Nadine Longbottom - Harry Potter Fanfiction

10. Black's Awaiting Fate.

Nadine had been feeling extremely encouraged the reason being her success in producing her non-corpeal Patronus and because of the motivation she had dived headfirst into studies. Nadine had no idea how but she was managing studying, practising her fire magic with Neville, anti dementor lessons with Professor Lupin. Blaise had asked her to take break from the designing lesson saying that it was better to learn slow rather than flunking her third year. Nadine had told Hermione about the lessons with Blaise Zabini, who had been skeptical about it but had encouraged Nadine and had told her that Blaise was a civil human being compared to the other Slytherins.

Oliver Wood, the Quidditch Caption of the Gryffindor team had increased the number of Quidditch practices. Nadine was quite proud about how Harry was managing Quidditch practices and the exhausting anti dementor lessons with Professor Lupin.

But the person in Gryffindor with the most strain was Hermione. Every evening Hermione could be seen surrounded by books, sitting in a nook in the common room and whoever tried to talk to her except Nadine was snapped at.

Ron had brought up the question about how Hermione was managing all the studying. Nadine had been thinking about the same thing herself. She had thought about asking Hermione but her snappy mood held Nadine back.

January faded into February without anyone realizing and the weather hadn't changed one bit. It was still cold and bitter. Gryffindor's match with Ravenclaw for which everyone was thrilled was coming nearer and nearer and Professor McGonagall still hadn't returned Harry's Fireblot. Harry was asking her about it at the end of every period with Ron and Nadine standing behind him hopefully but was getting the same reply again and again.

"No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told him the twelfth time this happened, before he'd even opened his mouth. "We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall tell you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me."

The anti dementor lessons were going just fine. Harry wasn't really happy with his Patronus which was an indistinct smoky figure as it just hovered in mid air without doing anything. So was the case with Nadine but her progress in other acedemic aspects made her feel better

"You're expecting too much of yourself," Professor Lupin sternly told Harry in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement. You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"

"I thought a Patronus would - charge the dementors down or something," said Harry dispiritedly. "Make them disappear -"

"You heard what Professor Lupin said Harry, it's a big achievement for a thirteen year old and we'll get better with practice. I'm getting better at my elemental magic day by day" Nadine told Harry smacking the back of his head lightly.

"Yeah, of course, that's another things
you're ridiculously and naturally good at apart from studying, flying, etc etc" Harry teased.

"It's practice, you buffoon, I'm not naturally good at it except my elemental magic but that's what practice is for. Now don't let me see you looking as if you've been banned from playing Quidditch" Nadine scolded as Professor Lupin as looked at the two bickering friends with amusement.

"Nadine's right, Harry" Lupin said. "Maybe Nadine could give you a good scolding if you do that again, won't you, Nadine?" Lupin said, teasing, which extracted a laugh from Harry.

"Of course Professor," Nadine said and then burst out laughing.

"The true Patronus can drive away Dementors," Lupin told them. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."