When Myths meet Magic || 3

25|| Thalia

"Here we come!" Thalia said sharply, just as they had settled down to wait. Ron, pelting after Scabbers with Crookshanks close behind. Then the others followed, when suddenly a black creature leapt from the darkness, lunging towards Harry. Percy walloped Sirius with Riptide, and Sirius grabbed hold of Ron's leg, dragging him away. Towards the Whomping Willow.

It all happened so fast, Thalia could only barely keep track of who was about to get killed by the whomping willow, and who was getting injured by it. Then it all froze as Bianca pressed the knot. The group descended into the tunnel, and, moments later, Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old committee member made their way up the castle.

"Right after we've gone down the passage!" Hermione moaned. "If only Dumbledore had come with us..."

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," Thalia said bitterly. "I bet Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot..."

"Here comes Lupin!" Harry said after a moment. "Good thing the clouds are moving in..."

"Could we just... grab the cloak--" Thalia asked, eyeing the disfigured mound of Invisibility Cloak next to the base of the tree.

"No!" Hermione stopped Thalia as she made her way over. "We mustn't be seen!"

Just then, Hagrid appeared, singing at the top of his voice. A large brandy bottle swung from his hand.

Hagrid! Buckbeak strained against Thalia's grip again, but she held fast.

"No, Beaky!" She scolded. "It's not safe yet!"

Buckbeak hung his head. I know, he whimpered. But... it's Hagrid...

"I know," Thalia muttered sympathetically. "But you can't be seen."

And luckily she stopped him, because Snape chose that convenient moment to burst out of the castle, running towards the Whomping Willow. He charged over and grabbed the cloak, slipping it on and disappearing into the tunnel.

"Now we wait some more," Thalia grumbled, leaning against a tree. "For... how long were we down there?"

"Couple of hours," Hermione estimated. Thalia grunted again but didn't say anything. "What I don't get, though," Hermione pressed on. "Is why the dementors didn't get Sirius? I just remember them coming... then I just passed out, there were so many of them..."

Harry sat down next to Hermione and began to explain the events at night. When he finished, Hermione's mouth was agape and Thalia had sat down because it was all so confusing.

"But what was it?" Thalia asked when she had gathered her thoughts.

"There's only one thing it could've been, to make the dementors go," Harry said. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it?"

Harry didn't speak, even though the girls were watching him intently.

"Did you see what they looked like?" Hermione asked eagerly. "Was it a teacher?"

"No," Harry said, with the most certainty that he had spoken all day. "It wasn't a teacher."

"But it must've been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those dementors away... if the patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see--"

"Yeah, I saw him," said Harry slowly. "But, maybe I imagined it... I wasn't thinking straight... I passed out right afterwards..."

"Who do you think it was?" Hermione asked, her voice strained with eagerness.

"I think--" Harry swallowed. "I think it was my dad."

Thalia and Hermione were quiet for a moment, neither wanting to say it. But eventually, Thalia opened her mouth to speak.