fallen from the stars ➵ marauders era

My Parents are Dead.

The week after Gryffindor won the quidditch cup was very joyous for the group of Gryffindor sixth years. The weekend was spent celebrating their win against Ravenclaw, and the rest of the week was spent anticipating the last Hogsmeade trip of the school year. 

However, for Cordelia, her thoughts remained on the upcoming defense class. She took solace in the fact that Remus was also not looking forward to the class but he hid it very well. Cordelia knew that Remus' boggart would be the moon assuming that his boggart never changed, which was highly unlikely. 

Cordelia wished that the foresight she had for Remus she also possessed for herself because at this point her boggart could be anything and that could be very problematic if they performed it in front of everyone in the class. Cordelia brought up her worries at her Tuesday lesson with Dumbledore and he reassured her that they could cover a boggart that evening in case it is something that would raise suspicion to the other sixth years.

When Dumbledore came back into the office with a trunk levitated behind him, Cordelia worried about what her biggest fear could be. She wasn't really afraid of any creatures which she now wished that she was, a spider is much easier to conquer than insecurities and your own darkest secrets. 

"Alright, Miss. Blake, you know the spell, yes?"

"Yes sir. It's Riddikulus."

"It is indeed. Well then I will open the trunk on your command, I do not want to throw you into this."

"Okay Professor," Cordelia took a large breath, "open it."

The trunk was opened at once and the boggart sprang forward in its black mist form before changing into something that made Cordelia freeze.

This was almost embarrassing and it was cruel in a way. Cordelia stood there staring at herself. The boggart took the form of Cordelia herself and she was certain that it was a complete mirror image of what she looked like at that moment. There was no blood to say she was afraid of getting hurt, there were no tears to show that something had upset her, it was a neutral-faced Cordelia for all of three seconds before an anguished look overtook her features. Cordelia leaned back slightly from her boggart version, offset by the malice being shown on her own face.

"You are a failure." The boggart whispered angrily, however, it felt as if it was screaming.

Cordelia gulped, words seemed to leave her mind. The spell was long since discarded from the forefront of her mind. Cordelia was instead curious and frightened as to what the boggart was saying now.

"You thought you could do this? It's outside of your worthless capabilities. You are selfish and if anyone sees anything more from you, they are lying to themselves. Cordelia Blake was always weak and will always be weak, just stop trying because you are going to fail like always." The boggart Cordelia smirked at the very pale Cordelia whose wand was limp in her hand. 

"Cordelia, do not listen to the boggart! It is only your fear that is fueling those words, not the truth! You are very capable and you are not a failure." Albus said in a strong even tone which made Cordelia close her eyes and wipe the single tear off of her face.

"Riddikulus," Cordelia said forcefully, wand now tightly held in her grip.

In an instant, the boggart Cordelia was flopping around on the floor with a mermaid tail. Cordelia let out a faint chuckle and Dumbledore shut the boggart back into the trunk.

"Miss. Blake, are you alright?" Professor Dumbledore asked his face reflecting his concern.

"Yes, sir. I guess I just never expected to be my own Boggart, it took me off guard and I let its words affect me." Cordelia sighed.