"Cool!" Ron and Neville stared open-mouthed at the Patronus on Jerry's shoulder. It was so lifelike that it seemed to be a real living creature.
"I bet even Percy couldn't summon a Patronus like that, or he'd never stop showing it off to us! Just like he spent the whole summer holiday at home showing off his Head Boy badge!" Ron said enviously.
Then Ron and Neville couldn't resist reaching out to touch the Patronus on Jerry's shoulder.
But just as their fingertips were about to touch it, the raven Patronus raised its head and gave them a disdainful sidelong glance. Then it spread its wings like an angel and mysteriously vanished from the compartment in a blaze of dazzling light.
Ron and Neville snatched their hands back as though they had been electrocuted. They exchanged glances, then smiled awkwardly, as if everything that had just happened had been their imagination.
"What happened? What's wrong with me?" Just then, Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on his seat aboard the Hogwarts Express. He saw Ginny beside him, supporting him so he wouldn't fall, and his voice held a trace of confusion and surprise.
"Oh, thank you, Ginny!" Harry thanked her with a smile.
"Harry, you're finally awake! How do you feel? Are you all right?" Seeing that Harry had woken up, Ron and Neville hurried over to ask after him, instantly dispelling the awkward atmosphere.
Harry felt dreadful. He raised a trembling hand to push his glasses up his nose, only to discover that his face was drenched in cold sweat.
"Just now... I felt this biting cold, and there was a rushing sound in my ears, as if I'd fallen into water. And... something was dragging me down." Harry frowned, struggling to remember, a trace of pain in his voice.