[A/N: Hello! Sorry it's been a while. School really does get in the way of things. I have a couple more weeks off, so hopefully I'll be able to update at least one more time! I have one of the later chapters all written out beautifully-what I'm struggling with is writing what happens in between major plot points. Hopefully you'll enjoy this short chapter-and no, the Ball is not going to happen the same way it does in a million other fics. Cheerio!]
In Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Professor Dragoon had announced that they would be introducing a new technique into their curriculum. "The Patronus Charm is a very advanced branch of magic," he was explaining with difficulty over the excited titters of all the students. "However, it is very useful in that it is the only known way to repel a Dementor. It is also quite handy for sending messages, providing a luminescent source of magical light, and, to an extent, companionship."
"I can't believe we're going to learn Patronuses," Sirius whispered excitedly. "I read that the form your Patronus takes is based on your personality, but it can change if you undergo an extreme emotional experience—unlike Animagus forms, which don't change."
Remus raised his eyebrows, impressed at how well-informed Sirius seemed to be on the subject.
"Now, I don't expect anyone to be able to produce a corporeal Patronus on their first try," Professor Dragoon elaborated loudly.
"Bet I'll be the first to do it," James muttered to Sirius.
"You're on." They shook hands as Professor Dragoon continued.
"You may not even be able to emit much more than a few puffs of silver vapor for the first few weeks, but my goal is to have everyone more or less succeeding with this charm by the winter holidays. Whether or not you will be able to produce a corporeal Patronus—that is, a fully formed Patronus guardian animal—will depend on how diligently you work at this, and the strength of the memory you recall while incanting. All right, all right; let's begin."
It took everyone a while to settle down from the excitement of beginning to learn how to conjure Patronuses. In Charms class, James, Sirius, Remus, and Melody took up spots near a supply of feathers.
"Did you want to work on Patronuses tonight?" Melody asked the boys. It was easiest to talk in Professor Flitwick's class, since he did not seem to mind small conversations so long as they were still working. In today's class, they were reviewing Charm spells that they had learned in previous years of study, but attempting to do them nonverbally. Remus was already hard at work, levitating a feather into the air with a silent Levitating Charm.
"We can't," James told her, picking up a feather and twirling it between his fingers. "Double detention; both of us."
"What did you do to earn a double detention?" Melody asked, bewildered.
"Oh. Er," began Sirius with a guilty smile. "We may have hexed Bertram Aubrey the other day."
"His head was the size of a troll's foot by the time McGonagall found us," James said, grinning happily at the memory.
"He'll be fine for the upcoming match," Sirius said loftily, his feigned guilt melting away. "Just thought he needed a reminder that his head's a little too big."
Melody's eyes widened, and Remus shook his head in disapproval, but he was smiling.
"Anyway, who's excited for Halloween?" James asked. "Heard the feast is going to be excellent this year. Someone said they're going to have a Hallow's Eve Ball."
"Why would they have a ball this year? They haven't had them for any other reason the whole time we've been here," Sirius said scornfully.
"I think they're wanting to see how we fare with more formal functions," Remus said drily. "A lot of other schools incorporate conduct such as comportment, dance lessons, and classic traditions into their curriculums."
"What's the problem with Hogwarts not focusing on any of that?" Sirius asked, lazily flicking his wand at the pile of feathers, which all floofed into the air in a giant clump. "I don't think it really matters if Beauxbatons thinks we're a babbling, bumbling band of baboons."
"I've never been to a ball," Melody said thoughtfully. "It could be fun, especially if it's Hallow's Eve-themed."
"So long as they don't expect us to act all fancily, and if the food is still as good as ever, and if they play good music, I'm game," James said confidently. "I already know who I'm going with."
"I wouldn't count on attending the ball with Lily," Remus chuckled, glancing over at the redheaded girl who was summoning cushions across the room with ease.
"This time I've got a plan," James assured him, rubbing his hands together.
"I'm pretty sure she'll hex you senseless if you try to use magic on her," Sirius warned him with a grin.
"Padfoot, my old friend, I'll be relying on my own personal brand of Potter Charm; not paltry love potions or shoddy spellwork."
"Whatever you say, Potter."
A few days later, Melody sat alone in the common room, reading the communal issue of The Daily Prophet. She looked up as James and Sirius came down the stairs from the boys' dormitory, looking suspiciously innocent.
"What are you up to tonight?" Melody asked, catching sight of a shimmering fabric James was hastily stowing in his bookbag.
The boys paused on their way to the portrait-hole, and looked at each Melody imperiously, then at each other.
"What d'you reckon, Black? Shall we tell her?"
"We might as well, Potter. The jig is up by now, anyway."
"We're just going for a walk," they said in unison. Melody, curiosity piqued, dropped her newspaper on the plush burgundy seat and stood, arms crossed.
"All right. What are you really up to?"
The boys grinned. James looked around, making sure that no one else was in the common room, and then he pulled a rolled-up piece of parchment out of his bag.
"It's a little project we've been working on," he admitted. "Moony's in on it too. He'd be with us right now if not for the Prefects' meeting he'll be at all night."
Melody was sure the otherwise unassuming scrap of parchment had to be more than what it seemed. Smirking at her expression, Sirius pulled out his wand and tapped it against the parchment.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
With those words, tendrils of ink began to swirl around the page, forming a title page: The Marauder's Map. The parchment unfolded to reveal a diagram of the entire school, complete with little footprints to mark where every person in the castle happened to be. Melody spotted Professor Slughorn, stationary in his office, and caught sight of Remus's name; walking towards a grouping of footprints labeled with the names of students she knew to be the Prefects and Head Boy and Girl.
"This is amazing," Melody said honestly, bringing her gaze up from the makeshift map. How long have you been working on this?"
"Quite a while now; and we're not done yet," James told her somberly. "Tonight is a night for exploring and expanding—the map, that is."
"We found another secret passageway the other day," Sirius said excitedly. "We've got to add the schematics to the map."
"Care to join us?" James asked.
"I'd be honored," Melody said with a grin. "Do you keep track of where Filch is on that thing?"
"That's the first thing we made sure to do," Sirius scoffed. "Although, if things get tight, there's always James's cloak. We should all fit if we scrunch down a bit—it's easier with two, but three can manage if we're careful."
"Let's go," James said cheerfully. "Filch is miles away, and the nearest two corridors are empty."
The three friends clambered through the portrait hole, heading towards what would soon be the next addition to the boys' handmade map.