Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 26

No one had ever seen Dumbledore look so furious after Harry fell off his broom due to the effect that the dementors had on him. But as the chaos fell upon the field, Crookshanks and Padfoot made a run for it and immediately the stadium after making sure Harry was all right, making their way into the Dark Forest.

They couldn't use the entrance into the Shrieking Shack just yet, because Harry's Nimbus 2000 had fallen right into the savage tree which had snapped it into pieces. So the two took shelter among the trees of the Dark Forest until the storm came to an end.

"The dementors effect him the most, you know. Harry, I mean," said Jenna after her and Sirius had finally returned to the Shrieking Shack that night when they had been sure it was safe.

Jenna had sneaked a basket of food as always from the kitchen, which Mickey had provided. Obviously she preferred these to the cat food that Hermione gave her.

"You mean this had happened to Harry before?" Sirius asked worriedly and Jenna nodded in response.

"We were on our way here to Hogwarts and the dementors boarded the train to apparently search the place for you," she explained. "And then Harry... fainted. But it was horrible all the same for the rest of us too. I don't know how you managed to survive twelve years among them. I had only seen one dementor the train and I started hearing... things."

But then Jenna shook her from the thought before she could start to remember how the dementor had made her hear her own shrieks after finding her brother's body in Godric's Hollow.

"Well, is there anything Harry can do to protect himself?" Sirius mused. "How about a Patronus Charm? That's a great defensive spell against dementors."

"Yes, but he's only thirteen," Jenna tried to reason. "We were all of age when we first started learning to perform the spell, but even then it was hard for all of to master it. Harry's too young."

Although the thought worried Jenna all the same. She hated the fact that she could nothing to protect her nephew, when that was the one promise she had made to Lily. So she shook the thought away and got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Sirius questioned in confusion.

"I want to check up on Harry," Jenna explained. "He's still at hospital wing but it's pretty late, so maybe he's already asleep."

"Yeah, all right." Sirius nodded curtly, looking away with a frown on his face.

Jenna let out a sigh, placing her hands on her lips as she glanced down at him while he was sitting at the edge of the old and dusty bed inside the Shack.

"Okay, what's with the look?" Jenna said knowingly.

"What look?" Sirius shrugged casually, though he was still avoiding her gaze.

"That look!" She pointed at his face. "Each time I tell you that I'm leaving, you give me that disappointing look, like I'm telling you I want to break up."

"Well, it gets lonely in here, okay?" Sirius retorted with a little huff, getting up to his feet and starting to pace around the room.

"Sirius, what do you want me to do?" Jenna said softly. "Hermione has bought me as her cat. I have to be at the common room and at her sight at least for a few hours of the day, or she'll get suspicious. She's really bright for her age."

"Be honest," Sirius came to a stop, giving her a sharp look, "is it because I stink?"

"What?"

"Well, if that's the reason you won't stay with me too long, then I'm sorry to tell you that not all of us have the advantage of using Remus's shower!"

Jenna burst out laughing, shaking her head at him in disbelief as he glared at her. "You're unbelievable, Black. Why do you have to be so dramatic all the time? Besides, you can always go for a midnight swim in the Black Lake in your dog form. That might help with the smell."

"But the water's freezing this time of year!" Sirius groaned childishly, making her chuckle.

"Oh, stop nagging!" she scolded jokingly, making her way out of the room after transforming into Crookshanks.

But she had barely left the Whomping Willow that she jumped from surprise when a big black dog ran past her and exited the tree, barking playfully.

"What are you playing at?" Crookshanks thought to herself as she followed Padfoot out of the tree.

But then with another loud bark, the dog started running away. With a little grumble, Crookshanks darted after him and tried to keep of with him, wondering what he was up to.

At last, Padfoot finally came to a stop when they reached the edge of the Black Lake and soon entered the cool water, barking playfully as he went forward. Crookshanks sat there near the water, watching the dog amusingly as he swam in the water.

Although her mind wandered away to their last year at Hogwarts, when Sirius and Jenna were caught kissing in the Black Lake by Filch and were given detention.

Soon after Sirius's little adventure, they went back to the Shrieking Shack so Jenna could dry him with the help of her wand, so he wouldn't catch a cold. She couldn't do it outside, because she obviously couldn't do magic as a cat, nor could she turn into human out in the open.

"You know what I've been thinking?" Jenna started, after Sirius and her were back in the Shack and again in their human forms.

"What?" he questioned, sitting back down on the bed.

"Harry must've been crushed after what happened to his Nimbus 2000 today," she said pitifully. "I knew how much he loved that broomstick. It was a really good one, too."

"Well, here's an idea," said Sirius, his face lightening up. "We can buy him a new one!"