Violet had tried a number of times to cast the Patronus charm for real before class ended and, though she was managing a much clearer and larger silver cloud than ever before, it was still very far from being what one would call a corporeal Patronus. And now class was ending, and she felt almost too frustrated to try again properly. But...just one more time, perhaps. She vigorously cleared her thoughts of aggravation, the way Miss Howard had always taught her--ah, Miss Howard! Jane now, really, now she was pretty much grown. The woman had always been there for her, functioning as both teacher and a sort of mother figure--well, more like a very wise aunt or older friend, perhaps. When Violet had been stupid enough to go to meet her Muggle father in New York, it had been Miss Howard who had tracked them down. Violet remembered how her governess had looked, appearing suddenly in the doorway of their shabby hotel room with the harsh lights shining behind her, like the silhouette of an avenging angel. Once she saw Jane, Violet had known everything would be all right.

Violet recalled strongly how she had felt when she realized how much Miss Howard cared about her and that she was about to be rescued from her situation, and holding that scene in her mind, she cast one more time: "Expecto Patronum!" The strongest silvery cloud yet came rushing out of her wand and began to form into...what? Violet had never seen a creature like that anywhere (and she suspected, neither had anyone else). The closes she could describe it was an extremely large pillow with arms and little round mouse-ears. But it was definitely a shape now.

Violet sighed--she had cast a sort-of Patronus, but obviously it was not quite complete yet. And that was probably her final chance to do so in class this year, since the term was ending. She sighed as she stowed her wand and gathered her other things together for the end of class. Still...that Patronus-to-be was definitely going to be something soon. Something large! And intimidating--maybe (Violet really hoped so). Well, she would keep practising over the summer, because she couldn't wait to find out what it really was.