Outside the car window, those monsters that originally surrounded the Hogwarts Express in groups like a tide retreated.
After a little while again, the train that had lost the monsters' confinement also slowly started.
Along with the train's swaying, Lupin was the first to react. From his tattered pocket, he took out a board of chocolate wrapped in tin foil and distributed it to everyone.
Eating sweets can stimulate dopamine, allowing people to feel a bit of happiness. This can to a large extent help everyone who just had their positive emotions sucked away to recover.
However, the feedback this kind of thing gives to people is ultimately delayed, so for a moment everyone in the compartment was silently chewing chocolate, the atmosphere somewhat dull.
"That, that was what?"
Only after finishing chewing the chocolate in her mouth, Hermione said shakily. Those monsters just now were too terrifying, creating great shadows in her young heart.
"They are Azkaban's guards, a kind of monster called Dementors! They feed on human positive emotions. Wherever they pass by, all people will have their happiness sucked away, and they'll make you recall the most frightening memories."
"The only thing that can repel them is the Patronus Charm."
Emily frowned, explaining with lingering fear, "Why would these monsters appear here? This is the Hogwarts Express!"
"So just now, Professor Lupin, what you released was the Patronus Charm?" Hermione asked with some uncertainty.
Hearing this, Lupin nodded and said, "Exactly."
"Really thank you so much! If it weren't for you, we truly wouldn't know what to do!" Hermione thanked with a face full of reverence.
She originally held about the same thoughts as Emily, feeling that Lupin's appearance really didn't look like someone very capable.
But now she no longer thought that way.
Just now Lupin had used the Patronus Charm to directly drive away a large group of Dementors and protect them.
Such a professor, regardless of his teaching level, at least is not a bad person.
But upon hearing this, Lupin only bitterly smiled and shook his head, his gaze complicated as he looked toward Link not far away.
Lupin himself was clear, the spell he released just now indeed was the Patronus Charm that could drive away Dementors, but in reality, his Patronus Charm didn't have that much power to repel such a large number of Dementors.
So, in fact, those Dementors just now were all forced back by Link.
If possible, he really wanted to directly ask Link the reason behind it, but in the end he held it in.
Everyone has their own exclusive secrets. Since Link had no intention of speaking, he couldn't ask.
Finally giving Link a deep look, Lupin then walked out of the compartment.
Thanks to the Dementors, now all the students on the entire Hogwarts Express had entered a chaotic state.
He, as the only professor on board, at this time had to step up and help the prefects maintain order.
Meanwhile, Link was not concerned with the strange gaze Lupin gave him. At this moment, he was deep in thought with a solemn face.
When the Dementors attacked just now, he was not affected at all. Not only that, he had a kind of feeling like the Dementors opposite him were all trash, that he could tear them apart at will.
This kind of feeling was not the sense of crushing brought by strong conventional strength, but more like a bloodline suppression.
It was as if those Dementors were lower creatures that he could arbitrarily kill, seize, and plunder!
The secrets hidden in his current body seemed to be far more than he had imagined.
Thinking like this, Link frowned and stared at his own palm.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but Link always felt this palm looked extremely similar to the claws stretched out from the inside of the Dementors' cloaks!
Taking a deep breath, throwing away all the wild thoughts in his head, only then did Link embrace the still trembling sled dog Skar curled between his legs and Emily, who was beside him, one on the left and one on the right.
Skar whimpered once and stuffed his head into Link's armpit again, while Emily tightly hugged Link's arm, her body still gently trembling from fear and cold.
This made Link feel a bit distressed. If he could, he really wanted to directly take out a bottle of "Happy Potion" or cast a cheering charm on Emily.
It's a pity he couldn't do that.
The kind of positive emotion loss caused by Dementors could only be recovered through one's own resilience.
Any mysterious magical recovery method currently available would be like "pulling up a seedling to help it grow."
It might improve the temporary situation, but it would cause permanent damage to the recipient.
So Link could only gently stroke Emily's back as comfort.
As for John, this guy claimed to be a man. Although his legs were shaking like a sieve, he still refused Link's comfort.
And on the other side of the compartment, Harry fainted, while Ron was scared into a state almost like the sled dog Skar, so playing the role of Link here was Hermione, who had barely recovered a bit.
She carefully used the levitation charm to lay Harry flat on the table, then saw the scene of Link "left embrace, right cuddle."
This made her a little jealous.
Just at this time, Ron also tremblingly leaned toward her, seemingly wanting a hug and some comfort.
But Hermione, who was in a bad mood, wouldn't indulge him at all. She directly kicked him flying with one foot.
———
Without a word all the way, Link and Hermione's groups both silently recovered from the "injury" caused by the Dementors.
Not long before the train arrived at the station, Harry finally woke up.
Link and the others briefly described the situation regarding the Dementors to him, and then followed the crowd off the train.
At this time, Cedric, who had disappeared for a long time, finally showed up.
He was panting heavily and covered in sweat, looking utterly exhausted.
But after confirming that Link and the others were not seriously harmed, he still quickly ran into the crowd and, together with Professor Lupin and Hagrid, managed the scene at the station.
Seeing his busy appearance, Link and Emily looked at each other and both gave a bitter smile.
Judging from Cedric's situation, being a prefect was far harder than they had imagined.
Now they somewhat didn't want to be prefects anymore. After all, they had the Wizarding Level Exams tomorrow.
After sighing for a while on the spot, the group still lined up and boarded the Thestral carriage, heading toward Hogwarts Castle.
At this time, the heavy rain had already stopped, but the air still held a large amount of moisture.
Emily and Skar, under the caress of the evening breeze, again burrowed into Link's arms.
Link gently sighed, took out a blanket from his Untraceable Extension Pocket and covered the two people and one dog, and also tossed a blanket to John beside him, who was still pretending to be tough, even though his snot was already dripping.
The Thestral carriage sped through the night.
In no time, Link and the others saw the outline of Hogwarts Castle.
But unlike the excitement of the past, this time when they saw the full view of Hogwarts Castle, Link and the others all opened their eyes wide.
Because at this moment, they could clearly see, above the sky of Hogwarts Castle, there were countless Dementors floating.
They flew wantonly and shrieked sharply, practically turning Hogwarts into a ghost city.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y