Everything belongs to its rightful owners. A quick update and it is very long to make up for how long the last one took. Enjoy.

The sun woke Heather up that morning, just like it used to during those early years of her childhood, always on the move. It's beams gently warmed Heather's red fur against the cold September chill. She heard Tsume growl at the offending rays of light and bury his face in her neck fur. Heather snickered and nudged him with one of her hind legs.

"Come on, Tsume. Time to get up." Tsume buried his face deeper into Heather's fur.

"Do you really need to go back to the magic school of danger and stupidity? There's plenty of danger in the forest from bears and hunters and if you want more stupidity, just hang out with Hige some more."

Heather giggled before getting to her paws. "Well I need to protect the fragile human pups from the mean old wizard trying to kill me. At least this one is upfront about his intentions." Heather stretched as Tsume chuckled.

"Definitely saves you time trying to figure out who will be aiming for your throat this year." The large wolf padded over to Memphis and Blaze and nudged them awake.

While Tsume woke the others, Heather shifted back into human form and climbed back down the wall and into one of the windows. Slipping in, she saw that she accidentally entered Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room. Thankfully, they were both awake and out so Heather didn't have to deal with any embarrassing or awkward conversations. There was someone inside to room though, it was Ginny.

The youngest Weasley jumped when the window opened and the Girl-Who-Lived crawled in. She blushed red, making her freckles stand out more. Heather smiled. While her crush on Heather was cute, the older Gryffindor simply didn't know enough about Ginny to really return her feelings. But, she had no reason to dislike the girl either.

"Hey Ginny, what are you doing up here?" Heather asked, straightening her clothes.

"Mum left her shoes up here." Ginny said, managing to not stutter.

"Those ones?" Heather asked, pointing to the pair sitting a corner.

"Yeah, I was looking for those." Ginny said, her tone suggesting that she had been searching for a while.

Heather looked at the shoes curiously. There wasn't anything special about them but there was something that captured her attention. They had small, three inch heels. Heather had seen heeled shoes before but she never understood the point of them. Deciding to satiate her own curiosity, Heather took off her own boots and put her feet into the heels. They were a few sizes too big but she had expected that. Just then, Hermione walked in.

"Ginny? Did you find- Heather what are you doing?" Hermione asked, raising a brow at the sight of Heather standing in Mrs. Weasley's shoes.

"I wanted to try these. I've seen human females where them, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about." Heather took a step forward,

And promptly face planted.

There were a few moments of silence as Heather picked her face up. She had absolutely no balance. The graceful hunter and dancer could not take a single step in heeled shoes.

"These things are bloody death traps!" Heather said, kicking her feet a little, the heals waving in the air.

Ginny giggled but Hermione was full on laughing. Heather leveled her with an unamused glare.

"Enjoying my failure, are you?" Hermione whipped a tear away.

"I'm sorry, but yes." Hermione crossed her arms. "Heather, you can sing, dance and fight. You live in the forest and sing to other animals. Not to mention you're smart, athletic, pretty and popular. It's comforting and good for my own ego to know you aren't perfect. You're like a real life Disney Princess!"

Before Heather could respond Mrs. Weasley's voice drifted up from downstairs.

"Girls?"

"Yes?" The young witches answered back in unison.

"Are you using my high heels?"

"...nooooooo..."

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was gathering the food. Reika had slept inside that night but quickly slithered up onto Heather's shoulders when she came back down. The other pack members had gotten downstairs and were sharing a large bowl of uncooked meat.

"I wanted to tell you something." Heather said to Hermione as they sat down.

"What?"

"Later," Heather muttered as Percy stormed in.

Heather had no chance to speak to Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Cheza and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"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. Heather rolled her eyes. If Scabbers already hadn't been eaten by any of the other cats in the castle (or Reika for that matter) then she doubted the rat was in any true danger.

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here," he said. "Heather, come on."

Mr. Weasley marched Heather across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old- fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, Heather," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.

Heather got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Tsume, Blaze and Memphis.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful, though Tsume was especially grumpy about being in a car. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Heather noticed that they could slide through gaps that a normal car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Heather's elbow all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Heather." Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Heather's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Heather, he leaned casually against the barrier. Heather imitated him.

In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three- quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Heather. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Heather's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. The other wolves came in through the platform and Tsume shoved him out of the way.

Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Heather and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Cheza and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Heather. She was confused, but really quite accepting, when she gave her an extra hug.

"Do take care, won't you Heather?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron...no, they're not corned beef... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear..."

"Heather," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."

He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Heather followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.

"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave -" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Heather, "I already know."

"You know? How could you know?"

"I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Heather added quickly, growing her wolf ears to make a point. "Sorry-"

"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley looking anxious..

"No - honestly it's OK. I'm used to this."

"Heather, you must be scared - "

"I'm not," said Heather sincerely. "Really," she added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, this stuff happens to me all the time."

Mr. Weasley winced at the truth of her statement, but overlooked it.

"Heather, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than the Minister seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but-"

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

"She's coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Heather 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 girl and stay in the castle?" said Heather testily.

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

Heather stared, "What!"

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

"Promise me, Heather," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens -"

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

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear -"

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Heather ran to the compartment door on all fours and Memphis threw it open and stood back to let her on. 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," Heather muttered to her pack and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

They nodded and Hermione waved at Ginny as they 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. Heather and Hermione checked on the threshold.

The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. That was when a scent flowed into the noses of the Falling Star Pack wolves.

The scent of a wolf.

Heather was not taking any chances with a train full of children, least of all with Hermione next to her. With a vicious snarl, Heather grabbed the man by the neck. With a choked gasp, his eyes flew open. They were light green, and Heather watched the pupils shrink in fear.

"Heather! What are you doing?!" Hermione yelled and went to pull her off of the man but Tsume roughly grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Stay back, pup. That thing isn't human, at least not just." Tsume said, baring his fangs. Hermione looked between the older man and Tsume with wide eyes. Memphis was growling as well and though Blaze was also tensed for a fight, she was lingering behind Tsume. Blaze was a medicine wolf, not a fighter.

"H-How did you-" He tried to pry Heather's hand off of his neck but Heather tightened her grip to cut off his gasping question.

"Never mind that. Start talking, or I'm going to give this cart a new coat of red paint." The nails on Heather's other hand lengthened into claws and she raised them threateningly. Only then, did she slightly release her grip on the man's neck so that he could get enough oxygen to talk. The man could hear from the tone of Heather's voice that her previous statement wasn't a threat, it was a promise. After a few quick breaths, he spoke quickly.

"My name is Professor Remus Lupin, Dumbledore asked me to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I only agreed because he said he'd give me Wolfsbane, a potion that allows me to keep my mind on the full moon." His hands never loosened their grip on Heather's wrist, but they no longer tried to pry it away from his neck.

"So you're a werewolf." Heather said. While she didn't know much about werewolves, Lupin's statement of 'keep my mind during the full moon' made the answer rather obvious.

"Yes."

"Are you going to try and hurt any of us?" The question carried the unspoken inclusion of everyone at Hogwarts, not just Heather and those close to her.

"I don't want to." He said, looking rather pitiful as his gaze lowered.

"Then I suppose that's all I can ask." Heather said, release her grip on his neck.

Lupin sat up and gently rubbed his throat. "Most people ask if I'm safe, or if I'm dangerous."

"I'm not safe." Heather said with a shrug and sat across from him. "I'm also quite dangerous. I'm sure you're the same. I don't need to ask what I already know."

"Are you actually trusting him?" Tsume said gruffly, narrowing his eyes at Lupin who paled at the sight of his fangs.

"Not completely. I trust him enough to not eat me." Heather said.

"He goes crazy, you're going to regret not killing him when you had the chance." Tsume said, shifting into his wolf form and sitting by Heather's feet, putting himself between her and Lupin. Memphis sat next to the new Professor, Blaze sat next to Memphis and Hermione sat next to Heather.

"I'm learning to wait and see; mercy and all that stuff." Heather said, smiling when Hermione grinned and nodded encouragingly at Heather. The brown haired girl that smiled apologetically at Professor Lupin.

"I'm sorry that we're talking as though you're not here." Hermione said sheepishly.

"You're all taking my...condition rather well." Lupin said warily.

"It helps that you're name basically translates to Werewolf McWerewolf. The irony helps me make light of the situation." This revaluation, combined with Lupin's dumbfounded expression caused the other inhabitants of the compartment to burst out laughing.

"Anyway..." Hermione turned to Heather. "What were you going to tell us?"

Heather explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given her. When she'd finished, the pack was tense, Lupin looked anxious, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Heather... you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Heather -"

"I don't go looking for trouble," said Heather, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."

"Why would she go looking for him when he's obviously looking for her?" said Memphis.

Hermione was taking the news worse than Heather had expected. She seemed to be much more frightened of Black than she was.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Lupin uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."

"I hope they'll catch him." Hermione said, crossing her arms. "Though considering he escaped from some place considered inescapable, I doubt it." When Heather raised her eyebrow at her Hermione scoffed. "I've become very disillusioned with the magical community and much more world wary after being friends with you Heather. After everything that has happened, my faith in certain authority figures has dwindled." Having Hermione of all people say she lack faith in authority was shocking, but very satisfying for Heather.

"Not to completely change the subject, but you said Heather would regret not killing me should I get out of control." Lupin said, looking at Tsume. He hesitated before speaking in a quiet tone. "H...has Heather killed before?"

"Oh yeah." Heather said casually. "I've been killing since I was little. I was literally raised by wolves. This is Tsume, one of the original wolves that helped raise me." Heather said, pointing to the gray wolf by her feet. "Memphis and Blaze joined the pack later. My alpha, Kiba, sent them with me to make sure I don't die this year."

"What about your aunt and uncle?" Lupin asked desperately.

Heather leaned back a little, confused at his intense concern for a stranger. "They didn't want me. Left me on the doorstep where they found me. My pack found me and took me in." Her gaze hardened. "I wouldn't change it for anything either, so I don't want to here any talk about leaving them."

"No! No, no." Lupin sighed. "It's just a lot to take in. Though I guess that you somehow became an animagus? It would explain the claws."

Heather assumed that animagus meant turning into a different animal so she nodded while Hermione got Crookshanks out of his basket.

"You should tell him about Reika too, Heather. Save the trouble of a dramatic reveal." Hermione said as she pulled her cat onto her lap.

"Oh yeah." Heather unzipped her leather jacket and revealed a sleeping Reika who was wrapped around her waist. As the weather was getting colder and Reika was still relatively young, she was sleeping more often and quite heavily. "This is Reika. She's a King Cobra, my familiar and I can talk to her because I'm a Parselmouth. Is that going to be an issue?"

Lupin, shocked by this revelation as well (honestly Heather thought he was at risk of a heart attack at this point.) shook his head. "No, I don't have a problem with it."

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned inwards as he curled up and took a nap.

By one o'clock the conversation had since turned to lighter topics, particularly, life as a wolf. Tsume was still relatively quiet, but occasionally chimed in. In order to keep the mood up, they didn't talk about fighting or winter hunger. Instead, they spoke of games, the pups and howling.

"We actually sing when we howl at the full moon. Humans can't typically understand us and can't hear our songs. It's also a way for the pack to bond or courting mates to woo each other." Heather said.

"You can sing?" Lupin said, perking up in curiosity.

Heather, sensing an opportunity to sing, eagerly turned to her packmates. Blaze demurred and Tsume didn't seemed thrilled by the idea of howling while surrounded by humans. But Memphis stood up and gestured to the door. Though very little, they'd have more space outside the compartment. He even made a little show of offering his hand to Heather. He began to sing without another word.

(Bold is Memphis. Italics is Heather. Both is them singing together.)

"I was thinking about you
Thinking about me
Thinking about us
What we gonna be
Open my eyes"

After handing Reika over to Hermione, who accepted her with an excited grin, Heather smiled and took Memphis's hand.

"It was only just a dream"

Heather allowed him to pull her up and into the corridor. She twirled away from him and started doing some simple ballet moves.

"Travel back down that road
Will you come back?
No one knows
I realize"

Memphis pulled her back into his arms with a smile.

"It was only just a dream"

Heather and Memphis started rhythmically clapping as they danced around each other. With little space they couldn't perform any wide, sweeping moves but it wasn't completely impossible to dance. Their singing was heard by everyone on the train and soon the clapping was picked up by everyone. They all stopped talking and peered outside their compartments to watch.

"I was at the top
And now it's like I'm in a basement
Number one spot
Now you find you a replacement
I swear now that I can't take it
Knowing somebody's got my baby"

Heather made a show of dancing around Memphis. Staying just out of reach as she spun and twirled. She'd leap away and glide past grasping hands with a smile.

"Now you ain't around
Baby I can't think
I shoulda put it down
Shoulda got that ring
'Cause I can still feel it in the air
See your pretty face
Run my fingers through your hair"

Hermione was swaying slightly as she clapped in time with song. Blaze and Tsume were smiling gently as they clapped with everyone else but there was one look that was slightly confusing. Professor Lupin looked especially soft as he watched Heather and Memphis dance and sing. It was a familiar look. Hagrid looked like that sometimes as well. Did Professor Lupin know Heather's human parents?

"My lover, my life
My baby, my wife
You left me, I'm tied
'Cause I know that it just ain't right"

Memphis pulled Heather back towards him before she could dwell on it longer. She smiled and continued to dance with her friend.

"I was thinking about you
Thinking about me
Thinking about us
What we gonna be
Open my eyes
It was only just a dream"

Their dance when they were together was a blend of the swaying dance that couples did to slow songs and that of a very tight waltz.

"So I travel back down that road
Will you come back?
No one knows
I realize, it was only just a dream"

Heather found herself wishing that they had more space. Especially since she had an audience, she would have loved to have been able to do more. More complex moves, more sweeping motions that the song called for and more space to be twirled around by her partner.

"Riding I swear
I see your face at every turn
I'm trying to get my usher on
But I can't let it burn
And I just hope you know that you're the only one I yearn for
No wonder I'll be missing when I learn"

Now it was Memphis's turn to be out of reach. Throughout her part, Heather often put a hand, or both hands over her heart with a look of longing on her face. While dancing was a part of this piece of wolf culture, the theatrics were all her. She couldn't help it, she was performing, in a sense. She didn't dislike it either, she found that she loved it.

"Didn't give you all my love
I guess now I got my payback
Now I'm in the club
Thinking all about you baby
Hey you were so easy to love
But wait, I guess our love wasn't enough"

Heather was surprised by this, but found that she loved this realization. While she had a passion for dancing and singing with others, she hadn't known how much she enjoyed doing it for others. Not to cheer them up or for some greater purpose, merely for entertainment.

"I'm going through it every time that I'm alone
And now I'm wishing that you'd pick up the phone
But you made a decision that you wanted to move on
'Cause I was wrong"

Heather launched herself back into Memphis's arms and he spun her around. Heather couldn't wipe the grin off her face as she took in the smiles of everyone else.

"I was thinking about you
Thinking about me
Thinking about us
What we gonna be
Open my eyes
It was only just a dream"

"So I travel back down that road
Will you come back?
No one knows
I realize, it was only just a dream"

After some more dancing and twirling, they stood together, Heather's hands resting on his shoulders and Memphis's hands on the back of her arms.

"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up
"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up
"And now they're gone and you're wishing you could give them everything"

As the song increased, so did Heather's passion in the song. While Memphis certainly didn't fall flat, Heather was always a much more...intense person than others. She was emotional and poured a little bit of herself into things like this.

"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up
"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up"
"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up"
"If you ever loved somebody put your hands up"
"And now they're gone and you're wishing you could give them everything"

At this point, Heather had tears running down her face. She wasn't upset and Memphis could see that. She was simply passionate. She could feel the emotions that their song described and felt them in her heart. That reflected in her tears and her singing.

"I was thinking about you
Thinking about me
Thinking about us
What we gonna be
Open my eyes (Open my eyes)
It was only just a dream (It's just a dream)"

"So I travel back down that road (Travel back, Travel back)
Will you come back? (Down the road, Down the road)
No one knows (No one knows)
I realize, it was only just a dream (No, no, no, no)"

Heather smiled as Memphis spun her. She could do this all day. Singing and dancing for others, merely for their enjoyment. Maybe that was something she could do every now and then. Go to one of the courtyards at Hogwarts and sing and dance for the other students. It could be a lot of fun.

"I was thinking about you (Woo)
Thinking about me
Thinking about us (Woo)
What we gonna be (Yeah)
Open my eyes... (Open my eyes, Open my eyes)
It was only just a dream (just a dream)"

"So I travel back down that road (Woo)
Will you come back?
No one knows
I realize, (Realize)
It was only just a dream
baby, it was only just, was only just a dream"

Yes. This was the kind of undivided attention Heather could accept.

"No, oh
It was only just a dream"

There was a thunderous applause from everyone on the train. It was enough to even wake Reika up. Who congratulated Heather on a good performance that she didn't see. Heather rolled her eyes as she wiped her cheeks but thanked the snake nonetheless. Heather and Memphis settled back into the compartment, slightly out of breath but both smiling.

Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, there was another conversation being carried out. Heather didn't know how they got onto the subject, but the floodgates to a series of somewhat annoying and very embarrassing compliments were opened when Heather said,

"I'm not cute."

Evidently, everyone disagreed.

"You tilt your head to the side when you're curious or confused." Memphis said.

"Your nose scrunches up like you're about to growl when you're annoyed." Hermione said with a giggle. "You're doing it now!" She pointed at Heather and low and behold, the red head, was indeed, scrunching her nose.

"You're willing to make a fool of yourself in order to make the pups happy." Tsume chuckled.

Even Lupin chimed in. "You blush when people compliment you."

That was when a new but familiar voice chimed in. "You're hips wiggle when you get really excited or happy."

It was everyone's favorite blonde Slytherin.

Draco Malfoy and Heather had been enemies in their first year but they had since developed a strange kind of almost friendship. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Heather played on the Gryffindor team.

"When you're in human form." Malfoy explained. "With no tail, your hips wiggle like your tail is wagging except it's not there. Ergo, hip wiggle." He then smirked at Heather. "It's adorable."

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked. Not overly hostile since the Slytherin didn't seem malicious. Perhaps it was what she heard about his and Heather's muggle field trip, but she was being quite cordial.

"You were making Princess Potter blush, how could I not join in?" Heather's face turned even more red. "Red cheeks is also a cute look on you, Princess."

"Don't call me that." Heather said, burying her face in her hands. "Wait." She looked up and turned to Malfoy. "How long did you stare at my arse before you noticed that?"

Several things happened all at once. Malfoy went bright red, Hermione clasped a hand over her mouth and everyone else started laughing. Malfoy took off, presumably in the direction of where his compartment was.

"Who was that?" Lupin asked, still smiling.

"Draco Malfoy. He's a third year Slytherin." Hermione said, still giggling.

"I kick his arse on the Quidditch field all the time." Heather said.

"Evidently, because he's too busy staring at your's." Tsume said with a smirk, which had everyone in stiches.

"To be fair." Reika hissed. "It is a very nice arse."

"Thank you, Reika." Heather replied as Hermione began to ask Professor Lupin about what they would be learning this year. "I'm very proud of it."

"As you should be." The snake replied as she curled up around Heather's shoulders.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which graduily darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks.

"We must be nearly there," said Heather, leaning forward to look at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left her when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Tsume, getting up and stretching his legs. "I'm more than ready to get off of this thing."

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

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.

Heather, who was nearest the door, 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.

"'What's going on?" said Memphis's voice from behind Heather.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Memphis, that was my foot!"

Heather felt her way back to her seat, eyes not having adjusted yet.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno..."

There was a squeaking sound, and Heather saw the dim black outline of Tsume, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Tsume said. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Heather's legs.

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

"Hullo, Neville," said Heather, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.

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

"No idea - sit down -"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Heather felt her pass her, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for you guys -"

"Come in and sit down -"

"Not here!" said Heather hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said Lupin suddenly.

Heather could hear movements in his corner.

None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his gray face, his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are," he said and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Heather's eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water...

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Heather's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Heather felt her own breath catch in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart...

Heather's eyes rolled up into her head. She couldn't see. She was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in her ears as though of water. She was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder. .

And then, from far away, she heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. Fearing that it was someone in the compartment, she tried to move her arms, but couldn't... a thick white fog was swirling around her, inside her -

"Heather! Heather! Are you all right?"

Someone was slapping her face.

"W - what?"

Heather 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 seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Blaze and Hermione were kneeling next to her, and above them she could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Heather felt very sick; when she put up her hand to push her hair back, she felt cold sweat on her face.

Blaze and Hermione heaved her back onto her seat.

"Are you okay?" Blaze asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Heather, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Blaze, more nervously still.

Heather looked around the bright compartment. Memphis, Ginny and Neville looked back at her, all very pale. Tsume was rolling his shoulders and growling quietly to himself, trying to shake everything off

"But I heard screaming -"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Heather, handing her a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Heather took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" She asked Lupin.

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."

He strolled past Heather and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Heather?" said Hermione, watching Heather anxiously.

"I don't get it... What happened?" said Heather, wiping more sweat off her face.

"Well - that thing - the dementor - stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) - and you - you" Hermione stuttered.

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Blaze, who still looked scared. "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," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did YOU feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Memphis, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like all the joy had been sucked out of me..."

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Heather felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Heather, trying to see if anyone reacted like she did.

"No," said Memphis, looking anxiously at Heather again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."

Heather didn't understand. She felt weak and shivery, as though she were recovering from a bad bout of flu; she also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had she gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? She wasn't like the other students. She was stronger than that, at least she should be after everything she had been through.

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

Heather took a bite and to her great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of her fingers and toes.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Heather?"

"Fine," she muttered, embarrassed.

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Heather, the pack, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you lot?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Heather, the pack, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled by winged, skeletal looking horses. After everything that had happened, neither Heather, nor anyone else said anything about them.

The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Heather felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. The wolves and Hermione kept looking at her sideways, as though frightened she might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Heather saw two more towering, hooded dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione, the pack and Heather got out.

Not wanting to waste any time they all joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Heather followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"

Heather and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a sternlooking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Heather fought her way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making her feel she must have done something wrong.

"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in MY office," she told them.

The pack watched McGonagall warily but followed as she ushered Heather and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Heather and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter."

Before Heather could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

Heather felt herself going red in the face. It was bad enough that she'd passed out, or whatever she had done, without everyone making all this fuss.

"I'm fine," she said, "I don't need anything

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Heather's hair and feeling his forehead. "She won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-"

"I'm not delicate!" said Heather crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking her pulse.

"What does she need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should she perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine!" said Heather, jumping up. Why was everyone making a big deal out of this? She had survived much worse.

"Well, she should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Heather's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Heather. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," said Heather.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

Heather went back into the corridor with the pack and Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. She had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Heather and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Heather. Had the story of her collapsing in front of the dementor traveled that fast?

She and Hermione sat down at the table with the pack around them and watched the headmaster stand up to speak.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but Heather didn't buy that. She didn't trust him, at all. Past experiences speaking for themselves.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "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 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 Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Heather remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "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," he added blandly, and Heather and Hermione glanced at each other. "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 afoul of the dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Heather, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

But Heather couldn't help but shake her head at the thought of Dementors being at the school. So the Ministry thought they could help catch Sirius Black, did they? Because they did so well at keeping Black in Azkaban.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year."

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Heather among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Hermione hissed in Heather's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Heather, who had a budding friendship with Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Heather knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape used to wear two years ago when he looked at Heather. They had since developed a better relationship.

"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."

Heather and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Heather leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" The twins roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Heather and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"In other news." Dumbledore said. "There is a new core class for students third year and up. Due to the presence of our new guests and other recent events, I have decided to create a class for defending oneself, in the event that they are unable to use magic."

Heather noticeably perked up at that. She had always said that magic users were practically useless and defenseless without magic. Now Dumbledore was actually doing something about it?! Miracles did exist after all.

"There will be numerous teachers for this curriculum, but the one primarily in charge, will be Tsume, Beta of the Pack of Falling Stars. Memphis, Blaze, and our own Heather Potter will be assisting him in this class."

Tsume finally shifted into his human form and leveled a glare at all the students. There was sparse and panicked applause. Heather snickered. Deep down, she also felt a surge of sadistic excitement. She cracked her knuckles and cackled when several students paled.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Heather, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could reach and began to eat. As it was the opening feast, Heather and the pack decided to remain inside. Heather helped them load up on meat, which seemed especially plentiful tonight.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Heather and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Heather and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"All down ter you two," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them., "Can' believe it... great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... It's what I always wanted. -"

Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.

Heather, the pack, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower's large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them,

"Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Heather climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how much she wanted to sleep. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Heather, looking around, promptly walked up to her bed and collapsed into it.