As Aine pushes open the portrait door to the Gryffindor common room, someone tapped on her shoulder from behind. She turned to see three of her fellow friends-- Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Hermione gave a small smile along with Ron, Harry was looking rather grim. With a raised brow, Hermione turns to Harry and then back at Aine and whispers, "Later". Aine nods and watches as Harry passes by them into the common room, leaving sighs behind.
"What happened?" Aine asks, concerned and Ron nudges Hermione, "You do the explaining, I'm going to check on him to see if he's alright."
"Of course he isn't!" Hermione replies sharply, "Oh, alright. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid and give him some time alone to sort it all out," she adds. The boy nodded and smiles at Aine, "See you later." he said before trailing after his friend.
The girls went in afterwards, settling at a quiet corner of the room, "Did something happen?" Aine questions, as they sat down. Hermione gave a small exhalation, and then took a deep breath, "Well, I honestly don't know where to start, Aine."
"It's alright, you can take your time. I'm here."
Hermione glances at Aine, grateful as she started, "Harry overheard a conversation with the professors and Ministry staffs at Hogsmeade." and she pauses, "Apparently, it's about Sirius Black."
"What about him?" Aine asks and Hermione purses her lips, "He knew his parents, or rather... They were close friends." she gasps, and the brunette nods her head sadly, "He--" she stops again, finding her words caught in her throat, it was hard to say it out nonetheless. It was brutal and surreal, "He sold his parents to Vold-- To the dark lord." she corrected and Aine's eyes grew wide.
How could he?
To think that Harry's parents' death was because of Sirius Black made Aine's blood boiled, he was their friend, perhaps even one of their bests. How could he have betrayed them to Tom-- No-- Voldemort? She clenches her fists, balling it and urged Hermione to go on, "That's not just it."
She braced herself, what could be worst?
"Sirius Black is also Harry's godfather," Hermione mutters and Aine looks at her in disbelief, "You're joking." and the girl shook her head, and Aine's mouth gaped open, "That just got a whole lot twisted."
She couldn't imagine how awful Harry would feel, to hear the reason behind his family's death and to find out that it was all because of their best friend. She couldn't. Aine felt disgusted, and anger and hatred flowed into her, how could anyone be as evil-- and heinous? She glares at the flame behind her, she understood the resentment Harry had, and honestly... She wouldn't mind if he took revenge. And the fact that if he could ki--
"Aine?" Hermione calls out, cutting her thoughts away as she looks up, "What's wrong?" she asks.
Blinking back, Aine quickly replies, "Nothing." Just now, for that split second, what was she thinking? She looks away, confused, and unable to meet Hermione's eyes for a while, was she just thinking about... murder.
She took a deep breath, clearing her mind, why did she think of such a cruel thing?
"Yeah, so just try not to talk anything about that if you see him. I don't know what he's thinking or what he may try to do." Her friend warns and Aine simply nods, "Yeah... I will."
~~
The following morning, Aine will have her first lesson with Professor Lupin, after receiving a word yesterday that he wants to see both Harry and herself for some practice tutoring. She was still a little bummed about yesterday, and wondered how will she face Harry now? He seemed pretty mad last night after all.
Walking out of her bedroom, she reaches to the portrait to see Harry leaning against the couch nearest to it, he looks up with a smile when he saw her. She returned the smile and walked closer to him, "Good morning." he greets, "Morning." she says back.
The two of them went on and left the scarlet common room, side by side they walked to the Astronomy Room, apparently, that's where they'll be meeting today. It was quiet, as it was still pretty early and the only noise was the sound of their shoes hitting the ground as they walked. Aine was still concerned if her friend was alright after whatever happened yesterday, she wanted to confront him about it, but words just can't seem to leave her.
"You've heard, haven't you?" Harry finally spoke and she looks to him, then backs down onto her walking feet, "Yeah."
"Are you--" she stops, how could he be alright? "No-- What are you going to do now?" she asks instead, what was he going to do with that information of the fact that Sirius Black was partly the fault of his parent's death and he too, was his godfather? Harry shook his shoulders, shrugging, "Honestly...? I want to kill him."
Her head whipped to him instantly, he had the same thought. "But, I wonder if that's the right thing to do." he contemplates, feeling lost. Aine stopped in her tracks and Harry turns back to her, "I don't know too, but, Harry", she gulps, "I know it's not my place to say this but, killing to get revenge isn't everything. I'm sure your parents wouldn't want their son to be a murderer, and besides, the real person above all of this..."
"Is Voldemort." they both finished and Aine's eyes widened as Harry travelled towards her, "You're right, Aine... I promise I won't do anything wild without thinking." he promises and she grins, "Thanks." he adds and she nods, "We're here for you, Harry. Hermione, Ron and I."
"I know, and I'm glad you are."
They continued to the professor's office, stopping at the door which Harry took the initiative to knock. "Come in." they heard Professor Lupin's voice replied seconds later from the other side. Aine pushed the door open to reveal their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Aine! Harry!" He greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning Professor Lupin", they both said together.
"Good morning indeed," he replies.
"Are you feeling better now, professor?" Aine inquires, he did look much better compared to before, although his eye bags were still there, it wasn't as obvious anymore, his hair was properly swept to the side too. "Oh, yes. I'm feeling much better now, thank you for asking," he says.
"That's good to know."
Professor Lupin proceeded to urge them to sit down and they took their seats at a few metal chests laying around in the room. "Now, today the reason why I've called you both here is... I'm sure Aine has been notified..." the girl nods, "Harry, you're called here today is that I will be teaching you both a highly advance spell." the man continued.
"What kind of spell?" Harry asks and Professor Lupin grins, "It's called the Patronus charm. The Headmaster has tasked me to teach you both this spell so that, if there come a time in the future you're in need to use such spell, you will know how to."
"But, why us?" the boy asks again, and Aine looks to him. "I've been told that you two experience what a dementor can do, correct?" Professor Lupin turns to look at them both. "Yes," Harry said, and Aine nods, "Not a very pleasant experience, to be honest." The professor chuckles, agreeing.
"Now, a Patronus is a positive force and for the wizard who conjures one, it creates a shield to protect." He explained, "It can also be a form of transporting messages, but that requires an even better form of it."
Aine nodded along, she raises a hand and he pauses, looking in her direction, "Professor, are there any forms the Patronus may take?"
"That is an excellent question, Aine. Very good."
The girl smiles and Harry smirks to her, "Now, the Patronus may take two forms: Corporeal Patronus, and Incorporeal Patronus. The latter has no particular shape, while the former has. Depending on the user, it may transform into what books say as a creature or animal."
"And what does your Patronus form look like, professor?" Harry asks, and Professor Lupin looks to him, pursing his lips, almost as if contemplating, he then said, "Well, Harry... In time, we shall see."
It was almost as if he didn't want to expose what his Patronus was, Aine thought to herself, perhaps he was just self-conscious of it. However, she was still very curious, wondering what the professor's Patronus was, she started to study him, from his swept fringe to the scar down his face and the way he spoke. He did remind her of a fluffy creature, but before she could pinpoint, Professor Lupin cleared his throat and continued, "In order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. That is... Not just any memory, but a very happy memory, a very powerful memory." he stated.
Now, this was difficult for Aine, she had lots of fairly happy memories, perhaps even more than the fingers she owned. And the fact that she had to focus solely on one was even harder since they were all very pleasant.
"Can you do it?" he asks and Harry and Aine looked at each other, "Well, we could try?" the boy replies.
"Alright, Harry, you first."
Harry stood up, and pulled his wand from his side pocket while Aine glances at him, "You got this." she cheers and he smiles. Professor Lupin moved to the side, "Close your eyes" he said, "Concentrate. Explore your memories of your past,"
The boy closes his eyes, pupils flickering despite his closed eyes, and he clenches his fist, trying to get into one of the memories. "Did you have one?" The professor asked, and after some time, Harry nodded. "Good."
"Allow yourself to be drowned in it. Like air filling into your lungs. Then speak the incantation, Expecto Patronum."
Expecto Patronum, Aine mouths, and Professor Lupin gave her a nod, "Good."
"Now open your eyes," he said and Harry did as told, "Wands at the ready." he adds, and the boy points his wand upwards, as the man knelt beside the chest box, "Ready?" he asks, and Harry gave a strong hard gaze to the box as with a wave of a hand, the locks of it began to snap apart, and what revealed from it, was a Dementor.
Aine's breath hitched, and she clasped her palms on the wooden floor as she watches it float up, itching to move towards them and suck the life out of them. Her face reflected the paleness of Harry's, and she could see that he was shaking, "Expecto patronum!" he said clearly, probably the clearest she ever heard him say while conjuring a spell.
There was a cold howl that the Dementor gave, and the candles around them wavered and extinguished. "Expecto..." His voice started to quiver, and Aine could feel the chill between them, the look on Harry's face as he slowly trailed off, "Expec...to.."
And then he crumbled, falling to his knees as he loses consciousness, Aine jumped to her feet, and Professor Lupin quickly conjured the spell and sent the Dementor to retreat into the dark box. She quickly moved towards Harry and called him, concerned, "Harry!"
"Harry!"
The boy lay motionless, almost as if he was sleeping but his face contorted into one of pain, not physically, but mentally. As if something was torturing him, a nightmare. "He'll come around soon." Professor Lupin reassures and Aine looks back to the boy, his hair was in a mess and his scar was visible on his forehead.
Minutes later, he shook awake, and startled Aine, "Are you alright, Harry?" she asks, maybe they weren't ready for this yet, she started to feel dejected, and wondered if she'll faint like him. Perhaps this spell was too hard to master, and they weren't just ready yet. She helped him to sit up, as the man snapped a bar of opened chocolate, and handed it to him, "It's alright, Harry." Professor Lupin said as he noticed the dispirited boy, "I didn't expect you to do it on your first try anyways. It's a very advanced spell after all."
But Harry didn't back down, he felt that he could do it and that if he just put a little more strength into it... "I can do it!" he retorts, balling his fists, anger was feeding on him and Aine watches her friend as he grits his teeth. Professor Lupin places a hand on his shoulder and he snaps out of it, "I know you can, and you will." he heartens and the boy sighs.
They then look at Aine, who gave an awkward smile, "It's your turn now, Aine."
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