If there was one mercy granted to Cassius Snape after nearly collapsing a classroom's sanity with a Primordial Dragon Patronus—
—it was that Lupin dismissed class early.
He had to.
Half the students couldn't stand properly.
The other half kept muttering prayers to Merlin, the Founders, the gods, and in Parvati's case, "any benevolent cosmic entities listening."
So when the battered survivors staggered out half heading for the hospital wing to recover, Cassius found himself shepherded between Daphne and Hermione as though he might spontaneously summon another mythical entity if left unsupervised.
"Never," Hermione whispered fiercely, "never do that again without warning."
Daphne nodded. "Or preferably ever again."
Cassius blinked. "…But it was the assignment. And its not like i planned to summon something like that."
Both groaned.
By the time they reached the white marble archway leading into the Draconis common room, Hermione had stopped vibrating, Daphne had stopped clinging, and Cassius had stopped wondering whether conjuring a cosmic dragon counted as extra credit.
When the enchanted doors opened—
They were not alone.
Ginny, Luna, Astoria, and Cho were all waiting on the massive velvet couches, faces bright, practically buzzing with anticipation.
Ginny sprang up first. "FINALLY! Hermione and Daphne already told us everything!"
Astoria nodded violently. "Everything!"
Cho added politely, "Including… the technique."
Luna smiled serenely. "Yes. The kissing technique."
Cassius stumbled, how the hell had the news gotten out so quickly they literally just left class...
Hermione made a strangled, "No—no no NO—!"
Daphne facepalmed so hard she nearly knocked herself out.
But Ginny only grinned wider. "So! We're all ready to try the spell!"
Cassius blinked. "You… want to cast your Patronuses now?"
Astoria stepped forward, hands clasped behind her back, eyes wide in weaponized innocence. "We want the full instruction experience."
Hermione buried her face in her hands. "Kill me."
But Cassius sighed.
Because of course.
Of course this was happening.
Afterall after what he'd done to clear the girls nerves about their success in public was bound to be known in time.
Though its not like the other girls were that far off from casting proper corporeal patronus's themselves.
"Fine," he muttered, resigned. "Line up."
They did.
Perfectly.
Suspiciously.
Like they had practiced this.
Hermione and Daphne though as culprit were shameless and joined at the end of the line, clearly being shy but not wanting to miss out on the chance for another display of affection.
Cassius approached Ginny first.
She lifted her cheek proudly. "Oy. Don't make it weird."
He pecked her cheek.
Ginny went pink as phoenix fire.
Her wand raised—"Expecto Patronum!"
A brilliant white horse burst forth, rearing up, mane flowing like moonlit smoke.
Ginny squealed. "HA! I KNEW IT'D BE A HORSE!"
-Wild and untamed spirit of course it would be a horse...
Next was Luna.
Cassius kissed her cheek lightly.
Her eyes widened, a dreamy sparkle blooming.
"Expecto Patronum."
A rabbit, delicate and luminous, hopped into existence—then began bounding in airy spirals overhead like gravity was merely a suggestion.
-Might as well have been the rabbit from alice in wonderland.
"It has good ears," Luna said proudly. "Very useful for hearing Wrackspurts complain."
Next—
Astoria.
Cheek pink.
Eyes shining.
Hands trembling with excitement.
He kissed her cheek.
Astoria made a noise like a kettle left on the fire too long.
Her wand lifted.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Light burst—and shaped—and revealed—
"…A moth?"
A giant, soft-winged, shimmering moth flapped gently around her, dusting the room in glittering luminescence like falling snow.
Astoria gasped. "IT'S SO CUTE—?!"
Daphne muttered, "Makes sense," under her breath.
Finally—
Cho.
Cassius leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Cho inhaled softly—but deeply—eyes fluttering shut for just a moment longer than she intended.
Then—
"Expecto Patronum."
A beautiful, regal swan glided from her wand, wings stretched, feathers glowing like polished ivory.
Cho exhaled shakily."…It's perfect."
Then came the double-dippers who received their extra peck before likewise casting their spells.
Cassius looked at the six girls.
Six Patronuses.
Full-bodied.
Bright.
Alive.
A miracle in itself.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Well."
Daphne added, "As you can see—Cassius's instruction is… effective."
"Maybe we can also convince him to spill his guts on how to get such a ferocious looking summon as well?" Hermione continued on.
"Ferocious?" Cho tilted her head, the news they had received only detailed the kiss, as a method of creating a perfect happy memory, not what came later.
"Yeah, this guy" Daphne said jerking her thumb to Cassius. " His patronus is massive as big as the classroom, and get this... its even a drago. Not that anyone honestly expected it to be anything less."
They turned—and froze.
Because Cassius was already raising his wand.
"You want to see it properly?" he asked quietly.
He was listening and had known what was going to come next hearing about it was one thing but actually seeing it?
The room went silent.
Breathless.
Excited.
Terrified.
And he whispered—
"Expecto Patronum."
The dragon reappeared.
But this time—
Without a roar.
Without a quaking of stone.
Without the violent shockwave that had nearly killed the Defense classroom.
This time it emerged with a slow, divine unfurling—a blossom of celestial power, wings spreading like unfolding constellations.
As if the dragon were putting on a display to maximize the prestige of its master.
The Draconis common room brightened to daylight as the Primordial Dragon filled the space with its sheer presence, shadowed wings curling protectively around Cassius.
The girls froze in awe.
Even their Patronuses faltered, shrinking back, heads bowed instinctively toward the greater beast.
And then—
A soft voice echoed from the far end of the room.
"Oh my."
Lady Draconis herself stepped through the archway, the ethereal form of her ghostly skin glowing faintly.
Her eyes widened in a way Cassius had never seen.
Wonder.
Reverence.
Thrill.
"Cassius…" she whispered. "My chosen heir… you…"
She stepped closer, gaze drinking in the dragon with an expression halfway between awe and near-maternal pride.
"To think you had this level of soul within you, capable enough of summoning this form to serve as your personal guardian against the darkness."