Batty Boggarts
TW: Panic attack & mentions of panic attacks
The first week back, getting away from Ron and Hermione to go down to practice in the Chamber was hard. Morgan did feel guilty lying to her two closest friends but she knew they wouldn't understand. Not yet.
But more about that later, first we focus on the new classes.
"What subjects do you have today?" Ron asked at the breakfast table on the first day back, after McGonagall had given them the timetables.
Morgan looked at her timetable, "We have Herbology first thing, after which Hermione and I will have Arithmancy, and you have... Divination... Hermione? You took Divination-"
"I have it handled" Hermione said calmly and Morgan shrugged.
"-Then we have COMC with Hagrid and double Potions to top it off." Morgan finished.
Tuesday started with Charms, followed by Magical Theory (all three of the trio had opted for this) and double History of Magic, ending with Transfiguration.
Wednesday started with a free period for Morgan, while Ron and Hermione had Muggle Studies. It was followed by Ancient Runes, then double DADA and ended with Potions. Wednesday also entailed Astronomy at midnight.
Thursday was the worst day??? What??? This has got to be illegal??
It was double Potions, then History of Magic, then free period for Morgan, then finally a good period in DADA.
Friday gave way to Transfiguration, then Ancient Runes, then Charms, then Herbology, then Arithmancy/Divination and lastly, Magical Theory.
~~
Arithmancy was the second lesson on Monday, and it was interesting, to say the least.
Professor Septima Vector was a young witch (maybe in her twenties?) with raven black hair, striking blue eyes and a demeanour that won her Morgan's respect almost instantly. She gave off a knowing aura, one that was commonly related to Albus Dumbledore, though hers had less of the comforting familiarity.
She started the lesson by taking roll call, like most of the teachers in first year had.
She then started talking, and her voice was eerily similar to Snape's back in Morgan's first year when he gave his speech on Potions.
"The question on every student's mind here must be: what is Arithmancy?
This is not a simple answer, nor will you truly understand this for years to come, if you ever do, but unless you are willing to take this class seriously, step out now. Unless you are willing to go to the farthest ends of the world, cross unimaginable lines for Arithmancy, leave."
Morgan and Hermione were both entranced by what the professor was saying. They chanced a glance at each other and to their surprise, their own determination to understand this mystical science was mirrored in the other's eyes.
When nobody left, Professor Vector continued
"What is Arithmancy?" she repeated softly, "There are many answers to this question, none more or less valid than the last; each perhaps highlights a different light of the subject--each Wixen's employment of classification illuminates a new aspect of this field of study.
Although the actual number of spells and incantations involved is relatively minimal when compared to the sheer bulk of magical practicability within other subjects (such as charms), the practicality, insight, and complexity of Arithmancy is unchallenged by any other subject; this perhaps being the reason so many suitable definitions exist.
There are several definitions of Arithmancy and here are some of the ones I find most suitable," She said, flicking her wand.
On the blackboard, a number of lines appeared and all the students started scribbling them down. Morgan took a moment to read them all first.
Arithmancy is a study of the magical properties of numbers.
It is also a study of shape and form and attempts to classify the governing principles of physics and mathematics that determine the occurrences in our universe.
It also strives to examine where laws of physics and Magic coincide in order to discern the outcome from situations that have been numerologically categorized, Magically identified, and physically defined.
She did not understand all of it, but there was no time to try now, she simply wrote them all down and swore she would try later.
Once everybody had written these down, Professor Vector continued.
As the lesson continued, Morgan found herself getting more and more drawn to Arithmancy. It was amazing.
~~
Magical Theory was quite possibly the best class Morgan had ever had. The professor, Aurelia Croaker, was a beautiful middle-aged witch with mid-length white hair, grey eyes and pale skin.
By the end of the lesson, Morgan was sure this would be her favourite class. It just had to be.
~~
Professor Kettleburn was amazing. He started the class by introducing Hippogriffs, and most of the class was awed by them. Morgan was the first one to approach what seemed to be his favourite Hippogriff, Buckbeak.
She got a chance to fly on Buckbeak, and it was amazing. Not like a broom, but not unlike it either.
The lesson went smoothly and Morgan was thankful for it.
~~
It was Wednesday and the lesson was DADA. When Morgan entered the class, Remus wasn't there yet. All of them sat down, most taking out their books and quills, but Morgan stopped her friends from doing so, vowing that she'd eat her own hat if Remus let his first lesson with her class be boring. Or with any class, for that matter.
She was arguing with Seamus about the History of Magic homework that she had sent a letter to Ron and Hermione¹ about when Remus finally entered.
He walked in calmly, smiling vaguely. He was as scruffy and shabby as ever, but he looked healthier than had on the train, meaning he had more or less recovered from the past full moon.
"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."
There was an excited murmur as everyone put their books away and Remus asked everyone to follow him out of class. Morgan took the spot right next to him as everyone curiously followed him. He gave her a small smile as she slid next to him.
He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum. Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song,
"Loony loopy Lupin, loony loopy Lupin," He cackled, "Oh, ickle Peevsy missed loony loopy Lupin and his Petty Potter and Batty-"
Remus cut him off before he could finish the sentence, by pointing his wand at the keyhole and saying, "Waddiwasi"
With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.
"Cool, sir!" Dean exclaimed.
Remus inclined his head in acknowledgement as he turned to the class.
"Inside this room is a cupboard, and inside the cupboard is a boggart. Can someone tell me what a boggart is?"
About half the class raised their hand, and Remus picked Hermione.
"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."
"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Remus, and Hermione glowed, "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears"
"We have an advantage over the boggart, has anyone spotted it yet- yes, Ms Potter?"
Morgan lowered her hand as she grey annoyed at his use of her last name, which he seemed to realise, causing his lips to twitch, "There are more of us"
"Correct, Ms Potter" This time he said it just to annoy her! She glared at him and he ducked his head, trying to stop smiling.
"It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening."
"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please . . .Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!" the class chanted.
"Good," Remus said, pleased.
"Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You also have to visualize something you find hilarious to turn the boggart into. You'll understand once you face it. I will be inside the room and you will all be outside. You'll form a line and one of you will come inside. The next person will come inside when the previous person comes out. Good luck" With this, Remus went inside the room.
Everyone scrambled to get in a line.
The first person to in was Neville. He hesitantly opened the door and walked in.
By the time he emerged, he was pale and shaking. Morgan hesitated for a second, looked twice at the line and decided to walk out of it. She opened the door to a nearby unused classroom that was right next to the class with Remus and the boggart. She cast a minor cleaning charm, dragged Neville in, seated him on one of the chairs and snapped her fingers, causing Dobby to appear.
"Dobby, can you get me a couple of bars of chocolate and some cups of hot chocolate?"
He nodded and apparated away. Neville looked at her in confusion but she just cast a warming charm on him and his shaking lessened a little. She lit a little fire in the corner of the classroom.
Dobby appeared back with the chocolate bars and hot chocolate. She pushed a cup of hot chocolate into Neville's hands and said, "Drink. You'll feel better"
She walked out of the abandoned classroom to see Parvati emerge pale, with a tear streaming down her face.
She, again, led Parvati to the abandoned classroom, handing her a chocolate bar (after asking if she would have hot chocolate) and asking her to sit down.
She had an idea and called Dobby again.
"Can you transfigure the desk and chairs into sofas?"
He nodded and did so.
She walked out to tell the line, "Whoever emerged from that room, ask them to come to this class"
One by one people appeared, most pale, some sobbing, some shaking or sweating.
She comforted them all, even hugged some to provide them comfort.
After Parvati, it was Seamus, then Dean, then Ron, then Hermione, then Fay (Dunbar), then she personally dragged a shaking, sweating and on the verge of tears Malfoy to the classroom because he refused to come. He seemed to be affected as badly as Neville, which was worse than most, and she provided him with a warm hug even though he was protesting every second.
Then the Slytherins trickled in, even though a lot of them were reluctant, Pansy Parkinson was crying and Morgan hugged her and cradled her and she was too much in shock to even protest, Daphne Greengrass was breathing very fast and Morgan has enough panic attacks herself to recognize the signs and know what to do, and Theo Nott had a full-blown panic attack, Blaise Zabini closed off entirely and refused to respond to anything.
Tracey Davis was also sobbing and refused to leave Daphne's side except to gratefully return Morgan's hug and even Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be horribly affected while Millicent Bulstrode kept refusing to get near anyone and turned her wand on anyone who came within an inch of her.
Side note: Morgan makes sure to bunk History of Magic the next day because that was the time Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had their first Defense class and do the same thing she did here for them
Finally, it was Morgan's turn to go inside. *cough* that is, everybody else's turn was done.
Morgan wondered what she would be afraid of. The first thing that came to mind was Voldemort, but she had already defeated him twice and her mother did so once. The dude was clearly not that scary.
Then she thought of Dementors, but surprisingly, she wasn't afraid of them as much as she thought she would be. When she got near them, she relived her worst moments, which she hated, yes, but if she could hear her mother's voice once again, it wouldn't be that bad...
Anyway, what was she afraid of? Uncle Vernon? Maybe a little but he was surely not her worst fear.
She closed the class door behind her and Remus smiled encouragingly, before opening the cupboard.
Something dark darted out but it changed form,
CRACK
it was Ron's dead body-
CRACK
No! Hermione-
CRACK
Remus? No- he was standing right there-
CRACK
GINNY?!?! She had got to be okay-
CRACK
Uncle Vernon? No- he wasn't her worst fear?!?!
CRACK
it kept switching forms and before she could react it darted towards her, colliding with her-
She sat up, breathing heavily. She was in a dark, enclosed space- ??- It was- familiar. Weirdly so-
It couldn't be-
Her cupboard.
No- no-
"Remus?" She called out. This couldn't be real-
"Remus?" She said again, louder.
"MOONY?" She yelled, hoping to hear his voice back.
She was searching frantically for her wand, but she couldn't find it.
She breathed, feeling inside her core for her magic, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't-
The door to the cupboard opened.
"What're you screaming for, girl? Haven't I told you to stay quiet?" Vernon raised his hand and Morgan instinctively flinched.
But-but- she was-was at Hogwarts, In Remus' class. It couldn't have been a-a d-dream.
She was terrified in that moment, she didn't know what to do.
So she- she reached inside her core with all she had, drew upon the whole might of her magic- all of it- remembering her precious moments at Hogwarts- thinking of her love for her friends- with everything she had- she screamed, "RIDDIKULUS"
Magic was a part of her, and nobody could take it away from her, boggarts be damned.
Instantly, she was back at Hogwarts, in the classroom, taking shallow breaths, and shaking and panicking-
Remus' gentle magic surrounded her and she drew comfort from it but flinched as soon as he came too close.
He backed away and she missed the warmth of his magic. She just- she needed to get out of here- she couldn't- she couldn't stay here any longer- she had to get out of here-
She backed away towards the door like a cornered animal and attempted to run out, only to be stopped by Remus, who had apparently summoned Ron and Hermione sometime- which was great- she didn't really care- wanted to leave-
Morgan's breaths were getting shallower and shallower and she felt dizzy, backing away to a corner of the class. Ron and Hermione's magical signatures drew near and she relaxed- a tiny bit but they were coming nearer than comfortable- and she didn't want Uncle Vernon to hit her- she threw her arms up and desperately wished to get out of here-
CRACK
Morgan was in a place- in Hogwarts- Hogwarts was good- that was not the DADA classroom and nobody was nearby- no Uncle Vernon- no Uncle Vernon was good- and she had magic- magic was also good- tired- wanted to sleep-
And Morrigan fell unconscious.