The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 49: Dementor

Harry waved to Arthur and Molly as the Hogwarts Express left the platform.  He was smiling externally but his mind was still reeling from the warning the Weasley patriarch had given him right before the train left.

He had confessed to the older wizard that he had heard them talking the night before, about how Sirius Black, the only man to have escaped Azkaban prison, was on the run and was for some reason heading towards Hogwarts of all places.  Arthur had not been angry, surprisingly, and had made Harry promise he would not go looking for the escaped criminal.

Clearly Arthur had him confused for someone that wanted trouble.  Harry never wanted trouble.  Trouble wanted Harry.

Harry promised to stay out of trouble, he suppressed a snort, and would do his best to have a quiet and productive school year, suppressing yet another snort.  He really did want both of those things.  Life seemed to always want something else from him.

They made their way down the train.  Most of the compartments had been taken since they had arrived late to the platform.  The twins disappeared to find Lee and some others.  Ginny stopped at a compartment with others in her year and Harry had waved to Luna as they passed.  Percy went to the Prefects car near the front, proudly wearing his Head Boy badge.

As they reached the end of the train a door shot open in a compartment with the blinds drawn.  An arm came out and grabbed Harry, yanking him clean off his feet and pulling him into the compartment.  Ron cried out in alarm and Hermione yelled, both of them dropping their trunks and rushing forward.

Harry was not bothered however.  He had recognized the arm the second before it grabbed him and he smiled at the touch, willingly throwing himself into the compartment.

"Gotcha!" Angelina yelled as she pulled the boy into her arms.  "About time you showed up, Rabbit!"

He tackled her into a seat and hugged her tight about the middle.  "Angelina!" he yelled happily.

"I've been waiting for ages," she scolded him as she squeezed him back.  "Peeking out the blinds and hoping you'd wander down this far.  Making me wait for you."

"She did," Alicia confirmed with a glint in her eyes.  "Was a little creepy if you ask me, just hovering there and looking out like a stalker."

"Lucky no one's asking you then," Angelina said and made a rude gesture at the shorter girl from behind Harry's back.

Ron and Hermione stood at the entrance of the compartment, breathing heavily.  Ron shook his head and snickered now that he saw what happened while Hermione looked a bit annoyed.

"Hey you two," Angelina said with a grin.  "Well come on in."  She waved her wand and their trunks drifted into the compartment, floating up into the racks at her direction.

"Hello Hermione," Alicia said warmly.  "How was France?"

The bushy-haired girl sat by Alicia and soon they were talking about France and what they liked over there.  Alicia traveled to France often and was happy to share experiences with the younger witch.  Angelina and Ron talked about Quidditch League things while Harry was content to sit next to Angelina and relax for a moment.

After a little while the twins popped in, said hi to the girls, and left with a protesting Ron saying they needed his help with something.  Hermione excused herself to use the restroom leaving the three of them in the compartment.

"How was your summer, Harry?" Alicia asked.  She looked over at him carefully.

He crossed over and gave her a very tight hug.  "It was okay.  Thank you again for the food box and the first aid satchel.  It saved me this summer."