Harry didnt know what happened to him. He was sitting in the train’s cabin when the train came to an abrupt stop. Then the lights went out and then Ginny came in. He remembers seeing Ronan, he came to their cabin holding an illuminated wand. And then he saw it, the shadowy figure who had its face hidden behind a black cloak. He didnt know what happened, but he felt something leaving its body and then his eyes rolled over, and fell unconscious. Before losing consciousness, he does remember seeing an astral Tiger, and that was it.
He then heard screams, sounds of explosions, a woman’s screams, and maniacal laughs of another woman…
“Harry! Harry! Are you all right?” Someone was slapping his face.
“W… what?” He opened his eyes.
He saw that he was in Hogwarts Express and it was moving again. He saw that every one of his friends was looking at him worriedly, as he sat up straight he looked around, he realized that Neville had fainted on the floor of the cabin.
“Neville,” he said, and then looked at Ron, “What happened to him?”
“Same thing that happened to you,” Ron said nervously, “Are you alright mate?”
“Yeah,” said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. “What happened? Where’s that… that thing? Where is Ronan?” He looked and saw Ginny sitting, and her face had gone pale from fright.
A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. “Here,” he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. “Eat it. It’ll help.”
Harry took the chocolate but didn’t eat it. “What was that thing?” he asked Lupin.
“A dementor,” said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. “One of the dementors of Azkaban.”
It was then Neville also woke up with a head start. Ron and Hermione helped him up the seat. Neville asked the same questions as him, apart from one, “I heard a woman screaming,” Neville said, “Who screamed?”
“No one screamed,” said Ron, more nervously still. Lupin then passed a piece of chocolate to Neville as well and then put the rest of it in his robes.
“Eat,” Lupin repeated. “It will help. I also need to speak to the driver, excuse me…” He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.
“You also fell unconscious?” Neville asked slowly, he seemed embarrassed by the turn of affairs. Harry nodded.
“Are you sure that you both are okay?” Hermione asked once again.
“I dont get it,” Neville said, “What happened there?”
“Whatever it was.. It was horrible,” Ginny said, she was still shivering, “Did anyone feel how cold it got when tha.. That thing came,”
It was then the cabin door opened and Ronan came in munching on some muggle Belgium muggle chocolate bar. He sat down on the seat and then asked, “How are you guys feeling?” Looking at the chocolate piece in their hands, he gestured to both of them, “You should really eat that. It helps you know..”
Neville took a bite of chocolate, but Harry was impatient, “Ronan… that thing. Dementor. What did it do to us?”
Eating the chocolate Ronan replied, “Rotten creatures they are.. Dementors. Created by a dark wizard called Harpo the Foul, the same one that created the Basilisk.” Ronan took a bite in, “Dementors are these creatures who can suck souls out of their victims. They feed upon the feeling of happiness and joy of their victims… That is how they maintain Azkaban. They feed on the happiness of the prisoners, making them depressed so that they wouldn't even think about getting out… Most of the time they suck from one victim so much…” It was then the cabin door opened again and Professor Lupin walked in.
Professor looked around and smiled at both of them, “Eat the chocolate well.. It would help,” Then he turned towards Ronan, “You must be Ronan,”
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The boy then stood up, “Yes Professor.”
“It is quite a feat, being able to project a corporeal Patronus like that,” Lupin said.
Ronan waved his hand, “It is easier than one might think,”
“I am looking forward to teaching you this year,” Lupin said.
“I am looking forward to having a DADA teacher, who knows his remedies,” Ronan said with a smile.
Professor then looked around them, “Also, we will reach our destination in about 10 minutes. You all should really put on your uniforms.” Ronan then wished them goodbye and went to his cabin.
***
By the time Ronan came to the great hall, everyone on the Slytherin table had heard the rumor that he had made a Dementor flee. He didnt know why or how the news traveled this fast, but it had become the topic of discussion of the whole table.
He and his group sat down at the table, and for the first time in two years, Malfoy and his goons were sitting with some juniors. They didnt miss those guys. Rather they enjoyed that they were able to talk properly now, without being spied on.
“But when did you learn it?” Blaise asked, “I have heard that not all wizards could cast the charm to defend against those things,”
Ronan simply passed him a look of derision, “If you know what kinds of danger the wizarding world has, it doesn't hurt to go out of your way in order to learn some tricks.”
“Still, it is commendable that you were able to learn the spell without any teacher’s help,” Daphne added.
“Speaking of the spell, Malfoy was telling people that his father has also taught him the spell. He could also take care of the Dementors if they come his way,” Pancy added.
Ronan shook his head, “That boy should really learn that boasting is not a very good thing to do,”
“You think he is boasting?” Pancy asked leaning in.
“Yup,” he said, “Patronus charm is a very difficult charm to learn. And I dont think that Malfoy has the ounce of focus required to learn the first form of Patronus,”
“First form?” Blaise asked.
“Yeah first form,” he said, “Patronus charm are divided in broadly two forms. In the first form, the wizard is only able to emit a light that makes the Dementor back away. While the second form is called Corporeal Patronus. When casting this form, the Patronus light takes the shape of your spirit animal. And this form is very powerful, and is able to deter hundreds of Dementors at once. According to the theory of Maximus Eglato….”
“Augh.” Pancy butted in, “Stop with the lecture. No one is interested.. What we are interested is in whether Potter and Longbottom fainted when the Dementor came to their cabin.”
“True. Both of them indeed fainted because Dementor started feeding on them,”
“Feeding on them?” Blaise asked, “Why? I thought Dementors were only allowed to feed on prisoners of Azkaban,”
Ronan then leaned in. “Think of it like this… You know what Dementors feed on, right” they all nodded, “So in a way, it could be said that their entire ability is to suck out any happiness out of their victim and leave a hollow sad shell behind. Their victims suffer more, when they are in this state.. Longbottom and Potter both have very traumatic past. They already have so much trauma that their happiness is like the most intoxicating meal for Dementors. That is why it attacked both of them,”
“Their past is that traumatic?” Daphne asked.
“Be friends with them,” Ronan said, “And then you will know exactly how traumatic their past really is.”
It was then Dumbledore came to the podium, a silence fell over the hall. “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. …”
The old man 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. 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 also added, “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.” There was a scattered response from people around the hall.
“Ronan, look towards Professor Snape’s face,” Blaise. And it was then he saw, that Snape had this murderous gaze in his eyes, he didnt look happy at all.
“I wonder if Lupin is the old enemy of the old potion master,” he mumbled.
“As to our second new appointment,” Dumbledore continued “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,”
Everyone from the Gryffindor’s table gave the news a great applause, while everyone from the Slytherin table were apprehensive of the fact. Most of the Slytherins didnt liked the jolly little giant, just because of the way he looked, the way he smelled, and had a home like a bum. While Ronan on the other hand liked Hagrid, he was not confident about the giant’s teaching abilities.
The feast went on without a hitch from there on. And before he knew it, Ronan was back in his Slytherin dorm room and had fallen asleep in his comfortable bed…