The Hogwarts Express rumbled steadily northward.
The view outside the window was growing more interesting. The sky gradually darkened, and heavy clouds loomed overhead.
Outside their compartment, students passed by from time to time, but it didn't affect them much.
Astoria continued sharing her experiences from eastern France.
"The weather there was so much better than England's—warm sunshine every day. Though I think I got a bit of a tan."
"And the food! French cuisine is amazing. They're not big on fish, but their oysters, foie gras, and mussels are delicious. It took me a while to get used to being back home."
"This dress I'm wearing? Got it while we were passing through Paris…"
Jon listened with a smile, occasionally chiming in.
Around one o'clock, the trolley arrived outside their compartment.
Jon bought a stack of Cauldron Cakes, while Astoria only picked some dried fruit and a bottle of pumpkin juice.
"I need to lose a bit of weight," she said with a troubled look. "I gained a few pounds over the summer…"
"I think you're worrying too much," Jon said, stuffing a Cauldron Cake into her hand. "Eat properly—don't risk stunting your growth…"
By afternoon, it had started to rain. The outlines of the hills outside the window became blurred through the streaking raindrops.
"I hate this kind of dreary weather," Astoria said, looking drowsy.
"Who doesn't?" Jon agreed.
He slipped his hand into his cloak, feeling for his wand… If the timeline hadn't changed, then judging by the conditions, the Dementors were about to appear.
Astoria pulled out a three-way mirror from her suitcase and undid her freshly tied ponytail in front of it.
Her golden hair fell loosely around her shoulders as she leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes.
"Jon… I'm so sleepy…"
Jon didn't answer.
He'd noticed something—the train was slowing down. The clatter of the wheels was fading, and the wind and rain outside grew louder.
Suddenly, the train jolted to a stop… A few bangs and thuds echoed in the distance—some luggage must have fallen off the racks.
Then, without warning, all the lights went out, plunging them into complete darkness.
"What's happening?" Astoria stood up in alarm.
"Don't panic." A beam of light suddenly flickered to life in Jon's hand, casting a glow over Astoria's frightened face. "You okay?"
"I think so." She nodded, then glanced curiously at the light in his hand. "What spell is that? Lumos? Isn't that a third-year Charms lesson?"
"No," Jon shook his head. "Just a high-powered flashlight."
A flashlight wouldn't do much against a werewolf, but in this pitch-black train, it served just fine for lighting.
Jon motioned for Astoria to stay put, then moved the flashlight aside and opened the compartment door to check the corridor.
Students in neighboring compartments were peering out with concerned expressions.
Then came a sharp, screeching sound from outside the window—short, shrill, and piercing.
Jon quickly shut the door again, raised the flashlight toward the window. Astoria wiped a clear patch on the fogged-up glass with her handkerchief and peered out.
"There's something moving outside… drifting toward the train."
Jon rushed to her side, staring at the blurry dark shapes beyond the window.
"Don't be scared." He placed a hand on Astoria's shoulder and spoke calmly. "We'll be fine."
Astoria nodded stiffly and instinctively leaned closer to him. She felt cold.
...
In his left hand was the flashlight. In his right—his wand.
Jon could feel Astoria trembling next to him. Strangely, he didn't feel anything himself.
Then, the compartment door suddenly swung open…
And a towering, cloaked figure floated in—its head nearly touching the ceiling.
"Jon… I'm so cold…" Astoria clung to him tightly from behind, her body trembling uncontrollably.
The creature's face was hidden beneath its hood. One hand extended from its robes—ghastly gray, thin, scabbed, like a dead man's hand that had rotted after weeks in water.
"Dementor!"
Even though Jon had been prepared, a wave of cold swept through his body.
Images flashed in his mind—he remembered the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam from a few months ago. Two Albus Dumbledores standing before him.
"Occlumency," he whispered so only he could hear.
The memories vanished instantly, and his awareness snapped back to the present.
In just a second or two, the Dementor had floated to within a few yards of them.
Astoria had already passed out behind him—he could barely hear her faint breathing.
The flashlight illuminated the Dementor's face beneath the cloak: featureless, with a terrifying, gaping hole where its mouth should have been.
That grotesque face seemed to glance at Jon, then recoiled in disgust. A moment later, the void turned toward Astoria.
It began to draw something in—wisps of white vapor drifted from her mouth into its own.
"Expecto Patronum!" Jon shouted without hesitation.
Silver threads shot from the tip of his wand, quickly forming a cloud of silvery mist.
A hazy silver mass spiraled in front of him and Astoria.
Jon didn't dare summon his true Patronus—he still couldn't control the panda. If he lost control again, the train might explode and they'd be walking to Hogwarts.
The silver mist stood between them and the Dementor.
But to Jon's surprise, the creature didn't retreat.
It crept closer, its hollow gaze locked on unconscious Astoria.
Despite its fear of the "fake Patronus," it seemed the girl was just too tempting…
The silvery mist began to weaken, little by little.
The Dementor's presence was more terrifying than Jon had expected…
He took a deep breath and tried to focus on a truly happy memory—
"Death is like the wind, always by my side…"
"Expecto Patronum!" A deep, commanding voice rang out from beyond the compartment.
A real Patronus burst in, placing itself between them and the Dementor.
The creature recoiled instantly, retreating faster and faster as it floated away.
All the Dementors on the train!