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"Hey, where did this cat come from?"
Ron nervously protected Scabbers in his arms and waved his hands in agitation. "Go away! Stay away from me!"
The ginger cat clearly had no intention of listening to Ron. It bared its teeth and approached Ron little by little.
One of the traits of Kneazles in the wizarding world was that they could tell suspicious people from trustworthy ones.
In Crookshanks's eyes, Scabbers was obviously suspicious.
"Come back, Crookshanks."
Hermione had not expected Crookshanks to move like that. Once she reacted, she immediately scolded him.
However, Crookshanks merely flicked his tail and continued gradually approaching Ron.
Had he not heard her?
No, he had heard her. The tail flick was both a response and a way of saying that he thought she was talking too much and being very annoying.
"Crookshanks, come back. I do not want to repeat myself."
This time, Dudley was the one speaking. Since Hermione could not call him back, Dudley would do it himself.
Crookshanks was just about to flick his tail again in irritation when he involuntarily shivered, sensing an unfriendly presence behind him.
He turned his head and saw Dudley staring at him.
"Mrrrow..."
Crookshanks gave an unwilling little whine, then turned and jumped onto Hermione.
The little fellow knew exactly who he could afford to offend.
Although Crookshanks had left, his flattened face remained aimed at Ron. His yellow, vertical pupils also remained fixed on Ron's pocket.
More precisely, on Scabbers inside that pocket.
Being smart was not a problem.
But being disobedient was a very big problem.
Dudley would have to take him back and train him properly.
He grabbed Crookshanks by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up.
'That is a bad person!'
'Dangerous!'
'He will hurt my feeder!'
Crookshanks's paws flailed in the air as he struggled and growled in a low voice.
This was the ability that came from his Kneazle blood: identifying suspicious, untrustworthy people and spotting potential threats around his owner.
"I know. That is none of your business."
Dudley placed him back in Hermione's arms and patted his head.
"I will handle it."
Only after receiving Dudley's assurance did Crookshanks lie down unwillingly.
His loyalty was passable.
Ron badly wanted to scold Crookshanks, but that was Dudley and Hermione's pet. He could only swallow his complaint and silently comfort the enormous rat that had passed through Merlin knew how many hands over Merlin knew how many years, polished by handling until it looked almost glossy.
'Poor Scabbers. If only your owner could stand up for you,' Ron thought.
How could that little thought possibly escape Dudley? Ron might as well have written I feel wronged across his face.
The Hogwarts Express steadily traveled north, while the scenery outside the window gradually grew darker. The clouds overhead became heavier and heavier, joining into one dark mass. Outside the compartment door, people began moving restlessly back and forth.
"Something is not right."
Dudley glanced out the window, his expression gradually turning serious. "Ron, find time to talk to me once we reach school."
Counting the time, the matter of the rat was about ready to be dealt with.
Better to avoid extra trouble.
"All right."
Ron agreed reflexively, then suddenly shivered.
'He isn't going to beat me up, is he?'
Then he shook his head hard, throwing the thought out of his mind.
'Big D always talks things through first.'
Just as Ron thought, Dudley had never actively used violence against anyone. At most, he talked reason first. If reason failed, then he used force.
Outside, the world ahead was so dark that nothing could be seen. There was not a speck of light, as though twilight had already fallen. Normally, when they reached Hogwarts, the sky would not be much different from this, but now it was a full three hours early.
Rain began falling outside the window. Fat raindrops struck the glass, pattering sharply against it.
The train began moving more and more slowly, and the sound of the wheels became quieter and quieter.
Were they arriving?
How could that be?
Harry was closest to the compartment door. He pushed it open and got up to look at the corridor. From the compartments along the corridor, students were sticking their heads out and looking confused.
Clearly, many people had noticed something was wrong.
Behind him, Hermione and Neville slowly drew their wands.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Even Ron, slow as he sometimes was, had noticed something strange. He no longer simply protected Scabbers, but also drew his wand.
A wand was the source of a wizard's courage.
Crookshanks was no longer staring at Ron's pocket either. His gaze had turned toward the door.
Only Dudley still sat steadily in his seat, rubbing the ring on his finger with his fingertips.
The train suddenly jolted and stopped. Banging and clattering sounds came from the distance. Because they were so sudden, quite a bit of luggage fell from the racks.
Outside the door came the curses of many students.
Suddenly, all the lights went out. The entire train was plunged into complete darkness.
The whole world seemed to fall silent.
A few seconds later, frightened screams erupted from every compartment. The entire train fell into chaos.
Darkness was one of the sources of human fear.
Only Dudley's compartment remained the calmest. Harry was the first to use Lumos. The faint light from the tip of his wand allowed the group to see their surroundings clearly.
At that moment, they heard a short, shrill, squeaking sound from outside the window.
"Something is moving out there." Ron pointed toward a vague shadow barely visible beyond the window. "Are they getting off? Did the train break down? Are we supposed to get off here?"
Neville followed the direction he pointed, his face gradually turning grave. "Maybe they are getting on."
"What?" Ron froze, then immediately reacted. "You mean someone else is getting on here?!"
"Maybe not someone," Dudley added.
Ron clapped both hands over his mouth, doing his best not to scream.
"N-not someone?"
Not someone? Then what was it?
"Big D, don't scare me!"
'I, Ron, fear nothing except ghosts. Maybe spiders too.'
The surrounding temperature gradually began to fall. A cold, gloomy aura surged in from every direction, and their breath misted white in front of them.
It was only early September, and the last heat of summer had not even passed. It should have been hot and uncomfortable, yet everyone felt as if they had stepped into winter.
Dudley took off his coat without hesitation and draped it over Hermione, silently shielding her behind him.
"Something is coming."
Hearing Dudley's words, Harry and the others grew tense and gripped their wands even more tightly.
No one doubted him.
Because he was their Big D.
At that moment, the compartment door moved. Then it opened little by little.
When the door was fully open, they finally saw what had opened it.
It was not human at all. It was a humanoid monster draped in a cloak, tall enough to reach the ceiling, swaying as it floated in midair. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood.
Clearly, this was what Ron had just seen through the window.
A Dementor.
Azkaban's most famous specialty.
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