Freedom is fleeting || Prisoner of Azkaban || Ch 10
It was a nightmare, of course it was. Right before the quidditch match and Harry has a nightmare. He knows that dreams are meant to mean something, maybe that’s why he’s so on edge when Oliver says the Slytherin match was rescheduled to be against Hufflepuff instead. Why he’s so put off when he looks up at the storm that was only getting worse. Why he ignores the grim in the clouds. Why he continues after the snitch after Cedric got electrocuted.
Why he’s so detached to the scream he hears; before he faints and falls to his death, to the scream of his dying mother.
He's not dead, however. He wakes up in the medical wing, the bright light of the moon shining through the giant windows in front of him. Ah the storms passed, how long was I out? He wonders.
“it’s only been a day Harry, It’s Sunday, 5am and you’re lucky that Mrs Pomfrey let me in.”
He jumped, unaware of the presence beside him. “Hermione!” He kept his voice low as to not disturb anyone else that may be there.
“Harry, you got caught by a dementor again… you fainted and fell off your broom.” Her voice low and filled with worry “I’m glad you made it out physically fine at least but, uhm Harry...”
“Hermione?”
“Your broom… It flew into the Womping Willow and, well Harry, you don’t have a broom anymore.” She looked sad as she spoke, she didn’t have the broom with her. Ron wanted to be the one to break the news so it’s currently in pieces in the dorm.
Shit. Okay well I can get a new one. I just need to sneak out of the castle and considering Sirius Black broke in, can’t be that hard.
“I’m going to the dorms now; Pomfrey should let you out today.”
She left as quietly as she appeared, Harry wondered how many other people were here. He sat up no longer able to sleep after his nightmare, or memory, Harry grimly reminded himself. And speaking of the Grim, the one in the clouds was terrifying! What a coincidence eh?
Steps a few minutes later, alerting Harry to someone entering the room. He whips his head round to his left, tall blond stands with his palm raised as he bows his head, “Heir Potter, A pleasure.”
“Heir Malfoy... The pleasures all mine.” He may sound calm but internally Harry is freaking out, Malfoy knows. How much does he know? How does he kn- the library. “Don’t you know it’s rude to eaves drop?” He smiles lopsided, no one else is here and Malfoy has been uncharacteristically kind recently he may as well reciprocate.
He smirks back at him as he leans against the chair next to Harry’s hospital bed, “Yes well you knew I could’ve been listening, Longbottom did mention it.” He’s teasing now but it’s probably for the best Malfoy knows, Harry will need allies for what he assumes is going to happen. “Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone Potter. From what I heard we’re on a closer side then I thought.”
Harry doesn’t know what that means, probably that they’re against dumbledore but he’s a little afraid to ask, so he doesn’t. “Malfoy, not that I don’t apricate the company and just gone 5 o’clock in the morning, but why are you here?”
“Potter, you fainted again and fell a little over the length of the astronomy tower. We didn’t get details about it in the dungeons, Dumbledore only told the Gryffindor’s.”
Dumbledore did? Asshole. “It was a dementor again. I don’t know what they were doing so close to the school - though I plan to ask Professor Lupin about it.”
“Yes, I guessed that, but why have you been fainting?”
“What?”
“Potter it’s not normal to be targeted by dementors this much, let alone fainting after encountering one.” He sat down in the chair as he said this, not quite monotone enough for the face he was showing.
“Yeah, well most people don’t watch their parents die.” He shocked himself with this, eyes widened after her spoke, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.” He sighs as looks to Draco, who’s looking at him for an explanation with one raised eyebrow, “I know they target people with the worse memories, I know I faint because they surface said memories and make you relive them.” He can’t believe he’s about to trust his enemy with this when not even Hermione or Ron knows. “I hear my mum’s dying scream and then I blackout.” He looked back to the widow. He doesn’t want to see the face he must be making.
“I also hear my mother.” The shift, Harry noted, was Draco also turning to the window. “Her getting tortured.” His voice is still steady and monotoned, but he doesn’t explain further. “Try not to faint again Potter.” He stands but as he turns to leave, he looks to harry, they finally make eye contact. “I won’t tell anyone about your mother. I hope you’ll do me the same courtesy.” then he leaves.
-.-.-
Its 6am when Madam Pomfrey let’s Harry free. He strolled down the empty corridors, save for a few Ravenclaws up early for breakfast. He goes to the defence room and walks up to the office inside the classroom. He knows the professor would be up and he needs to know why the dementors keep attacking him. He looks out the classroom window as he knocks on the door. Merlin, I thought the storm was clearing up?
“Harry? I’m glad to see you’re alright. Please come in.” He stands to the side, He looks better than he did a few days ago and Harry is glad for it. “I’m sorry to hear about your broomstick. Is there no chance of fixing it?”
They sit down across from each other, the room dimly lit by the early morning light, “No…” Harry came down here for something specific, his broom can wait. “Professor, why do the dementors affect me so- I mean, more than everyone else.”
Remus puts his hand on the desk in between himself and Harry, grabbing his attention, “Listen, Dementors are amongst the foulest creatures to walk this earth.” He makes eye contact with the young boy in front of him, “They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory… Until a person is left with absolutely nothing but his worst experiences.” His voice trailed off, slowing his speech as he pulled his hands back into his lap. “You are not weak, Harry.” His emphasis on each word was orotund, Remus truly believe Harry is not weak. “The dementors affects you most of all because there are true horrors in your past. Horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine – You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Harry looks down at his lap, thumbs fiddling over themselves. “I’m scared, professor.”
Remus smiles lightly at that; he holds sympathy for the boy but realistically who wouldn’t be scared in his situation, “Well I’d consider you a fool if you weren’t.” Remus is kidding on the square, sarcastic humour is just how he copes.
Harry looks back up at him, one unimpressed eyebrow raised. “Sir, I need to know how to fight them.” He relaxes back into his chair cockily “You could teach me! I mean you made that dementor on the train go away-“ Harry turned his head from his professor, seeing the look of disgust he felt ashamed for asking.
“I don’t pretend to be an expert, Harry. But the dementors have seemed to developed a particular interest in you, I shall teach you.” He saw Harry look back at him, excitement shinning in his eyes, he really does love DADA. “But after the Holidays. For now, I need to rest.”