The Patronus Charm- A Lily and James Fanfiction

Chapter Seven: Tears

“Practice that spell!” Professor Stone shouts from his desk at the front of the classroom. “The sooner we finish this part, the sooner we get to Patronus Charms, which you will learn mostly about in Charms, but you will get extra practice in this class.” he declares with an easy smile. Professor Stone is the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Apparently, the job is cursed, since no teacher has ever stayed in the position for more than a year. A few years ago, I didn’t believe it, but now I’m starting to wonder about it. The story goes that Voldemort wished to teach at Hogwarts and he wanted to teach that position, but Dumbledore saw through him and refused to give him the job, so Voldemort cursed the position. Why he wanted to teach is the only part of that legend that doesn’t add up at all.

                I hurry back to the Heads’ Quarters and mutter the password to the rather unpleasant angel. Some angel… angels are supposed to be nice. He must be a devil in disguise then.

                “Oh, hi Evans.” Potter says. He’s lying on the couch, studying something.

                “What’s that?” I ask curiously.

                “It’s a letter from Mum.” he says quickly.

                “Oh. What did you forget this year?” I tease.

                “Dunno. Haven’t gotten that far into this letter.”

                I nod and continue up the stairs into my room. Civilized conversations with Potter… I must be dreaming. I pinch myself; no luck. I’m awake.

                “Oy! Red!” a voice calls cheerfully. I groan. It’s Sirius. Suddenly, he appears in my doorway. “What are you doing? Reading Playboys?”

                I can feel the heat in my cheeks. “Hell, no! I’m a girl and I’m not a lesbian!”

                Sirius puts his hands up in mock defeat. “Okay, what are you doing?”

                I sigh. “Putting my textbook away.”

                “What do you think of the new teacher?” Remus asks, coming up the stairs behind Sirius.

                “I think he’s decent. I really dunno if he’ll be any good, but he knows his stuff.”

                “I thought so too.” Remus agrees. “I think Marlene and Alice are looking for you.”

                “Did they say why?”

                Remus shrugs. “Not really. I think it was about helping them with the spell.”

                I nod. “Thanks. I better go find those two.”

                Suddenly, there’s shouting in the hallway. I jump off my bed and follow the boys out of the common room.

                “It’s coming from this way!” Remus calls to Sirius and I. I run after him. We get to a crowd and Remus’ face goes white.

                I shove my way to the front of the crowd, since I can’t see.

                There’s a pool of a deep red color on the floor. Blood. Bellatrix, Lestrange, Regulus, and another Slytherin are towering over two fifth year girls. There’s blood on their faces.

                “What the bloody hell is going on?” I demand. I take a step forward, so that I’m out of the crowd.

                “Keep your nose out of it, Mudblood.” Lestrange sneers.