Dementors were a British specialty; there were 257 of them in total.
And tonight, every last one of them had appeared outside the school.
McGonagall and Lupin cast Patronus Charms as they hurried over, while Snape wore a look of undisguised schadenfreude.
Even with the cat and wolf Patronuses joining the fight, the Dementors that had been blasted away kept charging at the ground like mad, even when their bodies were riddled with holes.
Sirius knelt on one knee, one hand firmly pressing down on Peter Pettigrew's head while the other held his wand and directed the great dog Patronus.
The Dementors' army was after him, but he had no intention of surrendering without a fight.
He had finally caught the real traitor, finally met his godson Harry. There were still so many things he wanted to do.
A wave of magical energy spread from the tip of the Red Oak wand, and the great dog Patronus abruptly grew twice as large.
It roared, tearing apart the Dementors before it with its claws.
Hermione was also struggling to hold on.
Unlike Vincent, she was not completely immune to their effects. Her pale little face was full of stubborn resolve.
By the time McGonagall and Lupin arrived, the Dementors were already practically upon them.
"Harry? Ron?" Lupin hurried anxiously over to the two of them.
This was not like that Quidditch match. The Dementors had now confirmed Sirius's whereabouts and were attacking with all their strength.
Harry and Ron were in terrible shape, trembling all over with quivering lips, on the verge of losing consciousness.
Lupin reached into his pocket, took out a piece of chocolate, and broke it in half.
"Professor Lupin! Behind you!"
The instant Vincent's warning left his mouth, a Dementor that had broken through the line passed