Chapter 400: Firebolt
At Hogwarts, the worst day of the year was usually the first day of term. Apart from a few rare exceptions, nobody was ever in a good mood. Not only did it mean the holidays were over, but it also meant staying up all night to finish holiday homework. The common rooms across all houses were usually lit up all night with frantic students.
But this year was different.
On the first day of term, a notice posted outside the Great Hall made everyone momentarily forget about the post-holiday gloom. Professor Lupin's long-awaited Patronus Charm Club was finally set to begin, scheduled for the following evening at 8:00 p.m. in the Great Hall, just like last year.
"I can't wait..."
"I wish it were tonight..."
The students buzzed with excitement as they discussed the news. Even though Dementors were no longer a common sight on campus, the memory of the last incident at the Quidditch Pitch—when a Dementor appeared and was chased off by a Patronus—remained fresh in everyone's minds. They all remembered the radiant, silver Patronus, which seemed almost magical.
"Oh, is it really happening?" Cedric said, clearly thrilled. His Patronus Charm had reached the final step, but he'd been struggling to transform the silvery light into a full, corporeal Patronus.
"Are you going, Kyle?" Kanna asked. "Or would you rather stay in the common room?"
"Let's all go together," Kyle replied. "Think of it as advanced study. Besides, there won't be many people left in the common room tomorrow—it's no fun going back alone."
Large events like this were a rare treat at Hogwarts, and none of them intended to miss out.
Just then, Ron's voice piped up beside them. "Harry, look! Professor Lupin's finally going to teach us the spell to fight off Dementors!"