Lucifer was the best thing that had happened to her in years.
The world was starting to feel like a hopeful place again. Maybe she wouldn't be sad forever.
Maybe he was right: maybe her father's death shouldn't rest on her shoulders.
Maybe she could forgive herself the way Lucifer had forgiven her.
He hadn't berated her wordy blunder or even told her to be more careful in the future.
It seemed as though she was more upset by what she'd yelled in her anger than he was.
It must have hurt him terribly, but he was still at her door, ready to give her what she needed.
Lucifer was always giving her so much, and she had given him nothing but some childish presents, hugs and tugs.
He deserved so much more.
Maybe she could request her Mum to allow her in spending over the last two holiday weeks or so with him.
It looked as though the holidays weren't usually too happy for him.
Hermione softly kissed his chest so she wouldn't wake him. "Goodnight, Lucifer."
xxxxxx
At Eight o'clock Thursday evening, Harry left Gryffindor Tower, Lucifer in tow after telling him that he was heading over to the History of Magic classroom.
He followed him, but he kept the conversation with Harry to a minimum.
It was dark and empty when they arrived, but they both lit the lamps with their wands and only had to wait about five minutes for Lupin to show up.
He was carrying a large suitcase, larger than the one he owned, "What's that?" Harry asked him.
"Another Boggart. After the other one was... destroyed after showing its true form..." he glanced at Lucifer, who only stared past him,"I've been combing the Castle ever since Tuesday and was fortunate enough to find this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, Harry, so it's probably best if we let you always be in front of the Boggart."
"This will allow us to practice without failure, and when we aren't using him, I have a cupboard underneath my desk that I think he will like," Lupin explained to them.
It was Lucifer who raised his hand, "Yes?"
"Professor... I don't know for sure... but I have a feeling my Boggart might have changed," he said, while feeling a bit strange.
"What makes you so sure?" Lupin asked him curiously.
"Well, I'm not afraid of being correct. So, it later changed to my girlfriend being endangered. At the Quidditch Match when Potter lost his Nimbus, the way the Dementor's made me feel... I felt rage and fear of how they do have a significant impact on Hermione's mental health... I think my Boggart might also be a Dementor now..." he trailed off.
"Well, there is only one way to find out. Harry, we will let Lucifer go first, just to see what his Boggart has become real quick," Harry agreed to it.
"Now, assuming that it is a Dementor, I will tell you how to deal with it, and if not, well you already know what to do," Lupin chuckled a bit, drawing his wand, prompting them to do the same.
"So the spell I'm going to teach you both is incredibly advanced magic; well above Ordinary Wizarding Level. It's called the Patronus Charm."
"How does it work?" Harry asked nervously.
"Well, when it works correctly, it conjures up a Patronus," Lupin said, "which acts as a kind of Anti-Dementor guardian, acting as a shield between you and the Dementor."
"So that's what Dumbledore used back during the Quidditch Match to drive them off... he used a Patronus Charm," Lucifer said, remembering what just happened.
"Did he now? That sounds like the Headmaster," Lupin smiled, "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very thing the Dementors feed upon - hope, happiness, the desire to survive - but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you both, this Charm might be too advanced for either of you, even if you do have the blood of Merlin!"
Lupin smirked at the boy who destroyed his boggart, "but many qualified Witches and Wizards have failed to produce one."
"What does a Patronus look like?" Harry asked.
"Well, there are Corporeal, and Incorporeal, not everyone will be able to conjure up a Corporeal Patronus. Some choose to cast an Incorporeal Patronus if they are under cover. Lucifer, did Dumbledore's take the shape of an animal?" He asked.
"No, it was just a silvery mist," Lucifer replied, shrugging.
"Curious. I know the Headmaster can cast a Corporeal one, he must've chosen not to for a reason... anyway, some Witches and Wizards will have the same Patronus if it's Corporeal, and there are meanings behind it, but that isn't relevant right now. What is relevant is whether either of you will even manage to conjure one at all," Lupin explained.
"So how do you conjure one up, Professor?" Harry asked him.
"With an incantation that goes like this," he cleared his throat, "Expecto Patronum. And you need a strong, happy memory to make it work."
Lucifer heard Harry repeat it under his breath a couple of times. 'Expecto Patronum, huh? What memory can I use?'
He asked himself, he then thought back to the first time he met Hermione, he was quite happy then.
"Ready to see what your Boggart is, Lucifer?" Lupin asked and he nodded.
He walked over to the suitcase and opened it up. The Boggart emerged as a Dementor, like he expected.
Lucifer raised his wand and said, "Expecto! Patronum!" Nothing happened.
"Expecto P-Patronum..." he started to back up, using more force this time.
He could see in his mind the memory he was trying to focus on, but it was being pushed back.
He reached out to grab it, forcing his way through all the negative memories.
The moment he was reinforced with the Happy Memory he opened his eyes, which was red, but not glowing.
"EXPECTO! PATRONUM!" Lucifer yelled and a Silvery Mist came forth from his wand, halting the Dementor in its tracks, and forcing it back some.
Professor Lupin, knowing it wouldn't go back in the trunk as is, jumped in between them, which caused it to change to the Moon like it did last time.
"Riddikulus!" He yelled, and the Boggart flew back into the trunk from being a Balloon.
He turned around to congratulate Lucifer, but the last thing he saw was Professor running towards him, yelling his name.
He awoke some time later to see an unconscious Harry off to his right.
Lucifer jerked upright and felt his vision in his eyes go blurry.
Professor Lupin was by his side in a moment, "Lucifer, are you alright?" He handed him a piece of Chocolate.
"Yeah... that... that took a lot more out of me... than I expected..." Lucifer said, taking a bite from the chocolate and feeling immediately better.
'It's like....spell itself is trying to resist, don't know but....maybe it's just not meant to be cast by someone like me....'
But, now he remembered the Moon being what Lupin was afraid of.
Lucifer easily connected the dots back to the lesson of Snape having them do the Werewolf assignment.
"That was superb. I didn't really expect you to get it on your first try, but you managed it on your third attempt saying the incantation, that is most impressive and a sign of your ability as a Wizard," Lupin smiled at him.
"Thank you, Professor... Can I ask you something?" Lucifer asked, hoping Harry didn't wake up while he was discussing it with Lupin.
"Of course, ask me whatever you want."
"Okay... you're a Werewolf, aren't you?"
When Lucifer asked him that, Lupin paled considerably, "How did you know?"
"The Moon being your Boggart. I didn't see it when you interfered during the first lesson. The moment Harry's became that Dementor, my mind was flooded with yells of Hermione, so I missed it then... but when Snape gave us the Werewolf assignment in your absence... it was too specific of a choice to be coincidental. Plus, the Goblet Snape makes for you... it didn't really help connect the dots, but it makes sense,"
Lucifer now stood up, he gazed directly into his eyes to look for any kind of flickering.
"It's a Potion to help control the effects of Lycanthropy, isn't it?"
"Lucifer, you are an incredibly intelligent Wizard with strong deductive reasoning. Everything you said is true," Lupin didn't even try to deny it.
"Explains why you've been 'ill' around the Full Moon as well."
"Indeed. So you don't hate me for it?" Lupin asked him.
"Of course not. You're easily the best Defense Professor I've had, but Quirrell and Lockhart both were useless... the bar has been set pretty damn high, though, because of you," Lucifer smiled at him just as Harry began to awaken. "How many times has he fallen out of it?"
"Twice so far. Now that you're up, I think it's best you have another go. I think the problem was, and don't misinterpret my wording, but I believe you were exhausted because of the lack of magical power you put into it. I believe you underestimated the spell, and therefore it, for lack of professional wording, showed you who's boss," Lupin couldn't hold back his chuckle.
"Great..." he sighed sarcastically, "Well, another go then," he faced the case with the Boggart in it and his wand was firmly grasped in his hand.
Harry was still sitting on the ground as Lucifer thought of a new memory; one that he knew he was at probably his happiest moment to date.
The Boggart-Dementor came out and he raised his wand, "Expecto! Patronum! "
He yelled and the Silvery Mist came out in full force, forcing the Dementor to submit and the Boggart itself fled back into the trunk, regardless of Riddikulus not being uttered once.
"Most impressive, Lucifer!" Lupin yelled as he forced closed the trunk.
He sat on it and looked at the young progeny, "If I may ask, what memory did you think of?"
"..." He was silent for a moment.
"When Hermione... last year she was petrified by a Basilisk... and just before the year ended, she and every other victim were cured of it... I'd never been so happy in my entire life to know that she was still with me," Lucifer said, a salty liquid flowing from his eyes, then draped over his cheeks.
"Yes... I can see how that would be a strong, happy memory for you. You've proven you can cast the Patronus Charm, there is no doubt about that. Harry, another go? Perhaps a different memory?" Lupin turned his attention to Harry, who looked ready for another attempt.
It was another two attempts before Harry actually managed to repel the Dementor.
Lupin was congratulating them both on their accomplishments tonight, "You both are remarkable Wizards, it makes sense that you both have the highest grades in my class, Lucifer having the absolute highest. Of course, your friend Hermione excels in the class as far as written assignments go. She is incredibly intelligent as well, and probably the most book smart of the four of you," Lupin noticed a thick tension, but did his best to ignore it.
"Well," he cleared his throat, "same time next week, just to be sure you both still have it to cast the Patronus. Have a good night," Lupin dismissed them.
They both walked back in silence to Gryffindor Tower.
Lucifer was still peeved at Harry, even though he was more justified in his frustration with her than Ron.
When they got back, the Common Room was still buzzing with people, Hermione was off into a corner, working all of the homework she and Lucifer were assigned.
He looked at Harry, who averted his gaze and went to see Ron.
He himself went over to his girlfriend, "Made much progress?"
She looked up and he noticed she was looking drained.
"Yes, I think..." She looked through her homework, but didn't say anything when she finished and went back to work.
Lucifer went and got his bag from the Dormitory and came back to work with her for a few hours until bed.
"How did it go?" She asked without looking up.
"Not the greatest at first, but I pushed through it and came out successful," he smiled at her, which she missed.
He frowned, realizing how much the work was taking out of her.
He himself wasn't finding it to be that draining, but they still haven't gotten to the heaviest workload of the year, yet.
He was worried about her and her mental health.
With his help, Hermione was able to get done sooner than she predicted she would.
She thanked him lips tremendously, embraced him for a moment, and went up to her dorm room.
His heart felt heavy for a moment; Lucifer remembered the memory he used to conjure the Patronus the second time.
He was the happiest he'd been in years, but the only reason for that was the Basilisk petrifying her to begin with.
Lucifer ended up losing a couple hours of sleep that night.
xxxxxx
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