Snakes and Roses|| Rosekiller || ✔️

27. Expecto Patronum

WARNING: sexual content and depictions of smoking

Evan:

Evan and Barty are back to their regular tutoring sessions after the Christmas break, and today Evan thought he'd see if he could get Barty to produce a corporeal patronus, the way Evan taught himself to do in sixth year.

He's also curious to know which form Barty's patronus takes.

"I thought we could try the patronus charm today" Evan begins as they enter an empty classroom

"Can you produce one?" Asks Barty

Evan nods "I've been able to since sixth year" Evan replies and Barty smiles and shakes his head

"Of course you have" Barty states and Evan grins at him with a shrug of his shoulders

"What can I say? I had a lot of free time on my hands" Evan shrugs

"Alright then, tell me how it works, oh wise one" Barty states and Evan rolls his eyes, drawing his wand and clearing his throat.

"The Patronus charm is all about memories. In order to cast a corporeal Patronus, you have to conjure up your happiest memory before flicking your wrist and using the incantation 'expecto patronum' then your patronus should form, and it will take form for as long as you hold your focus" Evan explains

"Show me yours, then" Barty prompts

Evan nods and closes his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath as he tries to find the usual memory he produces for his patronus.

It's Christmas Day and his Mother and Father are sat on one of the sofas whilst Evan is sat on the floor in front of the Christmas Tree

"Merry Christmas, Dove, this is from both of us" Evelyn says with a smile as she leans over the side of the sofa and slides a sizable box Evan's way

Evan glances up at the two of them with a smile on his face as he unwraps the paper, revealing a box with a picture of a record player on it

"A record player?" Asks Evan with a grin "Thank you!" Evan exclaims, hugging his parents

But Evan doesn't feel the happiness he usually does with that memory, it was the last Christmas he had with his parents still together, but he supposes it's tainted now that both of them are dead

Evan then searches for a different memory.

Evan and Barty are sat on the windowsill together, cigarettes long put out, the two of them just enjoying the view of the sun setting over the lake.

"Have you ever heard of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice?" Asks Barty

"I didn't know you liked Greek Mythology" Evan replies

"Regulus does, he tells me stories all the time, this one is a personal favourite though" Barty says

"I can't say I have heard it, tell it to me?" Asks Evan

"Well because Persephone, the Goddess that controlled the seasons, spent half of the year in the Underworld after marrying Hades, the God of the Underworld, the seasons were out of whack, it was too cold and dark for half of the year and too hot and bright for the other half. Orpheus was working on a song to fix the seasons and bring the world back into tune, but he saw Eurydice and fell in love with her, the two got married and were happy together throughout the hot summer months. But Persephone was called back to the Underworld too early, so Orpheus was forced to focus solely on the song, in doing so, Eurydice felt forgotten about, the world grew colder and darker, and with no food or shelter, Eurydice got cold and hungry, she tried to reach out to Orpheus for help but she couldn't reach him, he was too engrossed in the song, wanting to finish it soon to fix the seasons so that he and his wife could live a better life. Eurydice soon found the cold and the hunger unbearable, she called upon Hades and made a deal with him, her soul in exchange for warmth and a full belly. He took her to the Underworld where she became a worker in Hadestown. Orpheus soon realised Eurydice was gone and asked Hermes, the god of lost travellers and messages where Eurydice went, when Hermes told Orpheus that Eurydice had gone to the Underworld, Orpheus walked for a number of days to reach it in order to rescue her, but Orpheus was unaware that Eurydice had sold her soul to Hades and thus belonged in the Underworld. Orpheus tried to make a deal with Hades, but Hades demanded Orpheus return to the world adobe. Orpheus then sang the song he had been working on, and it turned out to be a tune of Hades and Persephone's love. That paired with Orpheus gaining a popularity amongst the other Hadestown workers meant that Hades had to offer him something. Hades then decided that if Orpheus and Eurydice wanted to make it out of Hadestown together they had to prove their love and dedication to one another. The deal was that Orpheus was to lead Eurydice out of the Underworld, but that Eurydice had to walk behind him, and he wasn't allowed to look back or else Eurydice was sent back to the Underworld and Orpheus would have to return to the land of the living alone. They believed that they could complete the task and make it back together, so they set off out of the Underworld. However, just before they reached the end, Orpheus thought he had heard Eurydice fall, without thinking he turned to check if she was okay, sending her straight back to the Underworld. Hades had given them the task knowing they wouldn't be successful if they truly loved one another, because he knew he would turn back for Persephone, it was a trick really, Hades got his way either way" Barty explains