Yearning | Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter Three : Potions Class

"Don't feel bad, Sabrina. Professor Hecat did say the patronus charm was one of the hardest spells to perform."

Sabrina looked up from her lunch at Natty and Poppy, silently appreciating that they were trying to help her feel better after their difficult Defense Against the Dark Arts class. When Natty had invited Sabrina to sit with her and Poppy at the Gryffindor table, she gratefully accepted to give herself a break from the Sallows and Ominis. She had yet to tell her friends about what had happened that morning, but instead decided she needed to try and get over it.

"I love you're trying to help me," Sabrina instead told them. "But... it just felt like the harder I tried to focus on a happy memory, the less I was able to."

Poppy shrugged as she finished her bite of food. "Well, don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you're having so much trouble because of how terrible your life was before Hogwarts?"

"That is a good theory," Natty said. "Perhaps because of how difficult your life has been so far, it's harder to latch onto a happy memory."

"Oh great," Sabrina said with a hint of sarcasm. "So because of Sister Mary, I'll never be able to cast a patronus."

"We didn't say that." Poppy took another bite of chicken. "It's just going to be harder. You don't have as many happy memories as everyone else. And besides, not everyone can be as perfect as Sebastian Sallow. Merlin knows his life has never been difficult. No wonder he was able to cast the patronus so easily."

Natty looked at her friend in surprise. "Do I suspect jealousy, Poppy Sweeting?"

Poppy's ears turned red. "What? No! I was just saying–"

"Hey girls!"

All three looked up at the same time to see the familiar curly red hair of Garreth Weasley as he came to sit next to Sabrina. "You all look rather ravishing today, have I told you?" he continued before gently nudging Sabrina playfully. "Especially this one. Never seen so much color in your face before. You would think you spent some time outside for a change."

Sabrina remembered how playful Garreth had been the year before. He always seemed to have a smile on his face, no matter how many potions he blew up in Sharp's class or how much trouble he found himself in. And he seemed exceptionally kind-hearted. "Funny," Sabrina commented on his joke. "It's amazing what a bit of fresh air will do to clear the mind. Maybe that's why your head is also so empty."

Garreth put a hand on his chest, feigning pain. "Oh, the gentle Slytherin strikes again!" he exclaimed. "She's finally learning how to joke back!"

Natty and Poppy giggled. "Did you need something, Garreth?" Natty asked. "Is Professor Weasley ready to do our O.W.L observations?"

"She is," Garreth replied. "But she's actually requested to see Sabrina first. Good thing you were over here with the cool crowd today."

"Me?" Sabrina asked, confused. Why would Professor Weasley want to see her for her assessment when Professor Ronen was advising all the Slytherins? It finally dawned on her, and Sabrina was up in a heartbeat. "I'll catch you later," she told the girls and then quickly rushed off towards Professor Weasley's office.

Weasley's office was on the other side of the Transfiguration courtyard, and it didn't take Sabrina long at all to reach it. As soon as she entered the classroom, Professor Weasley looked up from her desk and smiled. "Hello there, Miss Lewis."

"Hello, Professor," Sabrina greeted. "Garreth said you wanted to see me. Do you have any news from the Ministry about my father?"

"Somewhat," the red-haired professor said as Sabrina sat back down across from her. "I received word from the Ministry that they legally declared Theodore Lewis dead in November 1879, when you were four years old. However, no body was ever recovered, and since the case has been closed for so long without any concrete evidence to support opening it, there's very little the Ministry can do."