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Gwen ran to the other side of the train only to start panicking when she reached the end. There was nowhere else to run and instead reached for the handle of one random compartment.
She didn't have time to decide what to do when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her in.
Gwen immediately started to yell in shock. "HELP!! I'VE BE-" The rest of the words came out muffled by a hand covering her mouth.
"Shut up, will you!" Gwen looked around the compartment and sighed relief.
"Oh, it's you three... and Ginny.. and Neville... and a middle-aged guy?" Gwen questioned as she could briefly see the outline of a man.
"Yes, it's us. What's happening out there?" Ginny asked and Gwen quickly remembered what was happening. "Oh yeah, right. Dementor!" She told them.
"Dementor? You sure?" The middle-aged man asked as he looked down at the girl on the floor. "Yeah, Dementor. Black, floating, cloaked, really creepy. Wait, who are you?" She asked as she looked currently up at the man.
She couldn't see him clearly due to the dimmed light. "Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione said from the girl's left. "Okay. Anyway, why is there a dementor on the train?"
"Sirius Black." R. J. Lupin said. "Sirius Black? Mass murder, talk of the news, the first man ever to escape from the wizarding prison Azkaban?" She asked.
"No, Sirius Black from down the street. Who else would it be?" Ron snapped.
Gwen glared at who she thought was Ron. She couldn't see who was who.
"Don't get sassy with me Ronald or I'll put into detention." "Shhhhhh." Everyone shushed the pair as the compartment door suddenly opened to reveal a dementor.
The compartment was then filled with a sudden cold and Gwen felt as if there was nothing but sadness at despair. The dementor drew a long breath as if it was sucking the life out of everything.
Gwen noticed that Harry was acting up strangely as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Even Gwen felt very strange, a headache suddenly came to her and felt very dizzy and cold. "None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go." Professor Lupin commanded.
Still, the dementor stayed there and Gwen felt as if she couldn't breathe. Harry suddenly fainted and before anyone could react, he fell on the floor and landed on top of the girl.
Gwen yelped as Professor Lupin did a spell and the dementor went away. The lights in the compartment went on again.
"Um.. help me," Gwen said weakly as the weight of the boy was hurting her. "Oh, right." They said as they helped Harry on the seat.
"You okay Gwen? Gwen?" Gwen turned to look at a worried Hermione while the others were helping Harry.
"Yeah... I just... I gotta go." She said as she tried to get up but had to hold onto the door handle to prevent herself from falling.
"Maybe you should stay here for a while. Until you're better." Hermione added and Gwen weakly shook her head.
"No, no. I have to check how they're doing. Fred, George and Lee I mean. I have to.. to go back to..uh, compartment." Gwen added, feeling lightheaded.
She opened the door and left the others. She walked slowly down the corridor, holding onto the walls to help keep herself upright.
"Excuse me, Miss!" Gwen turned at the yell, wondering if it was directed towards her and saw Professor Lupin walking in her direction.
"Sorry, did you need something Professor?" Gwen politely asked. "Well, I thought that I should check up on you. It is clear that the dementor had a great effect on you." Gwen shook her head again. "Thank you, but I'm fine, Professor."
"Still, I think I should walk with you towards your compartment. You're walking as if you had one too many shots of Firewhiskey." Gwen couldn't help but chuckle. She simply could bet that he was going to be a good Professor. At least, better than their previous one's.
"Chocolate? It helps." Professor Lupin said as he pulled out a Chocolate Frog from his robes and handed it to Gwen who hesitated to take it.
Gwen started to slowly open the chocolate wrapper as she walked side by side with the shabby looking Professor.
"What were you even doing in the middle of the corridor?" He asked me as Gwen took a bite out of the chocolate frog.
"I had just come back from my Prefect meeting." Well, he was right Gwen sure did feel better. Gwen looked at the card and saw a moving Helga Hufflepuff on it. Gwen showed it to Lupin to see if he wanted it. "Keep it." He said. Gwen pocketed it. She didn't have Helga Hufflepuff.
"Why did the dementor affect us so bad. I, Ginny was shaking and Harry took it worst of all. But the others weren't so affected."
"Well.. the dementor has a bad effect on everyone. It brings back all the painful memories that we had once felt. You.. and Harry are not weak, it's just that you've been through much worse things than the others could even imagine."
Gwen slowly nodded her head indicating that she had understood. "Your last name's Hamilton, right?" The professor asked. "Yep."Â "That explains some things." He muttered tentatively.
Gwen looked up at him. "Wait. You know?" Gwen asked, she felt shocked. He nodded his head. "The story of the Hamiltons is one that most people are familiar with."
"Oh right. The Hamilton Curse." Gwen replied disdainfully. "That doesn't exist. At least I hope it doesn't. I have to stop here, by the way. Nice to meet you and good luck, Professor."
Lupin smiled. "Thank you, Miss Hamilton. Be careful around those dementors." "Will do," Gwen said as he left from her sight.
When she opened the compartment door, the twins and Lee were already seated there.
"Where were you? Are you alright? Did you see the dementors?" Lee asked her concerningly as he stood up and hugged the still trembling girl. Gwen merely nodded her head and sat down next to Lee.
"I Went to the bathroom. And yes, I saw a dementor, so I was pulled into a compartment. The trio and Ginny and Neville and our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher were there. I was about to faint but I didn't instead Harry did. But then I left the compartment and the new Professor gave me a chocolate frog, got Helga Hufflepuff, and now I'm alright, and the new professor is alright as well. Now I'm here."
"Are you okay?" George asked he looked sat next to her. "Yes, I'm just tired. Maybe I'll try and sleep a little before we get to Hogwarts. How much time do we have until we arrive?" She questioned with a yawn.
"We have plenty," Fred replied looking at his arm. "You don't have a watch." She pointed out to him. "I do not have a watch."
"Yeah, I'm just going to sleep. Wake me up when we arrive." She warned the others and the others and they nodded their head and gave the tired girl a sympathetic smile. Gwen closed her eyes and slowly started to dose off.
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"Pssst. Pssst. Gwen, Gwen. We're here. Come on wake up." Gwen opened her eyes slowly and blinked once or twice to get used to her surroundings again. "George?" She asked as she stretched out her arms and yawned.
George let out a chuckle.
"No, wrong twin. Come on we're here. George went to change into their robes and Merlin knows what Lee is doing." Gwen nodded her head, barely grasping what Fred was saying.
"Ugh. I wish this night would be over so I could go straight to bed. I still have that headache. Wait, I have to show the first years around. That sucks." She remembered and then groaned. Gwen started straightening out her slightly wrinkled uniform.
"Don't worry it will pass quickly," Fred reassured. Gwen couldn't help but scoff. "Yeah, for you!"
"Well come on!" Fred said as he grabbed her hands and pulled the tired girl up. "Okay, okay." She said as the two walked out of the compartment. Gwen went to link her arm with Fred's.
"Ah, Hogwarts! Been around this castle a thousand times and it never ceases to amaze me. I'm sure going to miss it when we're gone." "Blimey! You're already thinking about leaving? We still have three years left." Fred told her with an adoring smile on his face.
"Yes, I know but these few years will pass by quicker than we think. I don't know how on earth I'm going to leave it. Maybe get myself killed and keep haunting the halls, what ya think?" She asked with a cheeky smile.
Fred shook his head, the smile still etched on his face. "You think I'm going to let you leave me and die? No bloody way. Believe it or not, I would miss you, Gwendolyn Hamilton." He said with a wink.
"Aw. I would miss you too Frederick Weasley." Fred laughed and then his face went completely serious in a nanosecond. "Don't call me that."
"Frederick, Frederick, Frederick!" Gwen sang in a horrible singing voice as she climbed on one of the carriages, it seemed as if Gwen was no longer tired.
George and Lee climbed in with the two shortly after. Gwen didn't even notice that they were behind them. The horseless carriage started moving. Well horseless...
Gwen was the only one who could see them. Thestrals are only seen by those who have seen death. Unfortunately, when Gwen was about twelve, she saw death when her older brother Laurence passed away.
"Hey! Earth to Gwen?" Lee was waving his left hand in front of her face, quickly catching her attention.
Gwen swatted it away as if it was a fly. "Sorry was thinking. What were you saying?" George cleared his throat in a sophisticated way.
"I was talking about our first prank. I vote that we turn the Slytherins' green robes into Gryffindor red." He rubbed his hands together, a wicked grin lighting up his face.
"And I second that," Lee stated as he lifted his hand. "And I third that." This one came from Fred. Gwen shook her head no. "Well, I don't. We're not going to do that."
Groans were heard from all three boys. "Don't tell me that now because YOU have become a PREFECT, you won't let us do anything," Fred said as he glared at his friend. George had an identical glare.
"Don't tell me that all this power has gotten into your head?" Gwen clicked her tongue. "No, I meant we're not going to turn their robes red... Not when there's a spell that can make them see-through."
The twins' glare quickly melted into a proud look as Lee put out his hand and he and Gwen high fived. "GENIUS!" Lee exclaimed.
Gwen flipped her long brown hair behind her back. "Thanks, I know." "Come on, we stopped moving. Better leave before your head gets too big and you topple over." George said with a roll of his eyes as he jumped down from the carriage.
Gwen jumped down after him, holding on to George as she twisted her ankle on the way down. "Careful there," Lee said as he then Fred climbed down. Gwen stared at the castle doors which were only a little bit further.
Gwen dramatically inhaled the fresh air of the slightly damp soil then smiled at the boys cheekily.
"HOGWARTS HOGWARTS HOGGY WARTY HOGWARTS, TEACH US SOMETHING PLEASE!!! WHETHER WE BE OLD AND BOLD OR YOUNG WITH SCABBY KNEES!!" She sang the song at the top of her lungs as she ran towards the castle.
The boys could swear that they heard a window break somewhere. Lee turned to the twins "Must she do it every single year?" He asked. Fred and George shrugged simultaneously.
"DON'T QUESTION IT!" Gwen now yelled.
The boys chuckled. Gwen was always happy once she's set foot at the magical school.
They entered the Great Hall and took their usual seats. Looking up, Gwen could see the night sky and twinkling stars.
All the second to seventh-year students had to wait until Professor McGonagall finishes giving her speech to the first years before they enter the hall for the sorting.
Every first-year feels nervous and excited about their sorting, but as they progress in their years they start to lose interest in the ceremony.
While waiting, Gwen started chatting with two of her roommates, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. The two were also in the Gryffindor Quidditch team with Gwen.
She watched up with the other two as they conversed back and forth. They both teased her about making prefect at some point or another and filled each other with what happened since they last saw each other.
Thankfully, the conversation woke them up, Angelina especially when she noticed that Cedric Diggory glanced at Gwen a couple of times from the Hufflepuff table.
Gwen was lucky enough to avoid Angelina's curious questions about the boy when Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall.
All the other students quieted down as the first years entered one by one.
The Sorting had begun. Although Gwen didn't pay attention to the names called out, only clapping whenever she heard the hat shout Gryffindor.
After the sorting was finished, Albus Dumbledore rose from his chair and went up to the podium to give his traditional before dinner speech.
First, the old headmaster welcomed the children and then started to talk about the Dementors.
At the mention of the horrible creatures, Gwen quickly tensed. Lee who was right next to her seemed to notice her behaviour and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
The headmaster quickly switched to a brighter topic and a warm smile came back on his face. "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 a small, unenthusiastic, applause. Gwen was the one who had clapped the hardest amongst all the students as she had an immediate liking to the new Professor. Plus, he gave her chocolate. What better way to make someone like you other than giving them free food?
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued and Gwen snapped out of her food daze.
"Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of the last school year 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 gamekeeper duties."
Gwen, along with most of the Gryffindors burst into immediate applause. Lee even whistled a couple of times.
Gwen thought back on the biting book that had chased her and the twins back at the Leaky Cauldron. She thought that it made more sense that it was Hagrid who had assigned the biting book.
Once Professor Dumbledore was finished with his speech, the empty golden plates filled themselves with food and everyone dove in.
Gwen didn't take any of the stew or the roast and went for the apple pie and the chocolate pudding instead. George, who noticed the girl's bizarre choices, snorted at her.
"You do know that you can't live by only eating dessert, do you?" Gwen didn't reply but just glared at her friend. She grabbed her fork and loaded it with some of the apple pie and then brought it to her mouth.
She started chewing and then swallowed the food all not even breaking eye contact once. In the end, Gwen gave George a sickly, sweet smile. Fred and Lee laughed at the two's encounter.
When the feast was finished, all the plates instantly cleared. Gwen stood up and went to the door when Lee stopped her. "Gwen, first years. Remember?" Gwen sighed at the fact that she already forgot what she had to do. The prefect thing was going well!
"Come on, don't be like that. Now smile!" Gwen quickly wiped the tiredness off her face and gave Lee her famous smile that charmed both teachers and students.
Together Lee and Gwen went up to the group of first-years who were waiting for them in a small group.
Gwen kept her smile on. "Hey, there. My name is Gwendolyn Hamilton but you can call me Gwen. This guy over here is Lee and you can call him Lee as there is no way that you can shorten out his name. Welcome to Hogwarts and welcome to Gryffindor, house of the brave. Now come, follow me." Gwen said as she walked out of the Great Hall.
Lee gave her an impressed smile as they passed Professor McGonagall by the door who looked at the girl with pride. The Professor knew that she had suggested the right girl for the job.
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