The Werewolfs Heart | Remus Lupin

Chapter 15. Expecto patronum

Autumn Arrives.

The lessons this term are significantly harder than in previous years. It is crucial to work hard and never slack off.

Even in the Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons, they are trying more advanced spells. They are now on their third lesson about the Patronus Charm. No one has yet succeeded in producing a full Patronus, but most students can now conjure a bit of silver smoke.

Evelyn is struggling. Only tiny puffs come from her wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" she tries, waving her wand. A thin little silver strand appears briefly before vanishing. She sighs in frustration.

Remus comes over to her. "Relax. Clear your mind of performance anxiety and stress. Think happy thoughts," he reminds her.

Evelyn tries again. "Expecto Patronum!" Another silver strand.

"Think of something that makes you really, really happy. What is it that you're passionate about? What warms your heart?" he says. Evelyn blushes. The answer to his questions is... him.

She focuses on the feeling she gets every time she sees him. The warmth and joy he brings her. How her heart almost leaps out of her chest every time they touch. She thinks of the times he has held her in his arms... trying to sense how it feels. How it would feel if he did more than just hold her... If he cupped her face in his hands and lowered his head to hers, eventually letting their lips meet and... Evelyn's cheeks flush. What is she thinking?? Is she crazy??

"Evelyn?" Remus says softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. The touch makes her shiver; it feels like she's going to explode. She raises her wand and says, "Expecto Patronum!" A large cloud of silver bursts from her wand. It envelops her and Remus like a mist.

Remus looks impressed. "Well done, Miss Stirling!" he praises her.

Evelyn trembles. "Thank you, Re... Professor Lupin," she responds. They look into each other's eyes, and a delightful warmth grows in both their chests.

In the fourth lesson practicing the Patronus Charm, Evelyn struggles again. "Expecto Patronum!" she shouts, waving wildly. A small puff of silver appears and disappears. She wants to break her wand out of sheer frustration.

"But... Expecto Patronum!!!" she tries again, and a faint, faint silver mist appears and disperses immediately.

"Gaaaaah!" she groans. The rest of the class has now managed to produce large silver clouds, and they keep progressing. For Evelyn, it feels like it's going backward instead.

She dares not think of Remus. She is afraid he will see in her eyes what she feels for him.

Remus goes around helping students. She hopes he'll skip her because she's struggling to concentrate as it is, but he doesn't.

"How's it going, Miss Stirling?" he asks. "You did so well last time; what's stopping you now?"

YOU! she thinks. It's YOU who's stopping me! Or, well, sort of...

He gets her to try a few more times, but all that comes out are small puffs and strands.

Evelyn becomes more and more stressed.

"Please, Professor, can you go now? I concentrate better when you're not here!" she exclaims. He gives her a look and then leaves. Evelyn regrets it. What if he was hurt?

The fifth and final lesson practicing the Patronus Charm goes as badly as the previous one. Even after Remus left Evelyn alone, it still didn't work.

Evelyn begins to feel a lump of tears in her throat. Why couldn't she get the damned spell to work??? Everyone else is succeeding so well; one student even managed to produce a full Patronus.