All characters depicted here belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the pleasure of writing this particular story.

Think Happy Thoughts

We continued to search the library as often as we could. I was in there the most, as I had the least classes. When Remus or Sirius didn't have a class, they would join me. It was not going well. We weren't finding anything helpful.

Hermione came back to school about a week after her father died. The girl who returned was not the girl who had left, but that was to be expected.

"Ron and Hermione are back," Ginny whispered to me in the common room after my Charms lesson one day. "She's been up in the hospital wing since she got back. She is making sure her mum is settled. Ron said she says hi and she'll see us later at dinner."

"Okay," I said back, hurrying up to the dormitory to drop my books off. Ginny was waiting with Harry and Ron, who had returned to the school with Hermione. We left the common room and hurried down to the Great Hall.

Hermione was not there yet, so we sat at the table to wait for her. Ron was just asking what was happening at the school when Ginny let out a gasp. I looked up.

Hermione was coming toward us. She appeared to have taken her anger out on her hair. Once so long and bushy, she had cut it to about chin length and straightened it. It looked incredible, but it was a surprise to see Hermione like that. She didn't usually care about her hair.

Even more surprising was the blazing, savage look in her eyes. A haunted, lethal look.

I had expected anger. But Hermione wasn't angry.

She was deadly.

"Hello, everyone," she said calmly as she joined us. She smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I don't suppose anybody thought to get my homework for me?"

Harry blinked at her in surprise.

"I did actually," he answered. "Your hair looks nice."

"Thanks," she answered, again smiling that deadened smile. "It made me angry, so I cut it off."

Ginny's eyebrows rose at that, but she said nothing. She glanced at me then back down to her plate.

"So have you found anything in the library on Voldemort?"

Harry and I both shook our heads.

"Nothing," I answered, looking away from her. The loathing in her eyes was somewhat disquieting.

Hermione scoffed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Her eyes skated around the room and came to rest on somebody. They started to blaze with hatred. I glanced up to see who she was looking at.

Draco Malfoy, the blonde, rat-faced boy who had called me a Mudblood, was sitting at his table and was obviously mocking Hermione. He was making mock crying faces and would then laugh in her direction. Hermione sat and stared at him, a flush slowly creeping up her neck into her cheeks.

"Think you're funny, do you? Okay. I am going to come after you then," she said so quietly that I was sure I was mistaken. Harry looked up from his plate. "I am going to make you suffer just as much as you have made me suffer. Your Lord took my father from me. I am going to take everything from you."

I watched Malfoy's eyes widen. He was on his feet and had moved to the head table and to Professor Snape before I even looked away from him.

"How-?" Ginny started. Hermione turned her hate-filled eyes on Ginny.

"How did he hear me?"

Ginny nodded mutely.

"Communication Charm," Harry answered. He was looking at Hermione as though he'd never seen her before. "When did you learn that?"

"I've been able to do it for a long time, Harry," she answered matter-of-factly. "What have we been learning in our classes? And how are your classes going?"

Hermione turned to me and almost looked like her old self again. I was about to answer her when a shadow fell across our table. I glanced up into the black eyes of Professor Snape.

"Mister Malfoy has just been to me with an interesting story, Miss Granger," he said softly.

"I'm sure he has," Hermione responded sweetly. "Malfoy has all sorts of 'interesting stories', hasn't he? Most would call them lies, except you. You seem to think everything he says is true." She smiled a sugary sweet smile at Snape. "Strange, really, especially considering his night job."

Harry and Ron were staring, open mouthed, at Hermione. Ginny was staring up at Snape, paralysed with fear. I waited for Snape to explode.

His eyes narrowed dangerously and he rested his hands on the table, leaning down until he and Hermione were almost nose to nose.

"What, exactly, are you implying, Miss Granger?"

Hermione, showing no fear whatsoever, rolled her eyes. "I am implying, quite obviously, Professor Snape, that Malfoy is a Death Eater. Deny it, why don't you."

Snape's eyes flashed furiously and he gritted his teeth.

"You need to be more careful, Miss Granger, of whom you accuse of being a Death Eater."

"Why is that?" Hermione asked innocently.

"Because you might start something you can't finish, you stupid girl."

"Don't call her stupid!" I snapped. Snape glowered in my direction but said nothing.

"So, Professor Snape sir, what sort of 'interesting story' did Malfoy have this time?"

"He said you had threatened him, Miss Granger."

"I see," Hermione said slowly. "And of course you would take the word of a Death Eater over the word of a Mudblood. I've been over here since I came into the Great Hall. How, exactly, would I have threatened him?"

"I'm sure you know-"

"Severus, that is quite enough."

Each of us looked up into the angry blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore. He was staring at Snape and absolutely radiated fury.

"Headmaster-" Snape began.

"I don't wish to hear it, Severus. Go back to your dinner." Snape scowled at Albus but did as he was told. Albus turned to Hermione. "I'm very pleased to see you back so soon, Miss Granger. I would hope that you aren't causing problems, as that is very unlike you."

Hermione smiled at the Headmaster. "I'm doing nothing of the sort, sir."

Albus smiled back. "Good." He nodded at each of us and moved back to the head table. I saw Snape lean over and start muttering furiously in his ear.

Hermione stood abruptly and stalked off without a word. Each of us abandoned our dinners and jumped up to follow her. Not surprisingly, she was moving up the staircase that led to the library.

"Hermione?" Harry called. She stopped, her back stiff. "Where are you going?"
"I'm tired of this war, Harry," she answered, her voice full of tears. "I'm going to find something to stop it. Dumbledore can sit as though in limbo and let this happen, but I won't stand for it."
I let out a gasp. Hermione's mention of limbo had reminded me. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten.

"How did you get Sirius out?" I asked suddenly. Each of them turned to stare at me. I flushed. "Hermione's mention of limbo reminded me. Sirius couldn't remember and I wanted to know. How did you get him out?"

"The crystals," Harry answered. "We each had a crystal to…boost…our…Hermione!"

Hermione stared at him, her eyebrows raised. "What?"

"We use the crystals," Harry explained. "It will boost Avada Kedavra."

Hermione's nose wrinkled as she thought about this. She shook her head. "I don't think boosting Avada Kedavra will do it, Harry."

"Well, it's a start," Ron said, moving up the stairs. I could see the cogs starting to turn in his head. "We can build on it."

We started up the stairs again. Harry and Hermione were discussing curses that might work on Voldemort. We stopped as Sirius came around the corner. He stopped as well.

"Where are you off to?" he asked.

"The library," Hermione answered. He smiled.

"I figured as much," he said softly. He stepped forward and pulled Hermione into a quick hug. "How are you?"

She smiled. "I'm dealing with it," she answered quietly. "I am focusing on bringing Voldemort down."

Something that looked like concern flashed in Sirius' eyes, but he didn't comment. He gave Hermione another hug and then turned to me.

"We're going to be trying the Patronus Charm for your next class with Remus and me," he told me. I stared at him.

"Kind of jumping around a bit, aren't you?" Hermione asked at the same time I said,

"The what?"

Sirius smiled tightly at Hermione. "A bit, yes. But Dumbledore wants her to know how to do one before we teach her anything else." He turned to me, his smile widening. "Patronus Charm. You'll see. We'll have Harry show you his."

Harry flushed slightly and grinned at me. I grinned back and started up the stairs after Hermione.

*

"So what, exactly, is the Patronus Charm?" I asked as soon as Remus and Sirius entered the deserted classroom. I had been so curious that I'd asked them to show me that night. Remus grinned at me.

"You've heard of Dementors right?" Sirius asked, his voice harsh. I gaped at him.

"Yes, Harry told me about them."

"Well, the Dementors joined forces with Voldemort and are wandering the streets, going after innocent Muggles and wizards. If you meet with one, you need to be able to defend yourself against them. And the way to do that is with the Patronus Charm."

I looked around as Harry and Ron entered the room.

"Colloportus," Harry said, sealing the door behind him.

"Where are Ginny and Hermione?" Sirius asked.

"Hermione's a bit tired and a little sad," Ron answered. "She's gone to bed. I think Ginny's working on some homework."

"What do the Dementors do?" I asked. Harry's face darkened.

"They're foul creatures," he answered. "They suck every happy thought out of you, drain you of your happiness, your will to live. You feel like you'll never be happy again when a Dementor is around." He rolled up his sleeves as he told me this. "The only way to defend yourself against them is with the Patronus Charm, which is, basically, happiness. It's everything the Dementor feeds on, but because it can't feel pain, the Dementor can't hurt it."

I stared at Harry. I could see Remus out of the corner of my eye and I noticed that he was absolutely beaming with pride. I smiled to myself and glanced at Sirius. He, too, was smiling at Harry.

"Well, go on," he said to Harry. "Show her how it's done."

Harry flushed slightly and I saw his eyes screw up with concentration. He raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" he cried. I let out a yelp as a silver stag erupted from the end of his wand and galloped silently around the room. It came to a halt in front of me and dipped it's antlered head twice before evaporating into a fine silver mist and then disappearing completely. I stared at the space where the stag had been before looking up.

"That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen," I whispered. "I felt like it was saying hello to me!"

Harry smiled. "He probably was. That was Prongs."

"Prongs?"

Remus smiled. "You would know him as James Potter."

I remembered the day that Remus and Sirius told me about becoming Animagi. I remembered them saying that James had become a stag.

"That was my uncle?"

Sirius nodded. "In Animagi form, yes." He smiled at Harry. "He is Harry's protector."

"Does the Charm change with everyone?" I asked.

Remus nodded. "Each is unique to the wizard or witch who casts it."

"What are yours?"

"A bear sized dog," Remus answered.

"A wolf," Sirius replied.

"And yours, Ron?" I asked.

"We're not sure yet," he answered quietly. "I haven't really been able to make the Patronus Charm work."

"Oh."

"You'll get it, Ron," Sirius said kindly. "Just keep practising."

"How do you cast it?" I asked eagerly. I wanted to see if I could make the Patronus work. Obviously it was harder to do than it looked if Ron couldn't do it. I also couldn't help but wonder what my Patronus would be.

"You think of something very happy," Harry answered. "The happiest memory you can remember. And then you say 'Expecto Patronum'."

"Expecto Patronum. Okay."

I sat down on a desk, trying to think of something very happy. I was drawing a blank.

"Come on, Jules," Sirius finally said with a laugh. "I would think for you it would be obvious. Finding out magic is real."

"Oh, right. That would work, wouldn't it," I said, feeling more than a little stupid.

I tried to remember how I had felt, realising that Remus was a wizard. How it felt when I'd realised I was a witch. I felt my stomach squirm with excitement.

"Okay," I said. "I've got my memory. Expecto Patronum."

I held my hand out, concentrating on my memory. Nothing happened.

"Hmm." Remus approached me, frowning slightly. "Try holding your hand like this." He demonstrated, his arm stretched out in front of him, palm down, fingers spread slightly. "That's how that book shows Godric Gryffindor doing it. If I remember, that's also how you hold your hand when you're not really paying attention and just going on instinct and that's when it generally works best for you."

I held my hand the way he showed me. I hadn't realised he'd read the book too. I also hadn't realised that he watched me that closely.

"Like this?" I asked, trying to remember the picture in the book.

"Perfect."

I started thinking about being a witch again.

"Expecto Patronum!" I cried. Again, nothing. "Am I doing it wrong? Saying it wrong?"

They all shook their heads. I bit my lip.

"Maybe you need a different memory."

I glanced at Ron and nodded, trying to think of another memory.

It came to me in an instant. Remus, rushing through the door, rescuing me from Noah. My heart nearly burst when I pictured it.

"Expecto Patronum!" I cried. My arm tingled and I felt my hand warm up. A silvery mist whooshed from the ends of my fingers. "Cool!"

Harry and Ron laughed at my somewhat childish reaction, but I hadn't been able to help it. It was a neat feeling.

"Can I try it again?"

"Of course," Remus said with a chuckle. "But remember that it's harder against actual Dementors."

"Of course."

I concentrated on my happy memory with all my might. I didn't hear the door swing open behind us.

"How-?"
"What's going on here?"

I swung around just as I cried, "Expecto Patronum!"

My arm felt like it was crackling with electricity. A silver griffin erupted out of my fingertips, straight at Professor Snape. It lowered it's head and charged him. He let out a shout and jumped to the side. The griffin turned and charged around the room a few times before evaporating into thin air.

Sirius burst out laughing at the look on Snape's face. Ron and Harry both started sniggering.

"I'm sorry!" I cried. "I didn't do it on purpose; I was already casting the Charm when you spoke and you startled me!"

Snape scowled as he brushed his robes off. He glared at Sirius, who was still laughing, and at Ron and Harry, who had both covered their mouths with their hands to hide the fact they were laughing. Only Remus and I weren't laughing.

"How did you open the door, Severus?" Remus asked.

"Please," Snape snarled, waving a hand impatiently. "Colloportus has a counter spell, which you know very well, Lupin."

"Yes, but not one of us heard you use it."

"You were busy, weren't you." His eyes slid over to me. "The Patronus Charm in seventh year? Why didn't she know it before?"

"They don't teach it till seventh year in Canada," I said quickly.

"I see…and why are you only taking three classes?"

"Because that's all Professor Dumbledore wished for me to take."

"Where is your wand?"

"What's with the inquisition, Snivellus?" Sirius demanded angrily. "Your boss put you up to it?"

Snape turned to face Sirius, his eyes burning.

"My boss is the same person your boss is, Black. Like it or not, and I assure you I am not fond of the idea, we are on the same side."

"So then why are questioning Jules? What's it to you?"
"I want to know why you're in a deserted classroom after seven showing her the Patronus Charm, is all."

"Because, like she explained, she is a little behind us and wanted some extra help," Harry snarled. "That isn't a crime is it?"

Snape ignored Harry completely. He turned his back to both Harry and Ron and looked at me again.

"Where is your wand, Miss Wallace?"

I stared into his pallid face and didn't answer. Behind Snape, Ron held his wand up and gestured for me to take it.

"Where is your wand?"

My arms were down at my side. Would it work? I opened my hand and concentrated on Ron's wand.

"Leave her alone, Severus," Remus said quietly, angrily. "She's doing nothing wrong."

Snape turned his attention to Remus. I concentrated harder on Ron's wand and flexed my fingers a little. It left his hand and soared into mine.

"If she wishes to take extra lessons, it's not a crime. If I am willing to teach her, what business is it of yours?"

"It is my business because I just witnessed her do a Patronus Charm without a wand!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "I've got a wand."

Snape turned back to me, his eyes narrowed. I held up Ron's wand.

"See?"

Snape stared at Ron's wand for a moment. I was terrified that he would recognise it but he finally nodded and stalked out of the room without another word.

"Colloportus," Harry said again, sealing the door. I handed Ron's wand back to him.

"Thanks," I said. "I don't know why I didn't just tell him I don't need a wand."

"Because he's an evil git," Ron answered me. Sirius and Harry both laughed. I smiled and glanced at Remus.

"It's good that you didn't," Remus said softly. "He doesn't need to know."

"I still don't trust him," Sirius said savagely. "I don't care what Dumbledore says, Snape isn't to be trusted."

"He is on our side, Sirius," Remus said patiently. "Dumbledore trusts him. You don't have to trust him, but you can't go around accusing him of being a Death Eater."
"Remus, he is a Death Eater," Harry pointed out. I stared at him.

"What-?"

"He is a Death Eater, yes, but he is on our side. You know he is a spy for the Order…um…our side."

"Order?" I asked. Remus' eyes widened.

"Nice going," Sirius said with a grin. I glared at him.

"What's the Order?"

"Our side," Remus said again. "I can't tell you anything more, Jules."
"Okay."

I would have pouted, but something on his face told me that he'd already told me more than he should have.

Nobody said anything for a moment. Then,

"So that was a cool Patronus," Ron said awkwardly.

"You picked it up fast," Harry added. "It took me forever to get it."
"You were also practicing against a Boggart, Harry," Remus said. "So, in effect, you were practicing against a Dementor. I'm sure you could have done it that quickly too if not for that."
"What's a Boggart?"
"A shape shifter," Sirius explained. "It takes the shape of whatever it figures will scare you the most."
I raised my eyebrows. "Wonderful. Can't wait to meet one of those."

I found out the next morning that Snape wasn't one who liked to be made a fool of. Every time I turned around, he was there. It started when I entered the Great Hall, and then he'd been in the Entrance Hall when I left the Great Hall, then he'd followed us up to our Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Hermione shot a glare at him as we entered the class.

He flustered me so much that I made a mistake in Defence Against the Dark Arts and ended up setting fire to my backpack. I had no idea how I'd done it, but Harry burst into laughter as he poured water from his wand over my flaming bag.

"It's not funny, Harry!" I said a while later when he burst into another fit of silent giggles. Hermione just rolled her eyes at him.

"Harry, what is so funny?" Remus asked a while later, looking up from the stack of parchment he was marking. Harry burst into another fit of laughter and had to jam his fist into his mouth.

"I set my bag on fire," I answered. "Harry thinks that's the funniest thing on earth."

Remus' mouth twitched at the corners. I glared at him, daring him to laugh at me too.

"The fire has been extinguished?"

"Yes, this prat put it out," Hermione answered, pointing at Harry. He stopped laughing long enough to pout at her.

"Hmm." The class ended then. "Could I speak to the four of you please?"

Harry sobered very quickly. I could feel him tense as we packed our things and moved over in front of Remus' desk. He surveyed us silently for a moment.

"I am happy that you are having fun in class," he said quietly. "But you need to contain yourselves because things like that can be distracting. Yes, Harry I know it doesn't happen often, but once is enough. You need to concentrate on your studies because you have your NEWTs coming up, and Jules needs to learn everything she can."

The four of us nodded silently. It felt slightly surreal to be getting in trouble in school again.

"Now, on a lighter note, how would the four of you, and Ginny, like to meet Sirius and I in the Entrance Hall at midnight?"

We all looked up, eyebrows raised. I automatically started to shake my head. Any time but midnight would be fine.

"Midnight?" Hermione repeated sceptically. "Why midnight?"
Remus grinned wolfishly. "Because Jules has a fear of midnight."

I flushed, giving Remus a dirty look. "Thanks, Remus."

He laughed. "That's not really the reason. I want to show Jules something and I thought the rest of you would enjoy it as well. Plus I need Hermione's help with it."

Hermione's eyebrows rose slightly and I could see understanding dawn in her eyes.

"Are you going to show her-?" she began then stopped when Remus sent her a look. Remus looked directly into her eyes and she stared back, not blinking. He nodded.

"Yes, I'm going to show her."

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Nothing to add this time…hope you all enjoy the chapter and I'm already half way through the next chapter (it's a bit fluffier so it's easy to write…hehe), so hopefully I'll have it up very soon.