The screaming was getting louder. She swore it. Or perhaps that was just her mind or the challenge playing tricks? She came to a halt, when she saw that the fog clear a little in front of her. What was that? Her eyes widened at the sight of the hooded figure reaching out over a young girl. That thing, whatever it was, was gruesome. Was it death itself? She stayed silent, huggeing her arms closer to her chest. It was starting to hurt to breathe because it was a dry, sharp cold. Irene analyzed the figure's hand (or what she could see of it). Scabby hand. Skeletal appearance. Shrouded in black. Cold. It was very cold. And for some reason, Irene was filled with dread and loneliness. She felt empty as if there was nothing inside of her. No warmth. "No," she whispered when she realized what it was. It couldn't be. A dementor? Was it a dementor? It surely looked like one she had seen in textbooks but was she actually seeing one in the very flesh? She couldn't defeat that.

Snap out of it. She could defeat it. She had the same potential as everyone else. She had determination. She could do this. Irene had been chosen for this competition for a reason just like every other competitor. Gripping her wand tighter, she took a step towards the creature and the girl.

She decided that she would have to take the risk and assume that the creature was a dementor. If it was a dementor, then this would work. If it wasn't then, she'd have to do some quick thinking later. Irene briefly closed her eyes, focusing on her memories and trying to best to ignore the screams of the little girl. She would help you shortly, she promised. She needed to cast a patronus first. She had cast her first patronus at the end of her fourth year but the patronus itself had been very weak. Thus she had spent hours in that very week and earlier this year trying to make it stronger. Happiest memory. That part of the process had been the most difficult because Irene was generally a very happy person. She was rarely sad. The happiest she felt was when she was surrounded by her family or with friends or with George her Pygmy Puff and ever faithful companion.

Focusing on her mind, she remembered a very special Christmas. It was when she had met her best friend for life, George. Irene had been handed a bright pink, sparkly wrapped box with a black bow on it. When she undid the bow and the wrapping paper, the lid of the box flew off and the fluffy pink creature popped straight off and climbed her arm. She had been terrified at first but once she saw the creature's adorable face, she just giggled and proclaimed that they would be friends forever. The Pygmy puff seemed to agree and began squeaking happily.

Lifting her wand and pointing it at the shrouded creature, she poured every atom of her being into this spell and into the memory of meeting her best friend, George. Circling her wand to strengthen the charm, she focused on how happy she felt in that moment.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Her wand produced a thin silver light which grew taller and wider until it turned into a stallion. She watched it charge towards the creature and the screaming girl.