𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 // 𝕙. 𝕡𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣

chapter 2: buckbeak

your pov

i walk into the great hall, taking a seat at the gryffindor table with harry, ron and hermione. flitwick's chorus walks to the front of the room, singing a new song they had been working on, but i'm not really paying attention. i can't believe i'm already in my third year at hogwarts, it feels like just yesterday i met harry, ron and hermione and got sorted into gryffindor... my thoughts are interrupted by clapping throughout the hall, and i look up as dumbledore takes his spot in the front.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, I'd like to say a few words... before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin... who's kindly consented to fill the post... of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, Professor." dumbledore says, and lupin stands, everyone claps.

"Of course. That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry." hermione says. then we hear a whisper from behind us.

"Potter. Is it true you fainted? I mean, you actually fainted?" malfoy says, snickering.

"Shove off, Malfoy." ron says.

"malfoy. is true your an arse? i mean, you're actually an arse?" i retort. malfoy looks me up and down before turning back to his friends. ron smiles at me. i glance back up at malfoy. he looks really different.. his face is slimmer, and his hair isn't slicked back anymore, he has bangs that fall just above his eyes.

"How did he find out?" harry asks us, distracting me.

"Just forget it." hermione replies as dumbledore continues to talk.

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher... has decided to retire... in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce... that his place will be taken by none other... than our own Rubeus Hagrid. Finally, on a more disquieting note... at the request of the Ministry of Magic... Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban... until such a time as Sirius Black is captured. The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured... that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities... a word of caution. Dementors are vicious creatures. They'll not distinguish... between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you... to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know, happiness can be found... even in the darkest of times... if one only remembers to turn on the light." dumbledore says, and the feast commences.

afterwards, i'm heading back up to the common room with the rest of gryffindor house. seamus runs up to the door, where the fat lady is.. singing?

"Fortuna Major." he says.

"Here, listen." the fat lady says, 'singing' again.

"She just won't let me in. Fortuna Major." seamus says to us.

"No, no, no. Wait, wait. Watch this." she lets out a shriek, trying to break the grass with her voice. i cover my ears, and so do quite a few others. the fat lady realizes the glass isn't going to break, so she smashes it against the wall behind her.

"Oh, amazing! Just with my voice." she says.

"Fortuna Major." harry says. the fat lady gives him a disappointed look.

"Yes, all right. Go in." she says, swinging the door open.

~time skip~

the next day, i'm sitting in divination with harry and ron. neither of them wanted to take this class, but when i told them how excited i was for it, they finally agreed to take it with me.