Dementor's Kiss
Harry hadn't ever seen a stranger group, let alone been within one. Crookshanks led the way downstairs, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron following just behind him, looking like contestants in a six-legged race. Then came Snape, drifting along creepily, his toes sending small wafts of dust flying as they hit each stair, held up by his own wand, which was pointed at him by Sirius. Lisa was helping Padma along, or maybe it was the other way around, because her arm was still limp and she couldn't grab the weak railing. Harry, Hermione, and Draco brought up the rear.
Getting back into the tunnel was difficult, and getting through felt even more so. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage, edging along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks's fluffy tail was still ahead of them. Lisa had decided she'd much rather let Padma drag her along. Harry stood behind Hermione, and she went after Sirius, who was still having Snape drift just ahead of them; His lolling head kept hitting the low ceiling. Harry had gotten the impression that Sirius wasn't making any effort to prevent it, but, really, neither would he.
"You know what this means, Harry?" Sirius spoke abruptly, looking over his shoulder for just a moment as they slowly progressed along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in? And using the Veritaserum?"
"You'll be free," said Harry.
"Yes, that too," said Sirius, taking a breath. "I don't know of anyone ever told you-- I'm your Godfather. And I believe my letter wasn't very... clear."
"We know," Hermione said, looking ahead to Lupin. “It's... complicated to explain, but, I'm Harmony. Er- I supposed you'd be able to tell...”
“I could,” said Sirius lowly. “I could tell, but I didn't want to believe... after twelve years. The only way I suppose the owl found you was... pure luck. I imagined I was being very hopeful, sending it out...”
“It found me,” said Hermione briefly, and she stared at the uneven ground as they walked in silence.
"Well, er-- I was appointed your guardian," Sirius said stiffly, after a minute. "If... anything happened to them. They didn't know if Moony could manage... he never was all that good with kids..."
Harry and Hermione looked at eachother. He didn't know if the same thought ran through her head, but it didn't matter to him-- if Sirius meant what he was thinking, he may not have to worry about it.
"I mean-- I'll understand if you'd like to stay with your Aunt and Uncle... or, whoever you're staying with... Merlin knows Lily didn't trust that minx after our first year..." Sirius cleared his throat. "But, I'd be grateful if you thought about it. Once I'm cleared... if... if you wouldn't mind-- a different home..."
"Yeah!" Harry said, nodding his head so quickly he bumped it on a rock sticking out the ceiling. "I-- you mean- live with you? Leave the Dursleys? I'd take any chance,"
"I'd have to send a letter or two to my parents," Hermione mumbled. "Er, adoptive parents. As long as I told them, I know they'd understand. I'd love to."
"Really?" asked Sirius, eyes wide. "I didn't think--"
"Why wouldn't I?" Harry asked, his smile so large it'd begun to hurt his cheeks. "Aunt Petunia is horrible, Uncle Vernon is-- well, he's Vernon-- and Dudley's annoying-- I'd take the Forbidden Forest over them! Have you got a house?"
Sirius turned to face them, and his face broke out into a smile-- the first real smile Harry had seen on it. It was startling, how different his face looked; A face ten years younger shone through sunken skin, and it was clear, in that moment, that this was the man who was in the picture of his parents' wedding. He'd have to show the photo to Hermione at some point. He'd have to show her the entire album.
Looking at Draco, Sirius said, "You're Narcissa's boy, aren't you?"
"What?" Draco stammered, going very pink. “How'd‐-”
“She's the only one who had those cheekbones. Actually, we were supposed to get married, but then she got engaged to Lucius-- you look just like him, y'know. ‘Cept the cheekbones. Haven't seen Narcissa in years, even before I was put in Azkaban,"
They all hushed, and the noise of Snape's head scraping the ceiling was the only sound for a while. That was, until, Lisa couldn't hold in her laughter any longer.
"I'm sorry-- I'm sorry-- it's not funny- it's not!" She repeated that, nearly a dozen times, but her laughter increased every time. And shortly, Padma couldn't stop laughing either.
Their laughter was the only sound, as they finally reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks was first up; He must've pressed his paw to the knot of the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron were able to clamber up without the overwhelming sound of savaging, angry branches. Padma helped Lisa drag herself up the slide, and Sirius sent Snape up through the gap, before standing back to let Harry, Hermione, and Draco go up. And eventually, they were all out.
The grounds were quite dark, and the only light came from the faraway windows of the castle. Without even a word, they all were off. The only noise, now that no one was laughing, was Pettigrew's muffled wheezing and whimpering as they walked. Harry's smile had yet to falter. He'd get to leave the Dursleys, and he'd get to live with someone who knew his parents... and with Hermione and Quinn... it all felt unreal, but it was a dream he'd never want to wake up to. He couldn't wait to see the look on the Dursleys' faces when he said he'd be going to live with the convict they saw on television.
"One wrong move, Peter," started Lupin threateningly. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.
Silently, they trailed the grounds, the castle lights growing clearer. Snape was still drifting ahead, his head bumping his chest. A cloud had shifted, sending their shadows away from them. At first, it wasn't a problem... though Lupin had paused briefly, tense, he kept moving. Harry supposed it would be alright, if he'd had his potion...
But suddenly, Snape knocked right into Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who'd stopped abruptly, and Sirius froze to the spot. He flung out an arm to stop Harry, Hermione, and Draco from moving forward.
Lupin's silhouette was still visible over Sirius's shoulder-- he had gone rigid, shaking. Harry knew he ought to move, but was rooted to the spot- he couldn't tell why he couldn't make his limbs move...
"We shouldn't-- we should, y'know not be, er-- here.” Padma said lowly, shifting herself and Lisa backwards. “Maybe a bit further away, in the castle...? Ooh, it doesn't matter! Just not here! Oh-- no, no, no, no-- we should not be here--"
Lisa nearly tripped as she pushed herself away from Padma, her eyes unmoving from Lupin, and she was taking harsh breaths. “This is so bad, this is so bad... just say it- just say it- we're dead– we're- w- we're dead--”
"Run!" Sirius said, waving to them frantically. "Run! NOW!"
But Harry couldn't move his legs, because Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He made a move, but Sirius caught him around the waist and threw him back.
"I'LL GET THEM! RUN!"
Padma was trying her best to get Lisa to move, but she wouldn't budge, muttering, “We're so dead, we're so dead..."
“We're not!” said Padma shortly, and Harry rushed over to try and get Lisa to move too, but it seemed she'd dug her feet into the ground, shaking her head frantically. She was still staring at Lupin with a horrified, transfixed look, and when Harry took a glance, he understood why-- Lupin's head was lengthening, along with his body; His shoulders were hunching, hair was sprouting up on his skin in hoards, and his hands were turning to clawed paws. Crookshanks's fur was on end, and he, too, was backing away.
As werewolf-Lupin reared, snapping its jaws, Sirius had disappeared. He had transformed so fast it almost looked like it didn't happen-- the enormous dog leapt forwards. The werewolf had freed itself from the shackles in seconds-- Sirius had seized it around the neck and pulled in backwards, away from where Ron and Pettigrew were. They were locked together, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at eachother--
It was only when Hermione screamed, paired with the shaking hand of Draco pulling him back, did Harry realise just how long he stood there, transfixed by the sight, but Lisa had still yet to move. But then, shortly, he realised what it was that made Hermione scream.
Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's wand, and Ron, unsteady on his injured leg, fell. There was a thud, a bang, and a burst of light in a matter of seconds-- Ron laid motionless on the ground. Another bang-- Crookshanks flew into the air, falling back in a heap.
"Immobulus!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at Pettigrew-- he fell to the ground, shocked and still. But, quickly, Pettigrew had transformed, and he was moving again-- a flurry of spells he hadn't remembered knowing moments ago echoed in Harry's head, and bright flash after flash struck just behind Pettigrew's bald tail. Even when he aimed just ahead, he missed by just an inch, grazing bald patches.
Another scream sounded, from Padma's direction, and Harry turned; Lisa was on the ground, pink faced and sweaty--
And then, a howl echoed from behind them-- Harry had started to feel dizzy, turning his head just intime to see the werewolf taking flight, galloping into the forest--
"Sirius!" Harry yelled, sending one more spell the rat's way-- and to his horror, it missed. Pettigrew had disappeared into the shadows of the trees. "He's gone! He transformed!"
Things were blurry, but he could still see well enough to tell Sirius was bleeding, and quite profusely, if he could say-- gashes were spread across his nuzzle and back, but he scrambled up in an instant, and the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded across the grounds.
"Ron," Hermione whispered, dashing to Ron's side. Harry followed her as quickly as his legs would let him without giving out. Draco was still frozen in place, as if petrified.
"Ron! Ron-- er-- do anything if-- if you're not dead--" Hermione stammered, her face red. His eyes were half closed, and his mouth hung open. One of his eyes blinked a moment later-- so he wasn't dead, although that much was obvious thanks to his breathing, but the look on his face was a dazed sort of confused, as if he didn't recognise them.
Harry struggled to catch his breath, looking around desperately. His hair was in his eyes and he couldn't think properly. Padma was getting Lisa to her feet, and she appeared to be fine otherwise... Black and Lupin were both gone.... The only person who didn't look utterly startled out of his mind was Snape, but did he really count, hanging unconsciously in the air?
"A- Ac--" Draco panted, catching Harry and Hermione off-guard.
"What are you--?"
"Accio-- Peter-- Peter Pettigrew,"
In an instant, so fast it looked as though he'd been summoned out of thin air, Pettigrew floating just inches away from Draco's wand, squealing horribly. Hermione was gaping.
“What did you just do?!” She gasped.
“Summoning charm,” said Draco, and he was gaping too. "I did not think that would work."
"Well, it-- it d-- IT DID!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at Pettigrew. "Petrificus Totalus! Y- you-- how did you even think of that? How-- I-- what--? We haven't even learnt that yet--"
A yelp came out of the darkness, and Harry went still the moment he heard it. And suddenly, his legs were carrying him faster than he could ever make them go on his own. If anything, that moment was, by far, the fastest he'd ever ran in his life.
It was coming from the lake, he determined easily, and he could've sworn his feet weren't touching the ground at one point. No part of him was even touching the air, it felt. But he could still feel it. There was a cold wind that had not yet grown warm by summer, and it was making his face feel very, very warm. His eyes were stinging, and there were loose tree branches whipping at his face, arms, and legs, but he wasn't affected in the slightest.
He couldn't lose Sirius. He'd just got him-- back. He wouldn't let anything happen.
Shortly, the yelping stopped without warning. And when he got to the lake's shore, tripping over himself, his heart dropped, realising why. Sirius had turned back into a man, and he was crouched on all fours, his arms over his head.
"No, no, noo..." He whispered. "No... please..."
His eyes were blurry, but he could recognise them from even a mile away. Dementors. Atleast a hundred of them, gliding in a great, black mass towards them. It wasn't the air that was cold-- it was them making it feel colder, and from where he was standing, it felt as though he'd gone swimming in winter with nothing on. It felt as though he couldn't breathe, but he could, and he knew it, because he was screaming, trying to block out the deafening ringing in his ears.
I can't. I can't let him get caught. Not like this, when he could finally be free.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He shouted, to the point that it was hurting his throat, and he could just barely make out the noise of Hermione screaming the same thing. Draco had followed, seemingly, because his screams could just barely be made out.
Sirius rolled onto his side, very pale, shuddering, and his chest was moving very, very slowly, as if he was losing the ability to breathe.
No, Harry thought, and it echoed through his ears. He'll be alright. I'll live with him, and Hermione, and Quinn, and when mum gets better, she'll join us....
He thought of all the happiest things he could that had ever happened to him, but his voice was weak, and, frankly, so were his memories. His mind was utterly blank, and his head was aching; His thoughts were blurry before he could even think of them. The Dementors were closing in, and just ten feet away. They'd made a solid wall at this point, surrounding them.
"EX-- EXPECTO PATRONUM! Expecto... Expecto Patronum..." Harry's voice was hoarse, and it scratched his throat. He couldn't give up. He wouldn't.
A painfully familiar thin wisp of silvery mist escaped his wand, floating just before him as though it were mere fog. Hermione had collapsed only moments ago, and Draco was gasping for air on the ground.
Harry's knees gave out, as they'd hoped to do for the last hour or so, but he was still screaming himself silent. His glasses had fallen off his face, and it was all so blurry. So many happy things had buried themselves deep in his brain, far too deep to be retrieved, and something was bubbling in his chest-- it felt like he was on fire. His arm fell, moving to hold the spot over his heart. The burn spread to his throat, and then his mouth, a sudden taste of bile...
The Dementors all seemed to be watching, still, very close to him. Their breath rattled in such a way that made him feel like he was losing his breath in that moment. The one nearest glided forward, raising its rotting hands, lowering its hood.
Where eyes should've been, there was grey, scabbed skin, stretched over empty sockets. But there was a mouth-- a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air, making a much clearer rattling sound.
A terror so paralysing filled Harry so quickly that he couldn't speak or move. His wispy Patronus flickered out, slowly dying. Something passed through his chest, and it was painful, leaving him gasping for air. The screams of his mother were making his head hurt more than even the Boggart did. It was painful to even keep his eyes open, to think... he reached in the dark for Sirius, and, somehow, managed to find his arm... they wouldn't take him... they wouldn't... Harry wouldn't allow it...
A pair of strong, clammy hands wrapped themselves around Harry's neck. forcing his face upwards... his face was practically freezing... it was going to take his soul first. Something unfamiliar passed through his chest, rising up to his throat, replacing the bile with a painful, painful feeling that seemed to tug at everything within him to stay... and the horrified screaming of his mother would be the last thing he'd ever hear, ringing in his ears a hundred times over and making his headache, which was excruciating, now, much worse--
And then, through the blurry fog and the icy cold drowning him, he saw, forcing his eyes to open even a bit-- a silvery light, growing brighter and brighter in just moments. His face was let go and he fell forwards onto the grass... he would've assumed he was dead if he couldn't hear his own breathing in his ears, and the retreat of whatever had risen, returning to its rightful place, no longer pulling at his insides...
Though he felt sick and was shivering, Harry opened his eyes, trying his best to push through the pain. The light was real-- it was illuminating the grass across him... the screams had faded into nothing, and the cold went with it...
Something was forcing the Dementors away... it was circling him, and Sirius, and even Hermione and Draco... the rattling sounds of the Dementors had gone silent. Finally able to feel his limbs, as the air had warmed up immediately, Harry raised his head just enough to see something amidst the light, gliding across the lake.
His head was throbbing and he barely managed to find his glasses and put them on his face. Yet the thing's shape was blurry, but it was as bright as a unicorn. Forcing his eyes to stay open, Harry watched large wings retract as it came to a half on the opposite shore. For a second, Harry, thought he saw someone-- someone almost quite familiar. A strange sort of familiar that made it hard for him to focus.
The silvery figure flew up for a minute and came back into view-- suddenly, in a single breath, it had doused him in a blinding light. In an instant, any remaining effect the Dementors had was gone, so much so that it was suffocating, but, in a way, pleasing. All he could think of were some of the best moments in his life.
The light-shower, however, had not managed to stifle the pain that lasted all throughout his body, and it was getting increasingly hard to think. Using the last of his strength to turn himself over so that he wasn't getting a mouthful of dirt, he allowed his eyes to finally close, and the pain stopped as he fell into unconsciousness.