He rubbed his aching temples, prompting Sirius beside him to ask in puzzlement, "Why are you working so hard? Dumbledore says your abilities are already close to surpassing his."
"The mysteries of magic aren't something that dog brain of yours could understand."
Sirius didn't take Wes's jab to heart—his mind was entirely on the upcoming Christmas holiday, wondering what gift to get for Harry.
Harry, for his part, had only recently recovered after being knocked unconscious by the Dementors for quite a while. After being discharged from the hospital wing, he had even been scared again by Draco and his friends disguised as Dementors. That sealed Harry's determination to learn the spell to repel them.
He knew that both Dumbledore and Wes Elwin had mastered the magic to fight Dementors. However, Dumbledore was far too busy, and Harry could never find the right opportunity to ask him.
He wasn't particularly familiar with Wes either, but to overcome his fear, Harry finally mustered up the courage to come to Wes's office door.
Knock, knock. "Professor Elwin, are you there?" Harry called nervously from outside.
Sirius, upon hearing Harry's voice, quickly swallowed the food in his mouth in two bites and transformed into a big black dog.
"Come in, the door's not locked."
Given permission, Harry pushed open the office door—only to be pounced on by Sirius. "Hi, Blacky," Harry greeted warmly, stroking the dog. "Look what I brought you."
From his bag, Harry pulled out a steak wrapped in wax paper. "Today's lunch steak was amazing. I thought you'd like it."
Catching the scent, Sirius wagged his tail excitedly. Even though he'd just eaten one steak moments ago, he polished off the one Harry brought in two or three bites.
While petting Sirius's tail, Harry carefully asked Wes, "Professor Elwin, could you tell me what magic you used to drive away the Dementors?"
"You mean the Patronus Charm."
"Patronus Charm?" Harry repeated the name eagerly. "That's the spell you and the Headmaster used, isn't it?"
In his mind, he couldn't help picturing the spectacular scene on the Quidditch pitch when Headmaster Dumbledore had cast the Patronus Charm—the sheer magical power of it left him in awe.
But Wes's next words extinguished his anticipation.
"Learning the Patronus Charm is very difficult. It takes a long time and a lot of practice…"
Harry's excitement turned to disappointment. He lowered his head in silence. He had thought he could learn this powerful spell easily, but it turned out to be much harder than expected.
Sirius, seeing Harry's dejected look, barked anxiously. He paced around Harry, as if protesting on his behalf, or perhaps urging Wes to find a way to help him.
Wes gave Sirius a light kick, signaling him to calm down.
"I really don't have the time," Wes said, gesturing to the towering pile of books on his desk. "But you could ask Professor Lupin. From what I know, he's also quite skilled with the Patronus Charm."
Wes's words instantly turned Harry's frown into a smile. He lifted his head, eyes filled with hope.
"Professor Lupin? He really knows the Patronus Charm?"
Wes nodded. "Yes, Professor Lupin is very skilled with this spell. And he has plenty of experience teaching it, so he can show you how to use it properly."
"But… Professor Lupin's health doesn't seem very good…" Lupin was Harry's favorite professor that term, and he remembered Lupin's pale face and frail body.
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'd be happy to teach you." Wes's reassurance eased Harry's anxiety. Though still a little nervous, he left in high spirits to find Lupin.
Sirius trotted after Harry, tail wagging. He was feeling a little stuffed and could use the exercise.
---
Before long, the much-anticipated Christmas arrived once again.
Wes had originally planned to spend the day in his office studying the voodoo magic he'd acquired from Blackbeard, but Dumbledore had other ideas—without giving him a choice, he whisked Wes away to Hogsmeade.
With the Dementors recalled by the Ministry of Magic, the village had regained its usual lively atmosphere.
The streets bustled with people, full of cheerful laughter. Smiles lit every face, as though the terrifying Dementor incursion had never happened.
Shop windows were newly decorated, fairy lights twinkled, and Christmas trees glittered with ornaments. Everything radiated warmth and harmony.
Dumbledore led Wes into the Three Broomsticks, whose butterbeer's rich flavor and unique aroma Wes still remembered fondly.
"Long time no see, Madam Rosmerta," Dumbledore greeted with a warm smile.
Madam Rosmerta returned the greeting with a friendly cheek kiss. "Dumbledore, it's been ages." She welcomed him with the warmth of an old friend reunited.
When she turned and saw Wes, she looked uncertain. "Are you that clever Ravenclaw student?" She studied him carefully—years had passed, and the air about him had changed; he was no longer the fresh-faced student she remembered.
"Hello, Madam Rosmerta. Even after graduation, I've missed your butterbeer." Though it was just polite small talk, she seemed genuinely pleased.
Dumbledore brought Wes into a private room and said quietly, "Fudge will be here shortly."
"Oh my, what a day," Madam Rosmerta exclaimed with mock drama. "The greatest white wizard and the Minister for Magic, meeting in my little pub."
"Perhaps we're plotting how to take over the British wizarding world," Dumbledore said with a mischievous wink. Madam Rosmerta burst out laughing. She knew he was joking, but it lightened the atmosphere nonetheless.
Whatever business Dumbledore and Fudge had to discuss was none of her concern. Smiling, she withdrew and left the two men alone to wait.
Before long, Fudge arrived with his assistant, Umbridge. The moment he stepped in, Fudge began complaining.
"You've really landed me in a mess this time."
"The Dementors brought it on themselves," Dumbledore shot back without mercy. "And Sirius being wrongly accused is a major failure of the Ministry."
Fudge hadn't expected Dumbledore to be so blunt, and his face darkened.
The Dementor attack during the Quidditch match had truly angered Dumbledore, and his tone toward Fudge had lost its usual cordiality. Fudge found himself struggling to keep his dignity.
It was Umbridge who stepped in to smooth things over, sparing Fudge from further embarrassment. With a sycophantic smile, she said gently, "Professor Dumbledore, we completely understand your concerns. Minister Fudge takes this matter very seriously. We're willing to hear your advice and will take action as quickly as possible."
Her words gave Fudge a chance to breathe, and Dumbledore eased his tone in turn.
Wes stayed silent the entire time, simply watching as Dumbledore and Fudge crossed verbal swords, bargaining back and forth.
He was like a spectator observing a brilliant chess match.
The debate went on for a while, but in the end, they reached a sort of agreement.
The Ministry would cancel Sirius's wanted status, but only after questioning Peter Pettigrew would they officially clear Sirius's name.
On the surface, at least, everyone left satisfied.
°°°
Hungry for more chaps? Then check out our pătreon!
Link: Påtreon.com/BaphometFiction
I post 20 advanced chapters of this fanfic there.
If you do subscribe, please do so in the web patreon, not the ios app.