Just like Brothers

Chapter 41

Crookshanks had hit the notch on the tree for the Whomping Willow was dormant and they were able to walk through the branches unharmed.

The grounds were very dark, it had to be around midnight, the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Harry was moving mindlessly, the castle gradually getting closer and closer.

A cloud shifted and the group were bathed in moonlight. Hermione gasped breaking Harry from his trance.

"It's a full moon tonight!"
Harry's head snapped around and saw Lupin's form shaking and writhing on the ground.

"Run!" Sirius yelled, "run, now!"

Hermione, Harry and Ron were frozen to the spot, watching as Lupin's form began to shift.

His head and body lengthened, his shoulders were hunching and hair was sprouting on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.

In a panicked blur, Sirius had seized Harry by his shirt and flung him backwards, Ron, who was still unable to run on his leg, was frantically crawling and Hermione had taken off in a sprint.

Harry leapt forward to help Sirius, who was facing the twisted form of Remus Lupin, but the man held out his arm and flung the young boy back.

"Leave it to me! Run!"
As the werewolf reared, snapping his jaw and showing his long, sharp teeth, Sirius disappeared from sight, a big dog took his place.

The enormous, bear-like dog had sprung to attack the creature, he grabbed the werewolf's neck and pulled it away from the rest of the group. They were locked, jaw to jaw, frantically clawing at each other.

Hermione seized Harry by the wrist and urgently yanked him further away from the battle.

Ron was a crumpled mess on the ground, the gash on his leg had reopened and stained his bandages a deep crimson.

Hermione and Harry seized the boy under the arms and dragged him up the hill towards the castle. They stopped when they felt Ron go limp in their arms.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked, checking his pulse. "He's passed out!" She declared looking at Harry with panicked eyes.

"Probably from blood loss." Harry sighed.

They watched as the werewolf galloped into the the forest, Black in pursuit. Sirius had a large gash across his muzzle and back but he kept running.

"We better go to the castle and get some help." Harry said with wide eyes. Hermione nodded in agreement, they heaved Ron onto their shoulders again and were about to take off again when they heard a yelp of pain come from the forest.

"Sirius," Harry muttered in alarm, he had a moment of 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 in a run, Hermione on his heels, the yelping seemed to be coming from near the lake.

They pelted towards it and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it meant.

The yelping stopped abruptly. As Harry and Hermione reached the lake shore, they understood why, Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his head in his hands.

"Nooo..." he moaned, "nooooo...please..."

Harry finally saw them, Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake, towards them. Harry spun around, the familiar icy feeling growing inside him. Fog was beginning to obscure his vision, more and more dementors were appearing from every side.

"Hermione! Think of something happy!" Harry yelled weakly, blinking furiously, trying to clear his vision and shaking his head to rid of the faint screaming that had begun to ring in the corners of his mind.

He began to think of Lupin's lessons and began to chant, 'Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum, Expecto, Expecto...'

Black shuddered, rolling over, lying motionless and pale as death on the shore.

"Hermione help me!" Harry called, chanting again.

"Expecto," Hermione whispered, "Expecto—expecto."

Harry thought of leaving the Dursley's, he thought of his first time on a broomstick, learning he was a wizard, racing down the street in the rain.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A thin wisp of silver erupted from Harry's wand at the same time Hermione collapsed besides him. Harry was alone...completely alone.

"Expecto—Expecto Patronum," Harry sank to his knees on the cold grass. Fog was clouding his eyes. With a huge effort he fought to remember, Sirius was innocent. We'll be OK.

"Expecto Patronum," he gasped.

By the dim light of his Patronus, Harry saw a Dementor halt very close to him. It couldn't walk through the cloud of mist Harry has conjured. A dead, slimy hand protruded from underneath the black cloak and made a gesture to sweep the Patronus aside.

"No—no—" Harry gasped, "he's innocent...Expecto—expecto patronum."

He could feel them watching him, hear their rattling breath like evil wind surrounding him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. It raised both of its rotting hands and lowered it's hood. Where there should've been eyes, there was only thin, grey 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 terror filled Harry so that he couldn't move or speak.

His Patronus flickered and died.

White fog was blinding him. He had to fight...expecto patronum...he couldn't see and in the distance he heard familiar screaming...expecto patronum... he groped in the mist for Sirius and found his arm...they weren't going to take him...

A pair of strong, clammy, bony hands clamped themselves around Harry's neck. They were forcing his head upwards...he could feel it's breath...it was going to get rid of him fast, he could feel it's putrid breath on his face, his mother screaming in his ears, she was going to be the last thing he ever heard.

And then, through the fog he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter... he felt himself fall forward onto the grass.

Face down, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him, the screaming had stopped and the icy feeling inside him was getting chased away. The air grew warm again and Harry sighed in relief.

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry lifted his head and saw an animal that was galloping through the mist.

Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched as it came to a halt at the opposite shore. For a moment by the bright light it was emitting, Harry glimpsed the silhouette of someone welcoming it back, raising his hand to pat it, someone who looked strangely familiar, but it couldn't be...

Confusion swirled in Harry's head. He was so thoroughly exhausted he couldn't think straight.

He felt the last of his strength leave him and his head hit the ground as he slipped out of consciousness.