And then there were the dementors。 Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them。 Everyone said the dementors were horrible； but no one else collapsed every time they went near one。 No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents。
Because Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now。 He had heard her words； heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake； staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling。 When the dementors approached him； he heard the last moments of his mother's life； her attempts to protect him； Harry； from Lord Voldemort； and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her。。。。 Harry dozed fitfully； sinking into dreams full of clammy； rotted hands and petrified pleading； jerking awake to dwell again on his mother's voice。
It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday； where he was forced to think about other things； eve'； if he had to endure Draco Malfoys taunting。 Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat。 He had finally taken off his bandages； and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom。 Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing dementor imitations across the dungeon； Ron finally cracked and flung a large； slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy； which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor。
〃If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again； I'm skiving off；〃 said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch。 〃Check who's in there； Hermione。〃
Hermione peered around the classroom door。
〃It's okay！〃
Professor Lupin was back at work。 It certainly looked as though he had been ill。 His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes； nevertheless； he smiled at the class as they took their seats； and they burst at once into an explosion of plaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill。
〃It's not fair； he was only filling in； why should he give us homework？〃
〃We don't know anything about werewolves two rolls of parchment！〃
〃Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet？〃 Lupin asked； frowning slightly。
The babble broke out again。
〃Yes； but he said we were really behind he wouldn't listen 〃
〃 two rolls of parchment！〃
Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face。
〃Don't worry。 I'll speak to Professor Snape。 You don't have to do the essay。〃
〃Oh no；〃 said Hermione； looking very disappointed。 〃I've already finished it！〃
They had a very enjoyable lesson。 Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a hinkypunk； a little one…legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke； rather frail and harmless looking。
〃Lures travelers into bogs；〃 said Professor Lupin as they took notes。 〃You notice the lantern dangling from his hand？ Hops ahead …people follow the light then 〃
The hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass。
When the bell rang； everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door； Harry among them； but
〃Wait a moment； Harry；〃 Lupin called。 〃I'd like a word。〃
Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the hinkypunk's box with a cloth。
〃I heard about the match；〃 said Lupin； turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase； 〃and I'm sorry about your broomstick。 Is there any chance of fixing it？〃
〃No；〃 said Harry。 〃The tree smashed it to bits。〃
Lupin sighed。
〃They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts。 People used to play a game； trying to get near enough to touch the trunk。 In the end； a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye； and we were forbidden to go near it。 No broomstick would have a chance。〃
〃Did you hear about the dementors too？〃 said Harry with difficulty。
Lupin looked at him quickly。
〃Yes； I did。 I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry。 They have been growing restless for some time furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds。。。。 I suppose they were the reason you fell？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Harry。 He hesitated； and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself。〃 Why？ Why do they affect me like that？ Am I just ？〃
〃It has nothing to do with weakness；〃 said Professor Lupin sharply； as though he had read Harry's mind。 〃The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have。〃
A ray of wintery sunlight fell across the classroom； illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face。
〃Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth。 They infest the darkest； filthiest places； they glory in decay and despair； they drain peace； hope； and happiness out of the air around them。 Even Muggles feel their presence； though they can't see them。 Get too near a dementor and every good feeling； every happy memory will be sucked out of you。 If it can； the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself。。。 soul…less and evil。 You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life。 And the worst that happened to you； Harry； is enough to make anyone fall off their broom。 You have nothing to feel ashamed of。〃
〃When they get near me 〃 Harry stared at Lupin's desk； his throat tight。 〃I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum。〃
Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Harry's shoulder； but thought better of it。 There was a moment's Silence； then
〃Why did they have to e to the match？〃 said Harry bitterly。
〃They're getting hungry；〃 said Lupin coolly； shutting his briefcase with a snap。 〃Dumbledore won't let them into the school； so their supply of human prey has dried up。。。。 I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field。 All that excitement 。。。 emotions running high。。。 it was their idea of a feast。〃
〃Azkaban must be terrible；〃 Harry muttered。 Lupin nodded grimly。
〃The fortress is set on a tiny island； way out to sea； but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in； not when they're all trapped inside their own heads； incapable of a single cheery thought。 Most of them go mad within weeks。〃
〃But Sirius Black escaped from them；〃 Harry said slowly。 〃He got away。。。〃
Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk； he had to stoop quickly to catch it。
〃Yes；〃 he said； straightening up； 〃Black must have found a way to fight them。 I wouldn't have believed it possible。。。。 Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long。。。。〃
〃You made that dementor on the train back off；〃 said Harry suddenly。
〃There are certain defenses one can use；〃 said Lupin。 〃But there was only one dementor on the train。 The more there are； the more difficult it bees to resist。〃
〃What defenses？〃 said Harry at once。 〃Can you teach me？〃
〃I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors； Harry； quite the contrary。。。〃
〃But if the dementors e to another Quidditch match； I need to be able to fight them 〃
Lupin looked into Harry's determined face； hesitated； then said； 〃Well。。。 all right。 I'll try and help。 But it'll have to wait until next term； I'm afraid。 I have a lot to do before the holidays。 I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill。〃
What with the promise of anti…dementor lessons from Lupin； the thought that he might never have to hear his mother's death again； and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November； Harry's mood took a definite upturn。 Gryffindor were not out of the running after all； although they could not afford to lose another match。 Wood became repossessed of his manic energy； and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December。 Harry saw no hint of a dementor within the grounds。 Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances。
Two weeks before the end of the term； the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling； opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost。 Inside the castle； there was a buzz of Christmas in the air。 Professor Flitwick； the Charms teacher； had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real； fluttering fairies。 The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays。 Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts； and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy； and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library； Harry wasn't fooled； they were doing it to keep him pany； and he was very grateful。
To everyone's delight except Harry's； there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term。
〃We can do all our Christmas shopping there！〃 said Hermione。 〃Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes！〃
Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again； Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood； and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes。 He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice； an ancient Shooting Star； which was very slow and jerky； he definitely needed a new broom of his own。
On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip； Harry bid good…bye to Ron and Hermione； who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves； then turned up the marble staircase alone； and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower。 Snow had started to fall outside the windows； and the castle was very still and quiet。
〃Psst Harry！〃
He turned； halfway along the third…floor corridor； to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked； one…eyed witch。
〃What are you doing？〃 said Harry curiously。 〃How e you're not going to Hogsmeade？〃
〃We've e to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go；〃 said Fred； with a mysterious wink。 〃e in here。。。。〃
He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one…eyed statue。 Harry followed Fred and George inside。 George closed the door quietly and then turned； beaming； to look at Harry。
〃Early Christmas present for you； Harry；〃 he said。
Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks。 It was a large； square； very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it。 Harry； suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes； stared at it。
〃What's that supposed to be？〃
〃This； Harry； is the secret of our success；〃 said George； patting the parchment fondly。
〃It's a wrench； giving it to you；〃 said Fred； 〃but we decided last night； your need's greater than ours。〃
〃Anyway； we know it by heart；〃 said George。 〃We bequeath it to you。 We don't really need it anymore。〃
〃And what do I need with a bit of old parchment？〃 said Harry。
〃A bit of old parchment！〃 said Fred； closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him。 〃Explain； George。〃
〃Well。。。 when we were in our first year； Harr