𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙴𝚃𝙰𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙿𝙷

3 - THREE - 3

     THE LUPIN HOUSE was in absolute chaos the following morning. (Y/N) was running here and there cursorily from the moment she awoke, as she'd realized she'd forgotten to pack her stuff. She rolled up her clothes together in a lump and tried to fit them in a suitcase. Remus Lupin leaned against the doorframe and watched wearily as his daughter frantically crammed all her things into one suitcase. 

"You know, there's a spell for that sunshine." Remus commented.   

"Well, hurry up and help me over here, dad!" 

Remus chuckled as he came forward and flicked his wand. Immediately, (Y/N)'s suitcase was neatly packed. 

"You have got to teach me that spell."

"Maybe I will one day. Now hold on tight, we're going to apparate." Remus said and (Y/N) held on to his hand. With a flash, they were near the train station. (Y/N) looked at the big clock and they were just in time. Soon enough, they boarded the Hogwarts express and found an empty compartment to sit in.

After a while, Remus had fallen asleep, leaning against the window and (Y/N) was dying of boredom and hunger. The train started to move and out of the blue, Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the compartment. They looked just as amused as (Y/N) was.  

"(Y/N)? What are you doing here?" Ron asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Ronnie?" (Y/N) asked.

"No, I meant it like, what are you doing next to this strange man?" Ron asked. 

"Watch your tongue, Weasley. This 'strange man' is my father and our new professor." (Y/N) said, offended. 

Ron widened his eyes and looked apologetic. "I'm so sorry, I -- so this is your dad?" 

"Shh, Ronald, you'll wake him up!" (Y/N) hissed. 

"Professor R.J. Lupin?" Hermione whispered. 

(Y/N) nodded. "Yep. He's gonna be teaching us Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "No offense (Y/N), but he looks like one good hex could finish him off." 

"I told you, he was previously ill!" (Y/N) huffed. 

"Alright . . . Anyway, what were you going to tell us, Harry?" Ron asked. 

Harry started to explain all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument at the inn and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, (Y/N) looked pale and visibly tensed up at the mention of Sirius Black's name, Ron looked thunderstruck and Hermione had hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry   . . . you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry . . . " 

"I don't go looking for trouble, " said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."

"How stupid would Harry have to be, to go looking for some lunatic who wants to kill him?" said (Y/N) shakily. 

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too." 

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too . . . "

"What's that noise?" said (Y/N) suddenly. 

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. 

"It's coming from you trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later, he had pulled out the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes.