On Friday, Frodo hurried to his next class. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin. And given what the Gryffindors were telling about the class, it already sounded like a good class. Frodo slowed down upon reaching the third floor corridor. He wasn't about to be late, but then he didn't want to be too early either. Gathering his strength, Frodo followed the corridor into the classroom.
The floor was covered in wood paneling. The windows were open and arched, but also slightly airy. Throughout the room were objects encased in glasses, and other artifacts from around the world, including some shrunken heads in vases. The room had a woodsy approach to it, something he didn't expect.
Frodo looked back to see Cho Chang and Padma Patil enter the classroom, too. Now all he needed to see was Aria, who made him jump when she appeared. Frodo was stunned to see her.
"Aria, you're in this class, too?" Frodo asked her.
"Why yes, Frodo," Aria smirked. "I am. But my schedule's a bit rotated. So, I won't always be in the same classes with you."
"Why is that?" Frodo asked her.
"Pipe down!" Lupin said, approaching the front of the class with a trunk. "Now for today's lesson, we will be studying and practicing on a boggart. Now, which one of you can tell me what a boggart is?"
"They're shapeshifters," Frodo and Aria said in near unison.
"Go on," Frodo said to Aria.
"No. You go ahead," Aria said back.
"We're waiting," Lupin said.
"Well, they're shapeshifters." Frodo explained, "they play on our fears."
"Precisely," Lupin said. "There's a simple charm used to repel boggarts. It's Riddikulus. Practice it now. Riddikulus." The class did it in unison. "Come on. Louder now. Riddikulus." The class spoke louder. "Very good."
"That was easy," Sam said, perked up.
"Well, Samwise, it may not be. But when performing the spell, you have to think of something funny to repel a boggart," Lupin said. He gestured forward. "Sam, come on now." Frodo looked at Sam then. Was he going to go up to the front of the class? Sam did after a moment's hesitation. Lupin grinned at him then, asking, "Sam, what frightens you the most?"
"Shrews, sir," Sam said, surprised to see his classmates laugh at the idea. "I reckon they're hard to beat. They drive farmers and gardeners mad in the Shire."
"Understandable," Lupin said. "Now, can you think of something that amuses you?" Sam hesitated, but it was enough for Lupin to stand beside him. "No matter. I'm sure you will come up with something. Now, wand at the ready." He pulled out his wand, but then so did Sam. "Ready? Now." He waved his wand, causing the trunk to open and a large shrew to come out, his eyes squinting in anger. Lupin instructed Sam. "Now. Use the spell."
"Riddikulus!" Sam cried.
The boggart Shrew's feet tapped danced without its control. Frodo laughed in amusement with the other students. A tap-dancing shrew certainly was a riot. Even Sam was impressed.
"Well done, Sam." Lupin said.
And so the lesson continued. Pearl was next and she was trembling. What could the boggart do to terrify her? She got her answer when a giant wood-like creature, the bowtruckle, appeared before her.
"Pearl, you've got this," Frodo told her.
"Riddikulus!" Pearl shouted, waving her wand at the creature.
The spell worked. The boggart bowtruckle now was singing a few tunes in merry delight. But it didn't last long. The second Frodo was in front of the boggart, it transfigured into a darker creature. He nearly had the spell when he was pushed back by Lupin, who turned the boggart moon into a balloon. Frodo didn't understand… why hadn't he had the chance to try his hand at the boggart.
"That's the end of the lesson," Lupin told the class. "Collect your books now. I'm very sorry about all of this."
"You're sorry," Frodo said, facing him. "What was that?"
"That is for another time, Frodo," Lupin told him, politely. "Go on."
Frodo wanted to say something, but feared it would be impolite. He grabbed his books, leaving the class without a moment's hesitation. He stopped upon hearing Aria talking to Sam.
"I don't get it," Aria said. "Why didn't I have a go at the boggart?"
"I don't know, Miss Aria. These things happen," Sam said.
"We can't just hide this under a rug, you know," Aria said. She turned to Frodo, "Frodo, how did you do against the boggart?"
"What do you mean?" Frodo said. "I didn't have a chance facing that boggart."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Frodo," Sam said. "I wish there was somethin' to be done about it."
"No matter. You got to face your fear, Sam. I'm glad," Frodo said, grinning at him.
"I should go," Aria said. "I don't want to be late for my next class." She took off at a mad dash. Frodo approached Sam, who was confused.
"Where is she going?" Sam asked Frodo.
"I don't know." Frodo said. "Already, she's busier than we are."
"Is this about to be a habit for her and Hermione?" Sam asked further.
Frodo shrugged. "I'm not sure." But he hoped the two girls knew what they were doing.
o-o-o
On Saturday morning, Frodo went to the Authors' Chamber for his third introductory course. He was getting used to the introduction classes in the first term of the school year. And Hilibert Blodwen was teaching the class. So, what he had in store for Frodo and his classmates remained to be seen. But as he stepped inside the classroom, Frodo looked in awe at the various medieval relics, as well as creatures found inside locked cages.
Just what was going on in this classroom, this time around? He didn't have to wait for long, for his hobbit classmates, authors and authoresses also took their seats. Before the front desk was Professor Blodwen, but it was on his desk that proved most interesting: there was an assortment of mirrors pegged on a long wooden frame.
Blodwen began the lesson once everyone took their seats. "Please take your seat. I am Professor Blodwen, your new Introductory Course teacher. What you see before you are an assortment of mirrors, but each one is unique. And before we investigate these mirrors, you must ask yourselves this question: how far are you willing to go to see what you want, hope, dream, miss the very most and fear. These five mirrors will illustrate just that." He pointed to the first hobbit he saw. "Frodo Baggins. If you'd like to step forward, we will see, as everyone else will see in this projection—" He pointed to the projector and the cream-colored screen behind his desk, "—exactly what your true self reveals."
"Sir," Frodo pointed out, "in Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Professor Lupin didn't show me what—"
"Yes, I know." Blodwen pointed out. "But I am not Professor Lupin." He gestured to the mirrors. "Please, come here and we'll see what you'll truly face."
Frodo was reluctant at first, unsure what the mirrors would reveal. Moving away from the desk, the same desk Aria randomly appeared at, Frodo approached Blodwen's desk. It didn't take much time for Frodo to be jolted back in the front chair by the five mirrors' bright light. He glanced up as each mirror revealed several images on the screen. His wants and needs, which involved caring for his friends and family; his hopes of seeing a house and someone to cherish; his dreams, which were all over the place with visions of the future; his parents, who he missed and longed to see again. But it was his fears that stood out the most: dementors, spiders and Saur— the images faded away as Blodwen turned off the projector. The mirrors stopped working, the light fading out.
But – no. Not again. He wasn't allowed to see Sauron… or maybe that was a good thing.
"Yes. Well, I think that's enough for today." Blodwen said. "Class dismissed. Next Saturday, I will try to bring something else that's more interesting." The class groaned in anxiety. Frodo was bewildered. What had he just witnessed. His thoughts returned to reality when Blodwen spoke to him again, "Go on, Frodo. Grab your things. You have your lessons with Professor Flitwick to get to, don't you?"
"Um… yes. Yes I do," Frodo said, grabbing his books and fleeing out of the classroom.
Even though he didn't fully understand, he knew that Lupin and Blodwen didn't want to reveal Sauron – well, that's what he assumed Blodwen was doing. As for Lupin… it made no sense. Wasn't he allowed to face his fears? He didn't want to be reluctant, but he could admit how unfair it had been in his DADA and Introductory classes. His mind groveled over the situation as he climbed out of the right portrait hole and straight to Professor Flitwick's office. He knocked three times, heard a grumble and opened the door.
"Ah, Mr. Baggins." Flitwick was already impressed with him. "You're early. So we'll begin your lesson straightaway. Let's see how you do with a warm-up…"
Frodo ended up spending much of the class sorting through papers and books, all through use of hand magic. He was improving, that much was clear, but this was becoming easy work. He felt a little exhausted, but at the same time he was proving to be very well versed in hand magic. Flitwick clapped his hands in delight.
"Well done, my boy." Flitwick said. "I remember when you first came into my office. We had detentions. You were a reluctant young fellow."
"Well, I spent half the year pulling the best prank I could accomplish," Frodo said. Truly, how he managed that grand scheme was beyond him. He did look like a wreck, didn't he? Shaking the thoughts out of the way, Frodo did something unexpected. With a snap of his fingers, the papers transfigured into clucking chickens. He quickly snapped his fingers. The papers restored in their first form.
"Hmm…" Flitwick said. "Yes. You still have your talent for trouble." He shooed Frodo with a wave of his hand. "Very good. That's all I needed to see. We'll continue next weekend. Off you go and leave the door closed on your way out."
"Thank you, professor," Frodo said, darting out of Flitwick's office and right into the portrait of Sir Cadogan. "Oh, hullo Sir Cadogan."
"I say, what's bring a fine chap like you out in this part of the corridor?" Sir Cadogan asked.
"Just had my first lesson with Professor Flitwick," Frodo said.
"Nay. Is that a quest I hear? I must be off!" Sir Cadogan approached his pony. "You – you – come on, you useless pony. Nay! I will have this mission yet!"
"I'll see you later," Frodo said, darting down the corridor.
"Tarry on, good fellow. If you have need for savory sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan," Sir Cadogan said, before laughing his way through the next sort of portraits. Frodo cackled with delight. Well, the knight sure was noble… at least, that's what Frodo hoped he'd be. As for his mission: homework and meeting Hagrid. And that's just what he, Frodo Baggins, would do.
