Elegy//Harry Potter [3]

16

The snow eventually faded, but the guilt for Harry didn't. Autumn felt as if she was the one who killed his parents; not Sirius, not Voldemort. Autumn tended to ignore Harry, but her attempts weren't very successful as they sat next to each other in almost every class.

One eventful day, Professor Lupin had time for Harry and Autumn to train against the Dementors. He told them to come down to the classroom at eight o'clock on Thursday.

Thursday came sooner than they thought, and on Thursday, the two set off to the classroom.

"There you are. You came. Are you sure about this? This is very advanced magic, you two. . . Well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Level," Lupin said from the balcony in front of the office.

"I'm sure." 

Autumn just nodded.

"Well, everything's prepared. The spell I'm going to teach you is called the Patronus Charm. Did you ever hear of it?"

The two shook their heads.

"No? Well. . . A Patronus is a positive force. For the wizard who conjures one. . . it works like a shield, with the dementor feeding on it rather than him. But in order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. Not just any memory, a very happy memory, a very powerful memory. Can you do this?" 

"Yes," Harry said.

Autumn didn't react. She knew she had happy memories, but she couldn't think of one powerful enough to conjure a patronus.

"Very well. Close your eyes. Concentrate. Explore your past. Do you have a memory?" 

Autumn thought long and hard for a memory. What was happy for her? She thought about her first day at Hogwarts. She couldn't seem to remember most of her first day. She remembered when she got into Gryffindor, but she can't seem to remember much else.

A happy memory. Simple, really. But Autumn couldn't think of a single one. Maybe it was the fact that she was put on the spot, maybe it wasn't. Either way, Autumn thought of a single memory - one that was hopefully enough to conjure a patronus. 

Autumn thought of the day the four were all shopping for Hogwarts before their second year at Hogwarts. Harry had just bought them all ice cream and they were laughing at a joke Ron had made.

"Allow it to fill you up. Lose yourself within it. Then speak the incantation, 'Expecto Patronus'."

Autumn and Harry both repeated the spell. "Expecto Patronus."

"Very good. Shall we? Wand at the ready, Harry. You first."

Harry stood and walked to the boggart and held his wand.

Lupin smiled softly, then let the boggart loose.

Autumn was scared for Harry, seeing how he just stared at the boggart for a moment — then, Harry spoke. "Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing happened. 

"Expecto. . . Expecto. . . Expect. . ." Harry collapsed onto the floor.

"Harry!" Autumn yelled, racing to his side. "Is he alright?" She asked Lupin.

"He should be waking up now. Here, give him this." Lupin handed Autumn a square of chocolate.

Autumn heard Harry groan, and she immediately helped him sit up. 

"Ah, it's alright, Harry." Lupin spoke kindly, "I didn't expect you to do it correctly on the first try. That would've been remarkable."

Autumn handed Harry the square of chocolate.

"Now, Harry, which memory did you choose?"

"The first time I rode a broom," said Harry, standing up.

Autumn's heart went out for the boy. She felt so touched that something so simple could be a happy memory for him.

"That's not nearly good enough." Lupin said. "Autumn, what memory have you chosen?"

Autumn took a deep breath. "It was before school had started last year; Hermione, Harry, Ron and I ate ice cream at Diagon Alley and we were all caught in a fit of laughter."

"Not good enough," Lupin stated. "Choose another."

Autumn sighed and stared around Lupin's office, trying to think of a good memory that would be powerful enough to ward off Dementors.

"There's another, but it's not exactly. . . happy. But it's the happiest I've felt. . . but it's complicated." Harry spoke.

"Is it strong?" Lupin asked.

Harry nodded.

"Then let's give it a go. Are you ready?"

"Just do it." Harry said, holding his wand readily.

Lupin released the boggart, setting it free to roam the air. 

"Expecto Patronum."

Nothing happened.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled. 

Then, a soft white wisp shot out of Harry's wand, shielding Harry from the boggart. Autumn smiled as Harry forced the 'dementor' back into the trunk.

"Well done, Harry. Well done."

"I was thinking of my parents." Harry stated softly. "Seeing their faces. They were talking to me. Just talking. That's the memory I chose. And, I don't even know if it's real."

All of a sudden, a fleet of memories and emotions came flying at Autumn.

It's your fault she's dead, it's your fault.

"I. . ." Autumn tried to come up with an excuse to leave, but she just left without saying another word. She rushed out of the halls, tears falling down her face and thoughts scrambling her brain. 

She looked at the door of the common room, and saw Hermione and Ron, just staring at her.

Autumn quickly turned around and headed outside the doors. She found herself sitting in the courtyard that takes people to Hagrid's Hut. Since the day was wet and stormy, no one else was outside. She found herself lucky in that situation. 

Autumn sat down on the ground and just let her thoughts consume her.

Her mother — her own flesh and blood, was the reason Harry's parents were dead. And only for a small action. How could Harry stand to be around her? She might as well let Sirius kill her.

But that wasn't it. There was a thought poking —no — stabbing, at the back of her brain, and she couldn't remember. The thought had so much emotion, Autumn could feel it. It brought happiness and sadness. But also anger. How could one thought, one memory, have that much emotion? Autumn could feel it, this memory would help her conjure the patronus. But why couldn't she remember? Why wasn't she allowed to? 

And, what Cassandra said to Autumn when she was attacked by a dementor was thrown into the mix. 'This is all your fault' . What is that all about? What was all Autumn's fault? Was it even directed at her?

Hey Guys! Long time no see! (at least for this book). Updates will be slow here, along with everywhere else, seeing as I have 3 other books to maintain and update. So, expect an update a few times a month, maybe more in the summer time, maybe less. 

Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! 

My question of the chapter is: Who is your favorite Harry Potter character and why?

Mine is Hermione because she's a total badass and smart and feminine. She proves that you can be all three at once without being cliché or 'fake' (even though she is a fake character).