Harry Potter - Fanfiction

Year 3 - The Dementor

The next morning Hermione, Ginny, and I are listening to Mrs. Weasley retell of a story about a love potion she'd made as a young girl while we wait for everyone else.

I have no chance to speak to the twins again in the chaos of leaving; we are all too busy heaving all our trunks down the Leaky Cauldrons narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. Two small wickerwork baskets standing beside the heap of trunks, with Styx and Crookshanks.

Mr. Weasley, who has been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, sticks his head inside.

"They're here," he says.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Percy all get into the back of the one car while George, Fred, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and I get inside the other one.

The Ministry of Magic cars seem almost ordinary, though they can slide through gaps unlike any Muggle cars. We reach King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers find us all trolley's, unload our trunks, touch their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drive away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

As we get to the platforms nine and ten, Mr. Weasley says while glancing around us, "right then, let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."

In a moment they are through the barrier that leads to nine and three-quarters. Percy and Ginny are the next to go through, followed by Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and me. The twins follow through shortly afterwards.

We all make our way towards the train. Mrs. Weasley kisses all her children, then Hermione and me, and finally Harry.

The twins and I make a beeline for the train as Mrs. Weasley starts dishing out the sandwiches she had made.

We find a compartment where Lee Jordan is sitting. We place our trunks on the luggage racks and sit down as steam begins billowing from the train. It starts to move as the last of the students hurry to jump onto it.

Everyone leaning out the windows waving goodbye to their parents until the train turns a corner and blocks them from view.

"I see Percy got his badge back," I say to the twins.

"Yeah, Mum found out and made us give it back before we left the Leaky Cauldron," says Fred in disappointment.

Fred then turns to Lee starting a conversation about their trip to Hogsmeade this year.

I lean towards George and whisper, "you should think about adding personalized badges to your items. People could come in and give all sorts of requests."

"I'll jot that down. It's a good idea." A small knock on the compartment door interrupts us all.

Tracey opens the door. "Mind if I join. The Slytherin boys can certainly become boring after a while."

"Is that all you think about?" I ask as she sits down next to me.

"No, of course, but -" she looks over to see George now joining the conversation with Fred and Lee. Speaking softly, she says, "have you seen Draco yet? He is looking rather fetching this year."

"Tracey!" I yelp as she giggles, giving me a knowing look.

The Hogwarts Express moves steadily north and the scenery outside the window becomes wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thicken. People are chasing backwards and forwards past the door of the compartment.

By mid-afternoon the rain starts to fall, blurring the rolling hills outside the window. The twins and Lee had all fallen asleep some time ago after stuffing themselves with sweets from the trolley. Tracey is busy finishing up some last-minute things on her homework and I've busied myself with a book.