Youngjae and I were meeting in our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher’s office. His name was Jinyoung Park, and he had been the teacher missing on the first day who had Harry Potter substitute for him. He went more commonly by JYP.
 

    Being the amazing teacher he was, he apparently thought that it would be a good idea to leave two students together to practice in his office unsupervised after hours.

    After illuminating the dark office full of skeletons and stuffed creatures, I patiently sat in a chair near the professor’s desk and waited. It didn’t take long before I saw beautiful lightly colored hair walking up the stairs and through the open office door.

    “Good evening,” Youngjae said brightly, smiling sweetly. I smiled in return.

    “Are you ready?” he asked. I nodded. After all the things I had done recently, I was totally ready to embarrass myself again.

    I stood up and we both moved to the center of the room, right underneath a dragon skull that hung from the ceiling.

    “You are going to need a really happy memory for this. I’m sorry, I should have asked you to think of one in advance,” he said apologetically, but I just waved my hand.

    “It’s okay, I’m sure it won’t be too hard,” I said. Youngjae didn’t seem so sure, but he didn’t drop his supportive smile.

    “Think of a time that made you the happiest you have ever been,” Youngjae started. I tried thinking of a time when I was happy. Was it that first time I went to a Kpop concert? Was it the time I got my first phone? No, I thought. All those times had been happy, but they had only lasted for so long.

    I nodded to Youngjae when I finally thought of something. This should work.

    “The charm is ‘Expecto Patronum’,” Youngjae said, then explained what was supposed to happen when I did it.

    “I don’t expect you to get it on your first try,” he said kindly. “At most, you might get a shield patronus.”

    “All right,” I said, then thought of my happiest memory.

    I was sitting by our fireplace in Japan. I was eating Korean BBQ that I had made for dinner, and was poking at the coals until suddenly, something fuzzy and fast flew into my face. I remembered dropping my plate of beef in surprise and looking down at my lap to see an owl, sitting there, and staring me down.

    I remembered examining the owl for injuries before looking down at the leg it was voluntarily sticking out; attached to which was a letter. I remembered picking up the old parchment and staring at the wax seal, and then flipping it over and seeing that it was addressed to me in brilliant calligraphy. I remembered the feeling I felt when all of the unexplained was suddenly explained. I remembered how excited I was to be going to a school for people just like me.

    And then I said the charm.

    A brilliant soft blue light emitted from the wooden stick in my hand. It began spinning, spiraling into the air until morphing into an animal that pranced around the room. I smiled and laughed genuinely for the first time in forever, enjoying the warmth that the happiness emitted from my patronus.

    The room was filled with clapping.

    “Well done!” Youngjae looked very excited. “In one try, too! You have a lovely patronus, Izara,” he commented. I grinned estaticaly.

    “A red panda…” I murmured. Youngjae nodded.

    “Rare,” he agreed, “but not impossible.” I smiled and watched my red panda leap from skeleton to stuffed creature. Youngjae pulled out his wand and emmitted his own patronus charm. A bright light like mine came out of his oak wand and wound into an otter, which swam around the room playfully before getting acquainted with my panda. Youngjae and I both smiled as we watched our patronuses play together.
 

    “Amazing, Iza. It took me weeks to master the patronus fully,” Youngjae said, turning to me. “You must be amazing at Charms.”

    I shrugged, but couldn’t stop from grinning. Then, Youngjae said something very unexpected.

    “You heard about the Triwizard Tournament?” I froze. After a few moments, I nodded slowly. It wasn’t a topic I had expected Youngjae to bring up.

    “I don’t know if I’ll put my name in yet. Despite the stereotypes of Hufflepuffs, I am pretty good at DADA and Charms,” he stated. I nodded awkwardly. What was he trying to say?

    “I might need your help if I do get in, since you are pretty good at a lot of stuff,” he went on. “However, I was hoping you would help me with something else,” he said. I didn’t move.

    “Izara…” he trailed off.

    “Would you go to the Yule ball with me?”