Just as Lupin finished inspecting all the carriages and turned to walk back to carriage number four, the doors of the entire train suddenly emitted a creaking, ear-piercing scraping sound.
A withered, gray, and scabbed hand slowly reached in through the crack in the door, and the deathly gray hand slowly pulled open the carriage door.
The same scene unfolded in every carriage: the doors were silently pulled open, revealing the dark figures beneath the hoods.
Illuminated by the light of the wand and the warm flame in Lupin, everyone finally saw the monster's full form...
The thing was draped in a waterlogged, rotten black robe, its body so tall it almost reached the ceiling, its face completely empty.
It had no eyes or nose, only a dark abyss, and its body emanated a chilling aura that could freeze you to the bone.
The withered hand slowly retracted into the cloak, and the Dementor stood silently at the doorway. Panic erupted instantly inside the carriage.
Younger Muggle-born wizards don't recognize Dementor, so they have no idea what they are.
He felt the suffocating, cold, and terrifying aura emanating from that thing engulf his chest like a tidal wave.
"What is that?!"
What is it going to do?!
"Don't come any closer!"
Some screamed and shrank to the back of the box, clinging tightly to their companions; others collapsed to the ground, their wands clattering to the floor; a first-year wizard was so frightened he cried, his teeth chattering, knowing only that this thing could freeze a person to death.
They were shouting frantically.
Students in slightly older grades who knew or had heard of Dementor instantly turned pale, their pupils contracted sharply, and the air was filled with gasps of shock.
The older Slytherin whispered, " Dementor! The Wardens of Azkaban!"
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students who had heard the legend felt a chill run down their spines and their faces stiffened. They knew this thing could suck away happiness and devour souls, and was more terrifying than any spell.
Panic is no longer the fear of the unknown.
It is the fear of knowing there is no hope!
Cho Chang and Emock simultaneously recoiled, their backs pressed tightly against the wall of the private room. Their faces were ashen, and their fingers gripped each other's arms tightly.
Cho Chang's lips were slightly pale, and his voice trembled. "That's... Dementor... from Azkaban..."
Emock's pupils trembled; she couldn't utter a single word, feeling all the warmth drain from her body, and fear gripping her heart.
Hermione tightened her grip on her wand, a chill creeping up her fingers and spreading throughout her body, causing a tightness in her stomach.
That was the tremor of facing the instincts of creatures in the dark.
" Draco, why didn't the train's protective barrier activate? How could it open the door so easily?"
Draco held Hermione tightly by the shoulder, his eyes fixed steadily on the Dementor at the door, and whispered reassuringly:
"Don't panic, the barrier won't fail. It will activate immediately the moment it steps in."
The Dementor outside the door seemed to be deliberately manipulating emotions; they didn't rush in, but stood quietly, releasing an overwhelming sense of despair and coldness.
The students' fear, panic, and pain were erupting like a rich fragrance, which they were enjoying.
After absorbing the overwhelming emotions, the Dementor at the front finally drifted onto the train, ready to violently inhale them.
Lupin frowned, raised his wand, and prepared to cast the Patronus Charm.
Meanwhile, Lucius's men, hidden in each carriage, tensed up, wands concealed in their sleeves, ready for battle.
But the next second!
With a whoosh!
A powerful, pale golden barrier instantly spread out from carriage number four, Hogwarts Express!
"Bang--!"
All the Dementor who had just stepped into the carriage were thrown back violently as if they had crashed into an invisible, solid barrier.
It crashed heavily onto the muddy ground beside the railway tracks, its black robe billowing and emitting a piercing screech.
They staggered and floated up, their hollow faces gasping for breath as they faced the train, seemingly filled with shock, anger, and resentment.
They tried to approach again and again, but were repelled by the barrier, and the icy aura could no longer penetrate the carriage.
The younger students, still shaken by what they saw, gasped for breath, slumped in their seats, tears still streaming down their faces, but finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both bewildered and fortunate.
The older students were shocked, unable to believe that there was such a powerful protective barrier on the train.
Cho Chang and Emock covered their mouths to keep from screaming, patting their chests in relief. Hermione's tense shoulders finally relaxed.
Draco's lips curled into a cold smile as he calmly withdrew his gaze, his arm around Hermione's shoulder tightening slightly.
Crookshanks's agitated fur gradually subsided, but he remained wary, staring out the window and emitting low snoring sounds, as if declaring. "Don't come near here."
Lupin stood in the corridor, watching the pale golden barrier that instantly spread out and firmly protected the entire train.
My brain has completely shut down!
The Patronus Charm, which was already poised to be unleashed, abruptly stopped on the tip of the tongue.
The wand's flame was still burning, reflecting the shock on his face, as well as deep contemplation.
Having boarded the train early, he knew all too well how weak the Hogwarts Express's standard protective measures were.
They were all too aware of the Dementor ' penetrating power.
But the barrier in front of us was clearly not set up by the school, nor could it be set up by an ordinary wizard.
At this moment, the hands hidden in each carriage simultaneously straightened up, and their voices clearly echoed throughout the entire train:
"By order of Mr. Malfoy, an anti -Dementor protective array has been set up here to ensure the safety of all students!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the carriage fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an uproar.
The younger students breathed a sigh of relief; although their legs were still weak, they dared to lift their heads and catch their breath.
They all whispered their relief:
"We're saved..."
"So it was a protective barrier..."
For the first time, many people felt a sense of gratitude towards the name " Malfoy ".
The older students who knew about Dementor were both surprised and amazed, their eyes filled with complex emotions: the Malfoy family had actually been able to foresee this and silently set up such a powerful barrier on the express train.
Goyle Vincent, Draco's underlings, straightened their backs simultaneously.
Lupin gazed at the barrier, then at the people who had revealed their identities. His expression remained gentle, but now held a deeper meaning.
He nodded and said to the people nearby, "Thank you for your hard work."
With this protective barrier in place, the students are indeed safe.
He knew very well that this was the Malfoy family ' arrangement, and while their intentions may not have been entirely selfless, the result protected everyone.
With Dementor lurking around, arguing about positions is pointless; student safety comes first.
Hermione looked at the golden barrier and heard the man in black announce that it was set up by the Malfoy family, and instantly understood everything.
He had everything planned out from the very beginning.
Cho Chang patted his chest, let out a long sigh of relief, and belatedly looked at Draco:
"No wonder you weren't flustered at all just now; you knew there was a protective barrier all along."