Golden | h.p

08| Awkward

"Why did the dementors attack me? I mean, more than everyone else?" Harry asked Lupin as they continued walking around the forest. 

"Listen. The dementors are the foulest creatures to walk this earth. They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory... until a person is left with absolutely nothing but his worst experiences" Lupin answered.

"You are not weak, Harry" Lupin told him. Somehow at this very moment Diana seemed to spark his mind. "And neither is your friend, she so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time" Lupin said.

"Hermione? She never got-" Harry began.

"Not Hermione..." Lupin said simply. 

"Then who?" Harry asked trying to think of his friends but only Hermione and Ron came to mind. And Harry doubted that Ron classified as a 'she' although his shrieks definitely sounded like it.

"The dementors affect you most because there are true horrors in your past" Lupin changed the  subject back. "Horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine... you have nothing to be ashamed of".

"I'm scared, professor" Harry mumbled.

"I'd consider you a fool if you weren't".

"I need to know how to fight them. Could you teach me. You made the dementor on the train go away" Harry suggested.

"There was only one that night" Lupin reminded him. "But you made it go away" Harry said. "I don't pretend to be an expert, Harry" Lupin began. "but as the dementors seem to have developed an interest in you... and her" Lupin whispered that last bit as he knew Harry wouldn't know why the dementor attacked both him and Diana that day on the train.

After a moment of silence Lupin said, "perhaps I should teach you. But after the holidays... for now I need to rest".

~~~

It was another Hogsmeade trip and this time Harry did fancy missing out on it. He hid under his invisibility cloak and went on trying to be discrete. But what Harry failed to notice is even with the invisibility cloak he still had footsteps in the snow, meaning that people could tell something was going.

The Weasley twins had been building a snowman when they saw the footsteps in the snow. They latched onto Harry and dragged him away. "Guys, let me go" Harry groaned. 

"Clever, Harry" Fred said, "but not clever enough" George added.

"Besides, we've got a better way"

"I'm trying to get to Hogsmeade" Harry said. "We know" the twins said in unison. 

"Don't worry. We'll get you there" George said. "And just in time to see your little girlfriend" Fred joked. 

"Girlfriend? What is it with that? I don't know-" Harry began but the twins cut him off "will you pipe down" George said.

"No, Harry" George said, "come and join the big boys" the twins said in unison.

"What are you doing?!" Harry asked. "Shh" Fred shushed him and George looked around. Fred handed Harry a piece of folded parchment.

"What is this rubbish?" Harry asked.

"What's this rubbish? He says. That there is the secret to our success" George said with a smirk.

"It's a wrench giving it to you, believe me. But we've decided your needs are greater than ours" Fred said. "George, if you will?".

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" George said and tapped on the parchment with his wand.