Another chapter for you my lovelies. I'm making this a pretty long chapter as I'm trying to get quite a lot in this chapter. The dare game will continue as well and hilarity will ensue. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Yep I'm pretty sure J.K. Still owns the Potterverse. Let me just check...yep she does.
"Now Harry are you sure you still want to do this?"
Harry was eyeing the violently rattling box in Professor Lupins office nervously.
He nodded "Positive. If they turn up at a match again.." Harry shuddered and trailed off.
"Ok...well lets get started shall we? The Patronus charm is an anti dementor of sorts. It's a projection of happy thoughts and feelings, therefore the dementor will feed on it instead of you. Are you with me so far?"
"So kind of like a shield between me and the dementors?" said Harry slowly.
Remus smiled proudly "That's exactly it Harry. Now I must warn you that it is extremely difficult to master the Patronus Charm and takes a lot of skill."
"I know." said Harry.
"Now the incantation is Expecto Patronum. Close your eyes and repeat it."
Harry screwed his eyes shut.
"Expecto Patronum." he muttered.
"Well done. Now the incantation alone is not enough, you need a happy memory and a strong one at that to repel the dementor. Think you could give it a try?"
Harry nodded, pulling his wand from his pocket and clutching it nervously. Lupin strode over to the large, rattling chest and placed a hand on it.
"Are you ready Harry?" he said gently.
"As i'll ever be." Harry admitted.
Remus smiled softly at Harry and tapped his wand atop the chest, the chest flew open and almost immediately the room became deathly cold.
Ice appeared in the windows as the foul creature slithered towards Harry. He could hear a woman screaming faintly.
"Expecto Patronum!" he shouted, summoning the memory of when he first rode a broom, nothing happened.
White fog was obscuring his vision and there was a loud rushing noise in his ears.
"Lily it's him, take Harry and go I'll hold him off." came a man's voice.
A thumping as if someone was running up the stairs, a loud crash.
"Not Harry, please not Harry."
"Step aside you silly girl."
"Not Harry please. Harry!"
"Harry? Harry are you all right?"
Harry opened his eyes, he was laying on the floor.
"Here you go lets get you up." said Lupin, putting his hands under Harry's armpits and gently helping him to his feet.
Harry leaned shakily against the wall, breathing slightly erratic.
"Here eat this it helps, it really helps."
Harry opened his eyes, which were clenched shut and gratefully took the proffered chocolate.
"I..I heard Mum and Dad." said Harry shakily, fighting back tears.
Remus' face dropped.
"Harry.." he began. He knew full well what he'd seen.
"They're really gone aren't they? There was always a part of me that hoped that they were just hiding or something, I know it's childish. But this confirms it." said Harry bitterly, finishing off the chocolate.
"Oh Harry." said Remus sympathetically.
Tears leaked from Harry's eyes and he angrily brushed them away.
"I hope Black finds me, because when he does I'm gonna be ready. When he does, I'm gonna kill him!" Harry spat, chest heaving with emotion.
Remus stepped forwards and took the young teenager in his arms, to his great relief, Harry relaxed immediately. Resting his head on his chest and clutching at his robes like a lifeline for a drowning man.
"Don't you ever talk like that Harry. They will find Black and when they do, the Dementors will have him." said Remus soothingly.
"I want to kill him." Harry sobbed.
Remus was slightly shocked at this revelation.
"You are not a murderer Harry. Your Mum and Dad wouldn't want you to become a murderer." he said firmly, holding on to the crying boy.
"I wouldn't know what they would want, because thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them."
Remus didn't know what to say at this so he just continued to hold the boy as he got his breathing under control. After what seemed an age, Harry pulled back, blushing slightly.
"Sorry." he muttered sheepishly, eyeing the rattling chest.
"Can I try again?" he said determinedly.
Remus looked uncertain but slightly proud.
"Are you sure Harry?" he said slowly.
Harry nodded, a determined look crossing his young face.
"Well all right then. One more time." and looking as if he was going against his better judgement, he opened the chest again.
Harry summoned the memory of when he'd found out Remus was now his guardian and held onto it. The boggart shifted into a Dementor and advanced on him, sucking all of the warmth from the room, along with the happy thoughts.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry screamed, holding tightly to the memory.
A large white shield shot out of the end of his wand, blocking the dementors access to him.
He pushed forward, making the dementor/boggart go back into the box. Remus slammed the lid shut and cheered happily, smiling proudly at Harry.
"Phew!" Harry wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned against the wall, wand hanging limply at his side.
"That was excellent! Well done Harry! And on your second try too." said Lupin, smiling proudly at Harry.
Harry smiled and gratefully took the chocolate Remus had given to him.
"Thanks." said Harry, taking a bite and warming up at once.
"You're very welcome Harry." Remus said kindly.
Remus wouldn't let him try again after that, saying that twice was more than enough for his first try. The bell went, signalling the end of Harry's free period and the start of dinner. So hugging Remus goodbye, he went down to the great hall to meet his friends.
-xxx-
"Hey mate." said Ron, as Harry sat in-between him and Hermione who had an enormous book propped up on a jug of milk.
"How'd your lesson go?" said Hermione, slamming the book shut and alarming two first years.
"It went all right. I managed to conjure a shield." said Harry, shrugging and helping himself to some steak and kidney pudding.
"That's great Harry." Hermione gushed, smiling proudly at Harry.
Ron whooped and clapped Harry on the book.
"Yeah I suppose so." said Harry modestly.
Ron chuckled and Hermione muttered "Ever the modest one."
Harry smiled cheekily at his two best friends.
"Hey Harry McGonagall is coming towards you." said Ron, pointing.
Harry dropped his fork and turned in the direction he was pointing. Sure enough, McGonagall was approaching them, hands behind her back and a peculiar expression on her face.
"Well Potter we have checked your broom and it doesn't have any jinxes on it. You have a very good friend out there." she said, smiling slightly.
Harry took the broom gleefully, turning it over in his hands. He had been practising on the old school brooms and they were jerky and unresponsive. To have a top of the standard broom in his posession was like a breath of fresh air.
"Lets go flying!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up.
"Not until you've finished your dinner." she said bossily.
Harry rolled his eyes but plopped back down onto the bench and started shovelling food into his mouth. When his plate was empty, he and Ron raced out of the hall, leaving behind a tutting Hermione.
-xxx-
Harry's spirits soared as he zoomed around the pitch on his Firebolt. It moved at the lightest touch and was an extremely smooth ride indeed. Ron watched gleefully from the stands as Harry made some spectacular dives and turns, that had Remus been here, would have given the werewolf a heart attack.
Sudden Harry's awareness started ebbing away, a loud roaring sound filled his ears and a white fog obscured his vision. He didn't know which way was up and which was down, he gripped onto his broom for dear life, desperately trying to stay conscious.
"Harry!" Ron, reached out from the stands and grabbed Harry's wrist, just as he slipped sideways from his broom.
The weight of his best mate nearly pulled him over the edge, he held on tightly and managed to pull him over the railings. He fell back and held his best friend in his arms.
Harry looked awful, his face had a white/greenish tinge to it, it was dripping with sweat and though he felt hot, he seemed to be shivering. There were large purple bags underneath his eyes and his face had lost the youthful, carefree look Ron had come to love.
"Harry! Harry! Wake up." Ron yelled, tears dripping down his face as he tried to rouse his best friend.
"HARRY!"
Ron whirled round and came face to face with a worried Hermione.
"'Mione you stay with him, I'm going to get help." said Ron breathlessly.
With that said, he bolted down the stairs, across the grounds and into the castle.
"Harry please wake up." sobbed Hermione, pulling Harry's head into her lap.
Harry groaned but did not rouse.
"Shh it's OK." Hermione soothed, running her hands through his hair. Through her tears, she began to sing.
"I'm going to tell you something Harry. I need you to stay with me though. I..well I love Ron. I realised that at the end of last year. You'd just arrived and I came shortly after. He was in the garden, de gnoming I think it was."
Hermione took a deep shuddering breath as she continued.
"Anyway he came up to me while your back was turned and took my hand, he handed me a small silver charm of a..." her voice wavered slightly "It was a small silver book. He said that's what he loved most about me. I'm in love with him." she rushed as McGonagall rushed over, accompanied by Madame Pomfrey and Professor Lupin Ron running anxiously behind them.
"Come now Miss. Granger." said Professor McGonagall, pulling her away from Harry's unconscious form as Lupin and Madame Pomfrey knelt besides a still unconscious Harry.
Gripping an arm tightly around the crying Hermione, McGonagall motioned for Ron to follow. Ron slipped his hand in Hermione's and squeezed comfortingly as they made their sombre way to the castle.
-xxx-
Hermione cried quietly on the chair next to Harry's bed as the sound of his laboured breathing laboured breathing. It had been two days and still Harry had not woken from his turn. Professor Lupin had just left, after Madame Pomfrey promised him that she'd inform him of any change.
Harry's fever had risen quite dramatically and it had been a battle for Madame Pomfrey to get it under control. Finally his fever had been reduced but still he did not wake. Madame Pomfrey was at a loss.
He was on so many potions, preventing his body from giving out that she thought if he wasn't awake in a week then she would have to suggest to Remus about stopping them.
Ron entered the room of the private ward and sat next to Hermione, wrapping an arm around him.
"I can't lose him Ron. He's my best friend. I just can't." Hermione sobbed into Ron's shoulder.
"You won't lose him." said Ron forcibly "He's Harry Potter! He will win this 'Mione."
He said this with such conviction that Hermione chose to believe him.
A muffled groan from Harry's bed had them whipping their heads round. Harry was beginning to wake, slowly but surely his eyes flickered open and he groaned when he took in his surroundings.
"Oh Merlin!" he said hoarsely "I might as well move in here."
Ron and Hermione chuckled, relief crossing their faces. Ron ran off to get Madame Pomfrey with a big smile on his face. Harry was going to be ok. For now.
I was going to continue in this chapter but I thought it was best left where I finished off. Please let me know what you think. I'll be getting on with the next chapter right away.