November 4th, 1994. Wednesday.
Selena tried to cover up her eyes from the sunlight as she woke up. With a sigh, she finally uncovered herself and let the sun speckle her in light. Tess smiled from her bed. "Hey, Sel."
Selena waved. "Hi... Ready for class?"
Tess nodded. She was already nearly dressed, pulling on her grey socks. "I guess. I don't want to have to deliver the report."
Oh yeah, Selena thought. Our reports. In Professor McGonagall's class, they had to write about topics their teacher had assigned.
She swung her feet off of the bed and gave Crescent a pat. "Alright, let's go get dressed."
2 Hours Later
"Where do you come from?" Renee was giving her report on parrots at the moment and had the whole class confused or laughing. She looked at McGonagall, honey eyes wide, arms stretched out.
Selena and Rolf grinned at each other as Renee stood at the front of the class, looking as though she were informing them about a prophecy of the end of the world.
Professor McGonagall looked back at Renee. The corners of her mouth were curved down in a very unimpressed frown. "Miss Pierce, what does this have to with Animagi?"
Renee thought for a moment. "Well, um, well... I just thought it would be the most interesting animal to turn into... I mean, I respect your choice of a cat, Professor, but there's all that nasty business with litter boxes-"
McGonagall let her scroll with grades fall into her palm, standing up from her chair. "Why don't we continue the reports another day?"
Some people in the class cheered as Renee sat down, Rolf whistling.
"Thank you, Mr. Iredine," their Scottish teacher said, sighing. Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the classroom, emerald robes swirling elegantly. She pointed her wand at the chalkboard, a piece of chalk levitating into the air. She turned back to the class, straightening her square-shaped spectacles. "Today, children, we are going to learn about Boggarts. I am aware that this is a lesson more suited to Care of Magical Creatures, but nonetheless - Boggarts. Who knows what a boggart is?"
Only two hands were raised. Bronwen and Hazel. McGonagall nodded at Bronwen. "Yes, Miss Lovell?"
Bronwen cleared her throat. "Well, ma'am, boggarts are creatures that take the form of what you're most afraid of. Nobody actually knows what they really look like though."
"Yes, and where does it hide?" McGonagall continued.
Bronwen smiled. "In the dark."
McGonagall nodded approvingly. "Yes. They transform into one's most potent fear." She pointed her wand towards the back of the classroom. A wooden crate tied in expert knots levitated over. It settled itself before her. Selena peered curiously at the crate, glancing back at her teacher.
"The reason for a lesson on such a creature is because of a unique occasion. Professor Hagrid has procured a boggart that was hiding in the Dungeon. Suffice to say it had caused trouble for the week before it was caught. Now, children, I want to remind you that this creature cannot harm you. Its power is in the fear it inspires. And what counters fear?"
The class was silent, a few muttering words like "a torch" or "bravery."
"Laughter," Professor McGonagall replied, setting her wand in her other hand. "Laughter. To laugh at the boggart is to defeat it. When you come upon a boggart one must think of the funniest thing they can think of and say the spell-" she gave a flourish of her wand, "riddikulus!" The piece of chalk wrote the charm on the board.
The class repeated her words and Selena watched as McGonagall nodded. "Alright, everyone up!"
The class quickly stood, chairs scraping the stone floor. Professor McGonagall waved her wand again, the desks and chairs vanishing.
"Form a line! Orderly, now, careful Miss Greengrass!" the Transfiguration teacher called.
The students obediently formed a long line, murmurs rippling amongst the twelve-year-olds. Selena grinned at Hazel, who smiled. Some of the Slytherins, including Maryana, acted as if this was the most boring thing ever and stayed at the back (not that Selena was complaining.)
"Alright," Professor McGonagall said, "I'm going to open this crate and I want you all to picture something funny. The funniest thing you could imagine."
Rolf snorted lightly. "Renee getting an O in this class."
Renee gave him a murderous look back. "Shut it, or I'll feed you to the boggart."
Selena ignored them as they started bickering under their breath, standing on her tiptoes. They were very close to the front. Suddenly nervous, she wiped her palms on her robes.
Professor McGonagall pointed her wand at the crate, all of the ropes falling away from the box. Slowly, the top began to open, the wood creaking. Some of the students' eyebrows raised before their reactions turned into a smattering of little screams. Twining out of the crate was a gigantic snake, slithering towards the Ravenclaw student at the front of the line. It bared its long fangs, forked tongue sticking out.
The girl in the front, hands shaking, raised her wand. "R-riddikulus!" There was a noise like the crack of a whip, and suddenly the serpent twitched and then became a little tiny toy snake that squeaked as it moved. The class laughed and the Ravenclaw girl grinned, stepping to the side.
Next it was Renee's turn. Selena watched the boggart-toy-snake look at her and then, in a swirl of colors, it transformed into a zombie. Just by looking at it Selena got shivers. Renee paled and edged back a bit, bumping into Selena. Selena gave Renee's hand a quick squeeze of reassurance. The zombie was decaying and so grotesque that Selena couldn't imagine anything could be creepier than the monster in front of her. Bloody footprints were left behind it as the zombie trudged towards Renee.
She pointed her wand and swallowed. "Riddikulus!"
Crack!
The zombie immediately began to fall apart, becoming grey confetti, and Renee giggled a little as the class laughed. She stepped to the side and Selena walked up.
Immediately, the boggart became swirls, twisting into shapes and colors before it finally settled on a form that made Selena gasp and shake a little. A giant squid was now in the middle of the room. Its big eyes looked at Selena as her stomach plummeted. It felt as though she were drowning in water, fear making her freeze in place. She would always stay clear of the Black Lake because of the giant squid in it, but now that it was in front of her she couldn't avoid it.
It stretched out a tentacle and she screamed a little. Some of the people in line moved back from the boggart. Selena tried to swallow, but her mouth was paper-dry.
"Riddikulus!" she managed.
Crack!
The squid's tentacles suddenly became tangled and the class laughed. Selena breathed in relief and gratefully stepped out of the line.
6 Hours Later
Selena walked down the Grand Staircase, beginning to walk down the last steps. She saw a flash of blond hair near her, and then watched as Damon smiled and waved at her. She waved back. He walked up towards her.
"Hey, so guess what?" he asked immediately.
Selena thought. "Hm... you got a pet? A snake?"
Damon smiled. "Sadly, no... Guess who's been stealing from Snape."
Selena looked at him. "You?"
He grinned. "Again, no... Professor Moody."
Selena's eyebrows rose. "Professor Moody?"
"Yep," Damon said, clearly proud of his findings. "I saw him. He put it into his flask he carries around."
Selena tilted her head. "Really? Do you know what he's making?"
Damon shook his head. "No... well... not yet."
Selena smiled. "Ah." More people began to fill the corridor. She cleared her throat. "Well, do you want to go watch the students put their names into the Goblet?"
Damon nodded. "Sure."
They walked into the Entrance Hall, students milling around. At the center of the hall, the Goblet of Fire stood, blue flames dancing. They both sat down on one of the benches just as someone rushed in. Well, some people.
Into the Entrance Hall strutted Fred and George Weasley, and behind them was Sasha. Fred and George smiled cockily, walking over to Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Selena watched them, feeling as though they were up to something. Well, the Weasley Twins were always up to something.
Sure enough, the two redheads walked towards the Goblet of Fire and stopped around the magic, golden age circle.
Only then did Selena realize what they were going to do: the two of them were going to try and sneak their names into the Goblet of Fire.
Aw, Cliff Hanger! So sorry I ended it like this, I just want to add it. I was going to stop it at Moody stealing from Snape's office, but I decided to add this little bit before the next chapter! =)
And thanks for waiting so long. I just had to put a lot of thought into this chapter because I've thinking of it for a while.
Well, thanks for reading, and I'll have the next chapter up on Friday.
I like reviews!
~Loveableheart
6/18/15: I changed something because I'd taken a joke from Shake It Up - the show. But, I changed it now. Yep! :)