scars || sirius black

49 - expecto patronum

A week before the Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, Dumbledore excitedly ushered the 7th years into his classroom. As they took their seats, he strode to the front of the room and started writing on the board.

"Today, we are going to take an afternoon off from exam preparation to learn a particular spell I believe many of you will find useful in the future."

He turned around to reveal the words he had written.

"The patronus charm," Emmy murmured. "I've been wanting to learn this for years!"

Lily looked over with similar enthusiasm, eyes glinting in anticipation.

"A patronus is a sort of positive force that repels the very essence of dementors, acting as a kind of shield. It will appear different for every one of you and requires your strongest, most joyful, memories to become corporeal."

"Corporeal?" Mary asked.

"Yes, Miss McDonald, the spell tends to materialise into an animal that most closely resembles your personality," Dumbledore replied. "And if any of you ever become animagi, it is likely there will be correlation between these two forms."

With a flourish of his wand, the desks were lifted up and cleared to the side as they paired up.

Lily and Emmy quickly found a spot by the window near the others and rolled their sleeves up. Thoughts raced through Emmy's mind, what would memory was her happiest? Was it the halcyon memories of her childhood, Remus by her side as they explored the foothills of the mountains around their home? Or was it the train ride to Hogwarts last year when they danced around the carriage to ABBA songs, high on life? But still the memory replayed in her head, lying in the hammock with Sirius at sunset last summer, paint still drying on the cottage. They had been through so much already but there they were, lying next to each other and so in love.

With these memories circling through her head, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and began to cast the spell. Her mind filled with the best memories she could muster and with a flick of her wand, the charm began to appear. It was just mist as first but it soon became more life-like. Shaking with effort and desperately trying to focus on her happy memories, in seconds the form disappeared.

"Excellent, Miss Lupin," spoke Dumbledore from behind her. "Keep practising that wand movement, think of your memories even before you move it."

She nodded and kept going.

Swathes of light swept through the space for the next hour as the students practiced the charm.

Emmy had managed to conjure some strong shields and her patronus was becoming more corporeal as they went on but she was beginning to tire.

Suddenly, the whole class paused as a bright brilliant stag reared it's head. James was beaming triumphantly at his patronus took its first steps.

"Well done, my boy!" exclaimed Dumbledore, clapping James on the shoulder as it faded away. "Most impressive."

"Thank you, sir," he replied, breathily. He looked over at Lily and she rushed over, wrapping him in a tight hug and badgering him for tips. The rest of the class was still clapping and Emmy took the distraction to catch Sirius' eye. He smiled secretively over at her and they both edged closer to each other, moving so they were leaning against opposite sides of a pillar.

"How're you getting on?" he whispered.

"Can't seem to get a proper form yet, are you close?"

"Pretty close."

He moved away for a moment as someone looked over and Emmy gazed over at Lily and James absentmindedly to avoid suspicion.

The others were still chatting away excitedly at the front of the class, surrounding James, but she guessed they only had seconds.