Christian had many happy memories to choose from. Whether it was the two best vacations he had in his life when he was 3 and 4 when he visited Haiti, all the places worldwide he traveled with his family, time with his parents, the happiness after mastering a language, or the joy and excitement of learning magic, he had countless memories to choose from.
'I guess I should be thankful that I have so many happy memories,' Christian thought. 'More reason I should get home at all costs.' He exhaled to focus before continuing with his task. Despite all these excellent memories, Christian chose a more potent one.
His mother first disappeared when he was five years old. She was only gone for a week, but Christian never forgot that week—even when he did not have a photographic memory. Every day, he would stare at the door, waiting for her to walk through it, and when she did, he cared for nothing besides seeing her. The intense joy he felt as he rushed into her arms was deeply embedded in his soul. So, he chose that memory.
He focused intently before chanting the incantation: "Expecto Patronum." His wand released a bright light lasting more than ten seconds before fading away. "It worked,' Christian said excitedly. However, he quickly concentrated on continuing his training. Summoning this beam of positive energy was far from enough for this test.
He tried a second time, and the spell duration was extended by an additional thirty seconds, so Christian kept trying. He did two things for the next six hours: train and take a few eating breaks. Unfortunately, he never condensed a corporeal patronus.
"It's pointless to continue like this," Christian muttered. He went to check on Menes before walking to the first floor.
"Where have you been?" Lucretia rushed from the living area over to ask. Xin'er followed behind, worry plastered all over her face.
"Didn't I tell you? I've been training."
"For six hours straight?"
"Yes."
Christian noticed the incredulity on her face and shrugged: "It's not that big of a deal if you're used to it." The school library is usually closed at 8 PM, and he would train his magic from 8 to 11 PM daily.
"You're serious."
"That's not even my longest record," Christian replied. "One time, I was very close to mastering Human Transfiguration. I wanted to be able to change into anyone else, so I spent 15 hours straight training. These intense training moments are an excellent way to raise your focus."
"Now I understand why you're so powerful at such a young age," Xin'er added.
"This sounds like torture," Lucretia commented.
"It's not when you enjoy what you're doing," Christian explained. He loved magic and enjoyed his training, so he never found it boring or tiring. "Anyway, I came to warn you that I will take a three-hour nap before entering the field to continue the training."
"You want to train outside?"
"I need practical training," Christian explained briefly. He understood the difference between casting a spell normally and doing so under extreme conditions, especially regarding a complex spell like the Patronus Charm. Harry Potter could use the charm, but failed countless times when confronted with a Dementor. Such a situation was the last thing Christian wanted to happen.
"Is that dangerous?" Xin'er asked.
"It probably is, but we don't have a choice," Christian replied. He did not give them a chance to convince him and went to rest. Three hours later, he stood before the exit door with bated breath.
"Expecto Patronum!" Christian's wand released a white light, and under his control, the light molded into a circular shield that surrounded him everywhere. He then took a deep breath before opening the door.
The world outside was dark and eerie. However, Christian no longer felt that deep chill that seemed to seep deep into his bones. On the contrary, he felt warm and at peace. He observed the shield he made from Patronus Charm, which showed no signs of breaking.
'Good,' Christian thought before walking deep into this negative energy field. His boots have been enchanted to leave marks on the road so that he can find his way back. However, just in case, he asked the girls for a piece of their hair to use the Avenseguim Charm to track them.
As he walked deeper into the field, Christian found it more challenging to maintain the stability of his magical shield. The threat of death loomed over him like a shadow, making it harder to gather happy memories or energy. Additionally, the mist's potency intensified, forcing him to focus even harder to keep the charm in a shield.
During these challenging times, Christian's understanding of this spell increased at an alarming rate. He quickly found the small tips or clues on how to utilize the spell better until he was comfortable in a given area. Then, he would move deeper into the field.
"Hey! Handsome."
Christian's legs almost gave up because of this sudden, sultry voice. The last thing he expected in this ghastly place was another sign of life. He turned in the direction of the sign and saw a beautiful woman floating not far from him.
"Are you a ghost?" He asked, trying to keep his composure.
"Of course not, I–"
Christian did not wait for her to finish and ran away.
"What a naughty boy!" the woman chuckled before moving so fast that it appeared she had teleported. Christian paused as he looked warily at the woman before him.
"Boy–"
Christian focused on controlling his shield, commanding it to expand rapidly. His goal was to hit this woman with the shield, hoping the properties of the Patronus Charm were enough to deal with her. Unfortunately for him, she stopped the shield with one hand.
"Ow! That hurt."
Christian shrunk his shield to ensure maximum density and protection. "Enough playing around," she murmured. The woman's visage transformed into a hideous form, marked by red eyes, fangs, and claws.
Bang!
Her claw almost tore through the Patronus Shield, scaring Christian. He condensed more positive energy to reshape his shield, but the woman's attack was endless. 'At this stage, I won't last long.' He knew his only chance was to condense a corporeal Patronus to drive her away. He closed his eyes and entered the deepest state of focus, trying to summon the most positive energy possible from his happy memory.
Unfortunately for him, his attempt failed. His shield was more condensed, buying him more time, but that did not solve his situation. 'Alright, we need Plan B.' Numerous thoughts flashed in his mind. Then, one of Jim's memories suddenly inspired him. In the Harry Potter movie, Aberforth — Dumbledore's brother — released a potent Patronus Charm that dealt with hundreds of Dementors.
'The way it appeared in the memory was like vibrations,' Christian analyzed. 'If I could control my shield to release a potent vibration like in that memory, maybe I could deal with this Wraith.'
Christian closed his eyes again and gathered more positive energy. As the energy flowed through his arms and into the wand, he imagined his shield vibrating at a high frequency.
Bang!
His white shield vibrated, releasing a burst of energy. The first wave pushed the Wraith away from the shield. The second wave pushed a few meters away, and the third made her scream despite putting her hands before her body in a defensive attempt. When the fourth burst of energy appeared, the Wraith gave him one more look before running away, disappearing into the darkness and mist.
Christian looked around to ensure there were no enemies. "That was closed," he muttered. He took a deep breath to calm down. "This spell is interesting. The spell's potency is drastically elevated due to a boost from my positive energy. My theory that the same can be applied to other spells might be correct. However, I wonder what I'm missing to cast a corporeal Patronus.'
Christian did not immediately leave, but spent another hour in this area, practicing the new applications of the Patronus Charm he had just discovered. Finally, he followed his footprint to return to the safety area.