little miss perfect

the darkness within

"Ex—Expecto Patronum,"

A few short wisps flew out of my wand, but I knew as soon as I had uttered the spell I knew that it had had no effect whatsoever. My hand was sweating, as I gripped onto my wand and I was shaking uncontrollably. I helplessly watched the Dementors tower over the three of us.

Get a grip, I thought to myself. It was no use, my vision was going hazy, my ears were buzzing and I could feel my body growing weaker by the second. We're going to die and it's my fault.

A sudden spark of anger brewed in the midst of my despair and hopelessness as I drifted off into another world. How dare the Dementors think that they could take my life away from me and render me soulless? How dare they ruin my twin brother and best friend's life. Why did they have to ruin everything?

I don't know if it was the power of my sudden rage or the sudden realisation that I was actually on the verge of death that shot me out of my weak daze. I glared up at the dementor as I willed myself to think of every happy memory that had ever occurred in my life.

I pointed my want at the floating murderer.

Pranking and joking around with my brother. Spending time with my father. Astoria coming around to the manor for summer. Bella proclaiming every piece of clothing I owned a masterpiece. Joking around with Jordan. Sneaking into the kitchens and stealing ice cream with Ginny. Playing Quidditch. Hours in the Gryffindor Common Room playing exploding snap. Annoying Pansy. 'Studying' with Blaise. Laughing with Fred. The short months I had with my mother. Even freaking running away from Peeves the poltergeist in the middle of the night with Draco Malfoy.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I roared.

Not just a few short wisps of silver sped out of my wand this time, but a whole sea of silky beams. They twisted and swirled out of my wand in different formations before joining in the middle and morphing into a magnificent serpent.

I watched in awe as the creature danced around the dementor, circling around in the air. Gradually, the Dementors backed away from us, one by one. I was holding onto my wand with all my might, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to push through for much longer. Everything about this was agonising, yet so beautiful.

With no choice, I let go off my wand and collapsed onto my knees with a groan. To my utter shock the silver serpent sent me a short bit sharp wink before disappearing into a burst of silver smoke. My breaths were ragged and my face was sweaty as relief flooded though my body. I heard the two boys collapse besides me.

Dylan let out a strangled laugh of joy. "Y-you saved our lives!"

I felt myself being attacked into a hug by two teenage boys. We stayed like that for a while, not even caring when droplets started to fall from the sky and we became covered in mud, grass and water.

***

"So you actually cast a Patronus?" Astoria asked me for what seemed like the thousandth time as we exited the Charms classroom.

I snorted. "For the billionth time, I'm completely sure. I know—I can't believe it either."

Astoria shook her head at me. "You do not know how cool that is."

I indeed did know how cool it was. I just didn't want brag about the whole ordeal. I hadn't even been planning on telling anyone about anything that had gone down after Quidditch Practice on the weekend, but of course, Blaise and Dylan had blabbed. It had taken quite an effort for the three of us to get back up to the castle in our freezing states. We'd ended up just staying on the ground in our relieved state for about fifteen minutes and I was honestly shocked that another dementor hadn't come to suck our souls out. I guess my silver serpent had scared them off for good. I hoped so anyways...