Chapter 11

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For the remaining days before the start of the new school term, Jenna tried to sneak out of Hermione's room in Leaky Cauldron to get to Pettigrew every single night.

     Although each time, Hermione caught her and locked the doors. Jenna couldn't turn into human form, knowing that it would be risky and she could be caught.

     Jenna often had the urge to use her wand on the girl and Confund her in order to get out of the room, but something held her back each time.

     Hermione reminded her of Lily.

     Hermione sometimes acted so much like a certain smart Muggleborn friend of hers, mainly because Lily too used to study in the summer vacation and was this anxious for school, she was kind to her friends but firm when she knew better.

      But as the first of September arrived, Jenna became more hopeful of her task, knowing that she could freely go after Pettigrew once she was at Hogwarts.

      That day before leaving to King's Cross station, Hermione put Jenna in a traveling basket. Growing irritated, Jenna started spitting loudly. She hated being stuck somewhere like this.

     "It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

     "You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

     He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

      Jenna felt her blood boiling at that. She wanted that rat dead. That was all that she could think about. Although, she wondered whether Peter had recognized her or not.

      When they reached King's Cross station, Jenna felt her heart beating vulnerably against her chest as she remembered all the times she had come here with James and her parents, meeting and greeting her friends after a long vacation.

    A part of her dreaded going back to Hogwarts, knowing that the castle was haunted by the memories of her past.

     But what she feared the most at the moment was the Dementors. She knew they were out there right now, searching for Sirius. And the thought of them capturing him again made her shudder. She couldn't be separated from him anymore, and the thought scared her more than anything in the world.

Hermione put Crookshanks' basket on the top of her trolley and pushed it through the barrier, moments later finding herself in the ever so familiar platform 9 3/4.

Jenna could hear the owls flying around and watched the happy children wave at their families and get on the train from the holes in her basket.

But Jenna's attention was suddenly caught when she saw Mr. Weasley take Harry to a side, wanting to have a word with him as the rest of them were busy saying goodbye to Mrs. Weasley.

Jenna stayed very still, trying to listen carefully as to see what he was trying to tel her nephew.

Mr. Weasley then turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice. "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"

"— that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily.

"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than ever. "Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black."

By those words, Jenna's heart sank painfully.

Harry stared at him for long seconds. "What?"

There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.

"Promise me, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly, "that whatever happens —"

"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry blankly.

Kill him? Jenna thought to herself, her heart aching.

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear —"

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move. Hermione took a hold of Crookshanks's basket and started running toward the train along with Ron and Harry.

They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron, turning to his sister.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily — whom Jenna had gathered was the Weasleys' only daughter — and so she stalked off.

Jenna thought back at her first time on the Hogwarts Express; how she had walked into Lily's compartment and asked if she and her brother could join her. Sirius came along as well, having a spat with old Snivellus.

That thought made her think back at Snape, wondering what he was up to those days.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window, covering his face up with his cloak.

He was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron asked quietly as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.

Jenna put her head down, hoping to get some sleep before arriving at Hogwarts. But her eyes widened and her head snapped up when Hermione answered,

"Professor R. J. Lupin."

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