Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter Sixty-Two

Dementors

Harry was awed by the fact that things could be both so normal and obviously more secured in the castle after the escape of Peter Pettigrew. Harry went to all of his classes and talked with all his friends in the next few weeks like he always had. Dumbledore had announced that there were Dementors securing all the entrance and exits of Hogwarts, and Harry could tell that more than one person suspected the reason for this had something to do with him, but no one had said anything directly to him about it.

The most noticeable difference was the stray black dog Hagrid seemed to have adopted, which could be seen roaming the grounds and corridors alike. Everyone seemed to notice that Snuffles, as was the dogs name, had taken a liking to Harry and would often be seen by the boy. Though Harry found it a little annoying to have a body guard around him so much, he couldn't help but laugh at Sirius whenever he would chase some bird or squire, obviously letting the dog in him take over. Ron was also quite amused when he found out that Snuffles loved to play fetch, and would initiate the game by picking up a stick on the grounds. Sirius had explained that he just wanted to make sure everyone believe that he was a dog, but Harry could tell that it was more than that.

"Do you think it will be the same for us?" Hermione questioned when Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George were alone in the Gryffindor common room late one night. Harry had decided that he needed to have a meeting with his fellow future Animagi, to discuss a few things.

"Er … you're going to have to say more if you want us to understand you," Ron pointed out with a smirk at her as she rolled her eyes.

"The way Sirius acts when he's a dog," Hermione said, whispering the name Sirius because even though they had put several charms to make sure they wouldn't be over hears, she wanted to be sure. "Do you think we'll start acting like the animals that we turn into?"

No one in the room had the answer to that question, but Luna's handwriting appeared on Ron's map that they had taken out for just this use. Harry probably would have tried to smuggled Luna and Neville into the Gryffindor common room if it weren't for the fact that Sirius would have noticed that. Seeing as he was determined to know if the rat, as Sirius always called Peter, had come to Hogwarts, Sirius had asked if he could use either the Marauder's Map or one of the ones that Harry and the other had made. Harry knew that he had to give up one of the maps and so begged the twins to let Sirius use the Marauder's Map. In the end, Harry had offered to give his own map to the twins for the time that Sirius would be there, saying that he could share with Ron and Hermione. As he looked at the message that Luna had written, he was staring at the reason why he couldn't have just given Sirius his own map. He didn't really want Sirius to know what they said when they wrote to one another.

'I would think so,' Luna's neat writing said. 'If we change our bodies we have to change our minds as well. I wonder what a lynx thinks like,' She seemed to add the last question as an afterthought.

"This really isn't the reason why I wanted us to meet," Harry said, watching as the words he said appeared in the map before sinking into the surface. Hermione had discovered the spell in the Room of Requirement when she had gone there to study a few days ago, now preferring the room to the library since she could get just as many books without having to deal with other people or the crabby librarian.

Then why did you? Neville asked.

"As you all know, Sirius is keeping a close eye on me," Harry explained and those in the room nodded their heads, and he imaged the other were doing the same. "Which has meant until now, that we couldn't work on our Animagus training. I've been trying to think of something that would let us do this all together, but I'm not sure if it's possible. At least, not without Snuffles knowing that we're up to something, and I would prefer it if he didn't find out."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Fred questioned looking uncommonly thoughtful. "He would understand what we're doing better than anyone. If you just told him what you were doing he might want to help us."

"I can't take that chance," Harry shook his head. "Because, more likely than not, Sirius would yell at me about how stupid it is for me to risk my health on something like this."

"Even though he did this when he was your age?" George questioned.

"He won't care if we call him a hypocrite, as long as I promise not to actually go through the transformation," Harry rolled his eyes.

"You don't know that for sure," Hermione pointed and then admitted, "but you're probably right."

So what are we going to do? Neville's writing appeared on the map.

"Practice in groups," Harry said as if that was the most obviously thing in the world. "Sirius is only going to be watching me, so he won't notice if the rest of you practice together."

"So what are the groups?" Fred questioned.

"Me, Ron and Hermione will practice together, and the rest of you will do the same," Harry explained.

"You're still going to have to deal with Sirius noticing your disappearance," Ron pointed out, "unless you want us to practices the transformation somewhere other than the Room of Requirement."

"No, I got my excuse all planned out," Harry said with a smirked. "Which, is the reason why it's always good to have an over achieving best friend."

Hermione scowled at him, "and what's that supposed to me?"

"You'll see," Harry chuckled and only a few days later she did see. That next night, after dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to the Room of Requirement to practices and the morning after that Harry was faced with a very excited Snuffles practically forcing him to go to one of the secret passageways.

Once there, Sirius transformed and exclaimed, "Where were you last night?"

"I …" Harry started to explain but Sirius was too upset to let him talk.

"I looked and looked for you, but you were nowhere on the map!" Sirius huffed. "I know that you haven't used any of the secret passageways out of Hogwarts, I might not have told Dumbledore about them … I don't want those filthy Dementors guarding them, but that doesn't mean that I didn't put protection and warning charms on them myself. I don't …"

"Sirius," Harry interrupted with a shout, realizing that he should have told Sirius about the room beforehand, he didn't like how worried Sirius was. "I didn't leave the castle, I went to this room that…"

"Room?" Sirius said thoughtfully, it sounding odd but also familiar to him.

"Yeah, it a room that can change into anything you want it to …" Harry said.

"The Room of Requirement," Sirius said, smacking his head as he remembered the room that he and his friends had gone to a lot once they had found it in their sixth year. They had even tried to add the room to the map, but it was impossible. It was impossible also to see anyone that was in the room.

"Yes," Harry agreed, "we found it at the beginning of the year and Hermione has found that she could get any book she wants in there and often drags us there to study. It's better than the library so Ron and I agreed to go … I'm sorry Sirius, I didn't realize that you would be so worried."

"It's okay, pup," Sirius said rubbing Harry's hair, causing the boy to make a face at him. He didn't want to show the boy how worried he had been, how he had come to a very dark conclusion when he was no longer able to see Harry's name on the map.

"Will you stop doing that … you know I'm thirteen …" Harry complained.

Sirius let out a bark of a laugh, "you know I'm never going to stop!"

"Whatever," Harry grumbled.

"Harry," Sirius said in a serious tone. "I know that you will want to keep using that room, but I'm not sure if that's the safest thing for you to do?"

"Why not?" Harry questioned. "It's not like anyone can get in there while we're using it, I made sure about that. And I'm probably safer in there than I am anywhere else."

"True," Sirius had to admit. "Fine Harry, you can still use the room. And Please Harry … don't disappear without telling me again."

"I won't," Harry promised.

O

It wasn't until the first Hogsmeade visit that Harry realized just how terrible the Dementors were, and how much effect they had over him. Were the others in his group of friends felt cold and looked sick, Harry felt more than just his happiness drain from him.

"Harry?" Ron questioned when he realized that his friend had stopped walking when they were nearly to the gates of Hogwarts. "What's the matter?"

Harry couldn't look at either of his friends, his eyes were on the hooded black shape and he felt as if the creature's eyes were on him as well. He could also see the creature moved closer to him slightly, as if it could sense that Harry was more affected by its presence than the others. The Dementor was the last thing Harry saw though as he closed his eyes and he heard an echo of screaming in his head.

"Let's get him out of here," he heard Hermione said worriedly and he felt arms on either side of him, dragging him away from the Dementors, his mind clearing of the scream as he left.

"What happened?" Neville asked, he had joined the Gryffindors at the entrance hall as he was planning on spending the day with them.

"I don't know," Hermione said handing Harry a piece of chocolate, Remus had warned them about the Dementors effect and advised them to carry the treat.

"Professor Moony," Ron started to say, using the nickname the twins had called Remus seeing as they were by themselves, "told us that Dementors can have a horrible effect on some people."

"That's true," Hermione said looking sad, "but I'm sure he didn't know this would happen. We should probably go to see him though; he might be able to explain."

"I'll see him," Harry said weakly, he couldn't get the scream out of his head, or the effect of the Dementors. He also didn't like that he had been the only one to collapse and wasn't able to pass them. "You guys go on; you shouldn't miss Hogsmeade because of me."

"But …" Hermione started to say.

"We won't Harry," Ron interrupted her, frowning at Harry with a knowing expression.

"But we can't …" Hermione protested as Ron grabbed her arm.

"He's going to want to talk to Professor Moony alone," Ron whispered to her, hoping Harry wouldn't hear. "We should just let him be."

Hermione gave up her fighting, shock that it was Ron that was being the reasonable one, and smiled at her still too pale friend. "We'll see you later, Harry."

"Yeah," Harry gave them the best smile he could manage, pushing himself off the ground and walking towards the castle to find Remus. He found the werewolf in his offices going over paperwork.

"Harry?" Remus said looking surprised at first, and then frowned. "What happened?"

Harry explained everything that had happened and watched as Remus's face became more forlorn.

"Remus?" Harry questioned in a soft voice, "why did they affect me more than the others?"

"You have been through things that your friends have not, Harry," Remus said grimly. "You said you heard a scream …"

"A woman," Harry said nodding his head and watched as Remus closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. This seemed to confirm the thought that Harry had come up with as he walked to office. "It was my mum, wasn't it?"

"I think so," Remus said softly, glad that the boy guessed but sorry that he had to hear that all the same.

"How can they make me hear that when I don't even remember it?" Harry questioned.

"A memory is a memory, even if you, yourself had forgotten it," Remus sighed. "I'm sorry Harry, I didn't realize that this would happen or I would have warned you."

"I know," Harry said he then started to bit his lip, looking thoughtful. "Remus, is there any way that I can fight the Dementors … you know make it so they can't effect me like they did?"

"There is a way," Remus said looking thoughtful now himself. "It's very advance magic …"

"Are you implying that I can't handle advance spells?" Harry questioned his godfather with a pout.

"I wouldn't dream of doing that," Remus chuckled; glad to see that though Harry still looked pale, he seemed to be going back to his normal self. "I was just saying that it's not going to be easy to learn. In truth, not everyone can learn this particular charm."

"What is it?" Harry questioned, looking intrigued.

"The Patronus Charm," Remus said. "It will act as a shield against the Dementors but it takes a lot of your strength and willpower to be able to do it."

"Patronus," Harry repeated, looking thoughtful. "Can you teach me how to do it?"

"I can try," Remus said. "But you were listening when I said it will be difficult right."

"Of course," Harry said. "But I don't want the Dementors to affect me anymore."

"Very well," Remus said, knowing that Harry never liked having any kind of weakness, even the ones that couldn't be helped, and that the young man would do anything to work around it. Harry was looking at him hopefully so he added, "But I think we'll have to wait a little while before an actual lesson, I have to figure out how I'm going to teach you first."

"You don't always have to have a lesson plan, you know," Harry pointed out and Remus laughed.

"You sound more and more like Sirius every day," the werewolf muttered before he said in a normal tone, "This isn't an easy lesson to learn or teach Harry, I want to do it right. Learning the Patronus Charm correctly can be useful in more ways than to just fight Dementors."

"What does that mean?" Harry questioned.

"We'll get to that later," Remus said chuckling. It seemed that Harry was getting more and more like himself too, judging by the face the boy was making at not having all the information he could on a subject.