"Cedric, why do you look exhausted?" she questioned him, although, after his response, she honestly wished she didn't even bother with such a foolish question. He didn't even have to say anything, his grin said it all, leaving Eleanor and Marnie to roll their eyes and look away. No one needed the details of his intense snogging session with Cho.

Knowing that he was being judged by the two of them, Cedric made a face as he opened both of his eyes and sat up in his seat.

"Yeah, yeah, judge me all you want," he said, " but moving onto important matters, have you two heard about Sirius Black escaping Azkaban?"

Eleanor nodded her head, fully aware of who the famed mass-murderer was that had graced not only wizarding papers, but the front page of the muggle papers as well.

"I saw the picture of him while I was out collecting supplies," Eleanor admitted, " thankfully my mum doesn't like the news, so she hardly ever looks at the post. But there he was all over the Daily Prophet in Diagon Alley. Scary looking, isn't he? And not to mention, a mass murderer running loose isn't exactly the most comforting of thoughts."

"Aww, don't be scared, Wittle Ellie," Cedric cooed pulling her into his side, " I'll protect you."

Jabbing him in the side with one of her knitting needles, she caused Cedric to jump up and move across the way to sit next to Marnie while rubbing his side.

"Yes, you can't defend yourself against a knitting needle, but I'm supposed to expect you to protect me from the likes of Sirius Black. I feel so much safer now, my hero," Eleanor chuckled, wounding Cedric's pride and ego as he pouted in her direction.

With Cedric turning his attention to Marnie for the rest of the ride as a way of punishing Eleanor for her sassy comment, it didn't really serve as much of a punishment as Eleanor simply returned to her knitting. She could keep herself busy for hours especially when she was working towards finishing a piece. While she didn't know how much time had gone by, every so often she would lift her head to listen in on the conversation shared between her best friends, but it was usually bickering taking place.

The two tended to argue like an old married couple the majority of the time, Cedric hardly ever won any of the arguments though. But it kept Eleanor amused as she worked on the ending of a scarf, focusing on the final rows she needed when suddenly, the lights on the train began to flicker. Once again, Eleanor set her knitting down to look up and just as she went to question aloud as to what was taking place, something dark swooped past the outside of their window.

Marnie let out a screech that echoed inside the compartment and quickly crammed herself into Cedric's side. Startled herself, Eleanor had moved away from the window, keeping her eyes focused as the lights went completely out and the train slowed down to a halt.

"What's going on?" Eleanor whispered across the way, seeing the alarmed looks on the faces of her friends.

"I don't know," Cedric said in returned, " something went by the window, but I didn't see it. It moved way too fast."

He had his arm wrapped around Marnie in a protective manner and seconds later when something dark flew by the window again, Marnie called for Eleanor to get over to them while waving her over.

"Ellie, get over here!"

With one arm each wrapped around each girl, Cedric swallowed nervously as their eyes were glued to the window, waiting to see if anything else would show up.

"L-l-let's just remain calm, okay?" Cedric stammered as he was trying to keep a brave face for the two.

"This is going to be another mental year," Marnie sighed, "I just know it."

"Why do you say that?" Eleanor asked as she looked over at her.

"Because Harry Potter didn't transfer out of the school! You know how the Harry Potter Curse goes, Ellie, as long as he remains, it's only going to get crazier at the school."

Both Eleanor and Cedric looked as though they were going to argue with what Marnie had to say, especially when she was trying to place the blame on a thirteen-year-old boy, however, given the track record of the last two years since he joined compared to what the school life was like before, perhaps she wasn't that far off.

Aboard the Hogwarts Express, information travelled fast and as the lights returned and the train started moving again, it certainly didn't take time for word to spread about what happened. It was Cedric that braved leaving the compartment after the three Hufflepuffs had remained huddled together until the train started moving. Knowing that he could easily get the information from other students, he ventured out and returned only a few minutes later to explain to the girls what he had heard.

Apparently, dementors had boarded the train, the gliding wraith-like creatures were what the three had witnessed racing past the window. They were in search of Sirius Black, causing Marnie to scoff, wondering why they would believe Sirius Black would be aboard the train. However, to Eleanor she could see that the Ministry was taking extra precautions, only illuminating further that the wizard was extremely dangerous.

"They said Harry Potter fainted," Cedric said as he sat back down between the two, " Ernie said they went after him. Overheard it coming from Malfoy so I don't know how much of that is true."

While Marnie went on to claim that it was more evidence towards proving that the Harry Potter Curse was real, Eleanor felt a frown pulling at her own features, feeling sorry for the poor boy. She had never seen a dementor up close but they were the guards of Azkaban, known for their unforgiving nature and the brutal punishment known as the "Dementor's Kiss" that was described as sucking the soul out of someone and taking away every bit of happiness they ever had. If Harry Potter had come into close contact with one of them, Eleanor couldn't bring herself to blame him for fainting because she probably would have done the same.

Thankfully, the train ride didn't have much longer to go as they arrived at Hogsmeade Station shortly after. Eleanor collected her things, hoping to finish the scarf during the Welcoming Feast at some point and made her way to get off the train. Of course, to add to the already chilling scene of the dementors on the train, it was raining, large droplets of cold water poured onto the students. For once, Eleanor did not envy the first year students that had to cross over the Black Lake as she followed Cedric and Marnie in the direction of the carriages.

In the distance, Eleanor spotted Harry climbing into one of the carriages with his friends, he looked pale and sickly, something that wasn't needed with his already tiny frame. Hurrying to get out of the rain herself before she resembled a drowned rat, she jumped into the carriage behind Cedric and tightened her robes around her body.

"You would think with all the bloody magic surrounding us all the time that someone would learn a spell to give us better weather around here," Marnie said through her chattering her teeth, " I can damn near cut diamonds over here."

"Well, at least that opens up your options as a jewellery maker as a career. You could advertise them as such, nipple cut diamonds," Eleanor added, bringing Marnie and Cedric to look over at her. "What?"

"Look, it's bad enough that Marnie says the things she does," Cedric said, " I don't need you adding any mental images!"

Marnie, however, started laughing before she stopped to rub her chin and contemplate the idea. "You know, it doesn't sound like a bad idea though, what would we call the business?"

"I can't believe we're discussing this," Cedric tried to stop them, but it was too late.

"What about Nip Slip?" Eleanor suggested. "You know how you slip on a ring? So, Nip Slip, the breast jewellery money can buy."

The carriage fell silent as Marnie clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing obnoxiously loud while Cedric just stared ahead with a blank expression.

"Well, Ellie," he said finally, " normally, I would applaud you for your creativity, but seeing as that came to you just a little too easily, I actually have found myself feeling quite disturbed. I feel like you've thought about this before!"

"I guess you'll never know, Ceddy, " Eleanor grinned, " unfortunatitly."

"I hate you."

For the remainder of the carriage ride, Cedric had to suffer through all the terrible puns that Marnie and Eleanor continued to come up with, as well as listen to the business plans that involved Marnie cutting diamonds with her nipples. By the end of it all, as the carriage ride came to an end, the boy nearly burst out of the carriage and ran the rest of the way to the castle to escape.

"That was the worst part of the summer now that I think about it," Marnie said as the two girls climbed out and made their way towards the castle. "Not being able to torture the living hell out of Diggory."

"Well, you have plenty of time now, Marnie, just make sure you ease him into it. Don't want him to suffer a breakdown...again."

They laughed and hurried through the rain until they reached the castle steps. While the castle was known for the drafty corridors, it felt warm and inviting after escaping the cold rain. They made their way to the Great Hall where they seated themselves next to Cedric at the Hufflepuff table.

Eleanor unravelled the yarn from around her wand, simply to put it to use and dry her robes and hair, using the hot-air charm. Within just a minute, she was warm and dry, ready to watch the Sorting Ceremony as the Sorting Hat was placed on the stool. Watching as the tiny first years wandered in behind Professor Flitwick. It was odd to see the Charms Professor carrying out the ceremony as it was usually the job of Professor McGonagall, but the woman was nowhere to be seen at the time.

As the Sorting Hat began to sing loudly through the Great Hall, Eleanor suddenly felt quite cold as she wondered where the Transfiguration and Deputy Headmistress of the school was. She certainly hoped that nothing had happened to McGonagall, seeing as she was the woman that had introduced Eleanor to the world of magic in the first place. Although she was certain if something had happened that it would have been announced first and foremost before anything got underway. Perhaps she was being too paranoid at the time and McGonagall was just busy with other matters.

She decided to focus her attention on the first years as they anxiously stood around, waiting for their names to be called in alphabetical order.

Looking down the Hufflepuff table briefly, Eleanor looked at Cedric and Marnie, remembering back when they had been first years. It hadn't been friendship right away as Eleanor had hoped after her sorting. People were friendly in Hufflepuff but she was looking for more than just friendly chatter or homework help. Perhaps the last expected friendship would come from Marnie as she was the girl known to drool over all over the desk they shared, not to mention Eleanor's textbooks.

But one day when Marnie wasn't sleeping in class, the two got to talking and ended up becoming friends quickly. The same could not be said for Cedric though as Marnie thought the boy was incredibly creepy from the very beginning. Cedric had done absolutely nothing wrong but Marnie said it was something about the way he smiled that made him seem "off" in her mind. However, Cedric certainly earned his friendship with the two as he happened to save Marnie's life one evening.

They had all been at the Astronomy Tower, during one of their midnight Astronomy lessons. They were supposed to be mapping out stars through their telescopes after Professor Sinistra had assigned them their spots. Unfortunately in Marnie's mind at the time, she was placed next to Cedric and during one of her attempts to move to talk to Eleanor, she hadn't been paying attention to where she was walking and tripped.

She would have toppled right over the edge of the tower, had it not been for Cedric reaching out and grabbing her by the back of her robes.

Thinking of the old memories brought a smile to her face as they welcomed one of the newest Hufflepuff house members with applause.

As the Sorting Ceremony came to a finish with the last student sorted into Slytherin, Eleanor finished her clapping and turned her gaze to face the front as Professor Flitwick carried the Sorting Hat away. She spotted Professor Dumbledore rising to his feet and only moments later, did McGonagall appear in the background taking her seat, leaving Eleanor to sigh in relief.

" Welcome!" Dumbledore greeted all of them. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

What, Eleanor thought to herself for a few moments, dementors on the grounds? Had the Ministry gone mad? It was completely dangerous!

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises—or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I, therefore, warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."

Eleanor was beyond thankful in those moments that her mother didn't have the slightest idea as to what was going on because she could already see Margaret going absolutely mental inside her head. But Eleanor wasn't the only one with worried thoughts, especially as she looked around the Great Hall. As students exchanged nervous looks with one another, Dumbledore decided to switch things up by turning to happier news.

"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Sweet Merlin," Marnie leaned into Eleanor's side to whisper, " the man looked as though he just rolled out of bed, got dressed in the dark, and decided to show up after having a pint or two at the pub!"

"Marnie, come on, he doesn't look that bad," Eleanor attempted to defend the man, " so his robes are a bit shabby, it's not a fashion competition here."

"You're right, no one would be able to compete with Dumbledore and his robes. I've always wondered who is stylist is or if he dresses himself. Either way, he always manages to rank in the polls of Best Dressed in Witch Weekly."

Eleanor nudged her playfully to get Marnie to keep quiet as Dumbledore announced the second professor that would be joining the ranks.

"As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

With nothing else to add on, Dumbledore turned to all of them with a twinkling gaze and smile to start the beginning of the feast. As the tables began to fill with food, Marnie let out a delighted cry.

"Oh, this is what I've been waiting for, the only reason I actually come to this school!"