The sun had already disappeared behind the towers of Hogwarts, leaving behind a violet, misty sky that looked like it had been painted in watercolor by a distracted giant.
Kronk wandered across the castle grounds, a blanket draped around his shoulders and a magical lantern in hand. His original intention had simply been to enjoy some peace after Herbology lessons.
It didn't take long before he heard a low murmur not far away—a nervous yet determined tone.
Peeking over a bush, his jaw nearly hit the ground: Harry Potter was standing before a group of dummy Dementors, practicing the Patronus Charm. His wand glowed with a bright white light, every movement filled with focus and discipline.
"Harry's studying on his own without anyone telling him to and without an exam tomorrow?"
Kronk pinched his own cheek. "Nope, not a dream. Weird."
He paid close attention, trying to find a logical explanation.
Maybe Harry was being controlled by someone?
"Remember, Harry," the boy with the scar was saying in a low but steady voice, "a Patronus isn't just magic. It's a happy memory, pure emotion… your happiness concentrated. Now, let's try again!"
Kronk watched with growing interest at Harry's secret training.
"Wow! That looks important… and fun… and dangerous… and it could earn me extra points if nobody finds out!"
Without thinking too much, he pulled out the little notebook he always carried and began observing, trying to memorize Harry's every move. What he didn't realize was that his size, his shadow, and his breathing made him completely visible to anyone—except to someone lost in their own world. But Kronk was far too focused on copying the technique.
After several attempts, Kronk gathered his courage and positivity. Whispering the incantation he had heard from Harry, he raised his wand to the night sky.
At first, a faint spark appeared—barely a flicker of light… and then something changed.
Kronk's Patronus was not anything like a sleek silver stag.
His Patronus was a gigantic creature with the head of a rabbit, the body of a bear, muscular arms, and a friendly smile, glowing so brightly it sent three nearby Dementors flying toward the Black Lake as if they were scoops of ice cream hurled by a catapult.
"EEEHHHHH!" shouted Kronk as he watched the Dementor field shrink abruptly. "I think it worked a little too well!"
The Patronus kept expanding, and Kronk couldn't control it!
One after another, the Dementors were flung away in spirals of white light that illuminated the entire nearby forest. The trees shook, the Black Lake reflected blinding flashes, and a passing owl screeched as though it had just witnessed a miracle.
Or perhaps it was just wondering what on earth a rabbit and a bear had done to create such a creature.
Terrified by his own power, Kronk dropped to his knees behind a bush. The giant Patronus continued floating, releasing bursts of light, while Kronk muttered to himself:
"Don't look at me, don't look at me, don't look at me!"
Meanwhile, Harry, watching from the distance, looked at the spectacle and then at his wand, utterly baffled.
"That… that wasn't my Patronus… Who did it?"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Kronk began crawling away through the bushes, hiding behind roots and rocks, trying to look like a random bystander crawling on the ground. He covered his face with his hands while the Patronus finally faded, leaving behind a field of confused Dementors hobbling visibly away in the air—despite not having legs.
"Whew! That was close. Way too close. Nobody can know it was me. Nobody." He glanced at his reflection in a puddle—hopefully just water. "Not even me."
His heart pounded like a war drum.
"Well…" Kronk said, adjusting his blanket. "That was… way too much magic for one night-body. Time for something safer… like a warm bed."
As he returned to the castle, hidden among the shadows, he swore it would be his most guarded secret. At least until he told someone, or decided another secret deserved the spot.
Nobody, not even Harry, could suspect that the most colossal, bizarre, and effective Patronus of the year had come from Kronk's hands.
The next day, Hogwarts was in a strange state of controlled excitement. The rumors of the giant Patronus spread through the corridors, changing with every telling:
"Did you see the Patronus?" whispered a Ravenclaw student, eyes wide. "It was huge! It looked like a bear with a rabbit's head!"
"And it blasted three Dementors at once!" added another, mouth open and hands trembling.
Kronk, trying to keep a low profile while eating breakfast in the Great Hall, listened to it all and swallowed hard. He bent discreetly over his bowl of porridge, whispering to his inner devil:
"Don't say anything! Nobody can know it was me… nobody…"
Angel Kronk nodded solemnly.
"Exactly. Keep your identity secret, Master of the Patronus."
The devil, of course, rolled his eyes.
"And that's going to cost you when someone finds out!"
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lupin seemed distracted. Every time a student mentioned the giant Patronus, he frowned and glanced at the ceiling as though expecting the culprit to reveal themselves by accident.
"I don't know who did it," Lupin said, adjusting his sleeves, "but if someone practiced magic of that magnitude without supervision, they're lucky nothing was destroyed… yet."
Hermione raised her hand.
"Professor, wouldn't it be wise to check who has been practicing Patronus charms outside of class? It could be dangerous…"
Harry began to sweat, throwing Hermione nervous glances.
Lupin nodded, but Kronk sat in the back row, head slightly bowed, pretending to take notes.
"Yes, of course…" whispered his angel self. "Taking notes, very responsible… nobody will suspect a thing…"
Meanwhile, in the Hufflepuff common room, the rumors grew even more ridiculous.
Some described it as "a giant rabbit that looked more like it wanted to hug the Dementors than repel them."
"That was incredible!" said one student, eyes sparkling. "But who could have done it?"
"Must've been someone from Ravenclaw!" interrupted another. "Only they would attempt such extravagant, advanced magic!"
Kronk nervously swallowed another piece of honey bread and muttered:
"Ravenclaw… yep… of course… definitely not a Hufflepuff… nope… not at all."
Even Dumbledore was perplexed. In his office, he spoke with McGonagall and Snape, trying to piece events together.
"It could be experimental," McGonagall said, adjusting her glasses. "But nobody reported the culprit."
"I don't see why everyone's making such a fuss over a Patronus," Snape grumbled, scowling.
Meanwhile, Kronk slipped through the corridors, making a Herculean effort not to laugh or burst with pride. Every time someone mentioned the giant Patronus, he hid behind a wardrobe, a tapestry, or even a moving portrait.
He also made a mental note to speak with the house-elves. Those places needed cleaning more often.
"Yes, yes…" he muttered. "Totally innocent… as always…"
But, as expected, inspiration struck the last person he wanted.
Hermione.
She tracked Kronk down throughout the castle.
"Kronk!" she exclaimed finally, cornering him in Greenhouse Three. "It was you, wasn't it? That Patronus is insane! You could have destroyed the Dementors… or something… worse?"
On second thought, it didn't actually seem like he had done anything bad. Dementors weren't exactly creatures deserving of compassion anyway…
"I… uh… yes, but no… I mean, it wasn't intentional," Kronk stammered, raising his hands. "I was just… observing… and, well, it slipped out a little."
Hermione sighed.
"A little, you say… Kronk, that was colossal." She crossed her arms, trying to imitate McGonagall's severe aura. "This isn't a game."
"Yes! Of course!" said Kronk, while his tiny angel and devil debated frantically over his reaction. "Totally serious. Definitely not thinking of using the Patronus as an advertisement billboard for my business, nope, not at all."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. Yes, Kronk definitely wanted to do that.
She, for her part, would never admit she felt jealous that he could use such advanced magic before she could. Even when she tried a few times after hearing the rumors, all she managed was a thin wisp of mist.
"As punishment, you're going to give me Patronus lessons."
"Uh?"