Swept From the Past

Chapter 34: Detention with Burns

The fateful day had come. In twenty minutes, Harry, his friends, and the Slytherins would go to detention with Professor Burns. Ron had wanted to visit Ginny before his detention, so Harry was walking alone in the corridors when he met Hermione. They hadn't really talked to each other since Ron and Hermione's last fight.

"Hi," Harry said, ill at ease.

"Hi," Hermione replied, embarrassment painted all over her face.

Harry cleared his throat, trying to find a subject of conversation. "Er," he said, "ready to go to detention?"

"Yes," Hermione responded.

An awkward silence followed.

"Glad that you weren't among those girls fighting in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom," Harry said.

"I was in the library with Luna," Hermione replied.

Someone jostled Harry violently. Harry wanted to say something, but the person walked straight past without stopping. It was Malfoy.

Harry massaged his arm. "Are you ok, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Harry replied. He moaned. "Damn Malfoy!"

"Why did he do that?" Hermione asked.

"Do you think he needs a reason?" Harry replied ironically.

"Hey, Harry!" Neville exclaimed from behind. Harry turned around. "Have you heard the news?" Neville continued. "Malfoy still has to take detention with us!"

Harry grinned. Lucius Malfoy's influence hadn't worked! Draco was going to be punished!

"He boasted that his father had arranged everything," Neville added. "But Professor Burns arrived and asked him to bring a toothbrush for his detention. Malfoy's furious now!"

"I bet he is!" Harry replied.

"We should go to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom now," Hermione said.

About fifteen minutes later, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Ron, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini stood in the corridor in front of Burns' classroom. Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode were absent. They were still in the Hospital Wing and their detention had been postponed to another date. Ron and Hermione ignored each other, as usual.

Professor Burns Apparated into the corridor.

"So," she said. "Follow me to Professor Snape's office."

Snape's office? Why?

"Don't we have detention with you?" Hermione asked.

"Indeed," Burns replied quietly. "But since it's a Gryffindor/Slytherin quarrel, Professor Snape will be present. And we'll use his fireplace."

Fireplace? So they wouldn't stay in the castle?

The group of students followed Burns. They soon arrived at Snape's office. Burns knocked on the door.

"Come in," Snape's voice hissed from inside.

Burns entered the room and motioned for the students to do the same. She went straight to the fireplace, without casting a glance at Snape. Snape stood up from his chair, his body stiffer than usual. He stared at the students coldly, then at Professor Burns.

The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher turned to the students. "Take a pinch of Floo powder..." she said. "Then utter distinctly 'the Emerald Star.'"

The Emerald Star? Harry jumped. Hermione threw him a quick glance. The Emerald Star was Grindelwald's ship. Will they really have detention there?

"What are you waiting for?" Burns asked, looking at the students. They all seemed reluctant to go first. Harry was not scared, but he was a little apprehensive.

"Goyle," Burns said impatiently. "You go first."

"Why me?" Goyle asked.

"Because life is unfair," Burns replied sharply, grabbing a pinch of Floo powder and throwing it into the fireplace. She gave him an impatient stare. "In there," she said.

Goyle obeyed. He stepped into the fireplace, uttered the address, and vanished into the emerald flames. Crabbe, Malfoy, Zabini, Ron, Neville, and Hermione followed. Then Harry used the Floo Network too and appeared in a dark, sparsely-furnished room.

Harry had the impression that he had been there before. Then he remembered. When he had used the Portkey with Lupin, before he had taken the Hogwarts Express, he had landed in this room. So... Burns had taken care of him since the beginning of the year?

Suddenly, Harry heard Snape's voice in the fireplace. It muttered something like 'insufferable woman.' Then Harry saw him appear inside the fireplace. He looked angry. He threw a menacing stare at the group. Every student -- except Hermione -- had amused expressions on their faces. Snape's eyes stopped on Harry. "Anything to say, Potter?" he said sharply.

"No, Sir," Harry replied. Why always him? And what had Burns said to Snape?

Burns stepped into the room shortly after Snape. "Let's go," she said, walking forward and opening the door. The group followed her and entered a long, empty corridor. Many doors stood along the sides of this corridor.

"Where are we?" Ron asked.

"My place," Burns replied.

They kept walking and crossed a few other empty corridors. Harry had not realised that ships were so large. He had read somewhere that ships -- Muggle ships -- contained very little space. That it was very uncomfortable for the crew to live there. But Burns' ship was anything but small. It was a huge -- magical -- ship, which looked like a labyrinth. It was just like another Hogwarts, only much more frightening. There was something scary within these walls. Harry couldn't identify what it was exactly.

Soon, they arrived at a spiral staircase, surrounded by greyish, cold stonewalls, and lit by little candles.

"We're going upstairs," Burns commented.

Harry looked down. The spiral staircase wound downward and disappeared within the shadows like an endless shaft. Harry gulped.

"What's downstairs?" Zabini asked.

Burns didn't reply immediately. She sneered and threw Zabini an amused look that Harry found disconcerting. "Well..." she responded finally, "your detention, Master Zabini." Then she laughed devilishly. Was she serious or was her answer just ironical? Harry couldn't tell. Burns' satanic laugh echoed along the cold walls and transformed into a mix of evil sounds. Harry shivered. From where he was, he couldn't see if Ron or the Slytherins were afraid, but Hermione seemed to be anxious and Neville looked terrified. And Snape appeared to be worried too.

Harry noticed a few doors enclosed within the wall at regular intervals. They seemed to lead to different floors. Another door stood at the top of the staircase. When Burns opened it, light came through the opening. Harry felt a cold breeze on his face. Wherever they were, it was outside. Soon, Harry found himself on the stern area of the ship's upper deck.

The ship was around sixty meters long, and twenty meters wide. Three big masts stretched out and seemed to touch the sky. The sails were taken in on the masts and yards. At the top of the mizzen mast flew a big black flag with skull and crossbones. There was a short raised deck at the front of the ship, on which stood a helm. Farther on, Harry noticed a figurehead with the shape of a woman. Twenty wizards dressed like pirates were cleaning the floor with buckets and big sponges.

"Whaw!" Ron said.

Harry was impressed too. Although he had already seen ships on television, he had never really climbed up on them. The little rowboat that Uncle Vernon had rented six years ago was not a reference. And the boat Harry had taken in first year to reach Hogwarts by the lake couldn't compare with the Emerald Star. But... where was the sea... or the water? Harry looked around and realised that he already knew the view. But... was it...

"Crossing the airs and the oceans..." Hermione gasped suddenly. Harry turned to her. Of course, Hermione had thought of the same thing. The ship floated in the air... above Hogwarts... So it was invisible?

"Only the airs today," Burns replied coolly. "Although my Galleon will not cross anything now, since it's anchored here. But it flies very fast when the sails are unfurled."

Harry suddenly remembered the attack on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of the year. During the Death Eaters attack... those strange jets of light coming from the sky... So it had come from Burns' invisible ship?

"Okay," Burns said. "First part of the detention." She turned to the wizards who cleaned the deck. "Guys," she said. "I've found you some replacements for today. These students have volunteered to clean the whole deck in your place. Sweet, isn't it?" She smirked.

"I won't clean anything!" Malfoy said. "I'm not a house-elf!"

The pirates laughed.

"All right," Burns replied quietly. "My Hearties, clap that insolent prat in irons!" She snapped her fingers. The men stepped forward. Harry was delighted.

"What?" Malfoy exclaimed, moving backwards, although the men stopped. He looked terrified. "My father will not let you--"

"Shhh," Burns hissed. "Daddy's not here." She paused. "Master Malfoy..." she continued, "you are in detention. A detention is a punishment for naughty schoolchildren. Which means that you will have a punishment. Refusing that punishment will cause you to have another punishment. Understood? May I suggest that you keep your mouth shut for the whole day? Or I'll make you clean the whole deck with your toothbrush..." She smiled ironically.

Malfoy didn't reply.

"Good choice," Burns said. "You have three hours, and I want the deck to shine! No magic allowed! Give your wands to Mox," she said, designating one of the pirates. "I'll return them after detention!" When the students were wandless, Burns motioned for them to start. The pirates left. One of them stayed and climbed up to the mizzen top.

Ron and Harry chose the closest bucket, but neither of them was really motivated to start. Hermione and Neville took another pail and gripped sponges right away. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini finally stepped to the farthest pail, probably because they thought it would be easier to shirk their work if they were away from Burns.

"By the way," Burns called out, staring at the Slytherins. "If the job is not done properly, you'll come back another day... until I'm satisfied with the result."

The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher took her wand. She conjured two large wooden posts, a hammock, and a big green Commandant hat with a red feather on the right. Then she lay on the hammock and put the hat on her face, as if she was going to take a nap.

"Excuse me," Snape hissed. "What am I supposed to do while you are taking rest?"

Burns raised her hat a little. "Dunno," she said. "Watch them maybe?" Then she put her hat back in place. Snape scowled. Harry turned back to his pail before the Potions master could say anything to him.

***

Severus Snape conjured a chair and sat. He stared at Burns, who was sleeping in her hammock.

When the students had used the Floo Network to go to the Emerald Star, Severus had gallantly motioned for Burns to Floo before him. 'Piss off with your rules of politeness!' Burns had retorted. 'Fine,' he had replied, upset. He had just wanted to be polite! Damn woman! Always getting on his nerves, even when she was not saying anything. Why had she hidden herself under that hat? He couldn't even see her face when she was sleeping!

Later, the Potions master stood and walked on the deck. He was bored. Watching those insufferable students cleaning the floor was a stupid activity. Soon, Severus arrived at the front part of the ship.

He climbed up on the forecastle to have a better look at the figurehead. He almost gasped. The wood was sculpted into the form of a woman who looked like Katarina. Not the menacing Burns, clothed in her hooded cloak, but the sweet Katarina he knew, clothed in a simple dress. He wondered how long Burns had owned that ship, and why the figurehead was a sculpture of her former self.

"Nice figurehead, eh?" someone said. He jumped. One of the men he had seen at The Three Broomsticks stood behind him. The man stepped forward.

"Yes," Severus replied. Then he had an idea. "What is its history?" he asked.

"You should ask the Capt'n," the man replied. "The model was her grandmother."

Severus raised an eyebrow. Her grandmother? Damn, they really resembled each other. But if it was her grandmother, it explained a lot of things... The Emerald Star had probably been named for her... Severus knew that her name was Emerald... Katarina's second name...

"Go away, Crabbe!" Weasley shouted suddenly. Severus turned back. Weasley and Crabbe were in conflict. Crabbe gripped Weasley by the arm and threw him at the floor.

"Weasley, Crabbe!" Severus yelled. "Deten..." Severus stopped. He had just realised they were already in detention. He could penalise only Gryffindor, but Burns was here. What if she wasn't asleep and heard him? She would be furious. "Five points from Gryffindor and Slytherin!" he said reluctantly. He ignored the students' puzzled stares.

***

Harry was bewildered. Had Snape just taken points from the Slytherin House? Snape? It was probably the first time he had uttered 'points taken from' and 'Slytherin' in the same sentence.

"Time is up," Burns exclaimed. Harry had almost forgotten her presence, since she had remained in her hammock for the last three hours. She stood on the raised deck. "Taz," she said, "what do you think of this deck? Is it cleaned?"

"It's okay, Capt'n," Taz replied. "I've seen better, but they're novices."

"Hmmm," Burns said, "novices... in everything. I think it's time for the second part of the detention." Her eyes stopped on Neville. "Are you all right, Master Longbottom?" she asked. Neville's face had dangerously paled. He looked terrified.

"Do you remember what I said to you when I gave you your wand?" she asked, looking at him seriously.

Neville nodded.

"It still works," she said. She paused. "Now, everyone follow me," she continued, turning to the door which led to the scary staircase.

"What did she say to you?" Harry whispered to Neville.

"That I shouldn't be scared of her," Neville murmured.

Harry was surprised. Burns frightened most of the students. She seemed to like this image, but she asked Neville not to be afraid of her? Unbelievable!

Harry passed the door and went down the staircase with the others. Snape brought up the rear. They soon reached the level by which they had come. The shadows extended under their feet. Harry was very anxious. He shivered. A quick glimpse at the others proved he was not the only scared one.

Burns conjured a torch, which projected big shadows on the walls. The sound of the group's steps echoed everywhere. A few minutes later, the stairs stopped and they arrived at the bottom of the shaft. A big double door barred their way. Burns extended her hand, her palm turned to the door. Her hand emitted a blue light. Then Harry heard the sound of an opening mechanism coming from behind the door. It was followed by a few thuds and grating sounds, as if several doors or gates were moving. The entrance door opened, its two panels shifting slowly to the stairs.

Burns' torch lit what seemed to be another corridor, bigger than the first one. She entered the room, followed by the students and Snape.

The first thing that Harry noticed was the great amount of wealth that lay on the floor: jars, chests, and all sorts of other old and pricey objects. Harry thought he was in Ali Baba's cavern.

Harry looked at the Slytherins and his friends. They all seemed to be amazed. But Ron looked really shocked and fascinated. He appeared to have stopped breathing. Envy lit in his eyes. Draco Malfoy seemed fascinated too. He slowly moved away from the group and knelt close to a big amount of Galleons, acting as if his shoe-lace was undone. His right hand disappeared from view.

Snape stepped to Malfoy and grabbed him by the collar, making him stand up violently. Harry heard the sound of a few Galleons falling on the floor. Snape pushed Malfoy back into the group. Draco looked both scared and furious.

"Amateurish," Burns said, barely turning back. "As good as thieving as at fighting. You'd better not try that again, Master Malfoy."

The group kept walking in silence. Harry looked away from the objects on the floor and observed the corridor. The ceiling was high and curved. The walls were covered by frescos. Harry recognised Hogwarts on one of them. Then the arms of the four founders of the school, followed by a big picture of someone who looked like Burns. She was wearing an old fashioned violet dress and was smiling.

"Who's that lady?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence, and making everyone jump and glare at her.

Burns stopped and turned to Hermione.

"What lady?" Burns asked.

"In the picture on the wall," Hermione replied.

Burns followed Hermione's stare. She screwed up her eyes. "A respected lady," she responded. "Loved by a great wizard... unfortunately." Burns stared at the picture for a few seconds, as if she was thinking.

"What happened to her?" Neville asked.

Burns snapped out of her thoughts. "She was murdered," she whispered. Then she turned away from the picture and stepped forward. Harry perceived a slight touch of emotion in her voice. But maybe it was his imagination.

The group continued walking.

"Oh!" Neville exclaimed suddenly. Then he covered his mouth with his hand.

Everyone turned to him.

"Yes, Master Longbottom?" Burns asked.

"This clock," Neville said shyly, designating a big clock along the wall. "My Gran used to have one just like it."

Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini sniggered.

"Really?" Burns asked ironically.

"Yes," Neville replied. "It's a shame Gran's clock was stolen. But she'll be glad to know it was not as unique as she thought."

Snape raised an eyebrow. Burns cleared her throat awkwardly and turned away. "Yes," she replied, "it was surely not a unique piece."

Harry looked around suspiciously. Had all these objects been stolen? Finally... he didn't want to know...

At the end of the corridor stood three big double doors. One faced the group, the others stood at its right and left. The door at their right was golden with great motifs dedicated to the sea. The door in front of them was made of grey metal and looked very sturdy. The door on their left was... smashed down. The broken panels tilted dangerously, only covering half the entrance. Burns' torch lit the room behind the door an instant, and Harry caught a quick glimpse of its insides. Everything was in a mess in there. The chairs and all the objects were knocked over; the tapestries were torn and burnt. Harry noticed a canopy bed, covered with ragged curtains.

"Do you like my quarters, Master Potter?" Burns said coldly.

Harry turned to Burns and gulped. Her quarters?

"Surprised?" Burns asked. She paused, staring at Harry icily. "I am a very dangerous person," she added. "More dangerous than the scariest creatures in the world."

She turned to the greyish shock-proof door. Like the previous time, Burns extended her hand, which emitted a blue light. "Apertum!" she shouted.

Harry heard a dull sound, then the grinding noise of a mechanism. The flaps opened slowly, revealing raising iron gates behind. Harry felt he was entering a prison. He took a few steps into the room, plunged in darkness.

"Welcome to the gallery of monsters!" Burns exclaimed, raising her arms in a sharp movement. The torches in the room lit as a quickly as a wave.

All the students screamed and huddled together. Closed cells stood all around, with little windows protected by iron bars. Inside the cells were imprisoned several creatures that Harry remembered well: vampires. The creatures held the bars, showing their sharp nails. They hissed, whistled, and whispered threats at the students. Harry had almost forgotten how scary they were.

He realised that every vampire had its own physical characteristics. They were different from each other, like the humans were. But they were not human. Their skin was still very write, covered with blue veins, their eyes very pale blue with cat-like pupils, their lips abnormally red, and their fangs very repulsive.

"What's that?" Zabini shouted.

"Your last Hallowe'en's wish has been granted," Burns replied coolly. "Didn't you want to see illustrations of vampires? Why use illustrations when you can see the originals?"

"You're insane!" Malfoy yelled.

"Master Malfoy," Burns replied quietly, "this is your detention, not mine. And you should watch your language with me, or they'll have you for dinner," she spat.

"What is the aim of bringing the students here?" Snape hissed. Harry wondered the same thing.

"The aim?" Burns asked coldly. "Despite the fact that they're in detention, they must know what life is. They must be aware of the dangerous creatures that live outside of Hogwarts and may attack them one day. They must learn. They must know who Voldemort's allies are, and whose side they'll have to choose." She stared at the Slytherins.

"These vampires were humans a few hours ago," she continued. "Most of them come from Muggle families. Some are wizards. Muggle-born wizards, half-blood wizards, pureblood wizards. Yes, pureblood wizards too, Master Malfoy," she said, looking at him. She smirked. "Some are related to Death Eaters." She paused. "I've already seen some Death Eaters sacrifice their children to the cause," she said slowly. "Some who wore the Dark Mark on their arm..."

Draco Malfoy, more than the other Slytherins, had dangerously blanched. His face was as pale as the vampires'. Harry hardly believed that some Death Eaters had sacrificed their own children for Voldemort. It was scary to think that parents were able to do that, even Death Eaters.

"Now," Burns said, "follow me all. The vampires are well caged, so they won't attack you."

"I'm not feeling well," Neville said.

"You're not the only one," Ron grumbled.

"Silence," Burns snapped. She stepped forward. Harry followed her reluctantly. He tried to walk in the middle of the corridor. Even if the vampires were imprisoned, he feared they would grab him through the bars of their cage or cut him with their long, sharpened nails. He swallowed.

Soon, they found another greyish shock-proof door at the end of the corridor.

"Are you the only one able to come here?" Hermione asked.

Harry raised his eyes. Hermione always found the perfect occasions to ask questions. They were about the leave a prison full of vampires, and Hermione wanted to learn details like 'who opens the door?' She really had strange priorities!

"The doors react to my powers," Burns responded. "I'm the only one who has access to the path I used to bring you here. But my crew uses other ways to reach the weapons room -- the golden door you saw leads there -- and the dungeons. My hearties have special keys." Burns extended her hand. "Apertum!" she shouted again. The door opened with the same grinding sounds as the previous doors had made.

Harry entered the room after Burns. He hadn't expected to find anything like this. The room was huge and round, and divided in two parts. The first part, where Harry stood, was a sort of cylindrical corridor approximately three meters wide, that Harry could use to go round the room. The corridor was delimitated by big iron gates, which created another round place inside the big room. A sort of... arena.

Harry realised that the place was lit by a round opening in the high ceiling, through which the rays of sun filtered.

"Where does that light come from?" Hermione asked.

"Always asking questions, Miss Granger?" Burns replied with irritation. "The light comes from the deck, okay? It's the greatest magical ship ever commissioned. Don't try to analyse how the light can pierce through the other floors, or why you didn't see the opening when you were cleaning the deck. It's manufacture's secrets." An awkward silence followed.

The hush was followed by a grinding sound, as if a heavy stone was trailed on the ground. Harry realised it was something else. There, on the ceiling, two metallic shutters slid slowly, closing the round opening. Big torches lit all around the room as soon as the entrance was shut. What had Burns planned?

"Now," Burns said, "I'll show you a little fighting demonstration."

She extended her arm in front of her, the hand flat and its palm turned to the ceiling. She lifted her arm slowly. A platform appeared at the centre of the place. Wait a minute... it was not a platform... it was a big closed cage, or maybe three little cages put together. Hisses and scary sounds came from them. Harry didn't know what was inside, but he supposed it was vampires. He shivered. Was it fear or just a reaction to coldness? Harry felt the temperature in the room had dropped.

"A fighting demonstration?" Snape exclaimed. Harry jumped. He had almost forgotten that the Potions master was here. A quick glance at Snape proved to him that the Potions master was worried.

"Exactly, Professor Snape," Burns replied coolly.

"Don't tell me that you will go there," Snape pointed at the arena, "and fight whatever is in these cages?"

"I won't tell you that," Burns retorted. She snapped her fingers and Apparated in the arena. "I'll show you," she added, a smile on her face.

Snape gasped. Harry was shocked, but he was not the only one. The other students around him looked really frightened.

"Come back here immediately, silly woman!" Snape shouted. He gripped the bars between his hands. "Come back here or I'll go and drag you out!"

Burns laughed. "Really?" she said ironically. "And how will you do that? This arena is protected by many spells. It will take a while to find all the counter curses! Especially without your wand!" Burns pulled a wand out of her robes and laughed. "Good luck, Professor Snape!" she said, putting the wand back inside her robes.

"Burns!" Snape yelled, his face turning deep red. "Insufferable, awful woman!"

Then she turned to the cages. The first one opened. Two vampires came out of the cage. The first vampire was a tall, black man, clothed like a Muggle. Harry was surprised, since the other vampires had a very pale skin. But it seemed logical, since the vampires were originally humans. Anyway, even with the skin colour difference, that vampire looked as frightening as the others. The second one, also dressed like a Muggle, had a very pale skin and a straw-coloured hair. He was smaller, but he seemed to be more agitated. He bounded on Burns.

Then everything happened fast. Burns stepped to the right and avoided his attack. The vampire landed a few meters away from her. She pulled a stake out of her robes. The vampire stood up and threw himself on her again. Burns bent and used his impetus to make him roll over her back. He fell violently on the floor. She quickly turned around, knelt, and planted the stake in his heart. He transformed into dust.

Harry gasped. Hermione and Neville shrieked. While Burns was fighting the first vampire, the second came near. Now he was very close, and Burns was still stooped on the floor. He leant over her, ready to bite her. Burns made several rolls to her left. Then she rested on her back and kicked the vampire on his face with her right leg. The vampire staggered backwards. Burns made a backward tuck roll and stood up quickly. She pulled a flask from her robes and threw it at the creature's face. The vampire took his face between his hands and emitted hisses that sounded like cries of suffering. His face started to burn, as if he had been splashed with acid. Burns quickly uttered a spell on her boots. High heels appeared on her shoes. Then she kicked the vampire hard in his chest. The vampire disappeared into dust.

"Wooden high heels," Burns commented. She uttered a spell to make them disappear.

Then she pulled two swords out of her cloak and made them whirl in her hands.

"Whaw," Harry heard Ron whisper.

The second cage opened. Three vampires came out of it. The first one was black-haired. He was wearing purple trousers and a green shirt. The second one was a woman with very long red nails and a white dress that looked like a shroud. She had long curly grey hair, and probably the worst smile Harry had ever seen in his life. The third one was blond, and dressed in shiny lilac robes. He reminded Harry of Gilderoy Lockhart.

Burns scowled. "God," she said, "was it a family of clowns?"

The woman hissed dangerously, as if she had understood Burns' comment.

"Come on," Burns replied. "Did you get that taste of shit since you've died or long before?"

The woman rushed over to Burns. She used her nails as swords to hurt the teacher. But Burns warded off these attacks. She cut off the woman's right hand, which fell to the floor in a thin powder. The vampire's left hand grazed Burns' right shoulder. Burns emitted a brief shriek. She swung around and cut off the woman's head with the sword.

"Okay, who wants to become cat's litter?" she asked.

The two remaining vampires attacked her at the same time. But Harry hardly paid attention to that fight. He noticed that the third cage had opened. He suddenly felt frozen. Then he understood why. A Dementor came out of the last cage.

The students shrieked. Unlike the vampires, the Dementor ignored Burns. He rushed on the group of wandless students behind the iron gates. But before the Dementor reached them, a pink energy came from the gates, preventing the creature from moving forward and feeding off of everyone's happiness. Harry was very cold, but it was tolerable.

Yet he was terrified. What if the barrier didn't last? He couldn't produce a Patronus without his wand! He looked at Burns. She was kicking the first vampire hard between his legs; she hit the other on the face with her elbow. She suddenly crossed her swords in front of her, whirled around, and moved her arms apart in a sharp movement. She cut off the two heads of the vampires in one go.

Then she seemed to notice the Dementor's presence. "Hey, you!" she exclaimed, letting go of her swords and running to the Dementor.

The creature didn't turn to her, as if he didn't notice her presence.

"Do you want to feel pain?" she spat, gripping the Dementor and making it turn on itself. "Feel mine," she shouted. She put her right hand on the creature's chest. Blue light came from her like electricity. The Dementor started to shiver uncontrollably. Then Harry heard a big shriek that sounded like a saw's sound, and the creature exploded. Burns was projected away backwards and hit the iron gates. She fell onto the floor, unconscious.

***

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