Harry Potter and the Dementors Unleashed: Harry's Sixth Year

     Harry awoke to find Mrs. Weasley in his room, laying clothes out on his bed for him. "Wake up, dear, it's time to go, we're going to be so late, oh, look at the time, - "

     Harry quickly sat up. He had forgotten that they had to catch the train. Looking around, he saw Ron in the bed across from him, sitting up groggily.

     Harry dressed at top speed, and then ran downstairs. Hermione and Ginny were lugging their trunks downstairs. He ran into the kitchen, grabbed two pieces of toast from Mrs. Weasley and ran back upstairs, throwing Ron's toast at him.

     "C'mon, we're going to be late," said Harry as Ron grabbed his trunk. Harry pulled his down the steps so noisily that Hedwig woke up, and Mrs. Weasley started pushing them all in the smalls of their backs out the door and into the car. Harry ran as fast as he could; Hedwig was going ballistic. Mrs. Weasley pushed them all into the car then jumped into the driver seat. Ginny hopped into the passenger side and Harry, Ron and Hermione all got into the back, with Harry in the middle to discontinue their arguments. Mrs. Weasley asked a question every now and then ("Harry, which is the brake pedal again?") but for the most part she was doing rather well, and they got all the way to King's Cross Station without a single dent on Mr. Weasley's car. Mrs. Weasley bade them goodbye and left, leaving the four of them alone. Ginny cast a quick glance around her, grabbed her trunk and casually leaned against the barrier, and Harry, Ron and Hermione followed s uit. They stood there, Harry taking in the familiar sounds of owls and cats and Neville's toad, breathing deeply. He was going back.

     "Harry, let's go, we're going to be late!" called Hermione, and Harry ran over to her and boarded the train.

     Inside the train it was noisy, but in everyone's compartment it grew silent as Harry passed, and people inside pointed at him, whispering. Harry heard words like "You-Know-Who" and "Dumbledore" as he passed, but he didn't care. He was going to enjoy this year if it was the last thing he did.

     "Here, Harry, you can sit with us," said a voice in a compartment to his left.

     "Hermione, Ron, this one's empty!" he called, and they squeezed past him and went in, glad to be away from the whisperers. His face fell when he saw who it was: Cho.

     "Oh, hello, - er - " she paused, not sure what to say. She was looking at Hermione with utmost dislike and envy, and Hermione looked at her with surprise.

     "I'm Hermione, Harry's - "

     "Girlfriend, I know," interrupted Cho, and Hermione started to laugh. Cho looked at her with raised eyebrows.

     "You think I'm Harry's girlfriend?" said Hermione, still smiling. Cho looked surprised.

     "Well, he only talks about you all the time, it's only logical that he likes you - "

     "He's just my friend, Cho, don't you ever talk about your friends?" Cho blushed. It looked as though she was feeling stupid for jumping to conclusions.

     "Well, I - I didn't think about that. I'm - I'm sorry." Hermione nodded, and looked out the window.

     "Why is it so hot in here?" asked Ron, and Harry shrugged. Ron went over to the window and opened it, sitting by the window to feel the breeze. Harry sat down, feeling uncomfortable around Cho. She looked at him, trying to catch his eye but Harry ignored it. Hermione, however, was completely aware of the tension between them and asked Harry, "Um, Harry - who do you think is going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

     "I don't know, but I hope Snape didn't get the job yet," said Harry, and Hermione seemed nervous.

     "What if they're as bad as Snape? What if they're like Umbridge?" Harry cringed at the thought of Umbridge, their last teacher, who was so horrible that even Professor McGonagall was glad to have her gone. Harry hoped very much that this teacher was more like Lupin, his favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher so far.

     "Dumbledore wouldn't purposefully hire someone horrible, though, would he?" asked Ron, who now had his head out the window in order to get fresh air.

     "Ron, put your head in here, it's going to fly off!" screeched Hermione, suddenly noticing what he was doing.

     "Calm down, woman, it isn't going to fall off - "

     "And it's not like you'd be missing anything important, anyway, is it Weasley?" drawled a voice behind Harry. Cho started and Hermione's head whipped around so fast that there was an audible crack. Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, was standing in the doorway smirking.

     "Draco?" said Cho with her eyebrows raised. Malfoy looked over at her, smiling politely.

     "Hello," he said, shaking her hand. "And you are?"

     "Cho Chang," she said, now grinning, and Harry's insides boiled with jealousy. "What are you doing in our compartment?"

     "Well, I was - "

     "Malfoy, has your father tried Death Eaters Anonymous? I hear it works rather well, you know," said Ron, putting his head back into the compartment. Harry was pleased to see the horrified look on Cho's face, and she quickly sat back down.

     "Isn't there a corner you can beg on, Weasley?" Malfoy snarled, looking very put out, and he whirled around before Ron could retort. Cho looked as though she had unwillingly shaken hands with Voldemort. She looked at Harry.

     "His father's a Death Eater? Are you sure?" she whispered anxiously, and Harry got the feeling that if they weren't, she would have left with him. Harry knew he didn't like Cho but the thought of her being Malfoy's girlfriend was unbearable.

     "There's the food trolley, do you want anything?" Harry asked Ron, and Ron shook his head, but Harry got him several Chocolate Frogs and two boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Ron ate them happily and Harry bought some Frogs for Hermione, too. Cho stood up and left when she realized Harry had purposefully not gotten her anything, and almost as soon as she shut the door, Ginny came in for a game of Exploding Snap.

     It was starting to get dark, and Harry and Ron shooed out Hermione and Ginny so they could get changed. It was after they had come back in when Ron let out a yelp of surprise and almost choked on his Chocolate Frog. Harry and Hermione hurried over to slap him on the back, and Ron forced it down his throat.

     "L-look!" he choked out, pointing at the card. Harry reached for it but Hermione got there first, and she picked it up and read the front. Harry saw her eyes widen. Ginny leaned over her shoulder and read the card quickly. They both looked up at Harry with astonishment on their faces. Hermione slowly handed him the card. Harry read it, confused.

Harry Potter

1980 - Today

Considered by many the greatest young wizard of our time,

Harry Potter is most famous for surviving the Killing Curse

at the age of one, for saving the Sorcerer's Stone when he

was eleven, and for banishing the basilisk in the Chamber

of Secrets in his second year. Harry Potter enjoys Quidditch

and Defense Against the Dark Arts classes.

     Harry flipped over the card to see his own face smiling back at him. He looked up at the others. They were all looking at him, wanting to see what he thought. He sighed and sat down by the window, next to Ron.

     "Figures," he said. Ron grinned; apparently he had expected him to explode.

     "I wonder why Fudge let them make it?" asked Ron, flipping the card over again. Harry barely heard him. He was lost in his own thoughts. Why did everything have to happen to him? How could anyone ever want to be famous? He supposed this, plus surviving Avada Kedavra, plus saving the Sorcerer's Stone, plus killing a basilisk, plus helping an ex-convict escape, plus winning the Triwizard Tournament, plus facing and escaping Lord Voldemort again, and again last year, would make this the worst year of his life. No one would speak to him, he would be followed by whispers wherever he went, and he had one less friend to get him through it. His stomach dropped as he thought of Sirius. No, he told himself. Don't think about Sirius, you'll be in an awful mood all day, don't -

     Harry blinked. Ron was snapping his fingers in front of his eyes.

     "Earth to Harry!" he said, grinning when he saw Harry notice him. "We asked you what was going on between you and Cho."

     "Nothing," replied Harry truthfully. "I don't really know, it's weird, I don't want to be her boyfriend but I feel - " Harry felt his face go red. He had just remembered that Ginny was there. He shrugged and looked out the window. The train was finally slowing down. He stood up, stretching. "We're almost there," he said with the tone in his voice to drop the subject. Hermione got the message and also stood, but Ron, who was not so perceptive of such undercurrents, stayed still and looked at Harry.

     "Feel what?" Harry clenched his teeth.

     "Never you mind, Ron, he's got his reasons and maybe he doesn't want to tell you - " Hermione started, but Ron interrupted her.

     "He will so tell me, he's my best friend - "

     "Maybe he doesn't want to tell you, some things are best left unsaid - "

     "Name one thing - "

     "I can't name something he doesn't tell us!"

     "But you're a know-it-all, aren't you?"

     "Ron, you are such a loser, I'm only a know-it-all to people who have no brains - "

     "I HAVE BRAINS!"

     "MAYBE YOU SHOULD USE THEM FOR ONCE!"

     "I USE THEM ALL THE TIME - "

     "FUNNY, IT DOESN'T SHOW!"

     Harry looked over at Ginny and stifled a laugh. She was entertaining herself by mocking the argument with her hands. Just then he remembered something.

     "Ginny, where were you really that day at Diagon Alley?" he asked, and Ron stopped in mid-sentence to listen.

     "Oh," said Ginny, smiling to herself. "That. Well, I was visiting Fred and George's shop."

     "Oh, so their shop does exist," said Ron in awe. Harry was also amazed, but not because the shop existed; rather, he was surprised that Hermione and Ron had both stopped in mid-argument and now had sat back down as though nothing had happened.

     "It's rather good, but quite noisy, there were people testing out the Canary Creams all over the place," laughed Ginny, but Hermione had her lips pursed and was looking an awful lot like Professor McGonagall.

     "I think they should have stopped that nonsense last year," she said coldly. "They should have done something more useful, like - a Healer, or, - they would have made good scientists - "

     "What's a scientist?" said Ron and Ginny together.

     "Never mind," said Harry before Hermione could respond; she looked as though she were about to explain every detail about scientists that she could think of. She looked rather put out as the four of them got off the train, lugging their carts behind them. They moved over to the carriages pulled by thestrals, and Harry remembered that Ron, Ginny and Hermione still could not see them. He remembered another death he had just witnessed and felt his eyes water. He wiped them on the back of his sleeve before they noticed and sat next to the window.

     Ginny had left to go into another cart (Harry thought he spotted her by Dean Thomas' carriage, though he did not mention this to Ron), and Harry, Ron and Hermione enjoyed a comfortable silence, staring up at the humongous castle in front of them, which seemed to be extra special this year, and Harry could not imagine ever dreading his return. He sighed and sat back, trying to decide what he missed most from the wizarding world; Quidditch was definitely up there, seeing Hagrid again, getting presents on Christmas . . . how would he have lived if he were expelled, how would he feel . . . the thought was unfathomable.

     "Harry," said Ron suddenly. Harry turned away from the window to look at him. Ron was looking very strange, it seemed as though he were trying to decide to ask Harry something. He shook his head, apparently deciding not to mention whatever it was.

     "What is it?" asked Harry, and Ron shook his head again, taking great care to keep his voice even and his face expressionless, though Harry saw him look longingly at the Quidditch pitch with a very faint hint of jealousy in his face before returning to staring at the castle. Harry wondered what was with Ron, he usually told Harry everything. He looked at Hermione. She was not staring at the castle at all, rather, she seemed to be daydreaming. Harry watched her for a moment, and she did not notice, but then he resumed staring at the Quidditch field. They were about to get off when it happened. All the carriages stopped, and all the lamps went out. There was a muffled scream from a carriage in front of them, and several shouts of surprise; Hermione gasped and Ron whimpered. They did not need to hear McGonagall's magically magnified voice to know what was happening.

     "ALL STUDENTS, STAY WHERE YOU ARE. DO NOT PANIC. STAY WHERE YOU ARE - "

     "WHY?" someone screamed. "WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

     "DEMENTORS HAVE GOTTEN ON TO HOGWARTS GROUNDS, FINNIGAN! I REPEAT, STAY WHERE YOU ARE." Hermione, like Harry, had already got out her wand and was using it as a light, glaring warily out the window. Harry was already thinking of something happy, though he knew that he need only worry when he felt the wave of cold take him over. He looked over at Ron, who was groping into his robes, searching for his wand. Harry heard people just ahead of them scream. Harry thought quickly, what was the happiest feeling he could have felt at that moment - he imagined Sirius coming back to life - he was engulfed in ice - he heard screaming in his head - his scar seared with pain -

     "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He screamed, and a silvery stag erupted from his wand and galloped out of the carriage. Hermione shouted the incantation also, and a gleaming otter joined Harry's Patronus. They watched out the window, watched them buck and rear at the darkness, for they could not distinguish the Dementors' black hoods from the night's darkness. There was silence as several more Patronuses, most of which he recognized as members' of the D.A.'s, came gliding out of other carriages - some came from somewhere near the source of the attention; Harry felt a sickening swoop in his stomach when he realized that most of the teachers were in the midst of battle -

     The cold feeling was leaving - the screaming had stopped - Harry looked around. The carriages started up again as though nothing had happened, and Harry felt relief sink to the pit of his stomach, though he still had uneasiness. They were okay, the Dementors were gone, and they were at Hogwarts now, nothing to worry about, the Dementors could not possibly get inside the castle. Harry felt a sense of reassurance as they got out of the carriage and into the castle. The three of them immediately checked the High Table as they entered the Great Hall, and the first thing they saw was that all of the teachers were looking angry, even Professor Dumbledore, and were talking among themselves. Then they realized that Professor McGonagall was not up there. She was, however, directly behind them.

     "Potter, Weasley, Granger, come with me," she said shortly, and they turned to follow when she stopped and added, "Ginny Weasley."

     Ron looked at them questioningly, and they shrugged. Ginny, who was walking behind them, followed Harry and Hermione back to McGonagall's office, slightly nervous. Harry was under the impression that they were about to be expelled, and it must have shown on his face because Professor McGonagall laughed when she looked at him.

     "There's no need to look so worried, Potter, I just wanted to speak to you briefly - " she paused to wave her wand, which shut and locked the door. "Now," she said in a very business-like tone, and they all took a seat by her desk. "Potter, I received an owl this morning, you are new captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Harry was shocked to remember that the last of the players, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet would not be there this year. He nodded. "Which means," she said, turning her eyes on Ginny, "that you will need to find a new position, because he is - well, not to be rude, but - " she smiled, "he's a tad better Seeker than you. Of course, you can still play on the team; we need two Beaters and three Chasers, we're not exactly full." She frowned slightly, turning her head to Hermione. "And you, - actually, Harry, Ginny, could you let this be a private conversation? I wanted to discuss something with Ms. Granger. " Hermione looked at them apologetically and they left, discussing Quidditch and in no hurry to get back to the feast.

     "I am definitely going to be a Chaser, Beaters need to be strong," said Ginny thoughtfully, and Harry grinned.

     "With two Weasleys on the team, we can beat anyone." Ginny laughed, and Harry got a manic glint in his eye. "Wait till you hear my pep talks," he said jokingly, and Ginny smiled at him.

     "They better not last as long as Oliver's, I heard he went on for twenty minutes before a practice once."

     "You heard wrong, - it was more like thirty," grinned Harry as they entered the Great Hall, and they both frowned when they found they had missed the Sorting. Ginny went to sit with her fifth year friends and Harry joined Ron at the table.

     "What happened?" asked Ron immediately, as Harry dug into the food that had filled up the golden plates.

     "Ub cub tub foh bah cubbith tah," replied Harry, pointing to himself, but with his mouth so full, Ron didn't understand him.

     "What?"

     Harry gulped. "Captain for the Quidditch team - McGonagall just told me." Harry looked at Ron. His face looked like it had in the carriage - longing and jealous. Harry frowned. "Are you okay?"

     "No," said Ron, and if you could not see the envy on his face you could hear it in his voice. "Does Angelina remember who won the Cup last year, or was she not paying attention?"

     Harry could not believe his ears. "Ron, you've only been playing for a year - "

     "Exactly!" said Ron, and Harry could see his ears turning red. "You never won the Cup until your third year."

     Harry stared at him. He was sure Ron was kidding; they wouldn't fight over something this stupid. "Look, Ron, - "

     "Why aren't I captain?" he asked, and Harry felt himself getting angry. Calm down, he told himself, and he tried to look calm.

     "I - "

     "You didn't even play last year!"

     "If you want to yell at me for something I didn't do, go ahead! I didn't ask to be made captain!" said Harry, and Ron looked ashamed.

     "Sorry," he mumbled, and Harry sighed. He looked up at the High Table, wanting to see whom the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was, and saw an old man, rather menacing looking, hunched over his food and not talking to anyone. Harry thought he looked rather evil, and he nudged Ron.

     "Look at the new Professor," he muttered, and Ron looked up moodily.

     "He looks like Snape, twenty years from now," said Ron, and Harry thought he was quite right; they too had a long, hooked nose and slimy hair, though it was much grayer and longer than Snape's. Harry stared at them for a long time, but they did not lift their head, and a few minutes later Hermione was back. She looked very happy about something. Harry looked at her questioningly, but before he could open his mouth she said, "Don't talk to me while I'm eating," and dug her face into her food. It was apparent that she was not going to tell them anything, and they quickly gave up. Harry and Ron, having already eaten, watched Hermione pig out on her steak-and-kidney pie. They were both grinning.

     "It's not going to grow legs and take off, you know," said Ron, an amused look on his freckly face as he watched her stuff mashed potatoes into her mouth. Hermione waited until she had swallowed before responding.

     "Well, I was hungry, and dessert is going to be served anytime now, so -" she paused and glared at them. For a second Harry did not understand why, then realized they had prevented her from finishing her meal; the dinner had disappeared and was replaced by dessert, - ice cream, cake, tarts, pies of every kind, just about anything Harry could think of. Helping himself to treacle tart, he could not help but notice that Hermione was wolfing down this, too, and he paused to look over at her. When she noticed him watching, she didn't slow; rather, she picked up the pace and ate everything she could get her hands on before the plates were once again wiped clean. Hermione actually rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently as Dumbledore rose. All talking in the Hall ceased.

     "Welcome again to another fine year at Hogwarts," he said, beaming, and Harry saw no traces of the anger he had seen on his face earlier. "I am so pleased to see you all made it back safe and sound.

     "Now, I beg for your attention for the annual start-of-term notices. First years, the forest outside is out-of-bounds, and that goes to our older students as well," he said, eyes twinkling. "I have been asked by Mr. Filch, our caretaker, to remind you that no magic is permitted in the corridors between classes, and neither are quite a few other things, which, this year, include Cherry Spiffers and Zipping Zeltzers." At this point he turned to Professor McGonagall, frowned slightly, and murmured, "Zipping Zeltzers - I like the way that sounds." Without further elaboration and leaving Professor McGonagall looking oddly amused and bewildered, he turned back to the students, looking thoroughly satisfied as though he had just solved a puzzle. "If anyone would like to check this list, it has been moved to the empty classroom on the sixth floor for lack of room on Mr. Filch's door.

     "Now, I would like you all to graciously welcome our newest member of staff, Professor Meadons."

     There was a silence. The professors at the High Table were the only to clap, and they stopped very quickly. Professor Meadons was either sleeping or had not acknowledged that his name had been announced. He did not look up, and Dumbledore merely smiled and continued.

     "Tryouts for the house Quidditch team will take place on the thirtieth, so captains, please remind anyone who would like to try out. Also, new rules have been made," he announced, and the atmosphere grew a bit tenser. "All students below fifth year will not be permitted in the village of Hogsmeade after eight o' clock, and students below third year will not be permitted outside of the castle after seven. I advise caution to the older students."

     There was an uproar from every first through fourth year, every one of them protesting angrily against Dumbledore.

     "I believe," said Dumbledore, and everyone fell silent almost at once, "that it is time for bed. All of you may head to your dormitories." He sat back down, and, grumbling, the students headed back to the beds.

     "I think he's right," said Hermione to Harry. Harry and Ron just nodded. They were far too tired to respond properly.

     "I suppose not letting them go outside was a bit of a stretch, though," she added, looking over at the pack of second years making their way to the Fat Lady. "I mean, why not let them go on the grounds?" She looked at Ron. "Do you think it was the Dementor attack?" Ron, once again, did not respond. Hermione took no notice. "I wonder how they got on the grounds, anyway? Oh, the password's 'Furrinata'," she added, watching the Prefect open the portrait. They climbed into the Gryffindor Common Room, yawning and stretching, all except for Hermione, who did not look tired at all.

     "See you later, Hermione," said Ron, making his way up the staircase with Harry, but Hermione followed them.

     "Harry," she said quietly, looking anxious, "could I talk to you for a second?"

     Harry didn't feel much like talking, but he followed Hermione back to the now empty Common Room, thinking longingly of his four-poster bed waiting upstairs. Ron seemed as though he had not even noticed Harry was not along side him and continued up the staircase. Harry heard him flop his trunk open.

     "Yeah, what is it?" he asked, rather grumpily, and Hermione looked at him, seemingly uncomfortable.

     "Could I - may I borrow your Invisibility Cloak?" she asked quickly, and Harry was taken aback.

     "Er - why do you need my Invisibility Cloak?" he asked, surveying Hermione a little less sleepily. Hermione looked uneasy. Harry heard someone call his name from his dorm.

     "Just for one night, please, Harry, I need to go to the library for a while."

     "Why don't you just go in the daylight? Or I could go for you, Merlin knows I've got quite a lot of time on my hands - " he paused, listening carefully. He had thought he heard someone coming down the stairs, but when he looked, he couldn't see anyone. Harry had a strange feeling someone was eavesdropping on the conversation.

     "I need some books and Madame Pince will know what I'm doing if I go there and ask - "

     "What are you doing?" asked a voice behind them. They both whirled around to see Ron, standing at the foot of the stairs, wide-awake and wearing pajamas that were several sizes too small. Hermione, taken aback, did not reply; instead, she looked into the fire, not really seeing it but thinking. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, eyebrows raised, then looked back at Hermione, who had indecision all over her face.

     "I'm not really - er - not supposed to tell," she said in an undertone, even though they were the only ones in the Common Room. Ron threw himself into his favorite chair by the fire.

     "What, do you mean you can't tell us?" he asked, his eyebrows rising higher. Hermione fidgeted.

     "McGonagall told me not to because only me, her and Dumbledore know, . . . and, well. . . . " Ron folded his arms, eyebrows sinking so fast Harry almost laughed.

     "Wait . . . you know something only McGonagall and Dumbledore know, and you aren't going to tell us?" Hermione sighed.

     "I - I just can't, Ron, I just, - " she stopped, rubbing her forehead. Harry sat down next to Ron.

     "You can tell us!" Harry exclaimed. "If you can't trust me and Ron, who can you?" Hermione smiled at the pair of them, and Ron leaned forward eagerly to hear what she had to say. She gave a half-hearted laugh.

     "Fine," she said slowly, and Ron leaned so close to her that he would have fallen off his chair if he hadn't been holding on. "McGonagall - is - well, she's retiring after we leave and I still didn't have a plan for my career so this year I'm training as her understudy." She had said this so fast Harry's brain was tripping all over itself trying to understand her. Ron, however, comprehended her immediately.

     Ron fell off his chair. "You're going to - to be a - a teacher?" he said in barely a whisper. Harry looked at Hermione, his eyes wide. Hermione would probably make a very good teacher; she was very good at Transfiguration and was very hard-working, but he couldn't see Professor McGonagall ever leaving, and Hermione being her understudy this year would definitely mean a lot less having her around.

     "A teacher . . ." said Ron, staring at Hermione in awe. "Blimey." Then he sniggered. "Professor Granger," he said in a tone of mock admiration. "Oh, could you help me with my homework, puh-leeease?" He burst into laughter. Harry was trying hard not to smile until Hermione stood up, apparently disgusted with the pair of them.

     "I don't even know why I told you!" she said, tears forming in her eyes, and she turned on her heel and flounced away. Ron immediately stopped laughing and called after her. She did not answer, and they were left there to sit and ponder what it would be like if Hermione were a teacher.

     "She'd be mean," said Ron, nodding. Harry didn't answer. He was thinking.

     What would it be like to have Hermione, his very best friend in the world, as a teacher? He knew he would not be her student; all three of them would be out of school, but Professor Granger just did not fit. He stood.

     "I'm going to go to bed, are you coming with me?" Harry asked, and Ron shook his head.

     "Nah, see you later, mate," he replied, and Harry climbed the staircase alone and fell onto his bed, falling asleep instantly and dreaming of a veil in a room in the Department of Mysteries.