Harry Potter 03 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

door.
    ‘It’s OK!’
    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 complaints about Snape’s behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
    ‘It’s not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set 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 seemed as though he was made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking.
    ‘Lures travellers 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 amongst 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 wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin’s grey 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 – soulless and evil. You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that has 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 he had made to grip Harry’s shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment’s silence; then –
    ‘Why did they have to come 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 pitch.