One
Astrea Cain had hoped that after her tiresome adventures revolving the cursed vaults, she would finally get a calm peaceful last year at Hogwarts.
Her first mistake had been to think positively, because how could she possibly have imagined things would get calm when she was still breathing.
Even before her sixth year had properly ended, she had found out that Merula Snyde of all people was the mole for R. Astrea was not particularly fond of the Slytherin girl, she had spent most of her time annoyed and even tired of Merula’s existence. Even now when they were on almost friendly terms, Astrea still sometimes found Merula to be annoying. Despite that, she was surprised that it had been Merula who had betrayed them, her hatred for Rakepick had been too high for that to be a consideration.
If that wasn’t enough, her assignments at the ministry so far have been linked to R somehow, from the cursed windows and Wampus cat to the Zenith Xeep situation. And after having dealt with the doxy infestation, she was tired.
Which was terrible, because those were just her “Hero of Hogwarts” problems. She still had Astronomy class after dinner and patrol duties as the head girl. Not to mention the early morning Quidditch practice she had tomorrow because their captain her good friend, Skye Parkin had book the quidditch field at bloody seven. On a Saturday out of all days!
Sometimes Astrea thinks that maybe she should go visit the merfolk but without the bubble head charm.
“Rea! There you are!” exclaimed Charlie Weasley, one of her closest friends. “There is a boggart on the loose. Apparently, the defence professor didn’t realise it was loose until Bill couldn’t find it during a lesson.”
“A boggart? Oh gracious Rowena, why is this my life?” sighed Astrea. She then looked at her friend, “How can I help?”
“Well not much can be done. Everyone is looking into it, but Godric knows were that boggart is hiding.” replied Charlie. “It’s mostly a warning really, in case you accidently come in contact with it, you’ll at least be prepared.”
“Knowing my luck? It’s probably going to appear in front of me.” Astrea spoke with an eye roll. “At this point I am not sure if R is secretly plotting every single inconvenience for me or if every god in every religion that has ever existed has simply decided to make fun of my life.”
Charlie laughed at her, “You might give Peeves a run for his money over you dramatics.”
“Don’t say that!” exclaimed Astrea with wide eyes. “Are you trying to get me killed by a prank? Sure, Tulip is one of my roommates but she does harmless pranks on me. Peeves would set an acromantula with fanged frisbees after me while laughing and eating popcorn.”
“Can Peeves even eat food?” asked Charlie confused.
“Knowing him, I am sure he’ll find a way.” replied Astrea. “Besides, why is that the part of my sentence that you focused on?”
“I don’t want to think about acromantulas. Dragons are much cooler.” Charlie replied with a shrug.
Astrea shook her head, “Well I gotta go. I promised professor Flitwick I would tutor some second years today before dinner.”
“Yeah, I have a quidditch practice to go to as well.” Charlie replied.
“Gryffindor and Hufflepuff is next Thursday, right?” asked Astrea. “Well good luck on the match, I want to defeat you myself later.”
Charlie scoffed, “You wish.”
And with that, the two friends parted ways. Just as Astrea reached the Charms classroom, she heard a loud scream from inside.
Running in, she found one of the second-year students she was supposed to tutor standing in front of a stereotypical vampire that looked more like something of fiction. Great, of course she would be the one to find the boggart.
“Carson!” she yelled, getting the attention of both the boggart and the student. She ran in front of the student and commanded, “Go get a professor!”
Carson did not have to be told twice as he dashed out of the classroom. Astrea got her wand out, completely ready to face the boggart in the form of you-know-who.
Instead, the boggart decided to surprise her. Instead of Voldemort, it was a woman around the same height as Astrea. The woman was wearing a long-sleeved brown shirt and matching trousers decorated with a dragon scale texture, and a blood red waistcoat that was a shorter at the back than on the front. She wore black robes, on which an ornamental Eye of Horus was pinned, high boots and white gloves, as well as two light brown belts across her waist, one of which held a leather holster for her wand.
At first glance, Astrea saw Patricia Rakepick. But it wasn’t entirely her. No, this woman didn’t have Rakepick’s face. No, she wore the same face Astrea saw every day in the mirror. Her own face.
“You are just like me, Ms Cain.” the voice of Rakepick came to her. “You deny it so much, and yet even you can’t run away from the truth.”
Astrea knew it wasn’t real. She had the wand in her hand, all she had to do was cast a spell. Just one simple spell. She had done it before multiple times.
Instead, she just stood there frozen. Her hands shook, her breathing shortened, and she just stood there, frozen.
Bill Weasley was talking to professor McGonagall when a second year Hufflepuff student came running towards them.
“Professor, professor!” the student exclaimed.
“Slow down, Mr Carson.” Professor McGonagall spoke. “I hope you have a good reason for running in the halls.”
“There is a vampire in the charms classroom professor. Astrea is alone with it!” the student replied. “I think she can fight it considering she’s the hero of Hogwarts, but you should probably get there.”
“A vampire?” questioned Bill. He tried to ignore the title the student gave to Astrea, knowing full well that his friend hated that nickname.
“Must be the boggart.” responded McGonagall, coming to the same conclusion as her former student. “Come along if you wish, Mr Weasley. Mr Carson, inform Professor Flitwick of the situation and tell your other classmates that the tutoring session is cancelled for today.”
Carson nodded and ran off towards the direction of the grand staircase while the adults moved in the opposite direction towards the charms classroom.
Bill didn’t really expect Astrea to struggle with a boggart. Bill had known Astrea for six years by now, and had come to view her a little sister. He knew that she was a capable and talented witch. Not to mention, he had seen her deal with boggarts on previous occasions. He was certain she would have easily handled the situation.
He was proven wrong when he entered the classroom.
If anyone asked Bill to describe Astrea, he would probably have to use way too many words to describe her. Intelligence, surprisingly wise, too independent for someone her age, friendly, compassionate, clever, brave, but not fearless, talented, creative, and probably something more. One thing he wouldn’t describe her as vulnerable.
It was the first time he had seen his Ravenclaw friend in such a state. Every time he had seen Astrea face a cursed vault, she had been calm and collected, determined under whatever she must be thinking. Right now? She was shaking, looking at the boggart in front of her with horror, like she had forgotten the wand she carried.
In front of her stood Rakepick, her voice sounding like daggers on her own. “You are just like me, Astrea Cain. Selfish, and mad, and all alone. You are just like me.”
“Ridiculus!” Professor McGonagall said, her wand pointing at the boggart while Bill ran towards his friend as the professor dealt with the boggart.
“Rea? Rea? Astrea, can you hear me?” Bill asked as the younger girl looked at him with wide eyes, unable to produce any sound as she struggled to breath.
“Step aside Mr Weasley, best to not crowd her.” Professor McGonagall said as she stepped up. Bill didn’t see how he could crowd her when she was all alone, but now was no time to question her. “Ms Cain, can you please look at me? Very good, I need you to follow my breathing now, alright? Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out. Good job, you are doing wonderfully, let’s keep trying some more, yes? Breath in, breath out.”
Bill watched as McGonagall try to bring Astrea’s breathing to a somewhat normal state.
“Professor?” asked Astrea in a quiet shaky voice that Bill had never heard of before. “Professor- I... I don’t want to- I don’t....”
“It’s going to be alright, Ms Cain. You are going to be alright.” Professor McGonagall spoke in a comforting voice that Bill rarely ever heard. “Can you tell me where you are right now?”
“I-” Astrea started. “She’s here. I don’t want to be like her. Not her. Please, anyone but her.”
“You are at Hogwarts right now, Astrea. Touch the seat you are sitting in, touch your robes. Ground yourself here.”
She was sitting on a wooden desk. There weren’t any wooden desks in the forest grove. She was wearing her woolen hogwarts robes. Not the armour Rakepick had gifted her before they went to the buried vault.
After a moment of silent, Astrea looked up and said, “We’re in the charms classroom. At Hogwarts.”
“That’s right, you are safe here. Everyone else is safe here, I assure you.” Professor McGonagall spoke kindly. “Mr Weasley has been waiting for you to get better for quite some time now. I am certain he won’t mind escorting you to the hospital wing once you feel better and informing madam Pomfrey of what happened. Rest for today.”
“I still have astronomy class professor. And patrol.” Astrea weakly protested.
Professor McGonagall raised a brow, “Then I suppose I’ll have to inform Professor Sinistra that you won’t be able to attend today’s class. As for patrols, certainly Mr Hayden will be able to handle them for one night. Take a break for once, Ms Cain. You are not alone, let others handle things for once, and feel better.”
With that Professor McGonagall left and Bill approached her. “You feeling any better?”
“Then a few seconds ago? Yeah, I suppose so.” sighed Astrea. “Can’t believe all that just happened.”
“What happened, exactly?” asked Bill. “I thought you had dealt with boggarts before.”
“I have. But most of the times they were predictable. I knew what I’d see.” Astrea replied. “But apparently it changed between the last time I had faced it and today. I guess I didn’t expect it to change.”
“After everything you’ve through? I’d be surprised if you were still the same.” Bill replied. He then put a comforting arm around her, “Common, let’s head to the hospital wing. Maybe madam Pomfrey will give you some chocolate.”