A Different Beginning

Chapter X - New Friends and Dementors

Harry stepped into one of the train compartments with Remus the next day. Together, they loaded up Hedwig's cage and both of their trunks up onto the top racks before Remus took a seat on the bench near the window. Harry knew that he was tired. Last night had been the full moon, and he had run wild all night with James. Harry knew that also meant that Remus could sleep away the day and most likely would. He slept like the dead which amused Harry to no end. The man could tune out anything. He grinned when Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stepped into the compartment.

"Hey guys!"

Hermione smiled but gave them a puzzled look at the sight of Remus. "Hello, Harry, Mr. Lupin."

"Make that Professor Lupin," Harry replied with a grin. "Uncle Moony has accepted the new DADA post."

Ginny grinned. "Congratulations, Professor."

Remus grinned back. "Thanks, I am pretty happy about it. Well, don't mind me; I think I'm going to take a little nap." Then just like that, he closed his eyes and was out in seconds."

Hermione looked disgusted. "That's terrible! How can anyone just drop off to sleep like that?"

Harry pointed at Ron causing Ginny to laugh. "Ron can drop off to sleep like that."

Ginny nodded. "And he sleeps like the dead."

Hermione shrugged. "Oh."

Harry grinned. "So, I meant to ask you guys yesterday but I forgot. How was Egypt?"

Ron grinned. "Brilliant, mate! You should see some of the curses and things that they've got there. They have certain pyramids for muggles to see and then certain pyramids that are hidden and strictly for the wizarding world. The ones that are hidden have things inside of them that would be too far-fetched for muggles to believe in. Like this one guy, he was completely mutated. He had two heads and one of them was cracked down the middle, his left arm sprouted eight fingers and he had three testicles, a crazy eye, and was still bleeding! This guy has been dead for over a thousand years, yet he's still bleeding! It was wicked! Bill said that it was an old curse one that never dried out the blood or something so you constantly experience the pain of bleeding out and of your injuries. I mean, this guy is dead, but the injuries are still working. It was creepy, but really neat at the same time." Ron explained. "Fred and George tried to lock Percy in a tomb but Mum found out. The git! He's Head Boy you know? Blamed me because he almost lost his badge. Fred and George stole it. They fixed it up so it says Big Head Boy, though I don't think he's noticed yet."

Harry laughed. "Those two like to pick on him, eh?"

Ginny shrugged. "They like to pick on everybody, Percy is just the easiest to annoy."

Harry nodded. "So what did you think of Egypt, Ginny?"

Ginny smiled warmly at Harry. She still wasn't sure if she had dreamed the entire conversation in the Leaky Cauldron or not. He had not only befriended her, but also wanted her to know that if she ever needed someone to talk to that he was there for her. She wasn't sure if she was embarrassed by this or what. She didn't have a crush on Harry anymore. She had realized how dumb she had been acting around him, and how immature towards the end of the school year. But then everything had happened with Tom. She had been mortally embarrassed to have Harry save her life down in the Chamber. But he was acting like he didn't blame her, the way she thought he would. She had almost gotten him killed but Harry seemed hell-bent on making sure that she understood that it wasn't her fault and that he didn't blame her in the least. She respected him more for going out of his way to be nice to her, even after she had screwed up so royally the year before.

She remembered lying in the hospital wing at Hogwarts with Bill sitting next to her, holding a pretty emerald green velvet covered diary in his hands. Bill had insisted that she take it. He had told her that it would be good to write things down. Not only would it be good for her emotionally but it would also help her get over her fear of the diary that she had become possessed by. Bill had asked her that day if she still had a crush on Harry. She remembered shaking her head and then bursting into tears, holding her brother tightly as he cradled her in his lap. She had told him how stupid she had been and all about her crush on Harry. Then she had told him how mortifying it had been to have him rescue her afterwards. She had only wanted him to be her friend, which was why she had actually worked up enough guts to tell both Ron and Harry what had happened but then Percy had shown up and she had lost her nerve. Now she felt like she owed Harry a life debt, which she did, but she knew that he would never accept it. He simply looked at it as a choice that he made and that was it.