Chapter 386: The Misty Siren

The light from the four Patronus charms completely enveloped the stadium, holding the Dementors at bay twenty feet above the stands.

Soon, professors within the castle caught wind of the situation and rushed over. Patronuses began to soar from different parts of Hogwarts, their bright silver light piercing through the rain, illuminating the entire stadium like the sun. The intense chill was dispelled, replaced by a powerful feeling of safety that washed over everyone.

Even some older students' Patronus abilities surged in response, allowing them to summon their own Patronuses. One after another, new Patronuses joined the battle. The Hogwarts counterattack had begun. As various Patronuses filled the sky, the Dementors started to scatter, retreating and fleeing in a panic from the stadium.

Hagrid was even more over-the-top. He called two Unicorns from the Forbidden Forest for reinforcement—though they didn't offer much help. Unicorns may indeed be natural enemies of Dementors, but Dementors can fly, and even they know better than to drift down to ground level to confront a Unicorn. Besides, Hagrid had spent a fair amount of time summoning them from the forest, so by the time he arrived, the battle was nearly over.

Professor McGonagall stamped her foot in frustration as she watched the last few Dementors vanish from sight. She had longed to join the fray, but her priority was maintaining the light screen, ensuring her students' safety. All she could do was watch the Dementors flee, not a single one left to capture.

"What a golden opportunity to handle those Dementors once and for all... and it's slipped away," she thought with deep regret, feeling as though she'd lost a thousand Galleons. No, she corrected herself, the disappointment was far greater than losing Galleons. Galleons can always be earned back, but the chance to deal with Dementors might never come again—especially once Professor Dumbledore returned.

With this thought, she glanced to the side. If only Snape had participated earlier, she might have had the freedom to take on the Dementors herself. A professor relying on a student to cover for her… what a thought!

Snape, noticing McGonagall's gaze, looked away, feigning ignorance. To him, it didn't matter whose Patronus led the charge; all that mattered was that the threat was neutralized.

McGonagall, however, didn't dwell on these thoughts for long and quickly redirected her attention to more pressing matters. The Dementors' intrusion onto school grounds was unacceptable, and the Ministry of Magic would have to answer for it.

She raised her wand to her throat and cast a charm to amplify her voice, calling out, "Everyone, be quiet!"

Her voice echoed across the pitch, capturing everyone's attention.

"The game is suspended. Prefects will lead the students from each House back to the castle immediately," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out. "The Head Boy will oversee security. If a Dementor is spotted again, send a red flare into the sky. No one is to remain outside for any reason!"

There was no complaint from the stands, and even the players from both teams accepted the suspension without protest. Under Professor McGonagall's orders, the students quickly left the pitch and headed back to the castle.

With Malfoy unable to keep hold of Harry, Kyle conjured a stretcher, laid Harry on it, and a few eager Hufflepuffs volunteered to carry him to the castle. They had barely reached the foyer when the Gryffindor team arrived, along with Ron and Hermione, drenched and looking like they had just climbed out of a lake.

"Oh, Harry, thank goodness…" Ron said, clearly relieved. "We saw him fall into the stands with Malfoy, but the crowd was so thick we couldn't get to him."

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Kyle reassured them. "It's probably just like what happened on the train. Find a room with a window and stick Harry's head outside; I bet he'll wake up soon."

"Er, let's not do that," Ron replied with a dry chuckle. "I think Madam Pomfrey will be able to wake him up too."

Back on the train, there had been no other option but to splash Harry awake, but here at school, taking him to the Hospital Wing seemed the wiser choice.

"Suit yourselves," Kyle shrugged. "Just make sure he eats some chocolate once he's up—it'll help."

Hermione and Ron nodded, then led Harry to the Hospital Wing, accompanied by Wood and the rest of the Gryffindor team, except for Fred and George. They stayed behind with Kyle, whose pale face looked even more ghostly against the mud on his cheeks.

"It was terrifying…" Fred shivered, still visibly shaken. "I felt a chill run down my spine, and when I turned around, the Dementor was less than five feet away from me."

"It felt like all the happiness was sucked right out of me," George said, taking a steadying breath. "So, this is what it's like to face a Dementor without the Patronus Charm… it's pretty dreadful."

"But on that note," Fred asked suddenly, "Kyle, which one was your Patronus back there?"

"Why do you ask?" Kyle replied with a neutral expression. "Maybe I couldn't summon one."

"That's a good joke," Fred laughed.

"If it had been ten minutes ago, we might've believed you," George added, patting Kyle on the shoulder. "But don't forget, we weren't the only ones at the Quidditch Pitch. Plenty of people saw you summon your Patronus, and on the way back to the castle, we overheard at least two groups talking about it."

"If you already know, why are you asking me?" Kyle said.

"Because every time we heard something different," Fred said, a strange expression on his face. "It was like you summoned a whole herd of Patronuses. Luna even claimed your Patronus was a Misty Siren."

"A Misty Siren?" Kyle asked, confused.

"According to Luna, they're magical creatures from the North Sea," George explained, thinking for a moment. "They don't have a fixed form, and everyone sees them differently. Kind of sounds like a Boggart, doesn't it?"

"Do you believe that?" Kyle asked, looking at them.

"Well…" Fred rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's not entirely impossible."

Kyle was about to respond when a commotion rippled through the crowd around them. Professor McGonagall had arrived, accompanied by several senior students who appeared to be Prefects from the various Houses.

"Professor McGonagall!" Fred asked urgently. "Have the Dementors been driven off? When can we finish the Quidditch match?"

"We're thirty points ahead of Slytherin," George added.

"I'm afraid not today," Professor McGonagall replied, looking sympathetic but offering no further explanation. She simply instructed them to return to their common rooms for hot chocolate.

Before Kyle could leave, she stopped him. "You, come with me for a moment," she said.

Although he wasn't sure what this was about, Kyle nodded and followed her. As they walked, Professor McGonagall asked, "I heard from Diggory that your Patronus was a Jellyfish?"

"Yes," Kyle replied. "Has something else happened?"

"Not really," said Professor McGonagall. "But the Patronus Charm is an advanced spell, and it can be mentally exhausting. Since you faced so many Dementors, I think it would be best if Madam Pomfrey checked on you."