The attack on the Fat Lady left everyone in the castle twitchy. Every shadow moving or rustling noise made people dread Sirius Black attacking them. People even began to move in groups to make themselves feel safe.
In the meantime, the dueling club members were pushing themselves harder and harder. The threat of Sirius Black lit a desire to not fear the man and improve to defeat him. Many people dream of glory, and his capture was in the mind of the more courageous, ambitious or cocksure. We made sure to tell them the man's actual abilities of course, we don't want kids to march to their possible deaths because they thought they were all that. But many of the younger members were pushing themselves to prove to me they were the next leaders of the club. I had a few people who were impressing me in the age range I was aiming.
What made me happy was to see the growth in Ron's character. Although homework and studying were things he still dreaded to do, he was training with the difficult setting from my guide and achieving great results. He also started dueling some Slytherin students who showed themselves to be reasonable people.
Outside of the club, the other two members of the trio were having varied experiences of the year so far.
Harry was seeing death omens everywhere because Sirius just couldn't not look over the boy. He felt like he was missing out by not going to Hogsmeade. Annoyed that teachers were acting like over protective nannies. And embarrassed that he was mocked for fainting near Dementors. He actually came to me to talk about some of his problems, which was interesting to experience his trust.
"So what do you think?" Asked the sullen boy.
"Well, the Hogsmeade visit has never really been a big thing for me honestly. I mostly go because my friends enjoy being out of the castle and think that if they don't make me I'll stay cooped up all the time and work on my projects. Which is a fair assumption in my case. So can't really sympathize with you there buddy, sorry. The death omen thing though is highly subjective, not helped by Professor Trelawney. In all honesty, you could pass her class by predicting your own misfortune and death. You'll still need to know how to do it properly for the OWL's, but any other test or assignment you can BS with her. The only reason she has the job here is because she is a true seer." I was explaining when Harry interrupted me with a question.
"A what?" He asked in surprise.
"I guess you haven't gotten that far yet. But a seer is someone who makes true prophecies of the future. This is not like the possible events we can predict through various mediums like crystal balls and tea leaves. This is a future that will come to pass. The Professor just so happens to have inherited enough of that gift from her grandmother to be able to do so." I explained calmly.
"She can actually tell the future! But she's so weird. Even Hermione can't take her seriously and she worships teachers." Said a blown away Harry.
"Yes, that's not very surprising due to her stiff mentality. Divination is just not for the girl. I studied it in depth to achieve the results I have, and it is just annoying to me." I admit to the kid.
"Even you Aedan?" He was surprised at the reply.
"Yeah. To me it is not really worth it unless you have a special affinity for it, or for an art involving it. And I do not have it. That's why for most people the course is just the 'I don't want to learn Arithmancy or Ancient Runes' class." I say with a chuckle.
"I get that. I get why you like those subjects yourself Aedan though, you're beyond brilliant in them. It's just not my thing." He nodded at my opinion.
"Thanks Harry. Now about your Dementor problem. It's most likely because they sense your constantly raging emotions. Although it might not sound nice, because of your upbringing and your time here at Hogwarts learning about your past, parents, foes and magic, you are overly emotional. You do not have much control over yourself. I am in no way blaming you Harry. You have been thrown into a world which will constantly look at you in judgment and admiration for the day you lost everything. Add to that the fact that information is being withheld because of your sensitive disposition to yours and others emotions, it frustrates you. But this turmoil is exactly why you are so appealing to those hollow creatures. They are so empty that they desire emotions of any kind to fill that void, and you are just so full of them that you could be considered the most tempting meal in Hogwarts." I explain in a calm and soothing voice, to let him know that it's ok and that it is all understandable.
"Ok so I attract them, but why do I faint? Others got attacked, but they don't react like I do." He asked wanting to know. He doesn't want to believe it's because he's weak.
"That Harry, is because of what you've experienced in life. You have been through great loss, loneliness, sadness and pain. The loss of your joy by the Dementors brings forward the very worst memories we have. That's is why they are the jailers for the worst criminals we have. They constantly make you live through your worst memories. And for you it is so overwhelming that you lose consciousness." I answered the boy sympathetically.
"Is there anything I can do? You said when you announced a class on a Charm, that it would protect the caster from Dementors. Can you teach me?" He asked hopefully.
"I can't do one on ones to develop you as fast as you wish in those classes Harry, but I know Professor Lupin would be very willing to do so. I've talked to the man and he was planing to help you in this area." I answer by giving him a path forward.
"Really? Then I'll go talk to him now! Thanks Aedan!" He shouted as he ran to find the man.
I chuckled at his still immature behavior and relaxed for sometime after that talk.
Hermione was doing fine so far as she was trying to handle the full Hogwarts coursework. It's pointless to try and even do it since you can just do it like I did, meaning studying the subject on your own and taking the test. But she is very stubborn in odd ways.
My friends were in the swing of things as well.
Christian was prepping for the Quidditch season, participating in the dueling club and helping Hagrid with his course planing. James was overseeing the Charms club, studying enchanting on his own and using the RoR to practice his blacksmithing like his instructors told him to try and do. Victoria was spending all her extra time training with Madame Pomfrey, being a medic for the dueling club, or studying the muggle medicine books I keep getting her. That's not mentioning keeping their grades at the top and the training they get from me in combat and Occlumency.
I was making good progress in all three of my creation projects. I'm in the middle of testing a few different ways to maintain the dragon fire after it has been captured. One involves getting flame catalysts from the same species and having them be channeling magic to the fire continuously, another involves finding a proper fuel for it to burn, and another is messing with the time inside the sealed box to just preserve it. My DADA spell is making great progress, but my Charms one has been slower due to the complexity of its principles.
But the month of October had to pass, letting November take its place. And with it Quidditch season was upon us once again.
Now, usually the first game of the season is Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. But somehow and for some reason, Draco is still wrapping his arm up like an idiot and this is for some reason, is enough to make all the matches change from their usual format. I really don't get the school sometimes. They could have just replaced the idiot. It's not like they haven't had enough time to do it, not like they didn't have the chance with their tryouts either. This is the type of laissez-faire attitude that makes me question Dumbledore sometimes. He just doesn't crack the whip enough.
Oh well. So now it's going to be Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff just like in the canon. During torrential rain and a fucking thunder storm too. Playing a sport in the air. Ridding on brooms with metal on them. And the game only ending of a tiny golden ball is caught. With the entire audience somehow being on board with being soaked while watching the game. Crazy fools.
But at least my friends became animagi with the arrival of the storm. They had to go one at a time to make sure nothing would go wrong though. Christian was first as he became a true wolf, with pure black fur and electric blue eyes. He was lean and well muscled, shiny coat and larger than average size for a wolf. James was second, as he also followed the pattern of his form being the same as his Patronus. He became a pure white dove, but with blue eyes as well. Victoria was the one we were most curious about due to her rare Patronus. Her transformation took longer than usual, but surprisingly she didn't transform into either half of a Hippogriff. Neither and eagle nor a horse. She was a true lioness. Strong, proud, fierce and noble. Her lioness form had some darker fur near her head and her emerald green eyes were also maintained. It truly fit her. And so I shifted into a mountain lion myself and helped them all get used to their new forms.
On a little side note, Tory really liked how close our transformations were and would constantly cuddle as a lioness. It was a weird kind of good to hear my girlfriend purring though.
We enjoyed ourselves until Victoria and I had to go to the Quidditch pitch for the game. I still served as the on-site healer and today was going to have a lot of injuries due to the weather, so I got Tory as my assistant.
We were both almost constantly moving to get players back on their brooms and in the games, which sucked because of the rain, although some nice looks at Victoria made me feel a little better. She on the other hand. was experiencing what was basically an ER situation for the first time, but with her being who she was, she kept her cool and moved quickly and with purpose. It was a great experience for her.
Then I saw the moment I was really waiting for when Cedric, as the captain and seeker, went for the Snitch and Harry quickly chasing him. Then a bolt of light struck the golden ball and transferred itself into the handsome teen, causing him to become stunned.
'Man are these reckless people lucky enchanters invented so many protections for this sport.' I thought when I saw it.
Has Cedric fell back towards the ground, he pretty much got out of it, so he was able to stop himself from crashing, but didn't have control of his body yet due to the shock.
Harry took this chance to chase the snitch himself, but unfortunately the Dementors couldn't resist the sumptuous feast the game was presenting to them. So many emotions in one place was basically a lighthouse in the dark for those parasites.
I quickly rushed out and yelled using the sonorous Charm.
"Headmaster! Dementors are here! Use a Patronus!" I yell out. Making the entire pitch notice the presence of the creatures above us, just in time for one to get Harry and make him lose his consciousness, falling off his broom.
"I've got Harry! The Dementors are yours!" I shout and receive his unspoken agreement as he takes out his wand and shows everyone what a Patronus can achieve.
While I make Harry gently land, Dumbledore's Phoenix Patronus takes flight as waves of positive emotions washes over the entire pitch, forcing the Dementors back.
'I can cover the train, but I'm still not on this level.' I thought to myself with a sigh of admiration for his strength.
The old man was not happy about this, he was actually quite upset actually and the Minister was not going to have a pleasant time.
But I had to take care of Harry. He wouldn't be waking up soon, so I took him to the infirmary to rest.
"Tory I'll run to the castle to bring the kid up quick and come back. You got this?" I asked seriously.
"I've got this." Was her determined answer.
"Alright, i believe in you and I'll be back in 20 minutes. You know what to do if it's too serious anyway." I say with a nod and take off.
'What are the odds the nimbus 2000 still crashes into the whomping willow?' I thought as i ran in the rain with the unconscious Harry.