Because You Love Me

66. There's Something Out There

 Months passed and Harry never said one word about the big black dog he saw in the back yard. He figured that his mother had enough to worry about. Besides, the dog hadn't returned that night that he knew of so maybe it was nothing. It was probably just a stray in the neighborhood that happened to walk by his window. Although Harry had come to learn that there was a reason for everything in his life, he was hoping that this time it was just a stray dog and that was it.

The days of the summer hadn't been particularly easy. Alaina wouldn't allow Harry to wander off by himself like he did several times before. He had to stay mostly in the house. When Ron and Hermione both came over for his birthday party though, she let the three of them got outside together, but they had to take their wands so they could get her in a hurry if they needed to. Ron had asked Harry to explain her strange behavior and he told him and Hermione what he had overheard, just that Sirius had escaped. He didn't tell them about him being his godfather though. What if they thought badly of him? Ron wasn't surprised that he escaped. Mr. Weasley had told him and he had read it in The Daily Prophet. Hermione had no idea until Harry told her. Of course she was worried right away about him, but Ron shrugged it off. He knew Harry would be fine. He even said so. With a great mom and her boyfriend in Harry's corner, not much was bound to happen to him, right?

He reflected on the conversation as he walked beside of Alaina and Severus, who had a trolley with all of their trunks on it. Severus was even dressed in a suit and tie as Dumbledore had been when he had come to their house a few months earlier. He looked strange in Muggle clothes, but he hadn't wanted to draw attention to himself. The more he blended in, the less danger they were in. That's what he had told Alaina just before they left.

They went through the barrier unnoticed, Harry going first. From there the luggage was loaded onto the train. Ron and Hermione came up to Harry and the three of them boarded the train together. Alaina and Severus then went to their compartment as well.

Harry could hardly wait to sit down. They tried to find an empty compartment, but they had gotten there a little late so all of them were practically taken. Just as the train started to take off, they found a compartment with only one person. It was a grown man who happened to be asleep. Ron, Hermione, and Harry slipped inside and took their seats.

"Who do you suppose that is?" Ron asked. He was eyeing the man asleep in the seat against the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione answered.

Harry and Ron both stared at her blankly.

"You know everything," Ron said in disbelief. "How is it she knows everything?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and pointed up to the suitcase above the stranger's head. "It's on his suitcase, Ronald."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at this. Hermione was very observant. They had always known that about her. That's why she was good at learning. She noticed EVERYTHING.

"What's in the carrier beside of you, Hermione?" Harry asked. He had noticed her carrying it, but he had no idea what was inside.

"Oh that's Crookshanks," she told him. "It's my new cat."

"It's a furball with teeth," Ron corrected.

She glared at him. "No, it's not. Just because that smelly old shoebrush is afraid of him doesn't mean he's evil."

"Scabbers doesn't like him."

She rolled her eyes. She didn't say anything else. She felt it useless to try. Harry sighed. It was good to hear them argue again. It was strange, but it made him feel more at home. Their bickering was a simple part of their relationship.