CHAPTER 14: Boggarts and Bissets
Madeline's home visit had been short and sweet. She returned to Hogwarts only a few days after new years eve, taking the Hogwarts express with the younger years who hadn't been allowed to attend the ball.
The train had been a flurry of excited chatter. She sat herself with Evie Sterling, the young girl excitedly telling her all about her muggle christmas. Being a muggleborn Slytherin, young Evie often found herself hiding her family life away from the more judgemental Slytherin, such as Malfoy. But a lot of the older Slytherins, like Madeline and Tracy, allowed her to talk about anything and everything muggle-related that her heart desired. And they loved listening to it.
To be honest, Madeline found it incredible to hear about the muggle world. Books and novels were one thing, but Evie's stories truly made Madeline want to spend a day as a muggle and see what the world was like. To be able to leave the wizarding world behind and just be an anonymous face in a crowd of thousands.
They continued chatting as they walked from the Hogsmeade station all the way to the castle, passing the Durmstrang boat still floating on the freezing lake. The Beauxbatons carriage seemed to glow from the inside as they passed it's curtained windows, laughter twinkling out of it.
The large group of young students stepped into the Entrance Hall gleefully, rushing to find their friends for their last few days of freedom before the beginning of the new term. Even little Evie Sterling all but ran towards the Slytherin Dungeons, but Madeline took her time, relishing the feeling of coming back to Hogwarts.
Home had become an abstract concept in the last few days. Certainly, Grasse was home, but Hogwarts held a special place in her heart even over the short few months she'd been there. It was much warmer than her home, something she didn't truly appreciate until her return.
"Bisset!"
Madeline looked up to find none other than Cedric Diggory rushing over to her, clad in a baggy jumper and black jeans. The disheveled Hufflepuff prince rushed to the girl with a smile on his face, embracing her in a tight side-hug.
"Nice to see you too, Diggory," Madeline laughed. She hadn't spent a lot of time with the boy before the ball, and although the two were an unlikely pair, Madeline had missed him.
"You look… Different," Cedric observed as he pulled away from her, "Not a bad different! You look good!"
And Madeline knew he was right. She was dressed in a silky cream milkmaid blouse and a long black chiffon skirt, revealing just the slightest slither of her ankle between the hem and the top of her heeled black winter ankle boots. Her hair was sleek and loose, the outfit completed with the same black coat she'd left Hogwarts with.
She'd seen herself in the mirror after her mother had given her the outfit. In Grasse, she looked like her normal aristocratic self, but in Hogwarts, she looked different. As if her clothes bore her own knowledge of the path waiting for her.
Madeline simply rolled her eyes lightheartedly at the boy, nudging him playfully, "If that's how you talk to women, Diggory, then I'm surprised you even got a date to the Yule Ball."
Cedric flustered at her mention of the ball, but quickly composed himself, "Looks like we have some catching up to do."
"Indeed we do," Madeline laughed, picking up her suitcase and gesturing dramatically to the Great Hall, "After you, Diggory."
"…And then I asked her," Cedric finished describing how he'd managed to go to the ball with Cho Chang, "I thought she was going to say no at first, but she's really, really great. You know?"
"No, I wouldn't know," Madeline shrugged, sipping on her mug of coffee at the Hufflepuff table. Term didn't resume for a few more days, meaning the Great Hall was sparsely littered with small groups of friends, the house colours and tables foregone for the meantime. No one paid them a second glance, "I've never met the girl."
"She's really sweet," Cedric began gushing immediately, "And really smart too, but I suppose that's why she's in Ravenclaw."
"Great observations there Diggory."
"So what about you?" Cedric continued with a grin, "How's things with the Weasley?"
Madeline bit her lip, "Whatever do you mean?"
"You went to the ball together," Cedric smirked, "So… When's the wedding?"
"Shut up!" Madeline scoffed, a playful smirk on her face, "He's lovely, really. And he's not bad-looking either."
"And again, I ask; wedding?"
Madeline thought about her uncle and her grandmother. She was going to be thrown in a whole different world sooner or later, and it wouldn't be fair to drag someone else into that world without their consent, especially when she didn't know what she was up against herself. But then again, it was also a little ridiculous to be thinking so far into the future. Maybe her and Fred would work out, maybe not.
Going to a ball together isn't exactly a contract for marriage, Diggory," Madeline sighed, "He's invited me to Hogsmeade, but I don't know. I mean; a Slytherin with a Weasley?"
"You don't usually care about things like that."
"I don't, but he might."
"He was the one to ask you to the ball, was he not?" Cedric asked, "So, I think you should give it a shot. Go for a drink and see if theres a spark."
Madeline scoffed, "You sound like one of those cliche romance novels."
"Was there a spark at the Yule Ball?"
Madeline paused, "We had fun. He really… Brought something new out in me, you know?"
"There you go then," Cedric nodded, "Go to Hogsmeade with him, and don't overthink it."
The Slytherin smiled, "You know, you're not half bad at giving advice."
"Yeah well, apparently I'm very bad at being a Champion," Cedric admitted, lowering his voice, "I still haven't figured out the egg."
"You still have until February, don't you?"
"Yeah, but time is running out," Cedric sighed, "It just keeps shrieking every time I open it."
Madeline shivered, remembering the horrible racket the egg had made in the Gryffindor common room, "Yeah, I wouldn't want to be you."
"Cheers."
"No worries."
"I just can't figure out what it means," Cedric continued, "I mean, it must be making that noise for a reason."
"Maybe you just can't understand it," Madeline shrugged, "Like, if I started speaking French, you wouldn't be able to understand what I was saying without a translator or one of those Linguistic Charms. Or… Like a Mandrake. It shrieks and cries when you pick one, right? We don't understand what its saying, but it's clearly upset."
Cedric stared at Madeline for a few moments, as if all the puzzle pieces had finally clicked into place. His eyes went wide, a grin spreading on his face.
"You are a genius," Cedric announced, standing up hastily, "I need to go try something. But seriously; if this works, I'll owe you one."
"No worries?" Madeline repeated in confusion, "But what did you-"
"I'll see you at dinner!" Cedric called, rushing out of the Great Hall hastily.
Madeline frowned. What the hell?
"Ladies and gentlemen, the anxiously awaited Madeline Bisset is back!" Daphne exclaimed dramatically from her position on the Slytherin sofas the minute she spotted her friend walking into the Common Room.
"And with a new wardrobe, too," Tracy Davis observed, Madeline rolling her eyes at her friends antics, "Looking good, Bisset."
"Glad to see nothing's changed," Madeline observed as she sat herself down next to Theo, on the opposite sofa to Daphne, who seemed to be scribbling away on a parchment, clearly trying to finish her Christmas homework.
"Madeline, you have absolutely no idea how much I want to grill you for details from the Yule Ball. Seriously, I'd love nothing more," Daphne began, scribbling wildly on her parchment, "But right now; Charms is absolutely kicking my ass."
Madeline turned to Theodore, "Are we going to help her?"
"Nope."
"I don't need help," Daphne shrugged, "I can do this without Notts smugness, thank you very much."
Theo looked at Madeline with a knowing gaze, going back to his book, "How were your holidays?"
Madeline shrugged nonchalantly, a tenseness to her posture, "It was good."
"Wow, you seem on a festive high."
"Shut up," Madeline laughed, "Seriously, it was really good. I didn't realise how much I'd missed my mother, you know?"
"But you're glad to be back," Daphne chimed in as she started unravelling another piece of parchment.
Madeline smiled, looking around the dungeon with fondness growing in her heart, "Yeah, I'm glad to be back."
The beginning of the new term came with a flurry of cold snow and winds.
The snow sat thickly upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology. The Slytherin Dungeons had become especially chilly, frost outlining the outside of the lake windows. Madeline almost felt sorry for the creatures that might live in the lake, bracing the cold weather underwater.
Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather. Madeline walked to the lesson with Theo and Daphne tightly on either side of her, the trio trying to keep warm.
"Bloody hell," Daphne sniffed, rubbing her gloved hands together, "You'd think Hagrid would have us doing theory with this weather."
Madeline snorted, her new green scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, "When has Hagrid done something by the book?"
When they eventually walked (or more so waddled through the snow) to Hagrid's cabin, they did not find the burly man. Instead, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped grey hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.
"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as the Gryffindors and Slytherins struggled toward her through the snow.
"Who're you?" Ron Weasley asked from the front of the small group of students, "Where's Hagrid?"
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly, ignoring Madeline's snort at her name, "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Grubby-Plank," Madeline whispered to Daphne, who barely stifled a set of giggles.
"This is what Draco was talking about at breakfast," Theodore whispered to the two. Madeline frowned.
"What was he talking about?"
"Didn't you listen?"
"I never listen to that git. Barely has anything interesting to say," Madeline shrugged, turning her attention back to the new Professor.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry Potter repeated loudly. He definitely hadn't lost his unique way with words over the break.
"He is indisposed," the new Professor replied shortly.
Unpleasant laughter reached Madeline's ears, and of course, it came from none other than Draco Malfoy himself. Harry turned; glaring as Draco and his goons joined the class. Looking around, Madeline realised that the majority of the Slytherins didn't seem particularly surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank.
"This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering.
Madeline, Theo and Daphne followed the teacher, lagging behind the Gryffindors as they waddled together. They watched as Harry continued to ask the Professor questions, but with no answers.
The group walked towards the forest, and much to Madeline's surprise, none other than a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered to one of the trees on the edge of the forest.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Lavender Brown exclaimed, lowering her voice, "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"
The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look grey. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head. Madeline was transfixed, she had never seen such a creature so up close.
"Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank suddenly, causing Theo to jump back in fear, "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care."
"Suits me," Theo huffed, immediately backing away.
Madeline and Daphne followed the group of girls behind Professor Grubbly-Plank, staying behind the Gryffindor girls.
"I can't believe Malfoy," Daphne sighed, "I didn't think he'd go as far as to take an interview with Rita Skeeter."
Madeline furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"
"You really didn't listen at breakfast, did you?" Daphne rolled her eyes, "Rita Skeeter published an article criticising Dumbledore for hiring Hagrid, and she had quotes from Malfoy and Crabbe. Also, she revealed that he's a half-giant! Can you believe that?!"
"Hagrid is nothing like the giants we're taught about," Madeline furrowed her eyebrows.
Before Daphne could add anything else, the new Professor interrupted them.
"Are you paying attention over there?"
"Yes ma'am," Daphne nodded politely, the two girls turning their attention to the unicorn.
Madeline and Daphne stayed silent as the carefully stroked the unicorn, but Madeline's gaze floated over to the boys. It seemed that the news had been broken to the Gryffindors too, as they all clustered around an unfolded piece of newspaper.
Draco and his goons stood by the boys smugly, clearly pleased with themselves. Madeline frowned; it didn't particularly sit right with her that Hagrid was a half-giant, sure. She's read far too many history books for the news not to be a little concerning. However, she was certain he didn't have the ability to hurt a fly, let alone carry out any horrible rumours Rita Skeeter might be spreading about him.
Madeline could never see herself becoming someone like Malfoy. He was cruel and wicked, and she didn't want to be that, regardless of Head of the Family or not.
As it had been from the beginning of the year, Madeline still sat by Neville in Defence Against the Dark Arts. He seemed to be a lot more relaxed around her, but the two would still rarely talk, and if they did, it would usually be one-sided from Madeline. She hadn't seen him terrified out of his wits for quite some time, which was definitely an improvement. But then again, they had just had a Christmas break.
It was their first day back in DADA, their final lesson for the day, and much like other Professors, Madeline had expected Moody to ease back into the subject with a nice, relaxing lesson on theory.
That all vanished when Moody strolled into the class, going straight to the large cloak-covered structure he'd set up in front of his desk.
He pulled away the cloak with a flourish, revealing the large wooden wardrobe, it's doors adorned with cracked mirrors. A couple of students gasped, Neville clutching the desk exactly like he had when they'd been taught about the unforgivable curses. Madeline was simply confused.
"Boggarts," Moody spoke gruffly, "I'm aware you covered them last year with Professor Lupin, but Dumbledore has assured me that not everyone got a hand at them. We managed to catch another one during the break. So, get your wands out and move the desks. You won't need your books."
Madeline raised her eyebrow in interest. She'd read about Boggarts before, but she never thought she'd have to face one herself. Her family mansion in France had been equip with books covering any and all subjects in the Wizarding World, but practical studies were always a little… Tricky. Especially with her mothers overbearing need to keep her only daughter safe at all times.
"Line up, one by one," Moody ordered as everyone pushed the desks to the side of the room. Moody pointed at Daphne, the first to come back to the centre of the room, "Greengrass, you first."
"Bloody hell… Wish me luck," Daphne muttered sarcastically as she passed Madeline and Theo, both who had found themselves in the middle of the queue.
"Because there are so many of you, we have the advantage. The Boggart won't know what to change into until you step forwards, and even then, it'll be confused," Moody explained as Daphne stepped forwards, "So, I trust you all know what to do?"
"Riddikulus," Hermione called from behind Madeline. Moody nodded.
"Every single one of you fears something," Moody continued darkly, his wooden leg clacking against the floor loudly as he paced, "If you laugh in the face of fear, you'll be twice as powerful a wizard as one who can't."
"Inspiring," Madeline mused sarcastically in Theo's ear.
"Alright Greengrass; I'm going to open the wardrobe," Moody explained, making his way to the mirrored door, "Cast the Riddikulus charm as soon as you can. Then the next person moves forwards. Got that?"
Everyone nodded exuberantly, Neville quietly practicing his wand motion by his side. Madeline watched him closely, taking her own wand out of her pocket and copying him. She wasn't about to be publicly embarrassed for not knowing a third-year spell, thank you very much.
"Let's start," Moody gruffly announced, hand on the wardrobe knob, "Ready?"
"Bring it," Daphne joked, although her friends could tell she was nervous.
Moody swung the wardrobe door open, everyone holding their breath as they waited for the terrifying creature to manifest itself. Madeline couldn't begin to imagine what Daphne could be afraid of. She was strong and fearless, albeit sometimes dramatic, but nothing could possibly-
"It's a… Dog?" Madeline breathed, eyes wide.
In front of Daphne, the Boggart had turned into a ferocious golden retriever, which really wasn't too scary to the majority of the class. To Daphne, it was terrifying.
"A dog Greengrass? Really?" Malfoy laughed from the back of the classroom, the entire class echoing the giggles.
"They act cute but they can rip your throat out," Daphne snapped, eyes remaining on the Boggart. She lifted her wand, "Riddikulus!"
The Boggart immediately transformed into a small, docile little kitten, with paws twice the size of its body. Everyone laughed and cooed as the kitten tripped and slipped around, Daphne grinning. She spun on her heels, stalking past the queue of students to the back of the room.
"And that's," she began as she passed her two friends, twirling her wand in her hands, "How it's done."
Theo rolled his eyes as the next person stepped up; Parvati Patil. The Boggart immediately turned into a bandaged mummy, but with a quick whip of her wand, the Boggart tripped on it's own bandages, falling flat on the floor.
Next was Hermione. The Boggart turned into Professor McGonagall informing her of her failed exams. The Gryffindors particularly found it funny, but Hermione's Riddikulus was quick, the Boggart turning into Professor McGonagall giving her an award for best student. Neville followed, his boggart predictably turning into Snape.
Madeline watched in amusement as her peers faced their so-called 'worst fear'. To be frank, Madeline didn't know what hers was. Sure; she wasn't exactly a fan of spiders, and the thought of drowning sent shivers up her spine, but none of those were particularly blood-curling fears. They were normal, rational fears to have.
And so, right after Theodore had faced his fear of claustrophobia, Madeline stepped up in front of the Boggart, which currently resembled a rather lovely fern. However, the moment Madeline stepped forwards, the Boggart immediately started changing…
Turning into a floor-length mirror.
"Pretty vein of you, isn't it Bisset?" Draco called from the back, earning himself quite a few snickers from his goons and Pansy.
But Madeline paid no attention to him. She was frozen, watching her own reflection in horror.
Her reflection was dressed exactly like her. In fact, it probably looked like her fear was a mirror to everyone in the class. But in reality, the minute she saw herself with such a proud and arrogant look on her face, she knew exactly what the Boggart had turned to.
As many would say; curiosity killed the cat. Madeline shakily reached for her sleeve, pulling up the cuff of her robe over her elbow.
And as she suspected, the Dark Mark resided tattooed on her forearm.
Before anyone could see, Madeline pointed her wand at the Boggart, "Riddikulus!"
At once, the Boggart shifted into a funhouse mirror, with a red curled frame and a morphing mirror, reflecting a version of Madeline dressed as a clown. A few snickers echoed through the classroom, but Madeline would be foolish to believe that no one had seen what the Boggart had truly turned into.
The minute the class ended, Madeline stormed out and as far away from the room as possible.
Madeline didn't know how long she'd been in the windowed alcove of the corridor, sat on the cold stone bench. Hell, she didn't even know what floor she was on, which wasn't too much of a problem when the directions for her common room would always be 'keep going down until it's dark and damp'.
She had been sat with her legs hugged to her chest, her chin resting on her knees as she watched the Hogwarts grounds through the frosty window. With a wandless spell, she had melted the frost away, revealing a large stretch of the front of the Hogwarts grounds. Students ran and laughed through the snow, some engaging in short little snowball fights. The Gryffindors were some of those people, of course, with Lee Jordan and one of the Weasley twins hiding behind bushes and trees, cornering people with flurries of snowballs.
The sight of herself with the Dark Mark would never leave her mind. But it wasn't the idea of the Dark Lord returning that she feared, not really. It was the idea of being given so much power, and to have no choice, and to love it. The Dark Mark was only given to the Dark Lords most inner circle, people with power and knowledge he wanted. And she didn't want to begin to imagine if that was exactly what being the Head of the Family would set her up for.
She wanted to be great, of course. But at what cost?
It was growing increasingly hard to remember that the Dark Lord had been defeated years ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching her. Madeline didn't bother looking up, keeping her eyes glued to the darkening Hogwarts grounds.
"Care for a Canary Custard?"
Madeline raised her head to find herself staring at none other than Fred Weasley, with his signature smile on his face, his glaringly Gryffindor tie askew, and holding out a custard cream to the girl. Madeline rolled her eyes, but smiled.
"I know better than to accept food from you and your brother."
Fred nodded understandingly, a proud look on his face. He sat in the empty space by her legs, "I was lying by the way; it's a normal custard cream."
"Nice try, but no."
Fred shrugged, flicking the biscuit away onto the floor. He looked at her with a slightly more serious expression, yet his eyes remained kind. "Hermione told me what happened, with your Boggart. Said you ran out straight after."
"I didn't run out," Madeline protested, "I just needed some air."
"Do you want me to go?"
"You don't have to," Madeline shrugged. She held his gaze for just a few moments longer before turning back to the window, the side of her head pressed against her crossed arms.
"You know, most peoples Boggarts are He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It's nothing to be ashamed of-"
"I'm not scared of him," Madeline interrupted, refusing to meet his gaze.
Fred paused for a few long moments, the silence almost deafening.
Madeline huffed. Fred was the first boy who had clearly and genuinely shown interest in her beyond wealth and fortune. To her knowledge, he didn't know anything about her family, about how important the Bisset name was, and yet he was still here. But, Madeline knew that he deserved to know, especially after the form of her Boggart had reached his ears.
"My family aren't exactly… Aligned with good," Madeline spoke plainly, "Or at least that's what they've hinted to. They've never outright claimed they supported the Dark Lord. They're arguably the most powerful and influential wizarding family in France."
Fred's voice wasn't judgemental. In fact, it sounded perfectly rational, "So you're scared of becoming-"
"I'm scared that the idea of power becomes too strong to resist," Madeline interrupted. Her gaze stayed on the windows, "So; I'm a Slytherin with a bad attitude and a glaring potential for the Dark Arts. I'm shit-scared of the very real possibility that, if the Dark Lord ever rises again, I'll be forced to be first in line to be branded with a shiny new tattoo. And I know that's not what you signed up for, so quite frankly, you can walk away from the mess that this is right now and I promise I'll never speak to you again."
Madeline kept her face stoic, her eyes glued to the window. She waited, listening for any sound of the Gryffindor boy getting up; waiting for him to walk right out of her life and never come back.
But the corridor remained silent.
Madeline finally pulled her gaze away from the window and to the boy, "So?"
Fred shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning back, He pulled his long legs up onto the bench next to Madeline's a cocky grin on his face.
"So; Hogsmeade next week?"
"Did you momentarily go deaf or are you just plain stupid?"
"The only stupid I am is stupid attracted to you," Fred grinned, "So, just to double check… Do you still want to go on a date with me; a cocky, overly proud, sometimes selfish and devilishly attractive Gryffindor?"
Madeline blinked in stupor. However, the answer was clear in her head.
"Yes Weasley; I'll go on a date with you."