The Dementors Kiss
Harry had never been part of a stranger group... Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.
Remus couldn't believe they were being so foolish. He was a werewolf and it was the full moon. They could all die and it would all be his fault.
He wished he could strangle his older self.
Getting back into the tunnel was difficult... Black was making no effort to prevent this.
Sirius glanced at Severus, biting his lip slightly. He hadn't done it but he still felt bad.
Severus merely rolled his eyes as if he expected nothing less.
"You know what this means?" ... "You're free," said Harry.
Everyone smiled. Even Harry. This time around things would be different. Sirius would really be free. And young Harry wouldn't have to return to the Dursleys.
"Yes. . . " ... "If anything happened to them. . . "
Severus rolled his eyes. He imagined his older self would be grateful he was knocked out for this awkward conversation.
Emotions had never been his strong suit.
Harry waited... "Leave the Dursleys?"
For a split second, I thought everything might be better, Harry hissed.
Young Harry smiled sadly at him. Would his life be just as awful as his older self's was? He really hoped not.
"Of course, I thought... When can I move in?"
The mind healers sighed. That was a giant red flag. And chances are because Sirius was just out of Azkaban and unhealed, he would most likely miss it.
He would be too busy imagining the future he himself craved.
Black turned... Black didn't seem to care.
Sirius actually blushed. It was ridiculous. He couldn't work it out. Why was the idea of his older self hurting Severus Snape in such a way so... disappointing. It wasn't like it was the first time he'd ever done anything to hurt the other man. He'd like to believe he'd just grown up or he was a better man but he had a sneaky suspicion it was neither of those things. And instead it had everything to do with caring about Snape. Maybe he was just grateful. The man had been tirelessly supplying him with calming draughts after all. And he had made him that special potion to fight off the effects of Azkaban and the dementors. He owed Severus for that. That must be it. It wasn't that he actually liked Severus or cared about him. He was just grateful.
And he'd listened to him ramble on last night... Yes. It was gratitude and nothing more.
Except it didn't feel like gratitude...
"You want to?"... laughed at Harry's parents' wedding.
Severus almost smiled. His occlumency shields helping him to force his facial muscles to stay still.
They did not speak again... At last, all of them were out.
"Time to get to the castle and fast," Amelia said forcefully. Her heart was racing. Between the title of the chapter and the fact that there was a werewolf and a murderer with them, she was seriously close to panicking about the children's safety. And she didn't panic. Not ever.
The grounds were very dark now... the convict they'd seen on television.
"They'd probably throw a party," young Harry muttered.
"After leaving the country," Harry added. They'd no doubt be terrified that Sirius would come after them.
"One wrong move, Peter,"... Their party was bathed in moonlight.
"That's not good," Remus whimpered.
Snape collided with Lupin... He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.
Everyone sat in silence, tension rippling about them. Remus was breathing harshly. This was his worst nightmare. And he couldn't bare to hear what was about to happen. He was certain he must have hurt them. It didn't matter that he knew Harry and the others were there, safe and sound in the chamber with him. Images of what he could have done, what he would have done, without the potion, ran through his mind. His eyes flashing amber, he stood abruptly once more and almost made to dart out of the room. He couldn't listen to this.
But Tonks came to stand beside him. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "Everything will be okay."
He looked at her, his eyes wide with pain, trying to believe that she was right. But how could she be? He was a monster. This was why he wasn't a teacher. Why he kept his distance from Harry.
He'd never forgive himself if he attacked James and Lily's son. He'd never forgive himself if he bit another human. But Harry... the mere idea of that was too much. And he crumpled in on himself, collapsing back into his seat. Tonks sat on the arm of his chair and wrapped an arm around him. She wasn't sure what she was doing. Lupin was a complete stranger to her but she couldn't watch him suffering like this.
"It's going to be okay," she said again, not knowing what else to say.
Remus lowered his head into his hands and tried to stem the tears that were threatening to fall.
"You didn't hurt us," Harry said, coming to sit on the floor before Lupin. "I promise."
Lupin raised his head to look at Harry. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I can't believe I didn't take my potion. I put you in danger."
"It's okay," Harry said gently.
"It's not!"
"You haven't done it," Harry said. "No one else is getting berated for the things they haven't done yet. What makes you any different?"
Remus frowned. Didn't Harry understand how dangerous he was?
"You haven't done it," Harry said again, his voice firm.
Harry could see Lupin's silhouette... He's not safe!"
Draco rolled his eyes. What was with Granger and pointing out the obvious?
"Run," ... "Leave it to me - RUN!"
It was like everyone on mass forgot how to breathe as they all held their breath. Would Harry actually let an adult deal with the problem before them? Would he trust Black, a man he'd just met, in a way he hadn't trusted a single adult in his entire life? It didn't seem likely. Mrs Weasley was crying heavily now. Why hadn't they been told about this? So much of Ron's time at Hogwarts had been kept from them. And she wasn't sure who she was supposed to be angry with. Dumbledore and the teaching staff? Ron and his friends for keeping so many secrets? Remus for being a werewolf and endangering her son?
There was a terrible snarling noise... jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.
Remus closed his eyes, wishing he could block out the sound of the book. He cursed his enhanced hearing not for the first time in his life.
Harry stood, transfixed by the sight... Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand.
"NO!" several people shouted.
Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell... Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight.
"Well done, Harry," Charlie said almost breathlessly.
"Stay where you are!" ... heard a scurrying through the grass.
"He's getting away!" Daphne cried.
There was a howl and a rumbling growl... Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.
"Never mind that," Mrs Weasley cried. "You're all in danger."
She glanced at Sirius. Why hadn't he ever told her that he saved her son's life?
Black was bleeding... but he didn't seem to recognize them.
Mrs Weasley grabbed Ron by the collar and pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly.
"I don't know... still hanging, unconscious, in midair.
Severus rolled his eyes. Some protection his older self was.
"We'd better get them up to the castle... a dog in pain. . . .
Remus whimpered. He'd hurt Sirius.
"Sirius," ... Black was in trouble -
"Absolutely not, Harry!" Sirius groaned. "Your life always comes first. Do you hear me?"
Harry grimaced. Sirius didn't know what he was asking him. Harry had seen his Sirius die once already. He'd do everything he could to make sure that never happened again.
Harry set off at a run... felt the cold without realizing what it must mean -
"No. Absolutely not," young Mrs Weasley cried out. "They can't come onto the grounds again. They wouldn't... Dumbledore will stop them. Surely..."
Albus almost laughed bitterly. People really did think too highly of him.
The yelping stopped abruptly... they were encircling them. . . .
"Oh, god," Astoria sobbed, curling into her big sister's side.
"Hermione, think of something happy!"... I'm leaving the Dursleys.
"Come on, Harry," Sirius murmured. "You can do it. I know you can."
He forced himself... Expecto patronum!"
Remus laughed bitterly. "It won't work. Without Pettigrew, Harry must have known that dream was already dashed."
Black gave a shudder... Expecto patronum!"
There was no way the girl would be able to master such an advanced spell under such terrible conditions. They were thirteen. This was an impossible task. One they were guaranteed to fail. Draco looked even paler than usual as he stared at the book, almost in disbelief that even without the Dark Lord attacking Potter, the boy was still going to almost die. The only reassurance he felt came from the knowledge that the blasted lion was sitting on the floor, clutching Remus's hand. He had survived. Somehow he'd done it.
The other Slytherins weren't fairing much better. They were all staring at Harry in wonder. Could he really cast the patronus spell against a hundred dementors?
Tom Riddle was staring at Potter. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His ears were practically ringing with fear. It was something of a first for him, feeling fear for someone other than himself. And he wasn't sure he liked it.
"Expecto... "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
"It won't work," young Luna said sadly. "But it's okay. A protector will come."
A thin wisp of silver ... completely alone. . . .
Story of Harry's life. He was always alone. This was nothing new.
"Expecto ... It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.
Remus scrunched up his face as if in pain.
"I'm only alive because of you, Remus," Harry whispered, his tone harsher than he meant it to be.
"You mean you did it?" Remus asked, bewildered.
"No. Well, not exactly. But you teaching me that spell saved my life that night," Harry said. "I'd say I owe you a life debt but I know you'd never accept it."
"That's not how life debts work," Remus huffed, momentarily distracted. “I was your teacher. It was my job to teach you.”
Harry laughed. Remus reminded him so much of Hermione in that moment it was impossible not to.
"No - no -" ... and lowered its hood.
Sirius was whimpering now as Severus poured another calming draught down his throat.
Where there should have been eyes... the sound of a death rattle.
One of the girls actually screamed.
A paralyzing terror ... His Patronus flickered and died.
For the first time, it felt like time truly had stopped in the chamber as they all listened avidly.
White fog was blinding him... he heard the familiar screaming...
Remus pulled Harry up and into his arms. He could stop himself. He needed to know that his cub was okay. That he was safe. That he was whole. That he still had his soul.
expecto patronum... She was going to be the last thing he ever heard -
Harry could hear several people crying now. But he ignored them as he tried to comfort Remus. "This isn't your fault."
And then, through the fog that was drowning him... The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him...
"Someone else cast a patronus?" Remus asked. "Who?"
"Is it Dumbledore?" young Ron asked. He was the only one he imagined could be strong enough to repel a hundred dementors.
The screaming had stopped... to a halt as it reached the opposite shore.
"What was it?" young Theo asked. "Who cast it?"
For a moment,... raising his hand to pat it....
"WHO?" everyone cried out in frustration, now the danger had been removed.
someone who looked strangely familiar... his head hit the ground as he fainted.
"That can't be it!" Blaise shouted. "Who was it?"
"How could you faint right when we were about to find out who cast the patronus, Potter!" Draco grumbled.
Harry laughed at that. "You'll find out in the next chapter."
"Someone familiar?" Seamus wondered aloud. "A teacher perhaps?"
"Or another student?" Dean added.
"Can you cast a patronus in your werewolf form, Professor Lupin?" Theo asked.
"No, Mr Nott. That would certainly be an incredible feat." Remus laughed but his eyes were still somewhat hollow.