Tom woke Harry and me the next morning with his usual toothlessgrin and a cup of tea. We got dressed and Harry was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ronbanged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his headand looking irritable

."The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least Ican get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me ofdripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Rongrimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy. . . ."

 "I've got something to tell you," Harry began, I froze. but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulateRon on infuriating Percy again. 

We headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was readingthe front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs.Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'dmade as a young girl. When I joined,  all four of them were rather giggly.

 We were too busy heaving all our trunks down theLeaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near thedoor, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched ontop in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heapof trunks, spitting loudly. 

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train." 

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

 He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministrycars, stuck his head inside."They're here," he said. "Harry, Emma, come on."

 Mr. Weasley marched Harry  and me across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each ofwhich was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit ofemerald velvet."In you get, Emma, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down thecrowded street. 

Harry and I got into the back of the car and was shortly joined byHermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. 

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with our trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though I noticed that they could slidethrough gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainlycouldn't have managed. We reached King's Cross with twentyminutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found us trolleys, unloaded our trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley,and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an un-moving line at the traffic lights. 

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry and my elbows all the way into thestation."Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this inpairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry and Emma."Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nineand ten, managing to push both mine and Harry's trolley and apparently very interested inthe InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine.

 With ameaningful look at Harry and me, he leaned casually against the barrier. We imitated him.In a moment, we had fallen sideways through the solid metalonto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see theHogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over aplatform packed with witches and wizards seeing their childrenonto the train. 

Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They werepanting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run."Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and goingpink again. Ginny caught my eye, and we both turned awayto hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curlyhair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss hisshiny badge.

"That's not fair!" I recognised , that voice I had heard it only yesterday. I looked over to see Nicholas and Draco looking angrily at Draco's parents. "She's our friend!" yelled Draco "we don't care if she isn't Pureblood!" "Yes, well I do!" spat Mr Malfoy "I can't manage your behaviour at school, but Higgins will most definietly make sure you don't sit in the same compartment as her!" "He can't stop us!" said Nicholas "Uncle, you know us, we'll just find ways to avoid him." "We most certainly will" said Draco, smirking. 

"I can't speak for your parents, Nicholas since they let you talk to...well, everyone. But Draco, if you disobey me then I'll make sure you can't even write to Ms Potter in the holidays."

"What!?" 

"You heard me. 7 hours or 3 months. Your choice."

Draco's eyes flashed, his eyes spotted me, he knew I had heard everything. "Sorry' he mouthed, I could see the genuine anger in his eyes. I just smiled bitter-sweetly. 

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally,Harry and me.I was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave us an extra hug."Do take care, won't you, dears?" she said as she straightened up,her eyes oddly bright. 

Then she opened her enormous handbag andsaid, "I've made you all sandwiches. . . . Here you are, Ron . . . no,they're not corned beef. . . . Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are,dear. . . ." 

"Harry, Emma" said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here a moment." 

He jerked his head toward a pillar, and Harry and I followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley. 

"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" saidMr. Weasley, in a tense voice. 

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "we already know." 

"You know? How could you know?" 

"we— er —we heard you and Mrs. Weasley talking last night. Icouldn't help hearing," Harry added quickly. "Sorry —"

 "That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," saidMr. Weasley, looking anxious.

 "No — honestly, it's okay. This way, you haven't broken yourword to Fudge and I know what's going on." I said

 "Harry, Emma you must be very scared —" 

"we're not," said Harry sincerely. "Really," he added, because Mr.Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, butseriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Voldemort, can he?" 

Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name but overlooked it. 

"Harry,Emma I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff thanFudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're notscared, but —" 

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding therest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!" 

"they're coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley but he turned back toHarry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice. "Listen,I want you to give me your word —" 

"— that we'll be good boys and girls and stay in the castle?" I said gloomily. 

"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than I had ever seen him. "Emma, Harry, swear to me you won't go lookingfor Black." 

Harry and I stared. "What?" asked Harry.

 There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train,slamming all the doors shut."Promise me, Harry, Emma" said Mr. Weasley, talking more quicklystill, "that whatever happens —" 

"Why would we go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" I asked blankly.

 "Swear to me that whatever you might hear —ride together."

"What?"

"Be in the same compartment now, and...stick together. despite your houses."

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move.Harry and I  ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let us on. We leaned out of the window andwaved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner andblocked them from view. 

"Your dad, told Emma to stay." Harry said in relife, ron and Hermione flashed genuine smiles, but i said nothing.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron andHermione as the train picked up speed. 

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

 "Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off. Me,Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, lookingfor an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one atthe very end of the train. 

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to thewindow. Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold.The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and we had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch whopushed the food cart. 

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard'srobes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was fleckedwith gray. 

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as we sat down and slidthe door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window. 

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once. 

"How d'you know that?""It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rackover the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The nameProfessor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peelingletters. It was a bit awkward.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at ProfessorLupin's pallid profile. 

"That's obvious," I scoffed. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts." 

We had already had two DefenseAgainst the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only oneyear. There were rumors that the job was jinxed."Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks likeone good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway . . ." 

Heturned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"

 Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument andthe warning Mr. Weasley had just given us. When he'd finished,Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over hermouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped tocome after you both? Oh, Harry . . . you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry —"

 "we don't go looking for trouble,"I said with a smirk. "Troubleusually finds us" 

"How thick would Harry and Emma have to be, to go looking for a nutterwho wants to kill them?" said Ron shakily.They were taking the news worse than I had expected.Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened ofBlack than I was. 

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-securityprisoner too."

 "But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "Imean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too. . . ." 

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. We looked all around the compartment."It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up andreaching into the luggage rack.

 A moment later he had pulled a Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly. 

"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing upfor a better look."Yeah . . . mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It wenthaywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry." 

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" I asked shrewdly. 

"No! Well . . . I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You knowhe's not really up to long journeys . . . but how else was I supposedto get Harry's present to him?" 

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscopewhistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up."He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks,which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

 "We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting backdown. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magicalinstruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

 "Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermionekeenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement inBritain —" 

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!" 

"What's that?" said Hermione.

 "It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over hisface, "where they've got everything. . . . Pepper Imps — they makeyou smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills,which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking whatto write next —"

 "But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermionepressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn wasthe headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the ShriekingShack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building inBritain —"

 "— and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a fewinches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, whowas plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.Hermione looked around at Harry and me."Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and exploreHogsmeade?" 

" 'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me whenyou've found out.""What d'you mean?" said Ron.

 "we can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign our permission form, andFudge wouldn't either."

 Ron looked horrified.

 "You're not allowed to come? But — no way — McGonagall--Snape seems to like Emma orsomeone will give you permission —or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —" 

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry and Emma should besneaking out of school with Black on the loose —" 

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask forpermission," said Harry bitterly. 

"But if we're with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Blackwouldn't dare —" 

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of acrowded street. Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there? Or um..the Slytherins" and here came awkward. I scowled, Hermione was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as shespoke."Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanksleapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang ontoRon's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shovedCrookshanks angrily away. 

"Get out of here!" 

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. We watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his headthe other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on. 

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the sceneryoutside the window became wilder and darker while the cloudsoverhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forwardpast the door of our compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned toward Ron, his yelloweyes on Ron's top pocket.

 At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at thecompartment door."D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly,nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do withsome food."

 Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously."Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?" 

He didn't move. 

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch as she handed Harry a largestack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be upfront with the driver." 

"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly as the witch slid thecompartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"

 "No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake Harry passed her. 

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; thewindows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridorsand over the luggage racks. 

The train rattled, the rain hammered,the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

 "We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to lookpast Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.The words had hardly left him when the train started to slowdown."Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to thefeast. . . ." 

"We can't be there yet," I said, checking my watch. 

"So why're we stopping?" 

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever againstthe windows.Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out oftheir compartments, he told us.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangstold them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, withoutwarning, all the lamps went out and we were plunged into totaldarkness.

 "What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind me. 

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

 I felt my way back to my seat.

 "D'you think we've broken down?" 

"Dunno . . ."

 There was a squeaking sound, and I saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. 

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I thinkpeople are coming aboard. . . ."

 The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell . 

"Sorry — d'you know what's going on? — Ouch — sorry —" 

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark andpulling Neville Longbottom up by his cloak. '

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

 "No idea — sit down —" 

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried tosit on Crookshanks."I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," cameHermione's voice. I felt her pass me, heard the door slideopen again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain. 

"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!" said Neville. 

"Shut it, all of you!" I hissed "stop panicking!"

"Emma--?" this was Neville

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

 Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. I couldhear movements in his corner. None of us spoke.

 There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled thecompartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful offlames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes lookedalert and wary.

 "Stay where you are," he said in the same hoarse voice, and hegot slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front ofhim.

 But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames inLupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Itsface was completely hidden beneath its hood. 

my eyes darteddownward, and what I saw made my stomach contract. There wasa hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish,slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayedin water. . . .But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creaturebeneath the cloak sensed my gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

 And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew along, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.An intense cold swept over us all.

 I felt my own breathcatch in my chest. The cold went deeper than my skin. It was inside my chest, it was inside my very heart. . . . my eyes rolled up into my head. I couldn't see. I wasdrowning in cold. There was a rushing in my ears as though ofwater. I was being dragged downward, the roaring growinglouder . . .

And then, from far away, I heard screaming, terrible, terrified,pleading screams. I wanted to help whoever it was, I tried tomove hmy arms, but couldn't. This person was important to me..who was it? . . . a thick white fog was swirlingaround me, inside me —

 "Harry! Emma! Are you all right?" 

Someone was slapping my face.

 "W — what?"

 I opened his eyes; there were lanterns above me, and thefloor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again andthe lights had come back on. I seemed to have slid out of my seatonto the floor, Harry was also beside me on the floor looking confused. 

Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to us, andabove us I could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. I felt very sick. Ron and Hermione heaved us back onto our seat.

 "Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously. 

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. Thehooded creature had vanished.

 "What happened? Where's that —that thing? Who screamed?" 

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny andNeville looked back at him, both very pale. 

"But I heard screaming —"

 A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breakingan enormous slab of chocolate into pieces."Here," he said to Harry and me, handing us a particularly large piece each."Eat it. It'll help." 

I took the chocolate but didn't eat it. 

"What was that thing?" I asked Lupin. 

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate toeveryone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

 Everyone stared at him.

 Professor Lupin crumpled up the emptychocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket."Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me . . ."

 He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor. 

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry, Emma?" said Hermione, watching us anxiously.

 "I don't get it. . . . What happened?" said Harry, wiping moresweat off his face. 

"Well — that thing — the dementor — stood there and lookedaround (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — andyou — you both —"

 "I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, whostill looked scared. "You both went sort of rigid and fell out of your seatand started twitching —" 

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward thedementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said,'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But thedementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silverything shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort ofglided away. . . ." 

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Didyou feel how cold it got when it came in?" 

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably."Like I'd never be cheerful again. . . ." 

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad asHarry or I felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her. 

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

 "No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny wasshaking like mad, though. . . ." 

I didn't understand. We felt weak and shivery, as though wewere recovering from a bad bout of flu; we also felt the beginningsof shame. Why had we gone to pieces like that, when no one elsehad?Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered,looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisonedthat chocolate, you know. . . ."

 I took a bite and to my great surprise felt warmth spreadsuddenly to the tips of my fingers and toes. 

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin."Are you all right, Harry and Emma?" I didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.

 "Fine," I muttered, embarrassed. 

We didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. Atlong last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was agreat scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, andNeville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat.

 It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets."Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice.Me, Harry, Ron, andHermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at theother end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake. 

"EMMA!"