- CHAPTER ONE -

The Dementor

Emmie woke up and looked over to the alarm clock that sat on her bedside table, it was five o'clock. She groaned, remembering what was happening today, she was going into her fifth year at Hogwarts.

At the end of last year, her best friend Juniper started dating a sixth year Slitherin boy and she started skipping class and doing potions in the bathroom and her and Emmie stopped talking.

Emmie pulled on some denim mom jeans and a mustard yellow tshirt and put her chestnut brown hair into two plaits because she didn't want to walk into the station in her robes - she'd change on the train. Two hours later, Emmie's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into her father's car, her mother and sister Mel got in the car and they set off.They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Her father placed her trunk and Tawny Owl, Orion on to a trolley and wheeled it into the station for her. They stopped at the wall which had two big plastic numbers on it, nine and ten, "here you go darling," her father spoke as she took the trolley. She looked at her sister who looked sad, "don't worry, you'll be here next year.""We'll see you at Christmas and remember to write to us," her mother spoke before hugging her, "Okay, I love you."Emmie turned back to the wall, she took a deep breath and started to walk towards it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. Emmie walked more quickly - leaning forward on her trolley she broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - she closed her eyes - even after doing this plenty of times she was terrified... She opened her eyes.A familiar scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the windows to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Emmie pushed her trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat. She pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Orion inside first and then started to shove and heave her trunk towards the train door. She stumbled backwards and tripped on the step, painfully hitting the floor.She started to stand up but something stopped her, two boys laughing, she looked around and spotted who it was. Two red-haired twins she recognised to be Fred and George Weasley, they were in her year and had been in a few of her classes but she couldn't tell them apart.She rolled her eyes but gave a small smirk because she agreed, it was funny."I saw that," one of the boys spoke pointing at her, Emmie smiled and shook her head, "want a hand?""Yes please," she panted."Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"With the twins' help, Emmie's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. "Thanks," she said,"What's your name?" One of the twins asked her,"Emmie Nightingale,""Well nice to meet you Emmie Nightingale," the other twin spoke, "I'm George and this is Fred."The train began to move and the door of the compartment slid open, a boy entered, "Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down the middle of the train!"The twins high fived in excitement before walking towards the door, "you wanna come see?" One of them turned to Emmie, "no it's alright," she replied and they were gone.

Emmie felt herself dozing off but kept herself awake, it was almost one o'clock and she didn't want to miss the food trolley. She was starving.She kept waiting but the trolley was no where to be seen and the train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.Emmie got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.The train came to a stop with a jolt and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.Emmie felt her way back to her seat and peered out the window, she could see dark shadows moving around outside but couldn't make out what it was.Emmie's mother was worried about sending her back to Hogwarts this year because of the recent news that Sirius Black had escaped from prison but, until now, Emmie didn't think there was anything to worry about. Why would a criminal want to come to a school anyway, well... Apart from Harry Potter, the boy that Voldemort failed to kill after Sirius Black sold his family out to him of course.

The train had gone cold now, well it wasn't exactly warm before but now it was freezing. Frost covered the windows and Emmie could see her breath, she closed her eyes, she was really panicking now, but what was she going to do? Leave the compartment where something even more dangerous could potentially be?

Emmie opened her eyes. There were lanterns above her and the floor was shaking - the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. She slowly opened the compartment door and looked out of it, a man was walking past. "Excuse me," she spoke and he turned to look at her. She didn't recognise him to be a professor, he was wearing an extremely shabby set of robes which had been darned in several places, he looked ill and exhausted and, though he seemed quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey. He smiled, "hello.""Do you know what just happened?" She asked, "a Dementor came on the train," he studied her confused face, "from Azkaban. It was looking for Sirius Black." He replied calmly,"Did they find Sirius Black?" Emmie asked, "no, he's not on the train don't worry.""Okay, thank you," she replied, the man turned to walk away but stopped,"Oh, and I suggest you put your robes on, we'll be at Hogwarts in around ten minutes."

At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station and Emmie got out along with the rest of the students. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets. She followed the rest of the school (apart from the first years) out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the students, each pulled, Emmie could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside one and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.The carriage trundled towards a pair of magnificent wrought-iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt.

Emmie joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, and into the cavernous Entrance Hall which was lit with flaming torches and housed a magnificent marble staircase which led to the upper floors.She followed everyone into the great hall and made her way to the Hufflepuff table, as she was looking for a place to sit she noticed Juniper sat with a group of girls so decided to sit on the opposite end.The first years were soon sorted into their houses and Professor Dumbledore stepped up to address the school."Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it's best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Minestry of Magic business." He paused, "they are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects and our new Head Boy and Girl to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors."Emmie yawned, despite the severity of Dumbledore's speech she was bored and couldn't wait for food to appear as, because of the Dementors rude visit on the train, she wasn't able to get some liquorice wands or chocolate frogs from the food trolley. "On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher."There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic, applause as the man Emmie had met on the train stood up. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes."As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, "well I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."The hall errupted with applause which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular."Well I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore, "Let the feast begin!"

Emmie looked down at the table and food appeared on the platters in front of her. Soon her plate was piled with roast beef, sausages, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and peas.As Emmie tucked in she noticed a pea roll next to her across the table, she looked at it for a second before continuing to eat her food. Suddenly something hit her on the back of the head, she looked at the floor to see another pea. She looked around the hall before noticing the Weasley twins laughing, one of them beckoned her over.Emmie walked to the Gryffindor table, "what?" She asked annoyed, "you never told us you were a Hufflepuff," One of the twins spoke, "yeah so," she shrugged, "disgusting," the other twin said, "Oi!"She looked at the table as the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared. "So is that all you wanted?" She looked at the boys as one of them placed a chocolate éclair on his plate, "yup," the other spoke with a full mouth. Emmie turned to walk away but quickly turned back, she snatched the chocolate éclair from the boys plate and smiled before leaving.

It's been a while... obviously this story is based heavily on Harry Potter and it starts at the Prisoner Of Azkaban. I don't own that storyline or anything I took from the books or movies but I do own the characters Emmie, Juniper, Mel and the family of these characters. - Princexiero xx