The scene descended into chaos for a moment. Sirius tried to explain, but Snape gave him absolutely no chance. A rope shot from the tip of his wand, tightly binding Sirius.
Even Sirius's mouth was effectively gagged.
"Ah, the sweet taste of revenge..." Snape said softly to Black. "I've always looked forward to the moment I would be the one to capture you..."
"He's innocent! The real killer and betrayer is Peter – look at Peter!"
Harry hurriedly pointed at Peter Pettigrew, who had already collapsed on the ground.
"You can't—"
"Silence, Potter," Snape drawled. "You always think you're the center of the universe, don't you? That even the law has to make way for you? Just like your arrogant father."
Sirius and Harry both bristled at Snape's assessment of James. Harry's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, and Sirius made muffled, angry noises because his mouth was covered.
Snape glanced at the prone Peter, initially surprised for a moment, then his expression turned to one of disgust and hatred.
Unfortunately, Harry and the others didn't notice this, nor did they care what Snape might be thinking.
"It seems the Dementors will be quite pleased today..." Snape said with a greasy smile. "They're waiting outside, you know. This time, they'll get to kiss two people."
Sirius's face instantly drained of all color.
"But there's more to it than that—" Hermione tried to explain.
"You shut your mouth too, you foolish girl." Snape had no intention of listening to their explanations. Regardless of the outcome, the ones who deserved to die would die, and the ones who didn't...
Snape relished the feeling of intimidating Black – and Harry, who bore such a striking resemblance to James.
"Just because he and my dad used to pull pranks on you!" Harry couldn't help himself, stepping forward to block Snape. "You pathetic, greasy git—"
"Potter, if I ever hear you speak to me like that again with that disgusting face of yours..." Snape hissed through gritted teeth. "Get out of my way, or you'll regret it."
He roughly shoved Harry aside, and Sirius and Peter were magically propelled to float behind him.
Snape was preparing to take the two back to Hogwarts Castle, but he hadn't anticipated that Harry would actually dare to attack a professor—
"Expelliarmus!"
It wasn't just Harry; two other spells from different people hit Snape almost simultaneously with Harry's. The three Disarming Charms collided, blasting Snape directly into the wall.
He was lucky to have survived, thanks to Ron's somewhat lacking technique.
"You guys really are legendary for your infighting," Cohen said, waving his hand to dissipate Hermione's Patronus, which was so weak it was practically nonexistent.
"Cohen, why did you just stop Sirius—" Harry asked breathlessly, cautiously approaching Cohen. "And that voice, Voldemort's voice..."
"And that... that..." Ron looked at Hermione, then at Cohen. "What was that spell that made you cough just now..."
"Patronus Charm," Hermione said, her voice trembling. "Cohen, I've been unwilling to believe it – how could you – you even tried to help You-Know-Who just now..."
"I don't understand," Harry said, shaking his head. "Professor Lupin said the Patronus Charm is only effective against Dementors... but Cohen can't be..."
Suddenly, Harry felt like some memories in his mind were automatically piecing themselves together.
Why did the school ghosts avoid them whenever they were with Cohen?
Why did Cohen scare the newborn Norbert with just a glance?
Even Hermione and Ron had mentioned that after the Dementors entered the Quidditch pitch, Dumbledore had "looked serious" and called Cohen away...
And Hermione seemed to have known all along? No wonder the Boggart that was supposed to turn into a Dementor turned into Cohen in front of her...
They had always known Cohen was a hybrid of several magical creatures – but... Dementors weren't creatures at all, were they?!
Those terrifying, repulsive beings even considered humans as food, so how did Cohen view them?
Had Cohen always been interacting with them from the perspective of considering them food?
No... no...
Harry didn't believe it – Cohen had always helped him, and every time Voldemort tried to use Cohen, Cohen would turn against him.
This time would definitely be no exception.
"Is it coming? Is it coming?" Cohen pulled out his wand, looking eager. "That thing, that thing!"
"?" Harry blinked.
"?" Hermione didn't understand what Cohen was about to do.
"Wait, have you guys learned some kind of nonverbal communication?" Ron felt like he hadn't understood anything – what Dementors, Cohen, Patronus – was he even part of this group? He felt like he'd suddenly been isolated by his friends...
"It's about fighting with Patronuses!" Cohen said, exasperated. "I'm the bad guy right now! Shouldn't you be attacking me with the only thing that can deal with me? And then you two both conjure up two Patronuses – Ron, of course I'm not saying you're 'not human,' it's just that you're too lazy to learn that spell – you guys should have a thrilling Patronus showdown with me at the end..."
"I knew it..." Harry felt like the reasons and consequences didn't matter anymore – it had been over two years, how was he still not used to Cohen's annual fake villain act...?
"Lame."
Cohen had originally wanted to see if his Dementor Patronus could clash with Harry's stag. He had never actually tested what his own Patronus was capable of.
"You guys are totally not hardcore enough. After all that build-up, there wasn't even a climax."
"You scared me to death!" Hermione cried, covering her face. "I thought... I thought..."
"Especially you, Miss Granger," Cohen said suddenly, his tone serious. "Do you even consider me a friend?"
"Huh? I..." Hermione pointed at herself, her eyes red-rimmed.
"You constantly say you want to be friends, but secretly you knew I was a Dementor and learned the Patronus Charm, and then you even used it on me," Cohen said. "In novels, readers would be learning to shout 'You have chosen death!' at someone like that – wait a minute... I think I suddenly understand why that book was so popular..."
"Are you guys even speaking English? Why can't I understand anything!" Ron said, grabbing his hair.
"Because you've been hiding it from us..." Hermione sniffled, her voice still trembling slightly. "Plus, with the Sirius situation... and what was mentioned in the books and by Professor Lupin about Dementors... I had to be prepared – and Harry and Ron are so reckless..."
"So, Cohen is a Dementor, right?"
Ron said, finally catching on as if a century had passed.
"You're so clever."
Cohen complimented, though it wasn't clear if he was praising Ron or Hermione.
"That's so cool, dude!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Can you talk to those Dementors? Like you talk to the Basilisk?"
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