Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Third Year // Chapter 2

We walked down the train until we got to the car that they have been sitting in since the first year! I opened the door and walked in with Neville. As we did, I bumped Hermione's foot.

"Ouch! Ron, that was my foot!" She spoke. The sound of a slap hitting a shoulder was heard. 

"Oi!" Ron whined. "It wasn't me you lunatic!" It was at that point, Harry spoke up.

"N-Neville?" I saw that Neville had slid to the floor and was sitting next to Harry's leg. I sighed and grabbed his hand and placed him next to Harry. 

"Geez, Nev. Can't even sit right?" I joked. 

"Lori?! What are you doing here!" Ron yelled. Hermione shushed him.

"RON! Shhhh! You'll wake Professor Lupin!" 

"Lupin?" I spoke. "Who's Lupin?" 

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Lori," Ron said. I felt Hermione get up and start heading to the door. 

"I'm going to go find the driver." As she opened the door, we heard squealing and I felt Hermione fall backward. Luckily Ron and I caught her. "Ginny?"

"Hermione?" Ginny said. I reached out and pulled Ginny onto my lap (we were running out of room). 

"What are you doing?" I asked. 

"I was looking for Ron!" She replied. She got up and tried to sit in a seat but ended up sitting on Harry. 

"Not here! I'm here!" Harry snapped. 

"Quiet!" Croaked a voice. I let out a small gasp, for the voice was unknown. Someone noticed my reaction and placed a hand on my knee to calm me down. After a moment I realized it was the new Professor who had woke up. 

We all sat there for a few moments in silence before the compartment door started to creak open. As it did some light from behind it illuminated the compartment enough so we could make out the features. The thing opening the door had a boney hand and made the air in the compartment go frigid. We sat there, as the thing came in more. 

I glanced across and happened to see Harry sway for a few moments. I glanced to Neville who was also swaying a small bit. I saw Ginny slide to the floor and over next to Ron and Ron put his hand on her head. Suddenly I felt this overwhelming sadness hit my body like there was no reason to be cheerful.

"None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks!" Said Lupin loudly. "Go." However, the thing stayed. After examining it more I came to the conclusion that it was a creature known as the Dementor, the guards of Azkaban. I heard the Professor sigh as he pulled out his wand. 

"Expecto Patronum!" I blinked as a bright sliver wolf erupted out of his wand and pushed the Dementor out of the car. He quickly shut and latched the door as Harry passed out.

"Harry?" I leapt over and caught him for he was about to fall off the seat. Neville helped lift him back on the seat. He was out cold. I sighed as I walked up to the door. "Ginny, Nevy, c'mon. Let's get this car uncrowded." I said walking out. Neville followed behind with Ginny. She went to go find her friends, while Neville and I walked back to find Seamus and Dean. 

"Do you think, they saw what we saw?" Neville asked. I shrugged.

"Probably not, I mean. I'm pretty sure the Dementor was drawn to Harry. You know, because he's been through hell and back twice over." I said sliding open the door. As I opened, we got greeted with yells.

"NEVILLE! LORI! IT WAS DEMENTORS!" Dean yelled pulling me next to him. 

"THEY'RE BLOODY UGLY!" Seamus added as he pulled Neville down beside him. I sighed.

"So, you two, got a visit as well?" 

"Only for a second or two. It never came in, it just opened the door and poked its head in." Seamus said standing up and grabbing some candy out of his satchel he brought on.

"You've had sweets this ENTIRE time, and you're just NOW bringing them out?!" Dean shouted grabbing a chocolate bar out of his hands. 

"Hey! I bought those in Diagon Alley yesterday!" Seamus whined. "These got to last me until our first trip to Hogsmeade in October!" I laughed and grabbed a bar from his satchel. 

"LORI!" He griped.

"Oh, shut it. You know, if you just want candy, I know just the way to get it." I said taking a bite out of the chocolate.

"Oh yeah? How?" Dean questioned. I rolled my eyes.

"That is for you guys to find out when you guys need candy in an emergency." For the rest of the train ride, we talked about the upcoming year and tried our hardest to agree on how hard we were going to study for Divination.

Finally, we pulled up in the Hogsmeade station and headed off the train and into the castle. Neville had to run off to find the chorus (because he loved to sing and was a freaking GOD). I followed Dean and Seamus into the Great Hall and sat down just as the Toad Chorus was beginning. 

"Look there's Neville!" Dean said. I scanned and saw him up there holding Trevor and singing his heart out. 

"He's such a brilliant singer," I said. Dean nodded.

"You are too, Miss Weaslette. Who taught Neville there the entire ABBA Gold Album? In one train ride?!" Seamus said. I slapped his shoulder. 

"You helped Mister," I cleared my throat and laid my head on his shoulder. "LaY aLl YoUr LoVe On Me!" I said loud enough to get the point across but not loud enough to ruin the performance. He just shoved me off and slipped underneath the table and sat next to Dean. 

"I'm getting away from whatever ... that ... is!" I kicked him underneath the table and watched as they finished their song. I clapped and whistled as they left the room. The Great Hall was filled with chatter until everyone was seated once again. Neville slipped into the seat next to me and I hugged him.

"There is the rockstar named Neville Longbottom!" He just sighed and rolled his eyes. 

"I'm not that good." 

"That's the worse lie, I've ever seen. And trust me, you should see when Ron lies." I said.

"Oi! I heard that!" Ron shouted from a few seats away. 

"You were meant to!" I cheekily replied. He was about to reply when McGonagall clinked her goblet and Dumbledore stepped up to his podium. 

"Wonder how long his speech will be this year..." Seamus groaned.

"It can't be any longer than it was our first year!" Dean said. I nodded in agreement as Dumbledore began to speak.