Sunflowers

Problems and Patronuses

"Thia," Remus called. The girl stopped, Blake beside her. Remus caught up to them, a curious glance at the Ravenclaw boy.

"Remus, this is Blake. He's in my DADA class," she said quietly. 

"Nice to meet you, Remus," Blake smiled politely, "Thia, I'll see you later."

Thia nodded and he hurried off. Her mind tumbled with thoughts, still in shock about what Blake had told her.

"I wanted to see how you were," Remus said, snapping Thia out of her thoughts, "I heard the rumours."

She stared at the ground, "I've been better." The older boy slung an arm around her shoulder, a sympathetic smile on his face.

"Any word on who did it?" Thia nodded slightly, her eyes darting at the first years who stared at them.

"That's what Blake was doing," she told him, "He knows. His sister was one of the first to know, same with him."

"So who was it?" Remus's voice was gentle, but Thia felt him tense. He'd always been protective of her and now was no different. She looked up into his face, his green-grey eyes flashing. 

"I don't want you doing anything, Remus," he looked down at her, meeting her brown eyes, "I'm going to handle this myself." A proud grin appeared on his face, like an older brother who's sister had punched a bully in the face.

"Fine. But I still want to know who it is." Thia stopped, having him lean down. She whispered in his ear, and he cursed, eyes going wide, "Really?" 

~

"You know what you should do if anyone asks to see your prosthetic again?" Sophie said as she and Thia entered the common room, "You should take it off and slap them with it."

Thia chuckled, "I'm almost certain I'd get in trouble for that." Sophie shrugged.

"I'm going up to the room, want to come?" Thia shook her head.

"I promised Rem I would hang out with them."

"Alright." The girls split.

"So are you going to prank her?" Sirius asked as Thia flopped on to Remus's bed, "Because, if you don't, I make no promises about what happens." The girl frowned at him.

"I've told you, Siri, I'm handling this my own way."

"And what does that entail?" James asked, looking at her with his head hanging off his bed. 

"For now, nothing." The two boys started to protest, but Thia shook her head, "Boys, this is my fight. Not yours. I'm going to the kitchens."

"I'll come with you," Peter said, speaking for the first time. The Marauders had agreed (without her knowledge) that someone should always be with her if possible. He followed her out of the common room.

"Look, Thia," the boy began.

"Peter, if you're going to say I should prank her, I'm going to jinx you."

He chuckled. Peter heard that a lot. "I'm not, although I might lose my Marauder card for saying that. But, Thia, sometimes, you need to speak up for yourself," Peter looked down at the first year, an arm around her thin shoulders, "You need to let the words burn your throat and shatter the universe."

She looked up at him, "Since when are you a poet?" He shoved her gently, his face turning red. Thia giggled, "Thank you, Peter. But I've got a plan in mind."

~

"Hey, Vera," Thia said, sitting beside the girl in the library. Vera smiled, glancing at the book Thia had set down. She was the girl Thia knew the least about in her dorm because she mainly hung out with the Ravenclaws.

"What are you reading? We didn't get any homework, did we?" She was still working on the Potions paper that was due next class.

"Hmm? Oh, it's a book of pranks Sirius Black gave me," Thia said absently. She put a piece of coloured yarn between to pages to mark a section.

"I didn't realise you were friends with him."

"I'm friends with all the Marauders," Thia lay a strip of ribbon into the book to mark her page, "When my godmother began working here, I had to live here as well. Remus took me under his wing, and, well, it's a four for one deal with them. They're quite protective of me."

"They must not be very pleased with whoever told about you, then." Thia hummed slightly, looking up at the balcony alcoves on the second floor of the library.

"No, they aren't. Apparently, whenever they hear someone talking about me, they're turning their hair bright yellow. But I made them promise to let me handle whoever started it."

"Do you know, then?"

"Mmm, I've heard something, but I haven't confirmed it yet."

"Who do you think it is?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to spread a rumour, especially if it's wrong."

"You know you can trust me," Vera's smile was shaky. Thia side-eyed her, standing and collecting her things.

"Honestly? I'm not so sure anymore."

~

"Ah, Miss Simmons," Professor Macmillan greeted her as she knocked on the open classroom door, "Come in." It was after her final class the following Friday. She had talked with her godmother and friends, and they thought it would be a good challenge.

"Are you ready for your lesson?" The big man sat on the floor. He noticed that she was tense if he stood or sat at his desk, but on the floor, she was more at ease. She nodded, fetching her wand from her bag and sitting when he motioned her to.

"What do you already know about Patronuses?" 

"They're used to ward off dementors, or bad feelings. Lily called them a manifestation of good thoughts. The spell is 'Expecto Patronum'." Professor Macmillan nodded.

"Very good. Do you know the wand motion?" Thia shook her head, "It's just a little circle, like this. Precisely. Now, try to focus on a happy memory, and try the spell."

Thia focused on the first time she saw Antoni's Patronus, and said, "Expecto Patronum."

Nothing happened.

"That's alright, most adults don't get it on the first try. Let's try a different memory." They spent the next half-hour trying different memories, or ideas, or people. 

"Alright, let's try one more time," Professor Macmillian said, looking at the clock, "It's almost suppertime."

Thia nodded, concentrating with all her might, and declared, "Expecto Patronum." 

To her delight, a little whisp of silver mist danced from the tip of her wand. A grin bloomed on her face, and Professor Macmillian smiled.

"Well done, Miss Simmons! That's very impressive!" He stood, "If you don't mind my asking, what was the memory?"

"When I got my prosthetics," Thia said. Professor Macmillian gave her a small smile.

"Excellent," he looked at the clock again, "Now, why don't you run along and tell your friends of your accomplishment? We'll meet again next month."

"Professor? Thank you."