"Raise your hand higher."
"Your speaking speed should be moderate—not too fast, but not too slow either. Of course, this is for a beginner like you; you can speed up once you become proficient later."
"Relax. Look, you're gripping your wand so hard it's about to snap."
The matter of the Quidditch pitch was naturally a prank by Pansy. Draco's agreement with her was actually for him to teach her some self-defence magic and academic knowledge. He had mentioned it many times before, but Pansy always dodged the subject or made various excuses; it was normal for a pampered young lady to dislike studying.
"Just practise like this for now," Draco sighed. After teaching for half the day, he had only managed to teach Pansy a simplified version of the Shield Charm, which made him start to doubt if he was suited to be a teacher. Of course, he preferred to believe that Pansy's foundation was too poor; she had barely passed most of her exams last semester, only with his help in cramming and highlighting key points.
They were now on a patch of grass not far from the Quidditch pitch. The fluffy grass was comfortable to stand on. He looked up at the sky; aside from a few clouds, there was only an endless azure. Seeing Pansy's practice get on track, Draco relaxed and tried to focus on his own practice as well.
"Expecto Patronum!" he chanted the spell loudly.
A stream of silver-white gas spurted from the tip of his wand, struggling to coalesce into a recognisable shape, but ultimately failed and dissipated back into the air.
"Sigh," Draco sighed again. Half the reason for the failure of the Patronus Charm was his desire to control the Patronus's form, but it was too difficult. He had read in other books that a Patronus represents a person's hidden, unknown, yet inevitable personality. Trying to artificially control the form of a Patronus was extremely difficult; it almost meant changing one's own personality.
"So the power of love is truly great," Draco thought of Snape's doe and remembered Tonks's rabbit turning into a wolf.
"It seems I'm being too idealistic." Draco felt a bit discouraged. Regardless, this was the first problem he had encountered that left him almost completely helpless. "Even if Idare too make a sacrifice, who would have thought there wouldn't even be a chance for sacrifice?" Draco thought helplessly.
"I'll try again later." Draco dismissed the idea of continuing. What hindered him was the contradiction of the Patronus's form, not a lack of happy memories. Well, for a person who loves books, just thinking about the bits and pieces of knowledge he had gained was enough to make him happy.
Besides, there was her, wasn't there? Draco looked toward Pansy. The memories he shared with Pansy were enough to make him smile. He thought back to when he told her stories and her absurdly imaginative answers that left him not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Your posture is wrong again!" Draco saw Pansy's hand was out of place again and hurriedly called out a reminder.
"I know," Pansy bared her teeth at Draco, looking a bit impatient.
"What a troublesome student." Draco helplessly facepalmed, beginning to understand the earnest efforts of the teachers who had once taught him.
"Look at what I've learned in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class over the past two years. In the first year, Quirrell was simply that person's lackey, acting worse than a student just to maintain his disguise. This year's teacher doesn't even bother to disguise himself because he's simply a blockhead. Tell me, if you really encounter danger, are you going to rely on those few clumsy spells of yours?"
"Isn't it said that Hogwarts is the safest place in the world?" Pansy retorted stubbornly, though her tone of resistance had weakened significantly. "Even though I don't like that old man, don't people say he's the most powerful White wizard? He should protect us, too." As Pansy spoke, she stared at him with her clear eyes. "Besides, there's you, isn't there?"
"I can't always be by your side."
Draco said.
"Why not?" Pansy asked, then realised she seemed to have asked a very profound question and lowered her head with a flushed face.
Draco was also made a bit embarrassed by this question, but he continued, "Power is only true power when it's held in your own hands." He frowned slightly and said, "If you don't practise properly, I'll have to find Flint…" The rest of the words could be guessed; Draco felt that a threat would be more effective right now.
Sure enough, Pansy immediately complied and adjusted her posture to practise seriously.
After practising for a while longer, Draco began to test his teaching results.
"Expelliarmus!" Draco raised his wand, and a streak of red light shot out.
"Prote…" Before Pansy could finish the incantation, she found the wand had left her hand and was already in Draco's.
Draco frowned slightly, somewhat dissatisfied.
"Your spell was too fast; I didn't have time to react," Pansy began to make excuses for herself.
"The enemy won't show mercy just because you can't react," Draco said seriously, but he also softened his tone. "It's understandable for the first time. Let's stop here for today."
Hearing this, Pansy immediately breathed a sigh of relief. After all, there was no need to ask which was more interesting: the intense and exciting Quidditch or the dull and tedious spell practice. She could happily do Quidditch training for a whole morning, but she couldn't settle down to study seriously for even an hour.
"It's truly frustrating," Draco sighed deeply.
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