Dementors

"I really feel sorry for certain people who have to spend Christmas at Hogwarts."

"They must be heartbroken at being abandoned by their families! Unable to be with their loved ones, never having known the warmth of a home—every time the Christmas bells ring, they must feel such deep loneliness and the pain of being forgotten!"

Malfoy kept his eyes fixed on Harry as he spoke, his gaze brimming with malice.

Crabbe and Goyle snickered beside him, the two lackeys eagerly echoing Malfoy's taunts.

Harry was concentrating on his potion and ignored them.

Since the Quidditch match, Draco Malfoy's attitude toward Harry Potter had grown increasingly bitter.

He had expected Potter to humiliate himself in that match, but the exact opposite had happened. Not only had Harry turned things around, he had led the Gryffindor Quidditch Team to victory over Slytherin.

That had left Malfoy frustrated and filled with envy and jealousy toward Harry, so he had resorted to mocking Harry's family instead.

After hearing Malfoy's words, Ron cleared his throat and said loudly, "Harry, you were absolutely brilliant in that last Quidditch match!" He then paused deliberately and glanced at Malfoy, a provocative smile tugging at his lips.

Harry understood exactly what Ron was doing. "It wasn't that hard. Slytherin weren't exactly formidable opponents," he said casually. His words were full of easy confidence, as though he barely considered them worth his attention.

Seeing this, Ron seized the opportunity to sneer, "Harry, you're only a first-year, but you're the first student to play Quidditch in your first year. Some people are practically going mad with jealousy, but it's no use. They just don't have your talent! Isn't that right, Malfoy?"

Their words were like a sharp sword thrust straight into Malfoy's heart.

Harry and Ron felt a surge of satisfaction as they watched Malfoy grit his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.

"If you keep making a racket in my classroom, I'll throw all of you out!"

Snape's voice suddenly rang out beside them, making them all jump. Harry and Malfoy both ducked their heads and immediately fell silent.

Once Snape had moved away, Harry whispered to Ron, "I really hate Snape and Malfoy!"

Time flew by, and before they knew it, the Christmas holidays had arrived.

Jerry packed his luggage early and went to the Great Hall to look for Hermione.

The Great Hall had already been decorated for the occasion. Colored lights glittered on the Christmas trees, and warmth from the hearth filled the air. Jerry searched the crowd for Hermione, certain that she would have arrived early too.

Before long, he spotted Hermione standing beside a Christmas tree, smiling at him. A faint blush colored her cheeks, and her face shone with anticipation. Warmth welled up in Jerry's heart as he walked toward her, their eyes meeting.

"Hermione, you look really beautiful today," Jerry said with a smile.

"Thank you, Jerry," Hermione replied, smiling too. "You look very nice as well."

After taking Hermione's luggage from her, Jerry said goodbye to Harry and the others, who were playing wizard's chess at a long table.

"Goodbye, Harry, Ron, Neville. And don't forget to spend some time in the library looking for books on alchemy over the holidays. If anything comes up, send me a letter by owl!"

Before leaving, Jerry gave Harry another nudge. Christmas had arrived, which meant Harry would soon receive the Invisibility Cloak. It was time he got moving and explored the Restricted Section.

Jerry and Hermione dragged their luggage to the busy station, where the Hogwarts Express was already waiting.

Just as they were about to board, a familiar, booming voice suddenly rang out across the station.

"Keep hold of your luggage, board in an orderly fashion, and watch your step!"

Hearing that voice, Jerry immediately looked over and saw Hagrid's towering figure standing nearby.

Jerry waved to Hagrid on the platform and called, "Goodbye, Hagrid! Have a wonderful Christmas!"

"Goodbye, Jerry! You two enjoy your holiday as well. Merry Christmas!" Hagrid replied in his distinctive, deep voice.

When Hagrid waved back, Jerry and Hermione exchanged knowing smiles, quickly gathered their luggage, and boarded the Hogwarts Express in an orderly fashion.

Once aboard, Jerry began looking for a suitable compartment. Fortunately, he soon found an empty one.

Jerry quickly stowed his and Hermione's luggage. Before long, the train started moving, slowly pulling out of the station and heading toward King's Cross Station in London.

The compartment was spacious and comfortable, with a soft carpet underfoot. Outside the window, the scenery shifted constantly as the train traveled on.

Perhaps it was the warmth and comfort of the compartment, which made it so easy to relax, but not long after boarding, Hermione felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. She rested her head gently on Jerry's shoulder and quietly fell asleep.

Listening to Hermione's breathing, Jerry felt a tender warmth well up inside him.

He carefully adjusted his position to make sure Hermione could rest comfortably, then quietly watched the changing scenery outside and listened to the sound of the moving train. In that peaceful, comfortable setting, Jerry gradually began to feel very sleepy himself.

As the sky darkened, Jerry woke to a chilling cold.

He glanced at Hermione, who was curled up beside him, then patted her shoulder and called softly, "Wake up, Hermione!"

Hermione slowly opened her eyes and yawned, then suddenly sneezed. A puff of white mist escaped her mouth.

The cold air around her stung her hands like needles.

After rubbing her hands together to try to warm herself up a little, Hermione looked up at Jerry and found him frowning.

Hermione felt puzzled and surprised. The temperature in the compartment did not usually drop so quickly.

"Why has it gotten so cold in here?" Hermione asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

Jerry glanced at the window, which had begun to ice over. Realizing that the temperature in the compartment was still plummeting, he prepared to get up and investigate.

As he slowly opened the door to the corridor, a gust of freezing air struck his face.

The moment Jerry stepped out of the compartment into the corridor, he heard a piercing scream from up ahead.

The sound was like a sharp knife scraping across ice, sending a shudder through his heart.

Before Jerry could react, a figure in black robes suddenly appeared before him, like a ghost that had emerged from hell.

A Dementor!!