Draco was released from St. Mungo's a few days after the book incident. He did admit, only to himself, that hospital food was quite good sometimes. He could just remember the taste of the aromatic gravy atop his smooth and creamy mashed potatoes. The water didn't taste like a potion gone wrong, and neither did the pumpkin juice (though Draco still wasn't a fan of the latter).

The rest of the summer flew by quickly and before he knew it, Draco was boarding the Hogwarts Express. His parents even saw him off at Kings' Cross Station, unlike the previous year.

He found a compartment with Blaise, Theo, and Adrian, and they all took their seats. However, when they were crossing the bridge where Draco had seen Potter, Weasley, and their flying car the year before, things started to get bumpy.

The train came to a sudden halt which threw Theo and Adrian at the other two boys.

"What's happening?" Theo asked as he got up. "Why have we stopped? We can't be there yet."

Blaise opened the compartment door and peeked outside only to be chucked back into his seat.

"What's going on?" Draco said.

"Dunno," Blaise replied. "Maybe we've broken down."

The lights flickered and went out, but they were back in a few seconds. Adrian glanced out the window.

"There's something moving out there," he said, voice laced with fear. The lights went out again before he said, "I think it's coming for us!"

"Calm down, Adrian," Draco said. He frowned and addressed his friends, "Is it just me, or is it getting a bit colder?"

Sure enough, Draco could see all four of their breaths as they exhaled. The window, with Adrian's hand on it, began to freeze. Draco could hear the ice slightly cracking.

He rubbed his hands together and pulled his robes in closer. Suddenly, the train shook. A dark, wispy figure deliberately floated towards the locked compartment door. Raising a skeletal hand, it seemed to beckon the door's lock to twist. It's hand was in motion as if it was sliding the door open, only, it wasn't. The door opened on its own. The creature's fingers gripped the side of the door.

Suddenly, the creature was thrown out of the compartment as a bright white light streaked the whole train.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Theo asked.

"Dementor," Blaise replied. "They're guards of Azkaban. I'll bet they're here because of Sirius Black."

"Yeah," Draco said, "since clearly one of us is hiding him under our cloaks. Dementors aren't smart at all."

"They only know that they're supposed to suck the happines out of you. I think they're the foulest creatures out there."

"Then you haven't met the Dark Lord."

The other three stared at Draco before bursting into laughter, and Draco chuckled at his own comment.

Draco excused himself to use the loo. He got out of the compartment and walked to the back of the car. On his way there, he saw Potter being shaken awake by Granger. There was a man offering the boy some chocolate.

Draco decided to continue on his way. So Potter fainted, did he? The war of hatred was on.

_____________________________________

When the students were riding the carriages, Draco told the others what he saw.

"Remember," he said, "to make fun of him for it. This is what we're going to do."

Draco proceeded to tell them how they were going to torment Potter for fainting in front of a dementor.

When he was finished, Blaise said, "Honestly, I can't blame him. Those things are horrible. My mother once told me about those who get the Dementor's Kiss."

"Oh!" Adrian said. "Isn't that when they get their soul sucked out and become a vegetable?"

"Sounds awful," Theo said.

"Anyway," Blaise continued, "maybe the dementor opened Potter's compartment door and tried to suck out his soul."

"What was that light though?" Draco asked.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it kept the dementors away."

The choir began performing after the students were seated in the Great Hall and the first years had been sorted.

"Since when do we have a choir?" Draco asked.

"Not thinking of joining, are we?" Blaise joked.

"Of course not, just wondering...and what's with the toads?"

Blaise just shrugged and turned back around.

When the song was finished and the toads croaked an ending ("Oh!" exclaimed Draco), Dumbledore stood at the podium.

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

The man Draco had seen with Potter rose humbly from the table and bowed before sitting back down.

Draco decided to out his plan of torment into action then.

"Potter!" He whisper-yelled. "Potter, is it true you fainted?"

Theo took his cue and pretended to faint, making the Slytherins laugh.

"I mean," Draco continued, "you actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Weasley said, and the Golden Trio turned back around.

The two Slytherins did a fist bump to acknowledge their success.

Dumbledore continued, "As some of you may know, 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 taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid!"

The half-giant stood up and shook his entire table while doing so.

"Finally, on a more disquieting 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 as Sirius Black is captured. 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-" Dumbledore waved his hand over a candle and extinguished the flame "-if only one remembers to turn on the light." He waved his hand back over, and the flame reappeared.

A/N: I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!