reached the compartment, Ron barely let her slip inside before he closed to door behind them. "It's absolutely mad out there," (Y/N) sighed, dropping her bag in the empty seat beside Harry. He smiled by way of greeting and slid over so she could sit down.

Their compartment was unusually crowded that year. The orange ball of fluff (Y/N)'d seen Hermione carrying was a particularly mean looking cat that took up a lot of room. Ron, keeping Scabbers safe in his arms, sat as far away from Hermione and her cat as he could. Beside him, Ginny stood by the window to wave goodbye to her parents. And, on the other side of Harry sat the last occupant, who was fast asleep against the window.

He was too old to be a student, which (Y/N) thought was odd. She hadn't ever seen an adult aboard the Hogwarts Express besides the little old trolley witch. He was handsome, despite the dark circles under his eyes and his plain choice of dress – a shabby tweed coat with old dress pants. And though his chestnut colored hair was accented with flecks of gray, he still looked quite young; he could be no older than forty.

"Who's that?" (Y/N) asked.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," came Hermione's quick reply.

Ron's eyes widened. "You know everything!" He looked at (Y/N) and Harry. "How is it she knows everything?"

"It's on his suitcase, Ron," sighed Hermione. She pointed up at the small, battered case barely held together by string. Sure enough, Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped in one corner with peeling letters.

Harry gave the man a careful look. "Is he really asleep?"

(Y/N) leaned over. "Looks like it,

"Why?" asked Hermione. "What is it, Harry?"

Harry hesitated for just a moment, green eyes flickering over to Lupin, and then at Ginny. "I need to talk to you guys."

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron at once.

"Oh, that's nice," she huffed. But still, she left the compartment and closed the door behind her.

Harry looked once more at the man beside him, and once he was sure, he told them everything. How he thought Sirius Black may be after him, how he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument about whether or not Harry should return to school, and the grim warning Mr. Weasley had given him just before boarding the train – to not go looking for Black.

When he finished, Ron looked stricken in the dim glow of the train's lantern light. Hermione's eyes were wide with horror and her shaking hands covered her mouth. (Y/N) knew she was no better; she'd felt the jump and steady rise of her pulse.

"Let me get this straight," Ron said finally. "Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you?"

"Yes,"

(Y/N) didn't understand how he could be so calm; Sirius Black was an incredibly dangerous wizard. She would have been a mess in his shoes.

"But," tried Hermione, voice trembling. "They'll catch Black, won't they? I mean... eventually?"

"Sure! Of course, no one's ever broken out of Azkaban before and he's a raving murderous lunatic–"

(Y/N) reached across the compartment to smack him hard. "Shut up, Ron!" He winced and gave her a nasty look. "Everyone's on the look out for him – even Muggles. Of course they'll catch him."

She hoped she sounded sure enough to convince Harry.

She'd barely gotten the words out when the train gave a great shake. (Y/N) fell back into the seat and Harry's elbow collided hard with her arm.

"Sorry," his emerald eyes were wide.

"'S fine," said (Y/N), rubbing her arm.

"That's what you get," grumbled Ron, still rubbing his own. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Why're we stopping?" Hermione glanced down at her watch, and seeing the time, frowned. "We can't be there yet."

As the train slowed to a stop, (Y/N) felt Harry rise beside her. He poked his head out into the corridor.

"Do you see anything?" (Y/N) asked.

"No," he answered.

The train came to a stop with a jolt and poor Harry fell in his seat. Professor R. J. Lupin's suitcase fell heavily onto the floor as the lantern flickered once, then twice – then went out. They were in complete darkness, and Professor Lupin slept on.

"What's going on?" Ron squeaked.

In an instant, the warm compartment felt like a snowy hillside in the dead of Winter. (Y/N) wrapped her arms tight around her, watching the small puff of steam rise from her lips as she tried to steady her breath. 

"Dunno." Harry inched closer to (Y/N). She let him, glad for the warmth of his arm against hers. "Maybe we've broken down."

"Then why's it so cold?" she shivered.

Another jolt, and (Y/N)'s hand found Harry's in the dark.

"Ouch, Ron, that was my foot!" yelped Hermione.

Ron didn't pay her any attention. (Y/N) watched his silhouette creep toward the window. "There's something moving out there. I think... people are coming aboard."

(Y/N) reached for her wand with her free hand. She wracked her brain for any defensive spells, but her prior professors hadn't served her well. She could only think of one, which she'd learned from Hermione – immobulus – but depending on what or who was coming aboard, she thought it may not prove to be too useful.

The compartment rattled and Ron jumped back from the window. "Bloody hell! What's happening?"

With few options and little time, (Y/N) moved in front of the sleeping Professor and shook him.

"What are you doing?" Hermione hissed.

"Waking him up! Unless you'd rather face whatever's out there yourself?"

Hermione didn't answer.

(Y/N)'s hand had only just found his shoulder when the compartment door slid open and there was a loud thud.

"Ouch!" said Harry.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry,"

(Y/N) watched Harry's outline reach down to pull someone up by their cloak. "Hello, Neville,"

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea! Sit down –"

But there was a loud hiss before Neville yelped in pain. He'd tried to sit on the cat.

"This is ridiculous," said Hermione. "I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on."

She hadn't so much as taken two steps before there were two loud squeals.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron–"

"Come in and sit down–"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch, Ginny!" (Y/N) said.

"Sorry!"

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice.

(Y/N) nearly yelped, for Professor R. J. Lupin had woken up at last.

She watched his silhouette move; shove off his jacket and slowly sit up. No one said a word, not even when there was a soft crackling sound and he summoned a handful of flame. They illuminated his tired face, but his light blue eyes were alert and wary.

"Stay where you are," he rose to his feet and moved toward the door.

But it opened before he could reach it.

Illuminated by Lupin's trembling flame: a slim, crooked looking hand. The figure it belonged to was tall; cloaked. It's hand looked as though it had been decaying for weeks in water – it was slimy, grayish, scabbed. (Y/N)'s blood ran cold as it ducked into the compartment. A Dementor.

She'd only ever heard of them before when Draco wanted to scare her, but as she stared up at it then, she thought he didn't have a clue. It was far scarier than anything he described as it crept close, reaching its dead hand out to Harry.

(Y/N) wanted to help. To get up and do something – anything to protect her friends, but she was overcome by a fierce unforgiving cold. It kept her down on the ground as it sank deeper and deeper, and it got darker and darker; as though the cold and dark were all she'd ever known and all she would ever know.

But then, there was warmth.

Professor Lupin had his wand drawn and pointed square at the Dementor without a trace of hesitance. (Y/N) watched in awe as a bright plume of light burst from his wand without even a whisper of an incantation. The Dementor was whisked away, taking the cold and darkness with it.

As light slowly returned to the compartment, Lupin turned to survey the students.

And when his eyes fell on (Y/N), still sitting on the floor, he first looked very startled. He opened his mouth to say something, but but she would never know what, for at that same moment Harry fell over in a dead faint.

Hermione yelped as (Y/N) clambered over to his side. Ron was there in an instant, violently shaking Harry awake.

"Harry! Harry! Are you alright?"

Much to their relief, his weary emerald eyes slowly began to open. "You're okay!" (Y/N) exclaimed.

He brought himself to sit up, adjusting his crooked glasses.

"Here," said Lupin. With a snap he'd broken off a ragged piece of a chocolate bar and extended it to Harry. All students peered up at him. He smiled kindly. "Eat," he said. "It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate with trembling hands. "W-What was that thing? That came?"

"A Dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban." he said. "It's gone, now. It was searching the train for Sirius Black." He left the rest of his chocolate bar by Harry's side. "If you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with the driver."

He left the compartment, but when he saw none of the students moved, he smiled once more, almost as if he were amused. "Eat, it'll help." he said again.

And he was gone.

Harry wouldn't meet anyone's eyes as he nibbled on the chocolate. (Y/N) could see the soft pink tinge on his cheeks as he asked, "What happened to me?"

"Well..." Ron began, still looking pale. "You sort of went rigid. I thought maybe you were having a fit, or something."

"And... and did any of you..." He finally found the courage to look up. "You know, pass out?"

Ron gave him a sympathetic look. "No," he said. "I felt weird, though. Like I'd never be cheerful again."

Neville nodded. "It was horrible. Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

There was another silence as Harry waited for someone else to speak. When no one did, he said, "But someone was screaming. A woman,"

"You heard screaming?" (Y/N) frowned.

"Didn't you?"

"No," she answered. She pulled herself back into her seat. "I didn't hear anything,"

Professor Lupin didn't return until the students had changed into their school robes and the train had arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He checked up on Harry and gathered his things before they had a chance to stop him, and he hurried off without a single glance in (Y/N)'s direction. She wondered if she imagined the startled look he'd given her.

The Sorting that year felt longer than usual. Harry was carted off to Madam Pomfrey – much to his dismay – as soon as he was off the train. Hermione had disappeared long ago to have a chat with McGonagall about her course schedule. Ron and (Y/N) sat at the table trying to comfort a tearful Ginny Weasley (she was still shaken from the Dementors) as Fred and George teased her. They didn't stop until Percy threatened to write home to their mother.

When Harry and Hermione finally returned, they'd just reached the end of the frog choir's performance. Ron grumbled something under his breath as the choir dispersed, glad that it was over.

"Oh, we missed the Sorting!" said Hermione, plopping down next to (Y/N).

Harry took his seat next to Ron, still not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. (Y/N) fought the urge to ask if he was feeling better; she knew he'd only be embarrassed.

Dumbledore stepped up to his gold podium still clapping for the choir. "Welcome!" he said cheerfully. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things before we become befuddled by our excellent feast. I, myself, am looking forward to the flaming kiwi cups, which, while somewhat treacherous for those of us with facial hair—"

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Mm. Yes." Dumbledore smiled. "First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Good luck to you, Professor."

Hermione leaned forward, eyes alight with excitement. "Of course! That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry!"

"Looks like we've finally got a professor who's competent," (Y/N) said.

Across the aisle, Draco turned in his seat, sure to keep his voice low. "Potter," he called. When Harry ignored him, he tried again. "Potter! Is it true you fainted?"

One of his friends pretended to faint. Behind him, Pansy Parkinson watched, grinning.

"I mean, you actually fainted?" Draco laughed.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron rolled his eyes, pushing Harry back toward the table.

"How did he find out?" Harry asked in a low voice.

(Y/N) saw Neville hurriedly look the other way. She'd overheard him telling Seamus and Dean what happened in great detail as everyone filed into the Great Hall. No doubt that was how Draco heard.

"Just forget him," (Y/N) tried.

"As some of you may know," Dumbledore continued. "Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher for many years, 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 filled by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid!"

Hagrid, red in the face, hastily stood at his place at the head table and nearly sent it toppling over. Professor Flitwick hurried to steady his goblet. But Hagrid hardly seemed to notice, he was busy beaming straight at (Y/N) and her friends, who were doing their best at cheering loudest for him.

"Finally," Dumbledore went on and everyone quieted down. "on a more disquieting note. Hogwarts — at the request of the Ministry of Magic — will until further notice play host to the Dementors of Azkaban. Until such a time Sirius Black is captured. The Dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. While they are under strict orders not to enter the castle itself, you will on occasion see them as you go about your daily activities." He paused, fixing the entire hall with a stern look. "Under no circumstances are you to approach them. Dementors are vicious creatures. They will 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, give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

(Y/N) and Hermione exchanged wary glances. Dumbledore made the Dementors sound as dangerous as Sirius Black himself.

As though he sensed the students' apprehension, Dumbledore gave a kind smile. "But, you know," he said. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light."