Scottish Highlands - Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Thankfully, the next few days for (Y/n) were rather peaceful, her back had healed tremendously with no further problems. Hermione had stopped by in the afternoon by the request of the honey blonde Gryffindor to help her with the work she had missed which happened to be charms, transfiguration and potions. Once satisfied with their progress, the pair of girls were finally able to leave the hospital wing with firm words of caution from Madam Pomfrey.
"Please Miss Finnegan, I don't want to see you back in here at all for the rest of the year."
The girl smiled and nodded whilst she walked with her brunette friend to the Great hall, arms linked and chatting away happily to eachother. Along the way, they were greeted by some kind words of sympathy from other students who had witnessed the girl's fall. "I'm fine, really, besides it wasn't Buckbeak's fault." She stated before thanking them for their kindness.
Once sat with the rest of her house mates, (Y/n) felt happy and relaxed as she leaned her head on Neville's shoulder, watching him complete his charms homework. Just then, a loud crash was heard from outside the hall as two ghosts on horses smashed through the window cheering as they galloped into the hall at speed with the horses letting out loud whinnies.
"Does it hurt terribly Draco?"
(Y/n)'s head lifted up as she heard the voice of Pansy Parkinson. She rolled her eyes as she listened for the response, "It comes and goes. Still, I consider myself lucky, without Madam Pomfrey, a moment or two longer, could've lost my arm!" Draco exaggerated. (Y/n) sniggered as she tried to ignore his words. "Listen to him! He's really laying it on thick isn't he?" Ron pointed out in disbelief.
"Yeah but at least Hagrid didn't get fired" Harry said with a hint of relief.
"But I've heard Draco's father is furious, we haven't heard the end of this." Hermione added sighing.
"But Professor Dumbledore knows Hagrid, he knows that he'd never intentionally hurt any of the students, he doesn't have the heart, Hagrid won't lose his job, trust me." (Y/n) leaned over to the trio, scooting closer to Hermione who smiled at her, nodding in agreement. "The only person who genuinely got hurt that day was you (Y/n), how he got away with staying in the hospital wing as long as he did is beyond me." Ron said in exasperation.
"He's been sighted he's been sighted!" Seamus yelled as he ran throught the hall doors. "Who?" Dean asked, "Sirius Black!" Seamus announced.
He slammed down the copy of the daily prophet onto the table between (Y/n) and Neville who both looked at him with slight alarm. Hermione leaned over to inspect the front page, "Dufftown?! That's not far from here!" She exclaimed. "You don't think he'll come to Hogwarts....do you?" Neville asked nervously. "He's already slipped past the dementors once, who's to say he won't do it again!" Seamus spoke bluntly, hugging his sister from behind protectively as if Sirius Black would burst through the doors at any second.
"That's right, Black could be anywhere." Spoke one of the Gryffindors who spent a lot of time studying divination. "It's like trying to catch smoke, like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands!" He finished which sent shivers down all the third year's backs. (Y/n) shuddered at the sight of the insane looking photograph of Sirius Black being restrained by what looked to be chains and aurors. She grabbed Seamus' hand for comfort, trying to look at anything but the photo.
A few days later, it was a cool but crisp Friday morning. Just before breakfast, (Y/n) raced past all of the Gryffindors who were still trying to wake up. Already in her school robes, she sped down the stairs, through the courtyard and across the bridge. From the top of the hill, she spied the large trees that filled the forbidden forest, all green and healthy looking. She breathed in gently, inhaling the strong scent of pine and damp earth for it had been raining a lot recently.
The small girl made her way down the steep hill, her ponytail swaying from side to side as she stumbled down, trying to keep her balance. Once at the bottom, she ran up to the door of the little hut that sat at the bottom of the hill. Raising her fist, she knocked on the large wooden door and waited patiently. She heard the barking of Hagrid's boar hound Fang but no shuffling nor stomping of large half giant feet. Hesitantly, she tried opening the door, but to her dismay, it was locked.
Sighing, she jumped down from the steps and looked around to see if Hagrid was just going for a walk or something, but no, she was only greeted by silence. She started to head back up the hill when she heard the sound of soft caws. She turned to see Buckbeak laying on the floor peacefully, staring up at her. He had a chain around his neck that was attached to a wooden stake in the ground.
She smiled at the grand creature as she bowed her body to him. It didn't take him long to bow back, meaning she could approach him slowly. She held her wrist out in front of her to look at her watch which read 7:30. Breakfast wasn't until 8:00 so she plopped herself down on a dry patch of grass in front of Buckbeak and took out her special sketchpad and a sharp pencil. Her actions intrigued the Hippogriff as she started scribbling and shading on the blank paper.
The girl laughed as Buckbeak started to make grand poses so that she could capture him in all his glory. Her sketches were never in colour, instead they were rough but captured her favourite details of each creature she found. After around 25 minutes, she was satisfied and jumped up happily, turning the pad to show Buckbeak. The intelligent beast gave a bow of approval to the young Gryffindor who grinned excitedly.
"That's a wonderful drawing tha is!" A voiced boomed from behind her.
She turned around to see Hagrid looming in front of her small frame holding a large sack. "Sorry Hagrid, I did knock but you weren't in so I was gonna go back, but Buckbeak is just so magnificent, I couldn't help myself!" She explained. Hagride just smiled and ushered her to go to breakfast so that he could feed Buckbeak and Fang. (Y/n) nodded and raced up the hill, placing her sketchbook into her satchel and sprinted her way to breakfast.
The delicious smell of sausages, black pudding and toast wafted into her nostrils as she sat down between George and Ron who were already stuffing their faces. George ruffled (Y/n)'s hair whilst swallowing the food in his mouth "alright knick-knack? We've got quidditch practice this afternoon, Wood's still just as crazy about winning as he was last year" George joked. (Y/n) laughed and said "well as long as there aren't any rogue bludgers this year, I'll be fine with whatever Wood has in store" he said eyeing Harry who was looking like he was recounting the aggravation from last year.
After breakfast, it was straight to Defence against the dark arts, with the new professor. Professor Lupin was a patient man, but the first few lessons with him were quite boring, being mainly theory. However when the third year Gryffindors made it to the classroom, all of the desks were gone and the chairs stacked at the back of the room. In their place stood a rather large and dusty wardrobe that shook as if something was trying to break free.
"Intriguing isn't it?"
From behind the group of students appeared the taller man with large scars slashed across his face. "Can anyone tell me what it is?" He asked the third years. "That's a boggart that is." Dean answered. "Very good Mr Thomas. Now can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?" the professor made his way to stand next to the wardrobe. "No one knows!" A voice out of nowhere spoke up. (Y/n) and Ron turned to see Hermione who they had left at the breakfast table earlier.
"When did she get here? Did you see her come in?!" Ron whispered with surprise to (Y/n) who looked just as confused as he did and shrugged. "Boggarts are shapeshifters." Hermione continued, "They take the shape of whatever the particular person fears the most, that's what makes them so-" she was then interrupted by the professor. "-So terrifying, luckily, a very simple charm exists to repell a boggart, let's practice now." The man smiled kindly.
"Without wands if you please, repeat after me!"
"Ridikkulus" he called out
The rest of the class copied with a few snide comments from the Slytherins. "Very good! Now that's the easy part, the incantation alone cannot defend you, but what really finishes off a boggart is laughter! Neville will you join me at the front please?" Everyone turned to the nervous boy, he looked to his best friend who gently encouraged him forward. He cautiously stepped forward towards the professor, eyeing the shaking wardrobe.
"Neville, what frightens you most of all?" Professor Lupin questioned.
The dark haired boy muttered a few inaudible words in answer to the question. "Sorry?" the professor asked, "Professor Snape" Neville spoke out loud. Most of the students laughed, "ah yes, frightens all" Lupin joked, trying to make light of the situation. "And I believe you live with your grandmother?" He asked. (Y/n) grinned remembering her encounter with the older woman. "Yes, but I don't want the boggart to turn into her either!" Neville panicked.
"No no, it won't, now I want you to picture her clothes" he explained whilst moving to stand next to Neville facing the hiding boggart. "She carries a red handbag-" he began before abruptly being cut off by Lupin, "As long as you see it, we'll see it." He then went on to whisper something in Neville's ear before moving away. "Think you can do that?" Lupin asked to which Neville nodded.
"Wand at the ready! One, Two, Three!" And with a quick flick of his wand, the wardrobe door opened to reveal a very unimpressed looking Professor Snape. He stepped out of the cupboard and started to approach the boy in front of him, "Think Neville, think!" Professor Lupin encouraged. Suddenly, Neville waved his wand and shouted "Ridikkulus!" The boggart potions master stumbled back, now dressed in a green dress with a green cardigan, a hat with a bird on top and a ferret around heis neck.
The class erupted into fits of laughter and cheers as Lupin instructed them to form a line. Ron was pushed to the front, followed by (Y/n), Seamus, Dean, Parvati and Hermione. Suddenly, some comical music started playing from the gramophone to get all the students in the mood to laugh. As Ron stepped forward, the boggart began to shift and change, revealing a large acromatula snapping it's fangs menacingly.
Ron whimpered in fright before drawing his wand and squeaked "Ridikkulus!" A little roller skate was suddenly attached to each of the Acromatula's legs, the beast stumbled and skidded, falling to the floor several times. He started to laugh as the professor shouted "Next!" Ron made his way to the back of the line, receiving a few high fives. Then (Y/n) stepped forward as she watched the boggart shift once again.
Suddenly it stopped, the room went silent, the girl's eyes widened as she froze. There in front of her stood a face she hoped she'd never see ever again....Tom Riddle. (Y/n)'s breathing became fast and shallow, as if she were hyperventilating out of fear. The boggart smirked and started to saunter towards her menacingly. "Come on (Y/n), be strong!" She heard encouragement from her professor as she stared at the boggart before reaching for her wand.
"Ridikkulus!"
Suddenly, the boggart stood up straight and started to do the Irish jig, it's legs hopping and twisting without much control. (Y/n) sighed and started giggling joyfully as she felt her fear disappear from her body. "Wonderful! Next" from behind her came Seamus who faced off with a terrifying Banshee which had its voice taken away by the charm. Then Dean, who stood before a severed hand that creepily inched towards him was quickly trapped into a mouse trap.
The room echoed with laughter as the fun lesson went on. Parvati stepped forward and looked up at a large python that appeared but was soon turned into a clown who rocked back and forth. Hermione's boggart was slightly confusing, McGonagall holding up a piece of parchment with a stern look on her face. The parchment was quickly transfigured into a golden goblet, confusing the assistant headmistress. It was later explained that the parchment was a failing grade, something very unexpected thought (Y/n).
Finally, it was Harry's go, he stood up front, still laughing at the previous boggart but was instantly silenced when the boggart turned into a dementor, letting out a ghostly moan as it dived down towards him as if to attack. This provoked Professor Lupin to dive in front of him, making the boggart change into what seemed to be a full moon emerging from a cloudy sky. It was swiftly turned into a balloon that screamed as it whizzed around the room and back into the wardrobe. This abruptly ended the class, earning groans from all the students.