Dear Diggory

chapter 5

On Monday we exited the great hall after breakfast and made our way to classroom 3c. It was on the third floor and the location of our Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.

When we walked in Professor Lupin had made our desks float up to the ceiling so that the floor space was cleared. Near him stood an old cabinet with a mirror on the front. The door rattled slightly and I knew what that meant.

We placed our bags in the corner and Carlisle came to stand beside me as we faced the front.

"Good morning everyone, I trust you already have an idea of what we may be studying today. I know in third year we looked at this, but for your NEWT exams we must go more into depth. And of course it never hurts to practice against this creature" Lupin spoke.

He tapped the front of the cabinet with his wand and it rattled harder, I felt some students step back slightly, bracing themselves for what was to come.

"We will begin by being face to face with the creature and then we will sit and go over the theory for your notes."

He told us to line up and to my relief, Carlisle and I ended up at the back.

"Now without further ado I shall release the Boggart and remember the counter spell is riddikulus. Try not to be afraid, it will only be used against you." Lupin eyed us carefully before the latch was lifted and the creature came out.

To be able to describe its true form was, of course, impossible, for it shape-shifted to reflect the individual's greatest fear. We all tensed in apprehension and I leaned to the left nervously, trying to see around the line.

I knew what was to come for my turn and I had no way of preparing for it.

The first person was a girl named Ebony and as the Boggart detected her, it shifted into hundreds of needles full of fluid. I saw her clutch her wand in fear before chanting the spell. The Boggart transformed into feathers and they hung there, suspended in the air.

Lupin smiled at her and she moved to the back of the room to allow the rest of the line to take their turns.

As class went on all different phobias appeared through the Boggart. Everything from spiders, to heights, to thunder and lightning. Occasionally it would transform into an unclear fear, but Lupin never questioned the student for what it meant. He refrained from making a spectacle of us and that ensured he was well liked by all the students.

About halfway through the line it was Cedric's turn. A lot of people looked eager to see what the Boggart transformed into, his was the unknown amongst us.

He stepped forward, seemingly fearless, although I suspected that to be untrue.

Slowly the Boggart transformed into the image of Cedric, a perfect copycat. However he wasn't alone. As the image cleared it became apparent that he was surrounded by at least 12 versions of himself. Although they clearly held his resemblance, they each looked different. Whether it was in the way they held themselves, what they wore or their facial expression. Cedric's original copy began to run but the vision endlessly looped right back into the group of clones.

I thought hard about the meaning but could summarise nothing. It was a very confusing fear, definitely not something I had seen before. I glanced at Lupin and his expression told me that neither had he.

Cedric straightened his shoulders and chanted the spell. I realised it was the first time I had heard his voice so clearly and I admired the velvety deepness of it. The incantation caused the Boggart to morph as the heads of the clones exploded into stunning fireworks.

He walked to join the rest of the class at the back and the line progressed until it was Carlisle's turn. His Boggart was a vision of him homeless and poor, I was unsurprised by this. Success had always been most important to him. He fought the creature with ease and stepped away, meaning that I was the only one left.