Emerald and Scarlet ~ Drarry

The Patronus

Harry had two slices of toast the next morning feeling considerably more hungry after not having dinner the previous night. The familiar swooping of owls delivering the morning post arrived. Hermione had immediately stuck her head into the Daily Prophet and Ron had received a skiving snack box from his brother and successfully hid it from Hermione who was deep in conversation with Ginny.

Much to his surprise, a large horned owl dropped a letter onto Harry's empty plate. A pang shot through his heart as he had a sudden reminder of Hedwig, his late owl who died trying to protect him.

"You better open it, it's from McGonagall," Ron managed through a mouth of muffin. Harry carefully slid his finger under the seal, tearing it open.

Meet me in my office during lunch hour,

The password is Dumbledore.

"What she want you for?" Ron tried to catch some of the crumbs running down his robes. Harry shrugged his shoulders. His mind travelled back to last night and he prayed right then and there she wasn't trying to confront him about him not eating.

"We got defence against the dark arts first," Ron pointed out. "We get to meet the other new teacher."

"Let's see if she'll last."

* * *

The classroom was just how he remembered it. Except for this time, instead of Snape or Umbridge sneering down at them, the dark haired witch from the start of term feast was watching them enter indifferently, leaning back into her chair. They took their seats and waiting expectantly for the witch to do something, move even.

"Well," she clapped suddenly making a few seventh years in the front row jump. She got to her feet and stepped up onto her chair, then her desk to jump down the other side. "Aren't you lucky, third Slytherin in a row teaching you DADA, well fourth technically as Mad-Eye didn't do too much teaching," she trailed off. She looked around the class, no one said anything as they didn't know what to say in response to this declaration so she continued with her introduction. "My name is Professor Dellow and I will be pushing you through your final year and shoving you out into the real world." She pulled out a Hawthorn wand and with a flick, she wordlessly summoned ten dummies. "Let's see what you can do."

The lesson continued as one by one they showed off their skills at different spells both defensive and offensive. Professor Dellow would periodically yell out a different spell and they'd all take turns, stepping forward and blasting light at the dummies.

Soon even Harry was laughing and cheering the other students on as they sent their spells at the dummies. Neville had produced a spectacular impedimenta jinx and a Hufflepuff seventh year performed a blasting curse that disintegrated her dummy and a nearby table. The energy in the room was exhilarating.

"You're all up to speed with the basic but a little owl has told me a few of our members can cast a Patronus charm," the professor's gaze fell to Harry. He looked at the ground. Harry hadn't cast a Patronus since before the war and he doesn't know if he can. Thankfully Hermione stepped forward and with a swish of her wand, a silvery otter glides through the room gracefully. Ron followed suit and a ghostly Jack-Russel-Terrier bounded through the air after it. Ginny conjured a graceful horse that cantered across the classroom and a Hufflepuff boy sent an elephant parading around the desks.

Harry raised his wand, inspired by the energy in the room. and summons his happiest memory.

"Expecto Patronum!" He cried. All heads turned to him as he shouted the incantation but his iconic corporal stag did not erupt from his wand but rather a wispy string of silver light slivered from his wand tip before disappearing almost immediately leaving a cold feeling in his chest. He could not produce a Patronus.