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"Happiest memories, everyone. Keep hold of the feeling it brings and channel that into your spell." The professor repeats, strolling around the room.
Pandora is sat on the floor with her back against the wall, a ghostly looking moth in her hands that she coos at. Evan watches from beside her, smiling fondly at the scene. His own patronus, a light, spotted fox, lies by his feet.
"Come on, Reg, i'm sure you can think of some memory. Think of me!" Barty chirps, slapping a hand to his friend's shoulder. Regulus rolls his eyes, swatting away the laughing boy. Barty grins, brandishing his own wand and with a dramatic show, produces a wispy creature from the end of the dogwood. "Merlin!" A giddy hyena bounds across the classroom, pulling shrieks from unassuming students.
Regulus frowns, gripping his own wand tighter.
"Mr Black, are you not going to have a go?" Their professor, Professor Lyssah, asks. Her hair is swept back behind a usual bandana and her eyes are wide behind her obnoxious purple glasses. She clasps her hands as she nudges the Slytherin's shoulders. He tries not to grimace at the contact, instead focusing on the spell.
Happy memories. Happy memories. Happy memories. Easier said than done.
He scours his brain, picking out a few that could potentially work. A fleeting memory is pulled to the front of his mind, Barty throwing his arms around Regulus' shoulders after their win at their first quidditch match. Hope flickers at his chest as he lifts the wand. "Expecto Patronum." He casts, producing not more than a wispy white glow at the end of his wand.
Professor Lyssah hums thoughtfully, tilting her head. "Perhaps try to cast with some more gusto, Mr Black. Murmuring gets us nowhere."
Barty snorts, raising a brow when Regulus glares at him. The boy grins once more and piles down next to his friends, leaving Regulus at the hands of their teacher.
"Use a stronger memory as well, dear. Stronger memories produce stronger patronuses." She reminds him, gently guiding his wand higher, "Again."
This time he tries something new, a glimpse of his past in which a nine year old Regulus huddles close to his brother, huffing into his mittens. "It's too cold out here, Siri."
"Ah, but look, the skies are clearer. See that one there? That's me." A ten year old Sirius replies, pointing towards the speckled canvas above them. "Brightest in the sky." He brags, smirking at his brother.
Regulus rolls his eyes, squinting upwards. "Where?" He asks dumbly, eyes flicking back to his big brother.
"There, Reggie!" Sirius laughs, taking his brother's hand in his as he points back to the shining stars.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The wisps form something larger, something that bleats and shakes its head. Something pale and lanky that stumbles as it walks. A small animal tilts its head back at Regulus, eyes wide and dark, contrasting its translucent white fur.
"Excellent!" Lyssah cheers, "Well done, Mr Black."
It bleats again, hooves clattering against the stone as it shakily lands a small jump.
It's a lamb, frail as ever.