Although the characters where made by myself, the idea of Wizards and Dementors, and also the setting of Hogwarts, are the creations of J.K Rowling. I do not take any credit for using her ideas in this fan fiction.


DEMENTED
Chapter One-Searching
The air was cool that morning, the air was crisp and a breeze swept through the garden. The pine trees shifted slightly, but the scene was not obscured by the painter. On his canvas was the garden as it was now, a large ground with a lake, pine trees and the moon shining its pale silver light everywhere.
Damero Vinski was a man who lived alone in this mansion-that is, he was the only human. The town of Helsinki was very far north, the Vinski Mansion was situated in Southern Finland. To a normal Muggle’s eye, it was just an expanse of grass-no lake or trees could be seen, no mansion five stories tall, not even the figures in black that drifted slowly around the sky.
Damero was painting to clear his mind; he had been searching for a year now. He had roamed Europe for the special Wizard who was Demented-a rare blood line that showed up in very few people. After a year of searching endlessly, he had decided to return to the Vinski Mansion to unwind.
Damero looked up at the Dementor who had just returned from Western Europe. It glided through the dark sky and landed in front of him, hovering. The air became chilled-not that Damero could tell. Damero opened his mouth and began to let out a long rattling sound. This was, in fact, the language of the Dementors.
“I hope you found something. You know how disappointed I will be if you give back bad news,” Damero said raising his wand slightly.
The Dementor did not reply, but simply pointed vaguely into the southwest.
Damero rolled his eyes. Of course, another Dementor that was uncertain about speaking to a human, no matter how Demented he or she was. “I need to know where you stupid creature.”
Resisting the urge to Kiss him, the Dementor let out a single hiss like rattle.
Damero’s eyes twinkled with glee. At last, the young Witch or Wizard who was also Demented like he.
The Dementor’s rattle could not be directly translated, but Damero knew what the Dementor had said exactly.
Hogwarts.



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Dara Farrell sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room, slowly making his way through his Charms homework. Beside him was his friend, Chloe Hodgins, who had become her friend in first year after she had rescued Dara from failing Trasfiguration by helping him study. It wasn’t that Dara didn’t like the work, being Muggle-born in fascinated him; all of the Wizarding subjects and magic. Dara was a very imaginative boy, who loved to daydream and write stories. Chloe was much keener on studying for her subjects.

Dara’s other friends, Rachel Thorne and Ari Spencer, were currently elsewhere in the castle of Hogwarts. Rachel was a Ravenclaw like himself and Chloe, but Ari was a Gryffindor. Judging by how they were, they were either in the library with Rachel reading about music, or in the Great Hall so Ari could act random around the other students.

It was a couple of weeks ago since Dara’s third year of Hogwarts had begun. He had stayed in Ari’s house so his mother could help them shop in Diagon Alley-mostly to Dara’s benefit rather than Ari’s. While in the Spencer household, Dara had learned about a killer on the loose-Sirius Black, who supposedly worked with You-Know-Who (Lord Voldemort). Then, Dementors had stopped the Hogwarts Express, and now the retched creatures were floating around the entrances, making Dara feel unnecessarily miserable whenever he walked by.
When Dara finally finished his homework, Chloe was already waiting for him, reading through her Care of Magical Creatures book.

“Finally, you’re done. Would it kill you to concentrate?” Chloe laughed. Dara was very glad to have Chloe as a friend, always reminding him in class to focus and making him laugh alongside Rachel. Chloe had blue eyes and brown hair, which she had cut thus making her angry at herself for cutting it. Chloe was also a fantastic Witch, once gently stunning Draco Malfoy after calling Dara a Mud blood.

Chloe and Dara stood up and began to walk towards the library, hopefully to Rachel and Ari. On the way, Dara decided to talk about Dementors.

“It’s very strange,” Dara said, “that Dementors be allowed stop our train. Also, every time I feel like going to look over the lake, I suddenly relive the feelings when my granny died.”

“Well, Hogwarts is strange. Remember is First Year, when we discovered the Troll outside the Potions classroom, which nearly killed Rachel. Not to mention when you were petrified last year by the Basilisk?” Chloe replied, remembering visiting Dara in the Hospital Wing, frozen solid...

The two had slowly made their way towards the library, where they stopped reliving the past and realised they were there. Chloe scanned the room for Rachel or Ari when she saw one, Rachel. She was sitting down reading about the Weird Sisters. Dara followed Rachel to her.
“Rachel? Why are you here? Aren’t we supposed to be going over palmistry for Divination this afternoon?” Chloe asked.

“Divination is stupid Chloe, as if I could tell you what you’ll get for Christmas by looking at your hands,” Rachel replied, laughing. Rachel had shoulder length brown hair with brown eyes. She nearly always had a book and had an unnatural knack for Transfiguration and Charms.

“Rachel is Ari here?” asked Dara, hoping he didn’t have to listen to girl-talk again.

“Yeah, he’s over in the history section. I think he’s looking for a book on Goblins or something like that,” Rachel said, getting up and leaving with Chloe.

“See you at the Great Hall,” called Chloe.

Dara waved and began to make his way around the library, weaving in between the many bookshelves with books of all shapes and sizes. He knew that Ari left things for the last minute, and hoped that one day Ari would listen to him and do it beforehand.

Like always, Dara began to let his mind wander. Sirius Black was on the loose, and he knew how big it was for him to be out of Azkaban. News telling people to beware had even made it to the Muggle world, where he came from. Dara wondered about living in the Wizarding world like Ari did. He remembered how amazing his house was-the amazing creatures, his magical family and of course all of the magical trinkets his mother had. Yes, the Spencers were a very old pure-blooded Wizarding family, but the likes of the snobby families like the Malfoys considered them ‘Blood Traitors’-those who consorted with Muggles and supported Muggle-born rights...

Dara stopped as he heard a gate clang far behind him. He had accidently made his way into the Restricted Section, where students were not allowed to go. Once again his mind had led him astray and into possible danger. He was about to turn back when he heard the voices of Albus Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. It sounded as if they were getting closer, so he hid in the bookshelves. Moving the books apart, he gasped silently as he saw the two professors in the aisle beside him.

Dumbledore was speaking quietly, but just loud enough for Dara to hear:

“The Dementors did not enter the grounds accidentally Minerva. They were searching for something, a person I am guessing.”

“But Headmaster, who would the Dementors want? Not Harry Potter?”

“No Minerva, I believe that Mister Potter was not the target, or they would have taken him during the Quidditch match. I believe that one of our students may be Demented. That would mean the Dementors are acting under the orders of Damero Vinski, one of the greatest Dark Wizards of our time, with the exception of Lord Voldemort of course.”

“But Headmaster, surely we need to rid the castle of-”

“I tried Minerva. Unfortunately, Cornelius thinks the Dementors are the only thing keeping Black away from our castle. I tried to persuade him, but the Ministry of Magic will not allow it.”
“Who Albus...Who could the target be?”

“I do not have the knowledge of Dementors or Demented beings to make an accurate guess. I need to speak to Remus or even Severus.”

“Very well. I shall put up defences in the Common Rooms for extra protection.”

“Thank you Professor McGonagall.”

As McGonagall left, Dara could have sworn Dumbledore looked in his direction. But the Headmaster merely walked away. When Dara exited the Restricted Section, he ran in to Ari, who was carrying books on House-Elves.

“What’s wrong Dara? You look really pale,” Ari said, a bit of concern in his voice. Dara glanced into his blue eyes and long blond hair.

“Ari, I think we need to do some research...”

Chapter Three-An Unforeseen Encounter

For the past three days, Dara had pondered the conversation he heard between McGonagall and Dumbledore. The one word that puzzled him was Demented. He knew the Muggle meaning, but he had learned that in the Wizarding world Muggle ways did not apply. Of course, he had asked Ari, who was pure-blood, Rachel, who had a Wizard father and Chloe, whose parents were both magical. Strangely enough, they didn’t know another meaning except ‘messed up’ or along those lines. Dara knew that Dumbledore did not mean it like this.
He had checked the library, but nothing he found made sense of the new term in his mind. Ari was also slightly intrigued, but Chloe and Rachel couldn’t really care less. Ari had sent a letter home to his mother Monica, but she was lost as well.
Dara sat in the Transfiguration classroom, at the back beside Ari. Beside their table were Rachel and Chloe. Rachel was having great success with transfiguring her orange shoulder bag into a snake. Chloe’s bag covered in small smiley faces was now a rabbit, with different coloured smiley faces all over it.
“It’s just strange, that Dumbledore said that one of the Muggle-borns could be Demented. He looked worried...” Dara said tapping his tiny orange bag but nothing worked.
“You’re a Muggle-born Dara, are you Demented,” Ari asked suspiciously.
“No! What are the chances?”
“What were the chances of Rachel getting her cauldron in potions when the troll came through the dungeons? What were the chances you’d be in the library with Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater when the Basilisk petrified you all and that you’d only see its reflection?”
“I’m from the Muggle world, never encountering anything that would change me or make me Demented,” Dara said, trying again to turn his bag into an eagle, which he did successfully.
After the homework was set and the class left, McGonagall called Ari up to her desk. Dara waited by the door for the conversation to end when the first years began to enter the room. Dara noticed one, rather tall with glasses wearing the robes of Gryffindor. He had brown hair and green eyes, underneath his eyes were dark circles. He looked very tired...or stressed. Realisation hit Dara and, when Ari returned with instructions on how to transfigure, he explained his theory.
“What? Conor Darknight?” Ari said, astounded, “My mom knows his mom; he’s coming to my house for the Christmas holidays with you, Rachel and Chloe two weeks!” Ari said. Dara smiled at the thought of seeing Miss Spencer again.
“He looks...different,” Dara said, noticing his pale skin and sharp eyes. Conor saw Dara and looked away, making Dara suspicious.
“Anyway, the Darknight family are very close to us Spencers. We’re both considered blood traitors you know,” Ari said, “Well, classes are over. Where to now, the library? Or the lake, I like the Great Lake...”
A thought struck Dara, the books in the library were nothing like the books in the Ravenclaw Common Room...
“Come on Ari, we’re going to the Ravenclaw Common Room.”
“But, I’m not-“
“Sure you are. Come on!”

**********

Rachel was going through some Potions homework, yawning tremendously as she researched Veritaserum-the strongest truth potion known to man. Beside Rachel was Chloe, scribbling away with her Ancient Runes translations.
The Ravenclaw Common Room was domed, with the ceiling painted like the night sky. Arched windows allowed natural light to pour into the Common Room, making the blue carpet and chairs appear to glow. There was a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw by the door and four bookshelves stood proudly around the walls, showing off the Ravenclaw students’ knowledge.
Dara entered the room, followed by Ari who was looking uncertain and amazed at the same time. They seemed to be arguing.
“I told you already Dara, you said Dumbledore suspected a Muggle-born to be Demented. Conor is pure-blood!”
“Dumbledore suspected Ari. Although he is a phenomenal Wizard, he has been known to make some mistakes. No normal person looks that...stressed without a logical explanation!”
Rachel rolled her eyes when Ari mentioned the word Demented, knowing how obsessed they were with it.
Chloe muttered something in some weird language which was probably an answer to her Runes homework. Rachel shook her head. Dara smiled and got a blue fluffy chair from the fire, pulled it over to the bookshelf beside Chloe and stood on it, looking at books, preferably a Wizarding dictionary.
“Dara, what are you doing?” asked Rachel, sounding rather like a mother.
“Looking for a book,” said Dara, while craning his neck as far as he could. He hated being one of the shortest in the year, alongside Chloe. Without warning Dara fell backwards, right on top of Chloe who screamed very loudly.
“Oh, hello Dara, Ari,” she said, pale faced, “Have you finished your Herbology essay’s on Mandrakes?”
Dara nodded happily, but Ari’s head came straight to his forehead; “Herbology essay?” he said, sounding horrified, “Tell me I’m not in your class.”
“You’re in most of our classes,” Chloe said, returning to her translations after heaving Dara off of herself.
Ari grabbed Dara’s arm and dragged him away from Ravenclaw Tower, towards Gryffindor Tower. Dara guessed that Ari wanted to drag him there after Dara dragged Ari around...
They had gotten there quickly, Dara beginning to wonder where the door handle was and what it would ask. He was surprised to learn that the entrance to Gryffindor was behind a portrait of a fat woman who enjoyed singing badly...
“You wait here,” said Ari, leading Dara to a chair, “I’ll be back soon. Talk to...Conor!”
And there sitting across from Dara was Conor Darknight, the boy who Dara knew deep down was Demented... His eyes were indeed dark, he looked extremely tired and his skin was as pale as snow. Dara then wondered if he could get a meaning of Demented from him...
“So Conor,” he said happily, trying to sound innocent, “Ari tells me you’re pure-blood?”
“Yeah, and I despise how other pure-blooded families treat Muggle-borns. I overheard Draco Malfoy that day in the Quidditch stands during the last match. He was well out of line calling you a Mudblood. Of course he calls me a Blood Traitor, and Ari, and the Weasley’s.”
Dara smiled, finally, someone who saw Malfoy call him that. Ari had been in the Hospital Wing after an accident in Charms. Rachel and Chloe weren’t very interested in Quidditch unless it was Ravenclaw...
“Although I’m not perfectly pure-blood,” Conor said, choosing words carefully. He looked around, “Ari is a very close friend of my family, and I trust him. So, if he trusts you, I trust you...”
Dara leant forward.
“Not everyone in my family is a Wizard. In fact, before I was born, my Dad-“
“I’ve got my Herbology book, now could you help me?” It was Ari, by the window with a Herbology book in his hand. Before Dara could tell him to be quiet, he saw something coming towards the window; a Dementor.
Dara sprang up, whipping out his wand and pointed it at the window shakily. Ari turned and saw the Dementor and immediately dropped his book and ran upstairs.
“Where’s he going?” asked Conor, looking horrified.
The fireplace flickered and died, and Dara’s breath condensed as it left his mouth. It was dark, and the Dementor held its scabbed hand up to the window. It began to freeze over. It got so cold that it smashed and the Dementor glided in. Dara began to feel sad, something he didn’t like to feel. It moved slowly towards them. Just when Dara thought Conor was going to faint, he heard Ari’s voice.
“Rictumsempra”
There was a flash, and the Dementor was knocked back about three feet, not really affected by the spell. However, it was enough for Dara to grab Conor’s arm and escape. Ari was running towards them with brooms in his hands. He didn’t need to say get on.
Conor, rather dazed, and was put behind Ari on his broom. Dara hopped on the other one Ari brought, not knowing whose it was. They tried to get to the windowless window frame when a second Dementor appeared, blocking their way.
“Now what?” asked Ari desperately.
“Bombarda!” yelled Dara. The wall next to them was blasted off. They flew out, and after Dara repaired the wall they rocketed off, hoping to reach Ravenclaw Tower. It was dull, the sky was grey and it was lashing rain. Ari tried to get his long blond hair out of his eyes. Dara looked up and saw about twenty Dementors circling overhead. Like a flock of birds, they all began to swoop effortlessly towards them.
“Blast them!” yelled Ari.
“Magic barely moves them!” Dara shouted frantically, “I read only a Patronus Charm can repel them!”
“Then do one!”
“I don’t know how! A Patronus Charm is very powerful magic!” Dara turned around and saw that the Dementors were catching up to them.
Ari took a sharp left, and Dara followed. It was a good thing that both of them played for their Houses on Quidditch or they wouldn’t have been able to manoeuvre from the grasp of the Dementors. Twice Dara tried using Immobulus on the Dementors but to no avail. They stopped for a second or two, and then resumed their chase.
“There! The Ravenclaw Tower!” yelled Ari, “What do we do then? I’m sure no one there could help us!”
Dara began thinking furiously, and then glanced across the grounds. Ari and he were high enough to see the whole grounds of Hogwarts. He saw Ravenclaw Tower and very close to them was the Astronomy Tower. If they reached there, they could evade the Dementors through the many corridors and passage ways until they could reach Professor Lupin, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
“Ari!” yelled Dara frantically, he was becoming rather dazed with the speed of the broom he was on, “Follow me to the Astronomy Tower!”
Ari nodded and, with a loud yelp from Conor, swung around in a large arc towards the Tower. Dara and Ari sent more spells at the Dementors, a fruitless attempt to keep them at bay. Dara could feel himself getting more miserable, more hopeless...
And they had made it into the Astronomy Tower. They landed, Ari gracefully and Dara rather clumsily. Ari used reducto on the open archway and it collapsed, momentarily blocking off the Dementors.
“Lupin’s office is not too far away!” Ari said, helping Conor along who was slowly recovering.
“Do you believe me now though? That Conor is Demented and that these Dementors are after him?” Dara asked, a bit hysterically.
Ari seemed to be contemplating the suggestion. They turned a corner to see but another Dementor and they froze. Conor began to tremble as the Dementor fed on their good memories. Dara felt as he did when his grandmother died...
A bright silver light appeared, and the Dementor disappeared, and Dara turned to see Professor Lupin, wand raised, wide-eyed...

Chapter Four-Christmas Surprises

Lupin had used a Patronus Charm to get rid of the Dementors, had alerted Dumbledore of the attack and together they chased away the swarm that had chased Ari, Dara and Conor. After giving them all chocolate they had returned to their dormitories, shaken but intact. Lupin had also arranged to meet with them, along with Chloe and Rachel, the following morning, on Saturday.
They stood there, waiting for Professor Lupin who was currently getting something from Snape. The window showed the dull December morning, grey clouds floating dully over Hogwarts. No snow had fallen that day, and the Dementors were under serious watch by the Hogwarts staff members.
They were just talking about the trip to East Sussex where Ari’s house was, when Lupin entered the room, seemingly tired and worried.
“I’m here to teach you about defence against Dementors. Dumbledore thinks that, for unknown reasons, the Dementors may attack you again,” he looked at Dara, Conor and Ari. “You two,” he said to Chloe and Rachel, “are here because, seeing as that you and Masters Farrell and Spencer hang out, you may be put in danger. If Dementors attack them two while you’re around them, which is likely, then I want you to be able to defend yourselves also.”
Dara and Ari knew that the ‘unknown reasons’ for another Dementor attack was that Conor was Demented.
“The Patronus Charm is very advanced, and is used to defend you from a Dementor. It is a materialistic form of happy memories, and acts as a shield against you. The incantation is simple, Expecto Patronum, and you need to think of the happiest memory you can remember. Can you do that?”
That morning was spent with the five saying the incantation, and being told to think of really good memories, better than any they had already thought of. Dara was the first to make a shield, then Rachel, Chloe and Ari. Conor had failed to do so.
“I’m telling you. He basically said he wasn’t technically pure-blood. Something about his father,” Dara said, excitedly over dinner. They had just begun to discuss the reasons for them being targets of the Dementors. “Aren’t the Ministry bad at controlling Dementors?”
“Well, yeah. During You-Know-Who’s time of power, Dementors sided with him. And, come to mention it, I’ve never seen Conor’s father...”
“Yes, that’s what he said, his father was...”
“What?”
“I dunno; you barged in!”
Ari blushed slightly. “But he’s not Muggle-born. Dumbledore said-”
“Dumbledore has been known to be wrong. Who else could be Demented? Hermione Granger? Penelope Clearwater? No, I think that Conor is the only explanation. If only I could ask him about his father...”
“You can’t do that!” Ari said, suddenly horrified, “Conor’s father ran away when he was a baby. He was always touchy on the subject!”
So Dara stopped to wonder how to get the information about Conor’s father without actually asking him. But another thought occurred to him.
“Ari, was Conor’s father a pure-blood?”
Ari was about to say something like ‘of course’ when he stopped, instead saying, “Actually, I never really knew his dad. My mom didn’t either. In fact, I think Conor doesn’t know either. I always assumed he was pure-blood because I once met his grandmother on his dad’s side and she was a witch.”
“Ari, what if Conor isn’t pure-blood?”
“Does it make a difference? Dumbledore suspected a Muggle-born student. I’m sure, if you’re suspecting Conor is half-blood-“
“Or a half-breed,” Dara said quietly. Ari’s eyes seemed to pop out of his skull.
“Half-breed?” he asked astonished, “What makes you think that?”
“He was about to tell me something about his father. He trusted to tell me because he trusted the Spencers and you trust me.”
“But I know nothing about his father!”
“Maybe he wants to tell you.”
The next day was spent preparing for the trip on the Hogwarts Express where they would stop in Kings Cross station and then travel to the south of England, where the Spencer Home was. Trunks packed and stomachs full, Rachel, Chloe, Ari and Dara went to sleep quickly that night, and the next morning travelled to Hogsmeade Station.


Snow fell lightly onto the station. Chloe was reading Hogwarts: A History like she did regularly; occasionally glancing up to watch her friends practise their Patronus Charms. None of them could cause their Patronus to take an animal form, but they felt contempt with just the shields.
Dara and Ari gazed fearfully at the Dementors as they glided in the distance, afraid that they would attack again. Dara had even whipped out his wand when one drifted by lazily.
When the train appeared the four were happy to know that it was not completely full like on the first day of school, so they were free to pick a compartment near the back of the train. Chloe was still thumbing her way through her book when, just before the train took off, a reddish owl flew in through the open window. It carried a brown envelope and the Daily Prophet. After paying the owl ten Knuts, she opened the paper and gazed at the front page. Dara and Ari saw a picture of Dementors drifting around a small village and the headline: DEMENTORS GATHER NEAR DORMINGTON GLEN.
“Chloe, don’t you’re family live there?” asked Rachel, who was sitting beside Chloe reading the paper.
Chloe nodded, then opened the envelope and read aloud: “‘Dear Chloe, Hope you are well. If you are reading this you are probably on your way to the Spencer’s home on the Express. As I guess you probably have read, Dementors have gathered near our village. Don’t be worried, as none of us are injured, although the Peplingtons next door nearly lost their cat to the Dementors Kiss. I just wanted to make sure you were alright and so that you’re not worrying about our well-being. We’re fine. With love, Mam and Dad. P.S Evan says hello.’”
Chloe sighed with relief, “Oh thank goodness. I was actually worrying!”
“Why would Dementors be gathering around a partially Muggle settlement?” Rachel asked curiously, reading through the paper.
None of the four had noticed that the Express had begun to make its way from Hogsmeade Station; all were too worried with the prospect of Dementors gathering around the tiny village of Dormington Glen.
The trip took until night time. When they arrived at platform nine and three quarters they met up with none other than Mrs Spencer. Lorraine Spencer was also there, and she too had taken the train ride from Hogwarts. After making it to a large park in London, they took a Portkey in the shape of an empty crisp wrapper.
After the Portkey they stood up and gazed at the Spencer home for the first time. In their first year they spent Christmas in Dormington Glen. After that they stayed in Rachel’s home on a mountain near Ottery St Catchpole.
They stood in a huge field with a thin mist. The ground was dotted with wet marshy spots and yellow heather bushes. In the distance stood a tall narrow four story house. It was white and seemed to glow in the wide field. Far away was a hill with a tree on top of it, bent and gnarled.
“This” said Mrs Spencer happily, “Is Helga’s Valley. And that is our home.”
They entered through the front door into a sitting-room full of fluffy armchairs. There were three and once the door closed there were six. There was a door leading to a kitchen and on the far side of the sitting-room was a stairway leading up, with another door beside it.
“Now, Lorraine’s room is a floor up,” Mrs Spencer said, “So is mine. Dara dear, you’ll be in Ari’s room on the second floor. Rachel, Chloe, you’ll be on the third.”
“What about the fourth floor?” asked Rachel.
“That’s just a room full of heirlooms and an assortment of random magic objects,” Lorraine said casually.
The next morning was full of laughter and snow. Dara had learned how to enchant snowballs to chase Ari around the huge area of Helga’s Valley and Mrs Spencer showed Chloe how to Transfigure snow into ice cream.
Rachel had read the Daily Prophet, and was dismayed to hear some more odd news.
“‘Dementors have gathered around the outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole, much to the annoyance of local Wizarding families including the Weasleys and Fawcetts. No word yet from Minister Cornelius Fudge and the control the Ministry has over Dementors or why they are near Dormington Glen and Ottery St Catchpole. “I think they might have a lead on Black,” says Madam Bones of the Ministry.’”
“Very...strange,” Mrs Spencer said, “I wouldn’t guess that Dementors know where Black is. In fact, I don’t think they would bother trying to find him, usually prisoners are brought to them.”
That evening Conor Darknight arrived to stay over as tomorrow would be Christmas Eve. Mrs Darknight seemed thrilled to be with her friend Mrs Spencer, and the house was full of laughing, Butterbeer and magical food.
The next day, the five played Quidditch outside in the back garden, where Lorraine had erected six hoops made of grass. It was after Dara rose very high to catch a Quaffle when he felt despair clogging his senses, the sound of him howling with sorrow...
They all turned to see hundreds of Dementors flying towards them in a huge black cloud and amongst them, a massive black dragon.
“That’s a Hebridian Black!” Ari yelled, “But, they don’t usually fly like that...”
The Black was flying very low to the ground, legs and arms tucked in, its body perfectly straight. On its back was a man, his wand held aloft. The six landed immediately, in time for a silver shield to obscure them from view. Chloe was using the Patronus Charm.
“That Charm won’t protect you from this Dragon,” boomed the voice, which suddenly began to speak in a different language. At once the cold feeling intensified, as the Dementors attempted to penetrate the shield.
“Help me!” hissed Chloe.
Rachel, Ari and Dara all held up their wands, but before they could they heard a shrill cry; Lorraine had just screamed. The horrible sound broke Chloe’s charm instantly. Ari, Dara and Conor were pulled back by Mrs Spencer’s Summoning Charm. Rachel and Chloe were pulled by Mrs Darknight’s. They retreated into the house.
“Go upstairs,” hissed Mrs Spencer, to which they all obeyed except Lorraine, who stayed to help, “Lorraine!”
“I’m of age!”
But Ari was already leading the way, and they swerved into Rachel and Chloe’s room on the third floor.
“Why are they here!” said Dara, terrified.
“The Dementors? I want to know who that man was,” said Rachel, calmly.
Lorraine entered the room, panting. “Mom says to get into the Basement, it’s safer... Protego!”
Fire smashed the windows, and it parted around the Shield Charm. There were sounds of splintering wood and Chloe’s cat screeching in dismay. Then the floor buckled and they all fell into Ari’s room below with a crash. The Shield Charm followed them, protecting them from Rachel’s falling trunk and Chloe’s bed. When it broke, they spluttered with the thick smoke.
“That guy is crazy!” screamed Chloe, but stopped as she saw Dementors coming in through the upstairs window. She stared, open mouthed.
They landed in front of Rachel, and she sat there, with a look of horror on her face that no one had ever seen before. Hidden memories of her past burst forth and she let out an ear-splitting scream. Chloe couldn’t bear it, Dara was now also in front of a Dementor, cowering, crying.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
Chloe thought of her friends laughing, alive and well. She thought of her loving family, of Hogwarts, of her cat. Her wand exploded and out came a rabbit, pure white. It hopped around the room and the Dementors fled timidly out through the hole in the ceiling. She had done it, produced a corporeal Patronus.
Ari lifted Dara to his feet and helped him from the room as he shook with sobs. Lorraine and Chloe heaved Rachel down the stairs, Chloe’s white rabbit dancing around them making a sort of shroud. When they reached the ground floor, Mrs Spencer immediately produced two beds, then preformed a Hover Charm as they floated downstairs.
“They must have really traumatic pasts for that state,” Mrs Darknight commented.
“Yeah, Dara lost a grandmother...” Ari said.
“No, a memory like that wouldn’t make him like that,” she said. Ari raised an eyebrow, but stopped when they heard a roar, then a crash.
Lorraine, Ari, Chloe and Mrs Darknight emerged from the Basement to see the sitting-room full of debris, smoke and a hole in the wall. The Dragon had swiped the house. A column of fire shot inwards, smashing the kitchen more.
Ari and Chloe ran outside, and saw the Dragon, its mouth open and orange fire issuing from its jaws. The flame slammed into the second floor and the sound of splintering wood filled the air. A broom lay on the ground beside Ari. And without thinking, without any thought, Chloe grabbed Ari and both got on the broom. Ari kicked from the ground and Chloe backwards, wand ready.
The man on the Dragon saw them, and began shooting curses in their direction. Chloe could barely deflect them.
“They’re powerful,” she muttered in concentration, “Expelliarmus!”
But the light merely disappeared in the bright green light that hit the twigs on the broom. They were on fire. Another jet of purple light narrowly missed Ari’s head. Ari leant forward, and the broom sped in a wide circle around the Dragon, much to its agitation.
As Ari flew up higher to avoid another fireball he sensed them. The air became cold and all hope vanished. Ari’s grip on the broom loosened and it came to a halt.
“Expecto Patronum!” Chloe yelled, and a white rabbit burst forth, although it couldn’t protect them from Dementors coming on every side.
A Dementor was dangerously close to Ari, the rattling sound rang in her ears, and Chloe heard a distant cry of pain...
It happened suddenly, she was filled with hope, slight as it was. A silver light shone on her face, nearly blinding her. A silver bat shot by, repelling the Dementor in front of Chloe, she turned around to see a huge silver creature she could not make out, but it moved through the air like water. It acted as a barrier which Dementors could not breach. The bat let off a sort of round barrier from its body, more defences. And the Dementors vanished.
“What were they?” asked Ari with awe.
“Corporeal Patronuses!” yelled Chloe, “Someone can use corporeal Patronuses other than me!”
But the bat vanished with a small pop, the huge animal beside Ari with a bang. And Chloe felt colder when she saw the Dementors with a boy in their grasp; it was Conor Darknight. Chloe was about to scream, but Dara and Rachel had sped up beside them, each on a separate broom. Dara still looked pale. Rachel’s hair blocked her eyes which Chloe knew were tearful.
Ari sped along to Conor’s aid. Dara and Rachel moved with them. The sounds of heavy wings beating and a deafening war made them stop and turn. The Hebridian Black was now right in front of them, the man laughing menacingly.
“Want to save your friend, you’re more than welcome. He’s not the one who I seek! But now is not the time for you to be heroic, I need to be somewhere...ah...where I can truly ensure my plan to work,”
“And what will stop us from following you to save Conor!” screamed Rachel angrily.
The Wizard flicked his wand lazily in her direction, and out came a thunderous bang accompanied by a blue lightning bolt that hit her squarely in the chest. She fell from her broom and fell like a sky-diver.
“Merry Christmas,” said the Wizard, as Dara and Ari sped downwards...

Chapter Five- The Demented Unearthed

Rachel was feet away from the ground when Dara grabbed her wrist, pulled upwards on the broom and the broom crashed into a marshy patch of grassland near the Spencer Home. The five story house was smoking with a fire in the second floor. The house of the ground floor looked so severe that it seemed likely that it would topple over. Lorraine and Mrs Spencer ran towards them.
“Inside, quickly,” Mrs Spencer said, strangely worried and serious.
Chloe, Dara and Ari walked slower to talk over the events that had just taken place. Chloe looked uneasy with Rachel’s limp body between Mrs Spencer and Lorraine.
“That’s why there were Dementors around Dormington Glen and Ottery St Catchpole, because that wizard wasn’t sure where to head... but that would mean-“ Ari stopped and stared into space.
“Yeah. Conor wasn’t the one he sought. The wizard knew it was one of us, and that we lived in Dormington Glen, Ottery St Catchpole or here in Helga’s Valley. Of course, he didn’t go to Chelsea... But it-it wasn’t just any of us...” Dara turned and stared into Ari and Chloe’s faces, “Dumbledore was right, Ari, the Demented student was Muggle-born. The Demented student must be me!”
“No, Dara. You said it yourself, Dumbledore makes mistakes,” Ari said.
“I thought Conor was a half-breed or something, that would have made him different from the other students. I thought it wasn’t to do with blood-status. But it was. If it wasn’t Conor then Dumbledore’s theory had to have been true, a Muggle-born was Demented. Dementors gathering in the most possible places I would go to ambush me... Conor wouldn’t go to Dormington Glen or Ottery St Catchpole. It had to have been me!”
“But Dara,” said Chloe, almost fearfully, “What are you? What does Demented mean? If you don’t know, then how-“
“The Dementor brought out a vision in my head... It was...horrible-“ his voice quivered, “M-My grandmother didn’t...didn’t d-d-die.”
“What?” asked Ari, he sounded astonished, “Wouldn’t you know?”
“When she died I was seven and a Muggle at the time. People told us she has died of heart failure, but I see they must have been covering up the magical crime... A Dementor attacked my granny when she was...was minding m-me and she was...was...K-Kissed by-by it... It was so... v-vivid.” But Dara couldn’t seem to go on.
“The memory. You reacted so badly because you had repressed it. All the grief you never felt... Dara I’m so sorry,” Chloe also seemed to be welling up.
“Something happened that night. I don’t know what, but something had happened. I know it made me Demented, and I think Demented is Dementor related,” Dara said quietly.
“Demented...Dementor. How did I miss the connection? It all makes sense. The Dementors not touching that Wizard or trying to attack him, the way the Dementors were so organised chasing us over Hogwarts. He must have some power over Dementors or something,” Ari said excitedly. He suddenly remembered he shouldn’t have been sounding so joyous, so removed his grin.
“What? So he’s like a King of Dementors?” asked Chloe sceptically.
“It makes sense...” murmured Dara.
The three had approached the house where Rachel lay in the couch with rubble all around her. Mrs Spencer was flicking through a book: A guide to Magical Injuries, Dark and not.
“It seems that Rachel was hit with...a curse that saps her energy from her body. Oh my, that doesn’t sound too pleasant...” Mrs Spencer said.
“That isn’t too bad,” said Dara with hope.
“Well, it isn’t like being tired. Having your energy being dragged from your body can be very painful. And when there’s none left it will...oh my, it will feed on her life? We need to get back to Hogwarts now. Lorraine, get the Floo Powder.”
Lorraine grabbed a pot of grey powder and threw a handful into the fireplace, which was untouched by the battle that had happened moments ago. Ari just realised someone missing...
“Where’s Mrs Darknight?”
“She’s gone to the Ministry, Apparated minutes before Rachel fell. Wingardium Leviosa,” Rachel hovered in the air after Mrs Spencer spoke. She then held her in her arms, coughed and said, “Hogwarts,” and vanished in a shroud of green flames. Lorraine followed her, as did Dara, then Chloe and finally Ari.
They appeared in Professor Dumbledore’s office, surprisingly. Ari had guessed Flitwick-Rachel’s Head, or McGonagall-his Head. To arrive in Dumbledore’s office unannounced was rather unforeseen.
“Ah, Monica. To arrive in my office, it must be an emergency...” but Dumbledore’s calm voice stopped as he saw Rachel limp in her arms, “We shall get to the Hospital Wing immediately. Do you know what is wrong with her, Monica?”
“A curse that absorbs energy...” she said, hurrying away.
“Perhaps you three can fill me in,” he said kindly to Dara, Ari and Chloe.
So they took it in turns. Dara began with what Chloe had read in the paper and Ari finished with the strike of the curse. Then Dara blurted out something that made Chloe and Ari stare, open-mouthed.
“Professor, pardon my rudeness, but I overheard you talking to Professor McGonagall...about someone being Demented.”
“Ah...And I am guessing you know something I do not. Well, go ahead, tell me.”
And so Ari and Dara told Dumbledore about their thoughts, then the revelation they had after Rachel fell. Throughout the speech Dumbledore sat with the tips of his fingers pressed together. Chloe sat rubbing her forearm, gazing at Fawkes the phoenix. When they had done, Dumbledore nodded.
“When I read about the Dementors gathering in Dormington Glen, and then Ottery St Catchpole, I began to suspect the one who was Demented. Yes Dara, I am afraid to say that your speculations were correct. I suspected Muggle-borns because of an ability they have at birth, which is controversial, but I believe that some children- certain Muggle-borns-can take magic. Not from Squibs, but from the air. When they are near an area that was full or is full of magical activity, they take it by accident. This does not make them non-magical Dara, but this ability merely...awakens the dormant powers within. Some Muggle-borns do not have enough power to, let us say, activate their abilities. Not all Muggle-borns need this extra ounce of magic, but some do. I think the ability stays with them, until their powers are properly controlled.
“I will not yet tell you how you became Demented, Dara, that is another, more private, time in the future. For now, check on your friend. Rachel will need her companions, and term recommences next week. Oh, and Merry Christmas.”
The three raced along the corridors towards the Hospital Wing. As they approached the wooden doors, they stopped for a breath. Dara seemed troubled.
“I can’t believe it. I was sort of hoping my ideas were wrong...but I knew deep down they were right...” Dara said.
“Well, I don’t care if you are Demented. Or if you’re part hag, vampire or a werewolf. You will still be Dara Graham Farrell in my eyes,” Chloe said, crossing her arms as Ari pushed open the wooden doors. Rachel was lying in a bed and moonlight spilled across her face from one of the large windows. Mrs Spencer and Lorraine were no longer there, presumably in Madam Pomfrey’s office filling out paperwork. There was a curved bottle of bright green potion with purple smoke issuing from the open top.
“What Dark wizard uses a spell to take someone’s energy? You’d think he’d use the Killing Curse or the Cruciatus Curse...” Ari was saying.
“Don’t say that!” snapped Chloe, “I’d think having her life force sucked from her body would be just as... Why would someone even make a spell like that? Who would want someone put through so much pain?”
“Dark wizards are often gifted with making their own curses. I learned that from Professor Flitwick when I asked him about the Killing Curse,” Dara said matter-of-factly, although he was still silent and his voice seemed shaky.
Chloe sat down beside Rachel and smiled sadly, whispering something to Rachel that sounded like, “It’ll be all right.


It had been three days since the kidnap of Conor Darknight and the attack on Rachel, who had been transferred to St Mungo’s. Dara, Chloe and Ari had become topics of information in the school, second only to the breakout of Sirius Black.
Ari was becoming very worried about Conor, as he kept feeling he was being kept hostage, or a slave, or he had been disposed of... Chloe spent her days writing letters to St Mungo’s to receive reports on Rachel’s condition, but with a response saying she was not family and therefore could not receive reports, but persisted anyway. Dara had written to Mr and Mrs Thorne and had not yet received a reply.
The three had not returned to the Spencer Home, which was under construction from Ministry officials. Instead, they had stayed in Hogwarts, contemplating where the Wizard was who had kidnapped Conor, and how Dara could use his Demented powers. Dara had tried speaking to a Dementor and had tried to make things cold, but to no avail.
“I think we should try and find Conor,” said Chloe on the fourth day since Conor’s kidnap.
“What?” asked Ari incredulously, “Where can we possibly look? Azkaban and ask the Dementors politely, ‘Before you steal my soul can you tell me where Conor Darknight is, pretty please?’”
“I know you’re worried about Conor Ari, but you don’t have to bite my head off!” snapped Chloe.
“Look who’s talking, Miss Snappy! I know you’re worried about Rachel-“
“You should be too!”
“I am! Who said I wasn’t?”
“Stop!” yelled Dara, as Chloe and Ari had both stood up.
They were standing by the circle of stones overlooking the Forbidden Forest. Dara was sitting in the snow trying to uncover his abilities, but with no luck. Before Chloe could answer Dara she let out a shriek. Dara and Ari turned to look at the Forest.
There was a huge dragon flying towards them, but not the Hebridian Black, a large green one slightly smaller than the Black.
“A Common Welsh Green,” muttered Dara, raising his wand, but the Green simply dropped a roll of parchment on Ari and sped off. It read:
‘I know who is Demented; Dara Farrell. If you want Conor Darknight come into the Forest as soon as you can. Do not tell any staff. Bring the blond and the girl if you must. I will not kill you, just a proposition. Conor wants you to come.’
Dara looked up rather frightened.

Hope you like this Chapter guys. It's my favourite so far.


Chapter Six- Rescuing Conor Darknight

There was no time wasted when the note was received. Dara, Ari and Chloe dashed after the Dragon as soon as it turned around back to the forest. Knowing that the wizard had infiltrated Hogwarts was a disturbing thought, but the three did not dwell on it; all they cared about was saving Conor and avenging Rachel.
They reached the forest and entered it. Immediately the sense of rescuing Conor vanished as they realised that they were entering the Forbidden Forest. Chloe stopped to think what they were doing, but Dara and Ari kept running, following the rippling shadow of the dragon as it flew overhead.
After half an hour of running and eventually jogging they stopped for a breath. The dragon seemed to be too far ahead to bother following anymore.
“So, what happens when we get to Conor and this crazy King of Dementors dude?” asked Ari a bit too casually.
“We...fight him?” Dara said. He hadn’t given the actual confrontation considerable thought. He just wanted answers.
“Yeah, a powerful wizard who can control Dementors and Imperious dragons against three third year schoolchildren-we’re bound to win!” Chloe said sarcastically.
“Who said he can Imperious dragons?” Ari asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? Those feral looking dragons letting him ride them, delivering notes without eating us... Everyone knows they can’t be domesticated.”
“Whatever.”
“Let’s just continue,” Dara said, plea in his voice. He knew that Chloe and Ari could be equally stubborn and if they began to fight it could lead to a devastating duel.
So they continued forwards, hoping that they would make it to the wizard and Conor. Although, Dara wanted to speak to the wizard a bit more than he wanted to rescue Conor. After all, Conor was unwanted and it was Dara he wanted, he could do both and he would receive information about his ability and get Conor to safety.
After what felt like an hour, they heard the rattling breath of a Dementor, and everything went cold. But they didn’t feel hopeless. They scuttled over to a bush and poked their heads through the branches. What they saw was frightening.
It was a huge clearing with a large twisting stream and no trees. The Hebridian Black lay snoozing on one side, the Common Welsh Green sitting obediently on the other, beside the wizard who had attacked Rachel. Hovering beside him in a slumber within a glittering shield was Conor Darknight. Several Dementors drifted lazily around the clearing.
“I know you are here,” said the wizard, it sounded like he was amused. The hedge around them burst into flames but they felt nothing. It soon lay around them in ashes, and Dara, Ari and Chloe were untouched.
“How’s your friend, the one who yelled at me?”
“In hospital, you MONSTER!” screamed Chloe, her voice echoing around the forest.
“Ah yes. My little curse would have led to that. Her life force is dwindling, yes? Well, maybe you shouldn’t yell at me girl, as I am very powerful...”
“Who are you?” asked Ari, “I’ve never seen you anywhere in the Wizarding world books or...” Ari was interrupted.
“Or in the papers to be arrested? Well I am hard to find. You are pure-blood yes? Well done on your pure ancestry.”
“I don’t care about being pure-blood,” Ari said, blushing.
“I am Damero Vinski. One of the only Dark Wizards to have Dementor powers; I am Demented you see. A useful gift. But this boy here knows that.”
“I don’t!” Dara said, hoping that being Demented wasn’t a Dark trait.
“Well, it simply means you have the powers of a Dementor. You could speak to them and they would obey. You could make others hopeless, although you can’t feed from their joy. You can also make things colder I believe, although I never bothered,” Damero said, listing off the abilities on his long, skeletal fingers.
The Hebridian Black woke up, and let out a roar and looked at Damero, looking angry. Damero pointed a want at it lazily and said, “Imperio,”and it stood bolt upright, like the Green on the other side of him.
“I’m guessing you want your friend, but first, a speech is in order I believe, as to why I want Mister...?”
“Dara Farrell,” said Dara coldly.
“Well, I am a Dark Wizard with an extremely rare, and I believed unique gift. No one had my power, and I could control Dementors much more effectively than the Ministry ever could. I promised them souls...and they got them. Azkaban believed they went rogue at times, but it was only ever me, helping them to get their awards.
“Then I heard of a peculiar incident somewhere, I never knew where, a Dementor had Kissed some person, and had also lost all of its powers. It could not cause its surroundings to become cold nor could it take someone’s soul from their body.
“I knew that there must have been another person with my ability. Someone was running around Europe with a rare ability, one that could match my own. I knew I had to find them, and spent a long time searching for them. I could not find them, but a Dementor informed me of a boy who had a non-Wizard like soul. It was a wizard, but there was more to him than that. Then it found you, Dara.
“I needed to find you and make you a Dark Wizard, as a ‘Light’ wizard could be my match. I was valuable you see. I controlled the Dementors for the Dark Lord without being a Death Eater; I could free people from Azkaban if I wanted. It was me who freed Sirius Black you see. So you had to join me or perish.
“The Dementors never knew who it was though. You were always with that girl, or one of these two. So I stationed Dementors in Dormington Glen, Ottery St Catchpole and then in Helga’s Valley. When I attacked you in the Valley the Dementors thought it was this child who was Demented...”
Now Damero pointed at Conor who was still sleeping in the water like glittering substance surrounding him.
“His soul was as mixed as Mister Farrell’s here. Both had another creature within them. Dara had the powers of a Dementor whereas Conor here had the genetics of a vampire. So, I used him as bait, and here you are, Dara, with your rare powers still untapped and new I believe?”
Dara’s heart was beating, being Demented suddenly felt like being diseased. He glanced at Dementor’s floating beside Ari and Chloe. Damero nodded at the Dementors and they both advanced on them, grabbing Ari’s wrist and Chloe’s chin.
Dara yelped and turned to Chloe’s Dementor. He didn’t mean to, he didn’t even want to, but Chloe’s safety was so important. It felt like he was uttering continuous swear words and horrible curses.
“NO! You will not have her soul!”
The Dementors immediately retreated. Chloe was looking tearful, Ari was gaping. Dara clapped his hand over his mouth which was suddenly ice-cold.
“Yes, Dara. You see? You just spoke as a Dementor speaks! Like I speak!” Damero said in Dementor.
Dara swivelled to face him, still with his hands over his mouth, wide-eyed.
“Join me Dara,” he said in English now, “Join me or perish! I cannot have you matching my power!”
“I’ll never join you,” Dara yelled, suddenly angry.
“Fine then. Say your goodbyes.”
And the Dementors circled them suddenly, and Dara looked even more frightened, not wanting to speak in that horrible language again. But a bright light appeared instead, and a white rabbit hopped in front of him. Chloe’s Patronus was protecting them. But it couldn’t help them all, Ari was too far away and if Chloe sent her Patronus to him, she and Dara would be vulnerable. Ari still couldn’t produce one and Dara didn’t want to speak around the Dementors again.
“Dara! I can’t do it forever! Tell them to stop!”
Dara shook his head, but Chloe screamed, “DARA!”
Dara said “Stop” but it didn’t work. He took a breath and focused on a Dementor gliding towards Ari who was unprotected from the Patronus as Chloe defended herself from several Dementors. Dara felt himself feeling incredibly bitter and sour and glared at the Dementor.
“Leave him now! Don’t attack me who shares your powers or these two! Expecto Patronum!”
The Dementors backed away but the Patronus backfired. Dara felt like he was being electrocuted and suddenly he fell. The Dementors retreated into the forest.
“Ah, using a Patronus Charm whilst your Dementor essence has risen inside you. You see when you are using a Dementors powers you are as close to a Dementor as humanly possible. You just attacked yourself,” Damero said, sneering. He looked at the Dragons and pointed at the three of them.
The Black let out a huge roar and birds of all shapes fled the scene. It turned a greedy eye towards Ari and flames issued through its mouth. Ari jumped out of the way just in time.
“You won’t burn anything else of mine!” yelled Ari with fury and pointed his wand at the Dragon’s head and shouted “Confundo!”
The Dragon looked confused, and although Damero used ‘Imperio' repeatedly, it was too confused to obey him. Ari’s powerful Confundus Charm saw to that. So, the Green moved forward as the Black stood there, blinking, then took off with a gust of wind.
After muttering something, Damero yelled, “The Confundus won’t help you now! I’ve set up an anti-Confundus Jinx around the Dragon!” There was unmistakable triumph in his voice.
The Dragon clawed at Dara, who felt a stabbing pain in his right arm as he leapt away from its claw. Something hot and sticky ran down his robes’ sleeve.
Chloe had sent up red sparks, but Damero exclaimed “We’re outside Hogwarts’ grounds girlie! I used a False Sense of Time Charm on your way here to ensure that!”
The sparks had intrigued the Dragon, for enough time for Chloe to scream “Acendio!” and she shot up onto the Dragon’s neck, using the spikes to pull her onto its head. The Dragon looked annoyed and began shaking its head and Chloe was hanging on for dear life.
“Is she an idiot?” Dara yelled in a shaky voice, “Did she forget that it’s a ferocious Dragon?”
“Forget...” Ari said, looking at Dara, who thought the same thing.
“Obliviate!” Dara yelled.
The Dragon stopped with Chloe sliding down its neck. She reached its back and jumped off. It was the most peculiar sight. The Common Welsh Green just stood there with a dreamy expression over its now cloudy eyes. It seemed to cancel out the Imperious Curse, as it suddenly began to flap its enormous wings and flew away, leaving a huge gust of wind.
“Unbelievable! A group of thirteenyear olds!” Damero said, anger in his voice.
“Just give us Conor!” Ari proclaimed as if asking a robber to hand over a hostage.
“I think he would do well as a slave under the Imperious Curse. A part Vampire would be useful-“
“Rictusempra!” yelled Chloe.
A Shield Charm blocked the silver light and the Damero rounded on Chloe.
“You seem brave girl,” he snarled, “But I believe it was Gryffindor that held the brave ones, not Ravenclaw!”
Before Chloe could retort, something like a green fireball shot from the tip of Damero’s wand and hit Chloe in the face. It exploded on contact, leaving green fire on the ground around her feet. She stood quite still, and said, “Advanced magic...” but her soft voice was replaced by an ear-splitting shriek of pain. Chloe flew up into the air and the scream continued. It sounded like she was in immense pain as her body began to change. Her soft skin began to turn a horrible lumpy green. Her crystal blue eyes turned a disgusting shade of muddy brown with no warmth like in Dara’s. Her brown wavy hair began to lengthen and become a tangle mess of black. She fell to the ground in a pitiful mass of black robes. Chloe Hodgins did not stir.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” shouted Dara, feeling a sudden rush of bitterness and dread well up inside him. He felt himself beginning to feel weightless. Before he knew it, Ari was shouting.
“Expelliarmus!” Ari shouted.
Dara saw an immense blast of scarlet emit from Ari’s wand. Ari had never used such a powerful spell before. It soared across the clearing towards Damero, who caused it to redirect. It hit a massive tree, and it collapsed with a crunch as it hit the ground.
Damero glared at him, then said “Such a waste on your heritage, your pure, untainted ancestry. You disgusting blood traitor filth!”
It looked like thousands of golden pins hitting Ari, but they went inside him. Ari looked untouched, until his sky blue eyes became bloodshot and his nose began to bleed. Then he spat up blood and collapsed, cuts opening on his hands and legs.
Dara then felt even more terrible, hopeless. He felt like he was hovering, but that was impossible, was it? He began to speak in the horrible Dementor language.
“Why? Why did you do that? They were innocent!”
“Does it matter? “ asked Damero, “They were defiant and rude. They attacked me so I was merely defending myself.”
“No! Help me!”
Dementors gathered around him, but some more went to Damero.
Dara saw a bleeding Ari, the lifeless mass that was Chloe and spoke to a Dementor.
“Tell Dumbledore, bring him here,” he whispered.
Then Dara rounded on Damero Vinski.
Damero shot a curse in his direction, but it didn’t really affect Dara. He heard a voice telling him to join Damero, but something else told him in a rattling voice to remain loyal to himself. The curse did nothing.
“Dementors do not feel magic as humans do,” Dara sneered in a very un-Dara like way.
“Impossible! I am also as much a Dementor as you are! It should work!”
“I am pure, Damero. I am not twisted by Dark Magic.” Dara had no clue why he was saying this, he seemed to know it. “As my soul is purer than yours, I have an extra advantage. I can feel no spell as you do, my purity protects me. That is why I am superior!”
“No! Crucio! Crucio!” nothing happened.
Dara felt tickles, but nothing more. He now knew why his spells did not affect the Dementors when he was attacked weeks ago...
The green fireball hit him, golden needles, blue lightning. Then he glided to Conor, told a Dementor to set him free and faced Damero, but he suddenly felt relief as Conor was released. His Dementor powers were ebbing away...
“Protect him, go to Hogwarts now!”
The Dementor fled with Conor in its arms. Damero smiled at Dara like a wolf would to its prey; it was full of triumph and fury.
And after a flash of orange light and a feeling as if he was plunged into boiling water, Dara screamed in agony and blacked out...


Oh I do like feedback, please leave some

Chapter Seven- The Truth Revealed


Dara awoke in the Hospital Wing feeling like he was about to vomit everywhere. Madam Pomfrey was standing over him, trying to look angry but was too concerned. She sighed and put the top of a green potion.
“The curse that was put on you made all of your bodily fluids leave your body. If it wasn’t for Dumbledore you would have been so dehydrated you would have...” but she shook her head and hurried along.
“You were asleep for ages,” said a horribly foul, sneering voice.
Dara swivelled to the bed on his right and there was a girl or woman. She had long wool like black hair that fell to her waist in tangles. She had pale green skin and a long nose covered in green pimples. Her eyes were disgustingly brown and she had yellow crooked teeth.
“Yes, well I know my voice is horrible...” she muttered. But it came back to Dara in a flash.
“Chloe! What happened to you? What did that foul, horrible Damero-“
“He used a Transfiguration Curse on me. He turned me into a hag I think. Well, he sure made it painful. I’ve never felt more agony in my life!”
Dara remembered the ear splitting scream that Chloe had let out while she hovered ten feet from the ground.
“And when I fell I broke my arm and leg, but Madam Pomfrey fixed them in an instant. You were here for a day I think.”
“Wait! Where’s Damero?”
“I think you sent a Dementor for him. He Apparated and fought off Damero and saved you. Then he brought us back here. I was revived instantly, Conor woke on his own accord,” she said, pointing to the bed across from them. Conor was sitting up in bed, reading the paper. “Ari had lost a lot of blood, and I saw his bed sheets all red. But his wounds were fixed. He was put under a Bleeding Curse, even his eyes were oozing. Oh it was dreadful. And you kept panting sometimes. The water Madam Pomfrey gave you seemed to disappear from your stomach and your skin was so dry looking, like sandpaper. So she used a Placement Charm on your stomach so everything would stay. Flitwick came back from the holidays to use a Rehydration Charm on you.”
“So, I feel sick because?”
“My Placement Charm is pulling the water in your stomach. Sorry, I’ll lift it now,” said Madam Pomfrey, performing difficult eaves over Dara’s stomach with her wand.
“How’s Ari?” asked Dara.
“His wounds are gone; I’ve been giving him Blood Replacement Draught so he’ll be feeling better, but faint, very soon.
Conor stood up and headed in the direction of Dara and Chloe. He stood between their beds.
“Conor, get some rest,” said Chloe in her horrible hag voice. Something told Dara that McGonagall was having trouble removing her Transfiguration Curse.
“I don’t need rest, you are joking? Dara being fatally dehydrated, you transforming into a... Well, I don’t know why he didn’t use the Killing Curse, but it was lucky he didn’t. He probably wanted you to suffer or something foul like that... Well, he kept me because he thought I’d be an asset. You see I’m really a half-breed. My father was a Vampire; he was bitten before I was born. He left my mother, hoping that I would grow up with a normal family. He was a pure-blood, and so am I. But that doesn’t matter, as long as you and Ari are safe. Where is Rachel, by the way?”
Dara spoke as tears welled in Chloe’s ugly face, “You see, Rachel was attacked when you were kidnapped. A horrible curse that stole her energy and when her energy was sapped, her life force.”
“She’s in St Mungo’s as we speak,” came a small voice.
The three saw Ari smiling weakly from his bed. Beside him was a blood red potion, the blood Restoration Draught no doubt. Ari sighed and closed his eyes, muttering, “I’m listening... effort...”
Conor sat on Dara’s bed as Dara and Chloe recounted their story. Ari sometimes murmured ‘yes’ or simply grunted. Conor seemed to be interested, until Dara explained how Chloe shot upwards and screamed, or how Ari keeled over spitting blood.
The day wore on, Dara receiving a letter from his parents delivered by Rowena, his owl. Chloe had a visitor: Professor McGonagall . She has managed to turn Chloe’s eyes to their original colour, and her skin and nose returned to normal. However she still had horrible teeth, an ugly voice and disgusting looking hair. Ari was given sweets and Mrs Spencer and Lorraine came to see him, Dara, Chloe and Conor. The day was good, except for Ari’s howl as he felt blood regenerate in his body and Chloe talking in her hag-voice.
The day ended with a surprise visit...
The doors were pushed open and Rachel Thorne ran in with her dark hair flying and her misty blue eyes surveying them in shock and joy.
“Rachel!” shrieked Chloe, her voice making Rachel jump.
“Are you ok?” asked Dara.
“Gd teh sey yuh,” muttered Ari.
“I’m fine, woke up last Monday really tired, they said my life was dwindling until they found a counter-curse and a very good Energy Restoration Elixir. I’m still really peppy!”
And so again, the events leading up to their hospital bound selves were recounted, with Ari becoming slightly stronger as he told her his side of the story. This peppy Rachel seemed excited, the old Rachel would have scowled...

After term had started the news travelled around the school like wildfire thanks to Peppy Rachel. But the old Rachel was returning as the Elixir wore off. Chloe had returned to her normal self with only three black hairs and normal teeth (she had made sure they were straighter than before) and Ari was now his original random self.
When they were discharged, Dara had been told by Neville Longbottom that Dumbledore had requested an audience with him, alone, as soon as possible.
As Dara waded through the school, ignoring questions of ‘How’d you beat him?’ and ‘How’s Rachel, Chloe, Ari or Conor?’, he suddenly found himself outside a stone gargoyle. It asked for a password. Before he could think of one, Dumbledore arrived behind him.
“Ah, Mister Farrell! How wonderful. You deserve answers, indeed. Sugar Quill!”
The Gargoyle jumped away and they both stepped on the escalating, spiralling stairway. It stopped outside a door which Dumbledore opened graciously and he sat down. Dara sat in front of him and his claw-legged desk.
“Dara, I must say thank you for alerting me. I knew the Dementor wanted me to follow it, as I know their gestures. Well done on your powers, I think, yes quite.”
“Professor? How did I become Demented?”
“You remember, I hope, what I said about some Muggle-borns needing extra magic to activate their powers? Well, you were one of them, with a rare absorbing capability. Now, we must look at Chelsea, when you were seven years old. You lived with your parents, your brother and your grandmother. Evelyn was tragically Kissed by a rogue Dementor, not sent by Damero Vinski. When her soul emerged from her body, something happened.
“Now, we look at my theory. I think our souls are composed of two things; Our very essence forged by us ourselves at childbirth and a link to our ancestors. Now, bearing this in mind, we see your grandmother’s soul emerge from her body, the soul where part of your soul came from. Your absorbing capability kicked in. A part of your soul was going into a Dementor, so your powers did something to stop it: absorbed.
“I am guessing it was too late. Evelyn Smith’s soul was taken by the Dementor, so your powers did one last thing that destroyed them-stole the Dementor’s powers. Although the soul was gone, your absorbing powers fuelled by love and loyalty took what had taken them. Your absorbing powers died and as did your memory of the event.”
Dara looked quite shocked, but gazed at Dumbledore.
“So I avenged my Ma?” he asked, rather naively.
“It would seem so, Dara, it would seem so...”
“What of my powers?”
“They will remain with you. They are yours and do with them what you wish. I cannot remove them, no one can take another’s powers. Although yourself and Mister Vinski could...”
“Professor, Damero seemed to applaud Ari for being pure-blood. But you can only be Muggle-born to be Demented-“
“Ah, Dara. Damero Vinski was pure-blood. He loved pure-blood supremacy as much as Lord Voldemort and many Slytherins... I believe he got his powers another way...”
“How?” asked Dara, before quickly adding “sir”.
“So polite Dara, I like that about you. Well, I would guess that Damero liked the idea of being different. Everyone was pure-blood, but not everyone was pure-blood and a half breed. No one except Conor Darknight. He wanted to stand out, I expect, and so he did.
“I thought Damero. He was in Slytherin and seemed to enjoy being pure-blood. But, he was surrounded with other pure-bloods and felt similar to them. He always tried to be different, and I suppose he gained some notice from the other Slytherins.
“After he left, I think, Damero purposely sent himself to Azkaban for attempting to steal from the Potters’ vault. When in Azkaban he used a powerful spell; it allowed himself to pull a fragment of his soul from his body, take the soul (in this case abilities) and then drag them within himself. The effort would have been extremely painful, but he took the powers from the Dementor guards. He set himself free and off he went, free to do whatever he wished.
“Then you came along, Dara. As Damero stole the Dementor’s powers by means of a horrible enchantment, he was forever cursed with a split soul within himself with another’s powers. He would never physically feel it, but it was a weakness. Then there was you, who gained the powers in circumstances of love, loyalty and the pain of loss. You had a full soul and gained powers to coexist with your own magical abilities.
“When you fought him, you felt no pain as you both entered the Demented stage. I know this due to Legilimency, Dara. His powers were weakened as his powers were recessive under your own which were rightfully yours. Damero’s powers belonged to the Dementors, and therefore to you as well. A rare ability, the Dementors do not affect each other with their hopelessness because of yet another ability; Immunity. Immunity to Werewolf bites, Vampire bites, a Dementor’s Kiss, the attraction of a Veela the list goes on. Damero does not have it, as his soul is twisted and therefore too dark to use as an immune system. You see Dara, it is love that conquered over greed!”
Dara smiled despite himself. People often said it was bad that he was too caring and loving, but it saved him today. And although Dara once hated his rare ability, he now felt as though it was a new friend who was always with him, but he had just realised he was there. He waved goodbye to Dumbledore and left, ready for a new day of classes tomorrow...


That’s the end of Demented, so I hope you liked it. My next story will be featuring the four again in their first year, so until then, bye