Double Drabble Challenge: Patronus

[Hedwig]

Is everyone up for double the challenge this week?

This week your prompt is: Patronus (thanks to Taco for the prompt!)

Remember to write exactly 200 words - no more, no less, keep your drabbles PG-13, spell-check before you post, and ensure that your drabbles take place in the HP Universe, though they may be as AU as you want.

The participation and winning points / galleons will also be doubled for this week.

Good luck and have fun!

[AutumnBreeze]

She could feel tears clinging to her eyelashes and trekking down her face. She sniffled a couple of times, attempting to clear her airways and stem the flow of snot about to drip from her nose. All around her, the oppressively dark dungeon stank of the acrid smell of piss and the metallic scent of blood.

They had taken her wand away from her when they took her from her father. Despite this, she lifted a shaky hand up, going through the motions that Harry had taught her what seemed like ages ago.

“Expecto patronum,” she hiccupped, her heart skipping a hopeful beat in anticipation of her silvery patronus. No such form wisped out – instead, she was stuck gazing around the dank stone room, the darkness overwhelming.

“Expecto patronum,” she said again, her voice raspy. “Expecto patronum. Expecto patronum. EXPECTO PATRONUM.”

Nothing happened. She was stuck with a dark dungeon and no hope. She could hear the soft tap tap tap that signified someone was trotting down the stairs, and her pulse quickened. Someone would be here to hurt her, soon. And she was defenseless, with no patronus to uplift her spirits.

Luna let out a breathy sob and waited.

[Sadira Black]

He felt another choked sob leave the back of his throat as he rocked back and forth while clinging to his knees. He prayed to a God he wasn’t sure he even believed in anymore, or ever did, that death would come to him soon. With all of his heart he felt he deserved it.

He glanced up at the silvery white patronus that danced around the room. He didn’t feel like waving his wand to send it away. Anyways, it was a painful and clear reminder that Lily was dead because of his anger.

Years later, he thought back on that night when he had sat crying for hours after he discovered that Lily Potter had been murdered by the madman he once followed. The patronus that he would cast on occasion had never changed though. It was the same luminous doe that it had been back then.

His patronus was his own personal demon that brought flashbacks of the day she had died. It was a ghost that haunted him. It pained Severus to see it, but it was also his saving grace. It showed him that he did still feel something, even if that something was pain.

[The Taco]

“Expecto Patronum.” She said, thinking of a happy memory. Her memory was that of when she got her Hogwarts acceptance letter. A thin mist came out of her wand. The memory was not good enough.

She thought of first seeing the Hogwarts train. “Expecto Patronum.” She said again. More mist, a little bit thicker this time, came out of her wand.

She thought of when Harry and Ron saved her from the troll in first year. “Expecto Patronum.” The mist gained more thickness, but still stayed a mist.

She thought of when she, Harry, and Ron had gone searching for the Sorcerer’s Stone, and how proud she had been of the boys. “Expecto Patronum.” Again, it was still a mist, but thicker. It seemed with every memory, it gained thickness.

She thought of last year, when Viktor Krum had asked her to the Yule Ball. “Expecto Patronum.” she said. Now the mist was very thick, almost a solid shape.

She thought of the Yule Ball, dancing with Viktor Krum, and her first kiss with him. “Expecto Patronum!” she shouted. This time, a magnificent silver otter burst forth from her wand. She smiled, for she had finally found the right memory.

[Euca]

“Choose your strongest, happiest memory,” Severus said.

“I’m trying,” Draco replied, grumbling.

“You’re not trying hard enough” was Snape’s timely retort.

Draco had no dearth of happy memories, but he still hadn’t found one strong enough to give form to his currently wispy Patronus.

Exhausted, he decided to try the charm one last time. The memory he chose was a recent one; one that he had never considered in all these weeks, when it was most glaringly apparent. It was of the day his father had returned from Azkaban and seen the mark on his arm, then proceeded to do something highly uncharacteristic- he had placed his hand on Draco’s shoulder and whispered “That’s my boy.” There was no greater pleasure Draco had ever experienced than seeing the proud look on his father’s face.

Closing his eyes, he said, “Expecto Patronum”. He waited a heartbeat before opening his eyes and seeing a silver eagle suspended in the sky; seemingly delicate enough to be dispelled by a single breath. He had imagined it would be a dragon; maybe a snake. The eagle seemed fitting though; a reflection of the grace and majesty of the man he admired more than any other.

[Zoriath Mentriad]

The next Dumbledore's Army meeting was set to be tomorrow, and Neville was going to be ready. Harry had instructed them to focus on trying to correctly conjure a Patronus, so Neville sat alone in Gryffindor Tower trying to think of happy thoughts.

At first he thought of how happy he would be if his parents made a full recovery at Saint Mungo's; but that quickly turned to depression before he could even attempt casting the spell as he realized the hopelessness of such dreams. His mind still on his parents, he began brimming with confidence. He was following in their footsteps. He had joined a secret organization just as they had done. He was fighting the good fight.

With new, positive notions in his head, he extended his wand proudly and casted his spell confidently, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!".

The next day, all sorts of Patroni glided around the room. Everyone was curious as to what everyone else's would be. Harry's, of course, was the stag. Hermione had a silver otter. Poor Ron's, unfortunately, was a large, hairy spider.

Then there was Neville. When he proudly cast his Patronus, everyone stared in amazement.

Harry spoke. "Really, Neville? A bowl of fruit?"