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SIYE Time:8:20 on 29th March 2024
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Darkness Within
By MollyandArthur

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Category: Pre-OotP, Alternate Universe
Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Sirius Black
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: R
Reviews: 144
Summary: Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets while he was a student at Hogwarts. He committed another horrific act that same year. Now decades later, the students of Hogwarts continue to be impacted by his crimes. How will Ginny and her friends handle the darkness within?
Hitcount: Story Total: 148776; Chapter Total: 6799





Author's Notes:
The chapter title pretty much says it. They are off to school, and we all get to see some of our favorite characters. Thanks again to my husband for reading and editing.




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Chapter 5
The Hogwarts Express

The last weeks of summer passed far too quickly for the residents of Longbottom Manor. They had all fallen into an easy rhythm of informal lessons and pleasant activities over the summer, and that was about to change. The lazy days of flying, swimming, working in the greenhouse, and brewing potions was over. It was time for formal, structured lessons to begin. It was time for a new school year at Hogwarts.

Augusta supervised the children as they packed their trunks with clothes, books, potion supplies, and other items they would need for the coming school year. She tried not to think about how quiet the house would become without Neville, Anna, or Remus. They had all become quite close in the past few months, and she knew the start of a new school year would be a big adjustment for everyone. Augusta was relieved that Remus would be teaching at Hogwarts this year. He had accepted the Defense Against the Dark Arts post. At least he could keep an eye on the children, and let her know how they were doing. With Sirius Black still on the loose, she was especially grateful for his presence in the children’s lives.

They arrived on platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross in good time. Augusta always expected everyone in her household to be on time, and on stressful days like this, her attention to promptness was duly rewarded.

Remus and Neville loaded all of their belongings onto the Hogwarts Express, while Augusta spoke with Anna. “Now remember to owl frequently with letters for your father as well. I can forward your correspondence to him, and I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear how you’re doing in school. If you or Neville forgot anything, just let me know, and I’ll send it on. Bitty and Litty packed you all a picnic lunch. I believe Remus was carrying the basket.”

Anna smiled. “Thank you, Aunt Augusta. I’m sure we have everything we need for school, but if we’re missing something, I’ll let you know.” She paused and took her aunt’s hand. “And I’ll write soon, I promise.”

“I know you will, dear.” Augusta pulled Anna into a heartfelt hug. She was quite pleased when Anna hugged her firmly back and kissed her cheek.

“Everything’s onboard, Gran,” Neville announced. “We’re at the very end of the train.”

His grandmother nodded, “Very well, dear. You will take care of each other and work hard on your lessons.” She eyed him carefully, waiting for him to nod in agreement before hugging him.

Remus stood quietly until Augusta focused her attention upon him. He spoke before she could. “I want to thank you again for my new robes. It was a kind and thoughtful gift.”

“You’re quite welcome, Remus,” she replied. “It simply made sense to have the seamstress make robes for you as well as the children.” She held her arm out. “I hope you all have a good term.”

Remus nodded as he clasped her hand warmly. “I’ll be in touch.” He turned his attention to his charges. “Anna, Neville, time to get on the train, I believe.”

Around them parents were hugging children and giving them last minute instructions as they were boarding the train.

“Bye, Gran.”

“Goodbye, Aunt Augusta,” Anna called as Neville yanked her onto the train. “See you at Christmas.”

Neville led the way down the corridor to their compartment, and Anna immediately checked on her tawny owl, Mista, before asking her cousin where his toad, Trevor, was. Both were comfortable in their cages and stowed securely. Remus relaxed by the window. He leaned back in the seat and commented that they had a long train ride ahead of them. He looked rather relieved at the thought and closed his eyes with a sigh.

The train whistle blew, and Neville looked out the window to see guards walking along the train, closing the doors as they went.

“Do you want me to show you where the loo is?” Neville asked softly, noticing that Remus had already fallen asleep.

Anna nodded and slipped quietly out of the compartment, following him down the corridor. The train was just beginning to move, and she reached out a hand to Neville’s shoulder to steady herself.

“Hey, Nev,” a boy’s voice called from just ahead. “How was your summer?”

Neville looked up and smiled. “Oh, hi, Seamus,” he said. “It was good, thanks. How was yours?”

“Great!” he replied enthusiastically, peering around Neville. “Who’s this then?”

Neville introduced Anna to Seamus, who grinned and quickly led them to his compartment so she could meet Dean, Lavender, and Parvati.

“So, you’ll be Sorted into a house with the first years when we arrive?” asked Dean.

“Yes, I believe so,” Anna agreed hesitantly.

“Well, you might be in our dorm,” Lavender said, indicating herself and Parvati. “We’re third year Gryffindors. Hermione Granger is in our dorm too, but I don’t know where she is right now.”

“Anna might not be Sorted into Gryffindor,” Neville pointed out. Anna stared at him in surprise. She had not really considered the possibility that she may not be in the same house with her cousin.

“Of course she will. All of the prettiest girls are Sorted into Gryffindor,” Seamus protested as he winked at Anna. “Where else would she be?”

“There are three other houses,” Parvati pointed out, shaking her head at Seamus. She turned to Anna with a smile. “My twin sister, Padma, is in Ravenclaw. If you end up Sorted there, I’ll introduce you to her.”

“Well, Anna is really smart. So she might go to Ravenclaw,” Neville admitted.

The conversation moved to what everyone had done over the summer. Anna was only partially listening as she wondered what, if anything, she could do to be placed in Gryffindor. As nervous and overwhelmed as she felt about attending Hogwarts, just hoping the infamous Sorting Hat would decide she was brave enough for Gryffindor did not seem wise. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice Neville had stood up until he said, “Anna, we should probably go back to our compartment.”

Anna nodded and stood up. “It was very nice to meet you all.”

“See you later, Anna,” Seamus replied with a grin.

Neville grimaced slightly as he led Anna back to their compartment. He should’ve realized Seamus would flirt with his cousin. Fortunately, she hadn’t seemed to notice. As he opened the door to their compartment, he was surprised to see that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there.

Neville introduced them all to Anna as she sat down next to Remus who was still sleeping soundly. “Well, you’ve now met all of the Gryffindor third years,” her cousin said with a smile.

“Are you excited about starting school?” Hermione inquired as she lifted a large, orange cat onto her lap.

“Well… I’m sure it will be interesting.” She reflected for a moment. “I’m definitely looking forward to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy since I’ve never studied them before,” Anna said. She reached over and carefully slid a folded robe between Remus’s head and the window.

“Do you know him?” Ron asked.

“Yeah, Remus, er - Professor Lupin was our tutor this past summer,” Neville explained. “He’s a really good teacher.”

Hermione and Anna were talking enthusiastically about their new subjects until the witch with the food cart arrived.

Harry went to buy some Cauldron Cakes, and Neville bought a few Chocolate Frogs. Anna opened the picnic basket, and soon they were all eating and talking. Ron had some great stories about his time in Egypt, and Hermione was talking about her holiday in France.

The weather had become progressively worse as they traveled farther north, with clouds rolling in and heavy rain falling from the dark sky. Now as Neville glanced out the window, it looked like night outside instead of early evening.

“The train is slowing down,” he observed. “We must be approaching Hogsmeade.”

“It isn’t time yet,” Hermione protested.

Harry opened the door and looked out into the corridor, as the train came to a sudden stop and the lights went out, plunging them into darkness. Voices, both nervous and excited, rang out down the corridor.

“What’s happening?”

“Have we broken down?”

Ron had moved to the window and was trying to see through the inky blackness. “Someone’s out there,” he said.

“Remus,” Anna murmured as she gave him a gentle shake.

The compartment door slid open, and a girl’s voice said, “Ron, are you in here?”

“Ginny,” said Ron, with a sense of relief. “Come here and sit down. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I…”

“Be quiet!” Remus demanded suddenly. A light appearing from his wand, illuminating the space around him. “Stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

He approached the compartment door, but before he reached it, the door opened and a tall, shadowy figure entered. An intense coldness swept into the small compartment just as a rattling breath echoed around them that seemed to steal the available air from the room. The sounds of several shallow gasps filled her senses as Anna felt her control slipping. Ginny whimpered as the cold helplessness washed over her. Harry tried to grab for his wand as a roaring sound, like that of a rapidly approaching train, filled his ears.

Screams pierced the air as Harry collapsed on the floor.

“Harry! Wake up. Are you okay?” asked Ron urgently.

“Anna! Shhh… look at me, Anna. Open your eyes,” Neville pleaded.

Harry focused on the nearest voice and looked around quickly. The Hogwarts Express was moving again, and the lights were on. Ron and Hermione were helping him get back onto his seat.

“What happened? I heard screaming!” Harry said loudly.

“Shhh…” Hermione pressed a finger to her lips. “Anna started screaming. It’s gone now.”

She glanced back at Anna who was being held by Neville. He seemed to be talking very softly and very quickly in an effort to calm her.

Ginny was pressed back into a corner trying to stifle a sob, looking very scared and very alone.

“I’m going to Ginny now, okay?” said Hermione.

Harry nodded, still trying to focus, as Hermione moved to sit with Ginny and put her arm around her.

“Here,” Remus said, handing him a large piece of chocolate. “Eat the chocolate. It will help.”

“What was it?” Harry asked, as he watched the professor pass out chocolate to each person in the compartment.

“It was a Dementor,” he replied. “They are the guards of Azkaban Prison, and they were looking for Sirius Black. He is not here, so they are gone now. I need to speak with the driver. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Everyone was quiet after the professor left. Taking a bite of the chocolate, Harry was surprised to feel a definite warmth spread through his body, obliterating the cold, dead, emptiness the Dementor’s presence had left behind. Looking around, he saw that everyone was silently eating their chocolate.

The compartment door opened, and Remus came back in. “Everything’s alright. We will be arriving in ten minutes,” he announced as he glanced around to see how everyone was doing.

The remainder of the train ride was in almost complete silence as everyone finished their chocolate, straightened their robes, and organized their belongings.

***************** **************************************** ****************************

Neville led Anna off the train and took her directly to Hagrid, literally putting her hand in his, before getting on a carriage to ride up to the castle. Anna seemed to be intrigued by Hagrid, who was built more like a mountain than a man. Neville couldn’t imagine a worse introduction to Hogwarts than the end of that train ride had been for Anna. While she had never actually said it, he was convinced that Anna did not really want to come to Hogwarts. He felt certain that given the opportunity, she would be perfectly happy to remain at the manor with Remus tutoring her for the next few years.

As he stepped into the Great Hall, Neville closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that at least the Sorting would put Anna in Gryffindor. How could he help her and watch over her as Gran expected if she was not even in his house?

He sat down next to Ginny, leaving a space on the other side for Anna, and waited for the first year students to come in. Fortunately, the large doors opened and the first years were led in just a moment later. Unfortunately, Anna was at the back of the line, and it quickly became apparent that all of the first years would be Sorted before she was.

One student after the other was called forward to sit on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on their heads, and the decision was shouted for everyone to hear, whether Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Time seemed to move particularly slowly, but finally, Anna Henry was called to sit on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

“Please put me in Gryffindor, please put me in Gryffindor,” Anna silently repeated as the hat was lowered onto her head.

“Why Gryffindor?” the hat questioned. “You are so bright, so talented, surely Ravenclaw would be a better choice… but what are all of these secrets?” The silky voice of the hat murmured in her mind. “My we do have a lot of secrets, don’t we? Trying to hide them from me I see. What are you so desperate to hide?”

“Please put me in Gryffindor, please put me in Gryffindor,” Anna’s begging was becoming desperate.

“Slytherin would be the best choice for you,” the hat continued. “Surely, you see that. They will respect your secrets; help you achieve your true potential. Their cunning can assist you in ways you do not yet even understand.”

“Please put me in Gryffindor, please put me in Gryffindor,” Anna drew on her most rigid mental strength, determined to give nothing in particular away. Her Occlumency shield must hold. It must!

“Very well,” the hat sighed. “If you are this determined, it must be GRYFFINDOR!” The last word was shouted clearly for everyone in the Great Hall to hear.

Anna stood up quietly, handed over the hat, and walked in an almost dreamlike state to Neville, who hugged her, and then lowered her into the seat next to him. She was barely aware of the start of term announcements the Headmaster was making about the presence of the Dementors around the school and the precautions they should all take to stay away from the creatures.

When Professor Lupin was announced as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, she joined in the applause that was coming from her section of the Gryffindor table. The announcement of Rubeus Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher was met with more applause, and Anna joined in with gratitude that he had not let go of her hand immediately when Neville had handed her over to him.

Then, with an affable smile, Professor Dumbledore announced the start of the feast, and food appeared all along the table. Neville loaded a plate for himself, and then noticing that Anna had not moved, put some chicken and vegetables on her plate.

“Eat, Anna,” he said softly into her ear. “You have to keep up your strength, especially after the day we’ve had.”

She looked up at him, still seeming slightly dazed, and then murmured, “Thanks, Neville.”

Throughout the hall, the students were eating and enjoying talking to friends they had not seen over the summer. The third year Gryffindors were congratulating Anna and welcoming her to their house, while Percy Weasley, the Head Boy, was assuring her that he would be happy to escort her to the dorm after the meal. Anna smiled and said “thank you” to everyone, but silently she wondered if she actually belonged. Did she deserve to be in Gryffindor when she had to beg the hat to place her there?

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