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—IT WAS FINALLY SEPTEMBER 1st. Rigel frowned, looking concerned when he saw Remus sleeping in a compartment. Sirius would only be teaching on the days before, during, and after the full moon, which was why Remus was on the train without Sirius.
He sat in the compartment, Draco and Blaise following his lead. "So, hear about Pettigrew?" Blaise asked Rigel, pulling out a box of exploding snap, immediately getting into a match with Draco.
"Don't talk about him near me." sneered Rigel, not looking away from the window.
"Right. Sorry, Ri." Blaise said, only now realizing his mistake,
••
Halfway throughout the ride, the train suddenly stopped and everything started freezing.
"Hey, I think someone's coming aboard." Draco said, looking at the window.
Rigel frowned. "Remy?" He mumbled, trying to shake him awake, but stopped once he realized he wouldn't wake.
The three boys simultaneously looked at their compartment door that was being opened by.. a dementor.
They all tensed, sharing alarmed looks. "What's happening?!" Blaise asked in shock when the train starting shaking.
They watched as a decayed hand showed itself and a dementor started slowly coming into the compartment. It was immediately clear to them that the dementor was going to Rigel.
Rigel let out a shaky breath as the dementor started getting closer and closer, meaning that he was now re-living his worst memory:
"Lily! Take Harry and go! It's him! I'll hold him off!"
"Step aside, silly girl. Step aside, now."
"No! Please! Not Harry! Please.. have mercy... Take me instead! Kill me instead!.. have mercy... Not Harry!"
"Avada Kedavra."
••
Rigel groggily stood up, frowning in confusion as to what he was doing laying on the ground. "What the fuck happened?"
Remus gave him a look at his language, but explained. "Dementor. It was searching the train for—.." he stopped and sighed, pulling out a bar of chocolate.
"Thanks, Rem." Rigel mumbled and ate it.
"Are you alright?" Remus asked worriedly, then looking at the other two, "Are you all alright?"
"We're alright, Professor." Draco answered and looked at his cousin in worry, "Are you alright, Ri?"
"Yes. I heard.. Nevermind."
••
"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." Dumbledore stood up, "First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Black, who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor."
The students all clapped for him, especially the Slytherins.
"Black!" A voice caught their attention, making them look at the Gryffindor table. Cormac Mclaggen smirked, "is it true you fainted?"
Thomas Gaunt, who was talking with his friends, stopped abruptly, his head snapping to their direction. Rigel had fainted?
"I mean you actually fainted?" McLagged mocked.
"Mclaggen!" mocked Rigel with feign shock, "Is it true you were dropped on your head as a baby?"
"It would explain his stupidity." Blaise joined in.
McLaggen sneered, turning away as he didn't have a witty reply.
"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher 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." Dumbledore announced,
"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 Peter Pettigrew 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'll 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."
