The Basic Health & Recovery class turned out to be far more enjoyable than any of them had expected.
Professor Tonks was every bit as good a teacher as Professor Flitwick, if not better. She was strict yet patient, and her occasional humour made the experience even more pleasant.
She never raised her voice, but her tone could become firm enough to make the students sit up straighter. Then, a second later, she would ease the atmosphere with a warm smile or a witty quip.
Under her guidance, and with Altair's help in understanding the flow of magic whilst reciting the incantations, they all managed to learn the spells within the period. Nothing had ever made them feel prouder. The pride did not just stem from succeeding, but from the way their professor looked at them, as if she genuinely believed they could accomplish great things.
She even held a fun quiz for them, offering twenty points to each House if they could get four answers correct.
Both Houses managed to earn all twenty points by answering questions from the first chapter of Health and Healing: First Aid for Young Witches & Wizards. The Slytherins, spurred on by the trio at their heart, buzzed with the thrill of competition and the newfound confidence in their abilities.
Altair, Aurelia, and Cho allowed others from Slytherin to answer the questions, letting them gain points for their House. It made the others feel more confident and fuelled their desire to study harder. For some of them, this was the first time they had felt this capable and competent in their lives, and the applause they received from their peers left them glowing with pride.
When the lecture ended at half past twelve, Andromeda sent them off with a warm smile and told them she was very impressed. The students were elated.
They were also exhausted. They had learned spells in Charms, and then two more in Basic Health & Recovery. Most of them had never used so much magic in a single day before, and the fatigue hit them hard. Some had slight headaches, others just felt drained.
Only the Pure-bloods seemed to be holding up better. Some of them were not even remotely tired. A few had even taken to helping their friends pack up their things, energy still brimming in their steps.
Thankfully, their final class of the day would not begin until three o'clock. They had over two hours for lunch and a bit of rest.
Everyone, including the Ravenclaws, followed Altair to the Great Hall, but the two Houses soon separated and took their usual seats.
It was nearly an hour later that they actually started eating, having spent the first part of their break caught up in excited chatter. The joy of mastering magic had created a buzz across the tables, and even the Ravenclaws seemed unusually animated.
Once they began their meal, the Slytherin table fell into an odd silence. They had noticed that Altair, Aurelia, and Cho never spoke with food in their mouths, and silently adopted the habit out of respect and to follow the same etiquette. It was not something anyone had instructed them to do, but the influence those three had over the others was undeniable.
The young Black was the first to finish his meal. He slowly stood up, eyes drifting across the hall with a calm and unreadable expression.
"Be in the courtyard next to the Transfiguration classroom ten minutes before the class." He gestured to those who looked ready to rise to stay seated, and then silently left the Great Hall with many eyes fixed on his back.
His footsteps echoed slightly as he made his way up to the Astronomy Tower and climbed to the very top, onto the Observation Deck.
It was not a place students were typically allowed to access without a reason, especially not in groups unless for a class. Still, he had made his way up there effortlessly. No one had even detected him.
And how could they they have? He always wore a very special magical artefact on his neck.
Altair had not been to the Astronomy Tower before, Cordelia had not shown this place to them yesterday, but he immediately knew that it was one of his favourite places in the castle.
The wind was cool and crisp, brushing against his robes, and the faint scent of parchment and rain lingered in the air.
He leaned quietly against the stone wall of the staircase, watching a certain Head Girl playing around with a corporeal construct of resonant magic.
It was an ethereal sight, watching the jack rabbit race about in the air. But what truly held his attention was the girl herself, her heart-shaped face and her grey eyes so reminiscent of the Blacks. The sunlight caught the tips of her hair, making it gleam like shimmering pink roses.
A bright smile lit her features as she spun around, giggling and dancing with her own magical construct. It was rare to see someone look so free.
Then she caught sight of him in the mirror from the corner of her eye and instantly turned to look at him. The jack rabbit vanished in a puff of vapour, seemingly because she lost focus.
Her features began to shift, masking her true beauty and making her appear merely pretty rather than striking. She even seemed to shrink by a couple of inches, the illusion settling around her like a veil.
"What are you doing here, kiddo? You are not allowed up here."
"My apologies, Cousin. I just wanted to look around and meet someone." He pushed his back off the wall and approached her.
Nymphadora frowned as he walked past her and stepped out onto the platform to gaze into the distance.
"Why did you want to meet me?" she asked curiously, leaning beside him on the railing. "And how did you get past my Proximity Alarm Spell?"
"I do not know. Maybe you did not cast it properly?"
"Yeah, right. So what do you want to say?"
"I did not come here to meet you, Cousin." He smiled at her, noting her furrowed brows. "Look up."
She obeyed, and her mouth dropped open as a Harpy Eagle dove from the dark clouds above, cutting through the air at breakneck speed.
A strong gust of wind buffeted her and nearly pushed her back. The eagle landed gracefully on the railing and leaned into Altair's gentle scratches.
"Meet my Familiar, Strix."
She giggled as he kissed the eagle's head, and could not help but state at the creature.
"He is beautiful."
The bird seemed to understand and proudly puffed out its chest, making her giggle more.
"And intelligent too." She added.
However, when she tried to touch it, it stepped away, not so accepting of her touch as it was of her compliment.
"He is not fond of strangers."
"That is all right." She smiled warmly at the bird, watching it nuzzle into Altair's hand.
"What did you eat today?" Altair asked, and the bird answered in its own tongue, leaving Nymphadora stunned.
She watched him converse fluently with the eagle and furrowed her brow in curiosity.
"You can talk to animals?"
"Maybe." He smiled. "I can teach you a spell that lets you speak with your bonded Familiar. You will be able to understand each other."
Her eyes widened with excitement.
"In return, you will teach me the spell you were using earlier."
She frowned, clearly hesitant.
"It is not an easy spell."
"Neither is mine. You will see it is far more than it seems."
Nymphadora narrowed her eyes.
"It is dangerous?"
"Not if used only with your bonded Familiar."
"The spell I used is a very advanced, ancient defensive charm. You really should wait a few years."
"I will be fine." He smiled confidently and pulled out his wand.
"What is your wand's core?" she asked instinctively, and he quirked a brow at her.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. A core with untamed power or a temperamental core makes this spell harder. It does not mean you cannot learn it, but it will be more difficult."
"Do not worry. My core is from a very gentle creature."
She looked at him sceptically, finding his smile and words mischievous, then looked at his wand, which gave her a rather unsettling feeling.
"Yours is Silver Lime, thirteen inches," he said with a smile, extending his hand.
She frowned, then hesitantly handed over her wand.
"Interesting combination," he murmured, surprised by what he sensed.
"You can tell what the core is?"
"Yes. It is a Leshy Horn. Naturally shed upon turning three hundred years old," he nodded as he traced his fingers along its length.
Her jaw dropped, and her heart trembled.
"Quite a rare core..." he inspected the wand's craftsmanship with care. "Ollivander. Right?"
"Yes..." she confirmed as he handed it back.
"Your wand is perfect for the spell I will teach you," he said playfully, and despite herself, she smiled.
"Teach me, then."
He stayed silent and stared into her eyes, waiting for her to say the words he wanted to hear first.
"Yes, yes, I will teach you the Patronus Charm."
"Oh, so that's what it is called."
"Yup." She smiled.
"Pay attention," Altair said as he placed his wand's tip over his heart and drew a circle.
"Communis Anima."
The incantation seemed to buzz in her ears, sending chills up her spine.
"Close your eyes the first time you try," he advised, and she obeyed.
She mimicked his wand movement.
"Communis Anima."
Nothing happened.
"Focus on your desire to check on your Familiar. To feel what they are feeling, to speak with them, and to sense what they are sensing."
She tried again, and again, and on the fourth attempt, her knees wobbled.
She opened her eyes, stunned, and Altair chuckled at her expression.
Moments later, she was bouncing with joy and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you! Thank you!! I have always wanted a spell like this!!!"
"You are welcome. Just do not share it with anyone. No matter who they are."
"Okay!"
She stepped back, grinning.
"You are amazing, kiddo!"
"I am your teacher now. Show some respect, Cousin."
"Yeah, right." She laughed and tried the spell again.
"This is amazing!"
"Yes, yes..." He chuckled.
A few minutes later, she managed to compose herself and cleared her throat.
"Alright. I will teach you the Patronus Charm now. Pay attention."
"Yes, Professor."
She giggled but quickly sobered.
"To use the Patronus Charm, you must have a strong desire to protect something or someone. Indifference, apathy, or lack of empathy will make it impossible or extremely difficult. If there is no hint of care in a person's heart, they can never construct a Patronus."
Seeing that he nodded his head, she nodded as well.
"To use this spell, you must recall a potent, happy memory. The stronger the memory and your desire to protect something or someone precious to you, the more powerful the spell will be."
Altair nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.
In his mind, he was already diving deep into the Magical Theory of such a defensive charm.
"What is the incantation?"
"Expecto Patronum. Say it with an aligned emotion, focusing on your memory and your desire. The wand movement does not matter, just do not point it at yourself."
Altair nodded, closed his eyes, and stood perfectly still for three minutes.
Nymphadora was surprised to see him fall into a meditative state. He did not even move an inch for the next three minutes. And when he opened his eyes, she swore she saw magic shimmer in his gaze.
It was then that he slowly turned to the side and raised his wand.
"Expecto... Patronum!"
An ethereal light burst from the tip, and a massive corporeal serpent emerged, coiling gracefully around the entire deck.
It stared at them with its hood flared, and it felt more alive than her own Patronus. It was a perfect Patronus... Sentient and perfect.
Then it suddenly shrank, slithered joyfully through the air, and played around them like a little kid.
Her jaw dropped as she witnessed the scene.
"How?!"
Altair did not answer her but just laughed in delight. He was truly happy to have learnt something new.
If she had not sensed his happiness, which could never be feigned, she would have doubted that he probably already knew this Charm.
Even so, an eleven-year-old casting a perfect Patronus was... outrageous, to say the least.
And for the first time in her life, Nymphadora envied someone's magical talent.
"Thank you, Nymora!"
She froze at the name and stared at him in surprise.
She had always hated the nicknames people gave her, Nym, Dora, even Nora, which her father affectionately called her by. But this... this name echoed with a strange beauty. A mysterious allure.
It felt magical. Better than the name her mother had given her.
As she kept staring at him, a blush soon crept up on her cheeks and she lowered her eyes.
"You are welcome."
"Come closer."
She leaned in, curious, and froze when he kissed her cheek.
"You are beautiful. And I think it is best you hide it from the world." His voice was soft, and before she could react, he bowed. "I have a class to attend. Please excuse me."
She watched him go, and when her gaze drifted to a nearby mirror, she realised she had dropped her disguise.
Instantly, her metamorphmagus ability activated, masking her beauty and shrinking her height.
She fell into a deep thought with the warmth and softness of his lips still lingering on her skin. And moments later, a smile tugged at her lips.
"You are a dangerous kiddo, Cousin."
She giggled and touched her chest with her wand.
"Communis Anima..."
And again, she saw through her Familiar's eyes, able to share her vision with her fox as well.
Her Moon Fox was playing with a ball of wool in her room, and its excitement and happiness warmed her heart.
Now, she could talk to her Familiar and understand her completely. It was a dream come true for her.
Nymphadora had not felt this happy in quite a long time.