Chapter 186
Chapter 186
If Suer had been able to see what was happening outside, he would have witnessed a grim scene.
In the gloomy, rain-soaked night, the train standing upon the tracks had been shrouded in dark grey. More than a dozen cloaked figures circled above it.
Without exception, they avoided the rear of the train. From there, they could sense a deadly presence and hear the dying wail of one of their own.
Yet the Dementors continued circling overhead, reluctant to leave.
The reason was simple. The emotions within the train below were far too delicious, and they had been hungry for far too long.
A thin figure unsteadily climbed onto the roof and raised a wand.
The wind and rain swallowed the voice, but a sphere of silver-white light could be seen glowing at the wand’s tip, like a rising sun in the dark curtain of rain.
The Dementors retreated. They had no choice, for they clearly felt the command within that light–one that would tolerate no refusal.
“Leave, or die here!”
Inside the train, in Suer’s compartment, the chill the Dementors had brought still lingered. Hermione was deathly pale and shivered from time to time, but her gaze remained fixed on the figure standing at the door. In the darkness, that white light was so warm.
“Click…” The lamps came back on.
The Dementor was dead–quite literally reduced to nothing, without even ashes left to scatter. Everyone there had clearly heard its inhuman dying wail.
To prevent a second Dementor from entering, Suer remained leaning against the sliding door despite the weakness in his limbs, the lively Patronus perched on his shoulder.
Only when the train started moving again, its wheels clattering as it crept forwards, did he turn back into the compartment.
The sliding door rattled shut.
“Hermione, are you all right?” Suer looked at the dazed Hermione and gently stroked the girl’s bushy hair, drawing a smile onto his face.
After resting by the door for several minutes, Suer was still rather pale, but the Patronus on his shoulder had been supplying him with warmth and strength since it appeared. He already felt much better.
Hermione shook her head silently, her eyes still fixed upon Suer.
“Ginny, Hannah, how about you?” Suer took a bar of chocolate from the table, snapped it in half and handed a piece to each girl. “Have some chocolate. It’ll make you feel better.”
“Thank you.” Though Ginny’s face was frighteningly pale, she accepted the chocolate and spoke softly.
“What… what was that?” Hannah’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. She took the chocolate and asked in a trembling voice.
Suer glanced at Hermione. Genuinely worried about her condition, he looked towards the Patronus on his shoulder and guided it over to her.
Like his Animagus form, his Patronus was a badger–though this one was silver-white.
“An Azkaban Dementor. They are the prison guards there.” He had not forgotten Hannah’s question. “They are very evil creatures.”
Suer’s Patronus brought Hermione warmth. Within seconds, she could feel heat returning to her body.
“Then… what is this?” Hermione pointed to the tiny silver badger sitting upright on her shoulder.
“A spell.” Suer raised his wand and gave it a gentle wave. The Patronus leapt from Hermione’s shoulder, circled the little compartment, then landed on Neville. It dissolved into strands of light and disappeared.
“The Patronus Charm. It is the perfect counter to evil creatures like Dementors.”
Neville woke. He clutched the back of his head, his face showing some pain and his eyes blank. It took him a while to come fully to his senses. He looked at his pale companions, then at the brightly lit compartment.
“That… that thing…”
“It’s all right now, Neville.” Suer offered him a piece of chocolate.
Silence fell over the compartment. The lingering effects of the Dementors’ arrival had left none of them in the mood to talk.
Hermione kept looking at Suer.
The sliding door rattled open once more. A thin, sickly-looking middle-aged man entered. His wizarding robes were patched all over, his shoulders were wet from the rain, and strands of hair clung to his forehead.
“Hello. Did someone cast the Patronus Charm here just now?” he asked. “Forgive my manners–I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Remus Lupin.”
“Professor Lupin is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.” Ron appeared behind him. “Oh, Ginny, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you…”
Harry was there too, his mouth pressed into a thin line, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat. It seemed he had suffered quite a fright as well.
“Excuse me, but which young wizard killed that Dementor?” Lupin’s gaze moved across every face in the compartment before finally settling on Suer.
“I did, Professor.” Suer stood. Remus Lupin–of course he remembered the werewolf professor whose story in Harry Potter ended in tragedy.
“A third-year student?” Lupin pressed.
“We are all third years.” Hermione spoke anxiously before Suer could reply. She thought the professor had come to hold them responsible.
“Suer only killed that Dementor because he had to save us. If we hadn’t fought back…”
“I don’t mean to blame you, Miss…”
“Hermione Granger, Professor,” Hermione replied at once.
“Very well. I do not mean to blame you for rashly killing a Dementor, Miss Granger.” Lupin allowed a smile to form, making his voice gentler.
“In fact, I wanted to see which young man had managed to kill a Dementor with the Patronus Charm. It is an extraordinary achievement.”
“Well, my curiosity is satisfied.” Lupin looked at Suer once more. “We will reach Hogwarts in ten minutes. You should get ready.”
Remus Lupin really did seem to have come only to see which gifted young wizard had killed a Dementor. Once he had delivered that final remark, he left.
Ron and Harry remained in the compartment for the little time left, until the train finally arrived at Hogsmeade station.