“Sorry they left you to babysit me”
“you have it other way round, mate” Ronald Weasley was not having a good day. Not only his friends left him to go to Diagon Alley, they could not even come up with a proper excuse.
Sirius Black, of the Azkaban fame, was looking at Ron like he had sprouted another head. After a subtle check(you never know with Fred and George), Ron decided to have mercy on the ex-convict.
“Harry is totally freaked out after the dementors incident, and since I cannot produce a patronus, I have been deemed too delicate for the diagon alley. Where these two get off, I do not know.”
“Ah” Sirius Black, more than anyone, understood the threat of dementors. Ron should probably not be complaining about being stuck to someone on a house arrest, probably not most of the tactful of him. (Hermione had explained the principle to Ron after both she and Harry called Sirius’s predicament a house arrest)
“I can’t produce a patronus either. It was always a difficult spell for me. Impossible now, I’d presume.”
Sirius luckily seemed in a companionable mood. And Ron needed the distraction of good company.
“What was your patronus, if it is not too personal.”
Sirius finally looked at him, and Ron realised what he had asked. Sirius had lost his ability for the spell, and Ron, like an idiot, asked him to describe the loss.
“I don’t mind, lad. People don’t really ask me questions these days, that’s all. It was a stag. It’s only fair I lost it, yeah?” Before Ron could ruin the moment, Sirius continued.
“But I’d rather talk about you. I probably know more about that particular spell than anyone alive. I had such trouble with it. Which was honestly, a novelty for me. So much so that I researched it to the ground. Did you know it was a Black witch in late 1400s who created the spell”
“No way. It is considered the epitome of light magic. And Blacks are, well, Black.”
Sirius had a wicked grin on his face, as if Ron’s disbelief powered him.
“Oh, she was Black, alright. Crazy bird was experimenting on the soul suckers. And made the spell for her protection. Only unlike the modern version of the spell, she called a spirit from the earth. Probably the reason for the animal association.”
Ron could not believe the origin of the spell was so convoluted. While Hogwarts taught the way spells evolved, anything nearing dark magic was censored. And history that was straddling the line removed all together. Ron could not believe he, Ronald Weasley, wanted to know all about a spell.
“That is so wicked, Sirius. Did this help you during your efforts for the spell. Only, I don’t even get a wisp. And Gin already has her horse patronus. And I have been trying for longer. Professor Lupin said maybe my memory is not happy enough. But honestly, it doesn’t get happier than this”
Sirius seems to be making a decision as they talk. “Not even a wisp.” He repeated.
“I am not dumb”
“Whoa. I never said that, mate.”
“Right. Sorry. I know that. I am just frustrated with this spell.”
“I was the best at transfiguration in the entire school. And at wards, like all good Blacks. It is less about power or smarts, and more about compatibility.”
“What do you mean?”
“How would you rate following spells out of five - wingardium Leviosa, riddikulos, and reducto”
“Well, my leviosa is awesome.”
Sirius grinned. “Yes, my godson told me the story of the concussed troll”
“That was fun, not then, mind you. But now. So, I’d say - Leviosa 5, ridikkulos- 3, Reducto 4”
“Yeah. Let’s test it” “Go on, reducto on that ridiculous cup there”
Sirius pointed at a cup on display - it was part of the Black Crockery set.
“Umm, maybe something less valuable?”
“It is non destructible, mate. I just want to get a sense of your magic.”
Ah, in that case, Reducto!” Ron made sure to have a hard cut, both with his wand and magic. Reducto required a certain commanding approach for true impact (naturally, Ginny was a natural)
“Well?”
“Definitely potent. I think we have had the same trouble with the spell. When Jamie and I were learning Patronus, I could not produce anything for the longest time as well. Of course, I knew other ways to deal with the dementors, or so I believed in my youth. I can help, Ron, if you trust me?”
“I trust you. Can we start now?”
“Sure. Let’s start with some background though. Do you know why the old knights of walpurgis hated muggleborns”
“They are racist fucks”
Sirius laughed. “Well, yes, Ron. But that is not the argument they used. The initial thrust was that they will dilute the family magic”
“Family magic is a myth. Leanings and preferences, yes. But no such thing as family magic. For fucks sake, filch is a squib and unable to perform any blood spells. One of the oldest lines. As old as Weasleys”
“Propaganda doesn’t have to be smart or true, Ron. Anyway, that actually failed. Because unlike the author, everyone else in the group had families, I suppose. So there was a second version released. More insidious. More true as well, for a certain definition of true.”
“Okay, Sirius. I’ll bite. What was the second version.”
“You do make a good audience.” There was a shadow of the grim in his smile. “Well, the second attempt stated that the muggleborns all have same leanings in their magic. More towards the light than the dark. And they are going to be taking over the “purebloods”. They are cleaving the magic as we are integrating them into our world. Poppycock, as the headmaster would say. But that was the big argument in the 60s.”
Ron felt a bit unequipped for this discussion. He also did not know what to think about all that Sirius was saying.
“What does that have to do with my Patronus.”
“Sorry. My true passion, if any, has always been history. I used to tell Jamie I’d take over Binns job. He.. anyway, long story short, you have more darker leanings in your magic. It is not a bad thing, it’s like being a ginger, in your case. Just what it is. Your magic is closer to Prewetts and the Blacks than that of Weasleys.”
“I am a dark wizard?”
Sirius rolled his eyes. Which was so him. Honestly, helped Ron breathe.
“Yes”
“Except no. There is no such thing really. There are leanings and preferences. Magic has a flavor, if you will. Yours is just a different flavor from your friends. And some of your family, not all. Mind you! It was a Black who discovered the Patronus, Ron.”
“To experiment on dementors.”
“Yes. Well, Blacks”
Ron could not help but smile.
“Okay, but why were you telling me about the knights and their propoganda. And I don’t care if magic turns light - I am not against muggleborns. Even if it means I don’t have magic.”
Ron made sure to be loud enough to show Sirius he meant that. Even if he had no idea what he would be without magic.
“You are a brave lad, Ron. Knew that when I first met you. No one is loosing their magic, no matter how the propaganda framed things. There is a definition of truth that it fits, and more it doesn’t. Most, if not all muggleborns have lighter leanings. Jamie believed it was natural magic that was lighter and that is what some humans are able to channel. Hence the flavor. However, it does not really do anything to your magic. Bill and you both have darker aspects of your parents’ magic. Fred, as well, I think. Ginny and George don’t. Does Hermione’s magic change anything here? Even if all wizards and witches go half bloods, it won’t really change anything. It will still be a quirk. It skips generations and generations after all.”
“So how is it true?”
“Because as backlash, they stopped acknowledging the true depth of magic. The beauty is in standing together. When dark and light magic meet.”
“That sounds poetic, and also more deliberate than it was. For starters, the depth of dark magic does include all the icky stuff with blood and sinew. Souls and elder gods. All taught at Hogwarts at one point or other over the centuries. After Grindelwald’s rather inconsiderate use of such magics, there was a choice and many at that time made a choice that was safer in those times. A choice I even agree with. But in over two decades, it became taboo to even discuss magical leanings. Once Voldemort became active, even the more innocuous dark spells were taught without sharing the history and logic of it. Wingardium Leviosa, one of the first spells taught, has dark origins. For it is giving wings to those meant to crawl, nature thwarted at the will of a capricious god.”
“Who said that?”
“Jaime Zabini of 18th century, he had mastery in charms. He wanted to understand why a spell that is classified dark is one of the most performed accidental magic, in it’s raw form. I think his conclusion was all children are capricious gods. Which brings us back to Patronus. You will have a bit more trouble with the spell, but there is no reason for you to be unable to perform it. Just a different approach. Think happy thoughts was not the answer for me either. I had to go back to the origins, and I can help you with the same.”
“That’ll be great. If only for my sanity and Harry’s life next time he tries to dictate my actions. But I don’t understand. My mother taught us all of leanings. Even if Hogwarts is adamant to skip those, it doesn’t really have practical implications. What am I missing?”
“Sure there are practical implications, it is why some students have trouble with some spells. It also helps with duelling , career selection and mastery. It also allows teachers and students to be more directed in their approach to teaching. Plus it is knowledge, that should be provided to the next generation without the biases of pure bloods. Your mother taught you, like many witches taught their children, but not all. Never mind those from the muggle world, I can bet at least 30% purebloods do not understand the impact their magical cores have on their magics. It is also why you are having trouble with Patronus and your reducto is more about precision than power.”
“Let’s start tomorrow at 10am. Read up on Patronus.”