Emrys Riddle and The Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3 of the four Ribbons Series)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Think Happy Thoughts

Cass, Spencer, Jackie and I walked down to the Great Hall for Dinner, but when we stopped in the doorway when we saw that an argument had broken out between Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney. " Oh, your right on time." Dumbledore called out causing the two of them to go quiet as everyone turned to look at us. Four chairs appeared beside Professor Trelawney, and we went over to take our seats, but as I went to sit down Professor Trelawney stared at me with a look that unnerved me and asked" Miss Riddle, how does your mother fair?"

" Um..." I trailed off stunned. My three friends immediately stared at her as if she had just told me to go feed myself to the Giant Squid. " She...alright, I guess." I muttered with a raised eyebrow.

" The eyes on her, they watch her very closely, Miss Riddle." She said and I suddenly found it very hard swallow as my throat went dry. My mother and I knew were watched, that was what had kept her living in fear my entire life. " Beware of snakes in the grass, Miss Riddle, they often strike when-"

" SYBILL." Professor McGonagall cried in outrage, cutting her off, but the damage had already been done. I was already out of the Great Hall, nearly knocking my chair over in my rush to get away from the divination teacher.

When my friends found me later, I had hidden myself in Myrtle's bathroom with tears streaming down my face. Myrtle was floating nearby with a frown on her face, and nearly scared Jackie to death when she rushed at them. " Emrys, are you alright?" Cass asked but I only shook my head in response. They sat next to me on the floor, and just sat with me as I cried, speaking only when I was finally able to form a full sentence. " I can't lose her, she's the only real family I have left that actually cares about me."

My friends exchanged worried looks before Jackie said. " She was probably just messing with you, none of her visions ever come true, anyway."

" I'm not so sure on that, Jack." Spencer said sorrowfully, his word not helping me anymore then Jackie's.

*********

Shortly into term, I received a note from Professor Lupin asking for me to join him on Thursday after class. I was confused on why, until I found Harry waiting for me in the empty History of Magic classroom. " Where's Professor Lupin?" I asked confused, just before he came into the room with a large carrying case. " Um, Professor," I questioned." What is that?"

" Another Boggart, Emrys." He said. " Harry asked me to teach him a way to fend of dementors, I thought you might find this information useful as well."

I shared a look with Harry, before we drew our wands, and I stepped away so that it's focus would be harry and not me. " The spell I'm going to try to teach you, is highly advanced magic, well beyond ordinary wizarding level. It's called the Patronus Charm."

" Cool." I mumbled with a grin.

" How does it work?" Harry asked nervously.

" Well, when it works correctly, it conjures up a patronus. A kind of anti-dementor. A guardian, which acts as a shield between you and the dementor. The patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things the Dementor feeds upon. Hope, happiness, the desire to survive, but it can not feel despair as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it, but I will warn you. The charm might be to advanced for you, many qualified wizards have difficulty with it." Lupin explained.

" What does a patronus look like?" Harry asked  

" Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

" And how do you conjure it?"

" With an incantation, which will work only if your concentrating with all your might on a single, happy memory."

" The incantation is this 'Expecto Patronum'"

The two of us focused as Lupin had told us to, and I smiled as I thought of that first train ride to Hogwarts, the day I met my friends. I thought of my mother, telling me that she was proud of me. " Expecto Patronum." I whispered under my breath, and a bright wisp of light sprout from my wand before fading. Harry's did the same, though not quite as bright. Lupin opened the case and the boggart rose from the case in the form of a dementor. " Expecto Patronum." Harry cried but nothing happened, and as the dementor got closer, he collapsed.

" Expecto Patronum." I tried and the bright light reappeared, much brighter but not enough to actually do anything. "Expecto Patronum." I tried again, putting everything I had into it, and light grew brighter until it filled the entire room. The dementor was forced back into the case, as the light seem to curl around it before striking forward with a quick motion.  Lupin went over to Harry as he closed the case and I lowered my wand with a sigh.

Lupin handed Harry a bit of chocolate as he sat up and I went over to him as I slipped my wand back into my sleeve with a huge grin on my face. Lupin questioned Harry on whether or not he wanted to continue, and Harry told him that he had to learn it, or the dementors would just knock him off his broom again.

" Why do you look so smug?" Harry asked annoyed and I snickered. " I'll tell you, only if you manage to do it, Harry."

I went over to sit down next to Lupin as Harry prepared for his second attempt, which ended the same way as his first attempt, though this time he ended up on his back. " I heard my dad, that's the first time I ever heard him." He said, and I bit my lip as tears filled his eyes which he wiped away. He stood for his third attempt and I frowned as Lupin was starting to look very regretful of his decision to teach Harry this spell. " Expecto Patronum." Harry cried and after a few seconds, a large shape shot from the end of his wand.

" You did it." I cried with glee.