Patronuses and Prophecies

"Think of a happy memory. Let it fill you up. Once you feel that you've visualised it clearly, say the incantation Expecto Patronum" Lupin watched the quintet of apprentices as he had with Harry the previous evening.

Harry had mentioned that the group had a dark history and could do with the defence of a patronus. He hadn't asked how the boy knew anything but had agreed to teach the apprentices, if only to ease the boy's mind. Harry had been distracted and Lupin knew it was because of Black. Moony riled in disgust and anguish at the thought of his old pack mate being a traitor, but there was nothing Lupin could do about it but keep the students safe. Which was ironic with his violent condition. Though the man had been surprised at Snape's lack of malice when delivering his monthly Wolfsbane. In fact, the usually snarky professor had been rather introspective recently and Lupin was slightly concerned, wondering if the return of his worst bully had shaken him up. He then remembered who he was thinking of and shook his head - Snape would never be scared of Black. If he wanted to discuss it then that was Snape's business, but it was not his place to presume.

"Woah!" he snapped out of his musings at Timothy's shout and looked up at the butterflies that Lenalee had created.

"Well done Miss Lee. An impressive corporeal patronus. Especially for a first attempt" Kanda and Allen patted her shoulders in pride.

"Expecto Patronum" Alma jumped as a small fox cub sprung out of his wand in wispy blue and Lupin smiled - once one picked up a skill, the others quickly followed.

Timothy was next a few attempts later, with his large bear bounding into the room. However, Allen and Kanda seemed to be struggling with their skills. Lupin theorised that it was to do with the history that Harry had spoken of - the pair were capable wizards, the strongest out of their group in fact. And they were definitely smart and on the ball with the amount that they had picked up in a short space of time. But happy memories were hard to visualise when they were surrounded by their darker counterparts.

After a large portion of the lesson passed, Lenalee stood next to Kanda and whispered in his ear. Kanda paused in thought and smiled, his eyes slipping shut as he murmured the incantation, a blue wispy raven fluttering around his head. Lenalee clapped and Kanda locked eyes with Alma who nodded knowingly, making his way over to Allen.

"Remember home"

Allen closed his eyes.

"Expecto Patronum." He looked at the small beagle with tears slipping down his face.

"Hello Allen" he muttered with a sad smile as the dog ran in circles before dispersing.

Lupin didn't question the response but looked at the man in concern momentarily before congratulating the group for once again subverting his usual expectations and how they would now move onto another skill.

That evening, Kanda joined the young Potter boy by the lake.

"Thank you Potter"

"Call me Harry" Harry cut in and Kanda looked at the boy and nodded,

"Thank you Harry, for asking about the patronus. Lenalee was able to fly away that time but I wouldn't like to know what would happen if they were to catch Walker" or me, Kanda added silently.

Harry had been walking by when Lenalee was practicing flying on the grounds. Thankfully he'd noticed the dementors and shouted for Lenalee to head towards the castle. Harry had known that the apprentices had helped them with Malfoy (who was now keeping out of his way), and even Snape was being less snappy with him than he had before they arrived. For which he was very thankful. The man was unusually cruel to him and he assumed it had something to do with his father - his mother didn't seem to be a problem at least. He looked up at Kanda curiously and wondered if the man had said something to his professor.

He smiled at the thanks,

"You're welcome. Dementors are horrid. I wouldn't want you to have to deal with them. Especially with what Hermione told me about your history" Kanda nodded, allowing Hermione to tell the boy had been his smartest move. If Harry trusted him, there was more chance to protect him. Harry, Ron and Hermione reminded him too much of the ex exorcists currently in his care and he was growing more and more inclined to including them in his little family.

"We would have to remember some harrowing things" Kanda admitted finally before giving the boy a hand up from the grassy bank they were sat on.

"Curfew's in an hour. You'd better head off Harry. Tell your friends that they can visit if we're all free" he told the boy who grinned and nodded, heading back into the castle. The apprentices didn't technically have a curfew since they were considered adults but he still didn't want to be out too late with those things. He shuddered. Dementors, what gross creatures. He followed Harry, looking over his shoulder at the hovering figures before slamming the door behind him, needing something between himself and the creatures.

When Kanda re entered their quarters, Alma's owl Perseus was sitting on the desk, letter in beak. Kanda took the letter and gave the owl a quick head pat, feeding it a biscuit before heading up to his room.

He recognised Lavi's horrid scrawl immediately and ripped open the envelope.

Hey Yuu-chan

I was wondering when you would write finally. We've been getting letters from the others every week but I guess that's not your thing.

Getting to the point in hand, this villain guy used dark magic to stop himself dying completely? Dark magic, from what I remember gramps telling me, is a pretty big category of spells, rituals etc. I'm guessing you wouldn't be able to research it yourself since you've said that you have a lot to study already (five years of study in a few months - that's rough buddy. Though if they're skipping theory it's probably not too bad).

Anywho, thought I would say that Gramps has given me permission to come and help out if this Dumble guy will let a mere muggle like me into his library. Also Howard, Johnny and Krory are asking if they can visit - Komui would but he's been dragged to the Vatican to help clean things up there (and we all know he'll be there a while).

What do you say to a mini reunion?

Also Marie finally grew a pair and is marrying Miranda this summer and wanted to know if you would be his best man? I think Miranda wants Lenalee as bridesmaid if you would ask her too.

Hope to hear from you soon lil bro ;P

LaVi

Kanda snorted at the final line but smiled at the thought of his fellow Tiedoll sufferer getting married. The war was over at last so happy moments like marriage could finally exist without much risk. But he wondered whether Dumbledore would okay a bunch of muggles inside a magical school. Well, he wouldn't know till he asked.

Breathing out a tired sigh, he headed downstairs and passed the letter to an unsuspecting Lenalee and pointed to the final section. He winced at her squeal and looked down at a pained Mugen who dived under the sofa for safety.

"Of course! Oh a wedding. They'll be so cute together! Perseus come on, can you deliver a reply to Lavi?" at the brown owls chirp, Lenalee let the bird perch on her shoulder before running upstairs to reply that yes, she would love to help Miranda down the aisle. Kanda chuckled to himself before sitting down next to Allen and Alma, passing the letter to the pair and intending to pick their brains.

"I mean I think with Dumbledore, blunt honesty seems to work best" Alma admitted and Allen agreed,

"As long as you make sure that Lavi has some sort of chaperone or stays only in the library until someone collects him - will Krory and Howard be helping him?" Allen paused to ask. Kanda shrugged,

"They probably will if we ask. They're both as nerdy as Lavi" he replied and Allen nodded.

Mugen slunk out from under the sofa and Kanda watched curiously as the cat narrowed its eyes before bounding upstairs.

"Careful Mugen" came Timothy's voice,

"You wanna get into Lena's room? Okay let me - Lena!"

The teen's shout had the trio bounding upstairs into their sister's room. Kanda rushed into the room, grabbing her shoulders as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and Tim held her upright. Allen and Alma stood in the door, staring in shock.

Kanda barked orders at the pair,

"Alma get Pomfrey and Allen get Snape! Now!" the shout made the two men come to their senses and they both bolted out of the portrait on their separate missions.

Snape let the second years go and was thankful that there was only one explosion that lesson. His head had been fuzzy recently and it was only the shout of the young Ravenclaw that had let him salvage the bubbling red pot before it caused mass panic. He wanted to think that he didn't know why he was so out of it but he knew the exact reason. Kanda had given him a lot to think about and he had no idea how to process it. How do you tell a boy that barely knows you that you hate him for a man he has never met that he just ended up looking like? Kanda was right - the kid himself hadn't really done anything wrong. And his lack of trust in authority was probably his own fault.

"Professor!" Snape's head snapped up at Walker's voice and he met him at the doorway, the man's tone demanding urgency.

"It's Lenalee. I think she's having some kind of fit - Alma went to get Pomfrey but Kanda wanted you too" the man babbled and Snape ignored the twinge at Kanda's name and instead ran to his store cupboard, grabbing what he thought could help before gesturing for Allen to lead the way. They both ran towards the apprentice quarters.

"I don't know how long she's been like this but Mugen seemed to sense she was ill" Allen explained as he led the professor up to Lenalee's room. Said cat was perched on the desk, watching his humans panic with his tail showing his own unease. Snape caught sight of the girl and froze. This wasn't a fit - he'd seen this before. From Trelawney.

"Has she said anything?" Snape asked, moving beside Kanda and pressing his fingers to the girl's neck, checking her pulse. It was fast but not dangerously so.

"No, she did moan a couple of times but nothing decipherable" Kanda replied, his voice filled with concern. Snape nodded and pressed a cold hand to the girl's head before pinching her temples, the pressure causing her to fall asleep. Tim caught her slack frame and at Kanda's nod, placed her on the bed.

"What was that? She's never fit like that" Alma said from the door, as Pomfrey bustled into the room towards the girl.

"It wasn't a fit" Pomfrey looked over at the professor with a frown,

"I'm pretty sure I know a fit when I see one. What was it then?" the mediwitch asked.

"A trance"

Pomfrey's eyes widened and then narrowed, turning back to Lenalee and casting a different set of spells.

"Trance?" Allen asked, voicing everyone's confusion. Snape nodded but stayed silent, looking over at the girl that was slowly waking from Pomfrey's treatment.

"What kind of trance?" Kanda asked without turning.

Snape let out a tense breath,

"A Seer's Trance. She was receiving a vision"

At that moment, Lenalee's eyes snapped open and she grasped Kanda's arm in a painful hold, speaking with extreme certainty,

"Find the rat. The dog is innocent. And the wolf won't be lonely. Bear and Fox need to protect the Faun before Shade awakens and Raven is forced to return" before she collapsed forward, falling off the bed - her brothers rushing to catch her but wincing as her head hit the floor.

Snape froze at the words, his brain piecing together parts of the puzzle already. Black was innocent and Pettigrew was hiding as a rat somewhere. The wolf was Lupin, Snape knew that - he wouldn't be lonely, what did that mean? Would he turn someone? He guessed that the faun was Potter due to his father's animagus - a fact that Potter Senior and Black occasionally forgot they shouldn't flaunt. He didn't know who the bear and fox or raven were but the shade would be Voldemort. The Dark Lord was returning for definite then. He leant against the wall in shock, glad that the attention of the room was on the girl in the bed as she awoke once again. He would have to return to his life as a spy once again - did that make him Raven?

"Come with me Miss Lenalee, just so we can check you over. You hit your head pretty hard before" Pomfrey broke his thoughts as she walked past, Alma and Allen helping Lenalee to walk, Tim trailing behind. Pomfrey caught his attention as she passed him,

"You'll need to let Albus know. And, though I know you hate it, you'll need Sybill's help"

Snape nodded in defeat - Sybill Trelawney was the only one who would be able to help the poor girl in her new prophetic role. A moment or two went by before Snape realised that there was someone left in the room. Kanda stood observing him and once the professor had his attention he spoke,

"He's coming back isn't he"

Snape drew a hand tiredly over his face,

"It would seem so"

Kanda looked intensely at him,

"Will you tell Potter or shall I?"

Snape's head snapped over to him. Him tell the boy? Though he hadn't been as harsh with the boy recently, he didn't think that Harry would really feel safe with the man. Kanda would be the best option. But, this could be the chance to help Potter from somewhere other than the shadows. Would he be able to do it though? If left alone with the boy, could he have a civil conversation or would old hates rear their ugly heads once again?

"I don't know," he answered eventually. Kanda looked at the doorway with concern,

"The visions don't hurt her, do they?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to take her to Trelawney"

Kanda rose an eyebrow,

"The tottering drunk? Why?"

Snape snorted slightly at the man's description,

"Drunk she may be, but she is a true prophet. She was the one who spoke Potter's prophecy. She drinks to forget what she Sees, I think" he said quietly.

The reality of the woman's position sunk in as Kanda realised Lenalee's role in future predictions.

"She used to have dreams during the war too. But we thought they were just nightmares - I wonder if they were visions too. Especially the ones about Allen. He never told us what happened to his arm so she may have been right." Kanda admitted.

Snape looked pensive at the younger man before clearing his throat,

"In any case, I'm sure you're more help by her bedside than moping in here" he mentioned, throwing Kanda a sympathetic smile which was hesitantly returned.

"Thanks Snape. I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked as the pair moved towards the exit.

"Of course. I expect you all to have done some of the reading" Snape japed and Kanda smirked,

"I will have at least." he replied in a similar tone and Snape smiled at the hard working man, his gaze softening,

"You always do" he admitted and headed off in the direction of his classroom, unaware of the teal eyes watching him leave.

Once Snape disappeared around the corner, Kanda turned and headed upstairs to the hospital wing. The professor was right - his place was with his family. Though he had been hoping that Snape would have been coming too. Deciding not to unpick the thought, Kanda pushed open the doors and headed over to Lenalee's bed where his brothers already stood, watching over her.