Hogwarts: Becoming the White Lord from Breathing

Chapter 181 Dementors

"Clang-clang-clang-"

The train continued steadily northward.

It was pouring rain outside the window, and the windowpane was a thick, sticky gray that gradually deepened until the lights in the hallway and on the luggage rack came on.

The train swayed and rattled, raindrops pattered against the windows, and the wind howled, but Professor Lupin was still asleep.

Inside the carriage, Hermione was sharing an interesting story she had heard with everyone.

"In order to acquire the Hogwarts Express, the Ministry of Magic undertook a massive project involving 167 Obliteration Charms and the largest Hiding Charm in British history. The Muggle railway staff involved felt for the next year that they had misplaced something important."

Some pure-blood families strongly protested, feeling that using things made by Muggles was unsafe, unhygienic, and detrimental to their character.

After the Ministry of Magic stated that students either had to take the train to school or not go at all, the opposition disappeared.

"That's amazing. So, this train was made by Muggles? I thought it was created by magic."

"The pure-blood family members are all just as ridiculous as Malfoy, always contradicting each other."

"Speaking of Malfoy, he's changed quite a bit lately. I remember two years ago, you were supposed to have a duel with him at night, but he didn't even show up."

"Hermione, did you have to bring this up now?"

Ron interrupted her impatiently, while Ginny giggled, finding it quite amusing.

"By the way, Damon, this is my new partner, isn't he cute?"

Hermione suddenly remembered something and fumbled to untie a bag tied to a basket—a large ginger cat easily jumped out of the basket, stretched and yawned, and then jumped onto Ron's lap.

The drumstick in Ron's pocket trembled, and he had to say to Hermione:

"Do you really have to release it at this time? It will scare Scabbers."

As he spoke, he clutched his pocket and softly reassured her:

"It's okay, Banban, I won't let it hurt you."

"I just wanted Damon to get to know it, I didn't mean to hurt your mouse."

Hermione was a little annoyed, but Damon's response immediately cheered her up.

"This cat seems to understand human nature very well."

At this moment, Crookshank had already jumped onto Damon's lap and was affectionately rubbing against his hand.

It's a bit ugly.

Damon didn't say it aloud, but the cat that was affectionately snuggling up to him suddenly froze and silently jumped back to Hermione's spot.

"Yes, I think Crookshank is super smart."

Hermione happily hugged her big cat, even though she hadn't bought it because it was intelligent—Crooked Mountain had been living in the pet shop for quite some time before Hermione bought it, because of its strange appearance.

"Is he smart? I just hope he doesn't hurt Banban."

Ron didn't quite agree with Hermione's point of view and continued to watch Crookshanks warily—as if Crookshanks were staring at Ron's pocket with his yellow eyes.

Just then, the train slowed down.

"We're probably almost there."

Ron leaned forward, glanced out the window where it was now completely dark, and then looked at Professor Lupin. "Do you think we should wake him up?"

"We can't possibly get there."

Hermione glanced at her watch to make sure it wasn't time yet.

"Then why did it stop?"

The train slowed down more and more.

The sound of the wheels quieted down, but the sound of the wind and rain outside the window grew louder.

Harry, being closest to the door, got up to check what was happening in the hallway.

People were peeking out from each of the carriages along the corridor.

"Hmm—?" Damon suddenly sensed something, put down the book in his hand, and stood up.

"W-What's wrong, Damon?"

Seeing that Damon had also stood up, Neville instinctively felt that something was wrong.

"boom!"

The train jolted violently and came to an eerie stop.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

One by one, luggage fell from the overhead racks. With that sound, all the lights suddenly went out, plunging everyone into darkness!

"Snapped."

A snap of fingers rang out in the darkness, and then the room was brightly lit—Damon had somehow acquired a wand, the tip of which shone with a powerful light like a small sun.

The initially panicked young wizards calmed down instantly. Just as they were about to speak, a wary voice came from the corner.

"Um?!"

Lupin, who had been sleeping with his eyes closed, suddenly woke up from his dream when he sensed a powerful source of magic!
When they discovered that the source of this magic was a boy dressed as a student, his expression was somewhat bewildered, and the traces of drool at the corner of his mouth made him look rather comical.

"What happened?" His voice was rough and deep.

A little wizard was stuck to the wall, looking at him with some suspicion.

Something disgusting is coming.

Damon gave a brief reply, picked up his wand, and was about to leave the carriage.

"Wait, something's wrong!"

Lupin instinctively tried to stop the impetuous student, but the light shone on his face, illuminating his tired, ashen face and wary eyes.

In the light, those eyes met those calm, deep blue pupils, and then fell silent.

"I'll be with you."

Lupin followed the unknown boy in silence.

Then he heard the voices of the children in the corner:

"Damon, what happened?"

Damon? That name sounds familiar. Damon White, the master of transformations?!

Lupin quickly associated the name with the Transfiguration master who had risen to fame in the last two years.

Before coming to teach at Hogwarts, he did a lot of research, and naturally knew that the Transfiguration master had studied at Hogwarts.

"Master White? Have you noticed something?"

Lupin followed closely behind Damon and asked warily.

"We're already outside the door."

Damon suddenly emitted a strong fluorescent light, and a dragon-shaped phantom coiled on her shoulder.

"Wow—"

The train carriage doors were suddenly opened.

A cloaked monster, as tall as the ceiling, burst into the train!
His face was completely hidden under his hood. Harry and Ron, who followed Damon out of the carriage, saw a hand emerge from the cloak. The hand was faintly glowing, gray, thin, and scabbed, as if something had died and rotted in water.

As if sensing their gaze, the hand quickly withdrew.

Immediately afterwards, the thing under the headscarf gasped—a very long and slow breath, trembling, as if trying to draw in more than just air from its surroundings.

Everyone felt a chill run through their bodies.

Harry felt his breath catch in his chest.

But the situation got even worse, and a thunderbolt suddenly exploded in his mind!
"roll."

With that sound, the golden dragon roared out and swallowed the mountain-sized black shadow whole!
(End of this chapter)