Misfortune

All through morning, I've been catching ends of conversations, excited bits of gossip between students. It would seem that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin, had planned quite the exciting class which included a live specimen. By lunch the rumor had spun wildly out of control : some claiming he'd brought in a werewolf (the eventual irony of this statement did not escape me), many that it was a harpy, and others still that it was a dragon. Luckily, I'd learned the truth much before it was distorted so, and the reality turned out to be more frightful than werewolves, harpies or dragons.

It would appear that he had brought a Boggart.

The creature by itself is little frightening and defeating it is no great feat. What worried me was not the beast, but what it would transform itself into. It has always been said of me that I am a person without fear, but I'm not arrogant enough to ever brag of it myself. Because I know that, truly, there are some things that I fear and right now, there is nothing that terrifies me more than the thought of seeing you crying. Or seeing you dead - but I can simply not bring myself to think of that so I know that it would not transform itself into such a horrid scene.

It is so that it came that I headed towards my afternoon Defense Against the Dark Arts class with a tremendous weight upon my shoulders and a heavy heart. In surplus to having my worst fears come true, the whole lot of Slytherins would come to realize my affections for you.

I fleetingly considered pretending to be sick, but that would most likely make me seem weak to my comrades. I even pleaded to the unknown powers of the Universe - in which I don't believe - to strike me dead right then and there. That, however, did not happen. So I submissed myself to my fate, trying, withing the couple of minutes that it took me to walk to the class, to change what it is that frightens me. To little avail, of course.

I hesitantly walked into the class, all nerves as I took my seat. My fingers drummed the desk and I fidgeted on my seat, impatient to get this torture over; I immediately stopped when I noticed the odd looks Millicent was giving me, returning it with a peeved scowl.

It is then that the professor entered the class, I first noticed his shabby appearance, but afterwards that he carried no creature and the words that afterwards came out of his mouth made me release a long breath I didn't know I was holding. "Students, please take out your books and open them--" the rest of his sentence was lost under the muttering of disappointed students and I myself simply tuned him out, thanking my luck. What followed the dying out of the disgruntled mumbles, though, was a class that could only be described as little engaging and I couldn't help but think that, just maybe, facing the Boggart wouldn't've been so bad compared to the mind numbing lecture.

After all, as much as I'd hate to see you cry, the simple sight of you would be very uplifting right now.

Author's Note : This story really lost the effect it had as an idea once I got around to actually writing it... Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this late update regardless!