"What's your happy memory?"

"Receiving McGonagall's visit and finally receiving some information about the stuff that went on around me all my life. Yours?"

"Getting my second wand, with the big globe of light. Yours sounds more like 'relief' than 'happiness' to me..."

"Hmm, yeah, I guess, but I don't know if I'd call yours 'happiness' either? It sounds more like... 'wonder'?"

"I don't think so? I'd done accidental magic before and seen lots of magic and I'd already gotten my first wand."

"Hmm I guess but then why would that specific event make you particularly happy?"

"It was more dramatic than my first wand's sparks. It felt - good. Powerful, well-fitted." Pause. "Granted, I now don't use it as much because it keeps sending things flying and the first one is more controllable for everyday, but if I ever really needed to blast something it'd be there for me."

"It's uncommon enough that they list examples?"

"Well, it's mostly notable figures, but other than people who have to deal with Dark creatures regularly, yeah, apparently pretty rare."

"Huh. Lucky Professor Spukhafte could do one to show us."

"Yeah. Although I guess being a Hogwarts Professor is bound to attract people who are various levels of impressive, and DADA is a good bet for someone who knows how to cast one."

"I'm not so sure I would have guessed it. I mean, she's German, but before they started hiring abroad they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel for Defence in particular."

"I suppose, but that was because of the supposed jinx, wasn't it?"

"Curse. And they went through a truly staggering number of professors. If Spukhafte lasts she'll be the first in decades. If casting Patronuses is rare I bet there have been teachers who couldn't do one. But if it's mostly listing famous people - is it saying what their animals are? - then maybe it's not that rare and it's just book padding or examples of forms they can take."

"No, I mean, the book actually says it's pretty rare, right before listing the examples." He starts quoting: "The majority of witches and wizards are unable to produce Patronuses and to do so is generally considered a mark of superior magical ability. But yeah, it also says what their animals are, so maybe a bit of both. Harry Potter was apparently one of the youngest people able to cast the Patronus, he learnt how to do it at age 13, and his was a stag."

Miranda looks over his shoulder. "Maybe most people just don't bother trying to learn," she says, pointing at a bit about how Harry Potter's "defense association" included Patronuses in the curriculum and many otherwise run of the mill students managed to produce them.

He nods. "Yeah, probably. They were all older when they tried, though, so I wonder if age is some part of it somehow? Maybe something about being able to control your emotions?"

"Hmm... What's your happiest memory ever ever?"

"I don't usually organize them like that! This time I was trying the first time I flew around on a broomstick."

"I don't either! But it's bound to help. I dunno what mine would be. Probably something involving mum."

"Renée... makes me happy but not in a really specific concentrated way? It would be hard to find an individual memorable thing."

"Maybe that has something to do with it? Maybe we need some kind of concentrated happy to cast it."