There was tension within the Gryffindor House as March arrived. Even though Neville had seemingly explained the situation to Lavender, both she and Parvati were being very cold towards Hermione still. Both girls were also being very cold towards Dudley. Neville, for his part, was ignoring Dudley, and Dudley was content to allow this to happen.

"It wasn't my fault his girlfriend went psycho," Dudley said to Dean during Charms. They were practicing the locking spell today on a padlock each. They had gone through it before, but Flitwick wanted them to do a refresher. "Coloportus!" Dudley said, and his padlock snapped shut.

"As for Neville, he's lucky I didn't punch his lights out, pointing his wand at me like that," Dudley said.

"Yeah, well, I think he's going through a tough time," Dean said fairly. He cast the spell on his own padlock and it snapped shut.

"Tough time or not, you can't go around acting like that," Dudley said, glaring at the back of Neville's head.

They had never actually being close the way he, Dean and Ron were, but Dudley had considered Neville to be a friend and it annoyed him that he had been acting like a prat for much of the year. Each time things seemed to be normal between them, something else happened to drive them a bit apart.

Dudley hadn't heard from Lockhart since the end of the second task, but an owl had arrived yesterday saying he would be able to continue their patronus lessons.

"Might as well," Dean said. "We've kinda hit a brick wall, but if we keep practicing."

Ron, reluctantly agreed. This time, much to his surprise, Hermione declided, saying she had far too much homework to do tonight. For the first time, however, Luna said she wanted to go. "I think it would be useful to know," she said, walking next to Dudley, holding his hand.

"I really don't like Dementors, they make me remember things I don't want to," Luna continued.

Dudley glanced down at his girlfriend for a few seconds, wondering what possible thing the Dementors would make her see. He didn't ask though, that sort of thing was private. He wouldn't tell anybody that they made him remember that awful Basilisk sliding out of the pipe to get him. If it hadn't been for Lockhart ...

Speaking of Lockhart, he was stood in the entrance hall waiting for them. Today he was wearing robes of gold.

"Ah, Dudley, I've been putting my feelers out!" he said by way of greeting. He put his arm conspiratorily around Dudley's shoulder as he led the way outside. "Got in touch with some of my Ministry contacts, now, keep this under yours hats, but, word is Dumbledore's being inquiring about a whole menageries of magical beasts—he's looked to hire a pair of mountain trolls, secured at least one boggart and a swarm of billywigs."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, they're clearly for the Triwizard Tournament, so I expect you'll have to face them or something," Lockhart said.

"And you're sure? Because you were wrong about the Sphinx," Dudley said, not wanting to sound too accusing since Lockhart had been a big help in Task 2.

"Perhaps the Sphinx is for the Third Task, too," Dean suggested.

"Ah-ha, he's cracked it! Of course, I trust my contacts in the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures. I would bet a signed copy of Magical Me that the next task will involve a variety of magical creatures," Lockhart said.

"Well, maybe it's better to wait until Bagman actually reveals what it is," said Ron. "Didn't Bagman say he'd tell everyone a month before."

"Yeah, he did," said Dudley.

"Well," Lockhart's smile had faded slightly. "There's no harm in brushing up on some spells before then, is there? After all, you are behind the others—you need to work extra hard to catch up, so what's the harm and continuing our little lessons and practicing spells?"

Dudley sensed that Lockhart really wanted to be involved, but, he also saw that he had a good point. He might as well practice a variety of hexes and curses now, then he wouldn't be scrambling to do so later.

Today, however, they were just working on the patronus. Dudley still found the spell to be extremely difficult and couldn't get the hang of it.

Luna, seemed to be a natural. Even though this was her first time casting the spell, she could already create a non-corporeal patronus which lasted for even longer than Ron's.

"How are you doing that?" Dudley asked, as his own faded.

They were interrupted by cheers from Dean. "I did it!" he crowed. "Look!"

Dudley spun around. Dean was jumping up and down in celebration while around his head flew a silvery bird.

"It's a falcon," Ron said, looking a bit envious that Dean had got there first.

Lockhart, too, looked a bit put out. He could only cast a non-corporeal patronus. This charm definitely didn't seem to be a specialty of Lockhart's. There last few lessons had had no progress whatsoever and Lockhart had seemingly ran out of ideas of how to teach them. Dean had managed it.

"How did you do it?" Ron asked.

"I just shut my eyes and thought as hard as I could on a really happy memory—my mum. I didn't think of any instances exactly. I just thought of her."

"Can that work?" Ron demanded, looking at Lockhart.

Lockhart was looking thoughtful. "Well, I don't see why not. I always thought it had to be a specific memory, but if it could be a person who makes you happy, I suppose ..."

Ron sighed, he looked as if the past few weeks had been a waste of time.

"That's the way I did it, too," Luna piped up. "Try thinking of a person."

"Who did you think of?" Ron asked.

"My dad," Luna replied. "I'm not quite there yet, mine was fully formed ..."

"Yeah, but still good for a first time," said Ron.

"Ok," Lockhart clapped his hands together a few times. "Try doing what Dean did. Think of a person who makes you happy, rather than a happy memory. Focus hard on that person—isn't that right, Dean?"

"Yeah, just, kind of, picture them in your mind. Like this—expecto patronum!" Once more the silvery falcon burst out of Dean's wand and swooped around them.

Ron's face was screwed up. Whether he was thinking of Cho or a family member, Dudley didn't know, but he looked like he was concentrating hard.

Dudley went through the people in his life and selected his dad, Vernon. They had always been close.

He pictured him in his mind—the red face, the broad shoulders, the bushy moustache.

"Expecto patronum!" It was non-corporeal, but it was stronger than his previous attempts and lasted longer too. There was a vague shape to it, too.

"Look! Mine had ears, I think," Luna said, triumphantly.

Dudley caught a glimpse of hers just before it vanished. "Cool," he said, pleased.

They practiced for another 20 minutes. Dudley's remained non-corporeal, but was stronger each time. After his fifth attempt, Ron managed to pull off a corporeal patronus. His was a Jack Russell terrier which gamboled around his legs.

"Very cool," said Dean. "It's just Dud letting the side down." He grinned.

Dudley focussed as hard as he could. This time he would manage it. He looked at Luna and suddenly decided not to think of his dad, but to think of her.

He looked at her face for a few seconds, taking in her features.

"Expecto patronum!" he cried. He felt a sense of excitement as a creature burst out of the end of his wand. It was large, squat and had four legs. It was ...

"A warthog!" Luna shouted in delight.

Sure enough, Dudley's patronus was a squat, silvery warthog which ran around in a circle. Dudley grinned, feeling very proud of himself for finally managing it.