The-Boy-Who-Lived/Neglected/Lied/Abounded/Betrayed/Fed Up/Left/Tortured /kills

Dementor?

Harry Potter was still a little shaken after being attacked by a dark creature called a Dementor on the train to Hogwarts. The creature was originally clad in a dark hooded cloak, but its hand showed and was hideous with grey and decaying looking skin, like what the teen imagined a decomposing corpse would resemble. It had come into their train compartment, dropping the temperature to freezing and breathing with a loud death-rattle sound. Harry heard screaming in his mind before the creature uncovered its face only to show empty eye sockets and in place of a mouth, was a large gaping hole. It reached for Harry and tried to cover the teen's mouth before help arrived in the form of the shabby teacher that had been riding the train who cast a spell to drive the creature away.

Somehow, his Head of House had learned of the incident and was waiting for Harry when he entered the school. She forced him to see Madame Pomfrey, the school Matron.

"I can't imagine what anyone was thinking allowing those creatures anywhere near children," she muttered as she gave Harry a hot chocolate to drink spiked with a bit of Pepper-Up. "I'm going to have to deal with a school full of depressed and anxiety-stricken children who are unable to sleep or eat properly as long as those creatures are nearby."

"Even if they're off the school grounds, Madame Pomfrey," asked Harry, glad to see his trembling had stopped.

The Matron absently as she studied the results her spell gave her about the young teen. "There are close to one hundred of those creatures around the school. Except for the prison of Azkaban, there has never been such a concentration of them. Even if they are off the school grounds, that many could cause depression, trouble sleeping and eating, a heightened sense of anxiety, as well as difficulty concentrating."

"So just being outside, but still on the grounds, we could be affected," asked Harry hesitantly. "If we're on the Quidditch pitch or walking to the Greenhouses, or sitting by the lake?"

"If you or any of your class mates have troubles, I want them to come to see me immediately," ordered the Matron earnestly. "You may go on to the Feast, Mr. Potter." As she turned from Harry, she muttered, "I better order a good supply of chocolate to keep on hand and make sure Professor Snape brews a large batch of calming and sleeping potions for me."

Harry ignored Draco Malfoy's attempts to humiliate him during the Welcoming Feast, thinking about everything Madame Pomfrey had said. He barely tasted the food that he absent-mindedly placed on his plate. He didn't notice Hermione and Ron sharing looks of concern over his distraction.

Once back in the Gryffindor Common room, Hermione asked hesitantly, "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Yeah mate," added Ron. "You've been really deep in thought since you returned from Madame Pomfrey."

He looked at his two best friends. "Madame Pomfrey is really worried about the dementors," he began as they found a seat. "She's concerned because it's the greatest number of dementors outside of Azkaban." Nearby students began paying attention to their conversation. "Even though they're outside of the castle, she's worried that students are going to have trouble eating and sleeping."

Hermione was appalled. "But…if we aren't eating or sleeping properly, that will impact our concentration in class! It's shocking that they would jeopardize our education like that," she exclaimed. "Our parents pay a small fortune to send us here, and then our education is put in jeopardy by creatures that can make us feel afraid day after day after day."