Misguided Magic

The Patronus

The next day, Sirius and Amelia returned to the backyard for another round of wand practice. Initially, she was upset at her failure but Sirius Remus both reassured her that it would take her some time to learn the spells. Amelia was eager to continue her lessons, but she knew that mastering the spells would take time and patience. "Let's start with the levitating charm again," Sirius said, gesturing towards a stack of books on the ground. "Remember, it's all about focus and control." Amelia nodded, raising her wand and pointing it at the books. "Wingardium Leviosa", she said, trying to channel her magic. This time, however, the books remained stubbornly on the ground. Amelia frowned in frustration, trying again and again with no success. "It's okay, Amelia, don't get discouraged," Sirius said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Magic takes practice, and it's normal to have off days." Amelia took a deep breath, trying to stay positive. She focused all her concentration on the books, trying to will them to move. After several more attempts, she finally managed to levitate them, albeit clumsily. How did she manage to do it yesterday? She'll definitely have to work on that. "Great job, Amelia! You're getting there," Sirius encouraged, his voice filled with pride.

Next, Amelia was determined to improve her skills with the unlocking charm, Alohomora. Sirius set up a series of locks of varying difficulty around the garden, each requiring a different level of skill to unlock.

"Okay, Amelia, let's start with this one," Sirius said, pointing to a simple padlock on the garden gate. "Remember, it's all about precision and focus." Amelia nodded, raising her wand and pointing it at the lock. "Alohomora," she said, trying to channel her magic. At first, nothing happened. Amelia frowned in concentration, trying again and again with no success. "It's okay, Amelia, just keep trying," Sirius encouraged, watching her closely. After several more attempts, Amelia finally heard a satisfying click, and the lock sprang open. She grinned in triumph, feeling a surge of confidence. "Great job, Amelia! Now, let's try this one," Sirius said, leading her to a more complex lock on a chest. Amelia took a deep breath, focusing all her concentration on the lock. She raised her wand and said the incantation, but once again, nothing happened. She tried again and again, her frustration growing with each failed attempt. But she refused to give up, determined to master the spell. After what felt like an eternity, she finally heard the lock click open. She let out a whoop of joy, feeling a sense of accomplishment like never before. "Fantastic, Amelia! I knew you could do it. Try to practise it a little more because the locks at Hogwarts are a bit more difficult to unlock." Sirius exclaimed, clapping his hands. They continued to practice, with Amelia unlocking each lock with increasing skill and confidence. By the end of the lesson, she was able to unlock even the most difficult locks with ease. As they sat on the porch, watching the sun set, Sirius smiled at her. "You did brilliantly today, Amelia. I'm so proud of you." Amelia beamed, feeling a sense of pride and achievement. She knew that mastering magic wouldn't be easy, but with Sirius's guidance and support, she could catch up to the students at Hogwarts.

As they sat on the porch, Sirius reminded Amelia," After lunch you have a lesson with Remus too. He wanted to give you some extra information. Since, we still have some time before your school year starts, it is better to cover up as much as you can. Otherwise your time at Hogwarts would be spent with constant attempts to catch up with your classmates. Also, I don't worry about the rest but Snape, your potions teacher, might not go easy on you if he finds out you are my daughter." He knew that she would have to face a lot of harsh words incase anyone found out about her parents and he was trying to think of ways in which it could stay hidden until she has a few loyal friends of her own.

After a hearty lunch, Remus decided it was time to introduce Amelia to the basics of Transfiguration. They settled into the study, where Remus had set up a small table with a variety of objects for their lesson. "Transfiguration is a complex branch of magic that involves changing the form or appearance of an object," Remus explained, gesturing to the objects on the table. "Today, we're going to start with something simple: turning this matchstick into a needle." Amelia watched as Remus demonstrated the wand movement and incantation, then it was her turn. She took a deep breath, focused her mind on the matchstick, and waved her wand, trying to remember the incantation she had just learned. To her surprise, the matchstick elongated and sharpened, transforming into a needle. She gasped in amazement, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Excellent, Amelia! You did it!" Remus exclaimed, clapping his hands. Emboldened by her success, Amelia wanted to try something a bit more challenging. Remus nodded, impressed by her eagerness. "Alright, let's try turning this pebble into a small bird," Remus suggested, placing a smooth pebble on the table. Amelia focused all her concentration on the pebble, visualizing it as a bird. She waved her wand and said the incantation, but nothing happened. "Don't worry, Amelia, Transfiguration can be quite difficult," Remus said, encouragingly. "Try again, but this time, really focus on the pebble transforming into a bird." Amelia nodded, determined to succeed. She closed her eyes, pictured the bird in her mind, and waved her wand again. "Stone to Avian!" she exclaimed, using a different incantation she had read about. This time, the pebble trembled and then, with a soft glow, transformed into a small bird. It chirped happily and fluttered around the room before landing on Remus's shoulder. "Amazing, Amelia! You're a natural at Transfiguration," Remus praised, a proud smile on his face. As the sun began to set, they cleaned up their lesson materials and headed out into the garden to enjoy the rest of the evening. Amelia felt a sense of accomplishment and excitement at all she had learned that day.