Chapter 57: Helping Each Other

It was almost dinner time and Chris was still in her dirty muddy robes, and thinking Madam Pomfrey will not like it, she changed her plan and first went to Gryffindor tower for a shower. 

A great burst of applause greeted her in the Gryffindor tower. Every Gryffindor congratulated her for winning the match, Angelina had told everyone that scoring more without the help of Snitch was Chris's idea. Wood practically lifted her from the ground in happiness. After hearing the clapping and chanting, Chris finally entered her bathroom and took a shower. 

When she came downstairs after changing, she saw Ginny was back and was looking better; and Fred, George, Angelina and Wood dragged Chris and Ginny to the Great Hall for celebration. 

After a while, Chris made an excuse of being tired, took some dessert and sneaked out of the Great Hall. 

In the Hospital Wing, Harry was sitting alone in his bed, staring at the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. Chris sat beside the bed and gave him the dessert. 

"No thanks. I'm not hungry," Harry said and tried to smile but failed miserably. 

"Desserts aren't for hunger. Desserts are for improving mood, which you really need right now," Chris said. 

Harry didn't say anything and just looked down. 

Chris sighed. 

"I know Harry, a broom can be the nearest thing to someone's heart. I love my Firebolt too. Ginny look after hers like it's a kid," Chris said. Harry was still silent. Chris put the dessert away. "Fine you don't wanna talk. Don't talk. I get it." 

The silence stretched for a long time. Almost fifteen minutes, Chris guessed. 

"Ok. Bye then." She said finally as she got up.

"I saw the grim. . . again." Harry's voice was a little more than a whisper but Chris heard him. 

"The grim? Professor Trelawney's grim?" Chris sounded as normal as possible and sat down again. 

"Yes. It's a big black dog. I saw it before when I left the Durselys' house. Then — today — at the stand." 

"Do you think today's accident happened because of the grim?" Chris knew that's not the reason but she didn't want to lecture him, right now. "What happened before? When you saw the black dog?" 

"I had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus." 

"Oh! The wizarding bus?" 

"Yes." Harry sighed. "I don't know Chris, it's because of that dog or not but —" 

"You are scared?" 

"No. . ." Harry almost shouted then said, "Yes. I guess I am. I felt horrible when those Dementors attacked me today. I —" 

Chris held Harry's hand and gave a light squeeze. 

"Tell me." 

Harry took a deep breath, "Remember I told you all last time, I heard someone screaming. . . I heard them again. . . But this time it was clear. . . When the Dementors approached me, I heard the last moments of my mother's life, her attempts to protect me, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her. . ." 

Harry was shaking badly, Chris hugged him tightly, after a few moments he calmed down and hugged her back. At last, he whispered only one word, "Thanks."

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend, Chris visited him a few times. Sunday evening when she was returning from the Hospital wing, someone called her. She looked back and saw Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff team captain. Yesterday she didn't notice him much because of the rain and the match, now Chris admitted he was really good looking as Angelina mentioned.

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"Hey," He said smiling. 

"Hi," replied Chris without any kind of expression. 

"Well. . . Chris, right?" 

"Yeah. Christina Norton, but Chris is fine." 

"Cedric Diggory." He held his hand out. 

"I know, you're the Hufflepuff team captain," Chris said shaking hands. 

"Yes and you're chaser in Gryffindor, I heard from my team. You were really great, I even saw you a few times while playing." 

"Thanks? I guess." 

"Yeah, so I wanted to ask — how is Potter?" 

"He is much better now. He'll be out tomorrow." 

"Great. Look I really didn't understand what happened there, if I had seen Potter before, then I would've helped him from those Dementors." 

"It's fine, Cedric. No one could've helped him." 

"But you did." 

"What?" Chris asked surprised. 

"I mean I saw you dragging him away from the Dementors." 

"Yeah. I did that. Didn't know how — it just — happened." Chris lied. 

Diggory nodded. 

"Ok. See you then. Good night." 

"See you later. Good night." Chris said and hurriedly left. 

She didn't want to tell anyone about her talk with Dames before she found out the whole thing going around her. 

'I've to meet Professor Lupin.' 

Next day after lunch they had Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but Chris always liked the Transfiguration class, so she didn't have any problems in that class. They had the class with Ravenclaws, so the three of them sat with Luna. They were supposed to be turning beetles into buttons. Chris and Ginny were the first to do so in class. Luna did after few times but Colin had big problems. He gave his beetle a lot of exercises as it scuttled over the desktop avoiding his wand. After a long a transfiguration class, Chris lied to her friends that Professor Lupin had asked her to meet after class and left towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, hoping that he would be still there. Chris didn't want to go to the staff room. 

"You made that Dementor on the train back off," Chris heard Harry's voice, as she came close to the classroom door. 

Chris peaked inside and saw Harry with Professor Lupin. A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's grey hairs and the lines on his young face. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes. 

"There are – certain defences one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist." 

"What defences?" said Harry at once. "Can you teach me?" 

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Harry – quite the contrary. . ." Lupin said wryly.

"But if the Dementors come to the Quidditch match again, I need to fight them off." 

"I think that's the thing I need to learn," Chris whispered. 

But it was a little louder as Professor Lupin's voice came soon after that, "Who's there?" 

Chris sighed and entered the class. 

"It's me, Professor. I wanted to talk to you," Chris said and saw a bit of relief on Harry's face. "But when I saw Harry with you, I was just leaving —" 

"Yes? What do you want to talk about?" Lupin asked seriously. 

"Er. . . same as Harry, Professor, to learn the defence of fighting Dementors." Chris said. 

"I don't know where this is coming from, Christina, but you're just in your second year," Lupin said sharply. "I can not teach you this much-advanced magic." 

Chris's face fell, "I'm sorry Professor. I just thought it's a good thing as the Dementors are roaming around us. I came here to ask you if I can at least try. Sorry." 

Chris looked down and tried to leave. 

"Professor! Chris helped me on the field, do you know?" Harry said suddenly. Lupin and Chris both looked at Harry, he continued, "I mean the Dementors are a problem to everyone. So we both can at least try to learn, can't we?" 

Chris gave a small smile to Harry, then looked determined as much as Harry. Lupin looked at both of their faces, hesitated, then said, "Well. . . all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."