𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 (𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖿𝗈𝗒 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋)

chapter seven

Ready for our third year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Star, and I  walked along the train trying to find an empty compartment. Finally, we found one, empty except for a sleeping man.

I sat down, trying my best to stay quiet. I didn't want to wake him.

Once the train had started up, the doors slammed open.

"Well, look who it is. Potty and Weasel. Oh, and the fakes!" Malfoy hissed, turning his attention from me and Star to Ron again. "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley. Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so fast he knocked over the cage for Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. The sleeping man gave a snort.

"Who's that?" Malfoy asked, automatically taking a step backwards.

"New teacher," Hermione said. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's blue-grey eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered to Crabbe and Goyle, and they left.

After a while of quiet whispering between my friends and I, the train slowed, and the lights started flickering.

Looking around, I watched the train go completely black. The windows began to frost and there was a chill in the air. I couldn't see anything, and in the darkness, I began to relive some of my worst memories. My breathing slowed, and when I opened my eyes again, I only saw a black, hooded creature. Then, everything went black again.

~~~

I woke up eventually, head resting on Star's shoulder.

"Good, you're awake," said someone. I picked up my head and faced the voice, surprised to the man from earlier holding out a chocolate bar. "Dementors infiltrated the train earlier, and you passed out. Their power must have had a stronger effect on you than others," he said, shoving the chocolate closer to me. "Eat some, it'll help."

I grabbed a piece of the candy and bit into it, immediately feeling a small amount of replenishment.

"Dementors drain your energy and happiness. They are usually protecting Azkaban, the Wizarding prison, but sometimes they go out on their own. I'm surprised that this was the place they attacked, but there's not much we can do now."

"Thank you," I said. "I'm Y/n Potter, you?"

"Remus Lupin." He held out his hand for me to shake. "I'll be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."

"It's nice to meet you. Thank you for helping me."

He nodded in response. The train stopped, and we all got off.

I walked next to Star towards the carriages, pulled by invisible horses. We hopped in an empty one, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione got into a seperate one. I sighed as a blond head entered the carriage and sat across from me and Star, followed by his goons.

"Is it true? You fainted on the train?" Malfoy asked with a sneer. His voice was cold, but I could sense a bit of genuine concern in there.

"Malfoy, I don't feel like taking any of your crap right now," I said, giving him a glare.

"Oh, whatever. You're just mad because you're not as strong as you pretend to be," he said.

"You must know how that feels," Star added with a laugh.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. The rest of the ride was silent.

~~~

I walked with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to Care of Magical Creatures class at Hagrid's hut. I looked around and saw Malfoy talking aimlessly to Crabbe and Goyle.

I was excited about this lesson. Hagrid led us behind his hut and we saw a large creature, with the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle, with a cruel steel-coloured beak and large, brilliantly orange eyes.

Hagrid began explaining that this creature was a hippogriff. I didn't really pay attention until I heard my name being called.

"Ah, how about Y/n an' Harry?" Hagrid called out.

I looked up. "Huh?"

Harry pulled me over there slowly.

"Okay, this is Buckbeak. Ya guys have to bow, and if he bows back, yer good," Hagrid said.

I nodded and walked up to Buckbeak slowly. I bowed and so did Harry. We waited for Buckbeak to bow back, and he finally did.

"Great job, kids! I bet he would let ya ride 'im!" Hagrid clapped, then he picked us up and placed us on Buckbeak's back.

"Hagrid, wait--"

The hippogriff squared his legs and jumped up into the air, taking off quickly. Suddenly, we were flying. We soared over the Black Lake before returning to the forest.

We landed and everyone clapped. I hopped off of Buckbeak, giving him a little rub on his neck, and went back into the crowd.

"I bet you aren't dangerous at all, are you?" Malfoy said, walking up to Buckbeak quickly.

"Malfoy, stop!" Hagrid yelled, moving closer to the situation.

Buckbeak roared and stood up on his hind legs. As he came down, he slashed Malfoy's arm, sending him to the ground to hold his arm and whine.

Hagrid tied Buckbeak up again and picked up Draco.

"To the infirmary we go, Malfoy," Hagrid said. "Y/n, do you mind coming with me?"

I ran up to him. "Sure, sir."

We walked to the Hospital Wing quickly. Hagrid was pale as a ghost, terrified for his job, most likely. Once we got to the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey rushed over to us and began to tend to Malfoy's hurt arm.

I stayed with him, even though I really didn't want to. Hagrid had asked me to, and he was Star's brother.

Soon, Malfoy fell asleep. Bored out of my mind, my eyes continuously moved around, frequently passing over Malfoy. He looked peaceful and unthreatening while he slept. It was a strange look for him, but I didn't hate it. His lips were turned down in a frown, showing his sadness without any shields.

This look on him, albeit new, made me feel something different for Malfoy. Maybe it was pity? He looked extremely sad, a look I had seen on myself multiple times from my days at the Dursleys'. What was causing him such pain?

I was drawn out of my thoughts as a girl ran in, bawling her eyes out at the sight of an injured Draco. I rolled my eyes at Pansy.

Madam Pomfrey walked over to Draco in his cot. "Miss Parkinson, Miss Potter, could you please exit the Hospital Wing if you are not injured? Mister Malfoy needs rest."

"Yes, Ma'am." I stood up from my chair and walked out of the room, Pansy close behind me.

"Stay away from my man, you freak!" she cried.

"Don't worry, you can have him," I said, even though, deep down, I felt something telling me to say otherwise.