Ron spoke, "Let me get this straight, Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban to come after you?"

Danny shrugged, "Apparently."

Hermione spoke, "But they'll catch Black won't they, I mean everyone's looking for him."

Ron spoke, "Sure, I mean, no one's broken out of Azkaban before and he's a murderous raving lunatic."

Danny shrugged, "Well he can take his best shot then."

All of a sudden the train jerked as it slowed to a stop and Hermione spoke, "Why are we stopping, we can't be there yet."

Danny stood up and looked outside the car before the train moved again and he almost fell, the car door shut and he sat down Ron spoke, "What's going on?"

Danny spoke, "The train might have just broke down."

As soon as he finished his sentence the lights stopped working and Hermione spoke, "Ouch Ron, that was my foot."

The lights turned back on and Ron was looking out the window, "There's something moving out there." After a few seconds the lights turned off again and Ron glanced at them, "I think something's coming aboard." It then felt like something hit the side of the train a few times before it suddenly got cold, Danny wasn't affected by it but Ron and Hermione were.

The window started frosting over, even the glass bottle full of water completely froze, and no one said anything. All of a sudden the train rocked again and Ron spoke, "Bloody hell, what's happening?!"

Before anyone could answer a figure appeared in the window, it almost looked like what someone might think of when picturing Death. He wasn't scared but a hand on his shoulder told him that it didn't like this thing being near him. A skeletal looking hand reached toward the door handle but it started turning on it's own, or seemed to anyway.

The door slid open and the grip on his shoulder tightened, not enough to hurt him but enough to make him wonder what was going on. The creature looked around the train car before settling on him, the hand left his shoulder and the creature was thrown back, the window nearly broke from the force.

When the creature tried to come back the man, Lupin, stood up and pointed his wand at the creature and it produced a bright light. He heard a woman scream, then he felt pain, he heard his own screams, then everything went black. He was woken up by a familiar hand on his shoulder, a second moved his hair just slightly to get it out of his eyes.

Danny groaned and realized that Hermione was talking to him but he wasn't listening, it was worried, but why? He then heard someone new talk, "Here, eat this, it'll help." Danny leaned away from Lupin slightly but it seemed to assure him that it was okay and Lupin spoke, "It's alright it's chocolate."

Danny took it as he thought, it had never stayed this long, usually it let him go after a minute, at most, so why was it staying? Danny looked at the three people in the car with him, "Someone tell me what that was, now."

Lupin spoke, "It was a dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban, it's gone now, it was searching the train for Sirius Black." Lupin then put the bar of chocolate he was holding down, "If you'll excuse me I need to have a little word with the driver."

Lupin got up and opened the door, he turned to Danny, "Eat, you'll feel better."

Danny mumbled to himself, "It's not me that I'm worried about."

Hermione looked at him, "Did you say something Danny?"

Danny just shoved the chocolate in his mouth, he was worried, he could feel the anger and concern coming off it in waves. This had never happened before, ever since it started hanging around him it had never acted like this, never. Ron looked a bit concerned, "Are you okay Danny?"

Danny looked at Ron, "I'm fine, just thinking."

Danny didn't say anything for the rest of the train ride, even when they were in the castle listening to a choir of students sing he didn't pay attention. It hadn't left, it was worried and Danny probably couldn't do anything to help, but more then that it was angry, just not at him. When the song was over and people started clapping Danny decided to pay attention as Dumbledore stood.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts, now I'd like to say a few words before we all become to befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, good luck Professor."

Lupin stood and everyone clapped Hermione looked at him, "Of course, that's why he knew to give you the chocolate Danny."

Then he heard Malfoy say his name and he looked at him, "Is it true you fainted, I'm mean you actually fainted."

Ron was about to talk but Danny cut him off, "Yeah, from nausea because I remembered that I'd have to see your ugly mug again."

Malfoy glared at him and he felt a pat on his shoulder, obviously it was glad he wasn't taking anyone's shit. Danny tuned into what Dumbledore was saying again, "-Has decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I am delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other then our own Rubeus Hagrid."

People started clapping and when Hagrid stood he moved the table a little, Danny couldn't help but smile. Hagrid sat back down and Dumbledore continued, "Finally, on a more describing note. At the request of the Ministry of Magic Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban until such a time that Sirius Black is captured."

People started whispering to the people around them and Danny felt the grip on his shoulder tighten. He mumbled, "Not too happy about that huh?"

Ron looked at him, "Did you say something?"

Danny shook his head and listened to Dumbledore again, "The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day to day activities a word of caution. 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 to give them no reason to harm you, it is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light." Danny wasn't sure how to feel at the moment but it assured him that everything would be fine, he hoped it was right.

After the feast they went to their dorms but the portrait wouldn't let them in, however Danny had other concerns. It still wasn't gone, it seemed to insist on staying, he didn't really mind but it did concern him a little. He tuned back in on the portraits second try to break a glass she was holding, the third time she practically screeched.

She hit it on a column next to her before she finally let them in, he and Seamus complained about how she couldn't even sing. He said hello to a ghost they passed before continuing the conversation, he stayed up late with the other kids in his dorm until an ungodly hour. The next morning he was in a class taught by Professor Trelawney called divination, he already hated it.

Trelawney spoke, "Welcome, my children, in this room you shall explore the noble art of divination, in this room you shall discover if you possess the sight." She stood up and almost knocked over a table, Danny could tell that it was a bit curious about the woman. She continued, "I am Professor Trelawney, together we shall cast ourselves into the future."

It was at this point that his invisible friend dismissed her, for what reason Danny had yet to determine. "This time we shall be focusing on artisomancy which is the art of reading tea leaves so please take the cup of the person sitting opposite you." Danny and Ron did as she said, "Now you see, the truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book waiting to be read."

"But first you must broaden your minds, first you must look beyond!" Now Danny knew why it dismissed her, she was full of it, but whether she was delusional or lying he couldn't tell.

Hermione spoke, "What a load of rubbish."

Ron looked at her and spoke, "Where did you come from?"

"Me, I've been here all this time."

Danny spoke, "That's a lie but at this point I really don't care."

Trelawney spoke while looking at Neville, "You, boy, is your grandmother quite well."

Neville looked confused, "I think so."

"Don't be so sure of that, give me the cup." She looked at who Neville was partnered with who gave her the cup and she took it, "Oh, hmm, pity."

Trelawney walked away and continued, "Broaden your minds." She then walked near his, Ron's, and Hermione's table before making a shocked noise, "Your aura is pulsing dear, are you in the beyond, I think you are."

Ron looked a bit frightened, "Sure."

"Look in the cup, tell me what you see."

Ron started flipping through his book, "Oh yeah, well Danny's got sort of a wonky cross, well that's childs who suffer. And, uh, that there could be the sun, that's happiness," Ron looked at him, "So your gonna suffer but your gonna be happy about it."

Danny shrugged, separately those two predictions were pretty damn accurate, together not so much. Trelawney looked at Ron, "Give me the cup." Ron handed it to her and she took one look before quickly placing it on the table and backing up. She look at Danny, "My dear, you have the grim."

People questioned what the grim was before a boy read from his book, "Taking form of a giant spectral dog, it's among the darkest omens in our world, it's an omen of death."

Danny shrugged, "I'm not surprised, I've practically got Death hanging over my shoulder." Oh how true that was, "And I've nearly died every year I've been at this school so tell me something I don't know."

Several people looked unsettled and his invisible friend, whom he name dropped several seconds ago, seemed amused. When class was finally out he, Ron, and Hermione headed to their next class outside and Ron spoke. "You don't think that grim thing's got anything to do with Sirius Black do you?"

Hermione answered, "Oh honestly Ron, if you ask me divination's a very wooly discipline, now, ancient runes, that's a fascinating subject."

Ron looked shocked and confused, "Ancient runes, exactly how many classes are you taking this term?"

"A fair few."

Ron stopped, "Hang on, that's not possible, ancient runes is on the same time as divination, you'd have to be in two classes at once."

"Don't be silly Ronald, how can anyone be in two classes at once."

Danny chose not to comment on that, he could duplicate himself and do that pretty easily. The three headed the rest of the way down to Hagrid's hut and their tall friend was calling the kids over. "Come on now, come closer, less talking if you don't mind, I've got a real treat for you today, a great lesson, so follow me."

Hagrid led them into the woods a bit before turning to them, "Right you lot, less chattering, form a group over there and open your books to page forty nine."

Danny looked down at his book, "How 'bout it?" The book opened to page forty nine and Danny smiled a little, a few kids noticed and they looked shocked.

Malfoy spoke, "And exactly how do we do that?"

Hagrid looked at them, "You just stroke the spine of course." Now Danny knew why the book didn't try to bite him, he did that the first time he opened it.

Hermione spoke, "I think they aren't funny."

Malfoy spoke, "Oh yeah really funny, terribly witty, god this place has gone to the dogs, wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."

Danny growled a little, "Keep it up and see what happens Malfoy."

People oohed and Malfoy handed his bag to Crabbe before stepping closer to him and kids had already circled up around them. Malfoy paused for a minute before shouted, "Dementor, dementor!"

Almost everyone turned around but Danny didn't, he knew Death wouldn't let one of them near him. After his first encounter with one he was sure Death would kill any dementors that got within fifty feet of him. Malfoy and his friends laughed at everyone's reactions and put up their hoods, Hermione glared at them and led Danny away.

Hagrid cleared his throat before the most amazing creature Danny had ever seen walked over and he had to contain his excitement. "Isn't he beautiful, say hello to Buckbeak."

Ron spoke, "Hagrid, exactly what is that?"

Hagrid walked closer, "That Ron is a Hippogriff, first thing you want to know about Hippogriffs is that they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended, you do not want to insult a Hippogriff, it may just be the last thing you ever do, now, who'd like to come and say hello?"

Danny immediately spoke, "Oh hell yes!"

Hagrid looked at him, "Well done Danny, well done."

Danny then looked behind him and saw that everyone else had back up, "Wow, just wow."

Danny walked forward and Hagrid spoke, "Now, you have to let him make the first move, it's only polite. So, step up, give him a nice bow, then you wait and see if he bows back, and if he does you can go and touch him, if not, well we'll get to that later."

Danny stepped up and bowed when Hagrid told him to, Buckbeak looked at him and fanned it's wings a bit. Danny took a step back and stayed still while keeping eye contact with Buckbeak, after a few seconds the Hippogriff bowed to him. Hagrid spoke, "Well done Danny well done."

Danny smiled just a little and Hagrid urged him to go pet the Hippogriff and he walked up but made sure not to startle him. He put up his hand and stopped when Hagrid told him to, Buckbeak got closer and he started slowly walking again. Buckbeak nuzzled his hand a little and Hagrid clapped, the students behind him clapped as well but he wasn't paying attention.

Hagrid walked closer, "I think he may let you ride him now."

Danny looked at the Hippogriff, "What do you say?"

The Hippogriff nuzzled his hand again and he climbed onto Buckbeak's back while making sure not to hurt the creature. Hagrid got the Hippogriff to move and Danny held on with one hand and put the other up while wooing. Once Buckbeak was in the air he let go, god he loved flying, no matter how many times he did it he couldn't get used to the feeling.

Buckbeak flew around the castle before going over the lake, he looked at the lake and smiled, "Absolutely beautiful." Buckbeak made a pleased noise and Danny smoothed his feathers a bit, "You are absolutely stunning, thank you."

Buckbeak seemed even more happy now and when they got close to the others Hagrid whistled for the Hippogriff to come back. People clapped as the two landed and Hagrid spoke, "Well done Danny, and well done Buckbeak."

Hagrid took him off the back of the Hippogriff and leaned closer, "How am I doing my first day?"

Danny smiled, "Absolutely brilliant, Professor."

Hagrid smiled before he heard Malfoy speak, "Your not dangerous at all are you, you great ugly brute." Malfoy was walked toward them and Danny knew this was going to be trouble, even without Death warning him. Buckbeak reared up on his hind legs and Danny pushed him out of the way, "Move you moron!"

Danny put his arm up just in time to protect himself and Buckbeak cut his arm with his talons. Hagrid got Buckbeak to calm down and Danny saw that his arm was bleeding more then he'd like it to. He quickly wrapped it up before anyone could see and Hagrid looked at him, "You okay Danny?"

Danny nodded, "It's not that bad, I'm fine."

Hermione spoke, "Hagrid, he has to be taken to the hospital!"

Danny looked at her, "I'm fine, a scratch isn't going to kill me." Buckbeak got closer and nuzzled Danny's cheek a little, Danny smoothed his feathers to show that he wasn't mad. Later that day in the great hall people kept asking if he was okay and he assured them that he was fine before making them sit down at the table.

Seamus then ran into the room, "He's been sighted, he's been sighted!"

Ron spoke, "Who?"

"Sirius Black."

People gathered around to read the newspaper, including Danny and Hermione spoke, "Duff town, that's not far from here."

Neville spoke, "You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?"

Someone answered, "With dementors at every entrance?"

Seamus spoke, "Dementors, he's already slipped past them once hasn't he, who's to say he won't do it again?"

Someone spoke, "That's right, Black could be anywhere, it's like trying to catch smoke, like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

Danny looked at the picture and shrugged, he wasn't worried, he knew he probably should be but he wasn't. He soon headed to his next class and he somehow found himself standing in front of a wardrobe with the rest of his class and something was obviously inside. Lupin spoke, "Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what's inside."

Someone spoke, "That's a boggart that is."

Lupin spoke, "Very good Mr. Thomas, now can anybody tell me what a boggart looks like?"

Hermione spoke, "No one knows."

Ron looked at him, "When did she get here?"

Hermione continued, "Boggarts are shapeshifters, they take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most, that's what makes them so-."

Lupin cut her off, "So terrifying, yes, luckily a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart." A particularly violent thud shook the wardrobe, "Let's practice it now, without wands please, repeat after me, riddikulus." The class repeated the spell, "Very good, a little louder, very clear, listen, riddikulus."

The class repeated it louder, "Very good, well so much for the easy part, you see the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a boggart is laughter, you need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain, uh, Neville, will you join me please?"

Neville glanced at the people around him, "Come in don't be shy, come on." Neville walked over to Lupin, "Neville, what frightens you most of all?" Neville mumbled something, "Sorry?"

Neville spoke a little louder, "Professor Snape."

People laughed and Lupin spoke, "Professor Snape, yes, frightens all, and I believe you live with your grandmother."

"Yes, but I don't want that boggart to turn into her either."

Lupin shook his head, "No, it won't, I want you to picture her clothes, only her clothes very clearly in your mind."

Neville thought for a second, "She carries a red handbag..."

Lupin shook his head, "We don't need to hear, as long as you see it we'll see it, now when I open that wardrobe here's what I want you to do." Lupin got closer to Neville and whispered to him, "Can you do that?" Lupin took his wand out, "Wand at the ready, one, two, three."

Lupin flicked his wand a little and the door handle turned and it opened, Snape stepped out and he looked pissed. Neville spoke, "Riddikulus."

Snape's clothes suddenly changed and Danny tried to hold back his laughter, and he took a picture with a phone his boyfriend had given him. Lupin spoke, "Wonderful Neville wonderful, incredible. Okay, to the back Neville, everyone form a line."

Everyone got in a line and Lupin spoke, "I want everyone to picture the thing they fear the very most and turn it into something funny." Lupin put some music on using a gramophone, you don't see those much nowadays, and Lupin looked at Ron, "Next, Ron."

The music started playing and Ron stepped up, "Concentrate, face your fear, be brave."

The boggart turned into a spider and Ron looked like he might pass out but he took out his wand and pointed it at the giant spider. Lupin told him to have his wand at the ready and Ron spoke, "Riddikulus." The spider was suddenly had roller skates on it's feet and was trying not to fall, Lupin looked happy at Ron's victory.

Parvati was up next and the boggart turned into a snake and she looked scared, she took out her wand and it suddenly turned into a large jack in the box. Lupin spoke, "And next!"

Danny mumbled to himself, "Well this'll be interesting, got my back?"

Death tightened his grip on Danny's shoulder a little and Danny took out his wand before stepping up. The boggart stayed the same for a minute before turning into a range of things like it didn't know what Danny was scared of. After several changes it turned into a lone figure, it was as tall as him and dressed in all black, it's face was hidden by a hood.

It took a second for everyone to see the blood that was on it's clothes, it was new, but no one knew what it was from except Danny. It was completely motionless and everyone looked confused, the room got a little colder and everyone backed up. Then it started laughing, it was quiet at first, but it slowly turned into one that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

It looked at him from under the hood and it held up a piece of red cloth, when Danny saw the small R on it he was pissed. He forced himself not to just attack it and he pointed his wand at it, "Riddikulus."

It suddenly had a lay around it's neck, a flower crown on it's head, and tacky jewelry hanging off of parts of it's body. The students laughed a little and it seemed to get mad, green flames burned all of it off and it laughed at the shocked and scared looks on everyone's faces. Danny shrugged, "So much for that, but since your supposed to be my fear I know you like to fight, so let's go."

It smiled so wide that it looked like it might split it's face and the two circled each other before it attacked. Danny blocked the punch and kicked it in the stomach, it just laughed at the pain and attacked again. Danny did his best to block or dodge the attacks but it managed to get a few hits in and Danny growled a little.

Danny grabbed it by it's shirt and threw it at the wall, it hit the wall and it cracked, it laughed as it got up. The two attacked at the same time and Danny kicked it, it punched him in the stomach and Danny swept it's feet out from under it. It hit the ground and it did a back flip to get up while kicking him in the chest and it tackled him.

It managed to pin him and he kicked it off of him, it laughed again and Danny saw the piece of cloth it had managed to hold onto. He felt his anger flare up and he grabbed it again and threw it into the wardrobe before closing it, now he was pissed. He left the classroom without a word and everyone wondered what just happened, Danny got angry instead of scared.

Whatever that thing was it was terrifying, several of the other kids were shaking from it's laugh alone. Danny walked straight to the dorms and when he heard the cracking he headed straight for the bathroom. A cut appeared on his cheek and he spit the blood in his mouth into the sink, he felt like he was choking.

It wasn't just the blood traveling up his throat that made it hard to breathe, it was also the tears falling down his face. He hated that thing, he hated just thinking about it, it didn't scare him, it made him angry. He got so angry that he could barely stop himself from punching something, he growled and punched the mirror.

The mirror broke and he looked at his fragmented reflection before he spit more blood into the sink. His hand was cut up from the glass and he could see it healing already, his legs wouldn't support his weight and he collapsed onto the floor. He coughed all the blood stuck in his throat on the floor as he continued to bleed, the pain seemed worse this time.

More cuts would appear on his body before healing again, some were shallow, some were deep, but they all hurt. He hated that thing, he truly did, he wished that thing was dead, that someone would kill it, because that thing was him.