Everyone was starting to feel the effects the Dementors in Hogwarts but none more so than Harry. He couldn't understand why they were so attracted to him and for that reason he felt so alone. He felt weak and vulnerable, but he would never admit it. It had only been a month since the incident on the train and he still couldn't get rid of that feeling. A feeling of sadness overcoming him, the warmth being taken from his skin, his heart freezing over and his soul, all his happiness being sucked from him. And how could he forget that scream, that long piercing scream that was his mothers.

Harry found himself wandering around in a state most days unable to cope with the atmosphere. As he looked to the sky it was starting to get darker he had the rest of the day off and he didn't want to spend it dwelling on Dementors, he needed a distraction. He looked out over the courtyard and let his eyes wonder over the hills that led to Hagrid's Hut. What with his new teaching position Hagrid was sure to be busy, but Harry decided that it was worth giving it a try. So he collected all his books and started walking towards Hagrid's Hut, as he did he looked to the sky noticing it still getting darker and darker. A cold chill went down his spine as he thought about what might be causing that to happen. But he kept walking, as he approached Hagrid's his heart sank as he realised he wasn't there. There was no smoke rising from the chimney and Fang was sitting on the step, waiting for his master to return.

"Hi Fang, Hagrid not home?" he asked looking gloomily up at the Hut, Fang just let out a long low groan.

"I know what you mean" he said, a dark cloud suddenly covered the sun and out of the corner of his eye Harry caught a glimpse of something shining in the far distance. It was the lake, shimmering in the single ray of sunlight that had escaped the darkness, Harry felt drawn to it. He was like a moth to the flame, attracted to what seemed to him to be the only living thing remaining in Hogwarts. Harry felt a sudden glint of happiness as he saw the specs of sunlight reflect off the rolling, soft ripples of the lake. He was walking towards it feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.

As he approached the lake he realised he was not alone. There sitting right on the water's edge surrounded by books and parchment and what seemed to Harry as fishing equipment was a girl. She had a rod in the water and was sprawled out on the ground with her eyes closed soaking in the suns warmth. Harry didn't want to disturb her but he was extremely curious as to what it was she was doing.

"Lovely day for it" he said smiling, she jumped slightly.

"Oh yeah" she laughed to herself and she looked at Harry in bewilderment.

Ignoring her stare he asked "What you doing?"

"Um, well I'm fishing" she said rearranging her books and parchment.

"Ah yes, what for exactly" as Harry asked this question he moved closer to the girl he realised she was in Slytherin. He was shocked, most of the Slytherin's this year had gone out of their way to make sure Harry was being tormented every day, but she was yet to throw any snide remarks his way.

"Well, you see I do Advance Potions and Professor Snape has asked me to make the Potion of Melancholy." She said looking through all her papers; she looked up at Harry the expression on his face made her giggle. "It makes the drinker feel overwhelming sad, and depending on the strength, it can last for up to years. Pretty powerful stuff for a fourth year, but it's nothing I can't handle. Of course I really couldn't see why he would want me to make anything so depressing when we've got these bloody Dementors hanging about" she said looking to the sky. "But anyway, most of the ingredients are fair bit expensive and I don't really have much money so I'm fishing. I'm trying to catch Grindylows, Hagrid gave me tips he's really quite smart Hagrid, when it comes to creatures anyway" she giggled. "I've caught two already I only need one but I was thinking if I dissect them properly I might be able to earn a Galleon or two down in Hogsmede" as she kept looking through her parchment she seemed as though she was speaking to herself more than to Harry at this point.

She looked at Harry and laughed, "I'm sorry, I get a bit carried away. I'm Elinore Collins, but you can call me Elle" she held out her hand for Harry to shake, he took it and smiled. She was a fairly pretty girl, her eyes were wide ice blue and dark lashed, her hair was dark with long curls and in the sunlight it had a red tinge to it, her smile was so friendly. And it was one of the first smiles Harry had seen in weeks.

"I'm Harry" he said

"I know" she smiled, suddenly something started tugging at her line and her rod went flying up into the air but stopped and caught itself.

"Woahhh, lucky I put a charm on the rod isn't it, there rather strong for something so small" she reached up to grab the rod, laughing hysterically as she did so. Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Do you need help?" he asked looking at the rod

"Ah, no ill be alright" she drew out her wand and pointed it at the rod, and it slowly came down to her.

She grabbed hold of it and pointed her wand at the wheel, it started turning and the rod was almost at breaking point and suddenly flinging out of the water and into the air came a small green creature. It moved so quickly Harry had hardly any time to see it before it was thrown into a bucket filled to the top with water. Elle then strapped the lid down with what seemed like extremely strong charmed rope and sat back down she was still laughing. Harry started laughing too, there was something about her laugh, about the lake shining that was making him feel joy, it was something he hadn't felt yet at Hogwarts this year. But Harry couldn't help wondering why it was that she was so different from the rest of her house. Harry stopped laughing and he felt is face change, line crease on his forehead. Elle stopped laughing too in reaction to Harry's face.

"What's wrong? " She asked, looking quite concerned.

"I don't get it, why is it that the rest of your house aren't like you? Why are they all a bunch of tossers?" he said looking at her seriously. There was a long pause.

"Ah, I heard they've all been giving you a hard time since what happened on the train." She paused. "I don't know what it is; they all have superiority complexes, given to them by their parents of course. I guess I don't have that problem" she paused again sighed and looked out over the lake. Harry felt a sting in his chest. He knew that feeling all too well, he knew that face, that tone, that sigh.

"I guess I'm more like my father, he was in Slytherin, as for my mum she was in Gryffindor. No one ever understood why he loved her. I guess she brought out a side of him he didn't know he had." There was a long pause as Elle looked out over the water, she sighed again.

"They come after me too Harry, the Dementors. They can sense that I've felt so much sadness in my life that they are drawn to me. I suspect that it's the same with you, were not so different you and I." She said looking at him finally, smiling. "I guess that's why I'm not a tosser" she laughed. Harry laughed too.

He had found it, the escape he needed from the constant darkness. A Slytherin, someone not much different from him, someone as equally tortured. Someone who understood what it was like to be alone.