1 The Arrival of Winter at Hogwarts

Platform 9 ¾ was filled with excitement and concern from both new students and veterans. The anxiety came from the various Daily Prophet newspapers that had carried the news of Sirius Black's escape on their front pages. Among them were three young wizards who, despite the break, still carried some dark memories in their minds.

The past year had taken many twists and turns for our trio of protagonists; all that had happened in the Chamber of Secrets was still fresh in the minds of the young students, especially the loss of a great professor and guardian of Hogwarts, Professor Flitwick. A weight of sadness hung over them as the Hogwarts Express whistled its departure for another school year.

"I hope this year isn't like last year," Ron said as he devoured some homemade snacks he had brought from home.

Hermione, her mind still clouded by recent events, said, "I don't want to run into any trouble this year that might distract me from my studies.

"Indeed, let's hope this year is better," Harry sighed and replied to his friends. Still, tension hung in the air as Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks as they prepared to board the train.

Upon entering their compartment, they noticed someone already inside who seemed to be sleeping.

Noticing a suitcase with a name on it, Hermione asked, "Remus Lupin, do you know him?"

"Never heard of him," Ron replied, his mouth still full of food, crumbs flying out as he spoke.

Lost in thought, Harry mumbled his reply, "I don't know," and went back to his contemplation.

Inside the train compartment, Harry's memories of the Professor sacrificing himself to save him from the giant beast in the Chamber of Secrets were still vivid.

Flitwick had been assigned by Director Dumbledore to keep an eye on the blond and unreliable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart. After the events in the tunnel leading to the Chamber, the responsible professor eventually gave his life in defense of his students.

The stormy weather outside the train made the atmosphere inside even more foreboding. Suddenly, without any announcement, the train came to a screeching halt. "Are we at Hogwarts already?" Ron asked.

"That shouldn't be possible, we must still be far away," Hermione replied, checking the time on her watch and noticing that there was still time to complete the journey.

The temperature seemed to drop even more as they felt the train sway. "It looks like someone is boarding the train," Harry told his friends after opening the compartment door and surveying the corridor.

Fear spread throughout the train as a black, hooded figure approached where our young wizards were. A skeletal hand touched the door, sending shivers down everyone's spine. A being covered in a cloak as black as night was searching for food.

Harry, horrified, looked into the creature's face and felt all his strength drained from him. 

It was then that the man sleeping under the cloak finally acted, casting a spell to confront the creature. "Expecto Patronum," shouted the previously unknown Professor Lupin.

A white light formed a shield that launched an attack that scared the creature away.

Concerned for Harry, Hermione ran to help her friend. "Harry... Harry... wake up, Harry," she said in alarm.

"Calm down, young witch. Here, take some of these and eat; they will help both you and your friend when he wakes up." Lupin took some sweets out of his trunk and offered them to the young people to calm them down.

Obviously, the new year at Hogwarts would not be as peaceful as the young wizards had hoped.

After all that had happened, Harry had already awakened from his fainting spell and was anxious and frightened about what would happen from this moment on.

Arriving at the Great Hall, with its enchanted ceiling that looked like a stormy sky, Harry's heart sank when he noticed that Professor Flitwick was not there to greet them as usual. He also noticed two new faces sitting at the professor's table in front of the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall of Hogwarts, Flitwick's absence was palpable. Before the House Sorting ceremony, Headmaster Dumbledore had made a solemn announcement about the sudden death of the beloved Charms Master, leaving the students bitter and sad.

But Dumbledore had more announcements to make. "As Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA), Professor Remus Lupin." Lupin waved to the students below with his characteristic smile.

"And to fill the position of Charms Professor, we have the honor of welcoming a renowned wizard and great duelist. Allow me to introduce the new Charms Professor, Nathaniel Winterheart," the headmaster said, nodding to the man who sat at the professors' table, looking serious and immaculate with snow-white hair and blue eyes.

"Finally, I must warn you that, by order of the Ministry of Magic, the Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, will be present on the grounds of Hogwarts in search of the notorious killer Sirius Black. I warn you that these creatures do not discriminate between wizards, so be aware of your surroundings," Dumbledore concluded.