𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 & 𝙻𝚒𝚎𝚜 ||𝙳.𝙼 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌||

Chapter 19 - The Boggart

The next day, our first class was with Professor Lupin, DADA. I came out of my common room and saw Cedric waiting for me.

"Hey Ced" I said going over to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just thinking to walk you to DADA" he said smiling at me.

I looked at him and said, "Cedric Diggory, are you stalking me?" He chuckled and said, "No, but Lupin said he needed help with his class today, so I knew that you would be going, so I came to walk with you"

"That's very sweet of you. Thank you" and I put a hand around his arm and we went walking to DADA.

He went to stand beside Professor Lupin and I was standing near Draco and his group of idiots. Lupin gave his introduction and told us to open our books to Page 57, Boggarts.

"Can anyone tell me? What Boggarts look like?" he said and as always, Hermione raised her hand.

"No one knows, Sir. They are shape-shifters. They take the shape of what fears the most of the person standing in front of them. And that's what makes them terrifying"

"Very well, Miss Granger. A simple charm can repel a Boggart. Let's practice, without wands – Riddikulus!" And the whole class said it together.

"This class is ridiculous" I heard Draco mumble under his breath. I giggled, as much as he was arrogant, I had to admit, he did have a good sense of humor. He noticed that I laughed at his joke and he winked looking at me.

Once Professor Lupin explained us with an example with Neville, we were told to form a line and face our boggarts. I never knew what my deepest fear was.

Soon, a line was formed and I was after Ron, his fear was known by all, a spider. When he cast the charm, the spider's legs were wearing skates and it was trying to stand still, but was falling. After him, it was my turn.

The spider turned into a mirror, with nothing but me in the mirror. A mirror? Why was a mirror my worst fear?

"A mirror? What? She fears that she will turn ugly? Isn't it a little too late for that?" Pansy snickered behind me, but I didn't bother to look who was laughing and who wasn't.

"Miss Middleton, do not let your mind wander. Cast the spell now!" Professor Lupin said behind me, but I didn't listen. I let my mind wander. And I saw a dead body lying in front of me, with Harry's face, then Mione's, then Fred's and George's and Ron's and it kept changing to everyone that was close to me, with me standing with a proud look on my face and drawing my wand at them. Why was I proud? What the hell was wrong at me?

My eyes started to tear up and my cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

"Miss Middleton! Cast the spell now!" and I couldn't. I didn't have the courage to draw my wand, Cedric saw that I was struggling so he cast the spell making the boggart disappear. He caught my head, before it could hit the ground and my body left consciousness.

I was unconscious the whole day. I missed the first trip to Hogsmeade too. Cedric would come in and visit me in his free time and bring food with him. It was dinner time, when we were sitting and talking.

"Thank you Ced, you know, for that, I don't know why I didn't draw my wand, just - I couldn't get the words out of my mouth. It was like I wanted to say, but the words didn't want to come out" I started tearing up.

He got up, putting his plate down and sat beside me on the bed, cupping my cheeks and said, "Hey, hey, hey. Look, don't cry and it happens, everything is okay now. I'm here, nothing will happen to you while I'm here" He wiped a stray single tear off of my cheek and kissed my forehead.

The others were coming in and visiting too. The next day, Madam Pomfrey said I still wasn't free to go. The Fat Lady was missing, she was found in mere minutes - hiding in another painting. She told Dumbledore that Sirius Black has come into Hogwarts and he's hiding somewhere.

The whole castle was secured and the gates were closed. The Great Hall was now empty with sleeping bags placed for each student. I wanted to talk with Professor Lupin, so I went after all the students were all settled in The Great Hall. I filled my bed with blankets, so that it looked like someone, well I was sleeping.

When I realized that there was no commotion. I went out of the wing, barefoot, careful not make a sound and towards Professor Lupin's class. I was walking when I heard footsteps, not a person's, an animal's footsteps and a low growling sound. I quickly hid behind the wall and peeked my head through to see, I saw a dog. What was a dog doing here in the castle? Of course, it couldn't be anyone's pet, because we weren't allowed to bring a dog. I took a deep breath in, when I realized that Sirius Black was an Animagus and it was a dog, I slipped out a gasp and the dog's head turned towards me.

My only instinct was to run back towards the wing and not the hall, so that Harry and the others were safe, so that Black could run behind me, to catch me and forget about Harry, for some time. I ran, but unfortunately, I tripped over and fell, twisting my ankle, Black was now coming towards me, taking quiet, careful steps and then suddenly he stopped and ran in the other direction.

I looked behind me to see a man's shadow approaching me, I instantly recognized it was Draco. Before I could get up and run back to the wing, he said, "Middleton, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in bed in the hospital?" He offered a hand and I gladly took it and I hugged him, tightly, forgetting about his injury. 

"Thank you, Draco" I mumbled in his chest. He wrapped his one hand around my waist.

"Thank you, for what darling?" he asked pulling away from the hug, his hand still on my waist.

"Just thank you, could you please drop me in The Hospital Wing? I think I twisted my ankle" I said looking up to him, kindly. He nodded and we started walking towards the Hospital Wing but when I took a few steps, I stumbled.

"Alright, this isn't gonna work. Jump on my back" he demanded.

"What? No, Draco. Your hand-" I said but he cut me off.

"Just do what I say and don't worry about my hand, I'm fine" he said and I jumped onto his back wrapping my legs around his torso and him gripping my ass with his one hand, I didn't say anything because that was the only way we could've reached the Hospital Wing.