After the War.

Learning.

My face was hot and bothered as the cold air hit it but the exercise was cruel and unrelenting. Clearly, Ravenclaw was desperate to win as they pushed us so hard that my body physically ached. I was getting goals in and Amelia was getting annoyed at the poor keeper. Slowly though they grew to recognise the times that I would take to score and so he would be able to stop a few. I wasn't easy to beat and that was more obvious as they seemed to shy away from me as I moved close. That fear grew weaker as time passed.

"Flint, get your peachy ass in gear." I heard whilst I passed the stand and Amelia did too. She was just like me as we both were chasers. She was better by a little, but in a few games, I managed to do better than her. It grew to be a game where we would count the points scored. She was thirty up on me but four new scores would even us out. Not that it mattered though as the practice was soon over and I headed to get changed.

The changing room was sweaty and gross but we washed and dressed appropriately before heading to our rooms. It wasn't late but all of us were so tired that we couldn't handle being humans anymore. It was good to be active though and so I took all of the chances I could to train.

"Miss Flint." I turned at the voice and saw a woman in black and hints of a green dress carried through to the eye. My glasses were in my pocket and so they were pulled on but as I took the figure in they were walking and I followed. Hoping that was what they had wanted because I didn't want to be labelled as a Professor pervert.

"Professor, what are we doing back on the pitch?" My curiosity had forced words from me and I was so tired that she had to of heard it as I was a little bit out of breath still.

"You are going to learn how to cast a Patronus. You should know that it isn't easy to do so don't be upset if it never really happens. Few master it and even to cast a mist is difficult." I nodded and placed my bags to the side where I then walked back to her and she stood sternly. I looked expectantly and she silently cast something and a cat was sent out. It was blue as she watched it and slowly they faded as she looked back at me.

"How do I start?" She walked closer and began to show a movement of the wand but when I grew far too tired of it my lazy movements didn't seem to be too wrong either.

"Expecto Patronum." She uttered and I followed her words. Nothing happened and she seemed to be a little, happy? Was she glad that I couldn't do what she had asked me? I wasn't thrilled about that but I bit my tongue.

"Now, all of this is good and fun but until you learn to focus on a happy memory nothing will happen. It was well cast but you have to think of the time in your life where you were happiest." My mind was so blank it was unreal and with magic, I couldn't just fake it because I would never make it.

"Expecto Patronum." Nothing happened. Fabulous. Not that I was actually thinking of anything and the scowl on her face told me that. I just had nothing in my mind. Then the game caught up with me and all of my happy memories flooded in. Time with those I loved and those that loved me. My new family at home and how the old one fit in, well Adela didn't but the rest did. I smirked and tried again.

"Miss Flint. Something that makes you happy." She wasn't angry or upset but disappointed and that was worse than any other emotion. I would prefer her to scream than to feel that.

"It was happy. The happiest moments in my life." She sighed and took a deep breath in as she chose the right words to say.

"Think of a moment. A birthday, a celebration, some moment that is important to you." I thought of how Hermione was kind to me. How she walked with me as I learnt about the world around me and how she was so loving. How happy she made me when she wrote to me a few times a year. This time I smiled and got a little more confident. Her face filling my mind for the moment.