Aria quickly moved towards the butterbeer and helped herself to some. "I love the unique butterscotch flavor of butterbeer so much!" Aria commended after taking a big gulp. "Those muggles don't even know what they are missing out on," she said with a wry smile.

Her smile widened slightly when one returned to Magnus's face. "Yes, well. I guess I'm lucky?" She looked a little guilty. "To be honest, I may have a bit of an obsession with dragons -- at least from a distance. And all the fictional ones." Katsumi's cheeks darkened, and she reminded herself that her housemate was also fond of Muggle stories. He'd read Lord of the Rings, hadn't he? So he'd understand.

When he mentioned the thing they'd go up against, all trace of smile fled. The girl's jaw set, and her grey eyes darkened to steely determination. "I...yes, a few more times would be good." Her voice wavered slightly. "No, not right now...maybe later."

He picked up a butterbeer and took a gulp. Using his sleeve as a napkin, he wiped his mouth. Then gave the sleeping Griffin a pat. "Didn't know you'd already done patronus' before. When did you 'ave to use a patronus last year?"

"You did, look a bit like a dragon a bit ago," he said eyes twinkling, "fierce you are. And besides, dragons are freaking cool. I don't care what anyone says, I liked Smuag. I don't think 'e was evil either. Just doin' what dragons do. It ain't 'is fault, you know." He was defending a fictional dragon, yep nerd alert. He saw the fall in her countenance, he was getting better at discerning her moods now that he'd been studying with her. "'Ey, now, no frowning young lady." He waggled his finger at her, with a awful deep voice trying to sound authoritative. "You already got the most amazing dragon, you can't fail Kat." He put his hand on her face to keep her looking at him. "You've done it once so you can do it again. I have faith in you, have some in yourself." He dropped his hand, knowing how uncomfortable she was with touching.

Paul sat back and munched on another sandwich, pretending to be inspecting his shoes.

(( I'mma need to know how they figured out Magnus had magic, at some point. I don't think you've said, just how he got bitten. random thoughts))

"Perhaps not evil, no, but not particularly good either. But my favorites were always the ones from Pern." The idea that she was like a dragon, though, that made Katsumi flush and look away. It was oddly flattering.

Magnus wouldn't accept her hesitating, though, about her ability to produce a solid Patronus. Nor would he let her drop her chin. Her hands curled into white-knuckled fists at her sides to keep them from shaking as she forced herself to meet his golden eyes. "I barely managed the boggart, Magnus," she whispered. "This isn't the same sort of symbolism, but it's very, very close. Hopelessness...helplessness. It's not much of a difference." Katsumi hated how scared her voice sounded to her own ears, though her perception was colored by her fear. Nor did she realize that she'd confided in him without having to make a conscious decision to do so, an uncommon occurrence. Dread ran cold fingers down her spine. Part of the issue, of course, was that for a girl who mastered most things with ease, failure was all the more difficult to handle. She'd yet to learn how to roll with the punches.

Paddy rushed into the dungeon, hoping she wasn't too late. She'd been so caught up in her homework and prefect duties that she hadn't been able to attend any club meetings recently, but she didn't want to miss the Patronus session. She watched as Aria cast a fox patronus and Katsumi's patronus dragon circled the room. Wondering how long it'd take her to master that spell, she was just about to say 'hello' to everyone when Magnus managed to cast a corporeal patronus. She watched it for a while before realising it was a small butterfly. It seemed mildly ironic to her, for a werewolf to cast such a delicate patronus, and it made her more nervous than ever to discover exactly what (if anything) her patronus would be.

( )

((nope lol hadn't said xD but I can lol )) Paul waved at Paddy. "Nice to see you again. Are you ready for patronus'?"

"True," Magnus said, "Never read Pern. But I did read the Dragon Slippers series, which was pretty good."

Then Katsumi was confiding in him and the boy steered her further away from the group. "You listen 'ere, Kat, listen to me." His eyes shinning with intensity. "Do you think 'Arry Potter and 'is friends felt 'opeless at times? Of course they did. Teenage wizards and witches against one of the scariest dark wizards ever known. 'Ow could the doubts not set it? But they rose above it. They kept going, kept findin' ways in which to overcome a seemingly insurmountable task.

Remember what Paul said, because you fear being helpless you'll over come it through sheer determination to make sure it doesn't happen. But I wonder, an' this is just me... what is the worst that can 'appen 'ere in these walls with Paul around? You've got nothing to fear. Outta these walls, well we'll work on one step at a time. You are a dragon, Katsumi Mattrick. A fierce, loyal and a beautiful dragon that can take on anything she sets 'er mind on. Just believe you can fly with those wings and you will."

Paddy noticed Paul and waved back, "I'm ready," she said, "or at least as ready as I'm likely to be." Just as long as my patronus isn't a goldfish or something stupid she thought. "I've absolutely no idea how well I'll get on with this though," she added out loud. She'd tried thinking of her happiest memory for the last few days, but hadn't really found something that seemed happy enough. But she was determined to at least have a go. Focussing her mind on her happy memory, she said "expecto patronum" and willed something to happen. A very small wisp of something smoke-like flew from the tip of her wand, and vanished after a split second. "I don't think I've got the hang of this one yet," she muttered, feeling herself go red with embarrassment.

()

(( disolves into a fuzzy pudde))

She listened quietly to Magnus as he turned earnest, trying to reassure her. It wasn't quite fair to compare the situation to Harry Potter facing the Dark Lord, she thought. He and his comrades had been heroes! But then again, another part of her mind whispered, what was a hero but an ordinary person that surmounted extraordinary circumstances.

The boy was truly inspiring when he wanted to be, Katsumi mused. She wasn't exactly confident, no, but by the time Magnus was finished talking, she felt considerably better. The fierce spark returned to her eyes, and she nodded sharply, lifting her wand and summoning another Patronus, this one better defined.

(( pfft, a goldfish. Though they can get pretty big....))

((lol is that a good fizzy puddle or bad one?))

"Good job, Paddy," Paul said, "just keep at it. Like I've told the others, its a tough spell so don't loose heart."

"See?!" Magnus said with a pat to her shoulder, "its even better than before. Just remember everyone starts from the beginning. Shakespeare still needed to know 'is ABCs."

Paddy watched Katsumi's patronus, and decided that she was better off thinking of a different happy memory.... something that would be a stronger feeling of happiness. Eventually she thought of the first time she met her classmates, and how welcoming they all were. Holding her wand with a tight grip, she tried to keep her mind on that memory. "Expecto Patronum" It seemed to take forever, but it probably only was a second before something emerged from the end of her wand. It wasn't a fully formed patronus, but there was more of a shape to it than before.

Feeling slightly more confident, she watched the others for a few moments before taking another attempt at the spell.

( )

(( good, very good!)).

Katsumi gave her friend an uncertain smile, but she didn't let herself relax. Until she beat the fake dementor, she wasn't done. "That he did," she agreed. "Though I never really thought about it that way." She turned to watch Paddy's attempt. "Keep it up," she encouraged. "You're definitely improving."

"I think I need more practise," Paddy admitted to Katsumi (), before taking a deep breath and trying the spell again. Rather than a specific memory, she thought of her classmates, her prefect badge and her pets.... if that wasn't happy enough, she didn't know what else she could use. Hoping nobody spotted her crossing her toe for luck, she waved her wand and called expecto patronum, almost wanting to close her eyes in case nothing happened. Something emerged from her wand - it was definitely a patronus (albeit a little fuzzy round the edges, like it wasn't completely defined yet) but it wasn't very large. Hoping that it wasn't a goldfish, Paddy watched it run across the floor, and sit on Magnus' () foot. "A mouse?" she said in disbelief as the patronus-wood-mouse disappeared, "I mean it could've been worse, but I was hoping my patronus would be something .... well, a little larger!"

The other girl shifted uncomfortably. Was she the only one happy with the form of her Patronus? Sure, dragons were amazing, but that didn't mean other animals weren't great too. Now she felt terribly self-conscious.

Soft white lights beckoned Fade down the hall. Of course he was late, he was always late. Scolding himself he patted his robes to make sure he hadn’t forgotten his wand, and was pleased to find it in it’s usual pocket. Letting out a sigh he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room appeared cold, but it didn’t feel much different from the hall. Immediately he spotted Paul and the others. ( ) Crossing the room he smiled sheepishly. “Hey, sorry I’m late.” Really he should just wear a sign around his neck saying so.

He missed most of the others casting their spells, but was thrilled to see successfully cast a patronus as the little mouse made of light scampered toward Magnus. “Wow, that’s awesome!” Then remembering Paddy’s initial distaste for rodents, he couldn’t help but giggle softly. It was then that his expression dropped. What would his patronus be? What if it was a slug, or some sort of horrible insect? He shuddered at the thought and suddenly found he had mixed emotions about trying the spell himself.

Paddy waved at Fade as he entered. She spotted him giggling and knew what he was finding amusing - he'd been at her first Care of Magical Creatures session and known that she had an aversion to rats (well, not so much an aversion, but she chases them at the full moon). "At least it wasn't a rat, I guess," she said, "you going to give it a go?"

( )

Kat was pleased to see Fade turn up, although he was late yet again. He really needed a watch or something, she though, giving him a wave. "Glad you made it," she sad aloud. "Do you know the wand movements for the Patronus charm?"

Paddy's success was faster than Magnus' but he wasn't put-out like he thought he might've been. Maybe Paul's time-out threat was still firmly in his head? It was slightly chaotic for the boy to keep up. He wasn't sure who to focus on first. Finally he went in order of the closest first. "Its easy to forget that great people are just people." Okay Magnus, that sounded lame in comparison to calling her a dragon earlier. You twit.

Shaking from his thoughts, he congratulated Paddy. Was the mouse a little unexpected? Maybe but surely not after his own. "At least its not a spider, right?" he remembered she didn't like spiders. Then he greeted Fade. "You came! 'Bout time. Can't wait to see yours, bet its a Unicorn."

"Well done Paddy," the older wizard said. "Its not the size of the patronus, its the power put into it." Paul smiled as the other boy arrived. "No problem, I'm not a professor so I won't be able to give you a detention any way." He laughed clearly joking. "Shall I give you a run down?" He proceeded to do so without even waiting for the answer. "Think of your happiest memory. The more you remember the better. Concentrate on the feeling as well. Then give your wand a circular motion and the incantation 'expecto patronum.' Magnus, be a good boy and show him yours."

Paul was deliberately wanting him to practise again, he knew it. Still the boy nodded and said the incantation. His tiny little butterfly shot out of his wand and fluttered over to Fade. He gave a half smile at the little patronus. Thoughts of what Katsumi had said still warmed him, even if he was a little nervous of what his best friend would say about the dainty insect.

Fade smirked at . “Yeah, good thing.” But he became fidgety at the suggestion of trying it himself. “Er..” Nodding toward Katsumi () he pulled out his wand. “Think so, but if you wana refresh me…” He trailed off and turned sort of pink when Magnus teased that his would be a unicorn. Thankfully Paul was already demonstrating the movements. Watching carefully he practiced slowly and began pondering what his happy moment should be.

Eagerly he leaned forward when Magnus () agreed to cast the charm. As the small light fluttered to life, Fade’s mouth dropped open. “Wow, I can’t believe how good you are at this already!” Carefully he reached out a finger towards the butterfly but retracted it at the last second not knowing if it was actually OK to touch them. In a lot of ways a butterfly made sense, but by the look on Magnus’s face, he wasn’t as thrilled about it as his friend was. Scrunching his forehead, Fade squinted at Magnus. “Don’t think I’m guna let you upstage me.”

A number of memories sprang into mind. The first time he saw Hogwarts castle over the lake at night? It felt like a dream coming true. He had been filled with anticipation, nervousness, and a fear of not being accepted… No that wasn’t the one to pick. Maybe the first time he was able to consciously change his hair color? It wasn’t happiness so much, more like a wave of relief. No more having to dye his hair when he went home to visit with his Dad’s half of the family…

In the end he settled on the memory and feeling of when his mother agreed to let him spend time with both Magnus’s and ’s families over the summer holiday. It was more than one thing, it was the fact that he had friends to spend time with, and how comfortable their families made him feel, and the fact that his mother was also opening her mind to the possibility of having relationships with magical people again.

Holding that thought in his mind he took a deep breath and on the exhale cast the charm. “Expecto patronum!” A bright light light up the end of his wand, but nothing more happened and it dissipated just as quickly. “Hmm…” Closing his eyes he tried to hold onto the feeling of the memory, and cast it again. “Expecto patronum!” Again a light, a few sparks, and then nothing. Frustrated he frowned. Honestly he had been holding back, but clearly his patronus could tell. “Alright, fine.” He closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and let himself be washed away in the happiest memory he had. The first time he touched a real live unicorn.

“Expecto patronum.” He hadn’t shouted this time, simply stated, and a light bounced from the end of his wand. Just a few leaps before disappearing, a glowing white rabbit. Fade wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or confused and so he felt both. His face no doubt giving it away.

Magnus blushed at the compliment. "Thanks," he said. "It is pretty... just er, different." But judging by his friends face he certainly didn't think it was too bad. Magnus' shoulders fell back as he relaxed visibly. "Of course not," he said sticking his tongue out, "your butterfly will be a smidge bigger then eh?" It was good to have another boy around sometimes.

He watched with baited breath as Fade worked his way to finally producing the patronus... his face as confused as Fade's was. A rabbit? Surely he thought it was going to be a unicorn.

Paul congratulated the boy, "Well done Fade! Rabbits have always been associated with luck." Paul crossed over towards Fade and dropped his voice considerably so only he could hear. "A rabbit is fairly rare. Means purity. You don't let bitter thoughts and such get you down."

Fade lifted a brow at Paul () and tried to sound grateful for the compliment. “Uh thanks… I think.” He bit his lip and look at Magnus sort of sideways. “Um, sorry but.” Looking up at Paul again he asked. “I have read about people's patronus changing… Is that just a with time sort of thing, or..?” He scratched his head and had half a mind to try and summon his again. Maybe he had chosen the wrong memory after all. “Purity huh?” He didn’t feel all that pure, but maybe he was defining it wrong. Shrugging he glanced at Katsumi () and Aria. () “What were your guys’s? Or have you not called them yet?” At this point he was very curious.