Fortunately, even after bouncing around the floor for half the journey, Chocolate Frogs did not become any less edible.
After eating a few more, Harry and Ron—who had suffered the worst effects of the Dementor attack—finally looked somewhat human again.
"I still don't understand…" Harry wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "What exactly happened back there?"
He genuinely couldn't understand why he had blacked out so completely.
"It was the Dementor, Harry," Hermione explained worriedly. "It was feeding on your happiness."
Then she glanced between Harry and Ron.
"Are you two really alright now?"
Everyone looked toward them.
The Dementors had affected them more severely than anyone else.
One had collapsed instantly.
The other had looked like he wished he could.
Both shook their heads.
Hermione then gave them a brief explanation of everything that had happened.
"It felt strange," Ron muttered while rubbing his arms uneasily. "Like… like I'd never be happy again."
"At least you didn't fall off your seat," Harry said awkwardly.
Ron's face immediately turned red.
"My reaction was even more embarrassing than that."
"..."
"..."
The two exchanged glances.
Then simultaneously turned their heads away.
The synchronized movement made both Hermione and Lewis feel like unnecessary third wheels.
"You're not weak," Lewis said immediately, seeing through their thoughts.
"Dementors drag out the deepest fears hidden inside your heart. The reason the rest of us weren't affected as badly is because we haven't experienced the same level of trauma."
"You're right, Lewis," Ron nodded.
"Back there… I remembered everything from last year."
His expression darkened.
Harry looked equally thoughtful.
What had surfaced for him were memories from his childhood.
The compartment fell silent.
Harry and Ron retreated into their own thoughts, quietly trying to patch together the wounds the Dementors had reopened.
For the remainder of the journey, nobody spoke much.
Only Ginny stopped by once after hearing what had happened to Harry.
Other than that, the compartment remained unusually quiet.
Eventually, the Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade Station.
Students flooded onto the platform.
Chaos immediately followed.
The rain was still pouring.
The cold was bone-deep.
"First years! Over here!"
A booming voice cut through the noise.
Hagrid's gigantic figure stood at the far end of the station, gathering frightened first-year students together for the traditional crossing of the lake.
"Everyone else this way!"
Percy and Penelope were busy carrying out their duties as Head Boy and Head Girl, directing older students toward another exit.
Lewis waved at Penelope from a distance before allowing the crowd to sweep him outside.
A muddy road stretched ahead.
Lined up beside it were more than a hundred carriages waiting for the students.
And in front of those carriages stood creatures most students couldn't see.
Thestrals.
Their bodies were skeletal.
Black skin stretched tightly over visible bones.
Their dragon-like heads possessed blank white eyes.
Gigantic leathery wings rose from their shoulders.
They looked halfway between dragons and enormous bats.
For convenience, Hermione chose to ride with Harry and Ron.
She also dragged Neville Longbottom along as extra labor.
Lewis and Ciri climbed into the carriage behind them.
"Um… is there still room?"
A dreamy voice sounded from outside.
A blonde girl soaked by rain poked her head into the compartment.
Standing beside her was a red-haired girl looking slightly embarrassed.
Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley.
"Of course," Lewis said while helping them aboard.
After the summer, he and Luna had become close friends.
And thanks to everything that had happened last year, Ginny was now fairly comfortable around them as well.
"You'll catch a cold."
Ciri kindly raised her wand.
A warm breeze instantly dried both girls' hair and robes.
As the last students boarded, the carriages began moving.
The long procession creaked and rattled along the road toward Hogwarts.
With friends around her, Ginny gradually relaxed.
"I've always wondered," she said curiously.
"How do these carriages move by themselves? Is it some kind of magic? Will we learn it someday?"
"It's not a spell," Luna answered dreamily without even turning her head.
"You're just lucky enough not to see what's pulling them."
Lewis glanced toward Luna.
Her silver eyes reflected the Thestrals clearly.
"Really?" Ginny immediately looked toward Lewis for confirmation.
In her mind, Lewis was usually right about everything.
When he nodded, she became even more alarmed.
"Then why can't I see them?"
For a moment she genuinely wondered whether she was losing her mind.
"You're not crazy," Luna replied.
"Your mind is just as clear as mine."
Unfortunately, that statement had exactly the opposite effect.
Ginny knew Luna's reputation.
Being told she was thinking exactly like Luna was not reassuring.
"The creatures are called Thestrals," Lewis explained while trying not to laugh.
"They're a type of winged horse. Only people who have directly witnessed death can see them."
Ginny finally relaxed.
Then Lewis glanced toward Luna.
A trace of apology appeared in his eyes.
"Sorry… about your mother."
Luna answered before he could continue.
"It's alright."
"My mother."
Just two words.
Simple.
Matter-of-fact.
Yet they revealed everything.
Lewis silently admired her strength.
People called Luna strange.
Called her crazy.
But she understood far more than most gave her credit for.
The carriage continued rattling down the road.
Soon Ginny became too busy trying not to fall over to think about Thestrals.
She clung desperately to the handrail.
Falling into Lewis's arms might sound romantic in theory.
Actually doing it was far too embarrassing.
She still possessed the fragile dignity of a young teenage girl.
Luna, however, had no such concerns.
She and Ciri kept getting bumped into Lewis by the carriage's movements.
Both seemed to find the whole thing highly entertaining.
As they approached Hogwarts, excited cries erupted from the carriages ahead.
The road passed through two magnificent wrought-iron gates.
Tall stone pillars stood on either side.
Winged boars perched atop them.
And beneath the gates stood two hooded figures.
Dementors.
Immediately, the familiar chill returned.
Ginny squeaked and buried herself beside Lewis.
At this point, dignity was less important than warmth.
Lewis didn't push her away.
Instead, he stared at the Dementors with a frown.
These creatures were supposedly guarding Hogwarts.
But honestly?
They looked more like toll collectors.
The entrance fee, unfortunately, was a piece of your happiness.
Judging from the reactions of the students ahead, plenty had already paid.
As their carriage approached the gate, Ciri's hand moved instinctively toward her sword.
Lewis stopped her.
Then he raised his wand.
"Extended Magic Circle Against Evil!"
A vast magical barrier expanded outward.
During the summer, Lewis had learned two metamagic techniques from Jaina:
Empower Spell.
Extend Spell.
Now, with Extend Spell enhancing its range, the anti-evil ward covered a huge area around the Hogwarts entrance.
The two Dementors immediately reacted.
They had been preparing to collect another round of tolls.
Instead, they suddenly shot upward as though burned.
If Dementors had feet, it would have felt like stepping barefoot onto red-hot iron.
They flailed wildly through the air.
Only after climbing far above the ward's radius did they finally stop.
By then, both creatures had visibly shrunk to roughly one-third their original size.
A whole day's worth of feeding opportunities—
Gone.
Not only had they failed to eat.
They had actually lost energy.
The Dementors floated overhead furiously.
Yet none dared descend.
Lewis was perfectly satisfied with that outcome.
Even without maintenance, the extended ward would remain active for at least an hour or two.
Long enough for every student to enter Hogwarts safely.
From the carriages behind them, applause began spreading through the crowd.
The new school year had not even officially begun.
And yet Lewis had already become the hero of the first day.
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