The markings scattered his back, interlocking and over-layering to weave a tapestry of anguish and indescribable pain.
As she opened her eyes, the comforting smell of coffee and parchment filled her nose. For the first time in 5 years she had opened...
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Remus watched in amazement as Harper pointed her wand and a brilliant bright white light erupted and burst forward, sending white spots into his vision.
Originally Harper hadn't planned on teaching anyone how to perform a Patronus. But as the months wore on, Remus' monthly troubles were getting more and more severe. There was nothing she could do about it, so Harper decided the only way to help was to get him to focus on his happiest memories. If Remus could do that, maybe just for a split second he would forget about the pain he was going through.
"That's just the weaker version of it." She explained, raising her wand and stopping the light pouring out of it.
"Doesn't look too weak to me." Remus blinked. "Just, think of your happiest memory. It needs to be really strong." She explained.
Remus furrowed his eyebrows.
He was expecting to come up with the memory of something typically cringe-worthy. But as he thought deeply, the only memory that was so perfect and joyful in his mind, was of first meeting Harper on the Hogwarts Express. It was utterly untainted.
The moment she held out her hand to shake his. The moment he revealed his face and she smiled. The moment she wasn't scared of him, but instead introduced herself.
"Okay... Now what?"
Harper smiled, "Think of it, it has to be really strong in your mind. Then you raise your wand and speak the spell."
A lot simpler said than done.
Remus pulled his wand out of his pocket and held it in the air, pointing at the wall.
"Expecto Patronum." He spoke clearly, a small jet of white light erupted, but it was nowhere near the strength Harper's had been.
As he lowered his wand, and the light faded, he turned to see Harper grinning at him.
"What? It was terrible." He grumbled. "I couldn't make any light until I tried for like the fifth time." She laughed, recalling the memory.
"Just, try again. Don't think of anything else other than the joy the memory gives you. When the light appears, don't get distracted. Maybe you can produce a corporeal one."
Remus focussed strongly on the memory, playing it over and over again in his head and smiling. He spoke the spell slowly and clearly, keeping his eyes closed whilst he did so.
"Remus!" Harper exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.
He opened his own eyes to see a strong jet of light protruding from his wand. Before them, the light took shape of a tall, lean wolf that ran around them in circles.
"Merlin..." Remus ran his hand over his head, although doing so caused his focus to weaken and the light slowly dissipated.
"You did it!" Harper exclaimed, almost sounding as if she was questioning what she'd seen. "Yeah... I think I did." He chuckled weakly as Harper pulled him quickly into a tight hug, almost knocking the boy off his feet.
"It's exhausting though..." Remus sat down on the floor and leant his back against the wall. "Have some chocolate." Harper pulled out a piece from her pocket and handed it to him.
"Chocolate really is the solution to everything." He grinned as he bit down into it. "You just remember that."
"So... My Patronus is a wolf because of... the lycanthropy. What's yours?" Remus asked after a moment. "That's a secret."
Harper laughed as Remus turned to face her with shock plastered over his face and a smudge of chocolate on his upper lip.
"You can't keep it a secret!" He exclaimed. "You have chocolate on your lip." Harper smiled. "You can't use that as a distraction!" Remus went to stand up. "Just-let me wipe it away!" Harper reached forward to brush it away.
"Tell me what your Patronus is and then maybe I will." Remus moved out of her reach and folded his arms.
"Do you want me to kiss it away?"
Harper smirked as Remus' mouth opened slightly - clearly he was extremely torn.
"Well... I..." He couldn't really speak as Harper stood up and made her way towards him. "I'm going to take that as a yes, is that okay?"
Remus nodded quickly before she slowly moved closer, she brushed the chocolate away with her finger as her hand rested on one side of his head and then quickly pecked his lips.
"My Patronus is a hare."
Harper pointed her wand, and without even speaking the spell an illuminated hare burst forth into the room, bouncing about the floor and dashing between their legs. They watched together as slowly it faded out to nothing again.
"How can you tell it's a hare and not a rabbit?" Remus asked after a moment. "They look different?" Harper furrowed her eyebrows at him.
That's when they heard the scream.
"What was that?" Harper widened her eyes but Remus was already sprinting to the door, holding it open for them both to chase down the source of the noise.
The two ran around the corner of the corridor and burst upon a scene that caused them both to freeze on the spot.
James stood proudly, smirking with his hands on his hips, at the other end of the corridor. But in front of him was a different matter. More a giant squid.
Lily was continuing to scream as the giant squid reached forward a tentacle towards her.
"If I remember correctly you said you'd rather kiss the squid than me. Now prove your point!" James chuckled as Sirius bent over laughing behind him.
"Well this is certainly more amusing than I was expecting." Remus chuckled, resting his elbow on Harper's shoulder.
"Fine then Potter, if that's what you want." Lily frowned at him before turning around and slowly starting to approach the squid.
"Merlin, she's going to kiss it!" Harper squealed. "This just gets better and better." Remus mused.
"Wait Lily!" James shouted, gaining her attention, "You were meant to go out with me and not actually kiss the squid!"
Lily smirked before finally leaning in and kissing the squid. As soon as she pulled back she screamed, desperately wiping at her lips before dashing away from the scene.
"This is gold." Remus laughed. "It's squid. And slimy." Harper grimaced as the squid continued to thrash around.
"How did they even get it up here?" Remus widened his eyes as McGonagall rounded the corner and set her eyes on what was going on.
"Potter. Black. What is this?" McGonagall frowned, pulling out her own wand.
"I think it's about time we left, don't you?" Remus tightened his grip around Harper's hand and quickly led them away and out of trouble.
