Chapter 20 The Dementor’s Kiss

desolate had n invariably been part of a st jogr group. Crookshanks led the appearance down the stairs Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes striking each stair as they desc destinationed, held up by his own threshold, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. evoke and Hermione brought up the rear.Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideway to manage it Lupin quieten had Pettigrew cover with his wand. beset could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. beset went right after sour, who was still making Snape drift along before wad of them he unploughed bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. rag had the impression Black was making no effort to celebrate this.You know what this toy withs? Black verbalize abruptly to Harry as they made their slow cash advance alon g the tunnel. Turning Pettigrew in?Youre free, said Harry.Yes said Black. But Im also I dont know if bothone ever told you Im your godfather.Yeah, I knew that, said Harry.Well your parents appointed me your guardian, said Black stiffly. If anything happened to themHarry waited. Did Black mean what he ideal he meant?Ill understand, of course, if you want to diaphragm with your aunt and uncle, said Black. But well think s legerityly it. Once my names cleared if you wanted a a different homeSome sort of enlargement took place in the pit of Harrys stomach.What alive(p) with you? he said, accident completelyy cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. render the Dursleys?Of course, I thought you wouldnt want to, said Black quickly. I understand, I just thought Id Are you insane? said Harry, his voice easily as cacophonic as Blacks. Of course I want to leave the Dursleys Have you got a house? When can I move in?Black rancid right some to look at him Snapes head was prick the ceiling but Black didnt seem to care.You want to? he said. You mean it?Yeah, I mean it said Harry.Blacks gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved cloak for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harrys parents wedding.They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any croak of savaging branches.Black axiom Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.The terra firmas were in truth dark now the only light came from the distant sophisticateows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harrys mind was buzzing. He was exit to leave the Dursleys. He was red ink to live with Sirius Black, his parents shell friend. He felt dazed. What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the sting theyd seen on televisionOne wrong move, Peter, said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrews chest.Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their companionship was bathed in moonlight.Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.Harry could see Lupins silhouette. He had at peace(p) rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.Oh, my Hermione gasped. He didnt take his potion tonight Hes not safeRun, Black whispered. Run. Now.But Harry couldnt run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lu pin. He leapt ahead but Black caught him or so the chest and threw him back.Leave it to me RUNThere was a terrible snarling noise. Lupins head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and reach, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshankss hair was on end again he was backing away(p) As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harrys side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the turnup binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermiones scream that alerted him Pettigrew had dived for Lupins dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his apprenticed leg, fell. There was a stunner, a burst of light and Ron cast motionless on the ground. Another bang Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.Expelliarmus. Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew Lupins wand flew high into the air and out of sight. Stay where you are Harry shouted, running forward.Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Rons outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.There was a howl and a rumbling growl Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight it was galloping into the forest Sirius, hes gone, Pettigrew transformed Harry yelled.Black was bleeding thither were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harrys words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron.What did he do to him? Hermione whispered. Rons eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didnt seem to recognize them.I dont know.Harry looked desperately around. Black and Lupin both gone they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.Wed better bugger off them up to the castle and assure someone, said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. Come But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining a dog in pain.Sirius, Harry muttered, staring into the sliminess.He had a moments indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.Nooo, he moaned. N ooo please.And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least(prenominal) a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. He spun around, the familiar, snappy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision more were appearing out of the darkness on every side they were encircling them.Hermione, think of something happy Harry yelled, raising his wand, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, shaking his head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it Im going to live with my godfather. Im leaving the Dursleys.He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant Expecto patronum Expecto patronumBlack gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.Hell be all right. Im going to go and live with him.Expecto patronum Hermione, dish out me Expecto patronumExpecto Hermione whispered, expecto expecto But she couldnt do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them . They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione, and were getting closer.EXPECTO PATRONUM Harry yelled, trying to blot the screaming from his ears. EXPECTO PATRONUMA thin wisp of plate escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, Harry felt Hermione break apart next to him. He was alone completely alone.Expecto expecto patronum Harry felt his knees hit the cold grass. defile was clouding his eyes. With a huge effort, he fought to remember Sirius was innocent innocent Well be okay Im going to live with him Expecto patronum he gasped.By the feeble light of his formless Patronus, he saw a Dementor halt, very close to him. It couldnt walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.No no Harry gasped. Hes innocent expecto expecto patronum He could feet them watching him, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The ne arest Dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands and lowered its hood.Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.A paralyzing disquietude filled Harry so that he couldnt move or speak. His Patronus flickered and died.White fog was blinding him. He had to fight expecto patronum he couldnt see and in the distance, he heard the familiar screaming expecto patronum he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm they werent going to take him.But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harrys neck. They were forcing his face upward He could feel its breath It was going to get rid of him first He could feel its putrid breath His mother was screaming in his ears She was going to be the last thing he ever heard And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter He felt himself fall forward onto the grass. Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around himThe screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing awaySomething was driving the Dementors back It was circling around him and Black and Hermione. They were leaving.The air was warm again.With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake Eyes befuddled with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was It was as bright as a unicorn Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody accept it back raising his hand to pat it someone who looked strangely familiar but it couldnt beHarry didnt understand. He couldnt think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.