𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

October brought with it a sharp, crisp air that had many students opting to wear their sweaters under their robes. It was often windy nowadays, and when it wasn’t there was a thick fog that covered the grounds. The leaves exploded with color making the otherwise dull grounds much more lively. Sekhmet was at the Great Hall for lunch along with her friends. The volume throughout the hall was increasing steadily after news that Quidditch tryouts were scheduled for tomorrow for each house had been announced. Excited and anxious chatter could be heard among friends, but the most prominent voice throughout the hall was that of James Potter. James was standing up at the Gryffindor table, making jibes with Sirius about the other team’s captains.

“Oi Diggory! Hufflepuff doesn’t stand a chance this year! You might as well just get off the schedule for your team and hand the spot over to people who would use it!” James trash-talked across the table to Amos Diggory, the current Hufflepuff team captain.

Sekhmet and Regulus rolled their eyes at James’ antics. His behavior was not at all uncommon, but it was always a challenge to get used to such an eccentric person. Regulus sat next to Evan and Barty per usual. Meanwhile, Sekhmet sat next to Pandora and Dorcas, the latter of which was staring longingly at a certain blonde on the Gryffindor team.

“Merlin she’s so bloody fit…” Dorcas muttered dreamily, her eyes glazed over in a wistful expression. Dorcas’ head was resting in her hands as she admired Marlene. Pandora and Sekhmet looked at each other in poorly concealed amusement.

“You know Dorcas, you could always just ask her to go to Hogsmead with you,” Pandora offered as a suggestion, her hand coming to rest on Dorcas’. Regulus smiled at Pandora's suggestion, giving her a kind nod to show he agreed with her sentiment. Dorcas moved her head over to look at them in despair.

“I will not! If she says no I’d be mortified. Besides, you lot don’t even know if she liked girls or blokes…” Dorcas trailed off in disappointment, her head slumping down into her hand causing her to smush her cheek upward whilst looking down at the table.

“Actually, I have recently acquired that exact information about Marlene from a rather reliable source,” Sekhmet chimed in her voice taking on the tone of always did when she was relaying information she had, “She was caught with some girl coming out of her dorm looking rather disheveled after the last Gryffindor party. They say that when the girl walked out that morning she had marks all over her neck along with swollen lips.”

Dorcas’ eyes lit up in excitement as she immediately sat upright in her seat. Her gaze at Sekhmet was full of hope. Dorcas had liked Marlene for years, but had never gotten the courage to go up and talk to her.

“Maybe I’ll ask her this year! Morgana knows I’ve been talking about her for years,” Dorcas said, her spirits high and her posture upright as she looked at her friends.

“Oh, Morgana isn’t the only one who knows, considering that I’ve had to listen to your rants about her for what seems like forever!” Evan exclaimed in mock dread, his head throwing itself back for dramatic flair.

“Now don’t act like I didn’t have to listen to you go on about Barty for years before you had the guts to go speak to him,” Regulus told Evan calmly, his expression holding amusement as he looked over to Evan’s dramatics regarding Dorcas. Pandora let out a small giggle, similarly remembering Evan’s long rants regarding Barty.

Barty gasped as he gestured with one hand to Evan while his mouth opened in feigned surprise as the other hand came up to cover his smile. He began to speak in a gasping breath, “You talked about me, darling?”

The group giggled, all their faces filled with happiness that was rare to see unless they were together. The volume in the Great Hall started to dim as students got up to leave for their next class. Sekhmet and Regulus started to clean up and grab their bags while the others started getting their things. Regulus and Sekhmet had Charms as their next class and then Care of Magical Creatures following that. They began to walk out of the hall together side by side in a comfortable silence.

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Sekhmet sat next to Regulus in Charms toward the back of the class, much like they did in Potions. Much to Regulus’ dismay, Sirius and James sat awfully close to them, being only a table away. The people in between the two brothers acting as a divider were Lily Evans and Remus Lupin. Peter Pettigrew sat next to Marlene McKinnon at the table to the left of the two.

“Now class, today will be the first day in a series of days throughout the year where we will be working on the Patronus charm!” Flitwick announced with excitement. Whispering students could be heard throughout the classroom.

“You can summon a patronus by thinking about a happy memory and repeating the incantation Expecto Patronum,” Flitwick cast the spell whilst waving his wand in the proper wand movements. A large burst of blue-tinted light shot forth from his wand and danced around the room. Flitwick opened his mouth to speak again, interrupting the thrilled gasps coming from students.

“You may all spread out and start trying to cast the spell on your own! Do not be afraid if you are not able to cast it at all today! This spell is very difficult, but you have all year to learn!” Flitwick announced, moving desks to the sides of a room with a flick of his wand as students started to stand up.

“What do you think yours will be Prongs?” Sekhmet heard Sirius ask James, who was to her right.

“I haven’t an idea Padfoot,” James replied in a joking manner, “What about you Moony?”

Sekhmet knew that they were both animagi. She had figured it out last year almost as soon as she moved. Between their weird nicknames and the fact that Remus was mysteriously out every full moon, it wasn’t that hard to decipher. Werewolves weren’t as taboo a subject in Egypt. They were not very common but that didn’t make them ostracized. Egyptian wizards tended to view Werewolves as people who had to suffer once a month from the effects of their affliction rather than monsters. The Heka Ai-t Au Khemu, Egypt’s Wizarding governing body, did not have werewolves register themselves as such. There were sanctuaries that they could go to and free anonymous places where جرعة تحول الذئب (jureat tahawul aldhiyib: wolf transformation potion) was provided. Although not an official potion or cure, the Heka Ai-t Au Khemu allowed it to be distributed.

“What do you think yours will be Reg?” Sekhmet said quietly to Regulus who stood on her left, her gaze moving up to briefly glance at him as she asked the question.

“I’m not entirely sure. Maybe my patronus could be a cat of some sort?” Regulus responded wistfully, his tone filled with curiosity. He focused on Sekhmet again asking her, “What about you mea dea?”

“I think mine will be a lion, after my namesake,” Sekhmet replied, a small smile graced her lips as she spoke.

Regulus smiled back at her and they began casting the charm. By the time they were done speaking many of the other students had begun trying to cast their Patronus’, though no one seemed to have much luck. Periodically, small blue wisps lasting no more than two seconds would glide across the air. Sekhmet was having no luck with trying to cast her Patronus. Regulus was much in the same boat. They both did the correct wand movement with practiced ease and grace, saying the incantation clearly with little difficulty. Still, it seemed as though the universe did not want them to see their patronus today.

Flitwick walked steadily to the middle of the room, his posture upright. As he made it to the middle of the large circle of students he cast the sonorous charm and spoke clearly, releasing the class.

Regulus and Sekhmet went to grab their bags, the frustration they were feeling at most being able to cast the spell insurmountable. The two walked in a silence charged with unspoken words. Regulus opened the classroom doors, holding them for Sekhmet as she strolled through the doorway. The two made their way to Care of Magical Creatures.