Chapter 9: A Meeting, and the Summer’s End. Part 2

Andromeda distanced herself and gave him a watery chuckle. "You were such a cheekily little brat back then."

"You wound me, Andy!" Sirius exclaimed as he clutched his heart. "Here I thought I was the perfect little angel."

Andromeda flicked his nose and stood up. Sirius chuckled, but just then his mood turned somber. "How's Harry dealing with all this?"

"Surprisingly well. That lad is made of sterner stuff than most," Andromeda responded. "He is a brilliant young man and has the best of both James and Lily."

Sirius sighed, "I don't know how to approach him."

"Then don't. Let him approach you first. There is no harm in waiting for him first. I am sure he is dying to talk to you," Andromeda replied kindly and she patted his cheek before she walked out of the room.

As soon as she walked out of the room, she found Dobby sitting outside with a letter in hand.

"Mrs. Andromeda, Dobby has mail for you," Dobby squeaked as he held the envelope in front of her. "It is from Ms. Hermione, Master Harry's best friend."

"Thank you, Dobby. Though I wonder why she would reach out to me?" Andromeda wondered out loud.

"She wants to organize a birthday party for Master Harry," Dobby answered with a sharp bob of his head. He popped away a second later.

Andromeda opened the envelope and she read the letter.

Dear Mrs. Tonks,

I would like to introduce myself. I am Hermione Granger, a muggle-born Gryffindor student who will be a third-year this coming September. I am thinking of hosting a birthday party for both Harry and Neville Longbottom, another friend of ours. Their birthdays are just a day apart.

I was wondering if you would be able to attend the party. Harry doesn't really have many people he can call family, but he adores your family. He talks about the three of you all the time, and I think it would mean a lot for him if you were able to attend.

Please let me know if you can attend through Dobby.

Best wishes,

Hermione Jean Granger.

I can hardly say no to that, I s'ppose. Andromeda mused, but then she took another look at the letter and felt conflicted. Longbottom, oh dear. That's Frank's and Alice's boy. He would not take it well if I attended the party.

Just then her husband entered the house. She held the letter up for him. Ted handed the letter back with a conflicted expression on his face. He pulled her into a comforting embrace and kissed her forehead.

"Andy you're not her. You didn't do anything to them, but I respect whatever your decision is."

Andromeda looked up at her husband, stood on her toes, and kissed him.

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Luna, Hermione, and Neville meditated in a corner of his tent. Ever since Luna returned, they have resumed their mind magic sessions. According to the Hat, they are between one to two weeks away from the next step in their practice of occlumency. Harry was glad that they would have a modicum of defense against some weak forms of legilimency.

Soon, the three of them woke up from their respective trances. The Hat bobbed the tip of his hat. "Excellent work Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Granger, and Ms. Lovegood. I must take my leave for today. But I am happy to say the three of you are taking to your practice swimmingly well."

The three mentioned students had big smiles in response to The Hat's praise. "Well then, Dobby if you will please"

"Certainly, Mr. Hat," Dobby stated and the two of them disappeared with a pop.

Harry motioned to the other three and they gathered over to Harry. "As you have heard Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban."

"You mean Stubby Boardman? I thought he took a long hiatus. He was supposed to be performing in Bulgaria 12 years ago," Luna remarked airily.

"Stubby Boardman?" Neville inquired with a look of pure confusion.

"Stubby Boardman. The Quibbler did a piece on him three years ago. Daddy wrote it. The Life and Times of The Board Man," Luna ever so helpfully added.

The other three looked at her with genuine confusion. Luna just returned their looks dreamily. Harry vigorously shook his head.

"Uh, okay. Getting back on topic, he was supposedly sent to prison for the murder of thirteen muggles and a wizard. He was also the one who allegedly betrayed my parents to Voldemort."

Hermione gasped loudly and the other two nodded grimly. Harry ignored all their reactions and continued, "But you see, there is a slight problem. Sirius black never received a trial for his crimes."

Hermione scrunched her eyebrows together. "How could they send him to prison if they never gave him a trial."

"Criminal prosecution during the last war was done behind closed doors. That allowed a lot of backroom deals to happen, especially with the rich Death Eaters. For Black to be sent to prison without a trial, there must be a significant reason," Luna deduced, her expression became slightly serious.

The other three looked once again Luna with stupefaction. Neville broke out of his stupor first. Neville said slowly, "That makes perfect sense."

"Why thank you, Neville," Luna returned with her usual tone.

"Now the issue here is that Hogwarts might soon be flooded with dementors," Harry stated, and he let his words hang in the air.

Neville frowned, "You don't think that would actually happen, do you?"

Hermione was the one to respond this time. "Au contraire, I fully expect something like this would happen. After all, we had a Defense Professor who was possessed by Voldemort in our first year. In the second year, we had a thousand-year-old basilisk set on muggle-born students. And this time we know what we are up against."

Harry grinned, "Better not jinx it for something much more awful might happen."

Hermione thinned her lips in response but nodded her head anyway in agreement.

"So, we up against dementors? I do believe dirigible plums might work. They help with opening your mind to the extraordinary. Maybe the dementors will explode once they eat one?" Luna pondered out loud.

Hermione looks like she is counting to ten. Harry looked at Luna in amusement, who was lost in her world. "Uh, maybe not something we want to do. But we can learn of a way to protect ourselves."

Harry pulled out his Advanced Charms book and turned to the section on the Patronus Charm. "We can use this spell to protect ourselves."

Luna and Hermione frowned when they read the description of the spell. Luna spoke with a hint of doubt, "Harry, this is an advanced spell. Daddy always said that only really impressive witches or wizards can cast a corporeal Patronus."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You lot think you are not? That's a bunch of nonsense."

"But that does not take away from what Luna said. Even seventh years would be barely able to produce a shield, according to the book," Hermione argued back.

"I think we should try this spell. I mean I handled grown mandrakes when no one under the seventh year should be. I think we can manage a spell," Neville countered.

"Goodman Neville! Right then, any other doubts?" Harry cheerfully announced.

Neville shook his head right away. Luna and Hermione were slightly hesitant before they agreed. They took turns reading through the description of the spell.

Harry was stuck in a bit of a dilemma. If he cast the spell right now, he would surely create a corporeal Patronus. He did not plan a proper response other than maybe to claim that he practiced this spell over the last month. No way they would buy that. Maybe I could just think of a memory rather than experiencing it? Will that do the trick? I always used the memory of some sort.

They spread out throughout the room in a rectangular formation. The other three seemed very nervous about even attempting to cast the spell.

"Expecto Patronum."

Out of Harry's wand, a formless shield erupted and blinded the room with its radiant glow. Harry held the spell for a bit and slowly let it fade away. As soon as he stopped the spell, the other three broke into applause.

Hermione bounced around in excitement. "That was brilliant Harry! How did you do it? Was it very taxing as the book said? Are you okay?"

Luna piped in dreamily, "Did you feel the wrackspurts disappear? I know mine did."

Harry chuckled. Turns out the spell is associated with the emotion attached to it rather than the memory. The memory is a medium to invoke the positive feelings necessary to cast the spell.

He scratched his chin and pretended to think about how he cast the spell. He explained, "I think you need to focus on the feelings and emotions associated with the memory than just focusing on the details of the memory."

Hermione frowned, "That doesn't seem right. The book said to focus on your memory really well."

Neville and Luna shrugged uncertainly. Harry stood in silence. Hermione mulled over Harry's attempt carefully. She tapped her chin with the end of her wand. "It is possible that the real catalyst behind the Patronus charm is associated with the emotional component."

Harry nodded in agreement. "It could be. When you think about it, the Patronus Charm is a guardian composed of positive feelings. Shouldn't the focus of the spell be centered around the emotion?"

Neville wore a puzzled expression. "Then why would the book suggest using a memory?"

"Most people cannot unearth a pure positive emotion without an association with memory. For example, would it be easier for you to feel happy if I tell you to feel happy or when you have to remember a really happy memory?" Luna reasoned while she twirled her wand around.

Hermione nodded, "That makes sense."

Harry grinned, "Now then, you lot have to still cast the spell. Chop chop and get to it. I reckon at least one of you should be able to do something."

Everyone rolled their eyes at him.