Chapter 62: Biggest Fear (1/2)
Next few days, Hermione mostly spent her time in Chris's room. She was doing homework, after finishing her own, she even did half of Chris's. Chris understood she was trying not to think about Harry and Ron who were not talking to her. Harry talked a little when he saw her but Ron almost dragged Harry away. Hermione was hurt, Chris consoled her few times, but in vain.
After the new year, everyone returned to Hogwarts. Chris told Ginny everything that happened during the break, to Chris's surprise Ginny took everything without any sign of fear or shock, she was just worried about Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Lessons started again the next day. At dinner, Hermione joined Chris, Colin and Ginny.
”Still not talking to you?” Chris asked Hermione.
Hermione just shook her head and started eating.
”It's fine Hermione, you can hang out with us if you want,” Ginny said smiling. ”I know Ron can act very stupid sometimes.”
Hermione smiled back. Ron and Harry came and sat a little far on the table. Hermione looked away. Chris and Ginny exchanged worried looks.
”Chris!” Harry called suddenly.
”Yeah.”
Harry hadn't talked much with her in the last few days so Chris looked surprised.
”Professor Lupin said to inform you, eight o'clock on Thursday evening, The History of Magic classroom,” Harry said simply.
Chris nodded, ”Ok. Thanks.”
”What's on Thursday?” Colin asked Chris.
”Oh! I'm taking an extra class from Professor Lupin.” Chris answered.
”What extra class?” Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows.
”A spell to fight Dementors,” Chris said while eating.
Colin and Ginny looked at each other but didn't say anything.
At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Chris left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom, on the way she met Harry. It was dark and empty when they arrived, but she lit the lamps with her wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binns' desk.
”What's that?” said Chris.
”Another Boggart,” said Lupin, stripping off his cloak. ”I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees Harry, so we'll be able to practise on him. Chris, you can practice on him too, just don't come in front of Harry or it'll take a look like your biggest fear. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like.”
”OK,” Harry and Chris said together.
”So,” Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand and indicated that they should do the same. ”The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm.”
”How does it work?” said Harry nervously.
”Well, when it works correctly, it conjures up a Patronus,” said Lupin, ”which is a kind of Anti-Dementor — a guardian which acts as a shield between you and the Dementor.”
Professor Lupin continued, ”The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, both, that the Charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it.”
”What does a Patronus look like?” Chris asked curiously.
”Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it.”
”And how do you conjure it?” Harry asked next.
”With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory.”
A happy memory. That's why Dames said the Dementors will recognize it because I'll create it with my happy memory — and because the power of happiness — a Patronus is too much for Dementors, Chris thought.
”The incantation is this —” Lupin cleared his throat, ”expecto patronum!”
”Expecto patronum,” Harry and Chris repeated.
”Concentrating hard on your happy memory?”
”Oh – yeah –” said Harry.
Chris was still searching a happy memory inside her. She remembered her time with her dad and whispered, ”Expecto Patronum.”
Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.
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”Very good Christina. Concentrate hard.” Lupin said and Chris nodded.
Then something happened in Harry's wand as well.
”Did you see that?” said Harry excitedly. ”Something happened!”
”Very good,” said Lupin, smiling. ”Right then — ready to try it on a Dementor?”
”Yes,” Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom.
Chris just nodded and stood a little far from Harry, gripping her wand as well. The Dementors didn't affect her, so she just has to cast it if Harry fails. Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.
A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned towards Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently towards Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath.
”Expecto patronum!” Harry yelled. ”Expecto patronum! Expecto —”
Harry started to fall, Chris thought hard on happy memories with her dad and her friends.
”Expecto Patronum.” She yelled and a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of her wand, to hover in front of the Dementor.
”Riddikulus!” roared Lupin, springing forwards. The boggart vanished inside the box. Lupin was looking at Chris very surprised. ”Well done, Christina. I guessed you'll do it quickly. You're really talented.” Lupin smiled.
Chris smiled back and ran towards Harry, ”Harry! Harry!” She called, shaking him a little.
Harry jerked back to life.
”Sorry,” he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses.
”Are you all right?” said Lupin.
”Yes —” Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leant against it.
”Here,” Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. ”Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it the first time. In fact, I would have been astounded if you had.” Lupin gave a side glance towards Chris.
”It's getting worse,” Harry muttered, biting the Frog's head off. ”I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort ..”
Lupin looked paler than usual.
”Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —”
”I do!” said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. ”I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Slytherin? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!”
”They'll not Harry. Dumbledore is still very angry about last time. He'll not let them in.” Chris said.
”But what if they come, Chris? Dumbledore forbids them before but they did come, didn't they?” Harry said.
”Last time they came because —” Chris stopped, Lupin and Harry both looked at her. ”Fine. Do it.”