Loki Odinson and the Prisoner Of Azkaban

Chapter 3; The Black Cloak

(Told from Loki's Point of view)

After 2 and a half months of waiting, it was finally time to go back to Hogwarts.

Honestly, the thing I was most looking forward to was using my wand freely again. It would be so cool to finally get to try out this charm that I've been reading about for a while. It's called the Patronus Charm and it's used to repel Dementors— beings that suck the happiness and hope out of people. The charm used to repel them takes a very happy memory— the thing is that I don't have a particularly happy memory. Sure, I always try to be happy all the time, but this charm asks for the happiest memory you've ever experienced.

I don't know if I'll be able to master it, but I'll try my best. There's no way after studying it for so long that I'm going to give up.

I head off to Diagon Alley alone this time, with my trunk and my broom. I plan on telling absolutely no one about my heist, because that's another rule that theives must follow— never tell.

I already have my Hogwarts uniform on to save myself the hassle of changing on the train. Apparently I've arrived a little early, because most of the compartments on the train are empty. For some reason I choose one of the compartments that already had someone in it, and I didn't know why. I think the man was a new teacher, because his suitcase above him said "Professor R. J. Lupin." I supposed he was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and I prayed he would be better than the ones that we had so far.

I stowed my trunk on the rack above and sat down next to the new teacher. He was sleeping, out cold.

I sat there for maybe 10 minutes, occasionally popping my head into the hall to check for Hermione or Harry, and finally I see them heading down the hallway.

"Hey guys, saved us a compartment." I call, letting them in.

"Who's he?" Ron asks, Looking at Lupin.

"New Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." I explain. "Hope he's up to it."

"Yeah, looks like one good hex could finish him off." Ron comments, sitting down.

They started talking about Sirius Black, but I wasn't really listening. I took out one of the books I bought on advanced Charms out of my trunk and turned to page 247, the Patronus Charm.

"Do you know anything about Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked. It took me a moment to realize she was talking to me.

"Oh— what? No. Not really." I say quickly. "I've got my permission slip, what about you guys?"

"Yeah." Both Ron and Hermione say together. Harry looks down, looking disappointed.

"I couldn't get my aunt or uncle to sign it." He sighs.

"Oh." I say. Apparently Ron or Hermione didn't know this either, and they started saying encouraging things to him. Ron even said that Black wouldn't dare attack Harry if they were with him.

"Oh come on, he's already murdered loads in a street of crowded people—" Hermione started.

"Eh, I don't think he could take me." I shrug.

"Quit being so overconfident, you're not immortal." Hermione tells me.

Suddenly, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face jumped out of the basket on her lap.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron yelled, pulling Scabbers closer to his chest.

"He's a cutie." I say, mostly to annoy Ron. The cat jumps into my lap and and settles down.

"You have a way with animals, anyone ever tell you that?" Hermione said.

"Yes. My brother's told me, my mother's told me, and a few cats, dogs, birds, and squirrels have told me." I recite.