Chapter 701: Dementors Dropping Gear
Hertfordshire, a county on the outskirts of London, was home to just one witch according to Ministry records: Hermione Granger. Now that Hermione had moved to Diagon Alley, the area was entirely inhabited by Muggles.
A dreary gray mist hung over Hertfordshire, blanketing everything in a foggy, sandstorm-like haze. On the streets, pedestrians hurried along, shielding their noses and mouths while bundling themselves tightly against the cold.
It was an odd sight for July. The biting chill made people shiver, with some even resorting to wearing winter coats.
"This damn weather... Everyone at the Meteorological Bureau deserves a pay cut for this!" a man grumbled, rubbing his hands together. He had come to deliver some documents and hadn't anticipated the drastic drop in temperature. As he stepped off the subway, the frigid air hit him like a wall. His thin summer attire was woefully inadequate.
Quickening his pace, the man soon broke into a run, eager to finish his errand and escape the unnaturally cold streets. But the faster he ran, the colder he felt.
His breath grew labored, his head began to spin, and with each exhale, a puff of white mist escaped his lips—something he hadn't expected to see until winter. Frost began to form on his suit, though he was too disoriented to notice. His legs grew stiff, his pace slowing as though he were moving through quicksand.
Then, in the midst of the gray haze, something materialized above him: a ghostly figure cloaked in black, floating ominously in the air.
"Shhh...hooo..."
The chilling sound of a deep, rattling breath echoed. The man's expression turned blank as if an unseen force was draining him. The joy from his recent promotion, the laughter from last night's celebration with colleagues—all the happiness in his memory began to dissolve.
A surge of panic jolted his mind. He wanted to flee, but his body refused to obey. He stood rooted in place, paralyzed.
The Dementor loomed closer, its hood drawn back as it prepared to feed. The man's vision blurred, the colors around him faded, and he slipped further into darkness.