"Oh, that's good!" After Lux insisted that she was fine, Natalia asked no more questions regarding her bruises or injuries. Lux was definitely the strong and capable type of person; there was no need to be concerned! Flashing a bright smile enlivened by their lit wands, the fourth year continued to trudge along the dark path, trying hard not to shiver at the the forthcoming coldness. It was growing slightly chiller as they walked forth, was it not?

Natalia slightly chuckled at her companion's clever comment. "I guess the lesson is: don't estimate the little things!" Perhaps the professor was just messing with them; there weren't any signs of dementors or lethifolds all this while they had been striding through the labyrinth. If there were any, they should have encountered one or two by now? The biggest obstacle that she saw thus far was, of course, the stupid tree root.

Focus on the person who makes you the happiest.

The Lioness gave a little nod to show her general understanding of Lux's explanation, but she was still a little befuddled by the idea of thinking about a happy memory: how exactly could a memory have such a dramatic effect on the result of the spell? Perhaps it was best not to dwell on the question she could not answer and focus on finding a happy memory. But did Natalia even know a person who really made her happy? Well, more essentially, what was happiness, exactly?

That was a perfect reason as to why Natalia could sometimes never reach the next level of understanding: she was too curious and too much of a logician; her adamance to logic and details prevent her from reaching that kind of abstract sense.

Natalia doubted she would ever be able to conjure a patronus.

A DEMENTOR.

The first feeling Natalia immediately felt toward this creature was intimidation, despite that it was not essentially the real deal. It wasn't that she was necessary afraid (which was also non-existent in the Gyrffindor dictionary, by the way); it was just that she could understand why these creatures were to be feared, yet her legs were steady and her eyes were open wide. It was scary, but she wasn't scared; there was a difference. Natalia kept repeating inside her head that it was not real, only a fraud. She was too taken aback to devise any plans of attack. Fortunately though, Lux came to the rescue!

"That patronus was SO GOOD." It drove the scary fake dementor away so quickly! So, that took care of it! Natalia did not have to perform ANY MAGIC and Lux would just take care of it all for the both of them. Yep.

The route, eventually, led to a brighter path where it didn't seem as gloomy anymore. Perhaps the worst of their fears was already behind them. Perhaps.

Yeah, well that perhaps didn't come as hoped. Quickly after the two encountered their first true obstacle, they encountered... another.

A dark, formless figure, similar to the one they saw before, glided over the ground like a ghost toward the two standing witches. Uhh...

Go Lux, go! Natalia silently prayed.