The Other Side of the Moon

Patronus

Percy

The rest of the school returned shortly after New Years and the Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.

The night before term started Wood came up to Harry and me.

"Had a good Christmas?" He said, and before we could even answer he sat down next to us in the common room and continued in a lower voice. "I've been doing some thinking over Christmas. After the last match, you know. If the dementors come to the next one... I mean... we can't afford either of you to - well -"

"We're working on it," Harry said quickly.

I nod, "Lupin said he'd train us to ward the dementors off. We should be starting this week."

"Ah" Wood said immediately looking calmer, "we'll in that case- I really didn't want to lose either of you on the team. Have you ordered a new broom yet Harry?"

"No" said Harry.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know you can't ride a shooting star against Ravenclaw!"

"He got a Firebolt for Christmas." I told him.

"A Firebolt? Seriously? That's amazing! No other team even has one and now we'll have two!"

"Don't get excited Oliver." Harry said gloomily. "I don't have it anymore. It was confiscated." Harry went on to explain how Mcgonagall thought it could of been sent by Black so was being checked for jinxes.

Wood waved this off as if a famous mass murderer was no big deal. "How could Black of bought a broom? The whole country is looking for him he couldn't of just walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy one now could he?"

"I know," Harry said quickly before Oliver could continue, "But McGonagall still want to strip it down-"

Wood went pale, "I'll go talk to her Harry. I'll make her see reason. She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do, I'll make her see reason"

The next day classes started back up. After Defense at the end of the day Harry and I went up to Remus to remind him about his promise.

"Ah yes, let me see... how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The history of magic classroom should be large enough l... I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this... we can't bring a real dementor into the castle to practice with..."

Knowing he was lost in thought Harry and I thanked Remus and headed back to the common room with Ron and Hermione.

"He still looks ill doesn't he." Ron commented.

Hermione tutted but said nothing.

"And what are you tutting at us for?" Ron asked irritably.

"Nothing... it's just that's it's obvious what's wrong with him isn't it?"

The three of us looked at her confused and she just sighed and walked off to the library as we continued on to the common room.

At 8 o'clock Thursday night Harry and I headed for the history of magic classroom and found Remus waiting for us with a large case on Professor Binn's desk.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Another boggart." Remus told us. "I've been combing the castle and very luckily I found this one lurking inside Mr Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real dementor. The boggart will turn into a dementor when he sees Harry, so we'll be able to practice on him. And I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."