Bacillophobia – Fear of microbes

A Brave Kind Of Fear

Disclaimer: It's all belongs to J.K. Rowling... That lucky woman.


Helga Hufflepuff had quite an unexpected fear: A fear of microbes, or in other words bacteria and dirt. Just thinking about how much dirt and dust was left in the various rooms at Hogwarts made her want top pull her hair out in frustration.

When her and her three other companions had agreed to create a school for children for not only Purebloods, but for any child that showed magical ability, Helga had thought it was a marvellous idea.

Whilst her colleagues looked for certain qualities within their houses, Helga happily proclaimed that she would take anyone into her house, and most of them turned out to be exceedingly loyal and hard-working.

She taught them everything she knew, and was undoubtedly beloved by everyone, even those she did not teach.

When she was a girl, Helga had grown up in the hills of the Welsh countryside. It was here that her fear had first begun.

It had happened during a summer in the 10th century. A vicious plague had spread to the small wizard village that Helga's and a few other families lived . The plague was relentless, killing both her mother, father and brother. A nationwide rumour was told to those who survived, saying that the disease had been spread by evil things in the air, things that would linger still, for many years on.

From then on then Helga would take to cleaning a surface until her face was visible in the reflection. She could not stop until she was sure that every single inch was squeaky clean.

She was even more fierce when it came to washing herself, she would rub fiercely upon her skin until it glowed a violent shade of red. Whenever she cooked anything (a thing for which she was notorious) she would make as little mess as possible, cleaning the utensils immediately after she was finished with them.

I will not let the poisoned air win again, she would think to herself. Determined that she would live for those who had died.

She would not suffer, she would protect those assigned to her by the wise Sorting Hat, she would not fall to illness.

Whenever Godric Gryffindor or her long time friend Rowena (Ravenclaw) had voiced their worries, Helga had put their minds at relative ease, saying it was not something she could force upon others. It was something that she had to do alone.

Although Hufflepuff may not have been the home of the brave, the smart or those whose blood was purest, it was the home to those who needed it, no matter who they were.

You may call Hufflepuff's 'duffers' and mock them for not having talent, but the truth is, that talent can be an overrated thing.

Hufflepuff was the home of those who were left behind, and the members of that house would often flourish in a way like no other. Their leader was a woman who had conquered her fear in a quiet and charming manner, just the way she had intended.


This is my second time writing for the 'Phobias challenge', but my first time writing about anyone from the founders era, so this was pretty cool. I hope you enjoy reading it.

This story was written on July 31st and therefore I must say Happy Birthday to Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived, and of course, to J.K. Rowling: The Woman Who Started It All.