Lesson 7 - Basic Level

Sam nodded, copping the 5 less on the cheek, it had been a personal question, he understood that, and while no insult was intended, he wasn't going to make a stand over five points, particularly when they were probably well deserved from Wilson's point of view.

"Thank you sir, you just started looking even better," he said with a wide smile, before chuckling and taking his seat, choosing to wait while the other took their turns, interested in what other people would be scared of. Doubtless there'd be more dead relations, or voldemort, or a dementor. Something like that.

He had to admit though, Wilson seemed to be improving the standards of Hogwarts classes greatly, he had to admit that he really did like coming to a class where professors actually properly introduced their subject, it was something he hope more teachers would be interested in doing more, perhaps they could take a leaf from his book.

''Don't push it, Grigori'', Wilson remarked briefly and then turned to the rest of the class. ''OK, people, I do know you are scared, but facing a Boggart is one of the best things you'll face in my classes. There is a proper number of you to conduct this class, so I would ask, politely once more, for one of you to step up, face your Boggart and then use the spell I have demonstrated. This class does not last an eternity'', he said, looking at each and every one of the students, waiting for one of them to step up.

Pippa was understandably nervous. She’d never ever encountered Boggarts so she wasn’t going to be as confident as ‘Sam’, as he’d introduced himself, seemed to be. Pippa ducked her head and looked down at the parchment laid out before her. She knew that she’d have to face whatever was in that cupboard but she hoped to delay that occurrence for as long as possible. She was desperate to get outside. Quidditch would never be her bag but she’d managed to get a football onto the grounds and she fancied a kick about with the black and white ball before lunchtime. She’d just have to find someone to indulge her desire. Perhaps a hike in the forest wouldn’t go amiss either.

Anything but the Boggart.

The Professor was persisting though and Pippa watched the sunflower wilt slightly in its vase, as if it could tell just how reluctant she was. She knew though that she’d be better afterwards; that the image wasn’t as fearsome as reality was. It was displaying her fears, not giving her reality. The Professor had faced his Boggart and lived to tell the tale and so had Sam; so why couldn’t she? She was scared; terrified actually, that’s why.

From somewhere though, Pippa drew bravery and took her wand out of her pocket. She rose out of her chair, the sunflower plaits dangling around her ears, and chewed, to the point of breaking the skin, on her bottom lip.

“I-I’ll go, Professor.” Pippa stuttered, scuttling past the overly-confident Gryffindor towards the cupboard. She managed to send a small smile in the Professor’s direction before turning her eyes onto the cupboard, fixing her hazel orbs on the brass door handle.

Pippa took a step back when she heard the cupboard unlock. Her hand quivered, barely able to hold her wand, but she managed to hold the holly wand aloft, ready to strike when the need called.

The door opened, not sparing the theatrical squeaking, and Pippa squinted into the darkness within. There was a slam and the Hufflepuff jumped, her feet shuffling further back. Pippa felt blood dribble into her mouth and she pulled her lip into her mouth before running her tongue across the cut her teeth had made. It was then that a boot appeared on the frame, one of a pair; one that Stephan wore on his left foot. It was left foot forward for him, always left and never right.

“S-Stephan?” Pippa choked his name out as he left the abyss, fully fledged and stood in her classroom. He was suited and booted (literally) for work at the RAF base with their father. But he didn’t scare her. She idolised her brother. She adored him with every fabric of her being. He, after her father, seemed to be the only one that actually cared. Her mother certainly didn’t. She was too busy complaining about how much of a disappointment Pippa was. And her sister, well, Eleanor didn’t care about anything but where he next lay was coming from.

Stephan cracked a smile, his large goofy, uneven smile. But then, there was a loud bang. Pippa watched, frozen, as the light died in her brother’s eyes and as the blood spilled down his uniform from the gaping hole in his jacket. The last remnants of amusement lay on his face but that was all. Pippa continued to stare as he fell forward onto his knees, and then finally onto his side, allowing the blood to pool.

At some point, she had started crying. Tears had pooled on her cheeks and now dampened her shirt collar and her neck. Her hand lost grip of her wand and she heard it clang as it hit the floor.

With every intention of leaving, Pippa whirled around and fled towards the exit. She was, however, obstructed by the Professor who she managed to bump into on the way. She stumbled back and looked up at him with her saucer eyes. Pippa stifled a sob before throwing her arms around him and crying openly, mumbling, “Never again, never make me do that again,” whether he heard her or not.

This wasn't going to end well, he thought to himself as he saw Pippa approach. She had no prior experience with a Boggart and she probably didn't even know what form it would take. He had experience with this and he had to be ready for an intervention.As she stepped up, he opened the closet and out of it came a young man. He wasn't her father, he was too young... probably her older brother. This was also something that had caused problems before - dead relatives. They would usually lose consciousness, but he had cases that went into shock... one of them even became aggressive.

And, he was right. Pippa wasn't able to cope with her Boggart and the lesson was a misfire. She started running but landed in front of him, holding firmly. ''Riddikulus'', he said and waved his hand. His Boggart, that had appeared as soon as Pippa ran, smiled at him once again and then returned back to the closet. ''Class dismissed'', he said, showing everyone out. He then turned to Pippa. ''Everything is fine, it was just an illusion. Calm down, my child... do calm down'', he said. putting his right palm on her head.

Sam's eyes widened as the class took a turn for the worst, as he'd suspected one student had had a family member appear, and then die. It was actually something different to what he'd expected, he'd thought that the family member would already be dead, watching someone die, real or not, was one of the most confronting things he'd ever seen. The way the light in his eyes just faded... it was horrible.

Feeling his face contort to a look of fear, he steeled himself against the feeling, he'd seen bodies before, this was nothing different.

Of course the teacher had to step in, that was a given thing to happen, what else could he have done. The class was dismissed next, and that was good, Sam was eager to get out of the room as soon as possible, grabbing his books and stuffing them in his bag he rose to his feet, keen to get out of the room as soon as he could.

Poor Phillippa

How was she supposed to calm down? She knew that her reaction had been an over-reaction. She’d told herself that it was not reality yet no matter how many pep-talks she’d given herself, nothing could prepare her for the person that stepped out of the wardrobe. Her brother, her big brother, her brave, brave brother killed before her eyes. She’d always wanted to follow in his steps. She’d always found her father boots rather too big to fill. Her sister was an insufferable chit so there would be no shed tears if that had been her sister. Perhaps a few but Pippa didn’t care enough for this response to be invoked in her. She had a feeling that that was mutual too, much to her dismay.

Pippa sniffled and dropped her face into her hands. It was befitting of a Hufflepuff to shed tears in front of a Boggart wasn’t it? It was a Hufflepuff thing to do. Pippa dropped her hands to her sides and wrung the sides of her robes in her fists. She shook her head again and again, her hair falling out of the plaits. She let the sunflower hairbands fall to the floor and rubbed her hands over her face.

“I can’t!” she exclaimed, her chest still heaving. “I’m not brave like you or like Sam or all of those N.E.W.T students than can face a Boggart! I can’t do it! How am I supposed to watch my brother die like that?! I’m not cut out for this! I just...I...” Pippa sighed and rubbed her cheeks, carelessly trying to get rid of the tears. “I can’t face him like that...not dead. I never want to have to see anyone that way...let alone my own brother!”

''Pippa.... you're facing your fear... that's not your brother. It's an illusion, nothing exact... a mind trick. It's not bravery, my dear Pippa... don't compare yourself with other students... that's silly. Grigori may have the brawn, but there is no one inside the school that could be compared to you. You're special... in every way... and this is proof of your sensibility. You need to calm down, remember that it wasn't your brother and remember that a corpse is nothing dangerous... it can't hurt you. Just calm down... please... stop crying'', Wilson said, softly.

A child?!