Chapter 45
Meredith had difficulty sleeping that night for some reason. She lay awake for many hours trying to will herself to sleep but it wasn't working. Something just felt off. Maybe it was the Dementors and how horrible they'd made her feel, but she had started to feel better as soon as she'd had the chocolate. Worry for her dad? No, he was tired after the full moon but nothing they weren't used to. She turned over, punched her pillow and tried to close her eyes. It was no good. She threw back her quilt and swung her legs out of bed. She poured a drink of water from the pitcher by her bed and glanced out the window at the night sky. It was a clear cool night and the black sky was darted with stars. It was peaceful. Usually on nights like this sleep came easy to her. Her attention was caught by a slight rustling in the bushes below her window. She glanced down and saw the bushed moving around. It was probably a rabbit or something, she thought. Her breath caught in her throat as the bushes parted and a big black shadowy shape emerged. It was a massive, black dog with gleaming eyes. Meredith's eyes widened. It was just like the dog from her dreams. Or rather her nightmares. Meredith jumped back as the dog looked up at her. When she looked again the dog was gone. Meredith rubbed her eyes.
"I'm losing my marbles," she said shaking her head. She grabbed her robe and tugged it on over her pajamas. She slipped quietly out of the dorm and down to the common room. She saw a small being with floppy ears scurrying around the fireplace stoking the logs.
"Hello Pinky," she greeted the house elf. She had crossed paths with the elf who was in charge of cleaning Gryffindor tower a few times over the last seven years.
"Good evening Mistress," the high said in her high squeaky voice bowing low. Meredith smiled. She'd asked the elf to call her by her name by she knew it was not the nature of a house elf to be so informal.
"I have built up the fire if Mistress would care to sit," Pinky said.
"Thanks," Meredith said curling up in the easy chair closest to the fire.
"Would Mistress care for anything? Tea? Cakes?"
"No thanks Pinky," Meredith said. Meredith never felt comfortable taking advantage of the house elves the way some other students did. Her lip twitched as she thought of the twins. They thought she didn't know about all the times they snuck down to the kitchens to nab food.
"Does Mistress have difficulty sleeping?" Pinky inquired.
"A bit tonight," she said. "I'll just sit here for a bit. Don't let me disturb you." Pinky let out a startled squeak and scurried away as there was a sound of movement behind them. Meredith turned and saw Patricia coming down the stairs from the dorm.
"Hey," she greeted her friend.
"Hey," Patricia said running a hand through her tousled curls. "Couldn't sleep?"
"No," Meredith said. "You?" Patricia shook her head.
"I keep seeing that dementor," she said sitting down across from Meredith. "God, that sound they made was so awful."
"Yeah," Meredith said shivering despite the fire.
"I kept hearing my parents' voices," Patricia said quietly. Meredith glanced up. Patricia had her chin resting on her knees. Her long hair fell in her face. Meredith leaned forward and took her hand.
"I know they're terrible," Meredith said. They sat together in silence for awhile just listening to the fire crackle.
"We should stock up on chocolate," Meredith said. "Next time we're in Hogsmeade. It helps." Patricia bit her lip and suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Um…about that," she said looking down. Meredith looked closely at her friend who was looking suspiciously squirmy.
"Patricia," Meredith said slowly. Patricia was looking everywhere but at Meredith.
"Uh…before you came into the cabin Oliver sort of…well…he asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him the first weekend." Meredith's eyes widened. She had no idea what to say. Oliver and Patricia? When did that happen?
"He asked you…like a date?"
"Yeah," Patricia nodded. "I was totally shocked." Meredith clasped her hands in her lap. She didn't know how to feel about this. Patricia and Oliver. Her two best friends. Dating. She had most certainly not expected this.
"I didn't know what to say, so I told him I'd have to think about it," Patricia said. Meredith pressed her lips together. She was suddenly feeling uncomfortably hot.
"Do you…" she swallowed hard. "Do you want to go out with him?" Patricia blushed.
"Well…I've never really thought about him that way. I mean it's Oliver. But after I thought about it, I realized that he is sort of good looking. And he's grown a lot in the last couple years. And he's really toned up a lot with quidditch." Meredith tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Mere, if you're not comfortable with this I won't go."
"Why would I be uncomfortable?" Meredith said a little too quickly.
"Well after what I saw at end of term last year I thought maybe…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, you and Oliver. Asleep? His bed?"
"That?" Meredith said incredulously. "I was upset about Hogwarts closing and Ginny. He was just being a good friend."
"You're sure that's all?" Patricia said with raised eyebrows.
"Oliver and I are just friends, Patricia. And if you want to go out with him I'm completely fine with it."
"Really?"
"Absolutely," Meredith said raising her chin slightly. Patricia grinned and hugged her.
"Cool. I'll tell him tomorrow. Thanks Mere." Meredith tried to smile as Patricia went back up to bed. She wanted to be happy for Patricia, really she did. But her head was spinning. What if the two of them started seriously dating? Her stomach clenched at the image of Patricia and Oliver snogging. And when they were off together where would she be? They hardly ever saw Percy since he and Penelope started dating. The dynamic quartet had become a trio in the blink of an eye. Now if Oliver and Patricia coupled up where would that leave her? Meredith rested her chin on her knees and sighed.
Patricia, Oliver and the upcoming date were pushed completely out of Meredith's mind the next morning as McGonagall passed out their schedules.
"Looks like we've got your dad first thing," Patricia said. Meredith was glad her dad's first class would be her year. She had seen how the other students had received their new DADA professor. If anyone gave her father trouble they were going to have her to deal with. Just because his robes weren't the finest wool and he wasn't young and virile looking didn't mean he didn't know his stuff. At least Harry and his friends would give him the respect he was due.
"Good morning all," a gruff voice said in front of them.
"Morning Hagrid," Meredith greeted the large man.
"Sorry to see you won't be taking my NEWT class Oliver," Hagrid said cuffing Oliver on the shoulder. Meredith quickly bit into a sausage to keep from giggling as Oliver winced.
"Yeah," Oliver said. "Sorry Hagrid just couldn't fit it into my schedule. Need the extra time for Quidditch practice."
"Of course," Hagrid said. "I surely hope to see Gryffindor's name on the cup this year."
"Don't get him started," Meredith moaned as Oliver's face took on a look of fresh determination.
"Shame we don't have your class till Thursday Hagrid," Patricia said. Meredith could hear the strain in her friend's voice even through the polite overtone.
"Oh it'll be worth the wait I promise," Hagrid said. He moved on then to talk to Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"I'm suddenly not so sad about having to drop Care of Magical creatures," Oliver said shooting a wary glance toward Hagrid.
"I'm sure he won't be that bad," Meredith said thought she herself was a bit uneasy about what kind of creatures Hagrid would bring to class to show them. Hagrid's fascination with creatures that were considered by the wizard community to be dangerous was not exactly a secret.
"Your faith is quite touching Mere," Patricia said. "If not incredibly stupid." Meredith stuck her tongue out.
"Well we better get to our first class," Oliver said. "Really won't do for your dad to have to give you detention on the first day." Meredith rolled her eyes. She gathered her bag and followed her friends down to defense against the dark arts classroom.
"Oh look who it is," a Ravenclaw named Linus Terwilliger said as they entered. "Teacher's pet." Meredith gritted her teeth and sat down at her desk, determined to ignore the jabs from her fellow students.
"What's the matter Lupin?" Rose Bucklin, another Ravenclaw said. "So afraid to lose the top spot Dumbledore had to bring in your daddy to give you a leg up."
"Just because your dad wouldn't know a grindlylow from a cockatoo Rose," Patricia said. "No reason to take it out on Meredith." Rose scowled daggers at Patricia but Meredith had to bite her lip to keep from grinning.
"All right if everyone would please take their seats," her dad said as he entered the room. Meredith shot a warning look around the room and everyone moved to take their seats. Picking on her was one thing but if anyone gave her dad trouble they were going to find themselves on the business end of her jelly legs curse.
"Good morning," Remus said. "Welcome to NEWT level defense against the dark arts. I am Professor Lupin your new professor, and to put the rumors to rest, I am also the father of Meredith Lupin your classmate. I know it will seem strange having a classmate's parent for your teacher, but I assure you that Miss Lupin shall not receive preferential treatment of any sort. She shall be expected to work as hard as anyone else for her grades." Her dad shot her a stern look and Meredith tried to look downcast as she fought not to grin. She knew the stern lecture was for the benefit of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs in the class. Neither she or her friends expected her father to give her special treatment. She glanced around her. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs seemed for the moment to be placated.
"For our first lesson," her dad continued. "We shall be studying dementors. Since you've all had first- hand experience due to their appearance on the Hogwarts express I'm sure you all know what a dementor does." This was answered with a collective murmur. Remus nodded.
"Would anyone care to describe the effects?" Not surprisingly Percy's hand shot into the air. But to Meredith's astonishment so did Patricia's.
"Patricia," Remus called on her. Patricia nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Well," Patricia said. "It was cold. Very cold. And I felt utterly miserable. Like I'd never be happy again. And I was remembering the worst things that have ever happened to me."
"Exactly," Remus said. "A dementor drains all the happiness out of its victims until they are left with nothing but their worst memories. Does anyone know the cure to the effects?" Meredith opted not to raise her hand. Her dad called on Rose.
"Chocolate," Rose said proudly. "After the dementor floated away I bit into a chocolate frog and I got warmer. Happier."
"Yes," Remus said. "I'm sure many of you have at some time pulled out a bar of Honeydukes when you felt sad and found that it made you feel better? The chemicals that make up chocolate cause a type of euphoria in the person who eats it. This counteracts the chemicals in the body that cause sadness. However, this can only make the effects go away after one has been attacked. It is far better to ward this off before the effects can take hold. This is done with a Patronus Charm. Who can tell me what a Patronus is?" Percy's hand shot into the air.
"Percy," her dad called on him. Meredith couldn't help but notice that her father addressed Patricia and Percy by their first names while he had called her "Miss".
"A patronus charm is a shield that can be used to defend oneself against a dementor. It is a positive force that projects happiness and hope, all the things that a dementor feeds on."
"Excellent Percy," her dad said. "When used properly, the patronus will drive a dementor away from its target. Who can tell me what it looks like?" Once again Percy's hand shot into the air.
"A full corporeal patronus takes a different form of animal for every person who casts the charm. No one really knows why a person will have a particular animal, but supposedly each person's patronus will be the animal for which the person has the most like traits."
"I guess Percy's is a parrot," Oliver murmured. Meredith tried not to laugh.
"Also," Percy said glaring at Oliver. "One's patronus will often be the same as one's parent or significant other."
"Right on target Percy," Remus said. "Take ten for Gryffindor." Percy beamed.
"Now the incantation for the spell is this: Expecto Patronum. Simple. However that is the easy part. To summon a patronus you must be focusing, with all your mind and heart on a memory. The happiest memory you can think of. This of course is very difficult to do when in the presence of an actual dementor. It is very unwise to try to do this spell nonverbally because it takes so much concentration." Meredith along with a few others shuddered as she remembered the horrible dark misery she had felt when the dementor was near her. She couldn't imagine being able to think of any happy memory whilst feeling so gloomy.
" If you'll all stand up and spread out around the room we shall practice." Meredith stood and with a wave of his wand Remus vanished the desks. The class moved around till they all had space around them. It was somewhat reminiscent of apparition lessons.
"The Patronus Charm is extremely complex. So don't anyone be discouraged if you can't do it the first time," Remus said. "I would like everyone to close their eyes and I want you to think hard about your happiest memory." Meredith closed her eyes and searched her brain. She had lots of happy memories with her dad and her friends. Gryffindor winning the house cup had been a great memory. Getting her OWL results was another. Somehow though they didn't seem like they would be strong enough. She dug a little further back to when she was younger. Her dad coming to take her away from the orphanage was certainly one of the happiest memories in her life. Finally she settled on the day her dad had adopted her. If that wasn't a strong memory she didn't know what was.
"Now focus hard," Remus said. "Let the memory fill you up, from the top of your head to the tips of your fingers." Meredith reached hard for the memories. How it had felt when he had told her that he wanted her to be his daughter. How it felt to know that she had a home, a family.
"Concentrate," Remus said. "Now. Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum!" Meredith said firmly. She jumped a little as a silvery vapor shot from her wand. The class turned and stared at her.
"Very good Meredith," her dad said. "The silver vapor is the beginning of the patronus charm. Let's try it again and really focus on your memory." They continued their attempts. Some like Percy were able to get a small of the silver vapor. For others there was nothing. Remus suggested trying different memories for those who had nothing. By the end of class Meredith was the only one who had made any sort of progress. She had managed to conjure a large white cloud and though she wasn't able to hold it for long, everyone was in awe.
"Let's leave it here for today," Remus said after they'd been practicing for two hours. "For homework I want you to practice focusing your minds on your happy memories. Now I will ask that you not attempt to practice on the dementors that are guarding the exits. You will find yourselves in over your heads very quickly. That will be all." He waved his wand and the desks reappeared. Meredith took her time gathering her things.
"You coming?" Patricia asked.
"Be there in a minute," she said. She waited till everyone had left and approached her dad.
"Well," he said. "I'd say my first lesson was a success."
"Absolutely," Meredith said smiling. "After what happened on the train you can be sure that everyone will want to be able to conjure a Patronus charm."
"You did well today," Remus said. "Whatever memory you were thinking of must have been very powerful." Meredith blushed.
"It was the day you adopted me," she said. He squeezed her shoulder.
"You're going to do great Dad," Meredith said. "No matter what anyone thinks now once you show them you really know your stuff they'll all think you're wonderful."
"I hope so," Remus said.
"They will," Meredith said. "Patricia never raises her hand in class. I think having you as her teacher is going to help her so much."
"If I had to wager a guess," Remus said thoughtfully. "I would say that the biggest obstacle Patricia is going to have in conjuring the Patronus will be finding a memory strong enough."
"What were you thinking of?" Meredith asked. "When you conjured a patronus on the train?" Remus smiled.
"The first time you called me Daddy," he said. Meredith grinned. She turned as her dad's next class of fourth years came in.
"Knock 'em dead, Professor," she said with a little smile as she turned to go to her next class.
It seemed Meredith had been correct. After the first couple weeks all the students were talking about Professor Lupin's classes. The third years in particular found his classes to be incredibly fascinating particularly after a lesson on boggarts. The same could not be said however for Hagrid. Word had quickly spread throughout the school of a disastrous first lesson involving a hippogriff and Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was very willing to tell the tale to anyone and everyone who would listen.
"Look at him," Oliver scoffed gesturing toward Malfoy who sat at the Slytherin table moaning about his aching arm to his group of followers.
"Madam Pomfrey should have been able to heal him in a heartbeat," Meredith said.
"He's just making a big show to throw off Gryffindors Quidditch strategy," Oliver said spearing a sausage with his fork. "Trying to make us think he won't be able to play so we'll lower our guard. Well it won't work." Meredith shook her head. She couldn't disagree that teaching hippogriffs for a first lesson wasn't the wisest move Hagrid could have made. Fortunately for her that seventh year care of magical creatures was mostly review of creatures that would appear on the NEWTS.
"You'll crush them Oliver," Patricia said. "Gryffindor's never lost to Slytherin at Quidditch. Last time you played them Harry humiliated Malfoy." Oliver grinned.
"Yeah that was a thing of beauty?" Meredith looked up from her goblet.
"Wasn't that when Harry wound up in the hospital wing having his bones regrown?"
"That's besides the point," Oliver waved her off. Meredith shook her head. She glanced at Patricia who was giving Oliver an adoring look. Meredith's stomach clenched as she was reminded of Patricia and Oliver's impending date. She knew it would be soon. The first Hogsmeade visit was usually around Halloween." As she expected the sign was posted in the commonroom when they returned.
"Oh my," Patricia said. "It's here already. I haven't given any thought to what I'm going to wear or how to wear my hair. Oh Meredith you have to help me." Meredith rolled her eyes as she followed Patricia to the dorm. Was this what she could expect in the future? She sat on Patricia's bed as her friend tried on practically every item of clothing she owned.
"Oh for heaven sakes Patricia!" Meredith finally snapped. "It's Oliver! He's seen you in every outfit for every sort of occasion you could think of."
"Hmm," Patricia said. "You know you're right. Maybe I should borrow something of yours." Meredith threw her hands up.
"Help yourself," she said flopping back on the bed. She jumped up as a loud crash was heard down in the common room.
"Oh what the bloody hell!" she snapped. She grabbed her wand and went to see what the trouble was. The room was a mess. On one side stood Ron holding Scabbers by the tail. On the other was Hermione who held her ginger colored cat protectively against her.
"That cat's got it in for Scabbers I tell you," Ron shouted.
"He doesn't know any better Ron," Hermione shouted back. "He's a cat."
"What is going on here!" Meredith shouted. Ron and Hermione both turned to her and started explaining at once.
"Shut it!" she said to both of them. "Now whatever the issue is here you two better sort it out and sort it out now! This is the common room not a zoo!"
"Her cat tried to eat Scabbers," Ron protested. "He's had it in for him since he got here. Scabbers is ill and he was here first." With that Ron stormed out of the room and up to his dorm.
"Idiot," Hermione scowled storming up to her dorm.
"Nice bit of mediating there Meredith," Fred said from the floor.
"Yeah," George said. "Excellent show of authority."
"Ah both of you idiots just shut your traps," Meredith snapped. She went to portrait hole and left the commonroom. She had had enough of teenage drama for one night.