Helping My Friend's Son

For Harry, returning to normal activities at Hogwarts on Monday was a relief, being forced to think about other things, even though he had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunts. The boy was overjoyed with Gryffindor's defeat in the last match.

Finally free from bandages, he relished being able to use both arms again, humorously mimicking Harry falling from the broomstick.

During the next Potions class in the dungeon, Malfoy spent most of the time imitating Dementors. Eventually, Ron lost control and threw a large, slimy crocodile heart at Malfoy, hitting him in the face, resulting in Snape deducting fifty points from Gryffindor.

"If Snape takes Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm out," announced Ron as they headed to Lupin's class after lunch.

"See who's there, Hermione," he asked her to check, and the girl peeked through the classroom door.

"Alright! Professor Lupin's back to work," she said, relieving both boys, and he definitely looked unwell.

His old robes were looser, and there were dark circles under his eyes, but still, he smiled at the boys as they took their seats in class and then began to complain about Snape's behavior in Lupin's absence.

"It's not fair, he was just substituting for you, why did he assign homework?" – "We know nothing about werewolves" – "two rolls of parchment!!!" The students voiced their various complaints.

"Did you tell Professor Snape that we hadn't studied werewolves yet?" asked Lupin, slightly frowning.

The room filled with more noise.

"We did, but he said we were too behind" – "he didn't want to listen" – "two rolls of parchment!" the responses continued to be negative. Professor Lupin smiled at seeing the indignant expressions on the students' faces.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to Professor Snape. You don't need to do the essay."

"Oh no!" exclaimed Hermione, very disappointed. "I've already finished mine."

This time, Defense Against the Dark Arts class proceeded without major issues.

When the bell rang, everyone packed up and headed for the door, Harry among them, but he stopped when called by the teacher. "Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called. "I'd like to have a word with you."

Harry turned around and watched as the professor covered the hinkypunk box with a cloth. "I heard about what happened in the game," said Lupin, turning to his desk and beginning to put away the books in his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about the accident with your broom. Is there any chance of fixing it?" – "I still don't know, I don't think so, but Professor WinterHeart asked me to see him about the broom," replied Harry.

"The tree smashed it to bits it seems, but then go see Professor Nathaniel and see what he can do for you," Lupin sighed. "They planted the Whomping Willow the year I arrived at Hogwarts. Students used to play trying to get close to the trunk and touch the tree with their hand. In the end, a boy named Davi Gudgeon almost lost an eye, and we were forbidden from going near the willow. A broom would stand no chance."

"Did you hear about the Dementors too?" Harry asked with difficulty.

Lupin gave Harry a quick glance. "Yes, I did. I think none of us had seen Dumbledore or Nathaniel so upset. These creatures have been getting restless and furious due to the headmaster's refusal to let them enter the property... I suppose they were the reason for your fall."

"They were," Harry hesitated, and then the question he wanted to ask slipped from his lips before he could contain it. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just...?"

"It has nothing to do with weakness," the professor replied quickly, as if he had read Harry's mind. "The Dementors affect you worse than others because there are horrors in your past that don't exist in others'."

A ray of winter sun entered the room, illuminating Lupin's gray hair and the features of his young face. "Dementors are among the most evil creatures wandering the Earth," sighed the professor.

"They infest the darkest and foulest places, relishing in decay and despair, draining the peace, hope, and happiness from the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them," he continued to speak about the dark creatures.

"If you get too close to a Dementor, every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked from you. If given the chance, a Dementor will feed on you long enough to turn you into its kind... soulless and evil. It'll leave nothing in you but the worst experiences of your life."

"And this attack happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to be ashamed of," he concluded, comforting the young wizard.

"When they get near me..." Harry fixed his gaze on Lupin's desk, feeling a lump in his throat, "I hear Voldemort murdering my mother."

Lupin made a sudden movement with his arm as if to grab Harry's shoulder but thought better of it. There was a moment of silence, then Harry's voice echoed again. "Why did they have to go to the game?" exclaimed the bitter boy.

"They are getting hungry," said Lupin.

"Azkaban must be horrible," murmured Harry, and Lupin agreed, replying, "The fortress was built on a small island, far off the coast, but they don't need walls or water to keep the prisoners confined, not when they are already imprisoned within their own heads, incapable of a single pleasant thought. Most go insane in a few weeks."

"But Sirius Black escaped," said Harry slowly.

"Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed that was possible... They say Dementors drain the powers of a wizard who spends too long in their company..."

"You made that Dementor on the train back off," Harry said suddenly.

"There are... certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But on the train, there was only one Dementor. The more there are, the harder it is to resist them."

"What defenses?" asked Harry next. "Can you teach me?"

"I don't claim to be an expert in combating Dementors, Harry... quite the contrary," Lupin said, considering a few options.

"But if the Dementors go to another Quidditch match, I need to know how to fight them." Harry said with a pleading voice to the professor.

Lupin assessed Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well... alright. I'll try to help. But I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next term. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I picked a very inconvenient time to fall ill."

Harry, knowing that after the holidays, he would have a way to defend himself against the Dementors, thanked Lupin and left the room saying, "Thank you, Professor," and Lupin saw a bit of joy returning to his face.