Violet Lily Potter. Book 1.

Dementor.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering
gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over
the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor
Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now
completely black window.
The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside.

"I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."
"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?" said Ron.

Vi, "There's something strange going on."

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain
sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads
were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen
out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total
darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Harry felt his way back to his seat.
"D'you think we've broken down?"
"Dunno..."

There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean
on the window and peering out.

Vi, "Is anyone else feeling like their going to freeze?"

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea! Sit down -"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her
pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron -"

"Come in and sit down -"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner.
None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin
appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes
looked alert and wary.