"It's a little nippily outside today." Alfred commented, stuffing his mittened hands in his pockets and burying his nose in his scarlet and gold striped scarf. Next to him was his brother, Matthew, and Matt's girlfriend, Hope. On his other side was his own girlfriend, Shelby, and her two best friends, Feliks and Vladimir.

"Can you please not describe the weather as nippily? That'd be much appreciated." Shelby grumbled, shaking her head as they marched through the crunching snow to the Shrieking Shack.

"Seriously, it's not even that cold." Matthew muttered. He and Hope looked virtually unaffected by the weather, and Shelby and the other Slytherins seemed rather comfortable in the crisp air.

"Shut up, ya freaking Canadians." Alfred grumbled.

"Be nice." Shelby scolded.

"Ohhhhh, come on, Shelbaraptor, they know I'm just kidding." Alfred smiled, throwing his arm around her and shaking her roughly. She rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath, but no one was able to decipher it.

"Hush up, we're here." Vlad hissed quietly. In the distance, grey and crumbling on the foundation, was the notorious Shrieking Shack, named so by the residents of Hogsmeade from the inhuman noises that came out of the building decades ago.

"Vlad, you're scarier than anything in that dumb house." Alfred winked, and Vladimir instantly looked at his feet, his face flushing at the comment.

"I wonder why everyone finds the house so scary." Hope pondered.

"It does have an off-putting atmosphere." Matthew commented.

"Maybe there's like, some dementors in there." Feliks joked.

"It's all in everyones' heads." Shelby stated.

"Duddddeeeeeeeeee. That would be sick if there were dementors in there." Alfred's blue eyes were wide with wonder.

"That would definitely be sick, Alfred, but not in a good way." Vlad glared.

"What? You scared of a little dementor, Vladikins?" Alfred teased.

Vlad's jaw clenched, but Shelby interrupted before the conversation could go too far south. "Everyone's scared of dementors Alfie. They're basically fear itself."

"Nah, not me. I'd just cast a Patronus charm. Bang, boom, pow!" He punched the air as if fighting an invisible enemy. "They wouldn't stand a chance against Alfred F. Jones."

"Wait, are you trying to tell us you can perform the Patronus charm?" Hope's eyes widened.

"That's total bullshit." Feliks grumbled.

"I totally can!" Alfred exclaimed.

"Then prove it." The Pole said simply, but with a confident air.

"Fine." Alfred stated defiantly. "I. Will."

He walked away from the group by several feet, and then turned to face them, his nose scrunched with determination. He took out his wand, spinning it with his fingers like a baton, he eyes seeming to see something that wasn't there for the rest of the group to witness.

Then, he pointed his wand forward, his wrist flicking in a quick spiral, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He shouted, and the tip of his wand exploded in light. In the air, the light swirled and flickered, and a shape began to take form- an animal. A bird. An eagle.

"A bald eagle." Shelby whispered in an amazement as the Patronus flapped it's giant wings and flew in front of their faces, as if searching for a challenger. When it found none, it perched itself on Alfred's shoulder, let out a ear-piercing shriek, and dissipated, the light fading and ebbing into nothing.

"Wow." Hope breathed. "That was amazing, Alfred."

"I know." He beamed.

"That was luck." Feliks grumbled.

"You do one, Feliks." Matthew poked.

Feliks turned on the Canadian angrily. "I'll do one if you do one!"

The Hufflepuff's face instantly flushed. "O-okay. I'll try."

"Thata boy, Mattie!" Alfred laughed, and he joined the group as the Hufflepuff and Slytherin took stances across from each other by several feet.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" They both shouted. Both their wands erupted with light, and two different forms began to take shape. In front of Feliks was some sort of large animal. It's long, hairy tail did a flick, and the group was just barely able to recognize it as a horse, before it completely lost its shape.

Matthew's, however, maintained its shape for much longer. It sat on the ground, standing slightly on its hind legs, balancing on its paddle tail.

Vlad raised a brow. "Is that a beaver?"

"Haha. Lame." Alfred snickered, and Hope reached up and slapped the back of his head.

"Beavers are not lame. They are beautiful." She hissed.

"If you got something to say, Neufeld, you conjure a Patronus." Alfred laughed.

"I can try." Hope shrugged, looking to Shelby. "Wanna go together?"

Shelby shook her head. "I don't wanna embarrass myself."

"Oh, come on Shelbs. You ace all your classes. There's no way you'd not be able to do the Patronus charm." Alfred urged. "You just think of your happiest memory."

"I'll go, Hope." Vlad offered. The Slytherins made their way across the field, replacing Matthew and Feliks, who returned to the group.

Hope and Vlad performed the charm, but Vlad's Patronus never gained an actual shape. It was just a bright glowing ball of light. Hope's, however, took the shape of a giant, antlered animal- a moose bull.

"I have never been more in love with anyone in my life." Matthew whispered lovingly.

"Come on, Shelby. It's your turn." Alfred sang. "You gotta give it a try."

"Seriously, Shelbs. You can do it." Vlad encouraged as he and Hope made their way back.

"Fine. But I don't really have any happy memories." Shelby stated.

"What about last night?" Alfred winked, and laughed as Shelby punched him angrily in the arm.

She made her way out of the field, her stomach churning. She didn't like that they were all looking at her. They may be her friends, but that didn't mean they couldn't think less of her if she failed.

She took a deep breath. She needed to focus. She closed her eyes, thinking of her happiest memory.

"Shelby, look at this one." Her father urged, bending down and gesturing to the husky in the cage. "Doesn't he look cool?"

"Yeah," Shelby stated simply. But that wasn't the dog for her. She walked away towards where the other families, including her younger sister, were crowded. They were all cooing over a Doberman pincher pup. It was cute, but Shelby didn't feel anything special for it. Maybe her puppy wasn't here.

"Shelby, come here." Her mother called from a few feet away. She looked over to see her mother crouched near the floor with a brown bundle of fur held near her shoulder. "Come look at this one."

Shelby walked over, and her mom turned the puppy towards her. She had brown fur, but a black, short snort, and big, round brown eyes. Her glossy black nose was twitching crazily as she sniffed at Shelby.

"Do you wanna hold her?" Her mom asked. Shelby nodded, reaching out her hands. Her mother gently placed the puppy there, it's curly tail wagging madly. It pawed its way up to her shoulder as Shelby held her close. She began licking and chewing at her ear lobe.

Shelby giggled madly. "I like this one."

"What's her name?" Her mother asked. Shelby paused. What was a good name for something she already loved so much? "How about Angel?" Her mother wondered.

"Angel."

"Expecto patronum." She whispered, her eyes still closed, and her wand lit up with a fierce white-blue light. It swirled and compressed near the snow on the ground, forming a familiar canine shape. It was plump and fat, with tiny little legs and big, round eyes. Shelby opened her eyes and froze at the sight of her Patronus.

"Is that supposed to be a dog?" Feliks asked.

While everyone stared in confusion, Alfred took a step forward. "... Shelby?" He asked tentatively.

She practically fell to her knees, her face frozen in a state of shock. The dog run forward, it's tongue lolling excitedly. She reached her hand out, tears falling down her cheeks like a stream within seconds.

"Alfred, what is it?" Matthew muttered quietly.

Alfred sighed. "That's a puggle."

The puggle reached her hand, and Shelby caressed her behind her ear, scratching her fingers back and forth rhythmically. The dog melted into the embrace, closing it's eyes, before dissolving into the air.

"Shelbs?" Vlad called nervously. The Ravenclaw didn't move. She remained unmoving, her hand still outstretched as if still petting the dog, she eyes distant and unmoving as her tears hit the snow with quiet thuds.

"Angel." 

Today's my puppy's birthday. She passed away January 4th last year. She would have been 13 today.