You Get What You Deserve

I walked in and sat down next to Hermione.

“I’m not going to take any rubbish from Malfoy this year,” said Ron angrily, massaging his knuckles. “I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I’m going to get hold of his head and –“

Ron made a violent gesture in mid-air.

“Ron,” hissed Hermione, pointing at a man with extremely shabby wizard’s robes who looked ill and exhausted, even in his sleep. Though he seemed quite young, his light-brown hair was flecked with grey. My eyes glanced at his case in the luggage rack, on which it read, ‘R.J. Lupin.’

“Be careful...” Hermione continued, but Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.

“I’m with Ron on this one,” I said. “It’s my family too now. I’m not going to let Malfoy get away with anything.”

The rain thickened as the train sped yet further north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

“We must be nearly there,” said Ron, leaning forward to look past Lupin at the now completely black window.

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

“Brilliant,” Ron said, getting up and walking carefully past Lupin to try and see outside. “I’m starving, I want to get to the feast...”

“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. Harry, who was nearest to the door, got up to look into the corridor. The train came to a stop with a jolt and distant thuds and bangs told us that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all lamps went out and we were plunged into total darkness.

“What’s going on?” said Ron’s voice, over by Harry.

“Ouch!” gasped Hermione. “Ron, that was my foot!”

“D’you think we’ve broken down?”

“Dunno...”

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

“There’s something moving out there,” Ron said. “I think people are coming aboard...”

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell over Harry’s legs.

“Sorry! D’you know what’s going on? Ouch! Sorry –“

“Hello, Neville,” said Harry.

“Harry? 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. I felt her pass me, 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 Ron and Corey –“

“Come in and sit down –“

“Not here!” said Harry hurriedly. “I’m here!”

“Ouch!” said Neville.

“Quiet!” said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. I could hear movements in his corner. None of us 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 tired grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

“Stay where you are,” he said, in the same hoarse voice, 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.