Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter 12 Summary
The Patronus
Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, titled ‘The Patronus’ deals with Harry’s efforts to learn the Patronus Charm, the fallout from the confiscated Firebolt, and growing tensions among the trio over missing Scabbers.
Betrayal and Concern
Harry feels betrayed by Hermione for reporting the Firebolt, even though he understood her intentions. He believes the broomstick is safe, and is scared that the anti-jinx tests will ruin it.
Ron too, considers the inspection of a Firebolt criminal damage. Hermione, who believes she had the right intentions, starts avoiding the common room and takes refuge in the library.
As winter break comes to an end, everyone returns to the school, and the usual bustle resumes in Gryffindor Tower.
The night before classes resume, Oliver Wood seeks out Harry. He expresses concern over Harry’s encounter with the Dementors in the previous match and stresses the importance of mastering a way to fend them off.
Harry assures him that Professor Lupin will begin anti-Dementor lessons soon, which seems to calm Wood’s nerves. Wood then asks if Harry has ordered a new broom yet, and Harry explains the whole Firebolt ordeal to him.
Wood goes through a roller-coaster of emotions. His excitement knows no bounds when he hears the team has a Firebolt. However, it quickly turns into horror when he realizes they cannot use it.
Wood vows to speak with McGonagall and convince her to return it, since Black couldn’t have bought such an expensive broom while on the run. The possibility of having a Firebolt on the team reignites Wood’s determination, though Harry remains doubtful it will be resolved in time for the next match.
Classes Resume
Students dread their first lesson, Care for Magical Creatures, because it would mean having to go to the ground on a raw January morning. However, the lesson turns out to be unusually good. Hagrid provides the class with a Bonfire and fire-loving salamanders, and the students spend two hours collecting leaves to keep the bonfire blazing.
Divination, however, is much less fun. While learning Palmistry, Professor Trelawney tells Harry he has the shortest lifeline she has ever seen. In Defence against the Dark Arts, Harry asks Lupin about the anti-Dementor lessons and gets a date and time for the same. Ron observes that Lupin still looks rather ill, which earns him a condescending ‘tuh’ from Hermione, who is walking behind them. She acts like it is obvious what is wrong with Lupin, but refuses to elaborate and leaves.
At eight o’clock on Thursday night, Harry heads to the History of Magic classroom for his first anti-Dementor lesson. Professor Lupin arrives with a large case containing a boggart, the closest thing to a Dementor they can safely use for practice. Lupin explains the theory behind the Patronus Charm, detailing how it summons a guardian to protect against Dementors. He emphasizes that the spell is highly difficult, even for adult wizards, and requires intense focus on a happy memory.
Harry selects the memory of his first broom ride, hoping the thrill of flying will be enough to produce a Patronus. He practices the incantation, Expecto Patronum, but only manages a faint mist. Lupin smiles and puts him face to face against the Boggart
The Boggart instantly takes the form of a Dementor. Harry tries to cast the spell, but the overwhelming cold and despair quickly overtake him. He collapses, hearing the echoes of his mother’s final pleas to Voldemort. Lupin revives Harry with chocolate and reassures him that success will take time. He tells Harry to select a different memory and try again.
Progress with the Patronus
Despite his eagerness, Harry finds it increasingly difficult to produce a Patronus. Each attempt brings more fragments of his parents’ final moments. On one try, Harry hears his father’s voice for the first time, learning that James Potter had tried to fight Voldemort alone to give Lily and baby Harry a chance to escape. He tells about it to Lupin and asks if he knew James; to which Lupin says yes.
Lupin suggests they call it a day, but Harry insists on trying again with a happier memory. Harry tries recalling the time he found out he was a wizard and was going to leave the Dursleys forever. This time, he manages to summon a weak but visible Patronus.
Though it is not powerful enough to repel the boggart-Dementor entirely, Lupin is impressed with Harry’s progress. He explains that even this partial success is an impressive feat for a wizard of Harry’s age. They end the lesson, and Lupin instructs Harry to eat more chocolate.
Harry wonders if Lupin knew James, he must have also known Sirius Black. Lupin says yes, but is rather vague about it.
The Dementors Kiss
Ravenclaw plays against Slytherin and loses by a thin margin. This is good news for Gryffindor, since a victory against Ravenclaw now would put them second in the ranking.
With five practices and one anti-dementor lesson a week, Harry has only one day a week to complete all his homework. However, even his struggles pale in comparison to Hermione’s, who has taken every possible course. Ron wonders out loud how she gets to all her classes since a lot of them overlap, but Harry has better things to worry about.
A few seconds later, Harry is approached by Wood. Wood tells him that he went to McGonagall to ask about the broom, but got yelled at for having his priorities wrong. He tells Harry that he has lost hope about getting the Firebolt back, and that Harry should consider getting a new broom.
January turns into February, but Harry still lacks a broom. He asks McGonagall if he can have the Firebolt back, but there always is some or the other test remaining. His anti-dementor lessons aren’t going too well either, and he finds himself stuck without progress. During one of their practices, Lupin reassures him that he is doing great work for a thirteen-year-old, and offers him a butterbeer.
Harry asks Lupin what lies beneath a Dementor’s hood. Lupin doesn’t know, because the only people to have seen it are in no condition to explain.
He tells Harry about a Dementor’s ultimate weapon; the Dementor’s Kiss, where they suck out a human’s soul. Harry is extremely disturbed by this thought.
The Firebolt’s Return and Scabber’s Farewell
Harry runs into Professor McGonagall, who returns to him his broom, with the assurance that it has passed all inspections. Overjoyed, Harry rushes to tell Ron, who is equally excited. Ron eagerly asks for a chance to ride the broom, and Harry agrees, feeling lighter than he has in weeks. With the Firebolt back in his possession, Harry begins to see things from Hermione’s perspective. He suggests they make peace with her, admitting that she had only been looking out for his safety.
The boys head to Gryffindor Tower, where they find Neville Longbottom locked out of the common room. Neville had written down all the passwords of the week to avoid forgetting them, but misplaced the list. Harry gives him the correct password, and they all enter the common room together. Inside, the Gryffindors excitedly surround Harry, eager to see and hold the Firebolt. It takes more than ten minutes for the excitement to die down and the crowd to disperse.
Harry spots Hermione and heads over to talk to her. Ron takes the Firebolt to the Dormitory since it is time for Scabber’s tonic. Harry asks how Hermione is managing the workload, but doesn’t get far, as Ron comes back down screaming a few seconds later.
Ron shows Hermione his sheet, which is covered with blood, and declares that Scabbers is gone. Further, he shows her the hair he found near the bed, which probably belong to Crookshanks.
The chapter ends here on a high note, setting up the tone for future events. The tensions are high, and it looks like the end of Ron and Hermione’s friendship.
