Jupiter | Harry James Potter

vi ; the snake

A/N
sorry for the lack of chapters, i have the flu, then pneumonia and an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis then covid so i haven't had that much energy lately.

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     The rain thickened as the train sped, yet farther north; the windows were now with solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns, flickered to life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there." Ron said as he leaned forward to look past Professor Lupin and out of the pitch black window. The words had hardly left him when the train started to gradually slow down.

"That can't be right." I muttered, checking my watch. I too, tried to look out of the window and see if we actually had arrived in Hogsmeade, but there was nothing to be seen throughout the darkness.

"Why are we stopping? We can't be there yet." Hermione said. Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look out into the corridor. The train came to a sudden jolt, sending him flying back into his seat.

I pretended not to be embarrassed when he landed on me.

"Sorry." He muttered, pushing him self upright again. Then, without total warning, all the lamps went out and we were plunged into total darkness. I silently thanked the gods.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, his voice shaky and high-pitched.

"Ouch!" Hermione gasped. "Ron, that was my foot."

"Do you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno."

There was a squeaking noise, and we all looked over to see the silhouette of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the now icy window. "There's something moving out there." He said eerily. "I think people are coming aboard."

"Quiet!" A hoarse voice hissed suddenly. Professor Lupin had woken up. There was soft, crackling noise, and shivering light filled compartment. Professor Lupin appear to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and weary. "Stay where you are." He in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with a handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before he could reach it.

In the doorway, bathed in the flickering light of Lupin's trembling flames, stood a towering figure draped in a cloak, its face concealed beneath the hood. As my gaze descended, my stomach churned at the sight of a hand emerging from the cloak, its appearance eerie and unsettling – glistening, grayish, slimy, and scabbed, reminiscent of decayed flesh submerged in water.

But in a fleeting moment, as if the entity detected my stare, the hand swiftly retreated into the depths of its black garment. Then, whatever lurked beneath the hood emitted a long, drawn-out, rattling breath, as if craving something beyond mere air from its environment. A chilling cold enveloped me, penetrating beyond my skin, seeping into my chest, intertwining with my very heartbeat. I felt my eyes roll back into my head, then suddenly there was nothing.

I stood in front of the foolish boy that thought he could tease me. He had to of been a few years older than me, but if he thought that gave him an advantage, he had never been more wrong.