Something Wicked This Way Comes

CHAPTER SIX

My mind boggled, how did I ever get here? How did I end up in this situation? I stood with Amie in the Defense class, the tables and chairs were pushed to the side, and all of us stood in a badly made circle around Professor Lupin. Speaking of him, he raised his wand for a moment in the air and he opened his mouth to speak, "Alright class!" He called out over the murmur of the students, the crowd lowered their voices until no one was left talking. He nodded, "Thank you... Alright, today we will be learning something new, something that is not from your textbooks."

The students around, hell, even Amie began to whisper and mutter to one another, their eyes wide with curiosity, "Now now, settle down..." the professor lowered his hand motioning for the volume to lower, "I know it can all seem very exciting, but I need your attention for this."

Worked like a charm, Professor. The students stood up straighter, leaning in like he was telling them a secret.

"Today I will be teaching you how to perform the Patronus charm," Whispers broke out into the room yet again, they really didn't know how to be quiet, "Class," He gave a stern look, turning to make eye contact with each student, "I will not tell you again. Now, I will need help with this lesson," A few raised their hands up high, but he didn't pay attention to them. Instead, he turned to me and pointed, "Mr. Emerson," I gulped hearing a few students groan and drop their hand, here we go... I took a step forward. He nodded, "He will be assisting me today. First, I will go over the lesson, What is a Patronus? Why do we use it?"

Amie raised her hand and patiently waited. Professor Lupin pointed to her, "Yes, Ms. Levin?"

She bounced on the balls of her feet, a nervous tick, the more excited she was or nervous she couldn't stop moving, "Sir, isn't that something advanced?" Professor Lupin nodded, "Yes, technically, but with all of the trouble that's happened with Dementors lately, it's what is required at this point, in case of an emergency. That covers why we are to be using it... can anyone tell me what a patronus is?"

A few raised their hands, but he pointed to Ellie who spoke quite lethargically, "A patronus is a guardian that acts as a positive force," He smiled and nodded, "Excellent, can someone else tell me why we use the Patronus?"

This time no one really had the answer, so I slowly put my hand up, Merlin's beard I already felt like a know-it-all. He turned to me, "I was wondering when you would put your hand up, go ahead Mr. Emerson," I lowered my hand almost immediately, "Because it's the very thing that Dementors feed on. It's only a projection of happiness so the Dementors feeding on it doesn't hurt anything..." I noticed then that he was pacing around me nodding slowly while I continued, "When it acts as a shield it also disconnects us from them and the overwhelming positivity cancels them out..."

Some of the students looked rather impressed, while others looked like they were peeved (I could only assume that it was because I had this knowledge in the first place), not that I blame them, this was advanced stuff even for seventh years and I knew a bit too much about it. The professor on the other hand looked similar to the impressed students, "You truly did do your research didn't you!" He gave a short and soft chuckle, "That was a perfect explanation of it. I want to add one thing to that when you cast the spell, you must think of a memory, a happy one at that. After you find the right memory, use it, and cast the spell."

I bowed my head, wanting to at least try and be graceful about it. The professor turned and clapped his hands together, "Alright, I want you all to break out into groups of 4, and before anyone tries I want you all to listen to me closely. I will be watching and testing based on the enunciation of the spell and the spell itself!" He pointed to me, "And for help, Mr. Emerson here has offered to help where he can with understanding this lesson."

Ellie, Amie, and John immediately came up to me, we were always a group, or at least partners in class. It always worked out somehow even if it was a group of 3, we would manage to wiggle into each other's groups. Amie giggled, "You know so much about it Ozzie!" I only rolled my eyes and admitted aloud, "I've never even been able to do the spell. I just read about it..."

Ellie scrunched her icy blue eyes at me, "And how exactly did you read about it?" I couldn't keep staring into her cold eyes, so I turned my attention away, "Somewhere..." She gave an unamused hum. John scoffed, "El, does it matter? He got to work with a teacher! That's pretty damn cool!"

I grumbled at him, "Not really, it makes me look like a geek..." Professor Lupin cleared his throat as soon as everyone found their group, "Alright, without your wands I want you to repeat after me," Everyone quieted down once more. He held his head up high, "Expeto patronum..."

Different groups of people muttered different phrases all at once, "Ecspeta patronum", "Expect patromum" I sighed it wasn't that hard, "Expectopatronum," A few thankfully got it correct along with me. He shook his head, "No no, listen. Expecto patronum"

"Expecto patronum!" There it was, they got the hang of it rather quickly once he slowed it down. He nodded, "Just once more, I want to make sure everyone has it!" He waved his hand like a conductor, "Expecto patronum!" He nodded and smiled like a proud uncle, "Very good! Now, get with your groups and one at a time just try, I'm going to go around and listen to see if anyone gets it!"

One by one in our group we all try. Amie almost got it, it's normal of course, she was always so happy, but it fizzed out at the end. She had got a bit too nervous. John tried, and his wand made a squeaky noise as if passing gas. I snorted and gave a small giggle, and then Amie did too. John flicked his wand while Ellie shook her head.

"Mr. Emerson," The professor walks up to our group. I turned around, "Yes, sir?" He didn't scold me, he only nodded to me, "Why don't you try?"

I gulp, why must he punish me like this? I take out my wand and think hard, to find some memory, any happy memory, I thought I had one. I flicked my wand, "Expecto patronum!"

Mist fizzed out of my wand for a moment. Thinking about a memory of my childhood, playing around in the mud and giggling in the rain. That wasn't strong enough. The mist dissipated, and I sighed, I knew this would happen. I put down my wand a bit disgruntled. The professor must have seen the somber look on my face and he came over, giving my shoulder a pat, "You did a good job, here, what was the memory you chose?"

I shrugged, "I chose a memory from when I was a kid.. Playing in the mud and rain.." He smiled fondly, "That sounds like a wonderful memory, but that's the mistake most make on the first try," He turned to the class to make it clear, "It needs to be a strong memory, something that makes you feel overwhelmingly happy," He nodded back to me, "Try once more."

I sighed, that was the issue, I can't remember the last time I had an 'overwhelmingly happy memory'. I closed my eyes, maybe there was something. Anything. I opened my eyes and took a breath, "Expectopatronum!" My wand spat out mist, making the space around the 5 of us glow. Other students cast their glances over with a gasp. But as soon as it came, it left. The memory turned sour as I began thinking if only it were still that way. The mist dispersed once more.

"That was very good!" Professor Lupin smiled and cheered. I wanted to argue, No, it wasn't, don't lie to me. I only nodded, "Thank you, sir...."