The silver creature was like lightning streaking across the night sky; the hunting dog protected the students on the train, while the eagle soared high and then swooped down, shattering the Dementor's body.
Countless Dementors finally began to retreat, their flickering forms merging with the darkness and gradually disappearing.
The lights inside the train flickered once, then suddenly brightened, and the surrounding temperature also began to rise rapidly.
A burst of cheers erupted on the train, and many people leaned out of the windows, waving enthusiastically at Professor Abigail.
"Professor, Professor! You came to save us!"
Younger students cried out in excitement.
"Professor Abigail, did you get my message? You came so fast!"
Several students excitedly ran off the train and surrounded Abigail, ceaselessly recounting how scared they had been and thanking her for her timely assistance.
"That was amazing, Professor! That eagle was so cool!"
These were students who were further away and didn't fully understand the situation; they had only seen Abigail standing outside the train.
"The eagle is Wade's Patronus! The Doberman is Professor Abigail's!"
A Ravenclaw student loudly corrected them, their face beaming with proud satisfaction.
Many students even began to shout Wade's name—
"Wade! Wade! Wade!"
After the Weasley Twins led the crowd in shouting for a while, they even reached out their hands, wanting to lift Wade up. But Wade just waved his Wand, and a gust of wind blew, pushing everyone back a step.
Wade pointed his Wand at his own throat and said, "Everyone get back on the train, so those things don't come back and attack again. They're attracted to happiness, so it's best if everyone stays quiet and calm."
Under the effect of Magic, Wade's voice was incredibly resonant, spreading throughout every corner of the train like rolling thunder.
Interrupting someone's celebration is usually unpopular, but the students who had just faced the Dementors immediately recalled the fear and despair they had felt minutes earlier, and everyone was very receptive to the advice.
The students who had run off the train without permission quickly gathered around Professor Abigail and returned to the train.
The students gestured "shush" to each other, and a few Gryffindors even purposely covered the Twins' mouths.
The relaxed smiles on everyone's faces also vanished, replaced by tension and apprehension. The gloomy sky gave everyone a very unsettling feeling.
Were those shadows occasionally flitting through the clouds the Dementors still lurking nearby?
Fortunately, the train didn't malfunction. With a long whistle, the wheels slowly began to turn again, and puffs of white smoke billowed from the locomotive's chimney.
"Clackety-clack, clackety-clack..."
The sound of the wheels colliding with the tracks felt especially reassuring.
The silver eagle flew back, from the front of the train all the way to the back. Some students instinctively reached out to touch it, then showed expressions of great surprise at the sensation on their fingertips.
"That's very, very advanced Magic..." Penelope said admiringly. "A corporeal Patronus is extremely rare."
The silver eagle flew through the corridor, leaving a silver mist in its wake, dispelling the lingering chill in everyone's hearts.
They watched as the Patronus flew all the way to Wade's side. The bird lightly lowered its head and touched Wade's cheek with its forehead.
Wade stroked its wing, then pointed a finger at Harry, and the Patronus understood.
It flew over and landed on Harry, covering his head with its wings.
Harry opened his eyes, covered in cold sweat, and showed an expression of extreme discomfort.
The eagle transformed into a silver mist and dissipated instantly.
"Hey, mate, how are you?" Ron squeezed through the crowd, helping Harry sit up, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Others also gathered around, looking at him with concern.
"I... I'm fine." Harry gasped, looking around, and said, "Where did those monsters go?"
"They ran away," Hermione said. "Wade and Professor Abigail drove them off."
Harry glanced at Wade, then quickly averted his gaze and asked, "Who got hurt?"
"What?" Everyone looked at each other, then said, "No one got hurt... just a few people fainted, but everyone's alive."
"That's good then..." Seeing everyone's confused expressions, Harry felt he needed to explain: "I heard a terrible scream just now..."
Everyone was perplexed.
When the Dementors appeared, some students did indeed let out terrified screams, but they felt that sound was still a bit far from the word "terrible."
But thinking Harry might be trying to cover up his embarrassing fainting spell, everyone was considerate enough not to expose him.
"Have some chocolate," Neville offered him his Chocolate Frog and said, "My grandma says no matter what happens, eating a piece of chocolate makes you feel much better."
"Thanks, Neville."
Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. Instead, he looked at Wade and said shamefacedly, "Sorry, I just... I didn't summon my Patronus."
He had been learning the Patronus Charm with Remus for a long time and could already summon something barely discernible, resembling both a horse and a deer, still a bit ethereal.
Harry knew his Patronus Charm was still inferior to Wade's, but he hadn't expected to be completely useless and even embarrassingly faint.
He saw Ginny—the young girl, despite her pale face and tear-filled eyes, was still standing strong.
But Harry himself felt weak and powerless, his body trembling uncontrollably, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead.
Harry clutched the Chocolate Frog, so embarrassed he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
"There's nothing to apologize for," Wade said, shaking his head. "Dementors affect you more strongly than others because you've experienced more terrifying things. It's not your fault."
Harry froze.
Wade nodded to the others. "I'm going to find Professor Abigail and ask her something..."
"Go ahead," Michael said, waving him off. "We're not kids anymore; we can take care of ourselves."
Wade turned and left.
Silence fell among them for a moment; there wasn't much to say. They didn't dare play games anymore, simply comforting each other before tidying up the scattered snacks and trinkets.
Almost everyone's Book of Friends was buzzing, their parents eagerly asking for updates. The students returned to their compartments, sitting down to reassure their families and friends that they were safe.
Harry touched his own Book of Friends, which remained silent, and Wade's words echoed in his mind—
"Dementors affect you more strongly than others because you've experienced more terrifying things."
Then, belatedly, he recalled what he'd heard earlier—
"Don't touch Harry! Don't touch Harry... Just kill me... Have mercy... Have mercy..."
He suddenly understood. What he had heard then wasn't a classmate screaming.
It was... his mother's... last sounds... on this earth...
Harry's eyes quickly welled up. He swallowed hard, trying to force down the screams and sobs threatening to burst from his throat. Then he sniffled and took a forceful bite of the Chocolate Frog.
...
Wade walked through the train corridor, encountering students along the way.
Most Young Wizards peered out of their compartments, looking at him with awe. Some overly familiar ones would pat his shoulder and say, "Good job, Gray!" Others even very formally wanted to shake his hand.
The latter group was epitomized by Percy Weasley.
The red-haired, freckled boy had grown quite tall. He shook Wade's hand with a serious expression and said,
"As Head Boy, I thank you for your contributions to protecting this train and all its students, Wade Gray. We'll be relying on you for the rest of the journey."
"And... a very impressive Patronus, Wade."
Percy's praise made Wade's skin crawl. He'd never been able to stand people who spoke in such an official tone.
Wade quickly shook Percy's hand, then asked for Professor Abigail's location and left.
Professor Abigail was in a compartment near the back of the train, surrounded by a chattering group of students, mostly girls.
As Wade approached, he saw Pansy pacing in the corridor outside the compartment, seemingly wanting to go in but hesitating for some reason.
Hearing footsteps, Pansy turned, and seeing it was Wade, she awkwardly averted her gaze.
Wade pretended not to notice, raising his hand to knock on the door, when a very hesitant voice came from behind him: "Um... Gray..."
The voice was so faint and thin, it sounded as if it had been squeezed through a toothpick-sized hole.
Wade turned around and saw Pansy still looking at the ground. He asked uncertainly, "Were you calling me?"
"Um..." Pansy's face flushed. She stammered, "I heard someone say Potter fainted, but you woke him up right away..."
Wade was surprised. "News travels that fast?"
Pansy bit her lip, gathering her courage to continue: "Draco fainted too... Could you... could you please go and see him?"
Pansy couldn't help but worry. A Dementor had invaded the train right by their compartment, and Malfoy had run into it head-on when he went out to check on the situation.
These creatures, with their tiny brains, didn't recognize the Malfoy family's young master.
Even if these dark creatures didn't directly suck out a person's soul, merely draining their joyful emotions could lead to depression or even madness.
However, the two people on the train who knew the Patronus Charm—Wade Gray, who had clashed with them multiple times, and Professor Abigail. While Professor Abigail was popular with most students, Slytherin students didn't particularly care for her.
—Mainly because getting hit by her spells hurt too much, and Young Wizards from Pure-blood families rarely had to endure such hardship.
What's more, many of them had been embarrassed and humiliated in Defense Against the Dark Arts. In retaliation, they had encouraged their parents to try and get this unconventional professor removed from the school—it hadn't worked, but it had caused Professor Abigail a fair bit of trouble.
That was why Pansy had been pacing outside the compartment earlier.
She felt that while this professor seemed approachable, she wasn't actually easy to get along with.
After a moment of hesitation, she saw Wade and instinctively made her request.
Then she instantly regretted it, feeling as though she had invited humiliation.
Wade hadn't intended to agree, but as he was about to ignore her, he suddenly remembered Dumbledore's words—
"Don't push those who might be on our side to the enemy's. Show others respect and kindness."
—Alright then.
Although he felt some people weren't worth respecting, it was a simple favor, and there was no need to harbor resentment.
So, the words in his mouth took a turn, and Wade said, "...Let's go."
"...Huh?" Pansy didn't react immediately.
Wade looked at her: "Aren't we going to check on Malfoy?"
"Oh... alright... thank you!"
Pansy awkwardly turned to lead the way, nearly tripping over her feet. On the way, she kept stealing glances at Wade, as if worried he might bolt at any moment.
Malfoy's compartment was very close; he was lying on the seat with Goyle and Zabini standing by.
But unlike Harry, who was surrounded by concerned people after he fainted, these two merely sat on the opposite seats, looking indifferent. Goyle was even rummaging through the snacks on the table.
"Draco!"
Pansy didn't notice the others' expressions. As soon as she entered, she rushed over, reached out to touch Malfoy's head, and then turned to ask, "What should we do? He's been like this, not waking up."
Seeing that the person who entered was Wade, both Goyle and Zabini in the compartment were startled and stared at him in astonishment.
Wade raised his Wand: "Expecto Patronum!"
The silver eagle appeared again. It circled the compartment ceiling once and landed on Malfoy.
The Patronus Charm is an extremely ancient Magic, predating even the Dementor's existence in the world.
A Patronus, summoned by the Spell, is the embodiment of positive energy and emotions. It can repel the dark creatures that mentally disturb people and dispel the shadows from one's mind.
"You're talking nonsense, I'm not a Muggle!"
Malfoy suddenly yelled, bolting upright from the chair and hitting Pansy's chin as she leaned over to check on him.
Both cried out in pain simultaneously, one clutching his forehead, the other her chin, hissing and gasping. Pansy was in such pain that tears welled up, and she couldn't speak for a long time.
Zabini let out a snicker and said meaningfully, "—Muggle?"
Malfoy glared at him, then looked around with lingering fear, and grumbled, "Where's that monster?"
"Gray chased it away..."
Zabini glanced towards the door, surprised to find that Wade had silently left.
He didn't hide anything and said plainly, "He just saved you! Otherwise, you might have been unconscious until we got off the train."
"—He saved me?" Malfoy said with a sour expression, "Who asked him to save me?"
Zabini shrugged, but Pansy glared at Malfoy.
Malfoy flinched, feeling his forehead throb even more.
"Want some chocolate?" Goyle offered a piece of Chocolate Frog.
Malfoy took the chocolate, ate it in one bite, and mumbled begrudgingly, "Can someone tell me what exactly happened?"
...
"Knock, knock, knock."
A knock sounded.
The train compartments weren't entirely sealed. Through the glass door, the students, who had been chatting and laughing, instantly fell silent when they saw Wade Gray standing outside.
They exchanged glances, and a girl sitting near the door stood up, pulled open the door, and said with a blush, "Um... Gray? Is there something you need?"
"Excuse me," Wade said, "I'm looking for Professor Abigail."
Through the crowd, he spotted Professor Abigail sitting in the innermost seat.
"Oh..."
Abigail paused, then said, "The train will be arriving soon, children, go get ready..."
She looked at Wade and smiled, "We have something to discuss."
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