"What's your Patronus, Hagrid?" Ron asked, looking over at Hagrid curiously.

"Me? Don' have one," Hagrid said. "Never managed ter produce one, meself."

Harry looked up from the copy of the Daily Prophet on Hagrid's table. "What?"

"Was expelled, weren't I? Never had a chance ter learn it. Not that I'd be any good at it, mind." Hagrid shrugged, putting down a fresh batch of rock cakes with a thump that made the cakes reverberate on the plate. He caught the look on Harry's face, and scoffed so much that Harry was rather afraid the rock cakes were now garnished with spittle. "Don't yeh go lookin' like tha', now. I never transfigured so much as a toad ter a teacup."

Later, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione had left Hagrid's house, Hermione's purse laden with rock cakes from Hagrid and fairy cakes from Maxine, the three began a hearty discussion.

"I'm sure it's not what you're thinking, Harry," said Hermione.

"What's he thinking?" Ron summoned a fairy cake from her purse.

Harry said, quietly, "That…what if he can't do it because of, well, not having happy memories?"

It was Ron's turn to scoff now, spraying a fine shower of crumbs in Harry's direction. "That's ridiculous. We've seen him get all misty-eyed over all those dangerous creatures throughout the years. If he hadn't been expelled, he'd probably be the first in the class to produce one – just close his eyes and think of Fluffy or those giant murderer spiders." Ron shuddered.

Hermione was smiling. "I think Ron's right, you know."

Harry laughed, his mood lifting. It really did make sense. "What d'you reckon it would've been, his Patronus?"

"A giant murderer spider," said Ron, darkly, as he polished off the cake.

"A blast-ended skrewt, more likely," Hermione added, her mouth twitching.

"Or Norbert," Harry joined in, and they all grinned.