The Prisoner Of Azkaban (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

THE BOGGART IN THE CLOSEST

Ria was back in the chair with a silver goblet full of sweet Pumpkin Juice in her hand. She had managed to send Martha back to the kitchens with a promise of visiting her again very soon. But only after Ria had accepted the goblet which Martha had disappeared and reappeared with. Ria wasn't complaining. The pumpkin juice was really good and all the excitement had left her parched.

"Feeling better?", Dumbledore asked, smiling at her gently.

"Yes, much", Ria replied. "Thank you for showing me that."

Dumbledore nodded. "Is there anything else you wish to talk about?"

"My father's house, is it still -", Ria questioned after a bit of thought.

"They lived in Dorset, close to the Devon border. In Beaminster to be exact", Dumbledore informed. "The house was partially blasted during the attack, but the structure should still be there. It was left intact and undisturbed to honour your grandparents' sacrifice."

"Can I visit it during Christmas break?", she asked.

"If you wish to, then yes, you can", Dumbledore replied. "I dare say you could even rebuild if you wish to have a home of your own. You do own the place legally."

"No.", Ria said, stubbornly. "I will not erase the memory of what happened with them. The house stays as it is. I just want to visit."

Dumbledore nodded. "We can arrange for that when the time comes"

"Thank you, Professor", Ria said, again. "For everything."

Dumbledore smiled. "You are welcome, Aubrianna. If ever you find yourself in need of guidance, know that my doors are always open. Especially for the students I like", he added with a wink.

Ria gave him a bright smile. It remained on her face all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room.

*

Harry couldn't sleep. It was past Midnight and he was sitting in a huge armchair by the window in the empty Gryffindor Common Room. He had dosed off earlier in the evening and had dreamt of a woman screaming inside his head. Except, now he knew who the woman was. His Mother.

That night on the Hogwarts Express when the Dementor had been near, he had heard his mother's dying scream. It played over and over again in his mind as he sat there staring at the moon. Unbidden, the image of that large black dog in the bushes behind the Orphanage came to his mind. His mood dropped further.

Hogwarts didn't feel the same. With the dementors around the whole boundary, and everyone on edge because of the escape of Sirius Black, there was a dismal air around the entire castle that pressed down on his spirits, making him feel borderline suffocated. And if it was affecting him this much, he could only imagine how bad things were for Ria.

She had this ability to take everything in stride with a smile on her face. It was almost irritating how calm she was about most things.

Just like how she had casually mentioned at lunch, that her Nature powers don't work with Dementors around. Harry had been stunned. All three of them had been worried but Ria had just brushed it off like it was no big deal!

Harry had no clue how she managed to do that. He would have been scared out of his mind! He was scared out of his mind! He hated how week and helpless he got when one was near! And he had seen Ria being affected even more than him. And yet, somehow, she wasn't scared. It irritated Harry to no end!

A sudden noise drew his attention to the Portrait hole. He sat up startled as he saw Ria climbing inside. She spotted him almost immediately, raised a brow, then walked over.