Hello everyone. Hope all are having a fine start to the week or a good end of the weekend.

I'm close to finishing and the kind words and the encouragement here is definitely a driving force. Again, I never expected to have been inspired like I have been and want to finish the story for you all,

Thank you for reading. Thank you for the kind words, the comments, the feedback.

Original Prompt

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

***

A Dance of Dementors

Chapter 4: Sixth Year, Darkest Before the Dawn

“Harry? Why did you stop, we must keep going.”

Harry looked at Dumbledore, thinking. A part of him was ecstatic to be away from Privet Drive, to be spending the rest of the summer at the Burrow, to be with the Headmaster on an important task.

However, he had spent the first few weeks of the summer at the Dursley’s thinking. He knew full well that he was responsible for fighting Voldemort. All the events leading up to this point, events that started before his birth, the prophecy, were proof of it. Not only was fighting Voldemort his responsibility, it was his duty. He wanted to do it.

It was not the only thing he wanted to do.

He had thought long and hard about Dancers in the Dark, about Ryllis, about what he could do for her. He knew that there were some things he could not learn on his own, information he needed, and at first he did not know how to obtain it.

Dumbledore’s letter gave him an idea. Being here on a recruiting mission to get Professor Slughorn gave him an opportunity.

Thinking about Ryllis gave him strength.

“Sir, it’s important for us to bring Slughorn to Hogwarts?”

“Professor Slughorn, well soon to be professor, but yes. Very important.”

“And you believe that I am needed to do it?”

Dumbledore stopped and turned to him, his attention fully on Harry. While the older man’s eyes did not narrow, the customary twinkle was absent. He looked at Harry with calm consideration. “Harry, I must admit I find myself suspicious of your questioning.”

Harry kept his face as blank as possible. “Do you remember what you said to me before the summer Sir? About you being more honest with me?”

“Yes, I do.”

“That you promised to help me for the task ahead, that you will do your best to aid me?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t asked you for much in the past, right Professor?”

Despite the statement, Dumbledore smiled. “Correct. You are remarkably selfless Harry, and far from greedy.

“Then, I would like some information Sir. Information that I believe you can get that I can’t.”

“For what purpose Harry?”

“To help someone, to help people who need it.”

“Are you the only one that can help them? Surely there are others that can help them.”

“No Sir, there aren’t. I’m the only one that can.” Harry saw the hesitation in Dumbledore’s face. “Much like I’m the only one that can help you now.”

Dumbledore snorted. A deep and unrefined sound. “Dear me Harry, that was positively twisted of you.”

A small smile appeared on the young man’s face. “Really? I was only making an allusion, Sir. To show how similar my situation was to yours.”

The Headmaster waggled a finger but the gesture was marred by a wry smile. “So you are saying you will not assist me if I do not assist you.”

Harry tried to look innocent. “I didn’t say that at all Sir. I just wanted to point out that I am willing to help you, I just need some help myself.”

“Perhaps all these years spent at the Burrow have taught you too much. I see a likeness between you and Fred and George Weasley right now.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I’m sure they would as well.” Dumbledore sighed. “What if I were to offer to assist you in your matter?”

“I think you have more than enough going on Sir. I just need a little information. I can promise you that it really is to help people. People who haven’t had any kind of help in a really long time. People…that I think have suffered too much.”

The Headmaster was silent for a long moment. “As I said, you are remarkably selfless Harry. I have your oath that the information is only to help another?”

“Many others, yes Sir. And…it may very well help us against Voldemort.”

“Why did you not say that sooner Harry?”

“Because, I didn’t want you getting too involved, not yet. I don’t know if it will help us, but it might.”

“Don’t you trust me Harry?”

I used to without question. I still do, just, more slowly. “As much as you trust me Sir.”

At first Harry thought he misspoke. He could not catch all the expressions that rapidly changed on the older wizard’s face. His heart finally resumed beating when Dumbledore smiled.

“Well, that’s good to hear. I trust you very much Harry. Tell me what you need, and on my honor as your Headmaster, I will try to obtain it for you.”

-0-

“I like this place, it feels warm.”

Harry grinned at Ryllis. “I think so too. It feels like a home doesn’t it?”

Aside from when she came to rescue Harry in Surrey, this was the first time he met the not quite-Dementor not quite-human away from Hogwarts. It had felt right to see her when he was at the school. It was where they met and had gotten to know each other after all. There they helped peel away the veils that had clouded her mind. They had helped her regain her humanity. There they had started to learn the terrible truth about some Dementors.

Perhaps that was why it was especially nice to see her here at the Burrow. Here Harry felt completely and utterly safe. Everyone in the Burrow liked him. They wanted him there. He could relax and just be himself, to be with people he liked and loved.

A real home with a real family.

Ryllis weaved her way around the orchard, barely touching the apple trees. Her presence did not change them like it did in the past. Her Aura was much reduced, barely noticeable. By now Harry liked her Aura. It was still a cold sensation, like a chill wind that never left you. It comforted him however. Underneath the chill there was a warmth, a feeling of care. It felt like her.

“I can feel their love for you,” she said softly. She looked at the Weasley home almost longingly. “I can tell they truly care for you.” She smiled at him. “And you for them. It is a wonderful home Harry. You deserve it.”

He was glad it was the middle of the night. So many convenient shadows to hide his red face. “Thanks. Do you remember a home like that?”

Her face turned wistful. “I do. At least, I think I do. I can remember feeling loved. I cannot see faces attached to the love. Not yet. But I know now it is love, it is care. I have had it before.”

“How do you know?”

She looked back at him. “It is like how I feel for you. It is like how you feel for your friends and ones you call family.”

He was definitely happy for the night and the shadows.

“So, uh, I have good news.” Her delight was infectious and he felt their connection tingle. “I managed to convince Dumbledore to help me.”

“Oh wonderful!” She looked confused. “How is he going to help? Did you tell him of the book and the ritual?”

“No and I have a feeling that if I did, he would be a lot less helpful. He’s really strict about dark magic. No, I actually got the idea from Hermione. Dumbledore is the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. As the Chief, he has access to records that most people can’t get.”

“That does sound useful. I do not see how it helps us if you can forgive my ignorance.”

“Well, Hermione said the records of the Asheton family disappear after a certain point. So he is going to try and find as much as he can for me. Also….” Harry’s voice trailed off and he gulped. “We know that the ritual that…created you, well I mean, there’s a ritual. If there’s a ritual, it had to have been created for a purpose. A purpose besides making different Dementors.” He lapsed into silence, clearly uncomfortable.

Ryllis floated to his side and held his scarred hand in hers. “You do not have to continue Harry. I never want to cause you distress.”

Her touch was ice cold. Her touch gave him strength.

“No I want to, it’s just, kinda hard to say out loud. In the book, they hint that the ritual was…a punishment.”

Shock ran down their connection. “Punishment?”

“Yeah. A punishment for…something.”

It was her turn to fall silent. “Did…did I…did I deserve this?” she asked in a broken whisper.

“No!” Harry shouted and did not care if he woke anyone. He pulled her down to him so he could look her in the eye. “I refuse to believe that! No one deserves to be made into a Dementor. Nothing you could ever do would excuse this.”

“You do not know,” she replied in that same broken voice. “What if I was a bad person? What if I committed a crime that warranted such a sentence? No, perhaps it is best if we did not continue.” She tried to let go of his hand.

He clung to her even tighter. “I do know! Well, I mean, I don’t know who you were before but I know who you are now. You saved my life. More than once. You helped save Dudley. You are trying to help others that are in the same position that you are. Those aren’t the actions of a bad person.”

Her black eyes looked wet. “But what if? What if I was as terrible as I think?”

“What if you’re as good as I think you are?” Harry replied. “When we learn more, we can cross that bridge when we get to it. But I really believe that, no matter what you did, you don’t deserve being a Dementor. I really believe it.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I can feel it. Thank you Harry.”

“You are welcome.”

She giggled. She drifted closer and hugged him. “I only saved Dudley because you were there Harry.”

“It still counts.”

They stood like that for long moments, resting against each other. When she tried to release him, he hugged her harder.

“Harry,” she giggled, “you should go inside. It is late and you are cold.”

“No I’m not,” he said insincerely, fully aware of his misting breath.

She kissed his forehead and slowly dissolved, leaving Harry empty armed.

“That’s cheating,” he grumbled.

She laughed. “Be careful Harry. I will see you when you return to Hogwarts.”

He sighed dolefully and began to walk back to the Burrow.

“Oh, and Harry?”

He paused. “Yes Ryllis?”

“Thank you, for everything.”

He did not reply, feeling her Aura disappear completely. He resumed walking back to the house, his steps just a little bit lighter.

-0-

“I just don’t get it.” Harry tried to keep the complaint from his voice and was mostly successful.

“I never thought you to be someone that complains so,” Ryllis said. Her smile lessened the sting in her words.

“That’s not fair,” Harry whined. His smile was as broad as hers when she laughed. “I mean, I don’t understand why I’m learning about Voldemort’s past. Dumbledore said it would be important, and I’m sure it will, but it doesn’t mean I get it right now.”

“The past can teach us patterns, lessons that lay the foundations for the future.” Ryllis shook a skeletal finger at Harry when he snorted. “Honestly, history is important, Harry.”

“I have yet to use anything I learned or didn’t learn from Professor Binns,” Harry replied tartly.

“Well, that is merely one example. History is rather large in depth and breadth. In fact I can think of you actively researching history.”

“Oh yeah, go ahead if you think you’re so smart.” He groaned as she pointed at the scrolls he brought to the lake’s edge. “Okay, maybe you’re smart.”

“I am much older than you Harry.”

“You don’t look it,” he muttered. His face went crimson when he realized what he said.

The fact that her marble pale skin was slightly dusky was his only saving grace.

“I mean, age doesn’t mean wisdom.”

“Youth does not mean ignorance either,” she replied easily. “You are testament to that.”

I wonder if a person can blush so hard they pass out.

“Yeah, Hermione is better though.”

“Do not sell yourself short Harry. Do not be so dismissive of your own achievements.” She picked up one of the scrolls. “Few would be as successful as you to get these records.”

Harry preened a little. While he did negotiate a deal with Dumbledore, not extort him as Hermione said scandalized when he told her, it did not mean he would get what he wanted. Like he told Ryllis, he knew full well that any mention of Dancers in the Dark or any questions regarding Dementors or dark rituals at all would have stopped any sort of assistance.

While he did make a quip about not realizing Harry was interested in a History of Magic N.E.W.T.S., Dumbledore did what he promised and provided Harry with records of the Asheton family as well as general records from that time period. He did look a little surprised when Harry asked about prison records and examples of punishments from the Ministry at the time, but had thankfully given Harry the information without question.

Unfortunately, the records have been a little lackluster. They were not complete by any sense of the word, frequently hopping back and forth between subject matter. It seemed like early historians and record keepers lumped anything remotely related together, no matter how thin the connection.

Harry was especially disappointed that he could not find any mentions of a Ryllis Asheton.

Surprisingly, Ryllis had not been as discouraged. She had been happy to learn of the ancient Asheton family. She spent a lot of time trying to see if she remembered more things after reading an external account. While her recollections were almost as patchy as the records, she had cheerfully continued to read and meditate.

It was not all bad news. In the records, Harry found family names that the other Ritual Dementors had. When they were told of their last names, the Ritual Dementors obtained even more of their past memories.

He felt good that he was helping them. He still believed that no matter what the people did in the past, they did not deserve to be Dementors. At the very least, did not deserve to remain as Dementors.

He and Ryllis had another argument about whether or not if they should try to learn about the ritual. Perhaps the Ritual Dementors should remain as they are. She tried to argue that with his help, they were already more than just a Dementor. They had limited autonomy; they were no longer controlled by the Hunger.

He argued that the fact that the Ritual Dementors were changing back, or at least changing from being just a stronger Dementor, showed that the process was flawed. That it was not natural. If it was created, it could have been used incorrectly. They had to figure out the why if for no other reason to prevent it from happening again. He admitted that they did not know if they could fully reverse the ritual, that they did not know what would happen if they did. They owed it to the future to make sure that it would not happen again.

She stopped arguing when he asked her how she would feel if someone used the ritual on him.

She was furious when he said that. For a moment her Aura returned in full and he had laid there completely drained and chilled to the core. She said that she would leave him like that for some time to teach him a lesson.

His attempts to point out that her sense of humor returning was another sign that the ritual was flawed were completely ignored.

-0-

“Is this another thing that you ’do not get’?”

Harry smiled sourly at Ryllis.

“No I get it, they’re the ones that don’t get it.”

“You must forgive your friends. They are young after all.”

“Oi! What does that make me? They’re both older than me!”

“You’re very mature for your age Harry.”

Harry sighed deeply, trying to ignore Ryllis’ giggling and failing. He felt that this time might be the time that broke Hermione and Ron. They had their arguments throughout the years, times where tensions were too high between them.

He had told Ron that he was out of line for treating Hermione so poorly. That he was rubbing his new relationship with Lavender in her face. That he was being a git.

He had told Hermione that she was out of line for attacking Ron with the conjured canaries. That her trying to use Cormac McClaggen as revenge to make Ron feel bad was helping no one.

They both had stubbornly told him to keep his opinions to himself.

He had fled the tower and came to talk to Ryllis instead.

“They should just be honest with each other,” he complained.

“Love is complicated. It makes fools of anyone. It takes time and experience to learn how to deal with it.”

“More wisdom brought from your age?” Harry teased.

“Yes, and experience of course,” she replied evenly. Her face twisted with mischief. “You are not immune to love my friend.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied swiftly, looking anywhere but at her.

“I am a Dementor Harry, I can feel emotion. Even without our connection I can tell. Who is that girl? The one you play Quidditch with?”

“I thought you promised you wouldn’t look at my thoughts!”

She laughed, the sound echoing. It was bright and warm. “I did not! However, I do feel what you feel when you think of her. You are far too easy to tease sometimes.”

Harry looked directly at Ryllis. He thought of the first time he saw her smile, the times when she came to rescue him, the way she said his name. He pushed his feelings into the connection between them. “What about now?”

She blushed, her skin seemed to glow. “Oh Harry, there is love, and then there is love.”

Before he could reply he gasped. The connection between them pulsated, it felt alive. He resisted the urge to grab his chest. Usually, the connection was more of what she felt from him. It was how he knew when she was near. Before he could feel the slightest hints of her emotion, the barest suggestion.

This time he felt it in full. He felt fully and completely. He had absolutely no reservation about what she was experiencing at that moment.

He wanted to say something, anything, but no words came forth. Instead he looked sheepish. He looked shy. He looked thankful.

She settled beside him. Her arms wrapped around him.

They sat and looked up at the night sky, unspeaking but feeling.

-0-

“Harry, are you alright?”

Harry was slumped back in his chair. He was not alright. He was overwhelmed.

He and Dumbledore had finally seen the untainted memory from Slughorn. They had finally learned the dreadful truth, the secret to Voldemort’s magical resilience.

Horcruxes.

Voldemort had split his soul and placed it within an object. As long as he had his soul hidden away and safe, he could not completely die. He would always still exist and can always try to come back.

Not just one, but six.

The task before him seemed insurmountable, impossible. The fact that two of the horcruxes had already been destroyed kept Harry from falling to panicked hysteria. How was he supposed to fight the greatest dark wizard, one that had so many fail safe options, with a power that Voldemort knew not?

How could he fight with love?

Love.

Harry felt the connection tingle ever so slightly.

He sat up.

“Harry, what is wrong?” Dumbledore looked concerned. At first Harry looked crestfallen to the older wizard, an expression well warranted given the situation. Then it seemed like something clicked in Harry’s mind and he looked even more alert. He looked like someone making an important connection.

“Sir, with each time you saw Voldemort, he looked different right? He looked less human, like in your last memory when he visited the school and tried to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“So, by that point, he probably had made some horcruxes. And in doing so, he looked less human. Like he kept losing features.”

“That’s an astute observation. Most thought that he wanted to make such dramatic cosmetic changes to suit his mystique, but perhaps he was forced to as a consequence in splitting his soul.”

“Do you think it’s possible that, whatever he did to split his soul and make horcruxes, could it be forced on someone?”

Dumbledore’s eyes grew hard. “I would have you explain yourself Harry. Do you mean to say someone forced Voldemort to make them?”

Harry shook his head. “No, it’s obvious Voldemort wanted to make horcruxes. He intended to do it. He did it to himself and willingly broke his soul, so you could say he chose what parts of himself he lost.”

“Yes…that is a logical assumption.”

“What if someone forced someone else’s soul to break? What if someone had changed against their will, that they didn’t intend to do that? If their soul was broken against their wishes, they wouldn’t be able to choose what they lost.”

“Following your earlier reasoning, that would make sense.” Dumbledore looked at Harry. “Harry, does this have something to do with you asking for the records from the past?”

He did not deny it. He was beyond trying to hide everything. He was so close to something, he knew it. “Sir, to the best of your knowledge, are there rituals that punish people? Punish criminals?”

The man was silent. He very slowly, very unwillingly nodded.

“Rituals that were used a long time ago. Ones that…shouldn’t have been?”

Another slow, painful, nod. “When I was elected as Chief Warlock, I did my best to stop certain practices. I also tried to ensure that they would never be used again.” Dumbledore’s whisper barely carried.

Harry wanted to cry. “What if…what if Voldemort learned of a ritual and changed it to suit his needs?”

Dumbledore cried. Tears fell down his cheeks.

“I think…I think you’re right though Sir.” Harry swallowed. “I think, love, is something in my favor. I really think it’s something Voldemort cannot deal with. We know that because he stopped possessing me last year when I thought about Sirius.” It was still hard to say his name.

“But I think, no, I know you’re right Sir. He is incapable of love. The presence of it hurts him. And it’s not only his arrogance, but a consequence of how he made the horcruxes.”

“How? How do you know?” Dumbledore looked at Harry in a new light. “My dear boy, how can you be so sure?”

Harry touched his chest. He felt the connection warm deep inside him. “I can’t tell you now Sir, but trust me when I say I do.”

Tears still streamed down his face but Dumbledore smiled. “My boy, I already told you. I trust you, more than you know.”

-0-

“He is far more evil than I could have thought.” Ryllis shivered. “I have never heard of a horcrux before, but the description is monstrous. And for someone to willingly make them so many times? It beggars belief.”

She looked at Harry, gratefulness and pain in equal measure in her gaze. “I am beyond worried about you Harry. What you have to do, it is unreasonable. You have done so much. You have experienced too much. You have accepted responsibility to fight yet you continue to aid me, to aid the Ritual Dementors. It is too much, even for you.”

He shook his head. “No, I want to do it, both to stop Voldemort and to help you. He took everything from me, hurt so many people. You’re like me, you had everything taken from you too. More than that. At least I can remember my whole life. It’s not fair what you’ve gone through too.

“Plus, learning about Dementors and your situation has helped me too. It makes sense that what Voldemort did to make horcruxes was probably similar to what was done to you. The main difference is he willingly did it. He intended on breaking his soul. You didn’t. That’s why you can’t remember things. It’ll help us figure out how to reverse the ritual.”

Her smile chased away the pain in her eyes. “How did you figure that out? I am sure only you could have, not even your very clever friend could have.”

Harry looked down at the ground. He pushed on their connection while thinking about Ryllis.

“Oh!” Her voice was full of surprise and even embarrassment.

He trembled as he felt the connection push back on him, filled with what he put into it, filled form a different source.

“This just proves what was done to you was wrong,” Harry said. “You’re not a monster. If you were, you couldn’t feel like this. There’s proof of it now.”

“People change Harry.”

“Some people change for the better Ryllis.”

“How can you be so kind after all you have gone through?”

“I have good examples to follow I guess.” He coughed awkwardly. “I have to go, Dumbledore said he thinks he’s close to finding a horcrux. I want to be ready to help him.”

“Harry, please be careful. I worry for you.”

He tried to smile convincingly. “I won’t be alone. Don’t worry, I’ll ask him for help if I need it. And you of course.”

-0-

“Where are we going Harry?” Ron asked as he followed his friend. “Shouldn’t we be getting ready to leave?”

Harry kept walking. He felt like if he stopped now he would completely break down. Ever since waking he kept playing yesterday’s events over and over in his mind. If he stopped to think, his thoughts would overwhelm him. Even while moving he felt like he would crumble beneath the pressure.

Dumbledore, the Headmaster, the one that helped Harry all these years, was dead. He had died at the hand of someone he trusted.

Someone Dumbledore trusted. Harry had never trusted Severus Snape.

With Dumbledore gone, everything seemed much more bleak. The wizard that Voldemort feared, the one that had stopped Voldemort from succeeding during the first war, the one person that kept the dark wizard in check, was gone. With him gone, what chance did Harry and the Order have?

Harry knew he had to go on. Dumbledore’s mission was now his mission. If Harry could do it, then Voldemort could be stopped.

If he could do it.

Harry knew he was not nearly the wizard Dumbledore was. He did not have the strength. He did not have the resources. He lacked the experience, the knowledge.

He was alone.

Harry stopped; a thought rose to the top of his mind.

Ron ran into his back. Hermione almost ran into both of them. “Blimey Harry,” Ron said. “What is going on? Talk to us!’

“We want to help you, Harry,” Hermione said. “We know Dumbledore had something in store for you, we’re going to go with you. We’re going to help you. You’re not alone.”

Ron and Hermione were unprepared for Harry’s look of determination.

“I know that,” Harry said quietly, resolutely. “I have you two with me, and I can’t thank you enough. Follow me.” He started walking again, his steps more sure. He walked with a destination now. “Also, we’re not alone in this either.”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked exasperated. “Where are we going?”

Harry did not answer. He led them towards where the Black Lake met the Forbidden Forest.

“It’s so frustrating when he doesn’t explain himself,” Hermione said.

“Now you know how it feels when you do it,” Ron replied.

-0-

“It’s okay!” Harry yelled.

Ron yelled and Hermione shrieked when they appeared.

Five hooded figures approached from deep within the forest, floating forward slowly towards the trio. Their Aura was heavy, it dragged on the two wizards and the witch.

“Dementors!” Ron cried out, bringing his wand up. “Harry, what do you mean it’s okay?! They’re going to Kiss us and steal our souls!”

“No they won’t, not these Dementors,” Harry said. “Lower your wand Ron, trust me mate.”

“Harry, is that…” Hermione clung to Harry’s arm, her eyes wide and staring at the Dementor in front. “Is that the one that saved you? Is she the one that came to the ball?”

“Saved you? What do you mean by that? And what do you mean by the one that came to the ball?!” Ron asked, utterly confused.

“Ron, Hermione, this is Ryllis Asheton. She’s a friend. She’s not like the other Dementors. She won’t hurt us. Neither will any of the others.”

Slowly the five forms slid into the sunlight. Thin wasted hands came up to pull back ragged hoods, revealing almost natural faces.

Ryllis smiled at them. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you properly. Harry has told me much of you. I am proud to call him a friend. You have nothing to fear from us.”

“Oh you were right Ryllis!” The shortest and smallest form had incredibly large eyes that were as blue as the sky. “The Dawnbringer feels warm! It’s nice to be near him.” He floated to Harry, child-like. “My name is Leo! That’s my name!”

Harry felt his heart twist. Leo looked like a child and he hated what that meant. He tried to keep the pain from showing on his face. He could feel Ryllis feel the pain he felt, he felt her pain too. “It’s nice to meet you Leo. You may call me Harry though.”

“Why would we? Dawnbringer is an amazing name.” Xander grinned. His attention shifted and his brown eyes smoldered. “Oh, hello pretty girl!” he said to a suddenly blushing Hermione.

Ron glared at the Dementor. “What did you say to her?”

“I said, hello pretty girl. Did you not hear me? Do people no longer compliment each other these days?”

“Pipe down whelp,” the oldest looking Dementor said. His face was heavily lined, his figure slightly stooped. His grey eyes looked annoyed. “I think you did us no favors helping this one remember Dawnbringer.” He jerked a thumb at the grinning Xander. “This one is annoying.”

The last Dementor giggled. Her face was thinner than Ryllis’, youthful. “The irritable one is Syus. My name is Belle. Thank you Dawnbringer for helping us, all of us. I forgot how nice it was to remember things. To not be hungry all the time.”

“I’ll explain everything later,” Harry whispered to the gobsmacked Ron and Hermione.

He turned to the Dementors. “Do you know?”

They nodded sadly.

“The One Returned is gleeful,” Syus said. “We can feel his call. He is no longer hiding his presence. The Primals flock to him.”

“We do not!” Leo declared proudly. “We ignore him. We listen to Ryllis. We listen to you!”

“Not just us either,” Xander said. “There are others. Not as far along as us, but there are others. You are not alone, Dawnbringer.”

Harry did not quite smile, but he felt his lips feel less tight. “Thank you.” His eyes met the eyes of the Dementors one by one before landing on Ryllis. “Someone told me that people will help me.”

“She sounds very wise,” Ryllis said softly.

“Wisdom independent of age,” Harry agreed and he almost smiled at her laugh. “I…won’t be back next year.”

Her laughter faded. “I know,” she said sadly. “You set off to accomplish your task?”

He nodded.

“It is not fair. It is too much.”

“Maybe. But it has to be done.”

“And it will be done. We are with you Harry. I am with you.”

After a few moments Hermione drew Ron away, shushing his protests and starting to explain her comment about the ball. The other four Dementors flitted back into the woods, leaving Harry and Ryllis standing alone.

“I’m scared,” Harry admitted out loud.

She wrapped him in her arms. “I know. I am scared as well.”

“You are?” His arms pulled her closer.

“Of course. I fear for you Harry. I am terrified of what you must do. I still intend on you living a long full life. I worry over the path to it.”

The tears he kept bottled up began to spill. “What if I can’t do it?”

“You will. You have done amazing things. You have defeated Voldemort already as a babe. You have fought year after year, surviving his plots and machinations. You have withstood Dementors at their hungriest. You have given hope to the hopeless. You have saved us. You are capable of beating the Wasted One again.”

“I only beat him the first time with my mom’s love.”

“And you will defeat him this time with her love. And the love of others.”

He could feel his heartbeat. He could feel the connection beat in tandem with it.