Chapter Thirty-Nine, Back to Hogwarts = Dementors

Upon the arrival of September 1st, the adults of Potter Manor had decided that Remus would ride the train with the kids as a precaution and to ease their fears. They had also decided to use the Floo Network to get to the platform as an extra precautionary measure, which allowed the kids to wear their robes instead of having to change on the train. As it was, they were all lined up in front of the main fireplace at 10 0'clock - including Neville and Luna - who had stayed over the night before.
"Where's Izzy?" Molly asked, pausing in temporarily shrinking the numerous trunks and handing them to the correct owner which would make it easier for travel.

"She's with her grandparents and her parents." Luna supplied, thanking her father and pocketing her shrunken trunk that was now warded with anti-theft charms.
"My little Moon, I'm sorry I cannot see you off ..." Xeno started to apologise.
"It's okay Daddy, I know today is the opening of The Quibbler's Headquarters in Horizont Alley." Luna assured him with a bright smile, feeling proud of her father for expanding their little magazine and thankful to her best friend Izzy, and her father, Sirius, for investing in her father; to make their dream a reality so now they actually had a premises and staff instead of just the two of them working from home.

"Yes, and I can't thank you or Izzy enough, Sirius." Xeno agreed shaking Sirius's hand.
"Think nothing of it Xeno, I hope all goes well today." Sirius waved off. "Oh, just between the three of us!" He exclaimed, winking at Luna and Xeno. "The construction for The Marauder Foundation, the orphanage for Wizarding children, the Cerva Libraria or rather Doe Library, and Marauder Hollow are complete. I can give you your first exclusive later, Xeno. Once the kids are on the train, say 12 0'clock?"
"That would be amazing Sirius, thank you. If you'd like I can post an ad for the correct staff for the library and the orphanage, and post property adverts for Marauder Hollow." Xeno suggested.

"That would be perfect, thanks Xeno. I better go pull Izzy away from James, Lily, Mia and Monty." Sirius said with mixed emotions, while Remus, Molly and Arthur saw the rest onto the platform. Xeno nodded before he turned to his daughter.
"Be good and have a great term, my little Moon, and I'll see you at Yule." Xeno bid, kissing Luna's forehead as he hugged her tightly.
"Bye Daddy." Luna waved as she disappeared in the emerald flames as she was transported to the platform where Remus was waiting for her. While Xeno's emerald flames took him to his new office in Horizont Alley, which was the North-side of Diagon Alley.

Sirius stood in the door way of the family room listening to Izzy talk to her parents and grandparents as she filled them in on her idea of the property conversions and how construction had just been completed, with a sad smile upon his lips. He really wished she had known them, and he hated having to pull her away but she had to go to Hogwarts as it was now 10:45.
"Pup, it's time to go." Sirius said pushing himself off of the door frame.
"Go on Bambi, go and have fun at Hogwarts and we'll see you at Yule. But we are so incredibly proud of you for your idea." James praised.

"Really Daddy?" Izzy asked eagerly.
"Of course, Lia. Your father and I are so proud of you." Lily praised, smiling proudly at her daughter.
"As are we." Mia and Monty added in agreement.
"You turned my neglected family home into something wonderful and I couldn't be prouder." Mia added, her cerulean eyes gleaming with pride, happiness and tears.
"I have an interview with Xeno at twelve about our new venture, giving them their first scoop." Sirius revealed, trying to distract his daughter from the distraught he could see building in her.

"The Marauder name and legacy lives on!" James cheered, smiling when Izzy laughed. "Siriusly Sirius you better look after her and make sure no boys, not even Frederick, comes near our daughter. And protect her from HIM!" James added sternly, fists clenched in anger.
"I swear it, James, Marauder Promise." Sirius swore, not even making a joke over the comment like he usually did, only relaxing when he received a nod from James.
"Go on, baby, we'll see you at Yule. I love you." Lily coaxed.

"I love you too, Mum. Love you Daddy. Love you Grandma and Grandpa." Izzy returned, smiling sadly, pressing a finger to her initials on her trunk - which immediately shrunk - and pocketed it as she picked up Hedwig who was in her cage.
"Love you too, Bambi." James, Mia and Monty called after her, smiling sadly and waving until they heard the Floo flare twice.

***

Arriving at the platform Izzy was promptly swept up into Molly and Arthur's arms, they bid her a good year and with promises to write and see her at Yule before she hugged her Dad tightly.
"I'll see you soon, Pup, if you need anything or anything happens, promise me you'll head straight for Remus." Sirius asked, hugging his daughter tightly peppering kisses to her hair and forehead.
"I promise Daddy. See you later." Izzy promised, hopping onto the train as the warning whistle sounded. Standing next to Neville (who had held the carriage door open for her); Izzy waved goodbye until the train pulled around the corner.

"Come on dear sister, let's head to the compartment. Remus is in there with Luna, Hermione and Ron. Kellah and Celeste have joined us as well. Ginny's sat with her friends in her year, Fred and George are with Lee, Angelina, Oliver, Alicia and Katie. Personally,
I think George has a crush on Angelina, and Percy is doing his Head Boy duties but they all promised to come by later." Neville explained, leading his sister to their compartment.
"Ten Galleons George and Angelina start dating by next year." Izzy proposed, giggling a little.

"No way little sister, I say in their seventh year." Neville countered.
"Your on." Izzy giggled, shaking her brother's hand, the pair delving into laughter that didn't fade away even as they entered their compartment.
"What do you two find so hilarious?" Remus asked with a reminiscing but tired smile. He was still sore and tired from the Full Moon the night before after all.
"We made a bet." Neville and Izzy said simultaneously, freaking their friends out. They often acted more like twins then God-siblings that were born a day apart.
"About what?" Kellah and Hermione asked. Kellah was eager and excited while Hermione had sighed as if put-upon.

"I bet ten Galleons that Georgie and Angie will get together next year, but Nev reckons in their seventh year." Izzy giggled. "Hi Kel, hi Lettie." Izzy grinned, hugging her friends after she let Hedwig out of the cage. It was silent for all but a minute before Ron and Kellah burst out laughing.
"I agree with my sister." Ron laughed. "If it's not Fred going on and, on and on about Izzy, it's George going on and, on and on about Angelina." Ron shook his head as he brought forth his ten Galleons and put them in a jar with Izzy's and Neville's.
"Hey Izzy." Celeste greeted, hugging her best friend. "I say a year after their seventh year." She added, placing her own money in the jar.

"I feel you, Ron. I have to put up with my sister always going on about George." Kellah sighed, rolling her eyes. "So, I say they'll get together this year." She added, placing her Galleons in the jar - that was on the small table attached to the window in between Remus and Ron who were sat next to the window but opposite each other - before she turned to Izzy and looked her over. "Damn girl! Look at you! You look amazing the sun tan really suits you. Makes you even more gorgeous, like an exotic beauty." She complimented, hugging Izzy tightly, as Izzy and Celeste giggle and Ron and Neville scowl as they remembered Fred's reaction and the reaction of every male she passed in Egypt and Diagon Alley.
"Thanks Kel." Izzy blushed. "You and Lettie look amazing too, where's Fay? Hermione, Remus, either of you care to place a bet?" Izzy asked her emerald eyes shining brightly in the summer sun.

"Fay is sat with Lavender, Pavarti, Emma, Sally-Anne and Abbie. No doubt gossiping about something." Celeste answered, sipping on some water.
"No thank you." Hermione sniffed, playing with Crookshanks and earning herself several reproachful looks.
"I think I'll agree with my niece and say next year." Remus declared, placing the Galleons in the jar and earning himself a scandalised look from Hermione and laughs from the others.
"But you're a teacher!" Hermione exclaimed reproachful and scandalised.
"I'm also a prankster. Have been since I was at school." Remus said shrugging his shoulders as he tried to smother a large yawn.

Izzy, upon noticing it pulled a blanket out of her rucksack and covered her uncle with it.
"What? I came prepared! I knew you didn't sleep well last night." Izzy said softly to the looks she received.
"Then thank you, sweetheart." Remus smiled kissing her forehead as he settled down to have a nap while the others around him spoke quietly to each other, filling the other in on what they did over the summer, offering concerned worries over Pettigrew who everyone feared would come after Izzy and who had escaped from Azkaban due to the Minster Fudge's incompetence. Thankfully he was being investigated and everyone prayed he'd be removed from office soon.

However, half way through their journey as they sped through the countryside the sun disappeared behind dark black, stormy
clouds as a torrential downpour started making everything so dark not only did it feel later than it actually was, but the lanterns had turned on not half hour ago at only one-thirty in the afternoon. Ron and Neville, wanting to turn the conversation away from Pettigrew potentially after their sister, revealed to Kellah and Celeste some other news.
"Oh! Kel, Lettie, guess what? Izzy, along with the Choir are putting on a performance just after the Sorting. She's been practising all summer." Neville revealed one topic.

"Annnd, Fred asked Izzy if he could court her." Ron grumbled with his arms crossed and a scowl upon his face that was reflected upon Neville's as well. Izzy blushing profusely playfully slapped both of her brothers on their arms, glaring at them but it wasn't as effective as it usually was as she had a smile twitching at her lips.
"WHAT!!!" Kellah and Celeste squealed, excitement and elation surging through them as they pulled Izzy into a group hug - Remus shifted a little in his sleep at the noise but thankfully didn't wake up - the two girls, glanced at their sleeping Professor and decided
to calm and quieten down a little; although it was mainly Izzy's glare that was most effective.

"First, that is amazing about the Choir you are going to smash it." Kellah praised, hugging Izzy tightly once more.
"I'm so proud of you Izzy. You've come a long way." Celeste complimented proudly.
"Thanks guys." Izzy smiled, her cheeks a little pink.
"Now, Siriusly," Kellah smirked, several laughs filled the compartment at that, she loved using that phrase ever since Izzy started using it, and it stuck and was used when the mood needed lifting, or just because they wanted to. "Did you say yes to Fred?" Squeals once again left their lips when Izzy nodded.

Just as Celeste opened her mouth the train suddenly gave a frightening lurch as it came to a sudden stop; confusion and a smidge of fear was mounting within the carriages lining the train.
"Why are we stopping?" Hermione demanded. "We can't be there yet!"
"Dunno. Maybe we've broken down?" Neville suggested weakly, but he didn't believe that as it was a magical train, much like everything in the Wizarding word. Standing up he peered out of their door. As he did so he spotted he wasn't the only one to have such an idea, as up and down the corridor heads popped out of their carriages peering around them cautiously only to be flung unceremoniously back into their carriage to collapse on the seat as the train had given another frightening lurch.

But that wasn't the only thing that concerned them as two things happened in a rather quick succession; one, the temperature dropped so suddenly that ice covered the window along with turning Remus's water bottle that had sat on the small table, to ice. Their breath was also forming mists in front of them as they breathed, causing the group of friends to huddle together shivering; the second, they were all suddenly plunged into darkness as if the lights had been sucked into a void.
"There's something moving out there." Ron whispered, his voice shaking a little, moving closer to the window to get a better look he pressed his face as close as he could get to the now icy window.
"Ouch. Ron that was my foot." Hermione complained.

"Sorry. I - I think someone's coming aboard." He added, just as the train gave another lurch. "Bloody Hell! What's happening!?" Ron asked, starting to panic a little, but no one had an answer. However, an answer to Ron's question was soon forthcoming but it wasn't one they would like. Through the fogged class of the door they noticed a figure shrouded in a tatty black cloak float down the corridor only to pause outside their door.

Everyone edged as far away from the door as they possibly could as it opened on its own; gasps slipped passed their lips, angry and frightened hisses from Crookshanks and Mitzy (Kellah's black cat) and an angry bark from Hedwig were the only noises that filled the compartment as a hand slipped out from under the cloak to push the door open wider but it was one they'd rather not have seen. It was skeletal and had the appearance - and the smell - of a rotting corpse that had started to rot within water. There were no eye holes on the hood of the cloak that covered the beings entire face and body, the only break in the cloak was a circular hole where it's mouth was.

It loomed ominously over the six thirteen year olds and one twelve year old; a cold and depressing feeling engulfed them as a rattling sound came from the creature, who seemed to glance around the compartment at each of them before turning to Izzy. Fear gripped all of their hearts as they knew now what this was; it was a Dementor. An icy feeling swept over Izzy, sound from the compartment was filtered out by white noise as she went all ridged where she sat paralysed by what she saw; the deaths of her parents playing in her mind, tears leaking from her eyes at the pain from the memory.

The pain from the memory was simply too much! She remembered it all now, the screams of her parents drowning her which fuelled the Dementor. It felt like hours had passed to her friends who could only watch helplessly - while Neville and Luna were being exposed to their very worst memories, it was nothing to what Izzy was going through - but it was barely five minutes when Remus threw the blanket off of him as he jumped to his feet wand in hand, pointing directly at the Dementor that was baring down intimidatingly on his cub. Thinking of his most happiest memory; the memory of Izzy on her first birthday when she covered James and Sirius in chocolate cake, he cast the spell needed.

"Expecto Patronum!!" Remus said strongly, suffusing his memory into the spell as his wolf Patronus appeared charging at the Dementor which caused it to flee. All along the train the Aurors hidden at the front of the train (who had been stationed on the lookout for Pettigrew not Dementors) were going up and down the train driving away the second Dementor - who thankfully hadn't attacked anyone - and checking on all of the students while Miriam Friar (the lady who pushed the cart) offered them Chocolate Frogs for free.

The second after the Dementor had been driven away by Remus, Izzy's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she collapsed falling to the floor of their compartment. A startled cry of Izzy's name left multiple lips in two different compartments while Remus kneeled on the floor with Izzy's head in his lap trying to rouse her, Fred charged along the train with George and Lee right behind him, bumping into Percy who had a shaken Ginny under his arm, who was munching on some chocolate, Percy let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Fred and George seemed to okay; until he noticed the worried gleam in Fred's eye.

Not bothering to question them he simply said, "Let's go!" and allowed Fred to lead the way to the right compartment as he followed the bond. "Professor!" Percy gasped, seeing Remus knelt on the carpeted floor with an unconscious Izzy in his lap. "Is she alright?"
"She will be eventually but she will need all of you as Dementor's make us relive our most terrifying and often traumatising memories." Remus confessed, eyes darting around the compartment.

"Luna, Neville, are you two alright?" He asked, assessing them with his eyes noticing the pain and sadness in their eyes and slight sheen to their skin but they were otherwise okay. "Here, have some chocolate." He said, pulling an xx-large bar of Honeydukes best chocolate out of his pocket and proceeded to snap pieces off for everyone, making sure to snap off extra large pieces for Neville and Luna and left an extra large piece for Izzy.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked his best male friend and Luna knowing they had horror in their past that he'd never dream or wish to have. Before looking over at Kel, Lettie, Hermione, his brothers and sister, and Lee.

"I will be. Thank you for asking Ron." Luna said softly, but her voice didn't hold the serene quality it once had. "It was the day my Mum died." She whispered sadly.
"Oh Luna." Celeste enveloped the younger girl in a tight hug full of sympathy. "I'm so sorry and I'm so sorry, Nev." she apologised to her friend, everyone knew what happened to Neville's parents, as he had confessed to them in First Year for some and Second for the rest, clasping a hand on his arm in comfort.
"Ron, you alright?" Fred exclaimed worried.
"I'm okay just felt like I'd never be cheerful again." Ron, Celeste and Kellah answered at the same time, before Fred, George, Percy and Lee muttered the same. Ginny remained silent hugging Percy's waist tightly just as Izzy slowly started to come round.

"Easy does it." Remus coaxed, slowly helping Izzy sit up, once she was more aware he helped her into her seat once again handing her the extra large piece of chocolate. He noticed that she was a little worse for wear, more so than the others. She was covered in a cold sweat with dried tear tracks upon her cheeks and a haunted look in her emerald eyes. Immediately, Fred jumped into the seat next to her wrapping his arm around her shoulders offering silent comfort and security while allowing her to draw whatever she needed from him, nibbling on her chocolate while the other was absentmindedly stroking through Hedwig's soft plumage who had flew into her lap the second she could. He could see she was one second away from crying but was trying to remain strong.

"It's gone now." Remus assured, his soothing voice making everyone jump in the tense atmosphere that had filled the compartment. "It was no doubt searching the train for Pettigrew, another one of Fudge's brilliant ideas I'm sure." He muttered dryly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'll be back in a moment I need to have a little word with the driver and the Aurors at the front." Remus told them, pushing open the door only to pause in the doorway, smiling sadly at the forlorn teenagers but it came out more like a grimace. He had several letters to send off before they reached Hogwarts, but perhaps a Patronus message would be quicker?

Yes, he'd do that, he thought with a decisive nod.
"Eat, cub, you'll feel better I promise. If any of you need more. Share this amongst yourselves." He added, placing the packet with the last bit of chocolate next to his water bottle.
"What happened to me?" Izzy whispered, finishing off the chocolate and cuddling with Hedwig and Fred.
"Well," Ron said uneasily, "you sort of went rigid. I thought you were having a fit." He muttered fearfully. He'd only ever been that scared for his sister just once; last year in the Chamber and he hadn't wanted to feel that way again so soon, if ever, if he was being honest with himself.

"And didn't any... of you... you know... pass out." Izzy whispered shamefaced.
"Izzy, you have nothing to be ashamed of." Percy said firmly, nipping that in the bud right now. "But no we didn't. Ginny remembered the Chamber. Neville and Luna relived a memory, by their appearance, they say they're okay but with time the three of you will get better again. But I speak for all of us when I say that we're here for the three of you if you want to talk." Percy added firmly, everyone agreeing with him.

"Thanks Percy." Luna, Izzy and Neville whispered.
"We just felt like we'd never be cheerful again, that's all. Don't worry." George added, noticing the worried frown marring Izzy's face.
"I heard screaming." Izzy whispered.
"No one was screaming Izzy." Hermione said worriedly, looking at her first friend in concern.
"Maybe not to you or any of us. But Dementors make each of us relive our worst memories, and it's different for each person." Lee muttered painfully.

"I remember it all now. I remember everything, Freddie." Izzy cried, sobbing into Fred's chest, leaving no one clueless to what she was talking about; the Dementor had made her relive THAT night twelve years ago, causing everyone to look at their best friend sadly. Fred pressed a tender kiss to her forehead while he ran his hand up and down her back even though his hand itched to run them through her hair he knew he wasn't supposed to touch her hair until they were married. That thought brought a small goofy smile to his lips but it was overshadowed by what had transpired; it would seem like they were in for another eventful year.