Chapter Five- Infusion
Fear is one emotion that can destroy any wizard. Even the greatest wizards can not easily overcome their fears. This fact allows Bogart's to be one of the most effective magical creatures when it comes to obscuring a wizards mind. A Bogart is a shape shifter. It turns into the very thing that the wizard it is confronting fears the most. Because of its shape shifting abilities the appearance of a Bogart is a mystery. Although when it is confronted by more than one wizard its appearance becomes confusing as it does not know which fear it should present itself as.
Studies of this magical creature always confused Aliana. How could a creature turn into everyone's greatest fear? What if you were afraid of crying? Would the Bogart turn into a tear drop? What if someone was afraid of fear itself? Wouldn't this only confuse the Bogart more? She always wondered what a Bogart would turn into for her. As much as she hated to admit it to she was scared of what people thought about her. Her insecurities lay deep. Never in her life had she felt completely confident with herself; with her abilities. When ever someone laughed around her she assumed that they were laughing at her. She never let anyone see these insecurities, though. She always presented herself as being self- assured even though she knew she was only faking it. She had become immersed in making others feel as though she was perfect. She did this all because her mother had taught her to.
As much as Aliana tried to reverse her ways she always seemed to fall back into her regular pattern. Hogwarts, she had decided would be a new beginning; she would finally begin to start over. But this had yet to happen.
"Marcus, would you care to take over reading for us please?" Professor Moody barked at the boy who was clearly not paying attention.
"Oh, sure," he managed as his friend pointed out where they finished off reading. "To fend off a Bogart the Riddikulus spell is used. To be used properly the spell caster must picture something very funny while saying the incantation. The Bogart will turn into this funny thing and can be defeated by laughter. A stronger Bogart may take more defenses but the best defense is confusion. Approaching a Bogart is best done in groups of two or more to inflict uncertainty upon the Bogart."
Once Moody became satisfied with Marcus' reading Aliana drifted off in thought once again. But this time she was trying to figure out a way to get out of this painfully boring class. She had studied Bogart's in her fourth year and knew almost all of the information Moody was teaching today. She finally decided that her attempts were fruitless. Moody was much too smart to believe any illness she could think of at the time. So Aliana settled in and counted the seconds until next period.
--
"Thank God, that class is over," Aliana sighed as Kyrah caught up to her.
"Oh, I know!" she agreed. "Moody can create the most boring lessons-"
"And yet he also has the most interesting ones," Aliana finished off the sentence for her. "But this most definitely beats History of Magic on the boring scale."
"You have a boring scale?" Kyrah smirked at Aliana's word choice.
"Oh, shut up."
They had finally reached the Ravenclaw tower and found Elizabeth and Rayna to be waiting for them. Somehow all four girls managed to share this free period.
"Hey guys. How was DADA?"
"Ugh, you don't even want to know," and even though her expression said it all Kyrah's tone of voice enhanced the warning to leave that topic alone.
Elizabeth smiled at her hostility and climbed through the door. "So what were you learning about," she whispered to Aliana.
"Bogarts."
"Oh, makes sense."
They had just reached their dorm and Kyrah collapsed onto her bed. While Elizabeth and Rayna jumped onto theirs with a little more enthusiasm. Aliana, however, became engrossed with her appearance in their floor length mirror.
Thinking about her appearance she asked, "Do you think my hair would look better a different colour?"
At that comment her hair started flickering between colors. White blond, golden blond, light brown, chestnut, almost black, black, red, a darker red, pink, purple, yellow, green…
"Bloody Hell, where did you learn how to do that," Kyrah nearly shouted.
"Are you stupid?" Rayna retorted. "She's a Metamorphmagus aren't you Aliana?"
Laughing she replied nervously, "Ya, I guess I never told you guys that." Turning her hair back to normal she asked, "So what do you think?"
"Well I like the pink-"Kyrah started to say but Elizabeth cut her off.
"I actually love the colour of your hair. What if you changed the length, or made it curlier?"
"Oooh, you would look so gorgeous with some ringlets," Rayna gushed.
"You think," Aliana replied already changing her waves into curls.
All four of the girls then stared at her reflection in the mirror. The added ringlets caused her hair to reach just below her shoulder blades. They extended the volume and framed her face just perfectly. Aliana smiled at herself and felt better about the change already.
A tapping at the window caused all of the girls to jump out of their stupor and glance up. Outside desperately waiting to be freed from the cold air was Elizabeth's owl, Renny.
"Oh, Renny baby. Come her, sweetie," Elizabeth cooed.
The owl was let in and frantically ruffled its feathers. It was obvious that she had already started to warm up even as Elizabeth pulled the letter off or her leg.
"It's from my mother," she smiled as she continued to read. "My sister's engaged. She's getting married!"
As congratulations rang through the room and soon filled the other few dorms who held some other girls with a free period, Aliana remembered her promise to her father. She should write him as soon as possible.
"Wow, Betts. That's great news. Send her my congrats. But I just remembered that I promised my father I'd write him so I'm gonna head down to the common room."
"Hey, thanks and no problem. I'll talk to you later, though, okay?"
"Sounds good," Aliana replied but Elizabeth was already gone.
--
Mother and Father,
I am so sorry I haven't written as much as I promised that I would. Although I am sure that I have beaten Sadah to getting that first letter written to you. It's just that I have been so busy, what with my studies and what not. I have also became friends with a few girls in my house. That would be Ravenclaw, by the way. Sadah's in my house as well. She has been doing wonderful. It's just like her she's already made a million friends. She has been keeping up her grades and so have I. We are both excelling here just as we were in France. Sorry, once again, about the time delay… But I am quite looking forward to your response and would love to know what it going on at home.
Beaucoup d'amour, Aliana
After finishing up the letter to her mother and father Aliana decided she would write another letter to her best friend from France. She had missed her terribly and hadn't heard anything from her in a while. Aliana glanced at a clock to make sure she had time and found herself to have another thirty minutes to spare. So she delved into her bag and found another piece of parchment.
Lucie,
Hello Darling!! I have missed you terribly. It has been far too long since you have written. Well I suppose I haven't written either. I guess we are both guilty. So, what have you been up to? Still being home schooled? I can't imagine. I would be so bored. But at least your mother didn't hire someone, she'll at least teach you herself. My mother, as you know, wouldn't dare try and teach me. But I suppose I'm not exactly a joy to teach, either. Oh well… I'm having a great time here at Hogwarts. I've made a few friends from my house- Ravenclaw. Yes, I somehow fooled that hat into believing that I'm wise. Sadah got sorted into my house as well, although I don't seem to see her very often. But you know Sadah; she always manages on her own. Oh, and I've met the most gorgeous looking boy. His name is Draco Malfoy. Although most boys here are nothing compared to the French he is an exception. He has the most luscious lips and this silky fair blond hair. Oh, God. I just wish you could see him. My mother wouldn't approve of course. He is… well. He is a bit like a trouble maker; you know a perfect example of a Slytherin- which he is!! There is just something about that cockiness and confidence that I am so attracted to right now. Oh, Luce. I miss you so much, you don't even understand. Write lots, and write soon!!
Avec amour, Aliana
"Hey. Are you still writing that letter?" Elizabeth called from upstairs.
"No, I'm done," she called back. "But I'm gonna run it to the owlery quick. I'll just meet you guys at lunch."
"Okay. See you later."
So Aliana grabbed the letters and swung her bag over her shoulder. She made sure to check that the letters were sealed properly. She wouldn't want anyone to find out about her new obsession with Draco. Then she hopped off towards the door. Suddenly in a good mood Aliana almost skipped her way to the owlery tower in search of her owl, Kamal.
Unfortunately, being her clumsy self she became so absorbed in her happy mood that she failed to take in her surroundings. And soon enough she came face to face with a grey T-shirt, which she noticed was covering an amazing set of abs. But that only lasted a few seconds because she was soon thrown to the floor with the force of the impact.
Looking up only worsened the situation. It brought the blood up to her face in an alarming rate. Standing in front of her, smirking at her obvious discomfort, was Draco Malfoy.
"You really are one of the clumsiest people I've met," Draco commented while extending a hand to her.
Taking it Aliana managed to retort, "You'd be amazed at how many people have told me that, recently."
Draco laughed. As simple as that was, it made Aliana glow with warmth. She drank in every last note of his sweet laughter and held onto it as long as she could. Closing her eyes she smiled at the giddiness that filled her veins. But as he slowed his laughter and she opened her eyes she found him glaring at someone behind her. His gorgeous face had turned cold as stone in a matter of seconds and the liquid gold running through her blood had frozen solid. She didn't like this face of Draco Malfoy.
"What are you looking at," he snarled.
"N- Nothing sir," the boy managed, though he looked as though he could cry. "I'll go now."
As the little boy walked frantically down the hall Draco muttered, "Bloody Gryffindor."
But as quick as his face had turned cold it warmed right up again as he met her gaze.
"I should go," Aliana said in an attempt at an excuse. "I need to get to the owlery before lunch."
"Look I…," Draco stumbled. "I'll walk you there, if that's okay."
"Err- Sure," Aliana succumbed to his enchanting smile.
So Draco grabbed Aliana's bag, still lying on the ground, with one hand and he grabbed her hand with his other and started walking towards the owlery. At this point the letter in her hand seemed to be pounding as fast as her heart was. It seemed to her that she was in love with Draco Malfoy. Draco bloody Malfoy. The boy who had just scared the crap out of a second year had stolen her heart as well. He was nothing like what she would normally have gone for and yet he was everything she could have asked for. He was something different, something new, something she needed.
Aliana felt his fingers laced between each of hers. She felt his cool palm pressed onto her warm one. She could feel her pulse pushing into him and it all felt right. The smirk resting on his face, his confident swagger drew her in deeper than she could have imagined. He believed Aliana was his and he was right. She rid herself of her perfectionist life as she threw herself into the sea of Draco. He was right, he was risky and he was hers.
"Which one is yours," Draco broke the comfortable silence as they reached the tower.
"Kamal. Right over there," Aliana said as she regretfully unlaced her fingers from his. "Here, sweetie. How are you?" Aliana added petting him playfully.
"Take this one to mother and father and this one to Lucie, okay? Don't come back without any replies."
"I'm going to lunch, then," Draco smirked at her. "I'll see you later."
--
Lying in her bed that night Aliana found herself lost in thought. Her thoughts were of Draco, of course. She was remembering how his soft hand had slid into hers. He had infused his fingers into her own, separating the two. This had thrust the stationary butterflies in her stomach into a rumble of motion. How sweet was such a simple gesture?
She wondered what this could mean; if something would come of this. What if he felt the same as she had? Maybe he had felt the same jolt of electricity run through his veins when he touched her like she had. What if he was lying awake thinking about her as well? She could imagine him staring at the ceiling playing through what had happened earlier that day. What if he could help her? Maybe he could be the distraction she needed. But he was so perfect for her right now. What if she didn't deserve him? What if she didn't deserve to feel better; to feel normal? What if she wasn't good enough for any of this? But she knew deep down that these 'what if's' weren't really questions at all, they were truths.
Aliana had acknowledged that she was not perfect, that she was quite content with. Being normal, imperfect, was a good quality in her books. But her imperfections were horrible and they were deep. She was not deserving of a good friend and most definitely not a good relationship. Draco could do better because he deserved better. But she couldn't help but wonder… What if he knew?
A/N: So, I really love to write descriptive paragraphs and that's probably why most of my stories are made up of non- dialogue pieces. But I feel that the descriptive sections are my strengths. Anyway I have a good idea of where the story is going!! And in the next few chapters we'll being seeing a lot more Draco, but also a lot of some of the minor characters as well. I'm also allowing a special member of the Golden Trio to pop into Chapter 6. Stay tuned to find out who… Any Ideas? Keep reading and I once again would adore some reviews. --I have so many reads but so few reviews (thanks for that Nessa!!) its so sad, I'll take even a "nice job" or "this sucks" but some constructive comments and criticism are completely welcome and wanted--