Stranger

Sway, sway, sway.

The creaking sound of the old swing set was the only audible noise around me and my brother in the park. Not a single word or sigh, just slow steady breaths, and playground equipment being used by happy kids.

Happy.

I tugged my lower lip in between my teeth, looking at the floor where my feet were planted. I wasn’t even moving the swing, I was sitting here with my brother alone and quiet. Absent-mindedly observing the area, letting the sun scorch through us. There was nothing to say or do nowadays. Dreams and nightmares were evident to us, we both shared them. Visions remained the same torturous scene over and over. Loss was lingering in our everyday aura, preventing us from a lot of chatter.

Honestly, Harry and I hadn’t had a proper conversation since Hogwarts. It was just the usual “Good morning.” “Breakfast is ready.” “Are you ok?” “Good night.”

I missed the old good days.

From where I sat, picking my hair up, I could hear two kids complaining as their mum outstretched her hand, kindly telling them it was time to go. They had followed along closely, laughing together but still a bit sad about their departure from their fun world of escape.

I let out a sigh as I noticed the tall, bulky figures swaggering our way like kings. They had their usual mischievous and evil faces as they joked and teased around. My cousin and his gang were the worst of the town, but not from their strength - but of their cowardly acts and attempts to be so cool.

"Hey Big D, beat up another ten year old," Harry asked blandly as Dudley stopped a few feet from our faces.

"Well, this one deserved it," he snarled.

A blonde guy in the back of his gang snorted, keeping his eyes fixated on me. My eyes darkened in fury as they glared at him, turning back to my cousin. "Oh do tell me how. Did he threaten you and make you beat him up out of moronical fear?"

Dudley snapped his eyes to me at the comment before smirking, his right brow raising. "Ah, I forgot you were the older one here! I expected something more clever."

I opened my mouth to sass him, but Harry was first. "I mean, five against one? Beating up a ten year old? Very brave."

“He’s not even worth words, Harry,” I mumbled. I attempted to lock my gaze back on the grassy floors, but my cousin and his gang’s eyes all locked on me first.

"You can't even let out a bloody word from your mouth nowadays, scared of even a fly!" After feeling proud of his taunt to me, he turned to my brother, cackling. "Crying and moaning in your sleep every night! 'Don't kill Cedric!' I mean, at least I'm not afraid of my pillow!"

I clenched my fist, taking deep breaths. Don't lash out on him...

"How...dare you...say his name," I breathed, squeezing my eyes shut.

Dudley let out a fake awe. "Oh my! Who's Cedric, your boyfriend?"

"Shut up, Dudley," Harry warned, his voice raising.

"Go cry to your mum, Potter! Both of you, ‘He’s going to kill me, mum!’ - oh wait, where is your mum?"

I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, trying to prevent myself from lashing out on those five. I don't want him to talk about my parents.

I didn't have the strength to reach in my back pocket, pull out my wand, and point it at him. Maybe even mumble those two unforgivable words…

Breathe, breathe, breathe…

"Where is your mum, Potter? Is she dead? She's dead!"

They laughed, and it only rang louder and louder as my breathing grew irregular and my body tensed. I had to find the strength...

Before I knew it, they had quieted down. I opened my eyes to see Harry pointing his wand at our cousin's throat, only causing everyone but us three to laugh at what they thought was his humiliation.

The skies suddenly darkened up, stormy grey clouds filling them. The sky was broad sunlight a mere second ago, and was a gloomy and depressing gray. All heat had disappeared from the atmosphere, replaced by harsh and crisp winds lashing out onto the world. Even a bit of a foggy mist had began fuzzing out above our heads. The once angry and tense aura now had a cold and dark feeling - absolutely empty.

I stood up suddenly as the boys scattered around, running as they screamed about a possible upcoming storm. It was impossible - all forecasts were set for degrees in the 90s, a dreadful heat wave was passing by Little Whinging. A downpour didn't just suddenly appear.

"What are you doing," Dudley asked?

"I'm not doing anything, I swear!"

I pulled out my wand from my back pocket, clutching it tightly as I took a small step forward. My body still felt weak, but I was now occupied with concern and worry to complain. "Harry, what's going on?"

Everything was dark now, it felt like night time had immediately struck. And at an impeccable force, as well. I looked up, watching all the rapidly moving clouds rushing around and closing in, wind blowing wrappers and sand around.

“We have to go, now,” Harry yelled, before grabbing my hand and beginning to run.

Dudley followed right beside as I tried to keep pace with my brother. I suddenly regretted skipping meals this afternoon, as I could barely keep a steady jog. Lucky for me, Harry would notice when I was lacking the strength and give me a pull.

I had no idea where we were going, where we were running to. I could tell my brother didn’t either. That disturbance didn’t just occur, something caused it. And a peck inside my mind continued to tell me it wasn’t the atmosphere that did.

We ended up inside of a dark and possibly-abandoned tunnel with dim lights. Every bulb flickered once or twice if not continuously. It smelled thickly of rainwater and stone. I slowed down at this point, thinking I was better off. I was under a roof, right?

Dudley and Harry also stopped, taking steady steps. I scanned the area, not sure what to make out of it.

The safe aura immediately ended as out of nowhere, a black hand grasped my brother’s neck, pulling him to the wall. I let out a screech as I fell back, landing on the floor with my bottom. I immediately reached for my wand in my back pocket. From the corner of my eye, I could see a frightened Dudley with his mouth agape, knees quivering to some degree.

“Dudley, run,” my brother choked out.

It didn’t take a second time for the bulky, large boy to take off running. As he sprinted, his foot slipped on a water puddle, sending him sliding to the end, where yet another cloaked figure swooped in, letting out an ear-splitting sound.

Dementors. What were they doing here?

My mouth fell open as my hand shook, not sure what to do. I stood up, blankly staring at the two boys in fear. I could see a slight haziness radiating off their bodies and onto the Azkaban guards. I searched my mind for a happy memory, even though my mind was quite vague of those lately. I pulled my wand to Harry, crying out, “Expecto Patronum!”

What I didn’t expect was nothing. A small flash sparked out of the tip, fading out. My lip began quivering as I said the spell again. This time, it was a bit larger, but still nothing.

Harry was quick and clever as he yanked out his wand with his remaining force, emitting sparks which caused the dementor to jump back.

A feeling of relief flooded in me, but a pang of weakness and guilt blew me away.

“Expecto Patronum,” he exclaimed, sending out a large blue light to collide with the large and cloaked monster. It was instantaneously pushed out of the tunnel, away from us.

He pulled his wand towards Dudley, sending that one off instantly as well. We both rushed to Dudley’s side, hoping he was okay. For my sake, I was more concerned on the fact if we didn’t bring him back, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would probably chain us to poles to die.

He managed to move his head, moaning while his eyes drooped. He had slight slobber dripping off his lower lip, which was disgusting. My eyes snapped to the other side of the tunnel, where a figure grew visible. I kept my hand on my back pocket in case, but Harry had a different instinct as he hid it.

Mrs. Figg trudged to us in a slow and elderly pace. She was covered in a raincoat, under a pink nightgown. She was pulling something, but in the dark I could barely see.

“Don’t put away your wand, boy. They might come back, you know,” she merely stated.

My eyes widened. Isn’t she a Muggle..?

“W-What? What come back?”

“Those dementors, you know well what I mean, dear,” she said, a small smile forming on her lips. “Who knows whose souls they’ll come back for?”