Chapter 402: Happy Memories
Chapter 402: Happy Memories
Once the chill of the Dementors had dissipated, Madam Pomfrey immediately got up, preparing to check on the pale-faced students.
However, she had only taken two steps when a hand stopped her.
"Not yet, Poppy," Professor Lupin said gently, shaking his head. "They can endure this level of influence."
Then he looked at the dejected students around him and said half-jokingly, "Don't be discouraged. I didn't expect any of you to succeed on the first try. To be honest, I would be surprised if you had."
"Remember the feeling you had just now," Professor Lupin instructed the class. "Imagine that everything you see is a Dementor, and try again with that in mind."
"For those of you who didn't succeed just now, your emotions might not have been strong enough. Perhaps you need to choose a different memory..."
The students began to practice on their own, thinking about the cold they had felt from the Dementors.
The professors walked among them, offering guidance to those who made mistakes.
Professor Lupin made his way around the room and soon reached a group of Gryffindor students. "How are you feeling, Harry?"
"I'm fine, Professor," Harry replied, his face a bit pale but excited.
This was the first time he had experienced the bone-chilling cold of the Dementors without fainting.
To Harry, there was no better feeling.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A swirling mist of silver-white smoke emerged from his wand and coalesced into a vague shadow in the air.
"Excellent," praised Professor Lupin. "To achieve this level of clarity on your first try puts you ahead of many fourth-year students, Harry."
"So, Professor, when can we face the Dementors again?" Harry asked. "I feel like I'm almost there."
Professor Lupin shook his head. "Not yet. Even if it's not facing the Dementors directly, you shouldn't do it too often. Take it slow. Remember what I said earlier—this is a complex spell, and you're already doing remarkably well."
Harry nodded, a little disappointed, but he couldn't argue with Professor Lupin's advice.
Not far from them, Cedric also wanted Professor Lupin to open the box again.
His patronus had a clear outline—a long neck, wings, and a pointed beak—but it lacked substance.
It was like a clay model, lifeless despite its detailed shape.
Cedric felt he was close, just a step away from success.
If only Professor Lupin had closed the box a second later, it might have worked.
But now...
Disappointed, Cedric waved his wand again, but the shadow remained just that—a shadow, with no sign of transforming.
"Perhaps you should try a different memory," suggested Professor Lupin.
"I noticed that your patronus was starting to take form but then dissipated," said Professor McGonagall as she approached. "Your emotions aren't strong enough."
"Professor McGonagall," Cedric said hastily, "I think I need more pressure. Could you let me face the Dementors again?"
"I don't recommend it," Professor McGonagall advised. "There are many ways to learn the Patronus Charm, and it's not the only path to success."
Thankfully, so far, everything seemed to be under control.
Next to Cedric, Kyle was instructing Connor on the Patronus Charm.
She was a bit behind Cedric, but her progress was remarkable. The once vague and blurry shadow was now taking on a more defined shape.
"How are you doing this?" Cedric asked, astonished.
It had taken him a month to reach this stage, yet it had taken Connor less than two hours.
"I guess my memories are just happy enough," Connor replied with a smile. "This charm is amazing. Every time I cast the spell, the memories provide me with a surge of power."
"Is it that simple?" Fred asked, surprised. "Why didn't we feel the same way?"
"What were you thinking about?" George inquired.
"Lots of things..." Connor replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she reminisced.
"Getting my acceptance letter to Hogwarts... making my first friend... receiving my first candy from him... earning my first Galleon... meeting Professor Snape...
Whenever I need to find happy memories, they appear..."
"That's odd," Fred muttered. "We had similar memories—our acceptance letters, our first Galleons... but why didn't we have the same effect as you?"
"I even thought about the scene when we finally open our joke shop in a few years," George added. "But it made things worse... and that's our lifelong dream!"
"It's about finding genuine happiness in your memories," Kyle explained. "It's not about daydreaming."
"Opening the joke shop truly makes us happy. Sometimes, we even laugh so hard in our dreams that we wake ourselves up," Fred said.
"It's different," Kyle said helplessly. "Imagining delicious food only stimulates your desire, but it will never satisfy your hunger.
It's the same principle with the Patronus Charm. You need to find the memories that give you a sense of true 'fulfillment.'"
"True..."
"Fulfillment?"
Fred sighed disappointedly. "We thought we had found a shortcut..."
"Only to realize it was the wrong path," George said. "No wonder our Patronus Charms have been getting worse..."
Once they understood the correct approach, Fred and George also began to master the charm more effectively.
Although their progress was still not as remarkable as Connor's, it was better than most of the students in the club.
Cedric waited for two hours, but Professor Lupin did not open the box again before the club session ended.
"Let's end it here for today. I think you've all had enough," Professor Lupin said, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Even though you didn't face the Dementors directly, I suggest you all have some chocolate when you get back. It should help you feel better."
"When will we meet again, Professor?" someone asked eagerly.
This was a question on everyone's mind.
"Perhaps in a month," Professor Lupin replied after a moment's thought. "That should give you enough time to digest what you've learned today.
From now until the end of the school year, I'll open the club once a month. I'll inform you of the specific dates in advance."
...
(End of Chapter)
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