Chapter 4: Back to Hogwarts

"You want what?", Lupine was visibly shocked when they asked him about the magic spell in Diagon Alley the next day.
"Well, yes," Harry thought carefully how to say it, "it would be better if our mail couldn't be intercepted. After all, Ron's parents will want to hear from us more often. And the spell would be best for that, wouldn't it? "
Lupine had to think about it first. "Yes, yes. But how do you know the magic? You are not taught that at school."
"Oh I read about it in the library and I just remembered it the other day," Hermione lied quickly without blushing.
This sounded very plausible, after all, everyone knew that Hermione had read almost the entire library.
"Oh well, I still don't know," Lupine visibly struggled with until, "Well, all right. But I can only teach it to you at school, because I have to do something first.""What?" Came from Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry at the same time.
"It's for the Order. After Dumbledore's death there are some problems. The new Secret-Keeper needs to be prepared for the ritual and we still need some things for it," Lupine replied.
The four teenagers were surprised. Not about the content, but about the fact that they received an answer. Normally it would be 'this only concerns members of the order' or something like that.
Little did they know that the Order members had chosen to tell the teenagers the truth as much as possible. In the last two years they had seen the benefits of leaving the children in the dark.

After everyone had their school supplies and they had made a detour to Fred and George, it was back to the Burrow.
The last few days went by in a flash and then it was finally time, we went back to Hogwarts. Only something was different, they could sleep a little longer this year and so the whole departure was not as stressful as the last 5 years.Since they could all apperate and Ginny did a side-by-side apperation with her mother.
When they arrived at Kings Cross train station, they were greeted by a beaming Lupine. He looked a little battered, but no one wanted to say anything for the time being. Harry looked around a bit more closely and noticed how depressed the mood at the train station was. Somehow that was no wonder, after all, nobody knew what could happen in the next three and a half months.
As it turned out, Lupine will accompany the teenagers. She was delighted, of course, and after saying goodbye to Mrs. and Mr. Weasley they got on the train and started looking for an empty compartment.

After half an hour's train ride, Hermione ripped everyone out of their thoughts.
"Now tell Remus, what or who messed you up and why are you riding with us on the train again?" She looked Lupine straight in the eye. Of course, Lupine had also offered Ron, Hermione and Ginny the 'You' during the summer vacation."Well, I'm going with you this year for the same reason why I took the train in your third year too." Lupine chuckled when he saw the confused faces of the people opposite.
"Oh, understand! You want to protect us right?" Harry said this and knew he had hit the mark
"Right Harry. In the third year I'm supposed to go with you to protect you from Sirius." It took Lupine a while before he could continue. "And this year it's because of the Slytherins who are still going to school. We believe after Dumbledore's death they will allow themselves more and be more open. I sincerely hope that Slughorn will have control of the house."
"Ok, that explains why you are accompanying us on the train, but why do you look so exhausted now?", This time it was Ginny who had spoken up.
It took Lupine about 5 minutes to make up her mind to answer.
"Well, I told you I had a few more things to do in the last week and well ... it's not easy to find a kite and take a scale off it.", Lupine let his words work first.
As to be expected, the others reacted visibly shocked, especially Harry knew how nasty these beasts can be and he already had his trouble to get the dragon to get up, but remove a scale? That was insane. Lupine was lucky then.
Ron was the first to catch himself and had to grin immediately.
"Did you take Hagrid with you? He would have been happy!" Ron had great trouble not laughing.
Harry, Ginny and Hermione had to grin too now. Hagrid loved dragons more than anything.
Only Lupine didn't find it amusing, he continued to be serious.
"Yes, I asked him. I could have used his help. But he didn't want to. He hadn't come out of his hut once since Dumbledore's death. He's totally holed up and won't let anyone near him," Lupine replied .
The four teenagers' grins froze to death and they became more serious than before.
"You are joking!Hagrid wasn't even a little interested? "Harry sounded very worried. He just couldn't imagine it. He can still remember how Hagrid's eyes lit up when Norbert hatched and how he had mothered him.
"But not our Hagrid ... he ... he loves dragons more than anything", this time it was Hermione's voice that almost cracked.
Ron and Ginny just sat there with their heads in their hands and just shook it. They couldn't quite believe it yet.
"Unfortunately it is like that. Dumbledore was like a father to him. I think he just feels helpless and abandoned at the moment.", Lupine was speaking the truth, but somehow it sounded implausible to everyone.
Then they fell silent. Ginny laid her head in Harry's lap and dozed off. Ron and Hermione also tried to get some sleep.
But Harry kept thinking about Hagrid the whole time. He had been wondering why he hadn't received a birthday card from Hagrid, but he thought Hagrid was busy with Grwap.He couldn't and didn't want to imagine that Hagrid has probably been squatting in his hut since the funeral and crying his eyes.
Harry then finally decided to visit Hagrid tomorrow after class.
"Tell me Remus. Who is the new Secret Keeper now and who is organizing everything now?" Harry tried to distract himself.
“Well…”, Lupine seemed somewhat embarrassed, “we always discussed and shared the organization together and the new keeper of secrets is me.” Lupine scratched his head and seemed totally interested in the rushing landscapes.
"Seriously ?! That's great. The Order couldn't have looked for a better one." Harry beamed at Lupine. At least that was happier news. Apart from Dumbledore, he knew no more trustworthy person than Lupine.
Lupin's complexion changed from pink to red and back. Finally he cleared his throat.
"Well ... Thanks Harry. Um ... so if you didn't mind, I need some more sleep."With that, Lupine made himself comfortable in his seat and fell asleep.

Harry couldn't sleep and hung behind his thoughts. He wondered if it was right to go back to Hogwarts, after all, nothing will be the same anymore. Of course, Hogwarts was still his home, but it won't be the same without Dumbledore. And what was wrong with Hagrid? Otherwise he didn't let himself go like that. Harry knew how Hagrid must be feeling and he was determined to talk to Hagrid about it and bring him to his senses. He couldn't let himself go like that. But that also meant Harry had to deal with it himself and he dreaded it. Until now he had managed to suppress his feelings with a large portion of indifference, but that will not be possible for much longer.
After all, he'll be back at Hogwarts soon and he's supposed to talk to the portrait of Dumbledore too.
Only now did Harry realize that he won't be able to talk to Hagrid first thing tomorrow.He must first become aware of himself how he feels about all of this. He first had to deal with the certainty that Dumbledore will not be sitting at the staff table and will greet them all beaming with joy.

Suddenly the train began to slow down and Harry had to tear himself out of his thoughts to wake the others.
Harry, Ron and Ginny had quickly put their cloaks on, only Hermione seemed to take forever. Something was wrong with her.
Lupine was the only one who apparently knew what was going on and had to grin.
"Hermione, honey? Are you okay?" Ron couldn't quite hide the fact that he was worried.
"Yeah ... all right." With that, Hermione turned to the others and blushed at the same time.
One could see a badge on her cloak, similar to the prefect badge, only that instead of the 'V' an 'S' was emblazoned on the red background.
"Oh my god! Hermione, you became Head Girl?" Ginny was visibly shocked.Harry wasn't shocked in the least, he couldn't imagine Hermione wouldn't be.
"Why didn't you tell us? Congratulations," Harry was just a little pissed off that she hadn't said anything.
Ron stood pouting. Hermione walked up to him slowly and spoke to him carefully.
"Ron? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was kind of embarrassed. Please don't be mad, okay?"
Ron couldn't take it anymore and he had to grin. He pulled Hermione into his arms.
"I'm so proud of you!" Ron breathed in Hermione's ear.

The train finally stopped. The five went outside and the four teenagers waited for the familiar voice of Hagrid to call the first years together.
But instead they heard the rough bed, "First year here please!"
She found a carriage and got in.
"What is the Raue bunk doing here?", Ron was the only one who hadn't understood it yet.
"Hagrid will be too depressed to go about his duties."Harry replied, every word hurting him.
"We have to do something or don't we?" Said Ron. He was quite concerned when he finally realized the extent of Hagrid's depression.
"Of course Ron, we'll go see him and talk to him soon." Hermione replied, getting murmurs of approval from Ron, Harry and Ginny.
Then the teenagers noticed that Lupine was looking out the window of the carriage the whole time, he seemed to be looking for something or someone.
The four watched their new teacher spellbound when suddenly a jolt ran through his body. He grinned up and down and waved like crazy.
Harry was the first to figure out why.