THE GREAT WAR | HARRY POTTER

The Boggart

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SOMEWHERE IN A DARK CORRIDOR, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were making their way to the Great Hall. They had been culled for a meeting with Professor McGonagall, who was following shortly behind, before the feast.

Harry was looking down at his feet considerably. The threshold of events of the past day were out of the ordinary (though he had begun to question what ordinary really meant). For one, he had learned of the plunder Azkaban escapee Sirius Black had for him. Second was the attack of the dementor in which he had heard a strange series of screams. Third was his savior, a girl whom he had never seen before.

Lorelei Hugo, a fellow Gryffindor in his year. Everyone in the train compartment in that dreaded moment had known her name–even the stranger that turned out to be Professor Remus Lupin. Something about the fact that he, the boy who lived, had gone three years without ever even exchanging a single word left a dismal feeling.

But also, the comment Lupin had made: not many witches your age are capable of producing a full patronus. What was he talking about? What even was a Patronus? And how did she know how to do such magic that hadn't even been taught in classes? There was a lot to be suspicious about. 

Meanwhile, Lorelei had been gazing into the stars plastered along the ceiling of the Great Hall. As per usual, Neville Longbottom was seated to her right. Across from them were Seamus Finnigan, Fred and George Weasley, and Ron Weasley himself, sans his two companions.

Odd, she thought as she looked up. But before she could think of any explanations, she was startled by a tap on her shoulder.

"Mind if I sit next to you?" Hermione asked, appearing out of nowhere.

Lorelei nodded and sent a glare in Dean Thomas's direction, ordering him to move over. As Hermione sat down, she took it as her turn to ask questions. "Where have you been? You missed most of the sorting..."

"McGonagall just wanted to have a word with Harry and me," she responded, her attention being drawn to the raven-haired boy who also suddenly appeared next to Ron.

Everything in Lorelei's mind wanted to explode. First it was the dementor, and then it was an odd interaction with the boy who she hated, and now people were randomly showing up out of absolute thin air. She desperately wanted to stop thinking about today; the only unmistakable thing was her yearn for the feast to come.

Professor Dumbledore stood up, adjusting his half-moon glasses as he walked to the podium. "Welcome!" he beamed at the students in the hall. A wave of tranquility fell through the bodies of both Harry and Lorelei (though they were unaware of the fact that it had happened to both of them)--almost as if they were the calmest they had been since the day began.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast...."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds. And while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly.

Harry and Ron glanced at each other.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.