Anna Black, The Girl Who Lived (Book 6)

26: Like A Pig For Slaughter

Kate Mavis paced around her classroom nervously. She couldn't help it...this always happened upon her meetings with Remus.

The weathered woman was waiting for her old friend to come and re-teach her magic. After being confined in the muggle world for almost fifteen years and somewhat obilivated, it was no surprise that her skills had deteriorated.

With a war coming, that wasn't acceptable.

So Remus offered to help her. It was the least he could do after his lack of effort in saving her, the love of his life's best friend.

The woman was startled by a knock on the door, soft yet assertive. She took a deep breath and walked to the oak dividing them and slowly opened it. Their gazes instantly brightened upon seeing each other. 

For some reason Kate had the urge to embrace him, but settled for a soft greeting before leading him into the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Hello Kate, how have you been?" asked Remus kindly.

"Just living."

He nodded, understanding the depressing pain of such a simple statement. They were the only two from their time left. The world was cold and lonely. Sirius' death flashed in front of him quickly, and he took a deep breath. "We'll be practising patronuses today."

"Okay...that's against dementors, right?" A nod. "I somewhat remember."

"To cast the patronus charm, you must concentrate with all of your might on a happy memory. The happier your memory, the better and more powerful the charm will be...take a few seconds to think of one."

Kate closed her hazel eyes, trying so hard to remember...and being put on the spot was even worse. She remembered the hope when Remus rescued her from the Death Eaters...but it was lost instantly at the vision of his face upon receiving news of all the deaths, especially Leah's. She remembered meeting the man she believed she would marry, being engaged, but he was a dark traitor. School memories mushed into one insperable glob.

But the memory that stood out was her being sorted into Gryffindor. 

Yes, she remembered that joy so vivdly. After meeting bubbly and smart Leah on the train, she knew she wanted to be sorted with her. They made a pact during the journey that they would stick together. She knew Leah was good...but her own destiny was uncertain.

One descrepancy on her father's side was what kept her from being in the Sacred Twenty Eight on both sides of the family. She was so scared she would be sorted into Slytherin. Ravenclaw was likely to be a close second.

No, Gryffindor  was her home...and when she sat upon the stool and her fate was decided, she couldn't care less about the negatives of going home and being alienated and scolded and beaten, or that she would be in distasteful kahoots with a muggle-born...she was brave at heart. She was good. 

Kate Mavis broke the cycle.

"I have a good one, I remember when-"

"It's okay, you don't have to share," reassured Remus, smiling upon her excitement.

But she felt deflated...she knew he was proud of his sorting as well. She wanted so badly to connect with him.

He continued, "To cast it, you will do a circular incantation and say 'expecto patronum'. You may not get it the first time, but remember to keep that memory strong...ready?"

"I think so," she said sheepishly. She stood up straight, drew her wand, and followed his instructions. "Expecto Patronum."

White light came from the tip of her wand and she grinned. Remus clapped. "Good job! Now let's try to make it corpreal."