The Wolf and His Cub
It was a very quiet Christmas at the Diggory’s that year.
Beth and Remus didn’t really feel like celebrating Christmas without Lyall, so they just had a nice dinner and exchanged a few small presents. Beth had got a black and yellow striped homemade jumper from Mrs Weasley
On Boxing Day, Remus and Beth had to head back to Hogwarts.
“Are you sure you have to head back Remus?” asked Mr Diggory.
“I’ve got the full moon in a week and Severus has been making me the potion, I have to go back today.”
“If you need anything just write ok?” asked Mr Diggory putting his hands-on Remus’ shoulders.
“Thanks again for everything Amos,” beamed Remus.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for a few more days Beth?” asked Mrs Diggory as she gave Beth one more hug.
“Thank you but no,” said Beth, “I want to get back to school.”
“I’ll see you next week ok Beth?” asked Cedric as Beth headed over to the flo.
Beth spent the next week alone in the Common Room reading and doing some drawing. Remus had a lot of marking to catch up on and lesson plans.
Beth was sat up in her room sketching.
It was a drawing of Lyall whose eyes were full of life as he laughed. Beth would always remember him when he was laughing and happy.
“Beth!” exclaimed Susan rushing into the dorm still wearing her snow-covered cloak and scarf.
“What?” muttered Beth looking up from her drawing.
She had completely forgotten that the others were getting back today.
“Sus!” exclaimed Beth jumping off the bed and giving Susan a hug.
“I’ve missed you,” she muttered as Susan pulled her in close.
Beth had only seen Susan once over the holidays on the day of the memorial.
“I’ve missed you too,” giggled Susan, “but you’re feeling better, now right?”
“Yeah,” nodded Beth.
“Hey guess what?” asked Beth lying down on her bed with her head propped up on her hands.
“What?” giggled Susan as she unpacked her trunk.
“Remus is going to start teaching me to repel dementors tomorrow.”
“Oh cool,” said Susan.
The next day passed in a blur, Beth was so excited about her first dementor lesson. She was in the Room of Requirement finishing her Arithmancy homework.
“So that’s how you figure out social numbers,” said Beth as she finished explaining it to Ernie.
“Thanks,” chuckled Ernie.
“Look at the time!” stammered Beth.
“I’ve got to go,” she gasped running from the room.
“What’s up with her?” asked Theo looking up from his Herbology essay.
“Dementor lessons,” explained a frazzled Hermione as she tried to write a History essay whilst checking her Astronomy chart.
Beth sprinted down to Remus’ office and arrived at exactly eight o’clock.
The door was already open, and Remus was finishing marking another essay. There was a stack of already marked essays on the desk.
“Hi Remus!” said Beth giving him a huge hug.
“Hello little one,” he beamed kissing her on the forehead as he put his marking away.
“So where’s the dementor?” she asked looking around.
“You are not going to be facing a dementor in your first lesson sweetheart,” he chuckled, “today I am just going to be teaching you the spell.”
“Ok,” shrugged Beth somewhat disappointed but also relieved that there would be no dementors today.
“Right,” said Remus getting up and leaning against his desk, “the first thing you need to learn is the incantation.”
“The spell is Expecto Patronum.”
“Expecto Patronum,” said Beth clearly.
“Perfect, right, but the most important thing though is the feeling behind the spell.”
“Do you remember that I told you that dementors make you remember your worst memory?”
“Yeah,” muttered Beth thinking about how the dementors always made her remember her parents’ deaths.
“Well, what you need to do is to focus on a memory, try and think of a time when you were truly happy.”
Beth tried to think back, truly happy, she had been happy a year ago when Beth had realised that Susan loved her back.
She had kissed her on the lips, they had kissed so many times since, and they hadn’t even kissed for all that long, but that first kiss was just so magical.
“Have you got a memory?”
Beth nodded.
“Ok now focus on the memory and then cast the spell, can you do that?”
Beth opened her eyes and held out her wand.
“Expecto Patronum!” called Beth holding out her wand thinking about the memory.
A burst of white came flying out of her wand and formed a shapeless orb in front of her.
“Well done Cariad!” exclaimed Remus giving her a hug, “I’m so proud of you!”
“Is that good?” asked Beth nervously.
“For a first try its excellent,” he beamed, “eventually it might form an animal. The spell means I await a guardian.”
Beth nodded and tried the spell again with the same memory, but there was no change.
The spell was very draining, after practising for half an hour Beth was starting to feel tired.
“Are you ok darling?” he asked nervously.
“Maybe I was right,” he sighed running his fingers through his hair, “maybe the spell is to advanced for you?”
“Remus, what’s your Patronus?”
Remus smiled slightly and pulled out his wand.
A bright white wolf came out of his wand and nuzzled up to Remus before walking over to Beth and letting Beth pet him.
“It’s beautiful,” she beamed as she stroked the Patronus between the ears.
“I think you’ve done enough for tonight sweetheart,” said Remus going to go fetch some chocolate from his desk.
“Can I try just one more time?” she begged, “with a different memory?”
“Sure,” said Remus shaking his head.
Beth closed her eyes, Hermione, Justin, Percy and Susan had just got out of the Hospital Wing.
She and Susan were jumping up and down for joy with their arms around each other. If Beth had ever been filled with elation it was then.
“Expecto Patronum!” Beth called.
Something white came flying out of her wand, but this time it wasn’t a shapeless orb.
There was a tiny wolf cub frolicking around between her legs. It was a smaller, cuter version of Remus’ Patronus like an excitable puppy.
“You are brilliant Beth!” exclaimed Remus pulling her in for a hug, “I’m so proud of you!”
“Most fully trained wizards can’t do that.”
“But isn’t it harder against a real dementor?”
“Sweetheart, the fact that you can even do this after half an hour is amazing!”
“Thanks,” muttered Beth pulling at the end of the plait and putting her wand away.
“Alright sweetheart, now I want you to eat all of this or Pomfrey will have my guts for bloody garters!”
He passed her a whole bar of popping candy Honeydukes chocolate.
“It’s my favourite flavour,” she beamed.
“Thanks Remus!”
“Go on get on with you,” he chuckled getting back to his marking.
“And if you end up in the Hospital Wing later because you didn’t eat that chocolate, tell Pomfrey that you were given some.”
“Its milk chocolate popping candy,” she giggled as she left, “how could I not eat it!”
She worked her way down to the Common Room nibbling on her chocolate humming to herself.
“How’d it go Beth?” asked Ernie as she walked over to him Justin and Susan.
Justin and Ernie were toasting marshmallows over the fire, and Susan was sat in their regular armchair reading Pride and Prejudice.
“Great,” beamed Beth as she sat next to Susan in their armchair.
“So, what happened?” asked Justin as Beth ate some more chocolate.
“Remus taught me how to cast a Patronus.”
“You can cast a Patronus?” asked Susan dropping her book in shock.
“Um yeah,” shrugged Beth.
“A corporeal Patronus?”
“A what?” stammered Beth.
“Corporeal,” asked Susan, “did it take a form?”
“Oh yeah, it was a wolf cub.”
“Awesome!” exclaimed Ernie.
“Wow!” breathed Susan.
“Amazing!” nodded Justin.