I sat on my own in a compartment on the Hogwarts express, waiting for Dean, Seamus, and Neville. Brutus laid calmly around my neck, staying hidden by my hair.

I had my copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on the table — I'd really wanted to start reading the Monster Book of Monsters, but couldn't figure out how to get it to calm down and stop snapping. It was currently still belted shut in my trunk, occasionally trying to escape its binding with a thud.

"If Willow and Crookshanks don't eat you," I told Brutus, "that thing will. So be careful until Harry's terrarium comes. Hopefully the Dursleys send it over nicely. They're not all too happy with Harry right now."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the compartment across the aisle from mine. There was a Professor in there, asleep, but I supposed I could squeeze in if I needed. Harry was filling them in on what Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had said, no doubt.

The door to the compartment slid open without a knock. I looked up, expecting to see Seamus with Dean and Neville in tow, but instead it was Malfoy. I shouldn't have been surprised — he managed to do this every year.

I immediately noticed the change in his hair — it wasn't gelled back like before and instead hung loosely over his forehead. He looked considerably less like a ferret, which I found I appreciated.

He smirked when he saw me, but it wasn't the nasty one he saved for Harry and Ron. It was almost pleasant, but still teasing. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"My, my, you get more ghastly every year." His voice had gotten deeper — it caught me off guard.

"It's nice to see you too, Malfoy." I remarked with a smirk of my own. "Did you use up all your hair gel trying to glue your fathers job back together?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, but I wish I could use it to glue your mouth shut."

"I'm sorry, that was out of line." I apologized, even though he didn't seem too put off by it. I examined his hair again, the way it almost fell into his eyes when he tilted his head. "It looks . . . nice, though."

"You think so?" He touched it self-consciously, then suddenly scowled at me, as though I'd insulted him deeply. "No. You're lying. You hesitated. You hate it and it's awful."

With each statement, he tried to cover up more and more of it, pushing his bangs back.

"No, I just didn't want to admit it." I told him, chuckling. "It's an improvement, I swear. I like it."

He seemed satisfied with this. "Good. Not that I care what you think, of course."

I grinned mischievously. "It looks soft. Like it won't sound like straw crunching when you touch it during Potions."

He scowled. "Alright, that's enough from you."

"Who's this?" Brutus asked as I finished giggling. He slithered out from behind my hair and poked out his head to look at Malfoy, who startled when he noticed.

"Er, Holmes," he said, gaping. "Not to frighten you, but—"

"This is Brutus," I held out my hand so Brutus could slither on to it. To the snake, I said. "And Brutus, this is Malfoy. He's — kind of my friend. So be nice."

Brutus flicked his tongue at me. "When have I ever been mean?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes at this, not understanding the Parseltongue. "Oh, quit showing off." He peered curiously at Brutus, who stared back defiantly. "You named it Brutus?" He asked with some amusement. He outstretched his palm invitingly.

"Yes. Very imposing, isn't he?" I jested. Brutus accepted the invitation and slithered into Malfoy's open hand, winding around his wrist and settling there.

"I like him," Brutus noted, bringing a wide grin to my face.

"I like him too," I replied.

"You're so weird," Malfoy told me, though his tone said he was more bemused than put off, raising his hand to his eye level so he could admire Brutus up close. "Talking to your pet snake. You know these aren't allowed here, right? Why did you buy him?"

"I didn't," I confessed. "He was in my pocket when I left the store. Sneaked out of his own accord."

Malfoy raised an incredulous eyebrow at me. "And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"You are," I insisted.

"Who's going to testify?" He held up Brutus incriminatingly. "The snake?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "I thought your snitching days were over, after the dragon."

"I won't tell a soul, but only because I think he's rather cute," Malfoy gently stroked a finger down Brutus' back, in awe. "And I hope he eats Weasley's rat."

I laughed. "I already told him he wasn't allowed to. He promised he'd hunt on his own."

"Impressive," Malfoy noted, handing Brutus back to me. Brutus slid his way up my arm and back around my neck, which apparently was his new favorite place to lay. "Where will he stay?"

"Harry's having a terrarium mailed over," I said with a rueful smile. "But until then, probably my sock drawer."

Malfoy's amused smirk slid into something more malicious. "Say, what happened to Potter anyway? Heard he puffed up his aunt like a balloon."

I filled Malfoy in on the circumstances. He was not pleased to hear that Harry wasn't facing any trouble.

"It's because of Black, I'm sure," Malfoy grimaced. "The Golden Boy gets special treatment when his life is in danger."

"I feel like that's a reasonable measure," I defended. Malfoy only rolled his eyes.

"He puts the rest of us in danger, is what he does. I mean, look at you. You had to run after his arse last year and the year before that and you probably saved his life," Malfoy huffed. "Maybe he should have stayed home, given the rest of us a break."

I pursed my lips. As much as I wanted to disagree, Malfoy had a point. There really was no quiet moment with Harry around, but I didn't really mind. He was my friend, and I'd save his life any time I had to. He'd do the same for me.

"Well, with the dementors in the castle anyway, it should be safer," Malfoy added when I didn't respond. I raised an eyebrow.

"Dementors?"

"Azkaban's guards," he explained wryly. "I forgot you wouldn't know what those are. They're a rather unpleasant bunch — cloaks with no face, only a mouth to suck out your soul."

I shuddered. "Lovely. And they'll be in the castle, you said?"

"All over the grounds, but not inside," Malfoy shook his head. "Dumbledore would never allow that."

I grimaced. Just when I thought maybe we could have a normal year.

"Lila!"

I blinked out of my sulking to see Dean had appeared in the doorway, out of breath.

"Sorry, we ran here. Train's just about to take off," he panted with an apologetic grin. He finally seemed to notice Malfoy on the side, and smiled politely at him too, though I could tell it was very strained.

"Malfoy," Dean greeted him. "It's been a while. Your hair looks nice."

Malfoy's expression hardened, but he exercised some self-restraint. "Thomas. Thank you." He then turned and nodded to me. "I'll see you there, Holmes."

As soon as he disappeared from view, the train whistle blew and we started to move. Dean raised an eyebrow at me.

"He wasn't bothering you, was he?" He asked with a grimace.

"No, not at all," I chuckled. "I was just showing him my new friend — let's get your stuff in, and I'll show you lot too."

Instead, however, Dean suddenly dropped his things. He pulled me into an awkward sideways hug so he could ruffle my hair.

"I've missed you," he grinned.

"I missed you too," I told him. Seamus came up behind us and rolled his eyes.

"You saw each other two weeks ago, sit down."

I helped Dean get his things into the compartment, and then Seamus and Neville as well. The four of us, once settled, launched into discussion about recent events and things happening in our lives. I showed off Brutus, who ended up biting Seamus' hand (because he was a menace and he's apparently teething) before returning to his spot behind my hair.

We talked about Harry's aunt and Sirius Black as well. Dean asked about my father, and I told him about Angela.

It was a lot rainier than usual, and the droplets pounded loudly on the windows outside as the wind whistled by. It was a little after two but it was already very dark — the clouds blocked out any trace of sunlight. I realized suddenly that we were slowing down.

We looked between each other in the compartment.

"We can't be there yet," Seamus said, checking his watch. "It's not even five!"

"Then why are we stopping?" Neville asked nervously.

The train slowed to a hard stop. Dean and Seamus, who sat by the window, were looking at the landscape outside to see if anyone was boarding. Neville and I, who sat by the door, slid it open to see what was going on. Other students were doing the same, sticking their heads out of the compartment and murmuring. I looked across the aisle to Hermione.

"What's going on—"

Suddenly, all of the lights on the train shut off. Neville and I intelligently decided to close the door. We sat back in our seats. Neville was bouncing his knee nervously.

"Do you think we've broken down?" Asked Dean.

"The train is run by magic," I muttered. "But I don't see what else would have happened. Is there anyone outside?"

"No," answered Seamus. He looked again. "Wait, something's moving out there."

Frost began to creep up along the window. I shivered. The temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees. I felt a sudden sense of malaise.

"I don't like this," Neville was shaking.

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in the compartment across from us," I told him. "We'll be safe."

"Say less," Neville scrambled across the aisle to enter their compartment, leaving the rest of us to giggle amidst our nerves. I couldn't blame him. What could three rising third-years do that a professor couldn't?

The temperature dropped even further. Frost was beginning to appear on the compartment door itself. There was silence. Our door began to slide open. A dark shape hovered outside.

"Lumos," Dean muttered, illuminating the figure before us.

It looked to be somewhat humanoid — wraithlike, actually. It's long, black, bedraggled cloak made it seem nearly ghostlike. Cloaks with no face, only a mouth to suck out your soul. Seamus recognized it immediately.

"It's a dementor," he whispered, confirming my thoughts.

It turned it's cloaked head to face me, using its skeletal hand that looked like it had decayed in moss. Suddenly, I felt the most terrible sadness, the worst fear, the most freezing coldness—

Many scenes flashed before me at once. A casket being lowered into the ground while guests sobbed, including my father. I put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, but it went straight through. Then the scene changed.

I was in a house, standing next to a child's bed. It was storming outside, and faintly I heard a man's yell cut off abruptly. From close behind me, a woman cried out.

"No, James!"

I whipped around. There Lily Potter stood, holding a smaller Harry in her arms.

"Leave him alone!" She was crying. "Let him go! Kill me instead, please!"

Then there was a jet of green light, and the scene was obliterated before my eyes. I was in a different house now, but there was no less chaos.

I heard the sound of a man and a woman screaming over and over again. They were being cursed relentlessly, writhing in pain. They looked at me for help, screamed for me, but I was frozen, only able to watch.

"Stop!" I yelled, voice muffled and distorted, as though I were underwater. Throat raw, I screamed again.

"STOP!"

I blinked myself back into reality. The dementor was blown back by some unseen force, and the door to our compartment slammed shut.

Nobody said a word. I realized that there were tears streaming steadily down my cheeks, my vision was blurry. I was breathing heavily.

"Is it . . . Is it going to come back?" I shivered.

"I hope not," Dean whispered, looking awed. "Not after that. What happened?"

I sniffled, wiping the tears and snot from my face. "I don't know."

The lights flickered back on. There was a moments pause as the compartment door slid open once again, and all of us inside froze. We relaxed when we saw that it was only Neville, behind him the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He was holding a ridiculously large bar of chocolate in his hand.

In the light, I recognized him instantly from the photograph I had of my mother. He'd been one of the boys she was standing with, I was certain, if not more wrinkled and bedraggled.

"Everyone alright in here?" He asked us, looking around. His eyes landed on me, and he smiled. Yes, that was certainly him. "Lila Holmes, I take it?"

"Yes, that's me," I said, curious as to how he knew my name.

"I'm Professor Lupin, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he explained, breaking off a piece of chocolate and handing it to me. "Professor Dumbledore's told me all about you."

He'd said that last sentence meaningfully, and I accepted the chocolate warily. He gave some to Dean and Seamus as well.

"Chocolate helps with the after effects of meeting a dementor," he explained. "I brought plenty, so if you need more I'll be up with the driver."

"Thank you," I said, still looking at him carefully. He seemed friendly enough — if he knew my secret he didn't seem to be judging me for it.

"It's no problem," he said. He looked down to Neville, who had sat down and was still shaking beside Seamus. "You alright, Neville?"

"I will be," he said, shivering. Seamus put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Professor Lupin handed him some more chocolate anyway and then let us be to go check on the other passengers. I remembered my piece and ate it. Warmth spread throughout my body, and immediately I felt much better. Neville still looked shaken.

"That was terrible," He frowned. "When it came in it was like all of the happiness was sucked out of me. I heard my parents — they were s-screaming. They were tortured by You-Know-Who's supporters, and n-now they don't even recognize me."

"Neville, I'm so sorry," I was beside myself. I didn't know how to tell him that I had seen them too, so vividly and clearly. It was like I had been there.

"Don't be," he sniffled. "I just want to make them proud."

I felt my heart pang for him as I reached out to touch his shoulder. The door opened. I was hoping it was Professor Lupin again, but I was still happy to see that it was Harry and Hermione.

"How's everyone in here?" Hermione asked.

"We're alright," Seamus answered. "Just a little shaken, that's all."

"Nobody fainted?" There was a bit of hopefulness in Harry's voice when he asked.

"No," I said, confused. "Why?"

"Harry was unconscious," Hermione said, looking at Harry anxiously. "He heard screams and—"

"That's okay, Neville and I did too," I said quickly. I looked at Seamus across from me. "Did I pass out?"

"No, but you went into some kind of trance before you blew it out of the compartment," he said uneasily. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Were you crying?"

"I'll explain later," I told her. "It's kind of a long story."

Hermione nodded slowly, looking between me and Harry curiously.

"Well, I'm glad nobody's hurt. We're bound to be at the castle soon, Ginny and I found a place to change," she said.

"Alright, I'll come," I stood, looking back to the boys. "I'll see you all in a few."