CHAPTER TWELVE
THE PATRONUS
Flitwick took the book and turned to the next chapter. "Chapter 12, the Patronus"
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"Depends on how it fared." Flitwick informed Harry realizing that the muggle raised boy had no idea that 'strip it down' in magical terms was different than what the muggle meaning was.
"We really should have a class for muggleborns and muggle raised students." Remus told Dumbledore.
"I will most definitely bring it up with the board." The headmaster confirmed
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"It's just a broom" Molly told the boys in a scolding tone. "Nothing to throw your friendship away over"
"Sorry" the boys apologized to Hermione.
She smiled though they had already apologized.
"It's fine. I'm sure the books mentions more of our fights and fights to come"
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"Is Quidditch ALL boys think of?" Hermione asked those in the room.
"Not all" Sirius said. "When it comes to teenage boys, they have only two things on the mind: Quidditch and girls"
"Besides Hermione," Ginny added. "It's not just a guy thing."
"True." Charlie said motioning to his sister. "Ginny's just as obsessed as Ron. Though with the Harpies rather than the Cannons."
"Well that makes sense in her case." Hermione said. "The Holyhead harpies are an all-girls team. And growing up at your place, with all that exposure…Ginny didn't have a chance."
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"That explains how he knew" McGonagall muttered under her breath
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The adults looks at Sirius.
"It should be explained later" Sirius said "If not, I'll tell you."
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"This ought to be good." Remus whispered to Sirius.
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Hermione and McGonagall rolled their eyes.
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"Oh, I knew." She told him. "Just…I figured that maybe you'd react on the old pureblood stories. Since I found out…"
She trailed off and turned sheepishly to Remus
"Since I found out, I kept a close eye on you because of what I read about werewolves. But you weren't matching some of the things I read about human personalities."
"It's fine Hermione" Remus said. "The main difference between what you read and what you saw was because they were separate cases. What you read was the case study of a werewolf treated like most: shunned by society, left to his own devices, taken in by Greyback. But me…I was accepted into Hogwarts, made three great friends who risked everything for me. I had no reason to go by the book when it comes to my own species."
"Yet with EVERYTHING else it was a whole different story" Sirius teased.
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"That's the happiest?" Sirius asked his godson concerned.
"That I thought of at the time" Harry explained.
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"Ah. That explains a bit more" Remus mused thinking back on that same lesson.
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Snape closed his eyes as if trying to block out Lily's and Voldemort's words.
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"That's it" Ron said turning to Harry. "We are getting you happier memories Mate.
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Flitwick trailed off stunned at the next words.
"Professor?" Hermione asked
Remus gasped as he remembered this part of the lesson. Harry also recalled what he had heard and placed his hand on Sirius' leg
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.
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There was a moment of silence.
"It was the way he would have wanted." Sirius said deadpan. "Fighting to protect his family. Please continue Professor"
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"JUST friends?" Sirius teased, obviously putting on a mask.
"I didn't want to give Harry any ideas of deserving favoritism due to association." Remus said. "He got it for being a good student."
It was all Harry could do not to laugh at the looks the other professors were giving Snape as if DARING the Potions Master to speak up and finding out if he lived afterwards.
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"YES!" Sirius cheered
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"You are teaching us this year" Hermione told Harry in a tone that said no-questions-asked
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"That's correct" Remus said. "As painful as it is, it's true."
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"UGH!" Hermione groaned as she buried her face in her hands and gripped her hair looking as if if she heard the word 'Quidditch' one more time, hell would break loose.
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"You're taking way too much" Charlie told the girl. "Not even…certain people I know were THAT crazy."
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"Tell us your secret!" the twins begged Hermione.
"Nope" she said smugly.
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"He said WHAT?!" Molly exclaimed.
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"Subtle enough?" Ginny teased.
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"You wouldn't be the first." Sprout told him.
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Flitwick froze once again at the next words. Harry suddenly paled as he remembered what he had said.
Before Flitwick could state the words, Harry made a move to get up. But after Remus' warning, Hermione, who had warned Ron, gave a signal. She and Ron got up before Harry did and sat on him, one on each leg.
"Hey! Get off!" Harry fought.
"Fred. George" Hermione stated in a tone the twins read.
They walked over and sat on either side of the trio and helped hold Harry down.
"Something tells me Harry says something that would normally hurt had circumstances be different." Sirius predicted.
"Oh yes." Flitwick said.
"May I Professor?" Ginny asked going over.
The shortest wizard showed her the line and she winced.
"I have an idea." Ginny said.
"What's that?" Tonks asked
"Harry's scared of how Sirius will react to this. And I don't blame him." Ginny said watching Harry struggling with Hermione and three of her brothers. "So, we give him something else to fear at the moment."
"What's that Ginny?" Arthur asked.
"Ron. Hermione. Move. Professor. As I act, read." Ginny said.
Ron and Hermione got off Harry. But before he could bolt, Ginny beat him by taking Ron and Hermione's place on his lap and forced her lips onto his and stuck her tongue into his mouth.
"GINNY!" Bill and Charlie exclaimed.
Flitwick quickly got it over with.
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"Okay…ouch" George said looking at Sirius who was next to him.
"You okay?" Remus asked his only friend from school left.
"I'm fine" Sirius said after a few minutes.
He won't deny that it hurt to hear that his godson had said that, but it was as he said after Harry overheard the conversation at the Three Broomsticks. Harry didn't know any better and truthfully, Sirius thought Peter deserved the kiss for the same crime.
Besides, he knew that Harry was willing to prevent the kiss from happening. Just look at how the boy reacted his fourth year when Sirius had told him that he was returning to Britain.
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"Sometimes I think you professors are worse than the students when it comes to that game." Hermione muttered wondering when Ginny was going to release.
As if on cue, Ginny released and went back to sit with her parents leaving a completely stunned, out of breath, boy-who-lived. She looked quite proud of herself
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"As long as there's no I-told-you-so's." Bill said.
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"You should have known better." Charlie teased his brother.
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"One of the greatest mysteries." Fred said mysteriously.
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"That's blasphemy!" George stated.
Seeing that Harry was still out of it from Ginny's impromptu kiss, the twins whacked him
"Ouch! What?"
"For being in lala land" Fred said.
"After our sister distracted you." George added.
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"Ron. Nobody wants to see what happens…" Fred teased
"…after you dream about Hermione" George finished
"WHAT?! I do not!" Ron defended.
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"And just when things were looking up" Molly sighed.
"This is one of the reasons why rats aren't popular familiars for school children." McGonagall said. "I understand why you allowed Percy and Ron to have rats what with your situation in life, but with cats being the second most popular…"
"Yes." Arthur agreed. "We were extremely lucky when Ron got Pig."
Ron and Sirius exchanged a knowing smirk. Sirius turned to give the same one to Harry, but the boy wasn't making eye contact.
"Before we continue, can you give us a few minutes?" Sirius asked the readers
They nodded and left the two alone.
