Power He Knows Not

The Year Begins with a Cold

Writing is kicking my ass at the moment. I think after next week, I'll take a while to just figure out where this story is headed, and work on the other book I'm writing.

The sequel to Bound by Soul is dragging its feet getting to where I want it to be before posting the first chapter, and I need some time to really focus on wrangling it in.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this chapter! 

The last days of August slipped past a lot quicker then Harry had expected. Between exploring the Alley with his friends, both of whom were staying at the leaky cauldron as well, and talking with Riddle, the days practically vanished, and Harry found himself, Hermione and the Weasleys all escorted to the station.

As they were all clambering onto the train, Mr. Weasley pulled Harry aside to talk, wanting his word he would not look for Black.

Harry stalled for a moment, unsure if he wanted to make that promise. While he appreciated Mr. Weasley worrying for him, he also had questions only Sirius Black could answer. He was saved from the dilemma by Mrs. Weasley, calling for him to hurry as the train was preparing to leave. Harry promised not to look for trouble, leaving Sirius' name out of it entirely, and hurried onto the train.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny headed to their compartment together, chatting about nothing in particular. When they got there, they found the window seat taken. A man in shabby, but well kept robes was slumped against the window, a ratty and worn traveling cloak thrown over him like a blanket.

"Who's that?" Ron asked, scrunching his nose in surprise.

"Professor R. J. Lupin." Ginny surprised them by saying.

"How do you know that?" Ron turned a disbelieving expression on his little sister.

In answer, she pointed at the luggage rack above the man with a huff. And indeed, there sat a large case with the name and title pressed into the aged leather, the crisp new letters at odds with the worn and battered case.

Harry took the seat across from their apparent new professor, Hermione next to him, while Ron and Ginny sat on the bench with Lupin. Looking at the man more closely, Harry noticed that his sandy brown hair was starting to gray, and what little he could see of his face was covered in shallow scratches that were an angry red against his pale skin.

The four of them spoke in low whispers so as not to wake him.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled away from London and began the day long journey to Scotland, their conversation turned to Sirius Black. Harry said very little on the subject, although the others didn't seem to notice his sudden taciturn mood, as they discussed. Ron and Ginny conveyed whispers they had overheard during the summer, when their parents had thought them asleep, and Hermione was going over various ideas for how he could've escaped.

The four teens kept their voices low, and mostly ignored the adult sleeping in the corner, only throwing an occasional glance the man's way when he shuffled in his sleep, and once when the trolley lady came by, they considered waking him. In the end, Professor Lupin remained asleep, and the four of them turned their talk towards lessons.

As it started to get dark outside, they all changed into their robes, the girls stepping into a different compartment to do so, and returning with another Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom.

They had all started to settle down in their seats again, Neville taking Hermione's other side by the door, when the train suddenly seemed to shudder, beginning to slow.