The "Harry Potter" characters belong to JK Rowling, her associates and affiliates. CPT Holdings Inc. and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment own "Bewitched" and "Tabitha". For entertainment purposes only. There. I have spoken.

A/N According to more than one website, Adam was a warlock in "Bewitched" and a mortal in "Tabitha". For this fanfic, he's a mortal. It just works better that way. And all due respect to anyone who disagrees.

THE PATRONUS

"During my time at Azkaban," Sirius was saying," an odd idea occurred to me."

Sirius and Tabitha were in the front room at Grimmauld place, where he was training her in Defense.

"In general, people think of them as evil. Certainly, they hurt people, they have no remorse, and they are relentless. But I wonder how much conscious thought and volition they actually have. Sometimes I wonder if they just are what they are, and do what they do because it's in their nature."

"But Sirius," Tabitha objected, "we have to know how to defend ourselves against them."

Sirius laughed, but it was a grim laugh. "I don't mind telling you that nothing in the world terrifies me the way even the thought of a dementor does. I'm not the same man I was when I first entered Azkaban, I can assure you. However, I was able to avoid some serious damage by turning myself into a dog. But as long as you have your wand, you'll use the technique I'm going to teach you."

He sat her down on the sofa and told her to close her eyes.

"Dementors feed on your darkest emotions, like despair and fear and anger. Your patronus will drive the dementors away, but you have to trigger your patronus by concentrating on your happiest thought, your most wonderful memory. Right now, I want you to think about what that is."

Lots of memories flickered through Tabitha's mind, but she finally decided which one was the best; the moment her obstetrician placed Sarah in her arms for the first time and Paul was at her side.

Tabitha nodded. "Got it."

"Open your eyes, raise your wand, and say, 'Expecto Patronum'"

Concentrating hard, she repeated, "Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing happened at first, but Sirius made her try again and again. First a silvery wisp appeared, and then the form became stronger, until finally her patronus emerged in its final form. Tabitha and Sirius watched in some bewilderment as it moved around the room before it disappeared.

Sirius looked at Tabitha, not sure what to say.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked.

"No, no. It seemed to be in fine working order. And, there's no rule that it has to be a fierce patronus." Still, he looked at her oddly.

THE BOGGART

Tabitha entered the last few weeks of her pregnancy as the cold winter weather was giving way to the spring thaw. The warmer weather brought an increased sense of urgency to her as she tried to put her affairs in order before the baby came. She started to put away hers and Sarah's heavy sweaters and hats and bring out their lighter weight outfits. Tabitha also prepared the new baby's layette, the same one that Sarah had used two years before.

Tabitha had other things on her mind, as well. Sirius was becoming increasingly restless with his confinement to the house. Tabitha suspected that he snuck out from time to time, but she didn't care to call him on it. She and Remus tried everything they could to keep him entertained and away from his dark moods, but they had only limited success.

She tired more easily these days and was a martyr to heartburn and then there was the challenge of finding a comfortable position to sleep. During the day she sat down whenever she could, and she was grateful that Sarah still took naps.

Her defense training continued unabated because the threat of Voldemort had in no way lessened. She carried ginger ale with her to sip for the heartburn, which contributed to the need for frequent trips to the bathroom, but somehow she managed to learn her lessons in between.

To her surprise, Snape never commented on or complained about her frequent stops to sip or to run to the ladies' room, or her frequent need to sit down when the baby pushed against her lungs making her breathless, but he was still as much as a stickler for technique as ever, as on the day he tried to teach her about boggarts.

"I won't look in there." Tabitha stood eyeing the large cabinet with a look of dread.

"You have to if you want the spell to work."

"No way. Anyhow, I already know what I'm going to see, so why don't you just tell me how the spell works, and if I see one in real life, I'll be ready for it."

Snape looked at her sternly. "If you won't do it the right way--and that includes practice--there's no need for me to waste my time teaching you."

Tabitha was stung. "You just don't understand. I can't look in there." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I can't bear to see it."

Snape tried another tactic. "How can you be any help to the Order if you haven't mastered this skill? We all had to learn it and we all survived. Remember, it's not real. How can you hope to defend your children?"

That got through to her. She looked at Snape, then at the cabinet, wand arm raised. "Let's do it."

The door swung open, and Tabitha confronted her worst fear for just a moment before she turned her face away and covered her eyes with her hand.

Snape, who had been covering her with his wand, peered inside and frowned. Did this happen to every witch after she became a mother?

"Tabitha," he began.

"I'm trying okay? Let me pull myself together, at least!" She hissed at him, still covering her face.

Snape quietly swung the cabinet door shut, then took hold of her wand hand, which was still raised, still pointed at the cabinet. "It's closed," he said.

She looked up at him, fearfully. She swallowed hard, and said quietly, "Let me try again. This time, I'll do it."

She raised her wand, pointed it and nodded to Snape, who opened the cabinet door again.

"Riddikulus," she whispered. The image flickered a moment, then reverted back to Tabitha's worst fear.

She didn't turn away this time, but she was shaking.

"Again," she said, "I'm going to try it again. Take it from the top."

"No, take it from here. I'm not going to put the boggart back in the cabinet--just do it."

"But..."

"Don't argue with me, Tabitha," he demanded. "Look at it, transform it in your mind and change it. You know how."

She looked at the boggart, and it was becoming more hideous with each passing moment. She slowly raised her wand.

"Don't be timid! Show it who's in charge! Quick decisive movements and sharp commands! Do it!"

She faced it squarely, and with a graceful and decisive movement she said firmly, "Riddikulus!"

At that moment the image transformed and Tabitha laughed in spite of herself. Then, in a moment of inspiration, she commanded it to "immobulus" and she sent it flying into the cabinet, and shut and locked the door, all with her wand. She sighed heavily, and went to sit down. She closed her eyes and rested one hand on her belly.

She felt the swish of air from his robes and opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her. "Well done," he said before he sat down next to her.

She put her hand tiredly on his wrist for a moment and replied, "Thank you, " before she let go.