black | sirius black

The Brightest Star In The Sky

For the next few days, Jayce focused intensely on the list McGonagall had distributed to everyone.

While she had already mastered half of the spells on the list non-verbally, the ones that eluded her were the Expecto Patronum, Expelliarmus, and Petrificus Totalus. The pressure she put on herself was immense, considering her responsibilities as Quidditch captain, her enrollment in advanced classes, and her recent commitment to the Order. Her unyielding thirst for challenge was now competing with a growing need for rest, and she found herself questioning the wisdom of joining the Order.

With Quidditch practice every night and her demanding schedule, she couldn't even join the boys for Forbidden Forest practice. The weight of the tasks ahead made her feel isolated and stretched thin, a sentiment exacerbated by her inability to share her concerns with her friends.

"Ugh." Jayce groaned, picking up her wand to practice a few spells verbally before attempting them non-verbally.

In a momentary lapse, she found herself casting a spell toward a passing student.

"You're pointing at a student, Jayce."

She looked up to find Bryce.

"Oh, hey, you're still looking around?" Jayce said, lowering her wand as she realized she was in an open courtyard, not a classroom.

"For now, yes," Bryce replied, pushing his dark hair out of his face for better visibility. "And you're practicing spells?"

"Yeah." Jayce nodded, the weariness evident in her eyes. "Trying to master them non-verbally."

"That's difficult," Bryce acknowledged, taking a seat. "May I know what sort of spells you're trying to master?"

"The Disarming charm, Patronus charm, and the Full Body-Bind charm."

"Those are definitely challenging," Bryce exclaimed. "Especially the Patronus one."

"You know how to conjure up a Patronus?" Jayce raised an eyebrow.

"Don't want to boast, but yes." Bryce nodded proudly. "A corporeal one at that."

"Really?" Jayce was impressed. "Show me."

"Verbally or non-verbally?"

"You can do it non-verbally?"

"I happened to have loads of practice with this charm," Bryce said.

His words eluded sadness, almost as if he didn't want to seem this perfect, but to Jayce, he was extraordinary. He seemed to be a little younger than her and she was no ordinary witch, so if he learned something before she did, that definitely spoke measures of his talent.

"Right then, show me." Jayce moved aside to give Bryce some space.

He raised his wand, and without hesitation, a bright light emerged a few feet away from him.

Jayce covered her eyes, but as the light dimmed down, she witnessed a striking falcon soaring in the courtyard.

The students passing by were captivated, stopping in their tracks to watch the beautiful bird. It gracefully disappeared into thin air, leaving a trail of silver behind.

"That's my Patronus." Bryce tucked away his wand before turning to Jayce.

"That was bloody brilliant." Jayce was genuinely impressed. "So very bloody brilliant."

"I'm glad you think so." Bryce beamed.

"How did you learn it?" Jayce moved closer to him.

"My mum," Bryce replied. "It's her favorite spell. When I was little, I used to cry a lot, but my dad would always comfort me. But, one time, dad was away, and I wouldn't stop crying. She didn't know what to do, and then, she suddenly conjured up a Patronus. Funny, I know, but I surprisingly stopped crying. She said it was as if all her happy memories were transferred to me through her Patronus. She told me this just a few years ago, and I begged her to teach it to me. How could I not learn it? It meant a lot to me." He smiled, looking down.