Q: How often do I upload?
A: Once a week, or at the latest, once a fortnight. I try my hardest since I do have a few things to juggle, but I am determained to keep on writing.
Enjoy!
Harry took a deep breath as he stood outside the room. He was scared stiff that he was going to go through with this, but he had to. He raised his fist, a bit of a force field preventing him from knocking. He took another breath and broke through that force field, knocking the door.
"Excuse me…." He called, opening the door slightly. No one was there, except his Defence Teacher. "Harry…. There you are, you came…" Lupin called from the top of the stairs. "Now, before we begin, I need your confirmation…" He said firmly, leaning on the balcony. "Are you sure about this Harry. This is extremely advanced magic well beyond Ordinary Wizard Level…." Harry took a bit of a gulp, then nodded. "I'm sure." He said with determination. Lupin sighed and began to walk down the stairs. "Well…. Everything is prepared. We just need to wait." He said. "Wait for what...?" Harry asked, tilting his head a bit.
Another knock on the door echoed, right on cue. "Come in." Lupin called, his hand gesturing for whoever was behind that door to come in. The door opened, and it kinda shocked Harry who was there. "Yo Professor Lupin." Lupin nodded at the boy, as the student walked in with a little salute. "Gray. Glad you could make it." Lupin smiled. "Just in time." Another boy sighed. "Gajeel, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, watching him go across the room. "Harry, you're joining us today?" A sweet voice behind him asked. Harry jumped a bit, and looked behind him. Lucy stood there with a smile, one hand on her bag strap. "Lucy….. You're here to?" Harry asked, surprised. Lucy nodded and walked past him.
"The Dementors have been bothering us too. So we decided to learn the charm to scare them off." Gray stretched. "All of you?" Harry blinked, a bit baffled. "Yep." Gajeel sighed, rubbing his head. "We don't exactly know why yet but…" Gajeel muttered, and shook his head. "I… see…" Harry nodded. Other footsteps could be heard coming behind him. He turned around and his jaw opened. He stood there, eyeing the person he didn't want to see the most.
"...Harry."
"...Natsu."
The boys stared at each other coldly, before moving on. "What's with the cold atmosphere?" Gajeel whispered to Lucy and Gray. "Hey, that ain't me." Gray defended. "Not you stripper boy, those two!" Gajeel hissed and pointed at Harry and Natsu. "They got into a fight." Lucy whispered back. "Yeah, we know. But they just seem colder…" Gray whispered. "Apparently when Natsu brought Harry back, Harry asked again and still got nothing angering him further. And not to mention Harry found out about Sirius's relationship with Harry…." Lucy explained. "Wow, quite the drama." Gray snickered.
"I can hear you you know." Natsu growled slightly towards the gossiping trio. Harry looked at the four of them, slightly bickering about something.
"Alright you five, that's enough." Lupin sighed, everyone lining up. "Now, the spell I am going to teach you is the Patronus Charm. Ever heard of it?" He asked the five students, who all shook their heads. "No? Alright…" He muttered. "A Patronus is a positive force. For the wizard who conjures one, it works like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it rather than him." The professor explained, walking in front of them towards a chest. He sat on it, sighing out as he slightly crossed his legs. "But in order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. And not just any memory, a very happy memory, a very powerful memory." Lupin explained. "Can you do this?" He asked the students.
Everyone looked at each other and nodded. But Natsu was worried. Not worried about him and Harry. Not worried that Harry might not get it and lose concentration because of their fight, but because of Gajeel. Despite them working together for years, Gajeel was never one for…. Happiness. But still, maybe he was wrong.
"Yes… Well let's begin." Lupin held up his hand to the five in front of him. "Close your eyes…" He instructed in a slow, soothing voice, which they all did without question. "Concentrate….Explore your past…. Do you all have a memory?" He asked his students, standing up and walking behind them. Four of the students looked calm as they remembered their happiness. Joining Fairy Tail for the first time, the memories of their guardians, the first thrill of flight… but Gajeel's face was a bit twisted like he was struggling to think. "Lose yourself within it…. Then speak the Incantation, Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum." Everyone repeated. "Excellent. Now remember those memories and feelings. Harry, you first." Harry nodded and stepped forward, while the other four stepped back. "Wand at the ready…" Lupin instructed, getting ready to open the chest. Harry slipped out his wand, ready to face the monster in the chest. Lupin nodded, and undid all the locks. Harry took a deep breath, giving Lupin the final nod. Lupin flipped the lid open, fog and smoke escaping the gap. When the lid was fully open a Dementor flew out into the open, looming over everyone.
Harry's throat caught a lump, his lips quivering. He gave a swallow as the Dementor looked down on him. Natsu stepped forward, taking a bit of a fighting stance incase something went wrong, his guildmates doing the same thing.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry chanted. The candles went out due to the wind the Dementor was emitting. But that was it. Nothing was happening. "Expecto…. Expecto….!" Harry stuttered, flicking the wand at the Dementor again and again. But nothing was happening. Harry's eyes opened in fear, and the Dementor charged at him. Harry got knocked back, passing out from fear and shock.
"Harry!" Lucy screamed. The Dementor then took its attention towards the four other students in the room. Natsu stepped forward, taking out his wand. The Dementor looked at them, then began to spin around, as if it was…. Changing its shape. Lucy gasped, realising what it was. "Natsu!" She yelled. Before Natsu could realise what was going on, Professor Lupin jumped in front of them before Natsu's fear could take shape. The Dementor changed to once again a full moon.
Lucy once again had a ping in her chest, the clocks turning in her head as to why he was so afraid of a full moon. A full moon….. "Riddikulus!" Lupin chanted, the moon now turning into a balloon and flying back into the chest, and with the flick of his wand, the chest locked again. "Harry!" Gray and Lucy exclaimed, rushing towards Harry. "Professor Lupin, was that a Boggart?!" Natsu exclaimed. "Yes, that was a Boggart, very observant Mister Dragneel." Lupin muttered, making sure the chest was locked.
"Why a Boggart?! If we went first then-!" Lupin held up his hand, silencing Natsu and kneeled by Harry. "That's why I let Harry go first. I won't jeopardize your mission like that. Also you won't be using the Boggarts for you. I only used it on Harry because he needs to learn what he will be facing. And I can't use the real Dementors, because they are dangerous and hard to catch." He explained. "Harry! Harry wake up!" Gray said, shaking him slightly.
"Ugh…." Harry groaned, slightly moving. "Harry!" Lucy exclaimed, relieved. "Deep breaths, deep breaths… Here we go, come on, sit up….." Lupin said soothingly, helping his student up. "It's alright, I didn't expect you to get it the first time, that would have been remarkable. Here, eat this." Lupin offered, handing Harry a candy bar. Harry tore it open and took a bite. "That was one nasty Dementor…." Harry muttered. "Harry…" Lucy spoke up, Harry looking at her with a tilted head. "That was actually a Boggart…." She admitted. "What?" Harry repeated. "Did you actually think Professor Lupin could capture one? The Dementors would be furious and put us all at risk. Not to mention it's your first time learning the spell." Gray spewed. "I-I guess you're right…." Harry muttered.
"Hang on…. Have you guys been working on this spell too?" Harry asked, looking around. "Well we have had our run ins with the Dementor too…." Gajeel groveled. "As a matter of interest…." The professor took everyone's interest back, all of them turning their attention towards him. "What were you thinking of, out of curiosity." He asked, leaning on a column. "T-The first time I rode a broom…" Harry said still panting. Everyone looked at him, then gave a bit of a sigh. "W-What..?" Harry stuttered. "That's not good enough, not nearly good enough!" Lupin sighed. Harry sighed and stood up. "Harry…." Lucy whispered, offering to help him up, but he didn't take it.
Everyone watched him, as he looked at the candles. "There is another…" He admitted, playing with the flame. "It's not happy, exactly….. But it is! It's just complicated…" Harry muttered. "Is it strong?" Lupin asked. Harry stood there thinking for a bit, then looked at Lupin and nodded. "Well, let's give this a try." Lupin suggested, moving back to the case. "You can do this Harry." Lucy encouraged as Harry took his stance. Everyone gave him a simple complement of encouragement, except Natsu, who stood at the side watching.
"You ready?" Lupin asked. Harry nodded, holding his wand at the ready. Everyone stood back a bit, their wands at the ready too, just in case. Lupin waved his hand, the locks re-opening. Lupin opened the lid, and the Boggart flew out. Harry looked at it, his wand aimed. He took a deep breath and thought of the memory.
"Expecto Patronum!" He chanted.
Nothing, the Boggart looking at him.
"Expecto Patronum!" He chanted again a bit louder.
Still nothing, the Boggart flying in to attack. "Harry!" Gray exclaimed, about to intervene.
"Expecto! Patronun!" He yelled. As the Boggart flew in to attack, a bright blue light radiated, pushing the Boggart back. Everyone's jaws dropped, never seeing such a beautiful light emitting from the wand. The Boggart tried to push back, but could not. Harry guided the Boggart back into the chest. Lupin was amazed, laughing out of joy. Soon, the Boggart was back into its prison, Lupin locking it before it could get back out.
"Well done Harry!" Lupin praised. "That was amazing Harry!" Lucy smiled, clapping her hands together. "What was the memory?" Gray asked. "I-It was my parents…" Harry admitted, taking a seat. "Your parents?" Lucy asked. "Seeing them… together… happy and talking…. And what it would be like if…. You know…." Harry muttered. "...I think that is enough for today. Here you are." Lupin gave him another candy bar, which Harry accepted and began to chew it slowly.
"Right, Gajeel, you're up." Lupin pointed. "Huh? I-I don't think I should yet…" Gajeel said. "It's alright, we're all here to learn. Come on now, let's give it a shot." Lupin encouraged. Gajeel was a bit unsure, but he eventually caved, taking the stance. "We won't release the Boggart for you. As your fear is probably different to Harry's." Lupin explained. "Now, just remember a memory then chant "Expecto Patronum."" Lupin reminded. Gajeel took a breath, and pulled out his wand. He opened his mouth to chant the words. But then he froze.
"...Whenever you're ready." Lupin reminded him gently. "...I can't do it….." Gajeel muttered, putting his hand down. "Gajeel?" Harry asked. "I can't…. There's not a single happy memory!" He yelled, clutching his wand as he clenched his hand harder on the wand. "Gajeel….?" Natsu asked, finally breaking his silence. "All my life, I've just had bad luck and memories…. Even the good ones link back to the horrible things I've done…." He gritted. "Gajeel, I'm sure that's not-" Lucy started, putting a hand on his shoulder. "YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW IT'S TRUE!" He yelled. Lucy sharply gasped, retreating her hand. Harry caught that sentence, a confused look descended upon his face. "If I can't do this then…. What good am I….?" He whispered. "Oi Gajeel, don't-"
"Don't touch me!" Gajeel yelled, before he stormed off. "Gajeel!" Lucy called after him, only for him to ignore her. "He doesn't have a single happy memory?" Gray repeated. "I'm…. sure it's complicated…" Lucy reasoned. "It's alright, we'll give him some space. Natsu, let's see if we can get yours right this time."
After the lesson, Lucy made her own way to through the courtyard. "Lucy!" Lucy turned around at the call of her name. "Harry…" She muttered as he caught up to her. "Your Patronus looked good." Harry smiled. Lucy smiled back thanking him. "So uh…. Out of curiosity…" Harry started. "Yeah?" Lucy smiled. "Did you have any connection to Gajeel before coming to Hogwarts?" He asked. Lucy suddenly stopped, looking at Harry. "W-Why do you want to know?" She asked. "Well when you came to Hogwarts, you introduced yourself to him. But…. back there…. Gajeel said that you knew that "you out of all people know it's true"..." Harry explained. Lucy's body went stiff. Gajeel must've forgotten that Harry was there during his meltdown. "Well…." She muttered looking down. She had to think of something. Quick! "We don't-"
"Lucy!" Both the students looked to the side. Professor McGarden and Professor Scarlett came into view. "Professors!" Both students exclaimed, turning towards them. "We need you for a minute. Do you have a second to spare?" Erza asked. "Oh yes of course!" Lucy nodded, walking off with them. "Hey Lu! I heard there was a cafe in Hogsmeade I really want to try!" Levy said, extremely excited. "Oh really?" Lucy replied, the same look in her eyes.
Harry watched the three go off, a little irritated that he didn't get his answer. But was intrigued with the relationship between Levy and Lucy, as they were treating each other more like friends then teacher and student… did they know each other as well? Or was there something else going on…?
"Harry!" Harry gasped and turned around, Hagrid thumping through the halls. "What are ye doin' here? Class started five minutes ago!" He exclaimed. "Oh boy! I have potions! Snape's gonna kill me! Thanks Hagrid!" And with that, he zoomed to the classroom.
Meeting with a very unhappy Snape...