I have only a moment to gather myself before I whip out my wand. "Expecto Patronum!" I cast and my lioness easily chases the dementor away. "James! Lead the group back to the castle while I pull up the back!" He nods and now everyone runs without instruction. Sirius and I keep to the back even though he can only cast a patronus shield for now. It's much more difficult to maintain a patronus around these creatures anyway. I should know.

The victory is now buried behind us, but I try to hold onto the joy just a little longer as more hoods surround us. James's stag is flickering when we see the castle. "Sirius, cast something! Anything!" I tell him and he raises his wand.

"Vermillious!" He casts and red bursts above us. We've slowed to a near stop with James and I tiring from maintaining full patronuses, but there are three dementors now and we can't stop. I push myself a little harder and my lioness roars, letting loose echoes of light that send the black shapes whirling away like leaves in the wind.

"Just run! Forget the spells, just go!" James and Sirius snap away their patronuses and push everyone forward. I stay in the back with my wand out and we just manage to get into the Hogwarts courtyard before they return. This time I'm too drained and can't cast the spell fast enough. It swoops in and I see it's gaping maw before despair and fear begin consuming me as it sucks away part of my soul. I fall to my hands and knees when a fist comes out of nowhere atop the creature's head.

"Fuck off." Sirius's voice drifts in my head as he drags me back and the door shuts behind us. "Love? Hey, you alright?" He crouches beside my slumped body and frames my face with his hands. Weakly, I nod. A relieved sigh shakes out of his chest. "Take a bloody day off, would you? Christ." He jokes and I barely smile as he moves forward and cradles my head to his chest. My fingers cling to his shirt as his warmth chases away the cold that was seeping into me.

"What on earth happened here?" Professor Slughorn's voice breaks through the gasping and crying. James quickly takes point above the scared team.

"Dementors attacked us as we were coming back from Hogsmeade, sir."

"Dementors?" He asks, shock clear and obvious in his voice.

"Yes, sir, three of them. Arell got us up here while she, Sirius, and I cast the patronus charm." He reports as Sirius helps me to stand.

"I...I just...this..." Slughorn stutters and I sigh, turning to the team myself.

"Go to the infirmary, everyone. Get some chocolate and sit down." I instruct firmly and the team helps each other down the hall. "We need to talk to Professor Dumbledore." My eyes go back to Slughorn who actually seems to be in shock. We turn to the door with wands out as it opens, but immediately let them fall when we see its just McGonagall.

"I saw the red sparks and the dementors on the way up. Are all the students alright?" She asks the professor, but his mouth just opens and closes like a fish.

"You'll want to ask Arell that, professor. She's the one who got us all up here." Sirius says while supporting most of my weight. McGonagall's eyes scan the three students in front of her with surprise and worry.

"Miss Ackley, then."

"We got the team back and sent them to the infirmary to get over the shock. We three should head to the Headmaster to tell him what happened-"

"He's already been appraised, Arell." Albus descends the few steps to our platform and nods to a portrait just now settling back into its frame to our left, then looks us up and down. "McGonagall and I will speak of this in my office. For now, I suggest you three go to the infirmary yourselves." My mouth opens to object, but he raises a hand. "I know all about this, Arell don't worry. We're thankful and impressed with your bravery, but your health and safety is still my priority. I will listen to all you have to say tomorrow morning. Go."

"Thank you, professor." James nods and remains at my side as both boys help me regain my ability to walk. "Are you alright, Mane?" He asks softly and I try to nod. No, no I am very much not okay.

"Why were they here, do you think? My mum says they never wander too far from Azkaban." A shiver travels up Sirius's spine at the word and I disentangle myself from him to just hold his hand. I know. I know why.

"Searching for something? But why Hogwarts?" James asks back, but I stay quiet. "Remember what Firenze said? What if you'd been alone?"

"Maybe Lily was right about you not going anywhere alone, love."

"Don't take me to the infirmary," I say and dig my heels in until we stop. They both look at me like I'm mad. "Too many people need beds and I don't need one. Just take me to the common room. Please?" I plead and they glance to one another.

"Well, we'll never get there at this pace," Sirius says and swipes my feet out from under me, sliding his other hand behind my knees. He grunts a bit as he lifts me and I nearly laugh.

"I'm probably the same weight as you, Sirius, you sure this is a good idea?" I ask with warm cheeks as he tugs me closer to start walking.

"God, I hope you don't have more muscles than I do."

"Because I'm a girl?"

"Because my partner on the field can't have more muscles than me." He corrects and I smirk, tiredly resting my head on his shoulder as my arm rests around his neck.

"I can't believe how fast you acted back there, Mane. You read the signs like that," James snaps and shakes his head. "Then you kept up your patronus for so long-"

"Could we change the subject?" I ask with glassy eyes. Both boys glance at me and instead we fall into an uncharacteristic silence. Sirius sets me on my feet outside the common room but stays close to me as we walk in. I'm thankful. I still need him to keep me upright. We enter the room and the buzz turns into weighted silence as the three of us come into view. My hand squeezes Sirius' a bit tighter. "I'm going up." He nods and I nearly sprint to the stairs, but my hand is caught by a third-year girl with big brown eyes.

"Smith's my sister. Thank you for saving her." She tells me and my heart softens.

"Of course." I nod and take the stairs two at a time, finally breaking down into tears when I hit the bed. Lily comes in a little later and just sits with me on the bed with tissues at the ready.

* * * * *

"If they keep staring, I'm going to hex them." I grind out as Lily and the boys walk me to the headmaster's office. Everyone has stared at me as I pass and I hate it. It's the other schools all over again and it's barely been two weeks.

"I could take care of that for you." James offers, but Remus lowers his hand when it extends with his wand.

"People are just thankful and probably a bit in awe of you. You were a hero."

"I don't feel like a hero when they stare like that, I feel like a freak." Lily flinches at the word and my expression turns questioning. James hesitantly rubs a hand over her back and she looks to him thankfully, but then the moment's gone.

"It'll fade," Remus assures me as we come upon the statue and McGonagall in front of it. "People have short attention spans." He continues with a comfortingly wolfish grin.

"Thanks for walking me," I tell them and they nod as I break away to walk over to the stern professor. She smiles softly at me and glances back at the group.

"You can bring someone with you if you like. For support." McGonagall offers and my eyes widen before I look back at them.

"All of them," I tell her and meet her eyes again. They've widened a bit, but then so has her smile.

"So be it." She waves them forward and they scurry ahead. Sirius reclaims his place at my side and his hand brushes mine before I snag it. We board the stairs and I feel so much steadier with them by my side.

"You do look ever so lovely today Minnie." James remarks and I spot Lily trying not to laugh.

"Another word and you'll have detention for a week, Mr. Potter." She tells him and he pouts playfully. We reach our destination and enter nervously.

"Miss Ackley and...her posse." McGonagall introduces us and rests a hand on my shoulder before walking back out. We six approach his desk and I swear I see a smile under that thick beard of his.

"So, Miss Arell. Tell me what happened." He waves his hand to me and I take in a deep breath before doing just that. I tell him everything that happened from the pub to the castle with James and Sirius chiming in when needed. Or, of course, for comedic effect.

"And this incident is the fifth time the dementors have come wherever I am. But they've never come so early in the year." I tell him and release Sirius' hand so he doesn't do it himself.

"Wait, what?" Lily catches my words first and I look to her apologetically. "This happens at every school you go to?" I can see the gears turning in her head as she tries to puzzle this out.

"Yes. There's been an incident with the dementors at every school. They expel me because they get an influx of letters from concerned parents." I turn back to Albus with weighted shoulders and a tired mind. "I told you I was dangerous."

"We have many dangers at this school, Miss Arell." Those blue eyes flick to Remus, then back to me. "And I don't believe we'll be getting any complaints from the parents of the students you saved."

"But I put them in danger in the first place!" I object and Sirius' hand smooths over my back as he nears yet again.

"Miss Arell, I've been looking into this strange phenomenon and while I don't have an answer yet, I know for a fact that it is not your fault. Protective enchantments have been put up around the school to ensure the dementors do not enter again, so I encourage you to put this particular incident behind you." He tells me firmly and I sigh. "I also have something for you." Albus stands with a small box in his hands. He rounds the desk and hands the dark red to me. "I hope this'll help and it's also good timing. I heard it was your birthday a while ago." He says and there are quite a few grumbles behind me about the fact.

"Thank you, professor," I say genuinely and he nods. Taking that as our dismissal, we all hurry out. We're quiet for a moment and I pause as they move forward, then all turn to me. I take a deep breath as I stare at the box in my hands. "I understand if you all would feel safer not being around me anymore." I do my best to keep the emotion out of my voice as my eyes graze over the group.

"Do you really think that little of us, Arell?" Lily asks with raised brows. She moves back to my side and takes my hand. "When I'm friends with someone, I'm in it for life. You're stuck with me."

"Mm, same for us." James agrees with a smile.

"Couldn't chase us away even if you were a werewolf, Mane." Sirius winks at me and Remus rolls his eyes, but he's a smile on his face. My heart lifts as does my worry, but I can weather through it with them at my side.

"Alright, then. Hope you know what you're signing on for." I shrug at their grins and continue with them down the hall.

"I've never heard of the headmaster giving anyone anything." Peter pipes up curiously as we descend the stairs. "What is it?" He asks as I open the little box. It's a gold necklace with a gold pendant of a half-moon. Instantly, I look at Lily.

"It's a necklace with a half-moon," I tell them and watch Sirius and James' brows furrow too. Firenze mentioned a half-moon, but how could Dumbledore know about that?

"A half-moon?" Sirius repeats and I pass the long necklace down for everyone to look at. Remus hums before passing it back to me.

"I'd bet there's a charm on it. For protection." He postulates as I clip it around my neck so it falls under my shirt.

"Wouldn't hurt." Although it'll have to be one hell of a charm to protect such a danger prone teenager. 

A/N

So, why do we think dementors are attacking Arell? Following her from school to school? How did Dumbledore know about the half-moon? Is the necklace a charm? Or something else entirely? So many questions... ;)

Keep reading!