Azkaban

Platform 9 3/4

It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross by foot and nothing more eventful happened during that time than Sirius scaring a couple of cats for Harry and Amarea's entertainment. Once they arrived outside of the station, they lingered casually beside the barrier between platforms nine and ten until the coast was clear. Once the way was clear, each one of them leaned against it and fell easily through onto Platform 9 3/4. The Hogwarts Express stood belching sooty steam over a platform packed with departing students and their families. Inhaling, Amarea took in the smell. She hadn't had the joy of being at the station in a long time.

"I hope the others make it in time," Mrs. Weasley says anxiously, staring behind her at the wrought-iron arch spanning the platform.

"Nice dog, Harry," a boy calls excitedly. Amarea clenches Harry's hoodie tighter, the abundance of people putting her on edge the more she noticed exactly how many were walking around.

Harry grins, "Thanks, Lee." He turns to Molly, "I'm going to walk around the station, see if anyone else is here yet."

"Be safe, dear. Moody should be here with the luggage soon, so hurry back," Mrs. Weasley says, not paying much attention to them.

"Are you okay to walk around," Harry asks before walking? "You can stay with Sirius if you want." Amarea shakes her head, taking a step forward. Getting the hint, Harry starts walking at an average pace, Amarea still clutching onto him.

They get halfway down the platform before the green-eyed boy stops walking. "You okay, Harry?" Harry doesn't respond, making Amarea shake his arm. "Harry?" Taking in a shaky breath, he swallows hard, words not forming in his mouth no matter how hard he tries. Looking around, Amarea walks in front of him, bringing her hand up to his shoulder. "Look at me." He doesn't respond. "Harry, look at me," she says again, this time with more force. Shakily, she brings her hand up to his cheek, not wanting to touch him. Quickly building up the courage, she finally touches him, pulling his face down slightly. "Harry..."

Harry blinks a few times, "Yeah, sorry....zoned out for a second."

Amarea gives him a hard stare, and he smiles, trying to make the story more believable. She pulls her hands off his face quickly, "What did you see?"

"It was nothing; come on. Alastor is probably here with the luggage by now." Harry grabs her hand, making her flinch slightly. "Sorry," he says quickly, offering his hoodie sleeve instead. Amarea nods, grabbing it, keeping pace as best she could with her shorter legs.

"No trouble," Moody growls?

"Nothing," Lupin responds, spotting the pair approaching. "Harry, I was beginning to think you would miss the train." Harry smiles at him.

"I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," Moody says, more to himself than anyone else. "That's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus."

"Well, look after yourselves, I mean it," Lupin says, directing the last part at Amarea. He shakes everyone's hand, getting to Harry last. He claps Harry on the shoulder, "You too, Harry. Be careful."

"Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled," Moody adds, shaking his hand as well, nodding at Amarea. "And don't forget, all of you, careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all. If it's necessary, Amarea can relay the information to us; go to her for the last resort."

"It's been great meeting all of you," Tonks says, hugging Hermione and Ginny. She smiles at Amarea, "We'll see you all soon, I expect."

A warning whistle sounds. "Quick, quick," Mrs. Weasley says, distractedly, hugging everyone at random, and catching Harry twice.

Reluctantly, Amarea let go of his sleeve, walking over to Lupin. She holds up her wrist, bumping it against his once he raises his as well. "Be safe. Keep him in line," she says, nodding to Sirius.

Lupin chuckles, gesturing to Harry and Ron, "The same goes for you."

Amarea steps back from Lupin, watching the end of Sirius and him hugging. Mrs. Weasley shoves Harry toward the train, "For heaven's sake, act more like a dog, Sirius!"

Quickly, Sirius jogs over, fist-bumping Amarea's hand with his nose. She raises her head at him, him doing the same, before she walks over to Harry, grabbing back onto his sleeve.

Ignoring the conversation's going on around her, she looks around the train the best she can. It was like nothing had changed; of course, it was definitely cleaner than the last time she had seen it, probably from the lack of Sirius and James. Once Harry had realized that Ron and Hermione had to sit with the Prefects, Ginny dragged them to find a compartment. Amarea couldn't help but notice people staring at Harry and her. The people watched them with great interest, several of them nudging their neighbors and pointing them out. Getting closer to Harry, Amarea tries to avoid their gazes.

Eventually, they had sat down within a compartment, occupied by only one person; Luna Lovegood. Amarea had quickly been introduced to a boy called Neville Longbottom, though she didn't speak to him. Amarea found Luna quite interesting. The girl had straggly, waist-length hair, that looked almost white in color. Her wand was stuck behind her left ear, and she wore a necklace of butterbeer caps. In her hands was a magazine called The Quibbler, which she appeared to be reading upside down.

"Had a good summer, Luna?"

"Yes," Luna responds dreamily, shaking her head at Ginny. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter."

"I know I am," Harry says.

Neville chuckled and Luna turned to him, "And I don't know who you are, or you." Amarea turned her head away from Luna, looking at the floor.

"I'm nobody," Neville said hurriedly.

"No you're not," Ginny says, sharply. "Neville Longbottom - Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw." This made Amarea look up at her, meeting Luna's eyes.

Smiling, Luna sings her sentence slightly, "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

"Do you like it there?" Everyone turns to look at Amarea. She clears her throat, "In Ravenclaw, I mean."

Luna's smile gets wider, "Yes, yes, it's absolutely spectacular. Are you in Ravenclaw; I haven't seen you around, I don't think?"

Amarea shakes her head, "No, my mother was though." Harry looks at her shocked. She had never spoken much about her family, only saying that they were the best she could have asked for.

"What about your father," Luna asked another question, becoming more curious.

"Slytherin."

"You never told me he was a Slytherin," Harry says.

Shrugging, Amarea adjusts herself, turning and looking out the window.

—-

During the time on the train, Neville had squirted everyone in the compartment with some sort of plant juice, a girl had walked into their compartment and immediately walked right back out, leaving Harry flushed, and Harry had stuffed himself with Pumpkin Pasties. He was currently busy swapping chocolate frogs with Ginny and Neville when the compartment slid open and Hermione and Ron stepped in.

"I'm starving," Ron says, grabbing a Chocolate Frog from Harry and throwing himself into the seat next to him.

"Well, there are two fifth-year Prefects from each House," Hermione says, taking a seat beside Amarea. "Boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's a Slytherin Prefect," Ron asks, his eyes closed.

"Malfoy," Harry replies, brow furrowing in distaste.

"'Course," Ron confirms bitterly, stuffing the rest of the Frog into his mouth and taking another.

"And that complete cow, Pansy Parkinson," Hermione adds on viciously. Amarea's eyes widen at her tone. "How she got to be a Prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll..."

Amarea's eyes widen as Hermione's goes on. One thing was certain, she had severely underestimated Hermione's mouth.