Out of the hospital

The day after Ginny visited me in the hospital. "Couldn't keep out of trouble?"

I snort. I don't feel like telling her the whole story. I am not even sure if I should. "Well, you know me," I say. "Any further with your patronus?"

Ginny shakes her head. "Not a lot of time between exams and studying."

"Well, I am sure madame Pomfrey will let me go now," I say. "I was practically all healed up by professor Snape last night."

Ginny gives me a curious look.

I get out of the hospital bed and we leave the wing. I unconsciously walk to professor Lupin's office and ignore Ginny's questioning look as I knock on the large wooden door. A tired-looking Lupin opens the door. On his face new, painful-looking scars have appeared. In his office lay bags and scattered clothes as if he is packing all of his stuff. "Professor," I say hesitantly. "Your not leaving are you?"

Lupin looks grimly at me. "Whatever happened tonight, cannot happen again. I could have severely injured a student. Besides professor Snape let slip that I was a werewolf, so in no time Dumbledore's office will be flooding with owls from worried and angry parents."

"That's not fair," I gasp.

"Is it?" Lupin interrupts. "I believe you have distrusted me the entire year, don't tell me you regret me leaving?"

I look embarrassedly at the ground. "I thought you were helping Black, sir."

"Well, you know now that was not the case," Lupin answers calmly.

I nod. "Thanks for helping me with the patronus charm."

Lupin smiles at me. "Did you manage one?"

"No," I say frustratedly.

"It is a very advanced charm," Lupin says politely. "What memory are you using? Many people cannot cast one as they do not have a memory that is happy enough to protect them from the dementors."

"I have not been having a lot of success," I finally say. "What do you think of?"

"Friends that did not care about my.. affliction," Lupin answers. "So show me!"

I look nervously at Ginny, who sticks out her tongue and takes a step forward. "Expect patronum," she exclaims. Her wand again produces some thick silvery mist, but there is no recognisable shape in it.

Lupin smiles warmly at her. "Good! That is incredible for a second year. This might actually protect you from a dementor, but you need an even better memory to create a corporeal patronus. Don't give up, though, you are getting awfully close."

Ginny smiles brightly at the praise. She shoves me lightly. "Now it's your turn," she says happily.

For a moment I feel unsure of what memory to use. Then I suddenly think of last night, when Greg took off after Granger and I pushed him aside and Pansy dragged us along into the shrieking shack. I had felt so relieved she'd come after us. "Expecto patronum," I say and then I produce my first silvery whisps and I feel exhilarated. Even if it is nowhere as close as Ginny's to a real patronus.

A few days later I entered the Hogwarts Express, I would soon be home. I am in a compartment with Pansy, Ginny, Vin, Greg and Hermione, the latter were holding hands. Vin is telling us all about some new card game he'd owl ordered and was talking about joining the gobblestone club next year at Hogwarts. That reminded me of something. "Pansy, Ginny, you should try out for quidditch next year. We need better players." Then we talked for hours about quidditch, about the available positions and how awesome it would be if we'd all be on the team together.

The summer vacation was warm and it was nice to be home. I invited Pansy over lots of time and we'd play tons of quidditch. I owled back and forth with Ginny who had been playing quite some quidditch as well with all her brothers and seemed fairly confident she'd get on the team. Severus joined dinner a few times at the manor and was more than happy to talk about potions. Mother, father and I held some star-gazing nights, which father apparently had introduced to mother's amusement. We mostly talked a lot, while trying to spot some falling stars as it was the right time for it. The summer days really flew past and it was no time before I would get back for my fourth year of Hogwarts. The last few days however dad started teasing me something special would take place at Hogwarts, but he seemed to content to leave me guessing to my annoyance.