When All is Lost, One is Found

Author: Rinoaebastel

Chapter 75: Patronum!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and gain no profit from this fanfiction other than writing practice. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.

AN: This story may contain scenes taken from the Harry Potter movies and books, but it's not exact dialogue, just rewording of dialogue or omission. It is not marked.

March, 1997

The door slammed open, causing the group of excited students to jump. He expected that exact effect due to years of experience. It was such a typical reaction and was one he desired.

He had no need to strain his voice because his presence was enough to silence the classroom. His eyes trailed around the class first, memorizing each student and where they stood. When satisfied that he knew who was there and who was not, he walked up to his desk.

The closer the holiday's came, the more the students shirked their obligations. He was surprised to see Potter and his gang of pests in the room. Potter was ignoring Granger, but the couple of Brown and Weasley glared at her as if she weren't fit to be in the class. They were the very two he'd throw out of the class if he could. Fortunately, he could take out small amounts of revenge on them.

Then he saw her. She had a small smile on her face the moment his black gaze found hers. The moment her lips quirked, something inside him stirred and his body warmed.

The witch had a power that he had to force himself away from and get back to the reality of the classroom waiting for his instructions.

"Patronuses," he said, making his voice sterner than usual. "There's a personal one for every soul in this room, but few wizards are capable of casting a corporeal one." He paced slowly between the student's desks. "All of you will try to cast it today, and Potter, you will be the first."

Everyone looked at Potter, shooting him pitiful looks, and he had to hold back a grin. The boy lazily stood and muttered under his breath.

He shouldn't complain. This was more torture for him than Potter. He could've casted his own Patronus as an example, but that would be dangerous for him if the Death Eaters or Dark Lord found out about it.

He knew Potter could conjure a corporeal Patronus. He'd seen it three years ago when that werewolf almost killed them.

"To the front, Potter, and show them how to do it."

The boy walked to the front, much more obedient than what he was used to. Maybe he felt proud of something he could do.

The boy raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

In an instant, he saw the silvery mist morph into a disgusting animal form. It brought back horrible memories, but he was able to throw them to the side. That stag had been a sign that she hadn't been compatible with him. Her doe spoke for her when she didn't.

He raised his wand and forced the spell to dissipate.

"Now, non-verbal, Potter."

See if you are as mighty as they say, but seeing how you treat your close ones, I doubt it. Just like his mother. He almost cringed as the last part of the thought came to him.

Satisfaction accompanied his smug smile when nothing happened. Not even a faint silver mist.

"Useless as always," he said, gaining a laugh from his Slytherins.

Seeing how the boy trembled amused him. "To your seat. Miss Granger, show them, as you are the only one who managed to do well enough with nonverbal spells." He sniffed. "Such an irony."

Her eyes became hostile for a moment and he felt guilty even if it was just an act. But she would understand. He would never mean any harm or mockery towards her. Not anymore.

As she walked up to him, her back facing the class, she looked at him and let a small grin flash for a second. She turned so the class could see her profile. Her eyes focused, losing all the hostility. She knew. She knew he hadn't meant it.

"First verbally, Miss Granger." He made his voice slightly softer when he spoke to her.

She nodded.

"Expecto Patronum." The silver mist came forth and slowly morphed in front of his eyes as it took the shape of a small animal. It surrounded her, jumping with happiness, nuzzling her hair with care and then, it swam away on the air, floating up and down playfully.

An otter. He couldn't think of a more suitable Patronus for her.

The otter swirled around and then stopped in front of him. It made a strange noise, as if it were squealing, and quickly began its floating again. It made a circle around him once before disappearing.

All his students' eyes were on him, likely waiting for him to berate her for the inappropriate behaviour of her Patronus.

But he wouldn't. It was fascinating.

"Good, Miss Granger. As you can see, the Patronuses reflect part of our soul as much as things we love. It's often said that a Patronus can change depending on the events of life. Things like, as they say, true and everlasting love." His last words came with a dry, disgusted tone.

Lily had been his love, but he had never been hers.

And it didn't hurt as much as it used to.

His class began to murmur with excitement as they looked at Granger with something akin to admiration. He noticed that most of the Gryffindors were doing so instead of being stone-faced like before.

"Try a non-verbal now, Miss Granger."
She bit her lip, nodded, and moved her wand.

A silver stream of light drifted from her wand like the beginnings of smoke from a new fire. She put all of her focus into the spell. She was so close, but she'd failed at casting a corporal one. The mist was there, but it wasn't enough if a group of dementor's attacked her.

"Enough, Miss Granger." She lowered her wand directly after he ordered. He looked at the class. "Now each one of you will do the same. All of you form a line except for Granger and Potter."

The students rose from their seats, all of them muttering as they started forming lines. Granger moved close enough that he could smell her scent, but far enough that it didn't look improper to the rest of the class.

The students were all reacting differently. Some excited, but the majority of them were clearly nervous. Their wands were shaking slightly at the prospect of what they were about to do.

It irked him that the calmest ones were the Gryffindors.

After a disappointing hour of casting spells from his house and irritating corporeal Patronuses from the Gryffindors, he dismissed the class, sending them off with an essay on Patronuses. That earned a groan from the students that only served to anger him further. He was going to add on lines, but for once, didn't feel like bothering with it. It was their own necks they risked, not his.

They were complaining about learning more about something that could save their lives one day. He wanted to slap every single one of them. He had to remind himself that they were young people being sucked into a war. Few were conscious of how much danger they were involved in. They didn't carry the worry along with the fear of what was going to happen in a few months. At that age, one didn't think much about mortality.

But she would. And that's what he needed to depend on. She had to be good so she would survive. So Potter would do what he had to do. She needed to push her friends, particularly Potter, to be better. And that meant he needed to step in... again.

AN: And decisions are going to be made... Heh. Hope you liked it and let me know what you think! See you later!

PS: It seems I made a mistake regarding the "Floo" name. I used the normal word which is Flue, and it never crossed my mind that J.K. Rowling used another term. I was used to the Spanish one which is Flu... and now, I'm curious to know if in your language you have a different name for it too...?