The Prisoner Of Azkaban (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

THE PATRONUS CHARM

"Are you okay?", Hermione asked as soon as Ria sat down for lunch.

"Relax, 'Mione, I'm perfectly fine", Ria assured. "A little embarassed maybe, but I guess I cannot be good at everything."

"Trust your boggart to be the vilest creature in existence!", Ron grumbled, for once without a mouth full of food. "Almost had a bloody heart attack when the thing just appeared out of nowhere."

Ria chuckled without humour. "Same bloody boat."

"What did Lupin say?", Harry questioned.

"I'm going to meet him after class today", Ria informed. "We'll see what happens."

She didn't particularly want to inform her friends about the Patronus Charm in case she wasn't able to master it. So she left that part unsaid.

They had History of Magic after lunch which Ria tuned out as usual. She was a bit too preoccupied with everything. The conversations with Dumbledore and then Harry, sailed around in her head, along with her irritation at the dating rumour making its round.

Herbology was their last class of the day. The quartet claimed and table and chartered away while working on their Puffapods.

"So, is Greengrass really alright?", Hermione asked.

Ria shrugged. "She isn't a jerk", she said. "Not like I've had extensive communication with her. But the two times we did interact was pretty normal."

"And Malfoy said nothing?", Harry asked again.

Ria shook her head. "I don't get what's going on with him", she said. "He has been acting --- sort of decent? But then he went out of his way to cause trouble in Hagrid's class so I have no clue what to think."

"You two basically saving his life is probably keeping him in line", Hermione observed casually.

Ria and Harry shared a look, but then quickly turned back to their work. Neither of them were particularly interested in recollecting the events of the Chamber.

"Hey, Ria?"

Ria turned to the table of Hufflepuffs working beside her to see Susan looking curiously at her.

"Hi!", Ria greeted her with a smile. "What's up?"

"Are you and Potter really dating?"

Harry blanched at the question, Ron made a face, Hermione giggled into her hand and Ria was now actively planning murder.

"No", she told Susan in a forcibly calm voice. "We are not dating."

"Oh, right", Susan amended. "It's just everyone is talking about you two -- last night --"

Ria wondered if the Ministry would send her to Azkaban for obliviating the entire Hogwarts population.

"Nothing happened last night!", she said, again, heat rising to her face at the insinuation. "We were chatting in the common room and we fell asleep. That's it!"

"Right", Susan said giving her a sheepish smile. "I can spread the word for you if you like?", she then offered.

Ria gave her a relieved smile. "Please do!", she requested.

Susan gave her a nod and turned back to her table.

"Exactly how attached are you to your brothers, Ron", Ria asked casually turning back to her own table.

"Huh, why?", Ron asked, bewildered and still looking uncomfortable from the conversation.

"Because you might be two down when I get my hands on those Twins"