Pansy

When I entered the Hogwarts Express I almost knocked Pansy over. She looked at me as if she were not quite sure how to react. She looked like she wanted to hug me and run away at the same time.

I smile unsurely back, feeling hopeful.

Pansy then slaps me, looks a bit shocked and then runs off. The following days Pansy did not talk to me. Some days she'd glare at me like I was the foulest thing on earth. Other days she'd look sad and sport red, lightly swollen eyes and act moody to everyone. Sometimes I'd catch her looking whimsical at me. And other times she was laughing at things Daphne said to her. And all those days Pansy seemed unable to stay as long in my company that I would have the chance to ask her how she was doing or if she'd had a nice Christmas. Or even just to say hi.

However she always wore the friendship bracelet and I made sure to wear it too. It wasn't fine yet, but it would be, I was now sure of it. I felt relief settle down and let her sort things out.

Happy memories

Ginny and I were in an empty classroom. "Patronus," I say almost hopefully, but nothing at all happens. I feel like my pronunciation and wand waving was not too bad.

Ginny is looking thoughtfully at me. "What are you thinking of?"

"First time riding a broom," I answer promptly.

Ginny smiles at me. "I thought of using that too! I did too, one of my first tries. Nothing. Then I remembered you told me it could not just be any memory. It had to be something special."

I want to object. The first time riding a broom had been special! It was a nice memory. Dad had taught me, but no- He had been to busy at the ministry and had this really good quidditch player come over and teach me and he had to leave before he could even see me do anything. Then I was just in the company of this stranger who had seemed incredible at what he did and I had just felt intimidated and wanted to go back to reading the fountain of fair fortune from the tales of Beedle the Bard, which had been my favourite story while growing up.

"Well, what is your happy memory," I shoot back, feeling a little frustrated I had not even been able to cast a silvery whisp of light. Ginny sticks out her tongue.

"Patronus," Ginny says. The tiniest flashes of silver come from her wand, nothing corporeal though.

I feel impressed. "How'd you do that?"

Ginny smiles at me. "You know a few weeks back when you hung out with me and Fred and George and they were like teasing you about how Pansy was attached to your hips, because I had thought you were looking for Pansy?"

"Sure," I say, as it was not too long ago.

Ginny chuckles. "I never would have expected you to laugh at their jokes. You can handle being made fun of if it comes from someone you really know and you don't know my brothers so well and anyway-" She hesitates. "I was kind of touched that you had tried to find out more about dealing with dementors and all- thanks by the way and then you told me all you'd found out and concluded with something that it wouldn't be easy and all. And I remember I told you that growing up with Fred and George makes you believe anythings possible and I did feel like that." Ginny then starts to adjust her shirt a bit uncomfortably. "So you know, I picked that memory.."

I feel sort of flattered that I was a part of that happy memory that produced those silvery strings from her wand, even if it was nowhere near a real patronus, it was the first that made something happen.

"Merlin," I mutter. "Maybe some flying is a bit mundane. Hell I should do some soul-searching."

Ginny's eyes crinkle. "You should. I am going to do something really mundane now though.."

I give her a questioning look.

Ginny roles her eyes. "Flying."

Library

I awkwardly joined Greg, who seemed to be cheering Hermione up, or at least tried to. Pansy had looked really upset today and I had felt uncomfortable in the common room.

I shift a bit in my chair. "Weaselby's a prat again?"

Hermione looks unsure of how to react and buries her face in Greg's shoulder. A little bit later she stops hiding her face and looks embarrassedly at us. "It's just.. Harry and Ron are not talking to me anymore, because I turned that stupid broom of him to p- professor McGonagall."

I remember how Potter's broom had smashed the whomping willow. "What kind of broom?"

Greg gives me a bit of an annoyed look. "Does it really matter?"

"A F- Firebolt," Hermione answers.

I feel a bit abashed. Everyone new how good that broom was. "Why on earth would you do that?" Even if I was not the worst quidditch addict I would still gawk at brooms of that calibre.

Hermione crosses her arms defensively. "I thought- and professor McGonagall agreed with me, it is strange that Harry receives such an expensive gift without even a name of the sender. I thought it might have been from Sirius Black."

I frown and lean towards her, suddenly I can't hold it all in. "He is after Potter, father said so. You might be right. You are really brilliant to question that Firebolt."

Hermione raises her eyebrow at me. "Not everyone drools over that stupid broom."

I snort. "Does Potter know?"

"Know what?" Hermione looks impatiently at me.

I look around us, then focus on Hermione. "What Black did? He was his father's best friend, worse declared brother and he betrayed them to you-know-who."

Hermione nods sadly. "We overheard some teachers and minister Fudge speaking about it in the three broomsticks. Harry was really upset." Hermione bites her lips, as if she's trying to think up how to fix it.

I clench my teeth. "Do you think he'll do something stupid?"

"What? No," Hermione reacts confusedly.

I lean further towards her. Greg stays quiet, but I can see he is concentrated listening. "Mother and father were sure of it. They made me promise not to tell him. He almost got killed fighting a basilisk, wouldn't common sense tell you not to head there?"

"You did too," Hermione throws back at me.

"Maybe I would go after Black if I were Potter," I threaten softly. "Don't forget, Potter also almost got himself killed in his first year."

"That was different," Hermione objects.

I glare, feeling frustrated she does not listen to me. "How is it different?"

"It just is," Hermione says. "Else really bad things would have happened." It was clear she did not want to say whatever it was they tried to stop. Fine. Then don't.

"Potter," I then sneer, "Probably knows too about Lupin's affliction."

I can see that Hermione knows what I am talking about and in a huff she stands up. "It is professor Lupin and I do not see what his affliction has anything to do with this."

"Are you blind?" I whisper harshly. "Lupin is helping Black. That's why he's able to get into the castle!"

"That's ridiculous," Hermione reacts.

"Severus is right," I say annoyed. "Potter does not care about his life nor the safety of others. He thinks he is above the rules and is arrogant just like his father."

"Harry is nothing like that," Hermione defends. "And professor Snape is horrible to Harry for no reason."

I glare. "Like you have shown yourself capable of judging your teachers. In your second year you were pining after Lockhart. You know nothing about Severus nor Lupin."

Hermione then storms away after giving me one last glare.

"That was intense," Greg then notes dryly. I smile embarrassedly at him.