Ch. 21 - Patronus Practice, Pt. 2

"I've done it! I've actually done it!" Marlene shouted, celebrating the white lynx that had just made its first appearance as her corporeal patronus.

Alastor patted her shoulder. "Well done McKinnon, now you can try to achieve the same thing non-verbally. Off you go." He turned around to look at the rest of the cohort.

Those who had managed to produce a patronus were now practicing their ability to conjure the incantation non-verbally. Lily was able to do that by class number three, and now by class number six her doe was dancing around James' corporeal stag. In class four, Alice discovered her corporeal patronus was a mare. Sirius and Frank succeeded in conjuring their non-verbal incorporeal patronuses, as Remus had the day before. At this point in the lessons, most everyone was able to produce some manner of incorporeal patronus at least once.

Everyone except for Rubeus, Peter, Mundungus, and Emmeline.

Since Remus was well on his way, he spent this class trying to help Emmeline. They stood detached from the rest of the group by a few meters as a result of Emmeline's growing frustration.

"I think perhaps you're not keeping your wrist in line."

"Sturgis is over there flapping his wrist about and he figured this out two days ago."

"Don't look at Sturgis, or any of them. The only spell you need to focus on is your own."

"I am focusing. It's rather difficult not to look at everyone else when you're one of the only people who hasn't figured it out!"

"I'm only trying to help, why are you getting angry with me? "

"I'm not getting angry with you!"

"Vance, any progress?" Alastor asked, intervening.

Emmeline massaged her temples. "I just don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"Show me," said Alastor.

"It's not going to be any different than when I showed you yesterday…" she grumbled.

Remus shot her a warning glance. "Emmeline."

"On day one I figured it was because I haven't practiced advanced magic consistently in ages, but now I'm starting to think I just can't produce a patronus at all, and that all this effort isn't going to help anything." She was so irritated that she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from crying.

Alastor sighed and got very close to her face. "If you want to give up now and leave my class, by all means do so. I'm not going to stop you. But if you want to figure this out, you're going to have to suck it up and show. me. the spell."

Emmeline nodded bleakly like a reprimanded child. She adjusted her posture as Alastor backed up to observe her. Remus held his breath in anticipation.

She closed her eyes, releasing a tear that had been welling up in them, raised her wand, and took a deep breath. "Expecto Patronum."

Nothing.

Emmeline gritted her teeth as she stuffed her wand away. "I don't think I can do this anymore today."

"Hold on a minute. Your form was exquisite. You're so focused on what's happening with your body that you're not focusing on what's happening with your mind." Alastor approached her again, this time a bit more sympathetically. "What memory are you picturing?"

"...Arriving back in England last month."

"What did it smell like?"

"...What?"

"You heard me. What did the air smell like when you arrived?"

"I dunno...like...I dunno!"

"Then you didn't pick a good enough memory."

"Ugh!" she grunted angrily before turning and kicking a bit of dirt up.

"Emmeline-,"

"You need details Vance! Your form is good but your mental work is lazy!" he scolded her.

"I'm trying!" she shouted back.

As soon as she did, Remus pulled her back away from him. "Stop it! What's gotten into you?" Others were beginning to stare in their direction.

Deciding that his time was better spent elsewhere, Alastor turned on his heel and shouted at her over his shoulder. "Go home Vance, and come back tomorrow without the flippant attitude. A happy memory is useless to you if you're going to act like there's a chip on your shoulder."

Hot tears of humiliation began to fall down Emmeline's face as she stormed out of the clearing. Her friends looked at each other with concern, wondering whether it would be better to send someone after her or let her go.

"Emmeline, wait," said Remus, trying to catch up to her.

"I didn't dismiss you Lupin! You don't get to leave just because Vance does," Alastor reprimanded him. "She's a big girl, she can get home on her own. You have work to do."

Remus felt conflicted as he stopped and watched Emmeline disappear into the tree line.