'What ancient books?'
The centaur ignored him. 'Now, he retains only enough power to summon his children to him. Already they have begun to travel.'
'The Dementors,' Lupin said. 'So that's where they've gone.'
The centaur cocked an eyebrow. 'Soon, perhaps, you will feel the summons yourself, werewolf. What of the others of your kind?'
'I am not often with others of my kind,' said Lupin. 'But I have felt no summons.'
'Not yet,' said the centaur.
'But if he is weak — if he lacks his old powers — '
'He lacks a Source,' said the centaur. 'He can do nothing without a Source. But he will find a new one. It is foretold. And when he does-'
'A Source?' Lupin interrupted, bewildered.
The centaur sighed. 'I do not have the time to instruct ignorant werewolves,' he snapped. 'I have the whole Forest to keep in order, and I am alone.' He reached around and into the satchel slung over his shoulder, withdrawing a ragged and dilapidated-looking book.
He tossed it to Lupin, who caught it reflexively, and stared. 'Read that,' said the centaur. 'Then you will know as much as I do.'
'This book,' said Lupin, staring down at it, 'this will help us?'
The centaur laughed without mirth. 'Nothing will help you,' he said, turned and broke into a canter. Lupin watched him go, then looked down at the book. He knew he should leave the forest as quickly as possible, but he couldn't help it — he yanked the book open with frantic fingers, and stared down at the pages.
They were covered with incomprehensible squiggles. If it was a language, it wasn't one he had ever seen before.
'Bugger,' said Lupin, with feeling.
'Ron?' said the stranger, sounding flabbergasted. 'What the bloody hell are you doing here?'
Ron dropped his wand. 'Charlie?'
There was a long, shocked silence. Eventually, Harry had the presence of mind to raise his wand. 'Lumos,' he said in a shaken sort of voice.
White light blazed from the wand tip, illuminating the startled-looking figure of Charlie Weasley. To Harry, he looked much as he'd always looked — dressed in a heavy leather jacket and looking just a bit burnt, as if he'd narrowly escaped being toasted by dragon fire, although the expression of stupefaction on his face as he stared at his younger brother was new.
'Ron?' he said again.
Ron made a gurgling sort of noise, paused, and tried again. 'I —
what are you doing here, Charlie?'
'I was — I came here because — there was a dragon here, wasn't there?' said Charlie, casting about wildly. 'I heard there was a dragon on the loose here — so I Appararated — I saw it for a second but it vanished — Ron, what the hell are you playing at, hanging about in the woods, miles from home, chasing dragons? Are you deranged?'
Ron looked furious. Harry stepped in quickly, 'There wasn't any dragon, Charlie,' he said. 'Well, there was, but it wasn't a real dragon. It was a Patronus.'
'A what?' said Charlie, staring. 'Scratch that,' he added hastily. 'I know what a Patronus is, by why would you need to conjure one?'
He looked at Harry. 'Harry, did you-'
'No,' said Harry firmly. 'It wasn't my Patronus.' He pointed the beam of wandlight towards the tree where Draco was lying, Ginny beside him. 'It was his.'
Charlie's jaw dropped, although he wasn't looking at Draco.
'Ginny?'
'Hallo, Charlie,' said Ginny in a small voice.
Charlie pelted over to the tree, dropped down by his younger sister, and took her by the shoulders. 'Ginny! Are you all right?'
'I'm fine, Charlie, I'm fine, that's just a scratch, really, I-'
'Ow,' said Draco, in a small, pained voice. 'Ow. Please don't sit on the broken leg.'
Charlie jumped back, then stared at Draco as if seeing him for the first time. 'Who're you?'
'Draco Malfoy,' said Draco.
Charlie looked shocked. 'Lucius Malfoy's son?'
Draco looked rebellious. 'Yes.'
'And that was your Patronus?'
'Yes,' said Draco again.
Charlie's face broke into a grin. 'That was a hell of a dragon.'
'I didn't see it,' said Draco, still looking rebellious, although slightly less so.
