Her father recently sent her a broom. But it was not just any old broom, in fact it was probably the best broom he could have possibly sent her: the Firebolt. The letter that came with it stated for Y/n to think of the gift as a secondary Christmas gift, and Y/n couldn't have been more grateful for her father. Draco had been bragging about his Nimbus 2001 every since he received it, but stopped immediately after hearing about Y/n's Firebolt. With Y/n on the team and her Firebolt, they easily took down Ravenclaw at their first quidditch match. Flint and Draco were especially happy with the win. They threw a whole party at the Slytherin common room, to commemorate their first win of the school year.
Y/n, not being a big party person herself, only spent an hour at the party before leaving the common room to find some peace. Walking down the hallway, she wasn't sure where to go during this part of the day, so she thought she'd go to the owlery to visit Atlas. Might as well send another letter to her father while she was there, informing him she won her first Quidditch match. While she was walking there, she was stopped by Professor Lupin, who was still looking quite pale from his "illness".
"Hello Y/n," said Professor Lupin, holding a stack of papers, "do you mind having a quick chat with me? I promise not to take too much of your time."
"Okay, uh sure." responded Y/n, as they both walked to Professor Lupin's classroom.
The professor put down his papers, saying, "I heard Slytherin won the quidditch match today. Nice job. I, unfortunately, didn't get see it myself."
"Thank you, professor." Y/n nodded, "But is there something else you wanted to tell me?"
"Of course you were clever enough to see through the small talk." He sighed, then chuckled, "Yes, in fact, I did want to ask you something."
"Well, go ahead, professor." Y/n was a bit weary, since she had discovered his secret already. It wasn't necessarily hard to find out that he had been a werewolf. Especially with how Snape kept acting around him.
"Well, yes, Y/n." The professor started, "You are an exceptional student ever since I met you on the train..."
So he still remembers that...
"I am currently giving some lessons to your classmate, Harry Potter," Professor Lupin continued, "and since he is trying to learn the patronus charm, I'd thought we could use your help."
Y/n raised her eyebrow, she knew Harry had an issue with the dementors but she didn't know that Professor Lupin was helping him with it, "My help? Why would I help Harry?"
"I'd thought you'd say that," Professor Lupin chuckled, "I'm sure you can also learn more during our time together. I'm happy to give you any guidance on spells you're interested in as well. I'll also be sure to give you extra credit for the class."
Y/n paused, thinking, "...I'll think about it."
"Excellent! We'll be here on Thursday at 8pm." Professor Lupin established, "See you then."
Y/n then continued her walk to the owlery, conflicted on whether she should go or not.
...
Thursday seemed to have come by faster than usual. Y/n was still having a hard time deciding whether or not to take on Professor Lupin's offer. Though she eventually gave in to the temptations of sweet knowledge and decided to go.
"Hey Y/n we were thinking of having a chess tournament tonight. I haven't gotten to see your skills yet." Blaise said, wrapping his arm around Y/n's neck.
"Sorry, I can't go."
"What? Why?" questioned Daphne.
"I'm going to — er — get some extra help from Professor Lupin." Y/n quickly stated.
"Oh, okay..." Daphne looked a bit disappointed.
"Wait, why are you getting extra help from Professor Lupin? Aren't you already one of the top students in his class?" Draco asked.
"Well — er — he said he'd help me with some spells I'm interested in." Y/n wasn't lying, he really did offer.
"I see." replied Draco, knowing Y/n as the overachiever, "Well, let us know how it goes."
Y/n made sure all the Slytherins turned around first before briskly walking to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She wanted to make sure none of them saw her enter with Harry, otherwise she would be nagged at nonstop. So, she quickly knocked on the closed door before slipping inside. Once there, she noticed Professor Lupin standing at his desk with a briefcase, with the one and only Harry Potter standing in front of it. They both turned to look at her as she walked in.
"Y/l/n? What are you doing here?"
"I've asked her to come here." Professor Lupin responded for Y/n, smirking. Almost as if he knew Y/n would show up, even though she didn't necessarily agree.
Harry blinked, "What for?"
"If you remember on the Hogwarts Express, Y/n was — in fact — the one to defeat the dementor attacking you." Professor Lupin explained, "I believe she has the expertise to guide you in the formation of your patronus."
"Well... okay," Harry nodded at Y/n, and she returned the gesture.
"Why don't you take a break now Harry, I think it's time for you to see how a real, corporeal patronus should look like." Professor Lupin stepped back, gesturing for Y/n to perform the spell.
Y/n set down her bag on a nearby chair, then breathed deeply before pulling out her wand. This was only going to be the second time Y/n produced a patronus, but since she had already performed it once before, she had a feeling it was going to be somehow easier this time. So, she closed her eyes and focused on all of her favorite and happiest memories before shouting out, "Expecto Patronum!"
A silvery-white, ghost-like hippogriff emitted from Y/n's wand. Harry could only stare in astonishment at how majestic the patronus had been as it leaped around the classroom.
"A hippogriff... Professor Lupin, how is it possible for her to perform the patronus without being in front of a dementor?" Harry asked as the hippogriff slowly faded away.
"Why don't you ask her directly? No need to have me here as a middle man when you're in the same room."
Harry just looked at Y/n, he wasn't really sure how to act in front of one of Draco's friends.
Y/n rolled her eyes and decided to answer the question anyways, "It's possible to learn how to produce a patronus without a dementor. However, I do believe that it is much easier to learn if you have one to practice on."
"Now, you must remember that this is an incredibly difficult charm to produce. Personally, I was shocked to learn that Y/n here could do it." Professor Lupin added in, "Let's go again, Harry."
Y/n stepped to the side as Professor Lupin opened the briefcase. Harry pulled out his wand and tried to focus on his happiest memory. He was able to cast a light, silvery mist, but was unable to create an actual animal. Professor Lupin casted a non-corporeal patronus and was able to bring the boggart back in the case. Y/n chuckled at his attempted, and Harry seemed to be frustrated.
"Any tips Y/n?" Professor Lupin asked.
Y/n thought for just a moment, "Are you sure you're thinking of a happy memory?"
"I am!"
"I think that's enough for today, Harry, let us continue the same time next week."
Y/n watched as Harry packed up his bag and left the classroom. Y/n, on the other hand, stayed in afterwards.
"Do you have a question for me, Y/n?" Professor Lupin asked once the door closed.
"Yes, Professor Lupin, I actually do have a question..." Y/n wasn't sure if she should ask, considering the teacher had been a werewolf himself.
"Go ahead." He nodded.
"...Well, on that day Professor Snape stepped in for you, he talked something about an animagus." Y/n slowly continued, "I wanted to ask how one would be able to —"
"Become an animagus?" Professor Lupin finished for her. Y/n nodded.
"Are you interested in becoming one? If you must know that process is very much complicated..." He explained, looking as if in deep thought.
"I'd like to know, professor." Y/n stated, "You agreed to help me learn more spells."
"But I didn't know you'd be asking me to help you become an animagus." He sighed, then thought carefully again before whispering, "I'll only give you the steps to become one, but then you'd have to do the rest yourself."
Y/n grinned.
...
The next quidditch match was between the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Draco had been very insistent on going to watch along with Crabb and Goyle, which was very odd since they aren't even on the quidditch team. Y/n didn't go as she wanted to go to the library to pick up some books Professor Lupin recommended to her. The books would be able to give her all the information she needed if she were to become an animagus. She only found out what they had been planning after the Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, already took away 50 points from each of them.
"What were you thinking Draco? Not only was it dangerous but you could've died! I thought we already talked about no more bloody pranks." Y/n exclaimed.
"Come on, it was just supposed to be funny. I didn't know Harry knew the spell for dementors already."
"Draco, it was so reckless that Professor McGonagall is trying to convince Professor Snape to take you off the Slytherin team." Y/n explained.
"They can't do that! Draco is the perfect seeker for Slytherin. Even the best player on the team!" Pansy retorted as Y/n rolled her eyes.
"Just relax, Y/n. I'm Professor Snape's favorite student, and I'm not even injured anywhere." Draco then added softly, "Unlike that hippogriff..."
"What?"
"Nothing Y/n. Just stop worrying, you're acting like my mum."
***