Expecto Potronus

"Watch after me, boys!" Called Merlin, twirling his wand around his fingers. Sherlock Holmes and John Watson looked on dumbfounded. Merlin stood straight and adjusted his red scarf before patting down his dark hair. "Now!" He said looking over at the two. "Concentrate on the happiest memory you have! Be it a birthday or a day out fishing!" Merlin, with a giant grin plastered on his face gave the fourteen-year-olds a wink and flicked his wand, "EXPECTO POTRONUS!" He yelled and a thin shinning blue light erupted from the tip of his wand. The flame twirled around itself and spun into the air. First it sprouted wings, then scales, and lastly it transformed into a giant misty blue dragon, which danced around itself just below the tree line.

John yelped a scream of surprise and amazement but Sherlock stood shocked, his blue eyes glittering with wonder and excitement. He watched until the last blue flame of Merlin's potronus vanished in the breeze before pulling at his green and silver tie and rushing towards Merlin. "I want to try!" He hollered while trying to untangle his wand from the folds of his robes.

John stood with his arms crossed over his chest, wand nearly being strangled in one hand and Sherlock's tie in the other. He was sure Sherlock could come up with a full-blown potronus before John could even think of a good enough memory. John shifted in his robes trying not to yank at his red and gold tie that felt to tight against his throat.

"Now Sherlock," Said Merlin placing his hands on the curly haired boy. "Think of the best moment in your life alright?" Sherlock nodded and screwed his face up in concentration. "What's the memory Holmes?" Merlin asked helping the boy point his onyx wand towards the tree line. "When I met John sir," muttered Sherlock, "We had a picnic with his sister Harry. We ate soup and talked about our houses… Professor Gryffindor fell in the lake and got covered in muck!" Merlin smiled and looked over at John. "Good." He said back to Sherlock, "Now remember every second of that day and you'll know when to cast the spell. You'll feel it in your heart and yell with all your might-"
"EXPECTO POTRONUM!" Sherlock belted out and a tiny wisp of blue smoke pooled around the tip of his wand. John applauded but Sherlock felt more disappointed than ever.

"It's alright!" Merlin said clapping his hand over the boy's shoulder once more, "No one gets it their first try! Not even me! Just focus on the memory Sherlock, you'll get it!"

With another frustrated sigh Sherlock closed his eyes and did his best to remember.

While Sherlock stood in the darkening forest Merlin helped John up from tripping over a branch and stood him up beside Sherlock. "You try it too." Merlin whispered in John's ear.

John swallowed hard and sat Sherlock's scarf beside his feet. Shifting in his place John followed Sherlock in concentration.
Merlin crossed his arms and looked on as the two boys yelled in unison "Expecto! Potronum!" Two streaks of blue fired out of the boys' wands and flew around each other. With a burst Sherlock's Potronus took form as an otter swimming through the air like a body of water. John's spun around the otter for just a moment before taking shape as a tiny hedgehog that waddled around the otter before taking off in flight around the boys.

John and Sherlock jumped in surprise and bolted from their spots, chancing their potronuses around the clearing until the otter and hedgehog slowly vanished into a thin stream of blue flame.