But Fudge had overlooked one thing: would these Dementors obey outside Azkaban the same way they did inside?
Inside Azkaban they were compliant because there was always emotion for them to feed on, and because wizards kept them in line. Outside, however—exposed to wind and rain and left hungry—how likely was it that Dementors would willingly do the Ministry's bidding?
Unsupervised and smelling the high-quality emotions pouring from the students on the train, the Dementors began to stir. Perhaps it was the laughter in Arthur's compartment, or perhaps it was Hermione's mention of Sirius Black that drew them in; one Dementor drifted slowly toward their carriage.
As it arrived, the carriage temperature plummeted. Condensation formed on the windows with a hiss. Yet the five inside were calm.
Arthur and Ranni were unflappable by nature; Hermione trusted her cousin to handle whatever came. Luna's intuition told her there was no real danger, so she remained serene. Penelope, having seen Ranni in action before, had confidence that no disaster would come while a top-tier powerhouse was present.
Arthur looked toward Hermione and asked, "Hermione — want to try that spell?"
He didn't have to name it. Hermione knew immediately he meant the Patronus Charm — the one that could drive Dementors away.
"Of course!"
She'd practiced the charm but had never practiced it against an actual Dementor. This was an opportunity she couldn't let pass.
Hermione drew her wand and pointed it at the approaching figure.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A white light flared from the tip of her wand; the Dementor recoiled, shielding itself from the thing it hated. But the light faded too quickly — Hermione's skill with the charm wasn't yet fully honed.
Sensing the lapse, the Dementor sped up toward her.
Hermione didn't panic. She steadied herself, concentrated, and thought about the happy times she'd shared with Arthur — the warm, joyful memories.
The wand suddenly burst with brilliance.
The white light silvered, and from it formed a small silver cat — a shimmering, leaping feline. The cat flew at the Dementor and swatted it away. The Dementor hissed in pain and retreated.
"Yes! Cousin, look — I did it!" Hermione guided the silver cat as it landed before Arthur.
Arthur was surprised; in the original tale Hermione's Patronus had been an otter. Why a cat now? What he didn't know was that a large part of this change was because of him.
Back in first year Arthur had once persuaded Hermione to use a glamouring charm and turn herself into a cat for a moment. The sensation of being cuddled like a cat, being stroked in Arthur's arms, had opened a new emotional door for Hermione — a comforting, intimate memory. Hermione's nature was already precise, a little proud, and catlike; it was no wonder her Patronus had shifted into a cat shape. If she ever became an Animagus, a cat would be a likely form.
Arthur reached out and touched the shimmering Patronus — there was no solid sensation, but a flood of warmth and happy emotion washed his hand. He ruffled Hermione's hair and said fondly, "I see it. Our Hermione is wonderful."
Hermione's cheeks flushed pink; she closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle affection.
Ranni watched with the kind of jealous amusement she'd long since accepted. Penelope and Luna were a little envious: Penelope fancied that Arthur might one day ruffle her hair that way, and Luna remembered being praised in the same manner by her mother as a child.
What none of them noticed was a quieter change within Hermione: her closeness to Arthur was subtly shifting as adolescence crept over her. She found herself clinging more to his side, though she hadn't yet realized the change.
Meanwhile, the Dementor the girls had driven off had relocated, deciding to look for an easier target. It chose the adjacent carriage where Harry sat.
Learning from its mistake, the Dementor struck fast this time. It dove at Harry and began to suck with ruthless efficiency.
Harry felt his joy drain away in seconds: his thoughts numb, his will dampened—everything bright and hopeful plucked from him like ribbons. He collapsed before he fully felt it, and in the moment before blacking out he thought he heard a woman scream.
Fortunately, Professor Lupin reacted quickly and cast a Patronus — though under the emergency, his charm did not fully condense into a clear animal form. The Dementor retreated anyway, perhaps fearful of the carriage's other wards.
Harry came to gasping, as if waking from a nightmare. Lupin offered him a chocolate and a kind voice.
"You're—Mr. Lupin?" Harry asked uncertainly.
Lupin blinked. "You know me?"
"I saw you in my parents' photographs," Harry replied.
Lupin almost probed that answer more deeply — photographs don't come with labels — but smiled and changed the subject. He advised Harry to eat the chocolate and said he would speak to the conductor and get the train moving again.
Harry asked Ron what had happened.
"You went stiff for a second — I thought you were having a fit," Ron fretted.
Harry rolled his eyes. "A fit would look a bit different."
Ron mumbled that he'd felt hollow too: "I felt like I'd never be happy again."
Harry decided not to press further. The right person to ask was Arthur.
They crossed into Arthur's carriage. Harry told Arthur everything, including the scream he'd heard.
Arthur explained patiently: the creature had been one of Azkaban's guardians, likely released by the Ministry to hunt for Sirius. Dementors feed on pleasant memories and summon someone's deepest fears; the scream Harry heard was probably a manifestation of his own terror.
Harry sat back thinking — he didn't yet know what the deepest fear in his heart was.
The train started again and soon they arrived at Hogwarts.
At the start-of-term banquet that evening, Professor Flitwick — perhaps wary of mischief after the Weasley twins' "Funeral March" the previous year — led a choir of twenty young students in the opening number.
As the song ended, Dumbledore rose to his feet.
"Welcome back to a new school year at Hogwarts," he began. "Before the feast spoils your wits, I have several announcements."
"First: as you all know, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart has resigned his post as Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor and has accepted a position as editor of Witch Weekly." A wave of regretful murmurs rolled through the houses — Lockhart clearly had fans.
"And our new—Remus Lupin—has joined us." Dumbledore's introduction included a warm wish: "Good luck to him."
Arthur laughed softly at the line — luck would be a welcome change for the position that had such a cursed history.
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