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“Expecto patronum!” I shouted. But only a silver sliver came out. I let out a deep sigh.
“That was better than last time.” Angelina told me trying to be encouraging.
“Thanks, but it's so frustrating. Almost everyone else has gotten it already. It's starting to get embarrassing.” I told her venting my frustration. I went and sat down in a corner with Angelina following me.
“Don't let this get you down. This is very advanced magic, you know that.”
“Yeah, advanced magic Harry could do at 13.” I told her bitterly.
“Hey, don't compare yourself to Harry or anyone else. You are you, and you're amazing. You're going to get it. Here, tell me what happy memory you've been using. Maybe that's part of the problem.”
“Well… I've used a couple. Getting my Hogwarts letter, getting accepted onto the team, you, me, and Alicia becoming friends….” I told her listing off the memories on my fingers.
“Hmmm okay, those are good but clearly not working even though your technique is right. Okay. Let's try a different memory. There has to be one in particular that makes you feel deeper than anything else. Something that truly brings you immense joy to think of, something that you've sworn to yourself to never forget because forgetting would cause you pain, while remembering it always brings a smile to your face. Something that just warms you up from the inside out. Do you have anything like that?” She asked me, looking straight in my eyes.
“Okay, give me a second.” I closed my eyes and concentrated. Something that washes me in pure joy to remember. I reached up and grasped my necklace with my hand, and suddenly, they came. Several different memories, but all focused on one person. Us bickering, playing quidditch, dancing, laughing, summer. I could see him so vividly. His chestnut hair blowing in the wind, hazel eyes and his big confident dimpled smile. Oliver Wood. But if I had to choose just one memory....
“Okay. I think I've got one.” I told Angelina confidently standing up.
“Alright, let's give it a go!” She said getting pumped.
I took my position, breathed in and focused on my memory.
“Expecto, Patronum!” And this time, oh this time, it worked. I felt the power surge through me into my wand and out, a powerful light being emitted. And it surprised not just me, but everyone.
“Oh my goodness, Katie!” Angelina said, almost squealing in joy.
“Katie, that's the most amazing one yet!” Alicia said coming over to me.
“Blimey!”
“Would you look at that?”
“Never would I have imagined.”
And so on went the comments.
I watched in amazement as my beautiful unicorn trotted around the room. She was as beautiful and pure as the real thing, and every step she took was the epitome of elegance and grace.
“I'm so proud of you! Guess you found the perfect memory, didn't you?” Angelina told me with pride while wrapping me in a hug.
“Yes, I guess I did.” I said with a smile.
“Care to share?” Alicia asked with a knowing look.
I rolled my eyes with what I could feel was a small blush on my cheeks. “Maybe later.”
“I wonder why a unicorn though?” I heard someone ask.
My unicorn came and stood in front of me and I held out my hands to her as though to cup her cheeks.
“That's a secret for just the two of us, right?” I whispered to her with a small giggle.
Two Days Before Start of School
“Did you know that Scotland's national animal is the unicorn?” Oliver asked me as we took out the picnic blanket while waiting for the others to show up.
“Wow, I feel like I should have known that.” I said.
“Yup. Pretty funny considering it was muggles, not wizards who decided that.” He said with a laugh.
“So, you're a unicorn.” I told him with a grin.
“Well hey now, that's not what I said. If I'm going to be compared to any magical beast, I'd prefer you to compare me with something more rugged like a dragon!” Oliver told me while flexing his arms.
“Come on, it makes sense you're a unicorn! I mean, you've always had this fragile grace about you as you dilly dallied on your broom letting people score points as you imagined yourself picking daisies and- Ah!”
Oliver had tackled me to the ground and began to try to tickle me into submission.
“Graceful?! Daisies?! Letting people score?! Well I'll show you!”
I laughed hysterically as we wrestled and I tried to escape his grasp. I finally got him off me when I grabbed a fistful of grass and shoved it in his face and tore off behind a tree. I tried to be as quiet as possible while catching my breath and after a minute wondered if he was even still chasing me. I peeked out and saw our blanket and basket still there, but no Oliver. I turned to look out the other side of the tree when -
“Gotcha!”
“Ah!” I screamed as he grabbed me around the middle with his not at all attractive muscular arms and lifted me off the ground spinning me around in crazy fast circles, laughing maniacally.
“Oliver! Put me down!” I shouted between my own laughter.
“Only if you say I'm not a unicorn!”
“Never!”
“Then we're never going to stop!”
“Nooooo!”
“Take it back!” He yelled.
“Okay fine! You're a mighty dragon!” I shouted when my head began to spin.
“Sorry, what was that?” He asked, trying to sound innocent.
“Gosh dang it Oliver Wood, you're a mighty dragon, happy?”
He finally stopped spinning and sat me back down on the ground, grabbing hold of my shoulder since I could barely stand straight. After finally getting my balance back I slugged his arm.
“Hey, I stopped.” He said with his jerky, attractive, stupid, smug grin.
We walked back to the picnic blanket and sat down.
“So, before the others get here I wanted to give you your birthday present.” Oliver told me while pulling out a small beautifully wrapped box. “I hope you like it.”
Did he actually sound nervous?
“Oh Oliver, you didn't have to get me anything.” I told him surprised but also filled with a secret immense joy.
“Course I did, it's your big sixteen! Well, at least it will be in two days anyways.”
I quickly unwrapped the box and opened it up to reveal a beautiful blue and white necklace with an absolutely exquisite unicorn charm. It took my breath away. The unicorn almost looked real.
“Oh Ollie… I… thank you.” I looked up at him trying not to let tears come to my eyes, which was hard because I did not expect this but was overwhelmingly happy that he of all people would think to get me such a beautiful gift.
Oliver rubbed the back of his neck clearly embarrassed.
“So you really like it then?”
“I do, I really do!”
“Well that's good because I wasn't so sure. I wanted to get you something special for your big day, but I've never really been great at shopping for lassies… so I was so nervous that it was a bad choice, but Percy told me that he was actually impressed that I'd picked out such a ‘symbolic and meaningful gift’ I believe he said.” He laughed at that. “Not really sure what he meant by that though…”
“Well Percy was right. It was a brilliant idea.” I told him agreeing full heartedly with Percy and inwardly laughing at his obliviousness.
“Here, let me help you put it on.” He said taking it out of the box and coming behind me to put it on.
I was glad he couldn't see my face because it was burning. I lifted my ponytail out of the way to make it easier for him.
As he got the clasp on I felt his fingers brush against my neck and wished they would linger just a bit. What are you doing to me Oliver Wood?
“There we go. Now, did you know that this necklace is extra Scottish because blue and white are also the colors of our flag?”
“Now that you point it out, I did actually know that.” I laughed. Then gathering some of my Gryffindor bravery I asked the almighty important female question, “So, how do I look?” Showing off my neck.
Oliver chuckled. “You always look wonderful Katie.”
My heart beat faster and harder in my chest at his words.
“Well, thank you.” I said looking down a bit bashfully hoping to hide my blush.
We sat for a second in silence when I heard Angelina call out with Alicia and the twins in the distance. Harry had some prior engagement and unfortunately wouldn't be coming.
“Hey! Over here!” Oliver bellowed to them waving them over.
I gathered the last of my bravery before the others showed up.
“So, Oliver. Are you seeing anyone?” I asked as quickly as I could not wanting the others to hear.
He turned to look at me with a half grin on his face.
“Nae. How about you?”
“I think we both know the answer to that.” I smirked.
“One more year Miss Bell. Then we'll talk.” He patted my head before getting up to give Angelina a big bear hug.
“Just one more year Katie. Just one more year.” I whispered to myself, feeling my heart about to burst before getting up and joining my friends for my picnic birthday party.
Oliver Wood, my Scottish unicorn. What are you doing to me?