Harry ducked his head as he entered Platform 9 3/4, hoping to get on the train without a fuss. He had deliberately avoided responding to Ron's letter about meeting up before the long ride to Hogwarts, and was less than keen on meeting him now. He touched his face absently, feeling the poorly applied, powdery makeup rub off a bit on his fingers, and dragged his bags onto the train. He kept his head down as he looked for an empty compartment, glancing through his fringe into each one as he passed, until he finally reached the back of the train. He did a bit of a double take; there was an adult there, sound asleep. New teacher, perhaps? Harry glanced around nervously before sliding the door open and entering. While having a teacher around for this probably wasn't the best idea, it was the closest he'd found to an empty compartment, and he really didn't have the energy to go back through the train for a second look.

Hurriedly wiping the poorly-applied makeup away with a tissue stuffed in his pants pocket, Harry sat down and grabbed his wand. To his horror, he could already hear Fred and George outside the train; the Weasleys had arrived, which meant he was running out of time. He glanced out the window, turning away abruptly when he caught a glimpse of the dark bruises covering his face, and cast a quick Concealment Charm to hide it; now that he was technically on the train, he thought- hoped- that the magic would go unnoticed, at least by the Ministry. Ron Weasley burst through the door just as he put his wand away, and Harry tensed, fully aware of how flimsy the glamour was.

"Harry, you prat, why haven't you been answering my letters?" Ron looked irritated, but not seriously angry. His eyes flickered to the sleeping man leaning up against the windows, and he wisely lowered his voice as he continued berating his friend. "Dad was going to pick you up from your aunt and uncle's place and we could've gotten here together."

Harry laughed, scratching his head a bit sheepishly and struggling not to wince as his fingers brushed a bruise. "Sorry, Ron. I did write a letter, but couldn't send it; you know how the Dursleys are about owl post. Figured it was too late."

"Blimey, Harry, don't scare me like that. Fred and George were thinking you'd been locked in again."

Harry was saved from having to respond by Hermione's arrival, and the three of them quickly moved on to other discussion topics, much to his relief; Quidditch, their new classes, Ron's trip to Egypt, and the identity of the man in the compartment with them were much safer topics. If only Ron knew how close Fred and George were to the truth.

Severus scowled and stalked down the corridor, giving off a distinctly unpleasant aura as he examined his notes for the upcoming year. Book an appointment for Miss Boot with Madam Pomfrey this week. Talk to Mr. Addams to see if-

His thoughts were cut off rather abruptly as he turned a corner, nearly smacking into Minerva McGonagall. His scowl deepened. "Good evening, Minerva." The words were civil, but his tone was as sarcastic as ever. He only had one short hour before the students would arrive, and he had much to do before his Snakes repopulated the dungeons. Don't bother me, Minerva, he wanted to growl. My students will need me. He was extremely protective of his Slytherins, especially the large number who came back from the holidays battered and broken from the "care" they received at home. McGonagall had no right to be giving him that stern glare! She'd probably never had to deal with an abused child in her House.

"Now, Severus-"

Snape shot her his patented "must-you-really-be-such-an-absolute-dunderhead" glare as he continued on, otherwise ignoring her. Inform the new Prefects about which students will be spending time in the Hospital Wing... He returned to his notes, unable to even summon a smirk at McGonagall's affronted expression. His bruised, frightened Snakes were much more important than the Lioness. By the time the Hogwarts Express arrived, everything needed to be ready.

Ron was ripping open Chocolate Frogs and exclaiming quietly at the new cards to add to his collection, Hermione had her nose stuck in her Divination book, Harry was staring out the window at the passing scenery, and all, with the possible exception of Ron when he got a particularly rare card, were trying not to make too much noise and wake up Professor Lupin, whose name they had found on the side of his trunk. The ride had been going rather smoothly; even Malfoy hadn't been willing to hex them with a teacher in the compartment. Finally, Hermione looked up from the book.

"We should get our robes on, it can't be much longer."

When they were properly attired, they all looked at each other in one of the most awkward silences they'd ever sat through. Ron kept trying to start a whispered conversation, but Hermione kept looking at Harry oddly, sending the boy into a cold, nervous sweat. Please don't notice, Hermione, he found himself praying desperately. Suddenly, the train shuddered to a stop, and the lights flickered out.

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone tripped over Harry's legs.

"Sorry-d'you know what's going on?-Ouch-sorry."

"Hullo, Neville." Harry grabbed him by his cloak and dragged him to his feet.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea, sit down." He grabbed his friend once more, stopping him from sitting on a disgruntled Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on, " Hermione said nervously, brushing past the others toward the door. When she opened it and stepped out, there came a thud and two sharp cries.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron."

"Come in and sit down-"

"Not here!" Harry added, not wanting to share what was almost Crookshanks's fate. "I'm here!

"Ouch!" said Neville. He hadn't been as fast with his warning, and Ginny had sat on him.

"Quiet!" Everyone fell silent at the new, slightly hoarse male voice; Professor Lupin had finally woken up. He lit up the compartment with what appeared to be a handful of fire. "Stay where you are," he warned. The man stood and headed for the door, but before he got there, the door opened again, and Harry caught a brief glimpse of a terrifying, seemingly hooded figure, before his heart turned to ice and his vision swam before him, transforming into something else.

"Step aside, you foolish girl."

"Not Harry! Please, not Harry!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

There was a burst of green light, and the scene changed to one of darkness. A faint sliver of light entered through a grate on the door, and Harry realized that he was back in his cupboard. Footsteps thundered down the hall, and Harry flinched in time with each loud thump, dread flowing through his veins.

"No," he whimpered desperately, hugging his chest.

The door flew open.

"You'll pay for that, boy," a terrifyingly familiar voice snarled.

"Harry? Harry!"

Harry's eyelids fluttered, but did not open. A soft moan emitted from his throat, and he cowered away.

"Harry, are you alright? Wake up!"

Someone slapped him, and finally, his eyes flew open, and he recognized the forms of his friends leaning over him. He felt the floor shaking, and realized, a bit dazed, that the train was moving again.

"What...happened?" Pain shot through his body again as he looked around weakly. Ginny was shaking, looking almost as bad as he felt, and Neville's face had turned a delicate shade of green, but Ron and Hermione looked merely worried.

"Dementors." The new Professor spoke, taking something out of an inner pocket of his robes. Harry heard a soft crinkling sound and some soft snaps, and soon he was passing around broken pieces of the chocolate bar to the students. "They suck all the happiness out of you, and normally, they guard the Wizarding prison, Azkaban. If you'll excuse me..." He edged past them and headed for the door. "Don't forget the chocolate, it'll help." With that, he vanished through the door.

"Dementors," Neville breathed simultaneously, in a mixture of awe and fear.

"What in blazes are they doing here, though?" Harry stared at them. "What happened?"

"Well... the dementor stood there and looked around- I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face-and you-you- I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, watching his friend nervously out of the corner of his eye. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching..."

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."

"It was horrible," Neville added with a shudder. "So cold..."

"Wait," Harry said, more confused than ever. "Sirius Black? He was on the Muggle news!"

"Yes, Harry," Hermione replied, looking a bit impatient. "He's a Dark wizard who escaped from Azkaban over the summer. The Ministry's putting out warnings to the muggles, too, they're desperate to find him and he's a danger to anyone he comes across." She sounded like she thought Harry was a bit of an idiot for not knowing, but he ignored her tone and tried to wrap his head around the information.

"But what does that have to do with-" His question was cut off by the opening of the compartment door as Professor Lupin returned. He took one look at Harry, who was still seated on the floor, and let out a soft chuckle.

"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

Harry blushed and took a bite. He was surprised to feel a comforting warmth spread through his body; he hadn't even realized he still felt cold, but now he wondered how he could have ignored it.

"Good. We'll be at the castle in about fifteen minutes. Are you alright there, Harry?"

Harry flushed to the tips of his ears, going nearly as red as Ron's hair. "I'm fine," he mumbled awkwardly. Great start to the year, Harry. At least the excitement had kept anyone from noticing his glamours; maybe once they got to the castle, he'd be able to steal away and apply them more carefully. He just hoped he could do it before he gave something away.