Daddy’s Boy

Dementors

They were less than half an hour ride from Hogwarts, when the lights flickered and the train came brusquely into halt. The lights flickered a few more times before turning off completely, and the air became colder and colder. They could see their breathing condense on the windows and turn into ice.

Harry looked at Hermione and they both took out their wands, thankful for the training they had received during the last days of vacation and hoping it would prove good enough. They also moved closer to the door, as if guarding against intruders.

The air kept getting colder. Neville was whimpering slightly on the bench, hugged with both Susan and Hannah. Harry wasn't sure who was comforting whom.

They didn't have to wait too long. A bony hand pushed the compartment door open, bringing in an air of despair. Harry found it very hard to concentrate, but his training proved quite worthy. "Expecto Patronum!" he said quietly, recalling Hermione smiling at him on the beach, wearing only sun lotion. He also felt a strong need to protect her.

Some silvery fog came out of his wand, quickly condensing into a stag form and turning towards the black cloaked figure at the door. Catching it between its horns, the stag threw that figure out and positioned itself at the door opening, joined by a somewhat smaller doe that came out of Hermione's wand.

Another silvery apparition came from farther along the corridor, banishing the Dementors out. The lights flickered back to life and the train started moving again, while the air quickly warmed back to its normal temperature.

"What was that?" Ginny asked in a stammering voice, still sitting on the bench, huddled into as small a ball as she could manage.

"That was a Dementor," Hermione told her.

"And you managed to keep it away?!"

"Well Harry did most of it. I could only react once his Patronus appeared."

Neville and the other girls were also recuperating. "You produced a corporeal patronus, both of you! That's incredible!"

Their discussion was cut when somebody came in running. "Harry, Hermione, are you alright?"

Harry lifted his eyes at the familiar voice. "Yes, Moony. We both managed to produce the Patronus. Thank you for helping us master it. What are you doing on the train, though?"

Moony smiled, evidently relieved at seeing Harry well. "You'll have to call me Professor Lupin from now on, as I accepted the position of Defence teacher at Hogwarts."

"You did?! That's wonderful. I'm glad we shall finally have a competent teacher. You did quite well teaching us this spell, you know."

Moony smiled and turned his attention at the other children in the compartment. All were pale and somewhat shivering. He took a few chocolate bars from a pocket and handed one each. "This will help you feel better after encountering Dementors."

He gave Harry and Hermione a bar each as well, although they didn't look so pale. "A Patronus may be very exhausting. Some chocolate will do you good as well." Hermione looked as if she was going to protest, but Harry took the two bars and smiled at Moony. "It's always tasty, no matter the circumstances," he added with a wink.

"You know him?" Neville asked, after the chocolate took its effect.

"Sure! He used to be a very close friend of my parents and he still visits me occasionally. My guardians asked for his help to teach me the Patronus charm, so I would be protected, once they learned of the Dementors being positioned near Hogwarts. We may finally have a worthy DADA teacher."

"And how did you learn that charm?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Well, Harry insisted on me learning it as well, so he invited me to join his studies. We live quite close, you know, and we spent the summer vacation together."

Ginny nodded gravely, understanding that she didn't really have a chance with Harry.

Despite the Dementors being stationed around Hogwarts, the third year turned quite nice. Harry still checked the Marauder map daily, but found no trace of Peter. The traitor was probably unwilling to face the Dementors and not inclined on revenge. Harry felt sure that Peter left Britain as soon as he was able, probably not intending to ever come back.

Professor Lupin also proved his worth. Despite some students feeling that he was not as worthy, if only due to his clothing (and Malfoy was the most vocal among them), he was soon acknowledged as the best defence teacher the school had had for quite a few years. His lessons were clear and full of useful information and even most students who didn't like to put any effort into their studies were able to achieve passable results.

This didn't mean that all was well at school. Draco Malfoy turned to become a real nuisance, trying to insult Harry and his friends whenever he had a chance. It usually turned into Draco being humiliated, unless a certain teacher was nearby, to step in before that could happen. Harry's frustration with Snape was mounting to new levels, and he felt he needed to do something about it, before it got out of hand. He just didn't know what.

Then, a few days before Halloween, Draco tried his tricks once again. Harry was walking with Hermione along the shore of the lake, enjoying the mild weather. Winter was due soon and any sunny day was welcome, even if the temperatures stayed quite low. Draco had probably watched them and anticipated the direction they would go, as they used to walk that same way whenever they could spare some time and the weather cooperated.

They were just passing some trees when Draco and his cronies stepped from between the trees. Draco glared at them, as usual. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Potty and his Mudblood. It looks like they need to learn a lesson, and I'll be kind enough to teach them."

Draco grabbed his wand out of his pocket, not quite looking at Harry and Hermione, who had their wands pointed at him even before his wand came out. When he looked back at them, he seemed surprised that they were already pointing their wands, but not worried. "You can't possibly consider beating me, a pureblood wizard, you lowly beings."

He then started casting. Whatever it was, Harry didn't wait for Draco to finish the spell, as soon as the first syllable came out of his mouth, Draco's wand was plucked out of his hand. The ponce looked surprised, as if he couldn't expect it.

Before Draco could think of what to do, Harry felt himself get really cold. Looking farther, he saw Malfoy's cronies hugging themselves tightly against the cold. Harry looked quickly around him. There was nothing behind, yet the coldness seemed to come from the front, a bit farther than Draco and his cronies. It only took a moment before he saw the tall silhouettes of two Dementors gliding out of the tree cover, approaching Crabble and Malfoy, who stood closest to the trees.

Draco seemed to turn even paler than usual. His face contorted in an expression of terror, yet no sound came out of his mouth. Harry felt like he was momentarily frozen in place, before he managed to change track in his mind. He did his best to recall all the happy memories he had with his dad, with Liz, with his siblings and especially with Hermione. "Expecto Patronum!" he said, pointing at the dark abominations.

A silvery cloud came out of his wand, quickly getting the form of a proud stag with big horns. Harry noticed another silvery apparition jumping forward, charging the nearest Dementor. His own patronus looked around, found the other Dementor and charged forward.

Malfoy was already whimpering as the Dementor held him, moving its head closer. He was sure he would never see his father again. Then a bright apparition came forward, pushing the Dementor away. Another silvery apparition passed him, pushing away the Dementor that was attacking Crabble.

As he was slowly recovering, he looked around, expecting to see Potter on the ground, just like him, and a Professor who was able to cast a patronus. He was surprised to see Potter and his friend standing together, wands at alert, scanning the area around them. He saw a silvery stag and a silvery doe still prancing around, and then looking at the two Gryffindors before losing their forms and vanishing.

"What was that?" he asked, not sure who could answer.

Potter didn't answer. He seemed quite worried. "Are you two alright? Did the Dementors do anything to you?"

Draco couldn't understand this. Had the Dementors attacked Potter, he would certainly not been worried for him. He would have fled as soon as he saw them. Yet Potter… No, it couldn't be true. No third year could cast a patronus. Very few adults could. And yet… he could see no adult around.

"I think I'm fine, only colder than I ever felt. Why do you mind, though?"

Potter sighed. "It may be stupid of me, but I think that even you don't deserve to get a Dementor's kiss."

Draco could say nothing. He looked around, noticing Crabble still lying on the ground, whimpering lightly, and Goyle looking at the scene as if stunned.

"Harry, we should do something about them. They need to go to the hospital wing. Exposure to Dementors can do some damage, you know." Hermione seemed even more concerned than Harry. Why should the Mudblood care? Had Draco been in her place, he would have been glad to get rid of his tormentors.

Harry looked at her. "I'm not sure what we can do. The Dementors didn't have a chance to do any damage, as I can see. They can go on their own to see Madam Pomfrey."

"They can barely stand! We must help them," the girl insisted.

It was a strange sight when they reached the hospital wing. Draco stood in the middle, leaning on his two body guards at his sides, and they in turn were half carried by Harry and Hermione, who seemed to be almost crushed by the weight. Madam Pomfrey led them in and helped the Gryffindor students to settle each of the Slytherins on a different bed.

"What happened?" she asked, once her patients were settled.

"Dementors. Hermione and I were going along the lake's shore when Malfoy and his friends ambushed us. They had no chance to do much, as two Dementors appeared. One attacked Malfoy and the other Crabble. Luckily, Hermione and I were able to produce a patronus each."

The healer seemed doubtful, but turned to her patients. It didn't take long to find out that they were all suffering from exposure to Dementors, with Crabble and Malfoy being most affected. Goyle was able to tell her a bit more. "Draco thought that finding these two alone would allow him to punish them for acting as if they're better than him. We didn't notice the Dementors following us. They grabbed Draco and Vincent and almost kissed them. Then these two produced the patroni that made the Dementors flee. Once we were safe, they offered to help us here."

It was evident that no real damage was suffered. The healer gave each of her patients a bar of chocolate and insisted that Harry and Hermione take one each as well. She then moved to her room and used the floo to call the headmaster and the heads of houses of the involved students. Not unexpectedly, Snape was the first to arrive. He immediately turned to Harry with a menacing expression. "Potter, what have you done to Malfoy?!"

Harry shrugged. "Saved him from Dementors?"

"You can't possibly do that! Ten points from Gryffindor for lying to a teacher!" He was turning to his students, yet Harry wouldn't accept that.

"Professor, I suggest you check the facts first and then form your opinion. Not the other way round," Harry said, barely controlling his rage.

Snape turned back with a predatory smile. "Alright, but if you lied, I'll double the points and give you detention as well."

"That's fine with me," Harry replied.

It didn't take long for Snape to find the truth. Although Goyle was unhappy to say anything positive about the two Gryffindors, he told Snape what he saw. He then added, probably an afterthought, "I think we all owe them our lives."

Snape looked even more livid than usual, hearing this. He then turned to Draco, who seemed to be recuperating. "What did you see?"

"I didn't see the Dementors until one grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. I was sure I was doomed. Then a patronus sprang forward, pushing the Dementor away."

"Did you see who cast it?"

"I couldn't, as the Dementor was blocking my view, but once it was pushed away, I saw both of them," he motioned towards Harry and Hermione, "holding their wands protectively, and two patroni, a stag and a doe, were keeping the Dementors at bay."

Snape seemed to lose some of his animosity. He turned back to Hermione. "Can you really cast a patronus?"

Instead of answering, Hermione stood up and lifted her wand, being careful not to point it at Snape. "Expecto Patronum!" she chanted, producing a beautiful doe that looked around, finding no enemy, and then lowered its head to let Hermione pat it, before disintegrating.