Chapter 227: Friends and Foes

Chris woke up in the Hospital wing, surrounded by familiar faces.

"Ughhh. . . I gotta stop waking up like this," Chris groaned.

"Yeah, but we won," laughed Colin.

"Yep, you should have seen Umbridge's face," Ginny said smirking. "When you caught the Snitch, she looked so furious."

"She was very happy when you broke your shoulder," said Harry.

"Of course, she was," Chris rolled her eyes. "Well, where is Angelina? Is she happy?"

"They're celebrating in the common room," said Hermione. "We decided to stay till you wake up."

"You weren't the only Quidditch star today," Harry grinned. 

"Wait, Ron?" Chris almost laughed remembering how she helped Ron to stop the second goal, unintentionally.

"He was carried around by others the last time I saw him," Luna chuckled.

Chris laughed with others and noticed Jason sitting beside her bed silently.

"Hey!" 

"Hi, how are you feeling?" Jason asked.

"Honestly? Great. But I hate I didn't get to see that look on Umbridge."

Jason rolled his eyes.

"I think we will go," Hermione said and looked meaningfully at Ginny.

"Right, Ron will be waiting for us," Ginny said getting up. "See you, Chris."

"Wait, when can I leave? My shoulders feel alright," Chris moved her shoulders a little to make sure.

"Madam Pomfrey said you can leave in two hours," Colin said. "You can join us after that."

"I'm going to celebrate with the Gryffindors too," Luna smiled. "It's not every day your best friends win a match after this much problems."

"Alright, I'll join you guys later," Chris said and they left. Chris turned to Jason. "So did you realize Hermione and Ginny intentionally left us alone?"

"You should leave Quidditch," Jason said seriously.

"Wait, what?"

"I'm serious, Chris, it's just stupid," Jason said. "Every time someone is injured in this game. I don't see the point of it. I never did. This is not the first time you had to end up in the hospital wing, after playing Quidditch."

"You don't see the point even after your father was a Quidditch player?" Chris asked raising her eyebrows.

"No, I don't," Jason declared. "I'm tired of seeing you in the hospital wing. You don't have to get hurt, you know."

"Jason, I like to experience things and that's why I joined the Quidditch team," Chris said a little impatiently. "I can't just sit around because I'm afraid to get hurt."

"Fine!" Jason threw up his hands in defeat. "I was just trying to look out for you but I guess you don't need it."

"Jason, I —" Chris softened her voice.

Jason got up, he looked hurt.

"And guess what? Theodore went home and you obviously have your Quidditch practices so no need to hang out on next Hogsmeade trip." 

And he stormed off. 

Chris stared at the door for some time then looked back at the ceiling. She stayed like that for a long time, thinking about Jason, Theodore, Malgino, Voldemort, Harry, Dumbledore. . . One thought led to other. Finally, an hour later, Madam Pomfrey checked her and asked her to go. 

Chris was thinking about Jason and how she should apologize to him when a sudden coldness hit her hard. The coldness was not only sudden but it was something urgent. She sprinted towards the Astronomy tower without transforming, she didn't even care when Peeves saw her and started making rude jokes and threatened to call Flich. Chris had a bad feeling. She knew something bad had happened but she didn't expect something that bad —

"The Dark Lord broke into Azkaban, my Queen."

Chris walked back to the Gryffindor common room silently. On the way, Mrs. Norris hissed at her and Chris had to jinx her before she could call Flich. It was almost midnight, but few people were still gathered around the fireplace in the common room, talking in a hushed and worried tone. Chris walked towards them.

"Chris?" said Hermione noticing her.

"You are late," said Ginny.

"Chris, you won't believe —" began Colin but stopped seeing Chris' blank face.

"Chris, Harry says You-Know-Who is happy —" Ron said.

"Riddle broke into Azkaban," Chris sank into an armchair.

"He freed his death eaters, he provoked the other Dementors and the other Dementors killed. . . many Dementors, who supported Dames and me, including —" Chris choked.

"Including?" Harry asked quietly.

"Dames," breathed Chris and buried her face in her hands.

Nobody spoke for a long time, then Harry and Ginny put their arms around her.

"Oh, Chris!" whispered Hermione squeezing her arm.

Chris wasn't crying, it was one of her things. She never cried in front of people. The only exception was Neville, somehow he didn't feel like others, but now? No matter how close her friends were to her, she couldn't cry. Maybe it was her stubborn nature that prevented her from crying and looking weak, or it was her arrogance, or maybe it was simply lack of emotions, she didn't know. 

After some time she just sighed, a heavyweight was still inside her chest.

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"Levi, Elliot, Jose, Ryan everyone of them tried to help him but he asked them to go and inform me," Chris let out. "He said I can't lose all of my supporters at once."

"But you said he was the oldest and the strongest," Colin said.

"Yes, he is — was, but he also told me that the young Dementors can kill an older one if they are strong enough," answered Chris. "According to Owen, the Dementors were planning to join Riddle the moment Dames killed a few of them last time, they wanted power and freedom, which Riddle promised. They were getting stronger while Dames and others fulfilled my orders, and when Riddle showed up there was no going back for them. They killed all the Dementors who supported me. They would have killed Elliot, Fitz, Jose, Kian, Levi, Owen and Ryan too if Dames hadn't ordered them to leave."

A heavy, tensed silence fell over.

"This is worst than Goblin rebellion," Hermione grimaced.

"And now we're having a shortage at Dementor friends," Ron said grimly.

"And it's because of me," muttered Chris.

"No, it's not," snapped Harry. "It's because of Voldemort."

"Exactly," Ginny said. "Don't you dare blame yourself for them. We will find a way."

"You should inform this to Dumbledore," Colin said.

"If he talks to us," sighed Chris.

But the next morning it became clear that Dumbledore has to talk to Chris. Rita Skeeter had finally found something interesting to pin at the Ministry. No doubt, she didn't want to let go of this opportunity. Though she was cautious, she had written enough to point out that maybe — just maybe — what Harry, Cedric and Chris said last year was true.

"I told you, Rita can be a good ally or a dangerous foe," said Chris scanning the article. "I just hope she chooses our side when the time comes."

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To be Continued. . .