✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 3

Dementors

The next day came quickly and soon, the Weasleys, Venus and Hermione found themselves on Platform 9 3/4. The students went to look for an empty compartment to load their luggage before returning outside to say goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley. Mrs Weasley kissed her children, then Venus, Hermione and finally Harry whose cheeks had turned slightly pink. While the woman distributed the sandwiches she made among the children, Mr Weasley called Venus and Harry quietly from behind a pillar.

"There's something I've got to tell you both before you leave." Mr Weasley seemed tense.

"It's alright, Mr Weasley," Harry interjected, "I already know." Venus was confused, to say the least.

"Know what?"

"Sirius Black," Mr Weasley stated, "he might come to Hogwarts for the both of you. The ministry thinks he is after you two."

"Okay. I understand he's after Harry since he was the one who defeated Voldemort but why me?"

Mr Weasley flinched at the sound of the name but overlooked it.

"There is a lot you don't know yet, Venus. I wish I could tell you but it is not my place to."

Just then, Mrs Weasley called them while shoving the others in the train.

"Listen, I want you to give me your word that you two will not go looking for Black."

"What?" Harry stared at the man in confusion.

"Why would we want to go looking someone who wants to kill us?" Venus asked blankly.

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear-"

"Arthur quickly!" Mrs Weasley cried. The train had started to move. Venus and Harry rushed on the train before they got left behind. The two waved at Mr and Mrs Weasley until they were blocked from the view. Then Harry and Venus went their separate ways; Harry wished to talk about what he found out to Ron and Hermione while Venus decided to find the twins to discuss their next prank, pushing away all the thoughts of the overwhelming news Mr Weasley had just told her.

However, the thoughts of Sirius Black plagued her mind as she made her way to the twins' compartment. Harry had ties with the dark lord but Venus did not. She was confused and curious as well. The bitterness she felt when Mrs Figg refused to answer her questions returned. Therefore instead of going to sit with her best friends, she found herself pacing the corridor, trying to figure out why might Black come after her.

The twins were of course worried for their friend who never came back to their compartment. At first they thought she might be with Harry, having seen them together earlier. After a while, Fred decided he would go look for her while George stayed back with Lee Jordan, their friend.

"Vee? Everything alright? You seem troubled," Fred asked as soon as he spotted her in a corner.

"Fred, I-"

Venus was interjected by the train slowing down to a stop. Both of them knew it was too early to arrive at Hogwarts. The air around them suddenly became chilly. A towering cloaked figure was nearing them. Venus recognised the creature. She had read about them once; the guards of Azkaban, dementors. Venus and Fred both froze, scared out of their wits when they realised they were cornered. An intense cold swiped over the atmosphere that Venus could feel her teeth chattering. She felt her breath catch in her chest. She could not breathe. Her eyes rolled back. She was drowning.

Then, from far away, she heard crying. It was terrible. It felt like howls of misery, as if the person was feeling pain in waves. She was not sure whether she wanted to help the person or block their cries out, but however much she tried, she could not move.

When Venus opened her eyes, Fred's face was above her. She was sleeping with her head in his lap. She noticed that they were with Lee and George in their compartment.

"Vee! Are you alright?"

"Merlin's balls. You scared us!"

"Yeah. Thank god, Professor Lupin here found you just in time."

She noticed that the twins and Lee looked pale, but they were still more concerned about their friend who had fainted. A loud snap made them all jump. It was a sandy brown haired man, in his mid thirties. He was breaking a slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Venus, handing her a particularly large piece, "Eat it. It'll help."

Venus took the chocolate and instantly put it in her mouth. She was still shaken up from the recent events. It seemed as though that person's cries were etched forever in her mind.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to speak to the driver." The man was gone.

"Who was that?"

"Professor Remus Lupin. He's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."