Chapter 327: Fighting Werewolves and Expelling Dementors
More than an hour later, a full moon peeked in and out of the clouds.
Sirius, Pettigrew, and Lupin slowly emerged from the tree hollow, followed by Snape and Aaron, and finally, Hermione, Harry, and Ron.
"Abey," Aaron explained to the somewhat bewildered and confused Dragon in his arms, "This is the power of time. I am from three hours in the future."
Abey froze for a moment, his large eyes scanning back and forth between his two masters several times before he grudgingly accepted the fact.
"Aaron, is it okay to tell him?" Harry asked, a little worried.
"It would be a problem if I didn't tell him," Aaron rolled his eyes.
"Exactly," Hermione said. "Abey already saw us under the Whomping Willow. If we don't explain it clearly, a Dragonthrowing a tantrum would ruin everything."
Hearing this, Harry was instantly speechless.
"Later, once the situation is stable, you can go and save them," Aaron said solemnly to Abey. "Professor Snape, heal him well, the kind that gets completely better after a good night's sleep.
As for Ron Weasley, it's enough if he can walk. You can gauge it yourself."
Harry's eye twitched slightly. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Howl!
Moonlight shone on everyone's faces, and Professor Lupintransformed into a Werewolf.
Snape drew his wand, and just as he was about to act, three Expelliarmus spells knocked him flying.
"It's very appropriate. He didn't hold back when he attacked Professor Snape.
As a Slytherin, I guarantee that his leg being mostly fine already shows I'm letting bygones be bygones," Aaron said, setting Abey down and letting him act as he saw fit.
At this moment, the Werewolf had already defeated the large Black dog and was about to claw him when the past Harry Potter hit the Werewolf's head with a stone, successfully attracting his attention.
"Harry," Aaron shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "I know you're worried about Sirius, but you should also pay a little attention to your own safety!"
"I didn't think that much at the time," Harry said, both scared and resolute. "I only knew I couldn't just watch Siriusdie.
He's my godfather, and my only true family in this world."
"Alright! It's a good thing you weren't too far from me at the time. If it had truly come to a critical moment, I..."
"Howl!!!"
Before Aaron could finish speaking, Hermione next to him took a deep breath and howled like a wolf.
The Werewolf had just reached Harry when he heard the 'fellow's' cry. He decisively abandoned his current prey and ran towards the direction of the sound.
"What are you doing, Hermione?" Harry asked, stunned.
"I'm saving your life."
"Actually, you didn't need to do that," Aaron said, patting his forehead speechlessly. "I was just about to make my move."
"I didn't know that," Hermione said righteously.
"He's charging at us!" Harry gasped, watching the furious Werewolf getting closer and closer.
"I didn't expect that. Run..."
"No need," Aaron calmly waved his hand. "It's just a Werewolf; it's not like I can't beat it."
"This is no time for jokes!" Hermione said incoherently, grabbing Aaron's hand and trying to run deeper into the Forbidden Forest, but she pulled several times without moving him.
Aaron shrugged, calmly freeing her right hand. "If you don't trust me, you can go first."
Hermione and Harry exchanged glances, then, under immense psychological pressure, stayed behind.
"Roar!"
"Dragon's Iron Fist."
The Werewolf opened its mouth wide to bite, while Aaronleaped high, his right fist, wreathed in flames, smashing hard into its jaw.
Bang!
A red fiery arc streaked across, and the Werewolf flew sideways for more than ten meters, crashing heavily against a tree, several fangs mixed with blood spraying into the mud.
A moment later, the Werewolf got up, roaring madly at Aaron.
"Hmph! Looks like I hit it too lightly."
Aaron cracked his knuckles, and crimson flames surged in his hands.
He charged forward, unleashing a furious barrage on the Werewolf.
The Werewolf had virtually no ability to retaliate, pinned against the tree and pummeled.
Its head, body, limbs, every part of its front made intimate contact with the flames.
"Whimper, whimper..."
The Werewolf lay on the ground, letting out pitiful whimpers, looking even more miserable than a starving stray dog.
"Scram."
At that word, a flicker of light appeared in the Werewolf's eyes. It dragged its half-healed body, staggered to its feet, and dejectedly walked deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Harry and Hermione watched this scene, dumbfounded, utterly bewildered.
They had imagined Aaron would use some powerful magicto subdue the Werewolf, but they never expected him to simply and brutally use his fists, nor did they expect him to actually win with his fists.
"Uh... don't tell Professor Lupin," Aaron said, a little embarrassed. "He's a dedicated and good teacher, and it would sound a bit bad for him to be beaten up by me, his student."
The two looked at each other, then nodded blankly.
"Just now..." Hermione opened her mouth. "That couldn't have been an ordinary punch, could it?"
"Otherwise?" Aaron rolled his eyes. "That was a Werewolf! If I just used my fists without any magic, it would probably take another half minute to beat him into submission."
Hermione:... "What kind of magic was that? I've never seen it in any book."
"It's good that you haven't seen it," Aaron waved his hand, saying earnestly, "This is magic lost to history. I paid a great price to learn it."
It took a huge amount of magic points, the sacrifice of a ferocious Dragon, and enduring the Pain! of being consumed by flames to barely become a Dragon Magician.
This experience is enough to fill a book; for ordinary people, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a legend.
"Poor Lupin, this night has been really tough for him," Harrysighed.
At this moment, the three suddenly felt a chill. Looking up, countless Dementors flew over, obscuring the moonlight in the sky.
"Black," Harry's expression changed dramatically as he thought of his godfather. "Quick, let's go."
He ran furiously, leading the two to the lakeside.
On the opposite bank was a unconscious Sirius Black, and Harry Potter using the Patronus Charm to ward off the Dementors.
However, the white misty energy could only block the attacks of one or two Dementors. As more and more dark figures appeared, the silver glow grew dimmer and dimmer, quickly extinguishing.
A Dementor flew over Harry's head, making a hissing sound, followed by Harry's shrill scream.
"Pretty scary, huh?" Aaron smacked his lips. "Harry, I have to admit, your father's generation really didn't lack talent.
Sirius being able to stay sane after twelve years in Azkaban—his willpower is truly strong."
"Because he's innocent," Harry said.
"I don't deny it, but this scene, let alone the innocent, even the holy couldn't withstand it!"
"Don't worry, someone will come. He will cast the Patronus Charm and save you," Hermione said, summoning her courage.
"Hurry!" Harry looked at the spot where the figure appeared in his memory, muttering, "Hurry up and come!"
Ah!
The past Harry Potter screamed again, looking on the verge of collapse.
But even more tragic was Sirius Black; the Dementors' attack on him was much more intense than on Harry.
A fragile, bluish-white speck of light floated out of his mouth, slowly rising.
"Is that a soul?" Aaron said in surprise. It was his first time seeing this type of soul; it looked incredibly fragile.
"Why isn't he here yet?"
Hermione said anxiously. By this point, she had lost her confidence.
If that Wizard didn't appear soon, Black's soul would be devoured by the Dementors, and even Harry would be in grave danger.
Aaron was also conflicted about whether to intervene. With 800 magic points on the line, he really couldn't just stand by and watch Sirius die.
"Motherfucker!"
The moment the past Harry fell unconscious, Aaron finally made his decision, leaping out from the trees.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A silver raven flew from the tip of his wand. It let out a clear cry and swiftly flew towards the unconscious Harry Potterand Sirius Black. Layers of brilliant silver light then spread in all directions, covering several hundred meters, visible even to the few people near the Whomping Willow.
Facing such powerful and restraining magic, the Dementors were caught off guard and scattered in panic.
As the Dementors disappeared, that fragile glimmer of light returned to Sirius's mouth.
Having completed its task, the silver raven flew back, obediently perching on Aaron's shoulder.
Aaron stroked the raven's feathers, then turned to look at the two, whose eyes were practically popping out. "I knew this Patronus Charm felt familiar; turns out it was cast by me."
"You... this..." Hermione opened her mouth, wanting to speak but unable to. "How did you do that?"
"I already know the Patronus Charm. Isn't it natural to drive away Dementors?
You absolutely must keep this a secret. I don't want everyone to know."
"But these weren't just one or two Dementors!" Harryswallowed, incredulous. "You drove away hundreds of Dementors, and the range of your Patronus Charm was a bit too large!"
"Dumbledore also cast a Patronus Charm with the same effect at the Quidditch Pitch," Hermione said with a complex expression. "But he's the Principal, the recognized strongest white Magician, and you..."
Hermione wanted to say that this wasn't something a third-Class Wizard could do, but looking at the silver raven on Aaron's shoulder, she couldn't say anything.
Aaron then realized he had been too showy this time. With a thought, the raven on his shoulder dissolved into specks of light, and he himself stumbled, almost losing his balance and falling to the ground.
"Are you alright?" Hermione and Harry immediately helped him up.
"Severe magic exhaustion. I'll probably need to rest for a night," Aaron said weakly.
"Really?" A hint of suspicion flashed in Hermione's eyes. Why did it feel like he was acting?
"Of course it's real," Aaron said, looking weary, raising his right hand. "If you don't believe me, take a look."
Hermione paused, realizing Aaron wasn't wearing his magic-sealing ring, which meant he had gone all out this time. This explanation was plausible.