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Stars
Chapter 16: The Hunting Dog
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Summary: What if Harry wasn't taken in by Petunia? What if, instead, he was taken in by another wizard who moved into number four after Petunia forced her family to move to avoid taking in the freak? Neutral!Harry
Beta: Cauchy! Big thanks to her for being my beta! This means less confusing words and spelling errors and brains flying around.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own character. Including the several lines I did take from the book.
A/N:
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In the following days, Harry noticed that Cygnus seemed much more energetic. Harry hadn't noticed a difference in his own abilities though, so he could safely assume that he had not benefitted from the ritual. Cygnus had repowered the wards and a peace had settled back into their daily lives. The stress lines on Cygnus' face seemed to have vanished completely and Cygnus had insisted on rewarding Harry's bag, despite what had happened before.
On the other hand, Harry was restless. He had constant dreams of killing Ginny Weasley, jarred awake each night by the nightmares and the sound of Riddle's hissing. The first time this had happened, he had screamed himself awake and Cygnus had knocked on his door, holding a steaming cup of milk tea. They had chatted into the night about their nightmares.
Dobby, bless the house elf, would often clean late at night and prepare meals for them. With that, Cygnus had more free time to catch up on his warding that he had missed when he was in Hogwarts.
"I'm not telling you to forget," Cygnus said over dinner one evening when Harry had made the comment that he wished it could just be erased. "I'm telling you that you should accept it as a fact. Respect the dead but live on."
"It's hard…" Harry said, his fists curling over his fork. The steak was juicy and tender, but it felt stale in his mouth. "So hard. I can't help but dream about it. I can't stop." He looked up, bags under his eyes, the first evidence of sleepless nights. "Help me, dad. I can't do this by myself."
Cygnus took a deep breath, placing a hand in Harry's hair and gently running his fingers through the inky black locks. "You aren't by yourself. You were never by yourself." His gaze softened. "I know it's hard. If you can't do it on your own, I will hire a therapist for you."
"Dad... I can do it," Harry said. Cygnus took in his son's disheveled appearance, his pale face, and the stressed hand gripping the fork. "You didn't need a therapist, right?"
"Harry… You're not me," Cygnus reminded gently, carefully. "Our needs are different. Our circumstances were different. You cannot compare our situations because we are not the same person."
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it, as he realized he had nothing to say. Cygnus smiled.
"I know it's hard. If you would like, you can sleep in my bed tonight," Cygnus offered. "Perhaps a change in scenery will quell the nightmares."
Harry paused and nodded slightly. Normally, he would retort that he wasn't a child or weak. Being shaken awake by nightmares, day after day, made Harry feel exhausted… At this point, he would do almost anything for relief.
Late that night, Harry had fallen asleep. Cygnus walked out of the bedroom and slowly shut the door before walking down the stairs to make himself a cup of warm tea. The water had just boiled when the fireplace flashed and Severus Snape stepped out of the hearth.
"You're back again," Cygnus said quietly.
"He's still having the nightmares?" Snape replied in turn, brushing ash off his robes. "Have you thought about what I said? I could easily preform a memory charm and cause him to forget what had happened in the Chamber."
Cygnus gave a sad smile and shook his head. Snape paused and spoke again.
"Why? You see how he suffers, how he resists, how the nightmares take over his life. All from the memory of those few hours. Making someone forget those few hours is a simple matter. Even for me," Snape tried to reason.
"And this is why, non-magicals will always be stronger than magicals," Cygnus said breathing through his nose. "Severus, tell me something. Have you ever been in love?"
Snape went ridged. Cygnus noted the reaction and laughed.
"Wouldn't it be easier to forget the bad times? The fights? The anger?" Cygnus asked. Snape didn't reply. "Suffering will make Harry grow stronger. If he is to be drawn into a war, then he needs to be prepared. He cannot have deaths cripple him in battle. He is not like you, who can close yourself off until you are in private, nor is he like me, who mourned for months at the graves. He mourns now, and, though it pains me, he must suffer through it. Death is a natural part of life, after all."
Snape didn't speak for a few minutes and then strode over to a chair, sitting in it. Cygnus watched him, and poured a cup of tea for him.
"So you wish for him to experience death?" Snape asked, watching Cygnus place the tea on the table. Cygnus took a seat in front of him.
"He was surrounded by it from the beginning. As his father, I have not helped," Cygnus sighed. "Why did you come here?"
"You left your fire open to me," Snape snorted, taking the cup and sipping the tea.
"I did," Cygnus said, nodding. "As you have helped me before, it would have been rude to shut you out."
"I was… concerned," Snape said evenly, the words rolling off his tongue. Cygnus raised an eyebrow and slowly leaned back in the chair.
"For Harry?" Cygnus asked, calmly.
"For you," Snape corrected.
Cygnus looked at Snape in surprise. Snape scowled a little, running a hand through his black hair, his eyes on the table in front of him rather than Cygnus' face.
"Why?" Cygnus asked.
"Because… Because Rowan has lost enough people already," Snape said stiffly. Cygnus slowly sipped his tea and waited for Snape to continue. "I can't imagine if he lost you. He would fall apart."
"Concern from you?" Cygnus repeated slowly, tapping his finger on his knee. "Coming from a lesser man, I would have believed it. But coming from someone who had visited me to test my wards… There is a motive for my survival, isn't there? Something you gain out of it."
Snape stiffened again, his eyes narrowing on Cygnus. Cygnus slowly placed his cup on the table, his eyes locked onto Snape's. They were almost opposites, black and white, with completely different viewpoints. Snape grudgingly respected that Cygnus was no fool—he did not trust blindly and completely. Perhaps he had never experienced love like Snape had.
"A life debt from you," Snape answered. Cygnus slowly leaned backwards, crossing his arms slowly over his chest. "I can think of nothing better from a Wardist."
Cygnus' eyes flashed but he remained silent. He frowned and slowly closed his eyes, wishing, for a fraction of a second, that he had locked Snape out. The feeling vanished as quickly as it came and he opened his eyes again.
"A life debt from me," Cygnus repeated quietly. "A heavy price on my head. Alright, Snape, name your price."
Snape gave Cygnus a scan, wondering what he was thinking. "Why would I want to collect the debt now, when I can save it for when I really need it?"
"I am a wardist," Cygnus said simply, his voice cold. "You gathered a life debt from me when you brought me to the Hospital Wing, even though you had not treated me directly. I can ward, but that's about it. There isn't much I can offer you."
"There is something I want from you," Snape said, calm, despite Cygnus' flashing eyes and piercing glare.
"But you won't tell me yet," Cygnus confirmed. "What a pain…"
Snape smiled behind his cup and said, "I find this more entertaining." His eyes glittered with amusement and he took a sip of tea. "Truthfully, I didn't save you because of the debt, though it is a nice result."
Cygnus waited for Snape to continue but he didn't. Then Cygnus snorted, reaching for his cup again.
"I am not obligated to ward for you," Cygnus responded. "Even with the life debt. After all, the debt does not state what I need to do, simply the fact that I need to pay it back eventually."
"I did not ask you to," Snape responded, evenly.
Cygnus' eyes narrowed but he didn't respond, finishing his tea. He then leaned forwards, his elbows on his knees.
"Will you come around more often then?" Cygnus asked, frowning. "I will need to reset the wards, if that is the case."
Snape took his time in answering. "Perhaps. Why don't you leave the wards open for me, as you have done so?"
Cygnus' eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Because you come here to blackmail me into doing what you want? Holding the life debt over my head?"
"Blackmail? How harsh," Snape said. He didn't deny it though, so Cygnus scowled deeply.
When Snape flooed back to Spinner's End, he was calmer than when he had left. He smiled a little, moving to his potion's lab.
Cygnus was correct in saying that it was blackmail. The nature of a life debt meant that Snape would have had to save Cygnus with the intention and knowledge that he was saving his life. At the time, Snape's intention, despite what he told Cygnus, had not been on Cygnus' life, but repaying back his life debt to James—now Harry Potter.
Snape wasn't sure why, but for some reason, the life debt had recognized Cygnus as one of the participants. It baffled him the first time he stepped through the wards, when his magic reacted to Cygnus'. Cygnus had not been there all those years ago when James Potter saved his life. In fact, Snape seriously doubted Cygnus had known the existence of Hogwarts all those years ago.
Still, having a hold on Cygnus, however brief, was a blessing. Blackmail, as Cygnus called it. Snape didn't really feel guilty for withholding such information from Cygnus. It was true that Snape was essentially lying to Cygnus, but it would be Cygnus' fault for not realizing it.
He wondered how long it would take for the Ward Master to notice that he was not indebted to him.
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"I'm fine," Harry mumbled. His eyes felt very heavy all of a sudden and he was slowly slumping in his seat.
There was a pause as Cygnus studied Harry before he declared.
"You need a pet."
Harry jerked awake at Cygnus' voice. Cygnus was watching Harry carefully, concern in his eyes. The fork in Harry's hand clattered onto the plate of eggs and toast, but neither male seemed to notice. Harry knew that the bags under his eyes, as well as the naps during breakfast hadn't helped his lie.
"You may have actually slept, but it's clear that it's not enough," Cygnus said. "We can go to a pet shop today. Perhaps a dog or a cat will be able to soothe you."
"I have an owl," Harry pointed out, glancing at Hedwig and Helios. The two owls were asleep, head tucked under their wings.
"I don't think Hedwig would appreciate it if you tried to cuddle with her," Cygnus pointed out. "I'll let Albus know that you'll be bringing an animal to school to help you sleep better. You cannot be falling asleep in classes and wake your dorm mates up with your nightmares."
Harry slumped in his seat, moodily sipping his tea. "Yeah," he mumbled finally.
"We shall search for one," Cygnus said. "I heard animal therapy does help in cases like this."
But Harry didn't seem interested at all. In fact, when Cygnus arrived at the pet store, he found Harry fast asleep in the backseat of the car. He sighed, running a hand through his hair before getting back in the car and driving home.
He gently pulled Harry out of the car, holding him carefully as he made his way up the driveway when a growl interrupted his train of thought. Cygnus glanced behind him and spotted a large, bear-like dog with sharp teeth and scruffy black fur.
Cygnus wordlessly unlocked the front door with one hand and carried Harry into the house. The dog leapt and yelped as it hit the ward, the force of the ward sending the dog sprawling on the lawn.
"Will you wait?" Cygnus asked, impatiently, tucking Harry in on the couch. He turned to the front door and watched the dog slowly get to his feet, his growls becoming more and more menacing. "Alright. If you want to come in, do be quiet. My son is sleeping and this might actually have been the first time in a while he hasn't had nightmares." He beckoned the dog in, leaving the door open.
The dog took several tentative steps before bounding over the wards, tail wagging as he headed straight for Harry on the couch. Harry mumbled a little in his sleep, shifting away from the animal. Cygnus walked towards Harry, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and pulling the blanket up to his neck.
"You're filthy," Cygnus commented, looking the dog over.
The dog stared at Cygnus. Cygnus beckoned it over and headed up the stairs to run a bath for the dog. The dog took a few minutes to get the idea before bounding up the stairs and jumping into the tub, tail thumping.
"Well," Cygnus snorted, getting splashed with water, "we found a pet, it seems."
Cygnus was drying the dog's fur when Harry appeared at the doorway, looking far more drained than he had when he was sleeping.
"Where did you go?" Harry murmured, rubbing an eye. "I missed you, dad…"
"Ah, Harry," Cygnus said, turning to him. "Just needed to clean up our new dog." He glanced at the dog and added, "You look exhausted. Perhaps you should try to sleep some more."
Harry didn't as much as glance at the animal, though that could have been because he was tired. "Stay with me?"
"Of course," Cygnus said, smiling gently at him.
Harry had ended up curling on a pillow on Cygnus' lap. Cygnus had fed the dog and it had claimed the living room floor as his bed. The dog was staring at Cygnus and Harry carefully, his black eyes scanning them and the tail thumping on the ground every now and then. Cygnus waited until Harry was asleep before speaking.
"I won't force you to turn back if you don't prove to be a danger to my son or myself," Cygnus said evenly. "Don't make me regret it."
The dog perked up and looked at Cygnus, whimpering a little. Cygnus eyed the dog.
"I don't usually approve of pets, but in light of Harry's need for companionship, I will make an exception," Cygnus said, his dark eyes narrowed. "Therefore, I will allow you to stay in the house and accompany Harry. I trust we won't have any issues."
The dog didn't appear to understand, though Cygnus knew that it did. Cygnus knew that the dog was human, much like the cat who used to cross his wards. Cygnus knew that Dumbledore would often send spies to check up on Harry and simply assumed that this dog was another one of those spies.
"We'll need to name you," Cygnus added, more to himself than for the dog's benefit.
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Harry wasn't sure what to make of his new pet.
It wasn't as if it was unwelcome. On the contrary, the dog would often accompany him to bed and follow him around the house. When Harry went to practice magic in the garage, the dog would sit at the door, staring at the display, his jaw slack.
Harry found it most entertaining the first time he saw it. The little displays of wandless magic would cause the dog to jump and yip in excitement.
According to his dad, the dog wasn't exactly a dog. But since Cygnus hadn't chased the dog out, Harry had come to accept it as part of the family. Cygnus had asked Harry to name the dog, but Harry had yet to find a suitable name for it. A basic name like "Rover" or "Blackie" didn't seem to fit with the large, bear-like dog.
The dog would also snuggle up to him at night. To be honest, Harry had completely rejected the idea that a dog would help him sleep better, but to his surprise, Cygnus had spoken the truth. Harry's nightmares still came, but they were fewer and further in between.
That might have also been because Cygnus had taken to holding Harry when he slept. The familiarity of his dad's presence was reassuring, even more so than the new companion that he had. The warmth from his dad's hands, as well as the reassuring sound of his dad's voice were enough to send him to sleep.
Harry laughed as he played with his new dog in the backyard, throwing balls and sticks for the dog to fetch. The dog obediently chased them, along with squirrels and cats that crossed his path. Sometimes, the dog would run in circles around Harry, barking and yipping in excitement.
It was during dinner one evening in July when Cygnus said, "You'll be taking the dog to school with you."
Both Harry and the dog jerked up, surprise all over their faces. Cygnus noted, with some level of amusement, that their expressions were identical. The dog had integrated very quickly into their lives, particularly in the role of helping Harry recover from the trauma, which pleased Cygnus to no end.
"What? I… Am I allowed?" Harry asked, his ham and potatoes forgotten.
"I sent a letter to Albus about it. He was most agreeable," Cygnus commented.
Which was Cygnus' way of saying that he threatened the old man until he agreed. Harry felt a smile bloom on his face, his eyes glittering with excitement.
"Therefore, I will drop you two off in the Leaky Cauldron," Cygnus said. "You need to buy your school supplies. I have a meeting with the goblins so I will be occupied the entire day. Do you think you can get shopping done by yourself?"
Harry nodded eagerly. Cygnus looked at the dog.
"Protect my son," he said calmly.
The dog barked in acknowledgement.
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"Dementors! Dementors! If they come within ten feet of me, my father will hear about this!" Draco raged as Harry sat in his room in the Leaky Cauldron. He had bumped into the other boy in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and they had shared stories about what had happened over the summer.
Perhaps it was because Cygnus had warned Harry that the Malfoy family used to be affiliated with Voldemort, but Harry still had not told Draco Voldemort's true name. Harry wasn't sure what Draco would do, but the last thing he wanted was for his friend to react rashly and confront Voldemort with the knowledge. That was a sure way of getting killed.
Meanwhile, Draco was talking about the upcoming school year. About how these creatures called Dementors were summoned from Azkaban to guard the school. Judging by how Draco seemed overly stressed about the subject and considering how Azkaban was a prison, Harry concluded that this could mean nothing good on the student's end.
"So, erm, why are dementors coming to a school? And what are they?" Harry asked, cutting off Draco's rant of what his dad would do. Draco paused and stared at Harry, his eyes wide with surprise. Then he seemed to remember that Harry was raised by a foreigner and flopped down on the bed.
"Dementors are the guards of Azkaban. They are… creatures that feed on happiness from people. If they get close enough, they might kiss you and you'd lose your soul," Draco said, completely oblivious to Harry's growing horror. "And they're coming to Hogwarts because Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban."
"That sounds… entirely unpleasant… So, who is Sirius Black?" Harry asked, apprehensively.
"Rumor has it he killed a bunch of people in a street with a single spell," Draco said.
"So… he's a criminal?" Harry asked. "Why ask the prison guards to come fetch them instead of trained wizards? Why risk the lives of every student?"
Draco snorted. "I know, right? Adding to that, dementors can't exactly be controlled. What were they thinking?!"
"Simple, they weren't," Harry replied. "Oh, I got a new pet, by the way. I was hoping if you could help me choose a name for him."
"A pet? You mean other than Hedwig?" Draco asked, sitting up.
"But first, do you think it would be wise to tell my dad that they have soul-sucking monsters at school this year?" Harry asked, genuinely curious of Draco's answer.
"I think you better. He'd probably find out anyway. By the way, did you know that your dad comes over for dinner when we're at Hogwarts once a week?" Draco asked, his eyes glinting. "I just found this out from my father last week."
"Maybe he's lonely," Harry answered, shrugging. "Unless you count the goblins, but I doubt they would dine with him, even if he invited them over."
"Where's your new pet anyway," Draco asked, looking around. "Does your dad know about him?"
"Yeah. He's outside, chasing birds. I'll go get him," Harry said, standing up.
Draco watched Harry leave before turning away from the door. Lately, he had been less inclined to involve his father in Harry's life. He hadn't even told his father that Harry was a parselmouth.
There were some things about Harry that Draco wanted to keep to himself. Facts about Harry's likes, his personal habits, even his hobbies. Draco was sure his father wanted to know everything to be able to recruit the Rowans to the Dark Lord's side, but he wasn't even sure if he wanted Cygnus on the Dark Lord's side anymore.
It was true that the Dark Lord would benefit greatly with the Wardist. It was also true that his father was a Death Eater. But Draco felt like Harry and Cygnus could become much more than that; much more than just a servant of the Dark Lord—perhaps even a Lord of their own power and right. Draco would much rather follow his friend into battle than fight a stranger's battle for him. Plus, the Dark Lord was powerful, but Harry had proved that he was much stronger at a very young age.
Draco wondered if his father felt the same way. He wondered if his father was befriending Cygnus to draw him over to the Dark Lord, or if he had seen something more in Cygnus that he wanted to cultivate. Lucius Malfoy had no true friends—not like Harry and Draco; that was what Draco had observed in the many years of his father's work.
Ah, but Cygnus… Cygnus seemed to be different. Draco had been surprised when his father had revealed the weekly dinners with Cygnus. His father didn't even invite the Minister of Magic over every week for dinner. His father had never given away the Malfoy family house elves for any reason. His father seemed to be doing a lot of things for Cygnus that he had never done for anyone else.
Love wasn't a prominent virtue in the Malfoy household. But Draco had seen his father love his mother. He had seen the flowers given, the jewelry, the hugs and kisses that were exchanged in the household. Draco didn't see how any of those things would make his mother happy, but they did. For a while, Draco had wondered if his father loved Cygnus, as disturbing as the notion was. Love made Lucius Malfoy do meaningless, almost ridiculous things for his mother. Giving away a house elf and inviting Cygnus to weekly dinners was both meaningless and ridiculous. His father had perfected the art of holding people at a distance, and still getting people to do what he wanted them to do. There was no reason why his father would continue to invite him over unless he genuinely enjoyed his company for some odd, unexplainable reason.
Cygnus didn't appear to be rich. Even if he were, the muggle neighborhood, the muggle way of dressing, the muggle way of living was all something that Lucius Malfoy had laughed about in the past. Draco didn't understand why one man was suddenly able to change that way of thinking. Suddenly, Lucius Malfoy would say "Not all muggles were bad" and "Muggles do come up with the most ingenious inventions". At first, Draco understood it to be appeasing Cygnus' way of living to sway him to the Dark Lord, but now… now he wasn't so sure anymore.
Draco took a deep breath, closing his eyes and flopping back against Harry's rented bed. The springs were hard and slightly creaky and the smell of freshly laundered sheets surrounded him.
It wasn't as if Draco hated Cygnus either. Cygnus was a kind, but stern parent. A kind of parent who would protect his child—to hell with the consequences. The wards on Harry's bag and the damage they did to Cygnus were proof enough of that. Cygnus was powerful in his own right. Draco could understand the temptation of wanting to recruit him for the Dark Lord.
He wondered who was doing the recruiting. Was it his father, Lucius? Was it Cygnus? When had the game of seducing Cygnus to the Dark Lord changed to the Malfoy family accepting muggles out of all people?
The sensation of a wet tongue slid over his cheek. Eyes flying open, Draco fell out of the bed with a loud yelp, the sound of Harry's laughter echoing through the room.
"Don't fall asleep in my room," Harry scolded. Draco sat up, looking astonished at the large dog that had his tongue out, panting with excitement.
"A grim!" he squeaked. "I must be dreaming. No way! You managed to keep a grim as a pet?! You do know what a grim is, right?"
"No," Harry said, suddenly unsure, looking at the dog. "My dad said he's harmless though…"
"Grims are death omens!" Draco exclaimed loudly, pointing at the dog. "We're all going to die!"
Harry laughed. "He's not a grim. We've had him for a few weeks now. I still haven't named him yet though."
"Are you serious?" Draco squawked, his voice an octave higher than usual. "You are quite certain about this, aren't you?"
"Of course," Harry said confidently.
"Right, well… call him anything you want. Why don't you call him after your dad?" Draco suggested, calming down a notch. "I mean, it's not uncommon for pets to be named after family members."
"Cygnus? I don't think he looks much like him though," Harry said, looking at the dog. The dog didn't seem bothered at all with the conversation, looking around the room and padding towards Harry.
"You want to name him after someone he looks like? Who does he look like? Black fur and black eyes…" Draco tailed off, wracking his brains for a suitable name.
"Snape?" Harry asked.
The look of absolute horror on the dog's face caused both Draco and Harry to burst out laughing.
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The Hogwarts Express was packed with people. Harry had managed to find an almost empty compartment with a sleeping man named R. J. Lupin. Draco was off seeing where Nott was while Harry saved them seats.
The newly named dog, Grim, was taking a nap under the seat. Harry had decided to name him such to scare people into leaving his pet alone. While Grim didn't seem to mind the idea of boarding a train, the presence of the man named Lupin seemed to make him tense up. Grim had taken to hiding under the seat when Harry had closed the door.
Draco came back with Nott, chatting about their summers and talking about the essays they had to write. Harry looked up from his book and smiled at them.
"So, Theo, did you hear about the Dementors?" Draco asked, flopping down on a seat. Lupin snorted in his sleep, making the three children and the dog jump. Draco lowered his voice. "Harry, who is that?"
"R. J. Lupin," Harry said, pointing up at the trunk. "It says so there. He has a Professor in front of it, but I wasn't sure if it was because he was a professor in Hogwarts or one in another school."
"Maybe he'll teach Defense Against Dark Arts," Nott said, eyeing the man. "Though he looks like one more dark creature would finish him off for good."
"What happened to his robes?!" Draco whispered with vengeance as he studied the patched and frayed robes. "He must go purchase proper robes at once! There is no way a decent wizard would be out walking like that!"
"Maybe he's poor?" Nott offered.
"Then we will gift him with robes!" Draco said indignantly. "Right, Harry?"
"I guess we can for Christmas," Harry said carefully. Draco huffed.
"I keep telling you, it's Yule. When will you learn the wizarding terminology for these kinds of th-"
But Draco fell silent as a chill penetrated the warmth of the cabin. Harry's brow furrowed as he looked outside to the darkness, rain pounding on the windows. His eyes narrowed.
"We're slowing down. Why are we slowing down?" Harry asked. "We can't be there yet…"
The lights flickered twice then went out completely. Harry was surprised to see Draco's face paling in the darkness.
"Lumos," Nott said, waving his wand. "What-"
The compartment door slid open. Draco whirled around to see Hermione Granger.
"Something coming on the train," she whimpered a little. Harry scooted over to make room for the girl. "Do any of you know what's happening?"
"Dementors," Draco squeaked out in terror. Harry's brow furrowed.
"Why would-"
But the chill sank into his bones and paralyzed him. For a fraction of a second, Harry thought that he was going to suffocate in the cold. His body shivered and goosebumps rose on his skin. He could hear Draco screaming, Nott yelling, and Hermione whimpering…
"Grab his arms."
"Stop struggling! Rick, slam him against the wall to knock him out!"
"I will destroy you!"
Harry's eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he slumped in his seat.