"Y/N? Y/N? Professor, I think he's waking up."

If there was any sort of reward for the worst headache in the century, then Y/N would certainly be wearing it in all its glory.

He heard the voices first, Hermione's voice calling out to whoever was in the room with them. Y/N himself only saw the blinding light of a wand, as his eyes tried their best to refocus them, which didn't take long.

"What happened?" Y/N asked, rubbing at his eyes as his unconsciousness faded, and his vision came clearly back.

The boy tried to move, but then realised he was pressed hard against something, like a pillow. He moved his head to the side, only to get a glimpse of a black skirt of a uniform. It was then that he realised he was nestled in Hermione's lap, her positioning his head so
he wouldn't fall.

Y/N shoved away the blush and just gave up
as the person with the light in his face moved away from him.

"You passed out," Hermione explained as she looked down at him, watching him intently with her worried eyes. "So did Harry. Are you okay?" She asked, the concern masking her pretty face was more than real.

Y/N blinked, finally as his vision became clear and the people in the room became more apparent.

There was Hermione of course, baring her eyes into him with concern as she always was.

Then there was Harry who sat beside him, pushing himself up as he looked as if he had the same experience as him.

Ron was sat in his seat still, a look of terror across his features as he huddled himself.

And then another, a much older man. With ragged robes and tussled dark brown hair.

He knew who it was.

"Professor Lupin." Y/N stated as he tried to sit himself up with the help of Hermione, who guided him. "Thanks." He offered to her, causing her to smile before they looked back
at Lupin who was watching them closely.

"Are you two okay?" Ron asked nervously before Lupin could speak.

"Not really." Y/N said as he heaved back against his seat, shuddering.

"What he said." Harry answered as he too got back into his seat. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," Ron said, more nervously than Y/N had ever seen him.

"I heard screaming..." Y/N said, to himself as he looked over at Harry with a frown. "It was... it felt like someone was..."

He couldn't finish his sentence, but his mind, the thoughts did that for him.

'Dying...'

"Nobody heard screaming—"

A loud snap pierced the air, and made them
all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," Lupin finally spoke, offering the two boys a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took his piece of chocolate but didn't eat it. While Y/N helped himself and immediately he felt a warmth overcome him, and the cold, chilling distraught of the dementor vanished.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked Lupin, but was cut off by Y/N who already knew.

"A dementor." Y/N said, casting a look to Lupin who hadn't stopped eyeing him up and down since he had woken up, "It was... a dementor of Azkaban, right?"

"Yes." The older man smiled slightly, "You're friend is correct." He directed that at Harry, before gesturing to the chocolate that he was handing out to the others. ""Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. Now I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."

Lupin strolled by the four of them and exited the room. As Hermione turned back to look at to the two boys.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hermione asked, eying Y/N and Harry anxiously.

"I don't get it... what happened?" Harry said.

"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," Ron said, interrupting Hermione pampered rattle, all while he still looked unbelievably scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching—"

"Twitching?" Y/N questioned, his eyes startled and widening as he looked at Harry. "What about me?" He asked, scared of what had happened.

"You were..." Hermione started, her eyes flashing silently, "It looked like you were asleep. You weren't moving, at all. Like you were..." She didn't dare mutter the words, she couldn't find herself to.

But Y/N understood what she meant.

"Maybe we just reacted differently to the dementor." Y/N theorised as he shuddered against his seat again.

"Maybe." Ron agreed, surprisingly. "I felt weird," he said, shifting his shoulders back uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."

Before either could continue, Professor Lupin had come back. The man paused as he entered, looked around, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

Harry still hadn't eaten his chocolate.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," The Professor, Lupin revealed. "Are you all right, Harry, Y/N?"

The two boys shared a look, one that both could read like a book.

'How does he know my name?'

"Fine."

"Well, as long as you don't count a dementor almost sucking the life out of me."

"Of course not." Lupin replied, smiling slightly again at the boy (who frowned) but still had the good graces to nod back all the same.

"Then, I'm okay."

—

If Y/N was being honest — which was more than likely the case — he couldn't have gotten off that train fast enough. The scratchy and unbearable presence that wrecked his mind still echoed within him, and the cold was even harder to forget.

Even now, as he and his three friends traveled the rest of the way to Hogwarts via a coach, the feel of the dementor's dark gaze still threatened him, as if a black shadow was watching over him, circling him with their cold, lifeless, appearance.

There was something dreadfully wrong about them. Even more so now since his loss of consciousness.

Fenrir had yet to even reappear, nor voice his own, wonderful, more than boisterous and obnoxious opinion.

Which, for Fenrir, was everything.

As the carriage bumped along the gravel roads, Y/N's eyes landed on the black robes and hooded figures of the dementors of Azkaban as they stood motionless at the gates ahead.

Causing the boy to jerk back, and settle himself into his seat more forcefully than he'd like to admit, and tuned out everything. Trying his best to outweigh the fear that gripped him,
and thoughts that clouded him with contempt.

In the back of his mind, he shivered, before pushing such thoughts aside.

Muddled around together, the four of the Golden Quartet exited the coach as soon as it stopped and proceeded out towards the castle. Taking their time to observe the new round of first years before heading for the stone steps leading into the castle, and to the Great Hall.

No sooner than the four of them had entered, had the tension left them. As the torches that lit the hallways paid way to light, and warmth filled them. However, not enough to destroy the pit that bellowed deep in Y/N's stomach.

Y/N hadn't been afraid of much when he was younger, sure he had fears like everyone else. But for him, fears had been excuses, things to hold a person back. His fear of heights had escaped him the thought of Quidditch alone (which his friends convinced him of) and the reality of his (music) talent had alluded him, and shrouded him away from truly exposing himself until Hermione showed herself to be fully hanging onto him as if he were a gem.

Something that he still both appreciated, and marvelled at, even today.

That she could light his shadow full of warmth, and leave his hearth a smouldering torch.

Was all that stood between the icy form, that threatened to freeze him to his core.

And yet, fear was already starting to take ahold of him. His secrecy to Hermione and Ron was attested to that, and swearing Harry to share his secret alone even worse.

Not to mention the obvious.

The new arrival of Fenrir and his untold supernatural abilities crippled the boy to
his core. The once honest boy had turned to secrecy and doubt. Where one would marvel
at such power, Y/N would fear.

These newfound terrors that breached his inner sanction, threatened to undo everything, and Y/N felt powerless to stop it.

Fenrir was the cause of such fears too. But if one had to ask, was it the power of untold responsibility that threatened to eat Y/N whole, or was it Fenrir himself?

All he knew, was that he was scared of the Wolf within him, the dementors too, and rightfully so. If not that, then what else?

"Potter! L/N! Granger! A moment if you will."

Taken by surprise, the three turned around to face the stern stare, but familiar sight, of the Gryffindor Head of House.

Professor McGonagall.

"There's no need to look so worried." She said, noticing their brooding faces at what was to come. "I just want a word in my office," She explained. "Move along there, Weasley."

Without another word, the three were urged towards her office while Ron scurried off to the Great Hall. All while the three friends were anticipating some kind of punishment or lecture, as one was the norm when it came to the older professor — though more than fair because of their share of troubles — or themselves for that matter.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Y/N, Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were both taken ill on
the train."

Before either of them could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

"Oh, it's you two, is it?" Madam Pomfrey said, ignoring the looks and bending down to stare closely at them. "I suppose you've both been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," Said Professor McGonagall.

They both exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school," She muttered, checking between the two boys with a rough like charm. "They won't be the last ones to collapse. Yes, they're all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate—"

"I'm not delicate!" Harry exclaimed crossly.

"Define delicate?" Y/N said with the force of a moody teenager, as he raised an eyebrow at Madam Pomfrey.

"What do they need?" McGonagall asked as she rolled her eyes at her godson.

Bed rest, a hot meal, a night in the infirmary.

Harry wasn't too pleased with that notion, Y/N even less so. And with Madam Pomfrey staring into their souls, he was inclined to believe she didn't want them there either, despite her good judgment.

Not to mention what Malfoy would be chatting about the next day if they needed hospitalised for fainting, even if it was in the face of a literal black cloak of death

Luckily, they dodged a bullet.

"Well, they should each have some chocolate, at the very least," Said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Y/N eyes. Which honestly unsettled him to a degree.

Y/N sighed, more out of habit as he switched his gaze to his Godmother, "We've already had some, we all have. Courtesy of... Professor Lupin."

Professor McGonagall shared a single eyebrow raise with Madam Pomfrey, before setting on Y/N with eyes akin to curiosity.

"So as it seems, you've met the good professor. How do you find him?"

"He's alright." Y/N said lowly. "Maybe a bit... eccentric."

Hermione, who until this point had been silent, rolled her eyes and shared a look with Professor McGongall, "He says that about most new people he meets, professor."

"And I was right... most of the time."

'That Lockhart fella certainly fitted the bill.' Fenrir spoke up from nowhere, almost causing Y/N jump.

"I gathered as much." The older woman mussed quietly as she studied Y/N before sighing. "You'll find that you'll be seeing more of him throughout the year." Y/N went to ask what she meant but was interrupted when she turned to Harry. "Now, are you sure the two of are well?"

"Yes." Y/N said, rolling his eyes again.

He was fine.

Harry answered much of the same.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside, Harry, while I have a quick word with Miss Granger and Mr L/N, then we can go down to the feast together."

Harry left (alongside with Madam Pomfrey) who gave his two best friends a curious look, and without another word.

Watching as Harry left, Y/N turned back to face McGonagall who still stayed plastered in her seat, all the while Hermione and himself moved forward to seat down.

"I'm sure the two of you are perfectly aware, and more than mature enough not to abuse what I'm about to gift you for this year. Or else consequences could be dire."

If it was anybody, perhaps she would've been softer, but this was two of the Golden Quartet she was talking to. So, in hindsight, this was the right play.

Nodding, the two students watched as the old McGonagall reached down into the base of her desk and pulled open a drawer, and brought out a rather plain wooden box. No bigger than her small palm, and opened it.

Inside, revealed a small hourglass necklace coloured in an elegant gold. It was what they both suspected it was.

It was a Time-Turner.

Placing it on desk, and pushing it forward, McGonagall looked up and exchanged a shrewd glance with the both of them.

"I hope I don't have to spell out the rules for such a device?"

The two of them shook their heads and Hermione was the first to reach out and carefully grab it. Bringing it, and closing it in her palm. Hermione shared a look with Y/N before hiding it the below the hem of her uniform.

"The Time-Turner can only be accessed and used for five hours at most." Hermione said, rattling off what she had read, and learnt. "Any longer and it could spell disaster for both time and the travellers themselves."

"Good." Said McGonagall, as always, she looked delightful (as much she normally did, which wasn't much) as she moved out of her seat and towards the exit of her office followed by Hermione and Y/N, who stared after the Time-Turner Hermione hid, as the boy had a delightful look on his face. "I'm glad one of you is at least taking the responsibility in earnest."

"I'm very responsible." Y/N frowned at his Godmother, who gave him a dull look. "I perfectly understand the importance of time travel and it's complications..." A glint shown in his eyes. "I just think it could be used for just a little bit more than lessons."

"Why do you think I gave it to Miss Granger?" Professor McGongall said as she went to open the doors to her office and quietly ushed the two of them out, before stopping Y/N at the door with a hand on his shoulder and a quiet whisper in his ear, "Professor Lupin will see you later on after the assembly."

With that final message, McGonagall removed her hand from him and pushed on ahead, guiding three to the main hall. Y/N looked back at Hermione who shared a curious look, but he shrugged his shoulders and they moved on. Followed with Harry who shared just as a curious look as his friend, yet for reasons unknown to him

—

"Oh," Hermione said softly as they came into the view of the Great Hall. "We've missed the sorting!"

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat. As Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Y/N, Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table.

People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them even pointed at Harry and Y/N.

'Well, this is new.' Drawled the amused voice of Fenrir as Y/N walked through the hall. 'I've never had this much attention before.' As the people stared after them with fleeing glances before the three of them settled in their seats.

'Lucky prick.' Y/N said back. 'So, you've decided to pop on back then?'

'For now...'

'You gonna tell me why you disappeared in the first place?' Y/N asked as he sat down in his usual place next to Hermione as Harry sat down in front of them, next to Ron who finally caught wind of them.

'No.'

'I figured as much.' Y/N slumped back against his chair as he turned his attention to the front view where the professors and headmaster began to gather, and before long Dumbledore stood at the head of the column.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

In the back of his mind, Y/N felt his head swindle and even drop in temperate at the mere mention of the dementors and fought against the pit in his stomach before focusing on the ageing headmaster once again.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks,"

He added blandly, and Harry, Y/N, Ron, and even Hermione, glanced at each other.

"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors,"

"On a happier note," He continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

At the mention, Y/N saw a twitch in the eye of Snape who glared heavily in the direction of Lupin, who either didn't notice, or didn't care in the slightest.

Either way, he was beginning to like Lupin more.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order 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 gamekeeping duties."

Y/N, and the rest of the Golden Quartet joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Y/N, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

Immediately golden plates and goblets before them filled with food and drink. Suddenly ravenous, Y/N helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat his fill to the later.

All while Fenrir himself watched with jealously and contempt. It wasn't the same, sure he'd be fed from his vessel, but... Still, he wanted prey himself.

But in the end, despite that Fenrir himself couldn't help but peer around the hall as Y/N kept himself busy, unaware of Fenrir's adventure.

For him, he was a spirit, a shadow. Unlike most of them, as he remained quiet and invisible to the naked eye and even ghosts. Though, after what had happened on the train, he doubted that the other ghosts couldn't detect him.

Sighing, Fenrir materialised in thin air and his appearance revealed from his feet, and all the way up to his face. Revealing an older man, mid-thirties, who had short cropped blonde hair that only lead to his neck. And an outfit that only seemed to make him stand out.

A ravaging blue denim jacket and ripped jeans that seemed almost too big on him, but were worn either way.

And with it, an after glow penetrated his body and clothing. A black sensation like a mist covered him head to toe, unlike the ghosts white that trailed wherever they went.

And with his sudden appearance, it seemed the ghosts spotted him immediately, (however, the students remained oblivious of him) Including Y/N as he continued to focus on his own food and the friends at the Gryffindor table among them.

"Ah, a new one, I dare say." Fenrir turned back around and came face to face with non other than Headless Nick, who's head still hung from afar. "I was wondering what such presence, presented such... such extraordinary power. Now, who might you be, good sir?"

'Jesus Christ.' Fenrir thought. 'After nearly 600 years, you'd think he'd lose the court speech.'

"Yeah, that's one way to phrase it, Nick." He said sarcastically as he hovered near the familiar ghost. "Fenrir's the name. Though, after so long, I'd thought you'd recognise me."

"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick's face seemed to be pale at the name, if it was possible. "Now, I know why it seemed so familiar. I wasn't expecting to see you back after last time. Say, you wouldn't happen to be inhabiting young L/N's over there, would you?"

"Maybe." Fenrir narrowed his eyes. "What's it to you."

"Well," Nicholas's face seemed to compose and show a rather confident well being. "Just, nothing ever came good from such frivolous action, is all."

"Oh, believe me, I'm very serious." Fenrir pulled back his arms and placed them in his pockets. "You of all spirits should know that."

"Yes, how could I forget." Sir Nicholas added in a dull voice. "Just don't get anyone killed this time." The ghost turned, and went to walk away, before sending him another look and then wandering off.

"That wasn't my fault." Fenrir called back, raising his arms in protest. "It was a prank! She asked me to do it!" He shoved them back in his pockets, and sighed. "What was I to do, say no?" He muttered to himself before taking off to the other spots in the Great Hall.

While Fenrir was getting used to the Great Hall again, Y/N had just finished his food.

It had been a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks.

However, the four of them, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed.

It had been Y/N, Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"All down ter you four," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it...great man, Dumbledore...came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough...It's what I always wanted..."

Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.

Y/N the last one to move but was stopped immediately by a pressure on his shoulder. He looked back to face the tattered robes and grunted, face of Professor Lupin who shared a small smile.

"Hello, Y/N."

The man had a kind look to him, a friendly presence that even he could sense in him from afar. There was nothing suspicious about him, except the foul odour of something lingering in the air around the older man. Something Y/N couldn't detest, but shook away as he nodded to him.

"Professor Lupin." Y/N stated with an eyebrow raised as the man removed his hand. "It's good to see again." He felt the need to thank him. "Thank you, for on the train." He struggled to say exactly what for, but Lupin understand.

"Of course." Lupin nodded, and cracked a wide grin, revealing a row of perfect teeth. "If it's not too much to ask, could I borrow a few minutes of your time?" He directed that to him, and then to the three others who looked curiously at the older man.

"I... guess." Y/N didn't have much choice but to agree, and he knew what it was Lupin wanted him for. It was in his eyes and the way he looked at him.

Urgently, and important.

Something that couldn't wait.

Harry, Ron and Hermione each shared a suspicious look but nodded either way, and said their farewell. With Hermione giving him a side way hug before accepting to take a Midnight back with her and Crookshanks.

Y/N muttered his thanks and watched as they left, before turning to Professor Lupin and complied as he led him forward, rounding the teacher's table and to what could only be another office entirely.

Nobody noticed, too busy retreating out of the Hall, to notice Lupin guiding him secretly away, except Fenrir.

Noticing him retreating with the Professor, Fenrir followed after them, slowly hovering behind before he settled his feet on the ground and obscured his vision from the prying eyes of the other ghosts, and changing back into his dopplinger of Y/N.

When Professor Lupin stopped before the wooden door leading into said office, it caused Y/N to stop, puzzled and he turned and felt Fenrir's presence, making him narrow his eyes.

But, before Y/N could even a utter a word to Fenrir, Professor Lupin turned around and flashed a smile, something of a curious, cat-like one. But not at Y/N, the man turned to his right and stared into nothing, almost at the invisible presence of Fenrir himself.

And what he said left the two of them (more importantly Fenrir) gaping and mouths wide open, shocked to their cores.

"Good, you're here. This will fit perfectly."

A/N: Sheeeesh. I apologise for taking so long with this one but I hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you in the next one.

Also, new faceclaim:

Mark Pellegrino as Fenrir: