Nothing Without You (That Special Something sequel)

Chapter 11: Harry

1st September 1993. 11:00.

I was back on the Hogwarts Express.

Remus and I went into the last compartment of the train, and settled down there. I was so excited it was unreal, but I had to calm down. So Remus and I decided to sleep for a while. It would calm our nerves and get us pumped up when we arrived at Hogwarts.

So, I put my traveling cloak over my torso, leaned against the window, and closed my eyes.

But I couldn't sleep.

Especially when I heard three people slide into the compartment.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" A boy said. He was probably talking about Remus.

"Professor R.J. Lupin." A girl whispered.

"How d'you know that?" The boy asked again.

"It's on his case." The girl said.

"Wonder what he teaches?" The boy asked.

"That's obvious." the girl whispered. "There's only one vacacny, isn't there? Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Well, I hope he's up to it." The boy said. "He looks like one good hex could finish him off, doesn't he?" Anger boiled inside of me a bit, but I pushed it down. "Who do you think she is, then?"

"Another teacher, I guess." The girl said. "Don't know what class, though."

"She could be a student?" The boy suggested. "She looks young."

"Maybe." the girl said.

"Anyway." the boy said. "What were you going to tell us?"

And another boys voice spoke. I recognised it. He told a story about how a man I didn't know warned him about Sirius Black, and how he was going to kill him. I looked at Remus, who was squinting at me. I quickly mouthed "Is that Harry?"

And he mouthed "Yes."

I listened as the three of them talked to one another. First about Sirius, then about a sneakascope, which was whistling piercingly, then about Hogsmeade, then about Harry's evil muggle family who wouldn't let him go.

And then I heard an extremely drawling voice open the compartment door. "Well, look who it is." the voice said. "Potty and the Weasel."

Anger boiled in me again. Two boys chuckled like trolls. "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley." The drawling boy said. "Did your mother die of shock?"

Something dropped on the floor and Remus snorted.

"Who are they?" The drawling boy said.

"New teachers." Harry said. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy. I thought. The son of Lucius Malfoy, no doubt. That explains a lot. Malfoy muttered "C'mon" and left with the two chuckling trolls, and the three continued to talk.

Soon enough, the train slowed down. Yes, I can finally pretend to wake up, I thought. But just as I was about to fake awaken, the girl stopped me.

"We can't be there yet." she said.

"So why're we stopping?" The Weasley boy said.

The train stopped with a jolt, flinging my travelling cloak onto the ground. And then, suddenly, the lamps all went out, plunging us all into total darkness. I can move now, I thought. So I sat up and stared where Remus was sitting. 

"What's going on?" Weasley said.

"Ouch," the girl gasped. "Ron, that was my foot."

"D'you think we've broken down?" Harry beside me. I could feel his breaths.