The Marauders: Prongs

The Glowing Doe

The day after the full moon found James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the Gryffindor common room. 

Remus, though still fatigued from his transformation, was looking better with each passing hour. The relief of having successfully navigated another full moon without incident was visible on his face. His friends were all too aware of the toll it took on him, and they provided unwavering support in the aftermath.

Sirius, with his characteristic grin, had conjured a plate of sandwiches and snacks for the group to enjoy in front of the fire. They ate in silence, taking comfort in each other's presence.

After a little while, James reluctantly pushed himself to his feet. He had a tutoring session scheduled with Lily to help her with the patronus charm, a task he took quite seriously. He glanced over at his friends, who immediately noticed his departure.

Sirius, Remus and Peter had all managed to produce patronuses. They had all been amused, but not surprised, that their patronuses took on their animagus form. Remus had been a little quiet after finding out that his was a wolf, escaping to the library to be alone for a little while.

"Off to charm your way into Lily's heart, Prongs?" Sirius quipped with a sly grin, earning a few chuckles from Peter and Remus.

James shot Sirius a mischievous grin. "Well, it's a bit hard to charm my way into her heart when I'm already in there, mate!" He retorted. 

"Ha! You wish Prongs!" Sirius laughed. 

The banter continued as James made his exit, leaving his friends to their laughter and good-natured teasing.

With a parting wave and a smile, he made his way out of the common room, heading towards the courtyard where he would meet Lily for their tutoring session. 

In the quiet solitude of the courtyard, James had been diligently helping Lily practice the patronus charm. It had been a night of determination and shared effort, and as they cast the spell repeatedly, a serene and determined ambiance enveloped them. The chill of the evening was forgotten as the flutters of light filled the air. 

Finally, it happened. 

Lily took a deep breath and chanted. "Expecto Patronum!" A bright, silvery figure emerged from her wand, shimmering in the moonlight. The spell's magic wove itself into the shape of a graceful doe, its form pristine and glowing with a gentle and ethereal light.

Lily gazed at her Patronus in shock and awe, hardly daring to believe what she was witnessing. 

James's eyes lit up with a shared sense of wonder. 

The doe danced through the air, leaping around the courtyard for several moments that seemed to stretch into eternity. It left a sparkling trail in its wake as it bounded around the pair, casting them in a warm glow, before trailing off into the air. 

Darkness surrounded them, as Lily and James stood in the courtyard, both taking a moment to comprehend what had just happened. Although, both had different understandings of the situation.

Finally, James broke the silence. 

"It's a doe..." He whispered, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.

Lily turned to him, her eyes reflecting the newfound sense of empowerment that mastering the Patronus Charm had given her. 

"James." She replied softly, a hint of wonder in her voice. "I always had a feeling it would be a deer."

A grin lit up her face as she twirled around in excitement.

James thought about her words for a second, confusion evident in his dark eyes. He ruffled his hair and turned to her.

"Why... Why did you think it would be a deer?" He asked.

Lily, from the other side of the courtyard, turned back towards James.

"There's this deer I've seen in the Forbidden Forest, and it was strange... It was like it was trying to protect me."

James listened to her explanation, a mixture of emotions coursing through him. He had been that deer in the Forbidden Forest, watching over Lily without her knowledge, and now her patronus had taken the form of that silent protector. He marvelled at the extraordinary connection between them, a bond that transcended magic and spoke to the depth of their friendship.

But he couldn't reveal the truth to her. Instead, he offered a warm and supportive smile. 

"Lily, that's incredible. I'm really proud of you."

They left the lesson on a high note and headed back towards the Gryffindor common room. Lily chattered excitedly as they wandered through the stone hallways of the castle, but James's mind was elsewhere. 

He couldn't believe that her patronus had been a doe, the female version of his stag. What did it mean?

As they reached the Gryffindor common room, they parted ways. Lily gave him an excited hug before leaping up the stairs to the girls dorms to tell her friends about her break-through. 

As James entered his dormitory, he was met with the curious and eager expressions of his friends, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. They had been waiting to hear how his tutoring session with Lily had gone.

Peter couldn't contain his curiosity. "So, James, how did it go with Lily?"

James grinned and nodded. "She did, guys. She cast a fully fledged patronus."

The room seemed to buzz with excitement as his friends leaned in, their anticipation palpable. Remus was the first to speak up. "That's fantastic, James! But... What was her Patronus?"

James paused for a moment, savouring the moment as he looked at his friends, who were practically on the edge of their seats. Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he revealed "It was a doe."

A moment of silence followed, as his friends exchanged knowing looks. Then, Sirius burst into a grin and gave James a playful shove. 

"A doe, Prongs? Well, it seems you've left quite an impression."

Laughter and good-natured teasing filled the room, as James's friends celebrated the undeniable symbolism of the doe. 

As he drifted off to sleep, James couldn't clear his mind of the image of Lily's patronus dancing through the air. 

As Lily lay awake in the darkness, she couldn't help but think what a strange coincidence it was that her patronus was a doe, while James's was a stag.