CHAPTER TWENTY

The group leaves the Shrieking Shack: Crookshanks leads, Lupin holds Pettigrew at wandpoint with Ron chained to him, Snape floats unconscious under Sirius’s control, and Harry and Hermione follow. During the tense trek, Sirius reveals he is Harry’s godfather and offers Harry a home if cleared, which thrills Harry.

They emerge onto the grounds and head for the castle. Moonlight breaks through, and Hermione realizes Lupin missed his Wolfsbane Potion. Lupin transforms into a werewolf. Sirius immediately transforms into a great dog to protect Ron and Hermione, grappling with the werewolf and drawing it away.

Amid the struggle, Pettigrew seizes Lupin’s dropped wand. He stuns Ron and knocks Crookshanks aside. Harry disarms Pettigrew, but Pettigrew transforms into a rat and escapes through the remaining manacle, fleeing into the grass. The werewolf bolts for the forest; bleeding, Sirius races after it.

Harry and Hermione check Ron, who is alive but unresponsive, with Snape still floating unconscious nearby. Hearing Sirius yelping by the lake, Harry and Hermione run to help. They find Sirius reverted to human, cowering, as a mass of Dementors converges and encircles them.

Harry fights the cold and despair, focusing on living with Sirius, and casts Expecto Patronum. Hermione tries but falters; she collapses. Harry’s Patronus is weak. A Dementor lowers its hood to deliver the Kiss. As Harry is overwhelmed, a brilliant silvery Patronus sweeps in, driving the Dementors away from Sirius, Hermione, and Harry. Through the glare, Harry glimpses a radiant animal gallop across the lake and someone familiar receiving it, then loses consciousness.