Chapter THREE
"Avada Kedavra!" Harry could still remember from their Defence Against the Dark Art lesson they just had with Moody and witnessed the 3 Unforgivable Curse performed on spiders.
"Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron.
"Not the bloody library again!" said Ron, before Harry knocked the air out of his lung with a well-aimed elbow.
"No," said Hermione curtly, pointing and calling out to Neville, who was standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he had worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse.
"Are you alright Neville?" Hermione said gently, patting Neville on the shoulder to show support.
"Oh... Oh hello, Her... Hermione..." Neville stuttered as he turned around, "I'm star... starving, wonder wha... what's for dinner... Oh yes, I'm fine." Neville continued though now with an unnaturally high voice. "Very interesting dinner... I mean lesson... lesson, definitely lesson... what's for eating?"
Ron pulled on Harry's arm when an odd clunking noise sounded behind them, and they turned to see Professor Moody limping toward them. All four of them fell silent, watching him apprehensively, Moody spoke with a gentler growl exchanging dialogues with the 4 students before pulling Neville to his office.
At dinner, Hermione did not join in with Harry and Ron's conversation during dinner but ate furiously fast, and then left for the library again. Although Harry did notice that she seems to have taken a wrong turn and gone towards Professor Flitwick's office.
"Professor, I would like to know more about the Patronus Charm," Hermione said slightly out of breath. Professor Flitwick eyed Hermione curiously, "My, my... The Patronus Charm you say? But that is very advanced material and not part of you Hogwart curriculum!" shaking his head at the request he continued. "Of course I could tell you more about it, but I doubt you'll be able to master and cast it, and furthermore what for?". Still, out of breath, Hermione silently drew her wand and murmured "Expecto Patronum", instantly a silvery-white doe leapt out from the tip of her wand and dashed around the room.
Flitwick watched in awe until the doe finally dissipated into thin strands of silver-white essences. "Well done Ms. Granger, no wonder they all say that you are the brightest witch of your year! So if you are not here to learn how to cast the spell, what do you need my help for?" Flitwick questioned curiously. "I read that a corporeal Patronus takes the shape of a secret self within us, therefore making each one's corporeal Patronus different in shape and form. I want to know what determines that secret self, what... shapes a Patronus?" Hermione finally forced the question that bugged her throughout the summer holidays.
"Ah! I see so that is what you are interested," Flitwick said with a tone of amusement "The reason could be rather short, a Patronus is shaped based on the memories that define you. Well, a Patronus' shape and form depends on the personality and inner trait of the wizard or witch similar to the shape an animagus take. It seems that if a witch or wizard is an animagus, their Patronus will likely to be the same shape and form and will not change. However, there is evidence that the shape of a Patronus could reflect some hidden emotions such as love for someone else..."
Flitwick continued to speak, but Hermione could take no more. Her Patronus has grown to become a doe... Reflect hidden emotions such as love... Does that mean she... Harry?
