ad astra per aspera - {♕ f.w.}

7. The Boggart

The first week of classes passed in a blur. New classes on Tuesday meant several new opportunities to use the Time-Turner, and several questions as to how you were managing your schedule. Quickly, you fell back into the normal routine.

There was a slight schedule change on Wednesday. At lunch, McGonagall informed the fifth years that Care of Magical Creatures was to be replaced with another Transfiguration period.

No one questioned the sudden replacement. Since his disastrous first class, Hagrid had been absent from all meals. No one had seen him walking the halls or out on the grounds. It seemed he was hiding away in his cabin. You didn't blame him, but you wished you could offer him some encouraging words amongst the Slytherin's harsh demands that he be fired.

There was an apprehensive feeling in your gut as you got dressed on Thursday morning. The day loomed over you in a way the others hadn't. First, you had Double Transfiguration. After lunch, an overlapping Potions and Astronomy. The day ended with Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Last year, Defense Against the Dark Arts had been nothing but a burden, a waste of an hour listening to Lockhart talk himself up more than he did teach. You weren't at all worried that Professor Lupin was going to be worse than him. He would have to try exceptionally hard to do as poorly as Lockhart. In fact, you'd heard that the new teacher was doing an exceptional job.

It wasn't Lupin who had you nervous, but you yourself. Nearly running into him in the hallway had been off-putting enough. How you were going to keep your undivided attention on him for an entire hour, you didn't know. The idea of him asking you to stay behind after dismissing the class nearly made you consider skipping all together. Even seeing him at the staff table at breakfast chatting politely with Professor Flitwick left you uneasy.

Long after the plates cleared and the owls had come and gone, the Hall started to empty. As the morning classes grew nearer, your nerves eased. Once Professor Lupin had gotten up from the table, leaving to prepare for his first class, you felt yourself relax completely.

You'd deal with Defense Against the Dark Arts when it happened, you decided. No point in wasting a perfectly good day.

As you gathered your things, a conversation with Lee about the upcoming Transfiguration period was interrupted as the teacher herself stopped by the table.

"Ms. Y/L/N." McGonagall said, handing you a sheet of paper. "The Prefect's patrol schedule. Let me know if you have any questions."

Head Boy and Girl patrolled the halls alone for the first week, which Percy had been bragging about during dinner for the past few days. Now, you and the other prefects would join him. In McGonagall's swirled script, names had been scrawled under various days of the week; you started on Monday. Luckily, you hadn't been partnered with the Slytherin prefects. In fact, most of your nights were with Cedric.

"Looks like I'll be saving all my troublemaking for Monday." Fred said as he examined the schedule over your shoulder.

You shot him a fleeting look of annoyance, grabbing your bag and starting for the door. Your friends followed. 

"Now, here's a question." Fred continued thoughtfully, falling into place next to you. "If you catch us outside of bed at night, what are you going to do?"

"Keep in mind, there is a right answer." George piped up, appearing on your other side.

"Do what I always do." You said airily. "Mind my business."

They grinned as you exited the Great Hall. It was here where you ran into Oliver Wood.

Despite having been at school for a week and sharing a common room, this was the first time you'd seen him since arriving back at Hogwarts. Although Oliver was a good year older than you, both Fred and George towered over him. Wood made up for the height difference with his broad shoulders and a higher authority in holding the title of Quidditch Captain.