Chapter 188
Chapter 188
“I have one more question, Mr Bones.” After calming Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore looked at Suer.
“Please forgive an old man’s concern. There are dark spells in the wizarding world, apart from the Patronus Charm, that are capable of killing a Dementor.”
Professor McGonagall had evidently thought of something, and her expression shifted.
Suer knew that he had to demonstrate his magic to the two professors.
“It was the Patronus Charm, of course, Professor.” Suer drew his wand and recited the incantation.
He summoned his Patronus, though only as a phantom. The magic required for a fully corporeal Patronus was still an enormous burden for Suer.
What he produced now was nowhere near powerful enough to kill a Dementor as it had been on the train.
Even so, the proof was sufficient.
The little silver-white badger circled the small room, then vanished back into the tip of Suer’s wand.
“Very good, Mr Bones.” The wrinkles on Dumbledore’s face smoothed out, and a hint of a smile touched Professor McGonagall’s lips–a rare sight from the stern figure most students knew.
“I learnt the spell from Professor Flitwick last school year,” Suer explained naturally before Dumbledore could ask another question. “Er, of course, Professor Lockhart also gave me a tiny bit of help.”
“Gilderoy?” Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
“Er, he gave me a note allowing me to borrow a book about the Patronus Charm from the library.” Suer deftly changed “a hundred million” to “one”. Different words, different meanings.
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully and gave Suer an inscrutable look before smiling.
“For a third-year student to learn the Patronus Charm and make it corporeal… Your talent is far greater than I imagined, Mr Bones.”
Huh? That sounded rather familiar. Oh, yes, Dumbledore had said something much like it last year.
“It is nearly time. We should go to the Great Hall. The children must be waiting impatiently.” Dumbledore looked towards Professor McGonagall.
“Oh, and I believe an outstanding student should receive the reward he deserves.”
“I believe that is only right.” Professor McGonagall nodded with a smile. “Then I shall go and prepare for the Sorting Ceremony.”
“Mr Bones, come with me.”
The two exchanged a mysterious glance and reached an agreement. Suer guessed what it meant and silently followed Professor McGonagall out of the room.
In truth, Suer did not care much for House points. They were not especially useful, apart from earning the cheers of many Hufflepuff badgers and possibly making him their leader for a while.
The king of the children, perhaps?
But he was an adult, and he would much rather have a tangible reward.
Still, House pride mattered. What if he managed to win the Cup for Hufflepuff this year?
“Mr Bones, please tell Miss Granger and Mr Potter to remain where they are at the end of dinner. I would like to speak to them.”
Professor McGonagall spoke quietly as she led him towards the Great Hall.
“Here we are. You may go inside.”
“Yes, Professor McGonagall,” Suer replied softly, pushing open the closed doors of the Great Hall.
The hall was already packed. As he passed the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ron both looked indignant, though Suer did not know why.
He relayed Professor McGonagall’s request for them not to leave after dinner, then quietly explained to Hermione that McGonagall wanted to praise her, not reprimand her.
“I’ll go over to Hufflepuff, then.”
Hermione nodded. Her gaze remained on Suer until he sat at the Hufflepuff table near the staff dais, and even then she did not look away.
“I think we need to find an opportunity to teach Malfoy a lesson,” Ron said. “What about humiliating him in class? Hermione? Hermione?”
Ron called several times, but Hermione did not respond.
So he waved a hand before her eyes.
“What are you doing?” Hermione irritably slapped his hand away.
Dumbledore had summoned Suer alone and not Harry, which struck him as slightly odd, but he soon put it out of his mind. As he walked towards the Hufflepuff table, many older students pointed at him and whispered among themselves.
The moment he reached the table, the Hufflepuffs applauded vigorously. “We all heard about it. You killed a Dementor, didn’t you?” Justin, wearing a pointed hat, sprang from his seat and excitedly threw an arm around Suer’s shoulders.
“How did you find out?” Suer sat beside Morn without confirming or denying it. Had the news really spread that quickly?
“Longbottom from Gryffindor told us. That Dementor passed our compartment but didn’t come inside. It scared us half to death. Morn even fainted.”
“It was only a Dementor…” Morn’s face reddened as he mumbled something indistinct. “Who fainted?”
He was about to say that if the Dementor had dared enter their compartment, he would have…
At that moment, the doors of the Great Hall opened fully, and Professor McGonagall entered with a line of first-year students.
The buzzing conversation instantly died. Everyone stared at the anxious children filing into the hall.
The Sorting Hat performed the song it had spent the past year preparing. To Suer, it sounded like last year’s song with a few words changed.
“May Vogt,” Professor McGonagall called from the list.
“Gryffindor!”
The Sorting Ceremony ended, and the students who had now become seniors warmly welcomed the newcomers assigned to their Houses.
Professor McGonagall carried away the Sorting Hat and the three-legged stool. Dumbledore rose from the central seat to deliver his speech.
He tapped his golden goblet and smiled at the students below.
“Another new school year. I am delighted to see new faces in the castle, and I welcome all of you back to Hogwarts! I have several things to tell you. They are very important, so I think it best to make them clear before you enjoy the feast and your heads become muddled.”
Dumbledore looked around. Once he saw that everyone’s attention was upon him, he gave a satisfied nod.
“You have presumably already seen the Dementors. They have been assigned by the Ministry of Magic to perform official duties at the school.”
“What I must tell you is that while they are here, no one may leave the school without permission. No trick, scheme or disguise will deceive a Dementor.” As he spoke, Dumbledore glanced towards Gryffindor.
“Never gamble with your own life. A Dementor’s nature leaves it unable to understand explanations or pleas for mercy.”
“I therefore warn every one of you: do not give them any reason to harm you.”
Dumbledore paused and surveyed the Great Hall with a very serious expression. No one moved or spoke.
“Now, let us turn to a more pleasant subject,” he said. “I am pleased to welcome two new professors this year.”
“First, Professor Lupin, who has graciously accepted my offer of employment.”
Scattered applause sounded below. The previous two Defence Against the Dark Arts professors had been such bunglers that the young witches and wizards had little hope left for the subject.
Suer noticed the look of hatred on Professor Snape’s face. Ah, of course. Lupin had spent his school days with Harry’s father.
“Second, our Care of Magical Creatures professor, Rubeus Hagrid. Because of the heavy teaching load, he and Professor Grubbly-Plank will divide the classes between them. Hagrid will teach the third and fourth years, Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank the fifth and sixth years, and she will also teach the seventh years.”
The applause was much warmer this time.
“Now, there is one last matter.” Dumbledore spread his hands, asking the students to be quiet.
He surveyed the hall, a smile appearing on his face.
“I am delighted that one student was willing to step forward when his companions were in danger.” Everyone at the Hufflepuff table understood at once and turned towards Suer in unison, though the first years still looked baffled.
“From Hufflepuff–Suer Bones!”
“When a Dementor entered his compartment, Mr Bones courageously drew his wand and succeeded in ‘driving’ the creature from the train without allowing a single companion to be harmed.”
Dumbledore winked towards the Hufflepuff table.
“Therefore, I believe this year’s Award for Special Services to the School must go to Mr Bones. In addition, I award Hufflepuff one hundred points!”
The thunderous applause from the Hufflepuff table nearly lifted the roof from the Great Hall.
“Well done!”
“Brilliant!”
Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were equally generous with their applause, and even some at the Slytherin table praised Suer’s actions.
Suer had no choice but to rise and bow.
Dumbledore gazed upon the excited hall, every wrinkle on his face relaxed.
“Those are all the important matters. Let the feast begin!”