The Patronus Charm

"Professor Flitwick, please wait! There's something I'd like to ask you."

After Charms Class, Flitwick heard someone call his name. He looked down from the raised platform and spotted Jerry. "Do you have a question, Mr. Green?"

"Professor, I recently read about a Dark Magical Creature called a Dementor in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The book said only the Patronus Charm could drive it away, but I haven't found the spell in the library, so I wanted to ask you about it."

"Ah, the Patronus Charm. That's a very advanced spell. It's perfectly normal that you haven't come across it in your first year. Come to my office after you've eaten. It's on the Seventh Floor of the West Tower, and we can sit down and talk."

Jerry was delighted. He quickly thanked Professor Flitwick. He liked professors who were willing to give students extra help.

"Excellent students always get a little special treatment, Mr. Green. I'll be waiting in my office." With that, Flitwick left the classroom.

Jerry didn't linger either. He jogged to the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and sat down beside Hermione.

Seeing Jerry wolf down his food the moment he sat down, Hermione asked curiously, "Jerry, I saw you go to Professor Flitwick right after class. Did something happen?"

Three days had passed since Potions Class. Neither of them had brought up what happened there, and things between Jerry and Hermione seemed to have returned to normal. Neither had noticed the subtle change in their relationship.

"Nothing happened. I just asked Professor Flitwick about the Patronus Charm," Jerry replied between bites.

"The spell that drives away Dementors?" Hermione asked.

Jerry gave her a thumbs-up. Now that was a top student! I mentioned the spell, and she knew what it was for. Unlike Harry and the other two across from us, who were staring blankly at us without a clue what we were talking about.

"That's wonderful! Jerry, can you cast it? Could you teach me?"

"Ahem. I'm going to Professor Flitwick's office in a moment. Let me learn it first. If I can, I'll definitely teach you."

Seeing how fast Jerry was eating, Hermione couldn't help patting him on the back. She handed him a fresh glass of Pumpkin Juice and said with concern, "Slow down, Jerry. Don't choke."

After drinking the Pumpkin Juice, Jerry said goodbye to Hermione. "I'd better go. See you at Flying Class this afternoon. Oh, and if Tom asks you for food, just give him some water. Don't give him anything else. I'm helping him lose weight."

Hermione nodded in agreement.

Knock, knock, knock!

Professor Flitwick's office, on the Seventh Floor of the West Tower.

"Come in!"

"Professor Flitwick, I'm here!"

"Have a seat, Mr. Green. Would you like some juice?"

Jerry shook his head. "No, thank you, Professor. I just had a big glass of Pumpkin Juice."

"All right. You want to learn the Patronus Charm, Mr. Green? It's a very advanced spell. I'll need to test you first and see whether you're ready to learn it."

Professor Flitwick waved his wand, and a practice Dummy appeared in his office.

"Don't be shy, Mr. Green. Show me the spells you know. I want to see how well you've mastered them."

Jerry nodded, raised his wand toward the Dummy, and cast the spells he knew one by one, following the list in his system.

"Lumos!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

"Accio!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Reducto!"

"Incendio!"

"Scourgify!"

More than half an hour later, Jerry finished demonstrating every spell he knew and turned to Professor Flitwick.

Flitwick stared at Jerry in shock. Good grief, this young man!

"Mr. Green, did you grow up in a wizarding family? When did you start learning magic?"

"No, Professor Flitwick. I grew up in an orphanage. I taught myself most of these spells over the summer when I was bored."

Flitwick wiped the fine sweat from his brow and patted his chest. Relief showed in his eyes. Thank goodness he asked me about the Patronus Charm and not some strange Dark Magic.

"Mr. Green, you're not only extraordinarily gifted, but also eager to learn. Nearly every time I visit the library, I see you buried in your books. Truly, the Sorting Hat's decision was a shame. It should have placed you in Ravenclaw, not Slytherin."

Jerry nodded, agreeing with Flitwick.

"Well, Mr. Green, you've passed my test. If you want to learn the Patronus Charm, I can teach you."

"The Patronus Charm is a very powerful spell. It can protect you and others from harm. First, you need to relax your body and mind. When your mind is at ease, you can think more clearly."

"Then, try your hardest to recall something happy, or something filled with love and hope. Next, use the incantation to summon your Patronus. Remember the words: Expecto Patronum."

"Come on, Mr. Green. Try it just as I described."

"Hoo..." Jerry took a deep breath, straightened his back, and gripped his wand tightly. He fixed his gaze on the illusion of a Dementor that Flitwick had conjured before him and called out the incantation: "Expecto Patronum!"

Jerry felt his heartbeat fall into rhythm with his wand. He swept the wand through the air in a semicircle, as though tracing an invisible shield around himself and everything nearby.

Bright light flashed at the tip of his wand, forming a shimmering ring. It soared upward and became a magnificent Raven. Noble and imposing, it looked like a mythical beast from an ancient legend. Under its brilliant light, the Dementor dissolved into a wisp of smoke and vanished into the air.

"I did it!" Jerry exclaimed, gazing at the Raven before him. Its body was gray and translucent, but its eyes gleamed like red gemstones. It was as mysterious and striking as a ghost drifting through the mist.

Flitwick applauded happily. "Mr. Green, I know I've praised you many times before, but I must say it again: your talent is truly extraordinary."

"In all my years, I've never seen anyone succeed on their first attempt at the Patronus Charm and summon a Patronus. You may now be the youngest wizard capable of casting it."