The Prisoner Of Azkaban (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

THE GUARDS OF AZKABAN

The next morning was spent in utter chaos. With so many of them heading for Hogwarts, there were trunks and people and cages all around.

Harry was oddly fidgety and Mr. Weasley looked nervous. There was an undercurrent in the air that Ria did not quite like. Something was definitely going on. She had a feeling it was nothing good.

Two old-fashioned dark green cars arrived to drop them off at King's Cross, each of which was
driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

They all piled in in a frenzy and the cars took off. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of
an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as
there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."

Ria was starting to find his behaviour mildly concerning. She went in next with Ginny. Percy arrived with Hermione right after them.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going Pink
again. The three girls hid their laughter as Percy strode over to Penelope Clearwater, walking
with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.

They got on the train, leaned out of the window and waved at Mr.
and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered suddenly
as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron to Ginny who had been in a conversation with Hermione.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.

Ria slapped Ron behind his head in retaliation.

"What was that for!", Ron exclaimed.

"For treating my little sister like shit!", Ria said with a smirk, then dragged them off to look for a compartment.

The only empty one at the very back of the train, had a single occupant in it; a man sitting fast asleep by the window. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. Ria was almost concerned about his health.

What she was more concerned about, was the fact that Hogwarts Express was supposed to be reserved for students. No adult except the witch who ran the sweet trolley and the driver were allowed on it.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door
shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

"How do you know everything?", Ron questioned, sounding slightly irritated yet a little amused.

"It's on the suitcase, Ronald!", Hermione said exasperated, pointing to the luggage rack where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid
profile.

"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like on, good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway..." He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"