Fourth Years

Marc was in a tight space in school.Marc had been here for 3 years already.Now he was attending his fourth year.Marc was sorta in a good mood and sorta not.Marc had hated this a bit when he had mood swings they were horible for him.

Marc had not been this happy in ages.Marc sat in a chair then looked out the window.

Humming softly, the House Head dragged the trunk behind her. Boggarts. She knew this. It was simple really. So she shouldn't have the slightest trouble teaching it.

Not at all.

Taking a deep breath, Marianne entered the class. Giving the student a little smile, she stopped at the front of the class. "So, what do you think is in the trunk?"

Walking with shoes. How could it be so hard now? It's as though she felt numb, her feet not touching the ground, the floors, the marbles, the wood. It's like her senses have been blown out. She sighed heavily and excitedly. Classes had come, school has begun.

Celeste knocked on the threshold, biting her lip as she peeped in the classroom. She recognized one of her housemates. She came in slowly, wondering on whether or nor it's all right to proceed without the professor acknowledging her. She smiled at the young professor and slightly bowed.

"Good day, madame." She said brightly, clutching her books on her chest.

As another student entered, Marianne gave the girl a little wave. The girl was late, but not by much. And besides, she didn't want to take off house points, regardless of house. "Good day to you too," she said, smiling. "But you don't need to bow, it's alright."

Being bowed to made her feel old.

Gesturing at the empty seats, she told the student to sit anywhere she pleased. "I was just asking your classmate what he thought might be in the trunk," she jerked her head towards the trunk beside her. "What do you think?"

As Celeste picked a seat in front of the row after grinning at the professor again, she made a quick guess then asked curiously, "Since there's a trunk. A magical being that can settle inside things like it. A boggart I suppose, ma'am?"

She tapped her fingers on the table, gazing at the silent, yet dangerous trunk.

"Correct," Marianne grinned at the female student. "Five points to ... Vallee? Correct?" Titling her head, the new professor bit down on her bottom lip. She didn't want to accidentally award points to the wrong house. And while she was at it, why not learn her name? She'd be teaching her for the next four years, after all. "Ms...?

Glancing back at the rattling trunk, she nodded. "Boggarts. Can you tell me anything about them?"

"Yes, ma'am. Celeste Belrose from Vallee." She replied back with a smile. First five points of the day. How much more would come? She, of course, hoped for the best for her house. Who wouldn't?

She looked back at the trunk, it started to rattle. Maybe it sensed the fears, maybe from her. But how could it know? She never thought any of them at the moment. She began to feel nervousness, excitement, another stage of her adventure, what she needed. Controlling her breathing, Celeste tried her best to answer the next question, keeping a rather calm voice,

"They come out . . . in various forms, raging from the fears of the person it will encounter. They know what you're afraid of." She finally said.

"Good, five points to Valee then."

Nodding, she glanced at the other student, frowning at his lack of - anything, really. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence. But she couldn't make him participate, so she simply glanced back at the student who was.

"Not just what you're afraid of, but the thing you're most afraid of." Marianne corrected gently, giving the trunk a thoughtful glance. "Sometimes you don't realize just what terrifies you the most until you face one."

Pulling herself up onto her desk, she glanced around, "Why do you think we have fears in the first place? Completely unrelated, but I'm curious to know what you think."

"Well, I always thought we have fears because we're just human. I guess anybody has one, even the ones who don't even admit it. And anything, really. Even plants and animals of some sort. Maybe we're just made that way. I don't really know, ma'am. Sometimes I think these things don't have to be questioned at all. They all go along naturally. As we were created. I think."

Celeste replied as simple as that with a bit of hesitation, not even aware that such stuff would dare come out of her mouth, but they did. She thought that was just life. She wouldn't ask further. It's her job to find answers herself. That's why she's living. Isn't that correct?

Nodding along to Celeste, Marianne pushed a strand of her long black hair behind her ear. Her words made sense. Even some of the people she'd grown up with who'd acted like they were invincible were still scared of something.

"It's the people who act like they're scared of nothing are usually the ones scared of the most." the house head muttered, rubbing the side of her head before giving it a little shake.

"Right, so Boggarts. The spell to - well, it won't get rid of them, but it stops them from being so terrifying, is Riddikulus. It's laughter and amusement that defeat Boggarts. So think of something funny, and that'll drive them back." Nodding, she glanced at her watch, frowning at how much time she had left. But she could fit this in, couldn't she?

"Wanna give it a shot?"

Celeste nodded happily, clapped her hands and sang with pleasure, "I'd love to." She grabbed her wand from her pocket and stood up in front of the trunk. It rattled stronger and much louder than before. Though she was quite scared, for who wouldn't be, she felt excitement and curiosity too. She can't help it.

She waited patiently for the professor to open it, playing with her wand first and thought of the funny stuff she'd want to see once she have encountered the freakish boggart.

"Great," Marianne beamed at Celeste's enthusiasm. Why couldn't all her students be like that? It'd make her life so much easier. Running a hand through her hair, she hummed softly, as the Vallee student approached.

Hopping off her desk, she knelt down by the trunk. Giving the fourth year a moment to compose herself and making sure she was ready, the House Head opened the trunk.

Her fears. Nothing much about dying, for she was all ready for that one when the time comes. Not much of her father leaving her, for she knew that he will be with her mother once he does so. And what about having a stepmother? Not really, she can accept that in reality too. Then what could be her greatest fear? Falling in love? Well, she was somewhat excited for that one.

Celeste took a deep breath, clutching her wand tighter and waited for the trunk to open. Once it did so, she gasped a bit, shocked by the sudden clank of the bolt. She squinted her eyes to decipher what was forming. First it was black smoke, then . . . a Devil's Snare, its vines coming their way in. That was it. She was only afraid of that one plant. Either to strangle her or her father when he examines it during his studies. Why didn't she know?

Funny thoughts. Happy thoughts. She crammed those inside her mind, forcing her way to think that fast, that instant, before she can no longer sustain the fear, the throbbing in her chest. She felt like it was about to explode.

Calming her senses, she pointed her wand directly at the fake plant and roared, "Riddikulus!" The ugly plant withered, leaving her in peace, and became a tiny, yet beautiful white rose.

Taking a step back, Marianne pulled out her own wand, watching carefully in case Celeste's fear proved too much to handle. But only in a last resort would she step in. Sometimes you needed to face your fears, and it was easier with a boggart than with the real thing.

But she didn't have to.

Grinning, the Prideux head of house drove the rose back into the trunk, taking a seat on top of the trunk. "Well done, ten points to Vallee."

Glancing back down at her watch, a minuscule frown appeared. "And that's all the time we have for today's lesson. So I'll see you guys next lesson, alright?"

And this lesson is officially over.