Love & Scars

54. Patronus

The next few weeks flew by. Every weekend, the group snuck out of the castle to go shopping for the house. First, they all went into pairs, buying everything they needed for their own bedrooms. That all went rather smoothly. It was when they started looking for the furniture as a group that things got harder. They all wanted different things, all having their own style. The two who disagreed the most were James and Regulus. Which came as a surprise to everyone, seeing that James was the most easy-going guy there is. Regulus wasn't a surprise at all. Maybe it was because the two barely knew each other, well, if that was the case, they would have to change that soon. But the house was slowly coming together, and the school year was coming to an end.

They were now in one of their last classes of defence against the dark arts. Izzie was sitting on a desk, waving her wand lazily in front of her, conjuring snowflakes that James was trying to catch with his mouth. Lily was sitting next to her, her nose buried in a book. Remus and Sirius were whispering as they leaned against the wall. Remus was still pale; the full moon had only passed two nights ago. She watched them with a soft smile on her lips before someone else demanded her attention.

"Come on, Iz, give me a challenge." James grinned.

Izzie looked at the professor, who was still rearranging the classroom, before a Slytherin smirk crept on her face. James's eyes widened, and he knew a second too late what he had got himself into. With a little wave of her wand, the snowflakes disappeared, and a big pile of snow fell on him. Burying him in snow up to his waist. Remus and Sirius's lips twitched before they fell into a fit of laughter. Lily looked up from her book, glanced at her boyfriend, sighed with a shake of her head, before diving back into her book.

"Alright, class." The professor clapped his hands. He glanced over to James, who looked like half a snowman. "Mr Potter, clean up your mess."

"But-" James spluttered, looking from the professor to Izzie.

Izzie smirked at him as she hopped off the desk with Lily. "Yeah, Potter, clean up your mess."

James grumbled a little more but cleaned it up nonetheless. Remus and Sirius were still snickering against the wall.

"So, I hope everyone did their homework and read up on the Patronus charm. Keep enough space between your classmates as you take a place."

Izzie went to stand near Remus while Sirius helped James out of the snow. Izzie hated the Patronus charm; she just couldn't master it. Just like becoming an Animagus, she had tried for years. And she knew Remus could cast it, but hated the form, a wolf. So, they hid in the corner of the classroom, letting the others try to show off. James and Sirius were going to steal the show anyway.

"Think of a happy memory. Not just a happy one, but the happiest you can think of. Then start drawing circles with your wand before saying the incantation. Speak it very clearly. Remember, this is complicated; a lot of wizards and witches are never able to conjure a corporeal, so don't fret if it doesn't work. Now, please all take a stance."

Remus and Izzie leaned against each other as all the other students in the room started to shout 'Expecto Patronum'. There wasn't much to look at; nobody even got a whisk out of their wands.

Izzie couldn't help but chuckle at Lily's frustration, even though it was only her first try. The second time was equally bad, and of course, that was the time Sirius and James stepped up to the plate.

They moved forward with flair until they were in the middle of the room, standing back-to-back. They looked over their shoulders at each other with a grin; every eye in the classroom was on them.

Remus snorted next to her with a roll of his eyes, making her grin right before the two boys shouted.

"Expecto Patronum!"