Entry for "Ancient Runes" at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)"

Alternatively, any student in their seventh year of Hogwarts.

Prompt: Petrificus Totalus

Entry for the "Scavenger Hunt" at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)"

6. Fred

AU of OotP!

Thanks to Alys for the idea of Fred's patronus!

I hope you like it :)

Fay Dunbar let out a frustrated sigh as thin silvery fog emitted from her wand and instantly vanished again. A short look around the room showed her that every other member of Dumbledore's Army had eventually managed to conjure a corporeal patronus and the first people had already left while others were preparing to go too.

Why was it not working for her, she asked herself. She had managed to sweep Lavender Brown off her feet at her fifth try of the Petrificus Totalus and she was definitely not lacking any skills in DADA at all, but the Patronus Charm was challenging her more than she had thought.

"Do you need help?"

Upon looking up Fay noticed that everyone had left in the interim, everyone except for Fred Weasley. He stood a few steps away from her, his sleeves rolled up, his hair slightly tousled and Fay needed a moment to collect herself before she could answer:"It just doesn't work!"

"Oh, it surely can't be so bad!" He grinned and gestured for her to try it again, but the result was the same as before.

"I am untalented," Fay mumbled, the corners of her mouths turned downwards. "You should not waste your time with me, I mean, you surely have something better to do than to help me. Shouldn't you be learning for your N.E.W.T.s?

Fred only shook his head, still looking quite enthusiastic.

"Maybe it is just a little detail! I will take a look at it, okay? Expecto Patronum!"

Fred waved his wand and a small puppy manifested itself out of the silver fog, jumping around the two Gryffindors, nearly throwing a table over in the process.

"Try it," Fred said with a encouraging smile that did not help Fay's concentration in the slightest – her hands were simply shaking even more.

This try also failed just like the previous ones and Fay was about to give up, feeling a huge disappointment building inside of her, but Fred did not look like he would let her throw everything away.

"I think I know now what your problem is. Your wand movement is not fluid enough and you do not seem to concentrate enough. Let me show you..."

He stepped closer and his fingers gently closed around the wrist of her wand hand, causing a shiver to run over Fay's whole body. The room seemed to be warmer right now and she doubted that she would be able to concentrate any better with him standing so close.

"Think of the best moment in your life. And only of it, erase everything else from your mind," he breathed into her ear and Fay had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to collect herself, but she could not think of anything else than the way her heartbeat was increasing, how her skin prickled and how nice it felt to sense his body heat so close to her.

Her voice was shaking due to her nervousness as he guided her hand and she said:"Expecto Patronum."

Fay gasped as a powerful silver spurt surprisingly erupted from the tip of her wand, floated through the air to finally form Fay's patronus.

"How... what... what were you thinking of?" Fred stuttered as a smaller puppy ran towards Fred's patronus and the two puppies started to play with each other.

She turned her head and their eyes met with a surprised and confused expression.

"I... um... this... this moment," she breathed, her voice nearly breaking while their faces travelled closer to each other.

"Wow...," he whispered and she felt like she was drowning in his wonderful brown eyes, his breath brushed over her face, and then, their lips gently touched...

Fay nearly fell from her bed as she woke from her dream with a surprised gasp, sitting up the moment she regained consciousness, her eyes gliding through the dark Room of Requirement that was filled with the calm breaths of the other sleeping DA members.

Snuggling under her blanket, all she wanted was to fall asleep again, these dreams being a safe haven in the world that was breaking down all around her.

She had no idea why she kept fantasising about Fred Weasley, she barely knew him... but maybe it was because she longed to flee Hogwarts just as he had together with his brother or perhaps, she missed the joy and funny chaos he had brought to every place he came to.

Whatever her dreams meant – she wanted to slip back into them and never wake up again.