Fearless

"Hunter! Hunter! Are you alright?" I could hear someone shouting my name along with Harry’s - I could feel someone slapping my face.

“What?” I sneered, slapping the face back with my eyes closed bindley. I could hear Ron laugh - blinking a few times before opening my eyes completely to see Regulus holding his face in shock.
“What was that for?” He questioned gruffly, I grinned at him with a shrug.

“You shouldn’t have been smacking me,” I replied sitting up, there were lanterns above me - the floor was shaking, the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. I seemed to have slid out of my seat onto the floor, close to Harry. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him while Regulus and James kneeled next to me - above us I could see what must have been Neville and Professor Lupin watching us. I felt sick and Harry must have felt the same way, he pushed his glasses back on, I could feel could sweat running down my face.

Ron and Hermione heaved Harry back onto his seat, while Professor Lupin picked me up bridal style and sitting me gently into the seat next to Harry - I laid my head on his shoulder, while he laid his head onto my shoulder.

“Are two alright?” Ron asked.

“Yeah,” Harry replied as I nodded, we both quickly looked towards the door - the hooded creature had vanished.

“What happened? Where’s that -- that thing?” Harry questioned, gripping my hand tightly.

“Who screamed?” I asked, my hands were shaking.

“No one screamed,” Regulus answered nervously, staring at his twin sister in worry.

Harry shook his head, sitting up one more. “There was a scream, I heard it too,” I looked around the bright compartment. Ginny, James, and Neville looked back at Harry and her, both very pale.

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

“Here,” he said to Harry and I handing us a particularly large piece. “Eat it. It’ll help.”
Harry and I took the chocolate but didn’t eat it.

“What was that thing?” We said in union.

“A Dementor,” Lupin replied without hesitation, now handing out chocolate to everyone else in the small compartment. “One of the Dementors of Azkaban.”

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

“Eat,” he repeated, watching Harry and I. “It’ll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…”
He strolled past us and disappeared into the corridor.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Harry and Hunter?” asked Hermione, watching the both of us anxiously.
“I don’t get it.. “ Harry trailed off, wiping more sweat off his face.

“What happened?” I asked, reaching down my shirt and wiping the sweat off of my chest, James shook his head at me.

“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 --”

“I thought you were having a fit or something,” said Ron, who still looked scared. “You two went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching --”

“And Professor Lupin stepped over both of you, and walked towards the Dementor, and pulled out his wand,” Hermione whispered.

“And he said, ‘None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.’ But the Dementor didn’t move, so Lupin muttered something,” Regulus said excitedly, bouncing in his seat while they told us what happened.

“A silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and soft of glided away…” James finished, taking a seat next to me - I looked at him worriedly, he pulled me in closer to him.

“It was horrible,” Neville said in a higher voice than before. “Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?”

“I felt weird,” said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. “Like I’d never be cheerful again..”
Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as I felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her - I wanted to roll my eyes, she wasn’t the one that fainted and remembers screaming.

“But didn’t any of you -- fall off your seats?” Harry said awkwardly.

“No,” said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry and I again. “Ginny was shaking like mad, though..”

“Maybe, that’s because she just watched Harry and Hunter get their soul sucked?” James growled angrily, everyone watched him their mouths hanging open in shock.

I didn’t under, I felt weak and shivery as though I were recovering from a bad bout of flu; I could see on Harry’s face that he felt the same way but a hint of shame washed over his face. I wasn’t going to feel ashamed for going to pieces like that when Harry and I had and no one else had.

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looking around, and said with a small smile, “I haven’t poisoned the chocolate, you know..”

I looked down at the piece of chocolate, I had completely forgotten about it, I looked at it for a moment. “Hunter, you should eat it.. It’ll make you feel better.” James prompted. I nodded, taking a bite and to my great surprise I felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of my fingers and toes.

“We’ll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes,” said Professor Lupin as I took another chunk out the chocolate. “Are you alright, Harry and Hunter?”

I looked at Harry with surprise, he mirrored me with the same expression. I didn’t ask how Professor Lupin knew my name and neither did Harry.

“Fine,” he muttered, embarrassed.

“Not so good,” I replied, leaning my head against James's shoulder.

We didn’t talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scrambled 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 deep gruff voice. We turned and saw the gigantic outline of a person at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake - which I found out didn’t include me, it upset me.

“Alright, you three?” the main yelled over the heads of the crowd. Harry, Hermione and Ron 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.

Harry gripped my hand tightly, I gripped Regulus and James had him by his robes, we followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, were at least a hundred stagecoaches await the remaining students, each pulled, Harry told me that he believed they were pulled by an invisible horse. We climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. I felt better since the chocolate and so did Harry it seemed but I still felt weak. Ron, Hermione, James, and Regulus kept looking at us sideways, as though frightened we might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, I saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. I gripped a hand on either side of me.

A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf me again; I leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione and Regulus were leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out with Regulus following them shortly.

James pulled his hand out of mine, stepping out of the carriage, I kept a tight hold on Harry’s hand, Harry stepped out of the carriage first with my hand still in his and I came shortly after him.

“You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?” Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry’s way which blocked my way towards the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

“Shove off, Malfoy,” said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

“Did you faint as well, Weasley?” said Malfoy loudly. “Did they scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley? I growled, he spun on his shoes towards Harry and I.

“Actually, Ferret face that would have been me,” I smirked at him, tapping my fingers against my leg.

“Do you know what a Dementor are?” I sneered taking a step towards him. He shook his head, the smirk falling for his face and his widening in shock. “I don’t know if you could handle it, Malfoy, you might shit yourself,” Ron snorted, receiving a glare from Malfoy.

“I wouldn’t shit myself, Black and you better watch yourself, you can’t run to your mummy now,” I gave him a sadistic smile.

“I wouldn't run to my mummy because she died, but running to your mummy that’s your job isn’t it?” He stared at me for a moment before pulling out his wand.

“Is there a problem?” said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

“Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, “Oh, no -- er -- Professor,” then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps.

“Run as fast as you can freet face before I get you,” I laughed mechanically, James hit the side of my head and nodded towards the Professor Lupin - I looked towards the Professor with a grin, he shook his head.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the six of them 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; I followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, “Potter! Granger! Hunter Black! I want to see you three and Regulus and James you will go to the front of the hall and wait there to be sorted.”

We turned around, surprised. She must be Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House. “Is that Professor McGonagall?” I questioned both of them nodded, she was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. We fought our way over to her, I felt a feeling of foreboding.

“There’s no need to look so worried -- I just want a word in my office,” she told us. “Move along there, Weasley.”

Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered the three of us away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase and along a corridor.

One we were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned for Harry, Hermione and I 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, Black and Potter.” Before we could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

I could feel myself going red in the face and I wasn’t the one, Harry was doing the same.

“I’m fine,” Harry said, “I don’t need anything --” I nodded in agreement, shifting in my seat slightly.

“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?” I shifted my giggle.

“It was a Dementor, Poppy, along with Hunter Black here,”

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

“Setting Dementors around a school,” she muttered, pushing back Harry’s hair and feeling his forehead. “They won’t be the last one who collapses. Yes, he’s all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate --”

“I’m not delicate!” said Harry crossley, I laughed, he shot me a glare and I raised my eyebrow as she came towards me.

“Of course you’re not,” said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking my pulse.

“What do they need?” said Professor McGonagall crisply. “Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?”

“I’m fine!” said Harry, jumping up.

“Well, they should have some chocolate, at the very least,” said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into my eyes.

“We’ve already had some,” I mumbled. “Professor Lupin gave us 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 two are feeling alright, Potter and Black?” Professor McGonagall said sharply.
“Yes,” Harry and I replied.

“Alright, and Black would you mind putting the sorting hat on, so you could be sorted?” I nodded, grabbing the hat from her and setting it on my head. They all watched my closely. When I heard a voice in my head, adding to the ones I already had….

Ahh. A Black… I haven’t had one for those for a while, well since your father. My eyes widen, “You knew my father?” I whispered, hopefully low enough so the others wouldn’t know.

Oh yes, and your uncle and your mother. Regulus Black and Isabelle Riddle , you remind me of all three of your family members, but what to put you in.. your sly and cunning great for Slytherin and just like your Uncle and your intelligent and creative great for Ravenclaw, just like your mother and then your brave, you don’t care what other people think of you, your kind to people who deserve it great for Gryffindor just like your father…. but what to put you in? Ravenclaw won’t do you well.. Slytherin will be great for you, ahh but you would like to be in Gryffindor… Slytherin or Gryffindor, Slytherin or Gryffindor. The hat whispered, I placed with my fingers.

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat shouted, the gave me kind smiles as my colors changed the the red and gold of Gryffindor.

“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.” Harry and I nodded, stepping out of the door, I slide down the wall, taking a deep breath.

“The hat considered putting me in Slytherin,” Harry’s eyes widened as he took a seat next to me, wrapping me into a hug.

“That’s alright, when I was in first year it considered Slytherin for me too, these will be our little secret?” I nodded with a laugh, laying my head on his shoulder.