As the only injured person in the Dementor attack, Harry had to stay in the Hospital Wing all weekend.
Many people visited him, all trying to cheer him up, but Harry found it difficult to smile.
His broomstick was broken, shattered into two pieces.
Indeed, falling from fifty feet high would definitely break it.
Harry had already thought of this when he first woke up, but seeing the broken pieces of the broomstick still made him feel upset.
Even though Wood told him it could be repaired, he only needed to spend some gold in Diagon Alley to make it as good as new.
But he couldn't go to Diagon Alley right now... he couldn't even go to Hogsmeade.
Besides, there was another thing that bothered Harry.
In the first Divination class, Professor Trelawney saw an omen in his divination results, specifically a black dog.
And during the match, there was just such a black dog in the stands... and then he fell from fifty feet high.
But Harry didn't mention this to anyone, not to Ron or Hermione, because he knew Ron would panic and Hermione would dismiss it, he knew his friends too well.
He wanted real, impartial advice because that black dog had appeared twice, and each appearance was accompanied by deadly danger.
The last time was before school started, when he was almost hit by the Knight Bus, and this time he fell off his broomstick.
Would he have to always be on guard against this beast?
And the Dementors...
Harry sat silently on the hospital bed, absent-mindedly listening to Hermione talking about funny things happening at school.
Kael's Dragon Scale Badge had become popular again.
"I think this thing is useless, but most people say it is effective."
Hermione fiddled with the badge on her chest. "Dean Thomas said he didn't feel the Dementors at all, but in reality, before those Guardians appeared, he almost cried.
I was right next to him, and I saw it clearly."
"But how do you explain Neville's situation then."
Ron replied indignantly: "He wore two badges, and his condition improved significantly compared to when he was on the train, he was even able to visit Harry."
"Perhaps he's become accustomed to the effect of the Dementors," Hermione said, "it has nothing to do with wearing the badge."
Ron clearly disagreed, earnestly saying: "Everyone knows, there's no getting used to this kind of thing, it only becomes more terrifying."
Listening to their conversation, Harry suddenly thought, could Kael give him some advice about that elusive black dog?
He also wanted to ask about how to deal with the Dementors... that Patronus Charm, he remembered Professor McGonagall mentioned it before.
...
The opportunity came quickly.
When Harry returned to school on Monday, he saw Kael and Cedric heading towards the Auditorium.
He quickly approached them and seized the chance to ask about his doubts.
"Black dog?"
"Yes," Harry said, "I saw it before in the stands and then fell from fifty feet high. I want to know if there's a solution.
You may not know, but I also saw it on Mulan Crescent Street... If it were an ordinary dog, it certainly couldn't chase from Privet Drive all the way to Hogwarts, right!"
"Well..."
Cedric pondered for a moment, "Could it be that you mistook it, because as long as the breed, size, and coat color are similar, it's hard for us to tell if it's the same dog."
"This..."
Harry hesitated, it was quite dark at the time, and he only caught a glimpse before the sudden appearance of the Knight Bus interrupted him, so there's indeed a possibility of mistaking it,
but isn't this a bit too coincidental?
"I don't know about the situation on Privet Drive,"
at this point, Kael suddenly said, "but the one you found on the stands should be a good dog... Is it big, with tangled hair, as if it hasn't had a bath for ages."
"You saw it too?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Just last time when I went to Hogsmeade Village."
Kael laughed, "It was lying at the shop entrance, I even played with it for a while, I think it probably wandered over from there."
"What?" Harry still didn't fully understand, "Are you saying it's a dog kept in Hogsmeade Village, not an omen?"
"If a black dog represents an omen, what about Hagrid?" Kael said, "Don't forget Fang is also black."
With such a reminder, Harry realized it might really be the case.
Fang is a black hunting dog kept by Hagrid, seen every time when going to Care of Magical Creatures Class...
"Moreover," Kael continued, "that dog is very intelligent and quite clever, it can roll over, shake hands, jump through a hoop proficiently.
You can try it next time you see it, it's really interesting.
"I strongly recommend the backflip," Cedric said, "I dare say even some trained Crups don't have moves as precise as it."
"I think hoop jumping is good too," Kael said, "making three circles of different sizes, it's like playing alternative Quidditch."
Listening to their conversation, Harry's hatred and fear of the black dog gradually faded.
If many people had seen it, perhaps it's like Fang, just an ordinary dog.
And with hoop jumping, backflips... Harry suddenly felt curious, is the dog really as smart as Kael described?
Unfortunately, he couldn't go to Hogsmeade Village, but he could tell Ron and Hermione to find it.
"Oh by the way," Kael reminded, "if you want to see it perform tricks, remember to bring some food, otherwise that lazy dog won't move."
Harry nodded, noting it down.
"Besides, one more thing." He said, "Can you teach me how to use that Patronus Charm... Next time I encounter a Dementor, I don't want to faint again."
"Well..." Kael hesitated for a moment before shaking his head, "Though I'd love to teach you, I probably don't have much time lately.
Three times training a week and some other activities, my spare time is nearly filled."
Harry felt a bit disappointed.
But soon, Kael continued, "However, you can go to Professor Lupin, he also knows this Charm."
"Right, Professor Lupin!" Harry said excitedly, "Hermione told me, he made the Dementors on the train retreat."
"Thank you, Kael."
Harry didn't even eat, eagerly rushing to Professor Lupin's office.