The Girl who Survived (Fred Weasley)

CH 60. Patronus

"Did you not find your birthday gift helpful?" Dumbledore asked when we were having tea with Minerva one rainy afternoon.

"Ahh, you mean the box of confusion?" I asked as I reached for a lemon drop and popped it into my mouth. "I meant to ask you what that was about," I said. Minerva gave me a sour look as I was talking with the hard candy in my mouth. I lifted the saucer my teacup had been resting on to my mouth and dropped the candy as I raised an eyebrow at her, to which she just rolled her eyes.

"Manners," She said and sat up a bit straighter. "Honestly."

"My apologies, it may not have appeared as much at first glance, but it was an object of my own creation that I designed with you in mind specifically," Dumbledore said as he stood and went into a drawer off to the side and grabbed something.

"What's this?" I asked as he handed me a rag with a band around it.

"This was the first prototype. The one in your possession is the final result," He said. I began unhanding it and revealed a similar leather corseted arm guard. "The idea began as a way to help, as even the best of us tire from wandless magic after so long. Then it became a way to center the magic in one's hands. This way you can have your wand tucked inside, allowing your hands to be the point of control. I do believe this will also help for you to only see in, when you wish."

"A literal trick up my sleeve," I said and let out a little breath. "Oh, Fred would have loved this punchline," I said with a chuckle. "And it'll work?" I asked.

"The magic is within you dear. Now you're just guiding it along," He answered.

And in fact it had been working. I started wearing the cuffs under all of my shirt. Choosing to wear longer sleeved shirts at all times to keep them concealed. I didn't mind, and now I didn't intrude in on peoples thoughts unless I meant to. Adding in my wand the way he'd suggested amplified everything I tried to do with a spell, but I found that so long as it was wordless magic it balanced itself out rather well.

Before the next DA meeting Harry and I had discussed what would be good for everyone to learn next. Before the holiday we'd covered a good amount of counter jinx's and defensive spells. All except one.

"They need to learn to cast a Patronus Charm," I told Harry.

"I agree. But it may take a while, so we should have two or three lessons for it," He said.

"That's fine. That and practice, this is a good lot. They should get it in no time," I told him. "Bedside's, they don't need to cast a corporeal Patronus right away, so long as they're able to cast it is a start."

Everyone gathered in, and we explained to them the uses of a Patronus Charm other than just defense. The importance was another point worth stressing. It was a good thing that they all knew it, it was too dangerous for them not to know it. Harry and I cast ours first showing them that a Corporeal Patronus would take a particular form, Harry's being a Stag, and mine being a Doe.

"Don't focus on its physical form, that'll come after. Just focus on a memory," I said aloud as I walked through the room.

"Yes, and make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember," Harry called from the other side of the room. "Keep trying Seamus."

"George, your turn now," I said as I walked in front of George.

"Expecto Patronum!" He called out. A blue light swirled and not long after a magpie took flight, matching Fred's.