The Dementors' Kiss

"A thousand years ago or thereabouts

There stood the Hogwarts Four

Gryffindor and Slytherin

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw

The hat you see before you came

From the head of Gryffindor

That I might place those still to come

In their proper house for evermore

So try me on, and I will see

To which house you do belong

Rest assured, 'though I am old

I'm also never wrong

So if you feel like working hard

Then your home's in Hufflepuff

Or perhaps in Slytherin

Where they like their housemates rough

Perhaps instead you're super smart

You'll fit well in Ravenclaw

Or, last but certainly not least

A lionheart? Then Gryffindor

So come now, and take your first steps

In this school of magic fine

Make it quick! Now hurry up!

The teachers want their wine!"

As always, rapturous applause and loud cheering greeted the Sorting Hat's poem of greeting. Professor McGonagall called the first student forward ("Angel, Susanne!") and Harry settled into his seat. As the line of new first years - the longest yet, Ron commented - slowly dwindled, Harry looked around for Colin or Ginny. He had Colin's present in the pocket of the robe, retrieved as he'd got off the Express, and wanted to give it to him. But he also wanted Ginny to be there. He leaned around Ron, who was watching "Ferric, Andrew!" getting Sorted, and whispered to Hermione, "Where's Ginny? Is she okay?"

"She went straight up to the dormitory. So did a couple of the others who saw the Dementors. Neville's not here, did you notice?"

Harry looked around, and realised that Hermione was right. He knew, too, why Neville wasn't there. He suspected that he knew exactly what Neville imagined when the Dementors had attacked, the torture of his parents at the hands of die-hard Death Eaters. Harry felt a great wave of pity wash over him. He tried to fight it. He suspected that the last thing Neville wanted was pity, the same way that the last thing Harry wanted was pity for what had happened to him. He tried to think of a way to cheer Neville up, and decided to get Ron, Seamus and Dean involved too. As the four all shared a room with Neville, they'd surely be able to come up with something.

Finally, the first years were all sorted, and Harry grinned as the golden platters in front of them became loaded with food. He filled his own plate with roast chicken and began to eat, smiling at Ron, who was being subjected to the revitalised Hermione's rant on the dreadful subjugation of house elves. Harry, meanwhile, was rereading the letter he'd been handed by Professor McGonagall on arrival at the school. As the traditional Prefects meeting on the Express had been cancelled due to the Dementors, McGonagall had detailed the Prefects duties that he, Hermione, Ron and Seamus would be carrying out that year, as well as giving them the first password for the Fat Lady's portrait: Stand Against Evil.

As the last of the food faded, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet.

"Welcome," the headmaster began. "Welcome to another school year. I ask you to bear with me for I know you are tired, and many of you will now be wishing to visit the hospital wing in search of a cure for indigestion." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as the students laughed.

"So, please bear with me while I run through our start of term notices. Now, as many of you will be aware, the Dementors of Azkaban have abandoned their posts as guards of the wizard prison. We can only assume that they have ill intentions, especially as they saw fit to attack the Hogwarts Express. Why am I mentioning this? Well, it has long been my policy that the truth is important. I will be as open as I can be about manners pertaining to the fight against the dark forces that is going on, even as we speak.

"Many of you may have been insulated from this news by your parents, so all I can ask is that you be strong. We face dark times, and it will not be easy, but we fight because we must. Accordingly, you will be all be given extensive lessons in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Now, as older students may know, the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher has for some time now been seen as an unlucky post. The last several incumbents have each only lasted a single year, but the new teacher will, I hope, be proof against this tradition. Ladies and gentlemen, I present your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher; Professor Albus Dumbledore!"

The room seemed to explode with the noise of cheering and applause. Harry was astonished to see Professor Dumbledore actually blush slightly.

"Yes, well, thank you for that warm welcome," Dumbledore continued. "I can only hope that I can remember which end of wand is which, after so many years as a boring old Headmaster.

"Now, other matters... Ah, yes. We have our first award of house points, gained in a most gratifying manner. For so ably assisting the teachers in their fight against the Dementors this afternoon, I am pleased to award twenty-five house points to Mr Harry Potter of Gryffindor house."

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and applause once more, and many of the other students joined in. Only the Slytherins stayed silent, and Harry could see, just before Fred and George jumped on top of him, Draco Malfoy staring daggers at him.

*

Once the plates were clear, and the teachers began to direct the students towards their respective common rooms, Harry darted toward the teacher's table.

"Professor McGonagall?" he said.

"Yes, Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall replied.

"Um, I was wondering if I could ask a favour," Harry began.

"You wish to help teach people the Patronus charm?" McGonagall asked, shrewdly. "Professor Dumbledore will be teaching it to pupils of fifth year and above in your first lessons. Perhaps he may ask you to assist."

"Oh," Harry said. "Actually, it's not that exactly," he added. "It's, well, it's Ginny Weasley, Professor. She's only in the fourth year this year, but I think she needs to learn it as well. When the Dementors get close to her. . ." he tailed off, sure Professor McGonagall could tell what he didn't want to say.

"I see. Perhaps it's not a bad idea. Yes, I can well imagine what Miss Weasley sees when the Dementors attack. If only for her sake, I think it's an excellent idea, and having you teach her will surely help. As you know, the Patronus charm is an incredibly difficult spell to master, and there is a real chance it may be beyond Miss Weasley's capabilities. In the circumstances, however. . ." McGonagall paused, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Very well, I shall have to obtain Professor Dumbledore's approval, but I don't foresee any problems with that. I shall let you know, Mr Potter."

Harry thanked McGonagall, and turned to leave, but the Deputy Head added;

"Oh, Harry. . ." He turned to face her. "May I say how glad I am to see you coping so well with. . . with what has happened recently. Certainly the Sorting Hat was right in your case," she finished, treating him to a rare smile.

*

Harry dashed up to Gryffindor Tower, catching up with the last of the group as they ducked through the Fat Lady's portrait hole. Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fire, having saved a place for him. Harry grinned as he realised that Hermione was sitting next to Ron -quite closely, too- and they looked very comfortable. He straightened his expression as he walked up to them.

"All right you two?" he asked. Sitting down next to them, he recounted his conversation with McGonagall, watching their reactions as he did so. Ron looked apprehensive, Hermione cautious.

"It's a very tricky spell. There aren't many fully grown wizards who can manage it, let alone someone of our age," she said, finally. "And how will you manage to come up with a Dementor to fight?"

"No Dementors," Ron said, quietly. "Don't even think about it," he added, his voice deadly serious. "I don't want my sister facing Dementors again. At least, not until she can cope better. You don't have to be Hermione to work out what she feels when the Dementors are there. Just don't make her do it yet, ok?"

Harry nodded. "Even if I could get one, I'm not exactly keen to face one any time soon myself," he replied.

"Harry," Ron said, leaning in to emphasise his words. "Don't hurt my sister."

With that he got up and went silently up the stairs to bed. Harry looked at Hermione, who shrugged.

"He's always been protective of her. You heard what the last thing Mrs Weasley said was. 'Look after your sister'. It's always been that way, as far as I know. Plus. . . I think there's something else. Harry, do you like Ginny?"

"Of course I do," Harry said.

"As more than a friend?" Hermione asked, her stare focussed intently on Harry. "Because I think Ron thinks you do. And I don't think he's just worried about Dementors hurting Ginny."

She got up, and turned towards her dormitory. "I'm going to check on Ginny before I head off to bed. Is there anything you want me to tell her?"

"Yes," Harry said, staring into the fire. "Tell her that I asked McGonagall. Oh, and tell her that Professor Dumbledore blushes too."

Hermione smiled, and went off to the girls' dormitory area. Harry sat for a long time, and stared at the fire. He thought of how much it reminded him of Ginny's hair, and the thought made him smile. He remembered how he had been about to kiss her on the train.

A thought came to him, something Dumbledore had said. When a wizard saved another wizard's life a bond was established between them. Is that what I have with Ginny? A bond? Is that all it is? Do I fancy Ginny because of some bond?

He tried to think about how she had looked when he'd been running his hands through her hair. Nervous. Scared, even.

Oh, Potter,