Chapter Twelve

Hogsmeade Under Attack

A month had passed and Harry's classes were becoming much more interesting. His most favorite was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Pierce. Most of the school thought that Professor Pierce was one of the best professors on the subject. The only person who dislike her was Malfoy and the Slytherins. Malfoy had already earned himself detention until Christmas break and he was still showing his anger against the younger students of the other houses. He tried to take his anger yet again on Harry for the fifth time, but his attempt failed when he was caught using magic against another student by Professor Pierce.

Professor Snape was in a much fouler mood than when Lupin taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Pierce had been getting other students out of trouble by using the Prior Spell charm, causing the previous spell from a wand to be shown. Her spells have caused, mainly the Slytherins, to loose points due to her fairness toward students. Harry had a suspicion that she disliked the Slytherins since she mentioned that she disliked anyone calling a Muggle-born as she called it a 'dirty blood.'

The month of October was coming to a close and the first Hogsmeade visit gave all the students in third year and above something to look forward to. Harry woke up early and dressed so he could eat a quick breakfast so that he can have the day to visit Hogsmeade. Harry was putting on his shoes when his roommates awoke, and Ron woke up sneezing and coughing.

"Are you okay, Ron," Dean Thomas, a black boy who now had dreadlocks, asked.

"I think so, but I think I can make it," Ron said hoarsely.

"I don't think you should go Ron, or you might make that cold much worse," Neville Longbottom said putting on his robes.

"I agree with Neville, Ron," Seamus Finnigan said as he put his shoes on.

"I'll take you down to the hospital wing Ron," Harry said getting off his bed.

Ron changed and followed Harry out of the dormitory and down the stairs to see Hermione petting Crookshanks in her lap.

"Are you okay Ron?" she asked spotting Ron's lack-of-sleep face.

"I think he is not feeling too well," Harry replied.

"I'll meet you in the Great Hall, Harry," Hermione said then left out of the portrait door.

Harry led Ron to the hospital wing on the third floor to find that there were other students that had the same case as Ron. "Another one?" it was Madame Pomfrey, the nurse, who was very strict about her work. She took Ron and shooed Harry out of the door stating that Ron needed rest and should stay indoors today. Harry left to join Hermione in the Great Hall to tell her what Madame Pomfrey said about Ron and she agreed.

After Harry and Hermione ate breakfast, they left to pass the doors leading to the grounds. They pass Argus Filch, the caretaker who uses his dust-colored cat, Mrs. Norris, as a tool in his ever ending struggle in his war against the students, who was checking off names of the students who had permission to leave the grounds.

"Where would like to go first, Hermione?" Harry asked Hermione since the weather was not too hot, like the past two summers, nor too cold.

"I think the Three Broomsticks," she replied.

They entered the town and passed the shops until something caught Harry's as they passed Zonko's. It was a sign that said: Vanishing Hat: Put one on and your head vanishes (five galleons). Harry stopped Hermione and pointed to the sign but Hermione only shook her head trying a very poor attempt to suppress a smile.

"Well for one thing, Fred and George will be making enough gold by offering their products to other joke shops to earn some more gold," Hermione said as they approached the Three Broomsticks.

Ron's two older brothers, Fred and George, left Hogwarts with a bang since they put Umbridge out of Hogwarts with the help with Peeves. Before leaving, they vowed that they would give discounts to any students who swore that they would use their products to put Umbridge out of Hogwarts, but before they left on their brooms, they asked Peeves to 'give her hell' for them. Their products have given Umbridge a hard time since she instated herself as headmistress of Hogwarts. They first set off their entire stock of enchanted fireworks causing the entire school to go into mayhem while the other teachers didn't do anything since they wanted to see their 'new' headmistress suffer. They tried again, this time with their Portable Swap flooding the East Wing on the fifth floor before they left for good. A small piece of their swamp is still visible as a small monument of their deed.

They entered the Three Broomsticks and Harry bought Hermione and himself and Hermione some butterbeers. He took a seat next to her while they talked and laughed over what happened the previous term still wandering what had happened to Umbridge since Peeves chased her out. They also wandered if she had gotten over what had happened to her in the Forbidden Forest with the centaurs.

They spent some time looking in the shops and also stopped in at Zonko's to see what other products Fred and George had managed offer at Zonko's. They had managed to sell some of their Skiving Snackboxes, but Harry was sure that they were now banned from Hogwarts so as they were not used to get out of class. From what Harry could tell Fred and George's products were selling too quickly to keep in stock.

They left Zonko's and Harry felt extreme cold. He put his hand out to stop Hermione and she also saw Harry's breath with each of his exhales. Harry and Hermione saw several students running from gliding cloaked figures. Dementors, the former guards of the wizard prison, Azkaban, hundreds of them were making their way though the town entering the shops and terrifying the shopkeepers and their customers. Harry could only think of the one thing that can repel a dementor, a patronus. Dementors surrounded Harry and Hermione as she also tried so conjure her own, but she could only make a silver mist. Harry thought of seeing his friends again, but the one thought that stood out was the thought of seeing Hermione again.

"Expecto Patronum!" he bellowed and a majestic, silver stag erupted out of his wand scaring the dementors around them.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry heard Hermione bellow as his patronus scared the dementors around them and her patronus, an otter, erupted out her wand.

The silver stag and otter chased after the dementors as their casters ordered them where to go. The Aurors that were defending the town tried to conjure their own, but only a very few had been able to conjure their own patronus. The dementors had been surrounded by others that had been conjured by members of the D.A. halting their escape by herding them together. The dementors were cut off from their source of food they use as their advantage, fear, and they disintegrated in to a fine powder before bursting into a blazing white flame. The Aurors approached the scorched earth after it had extinguished itself with caution.

The people who were cowering in the streets and in shops slowly came out when they saw that the dementors were gone. Harry helped Hermione, who was on her knees and breathing hard, off the ground. She embraced him tightly.

"That was very terrifying," Hermione said with her voice trembling.

"It's okay Hermione, you did good," Harry said reassuring and embracing her too.

The Aurors gave everyone a piece chocolate from Honeydukes then gathered all of the students from Hogwarts. They led them down the road towards Hogwarts when they met Professor Dumbledore at the entrance to the grounds.

"Dementors attacked Hogsmeade?" he questioned. "Students will not be permitted to leave the school for the rest of the day and you Aurors will return to your post around the school," Dumbledore said without a twinkle in his eyes but with a stern look gesturing the students to enter and return to the confines of the school.

The news of the dementor attack on Hogsmeade spread through the school during lunch and also spreading terror that dementors came so close to the school. The news of the various patronus spread earning each of them some fame. Harry, including Hermione, became more famous repelling the dozens of dementors that surrounded them. The Slytherins, including Malfoy, hoped that there will be losses. Malfoy confronted Harry as he left the Great Hall flanked as usual by his cronies with Pansy Parkinson in tow.

"Well Potter, you think that helping destroy the dementors will make you even more famous," he sneered.

"At least I done something that you have failed to do, produce a corporeal patronus," Harry replied calmly.

Malfoy drew his wand but Harry, spotting Professor Pierce, didn't bother drawing his wand.

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Pierce shouted drawing Malfoy's attention, "that will be ten points from Slytherin for attempting to do harm to another student and another detention will be added to your long list of detention; need I remind you." she said eyeing Malfoy even as he left for the dungeons for his common room with his cronies in tow.

"Brilliant Harry," Ron said with his voice less hoarse than it was this morning, "from I heard the other members of the D.A. from the previous year produced a true patronus giving them a real test that you said was difficult."

Harry could tell that there was disappointment in Ron's voice, but Harry was glad that no one was administered the Kiss, having their soul sucked out and continued to live as an empty shell. After they got into the portrait door of the tower, Harry took a seat in an empty chair near the fireplace in front of the burning fire and he gave out a huge sigh. Hermione also collapsed into a chair near the fireplace as Ron took a seat also near the fireplace. Ron took out the homework he had started on before lunch as Harry nodded off to sleep.