Chapter 3. Hollow end
It was about a week before the beginning of a new school year that the Weasleys and Hermione arrived. With them so much needed chaos and distraction entered Harry's life. Their presence always helped him push all thoughts of Tenebrae to the back of his mind.
However, there was always a speck of shame and guilt present in Harry each time he saw his friends. They were for him just another way of distancing himself from Tenebrae. The sith was a loner, who would never do something for others if he couldn't gain something from it. That's why Harry tried to make friends and held onto them, that's why he went on adventures, not caring about his gains or danger. He was different from Tenebrae. Like millions of times before, this phrase sounded so false.
"Hello, Harry!" Hermione hugged him. Harry smiled.
"Hi, Hermione." he replied.
"Hey, mate." Ron waved his hand.
"Hi, Ron." Harry smiled.
"How are you, Harry? They didn't expel you, did they? I read about it in the Underage Magic restrictions law: accidental magic doesn't count!" Hermione started in her typical manner. Harry was still amazed that the girl was able to say it all in one breath.
"Geez, Hermione," Ron interjected, "let the guy breathe."
"Sorry." Hermione blushed. "But really, how have you been, Harry?"
"Quite well, actually." Harry smiled. "I've read through all of our books for the year."
"Wha?" Ron blurted. "You're mental, Harry. Reading all the books in the summer."
"Ron, Harry is being responsible!" Hermione admonished Ron.
"Oh, more responsible than you with your vile cat." Ron shot back. "The bloody thing nearly ate Scrabbers!"
"Language, Ron, and you should just look after your rat better." Hermone retorted.
Harry tuned out their friendly banter. It was bound to get loud and though he loved his friends, Harry wanted to spare himself a headache, so he walked to Mr. Weasley, who looked at him with worry.
"Hello, Harry." the man smiled waveringly.
"Hello, Mr. Weasley." Harry smiled in return. Tenebrae didn't have a family and neither did Harry, but when the Weasleys started treating him like family, Harry didn't mind.
"How are you, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked sincerely.
"I'm fine." Harry relied.
"Harry, have you heard the news yet?" the man asked. "About Sirius Black?"
"The escaped convict?" Harry asked in confusion. What was this talk about?
"Yes." Mr. Weasley nodded, his smile all but disappearing. "Sirius Black is dangerous, Harry, You-Know-Who's right hand man." his brown gaze was drilling into Harry's green. "Promise me not to go after him."
What? Harry blinked a couple of times. Who did Mr. Weasley think Harry was, a complete idiot? Why would he run around chasing random criminals? Harry didn't think it was his duty to do it, last time he checked there were aurors for exactly that purpose.
"Of course, Mr. Weasley." Harry nodded distractedly. "Why would I do it anyway?" Something Harry didn't expect happened: Mr. Weasley averted his gaze. Harry's face didn't change, but suspicion spread like web around his mind. Was there more to the story than what he was told? Was Mr. Weasley hiding something?
"Harry!" he was distracted from further musings by Hermione's voice. Looks like they finally finished their squabbling.
xxx
A week passed extremely fast. Harry didn't even notice it, actually. What with trying to ignore Tenebrae's knowledge that coursed through him every time he laid his eyes on the runes textbook. Every time he opened this book, Harry saw not only his standard runes, but also ancient sith runes, used in sith alchemy – the art of modifying anything with the dark side of the Force. When he saw all the monstrosities this art created… Harry still shuddered. It was disgusting; the ability to create such abominations wasn't appealing to him at all.
"Harry, you sure you understood everything?" Hermione asked, looking at the runes textbook in his lap.
"Yeah… Yeah, Hermione." Harry replied. Sometimes Hermone could be a little overbearing, especially when she was acting so condescending. Honestly, what kind of idiot did she think Harry was?
"By the way, who is this?" Ron asked, looking at the man, who was sleeping in their compartment.
"Dunno." Harry shrugged. "Maybe this is our defense professor?"
"Remus J. Lupin." Hermione relied in her "I-will-quote-everything" voice.
"Is there something you don't know?" Ron asked in shock. Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry smirked slightly, he saw his female friend's eyes flicker to the man's luggage briefly.
"Honestly, Ronald." Hermione huffed. "It's on his luggage."
Suddenly the train started slowing down. The trio exchanged glances.
"Are we arriving already?" Ron asked.
"No, we can't be." Harry replied distractedly, looking around. "It's way too early."
The lights went out, darkness filled the train like spilled ink. In the trio's compartment frost patterns covered the window, obscuring the view of the outside world.
"What's happening?" Harry asked,
"I don't know." Hermione replied in a whisper.
The door to their compartment was slowly slid open by a thin skeletal thing. Everyone felt heavier, their minds started getting clouded. Harry looked at the hand. The door was finally out of the way and before the teens stood, or rather, floated a very tall creature in black cloak. Its face was obscured by the hood.
The creature looked around the compartment and stopped when its gaze reached Harry. It leaned forward. Harry felt his happiness draining slowly, his resolve shatter and give way to despair and fear. He barely registered the creature leaning closer to him, his face. A scream pierced his thoughts. It was a woman's scream. Next thing Harry knew was darkness.
Hermione and Ron watched in horror, paralyzed by fear, how the creature was getting closer to Harry. It was great relief when the previously sleeping man stood up and pointed its wand on the creature. But he was too late. Harry's blue and the creature's rotten black lips touched and it was blasted away. Everyone looked in shock how the creature looked around frantically. When it looked at Harry's unconscious form, it actually screamed.
The scream reminded Hermione of legends about banshees, it was chilling, high-pitched. It was like thousand men at once were wailing in absolute agony. When the scream subsided, the creature hastily flew away from the compartment.
Remus Lupin couldn't believe what he had just seen. A dementor was afraid. It was actually afraid enough to flee. He looked at the unconscious teen on the ground and prayed that his soul was intact. He sighed heavily.
"Well, this is very bad." he said finally, breaking his companions out of their stupors. "Here, take the chocolate." he gave a bar to each. "Don't be afraid, you'll feel better after this. I have to alert the school nurse about your friend. A dementor's kiss is not a joking matter."
"Those were dementors?!" Ron exclaimed.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." Lupin nodded gravely. "Now, I really must go. There is a chance that your friend's soul is still in his body. But it won't do him any good if he doesn't receive medical aid and fast." with these words he ran out of the compartment and a loud clapping sound was heard.
"Who are dementors, Ron?" Hermione asked once the man was outside.
"They guard Azkaban." the other teen replied. "They feed off a person's positive memories, when they kiss you, they suck your soul out." his hollow gaze landed on Harry's body. Hermione gasped.
xxx
It was about ten minutes later that the door to their compartment was opened again. This time is was Lupin, headmaster and his phoenix.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione gasped. Ron was just as shocked as her. The headmaster, however, ignored them both completely, instead proceeding to wave his wand over Harry. He sighed, a small smile on his face.
"Fawkes, if you will." Dumbledore said softly. The bird trilled and landed on Harry's chest. In a second the teen and the phoenix disappeared in fire.
"Professor?" Hermione asked carefully. Ron looked at the headmaster, stiff as a bowstring.
"Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley," he said calmly, "do not panic. Mr. Potter's soul is still in place. The dementor failed to consume it."
Ron visibly relaxed, while Hermione sighed in relief.
"He will, however, have to spend some time in the hospital wing, I imagine." Dumbledore frowned. "His magic reacted rather violently to the kiss, and it was not good on his body." That wasn't the whole truth, but the children didn't need to know of a presence around Harry, that was darker and more sinister that Voldemort's aura. Dumbledore, however, dismissed it as aftereffects of the kiss. "Now then, the train should start moving soon. Good evening to you both, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger."
Ron and Hermione looked at each other. They will go to the hospital wing first thing after they arrive to Hogwarts. The welcoming feast and the Dumbledore's speech be damned. Even Ron resolved to skip the feast, though his thoughts did wonder to the food longingly.