Chapter 403: Cedric’s Doubts

Hearing that the club would only meet once a month, many students were visibly disappointed; they had expected weekly sessions. Before anyone could voice their objections, though, Professor McGonagall gave them a firm look, and they all fell silent, filing out of the Great Hall without a word.

As Kyle and his friends walked down the corridor, Cedric suddenly spoke up after they rounded a corner.

"Do you think Professor Lupin would let me face a Dementor alone if I asked him?"

"I'm not sure," Kyle replied, shaking his head. "But if you're serious, you'd better ask him soon. The Dementor might not be here tomorrow—both Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall aren't fond of having them around. The one tonight was just a teaching tool."

"You're right," Cedric said, giving his head a quick pat as if to spur himself on. "I'm not waiting until tomorrow—I'll go now!" And with that, he dashed off back down the corridor.

The rest of the group split up at the stairs, heading back to the common room. Kyle noticed that Kanna hadn't spoken the entire time and seemed a bit conflicted, glancing back toward the Great Hall as they walked.

"Do you want to go talk to Professor Lupin too?" Kyle asked.

Kanna nodded, then shook her head, seeming torn. She longed to produce a Patronus of her own, but the thought of facing a Dementor terrified her. After all, the whole reason she'd been learning the Charm was to protect herself from Dementors.

Some things, she reminded herself, weren't worth reliving. Like the time in her first year with the Animagus rat. She had almost managed to forget about that until the Dementors appeared at the last Quidditch match, dredging up memories of the "final act" in the Forbidden Forest. For days afterward, she could barely eat or sleep, and now, whenever she saw a rat, she felt the urge to kick it. She might never shake that feeling.

Shaking her head again, she made up an excuse. "I'm just worried about Cedric. Do you think he'll succeed?"

"I think so," Kyle said, "but only if the professors agree." Cedric was so close that all he needed was a final push. A Dementor could provide that, with its own unique... motivation.

They entered the common room and found seats by the fireplace. Though it was late, a lot of Hufflepuffs were still awake, enthusiastically chatting about the Patronus Club meeting and not remotely ready for bed.

Kanna watched as Kyle skewered some sausages and held them over the fire, her voice dropping to a murmur. "Is there any way to practice the Patronus Charm without Dementors?"

"Yes," Kyle replied, turning the sausages slowly. "Patronuses can actually strengthen each other. A real Patronus can boost and intensify positive emotions, which makes learning the Charm easier."

Kanna's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you mention that to Cedric?"

Kyle shrugged. "He didn't ask," he said simply. "Besides, I think he likes Dementors."

Kanna gave him an incredulous look. "Who likes Dementors?"

"You'd be surprised. People have their quirks," Kyle replied with a smile. "Besides, that method is mostly for beginners to help simplify things. Cedric's beyond that now—he's at the final step. If he can't find the key on his own, even a hundred Patronuses wouldn't be enough to help him. The Dementor is more useful at this point."

"What about me…" Kanna asked quietly. "Could that method work for me?"

"Yes," Kyle said, nodding. "It's late tonight, but let's go to the Room of Requirement tomorrow."

Kanna's face lit up, and she answered with a soft "Hm." By then, the smell of the sizzling sausages had attracted a small crowd, and the two of them dropped the subject.

After two hours of practice, many people had worked up an appetite, and the aroma of sausages wafting through the common room only made it worse. Soon, others left to gather food from the kitchen, returning with bread, pumpkin juice, pastries… even whole roasted chickens and generous cuts of meat.

This was the advantage of being in Hufflepuff. While other houses might risk getting caught out after hours, they could easily enjoy a hearty late-night meal. With the kitchen just next door, there was hardly any chance of Filch or a professor catching them.

Kyle's sausages were finally ready, and he handed one of the slightly charred links to Kanna on a fork.

Kanna accepted it with sparkling eyes and took a bite, savoring the warmth and rich flavor as she joined the others around the fire.

"How is it? Is it done?" Kyle asked.

"Mmm!" Kanna nodded emphatically, her mouth full. "It's delicious."

"Glad to hear it," Kyle replied, taking a sausage for himself.

Kanna blinked, feeling as if something was slightly off, but the savory smell from the fire quickly banished the thought. After a while, Cedric returned, his entrance accompanied by the aroma of food wafting around the room.

"Oh, save me some!" he said, making a beeline for Kyle. Without waiting, he grabbed a sausage and helped himself to toast from a nearby plate.

"Back so soon?" Kyle asked, surprised.

Cedric shook his head. "Not really. I came back early."

"Because of Professor McGonagall?" Kanna asked. "She still doesn't agree to let you face a Dementor?"

"No, actually, Professor McGonagall had already left by the time I got there. It was Professor Lupin—he looked a little under the weather," Cedric explained. "I waited until everyone had left the Great Hall and was just about to go in when I saw Professor Snape giving him a large glass of some kind of potion and telling him he needed it."

"Professor Lupin is sick again?" Kanna asked, her brows knitting with concern.

In just the first half of the school year, Professor Lupin had already taken sick leave twice—once with Professor Snape stepping in for him, and another time with Professor McGonagall. Rumor had it the Ravenclaws had also missed several of his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes.

"I think so. He drank the entire potion," Cedric continued. "And if you looked closely, his face was definitely a bit paler than usual. I didn't think it was right to ask him about the Dementors under the circumstances, so I just came back."

"That's probably best. You can ask him another day," Kyle suggested. "Or wait until next month's club meeting."

"True," Cedric agreed, setting down his pumpkin juice. Then, with a thoughtful look, he added, "But doesn't it seem odd that Professor Lupin didn't ask Madam Pomfrey? I mean, she was right there, and she's much more of a medical expert than Professor Snape."

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey had something else to do," Kanna offered.

"Maybe…" Cedric murmured, taking another sip of pumpkin juice, still looking a bit puzzled.