Chapter Sixteen: The Fears of Fifth Years

POV: Albus

"What's in the wardrobe?" asked Professor Alan to the class of Ravenclaws and Slytherins. His monotone matched the indifferent, sleepy expressions of the students blinking back at him as he paced the small section before his desk. "Anyone care to guess?"

The silence rung louder.

I knew what was in the bloody wardrobe—you can't have Hermione Granger as your aunt or Harry Potter as your father and not know a few things about the Dark Arts , but I could not find the energy to throw Professor Alan a bone and participate. The day had been that exhausting. Mentally, I was checked out.

Pulling his face from the crook his crossed arms made as they rested over the desk, Scorpius let out a quiet groan. "Is he still talking?" he muttered to me. "Can't we just curse the bloke? Blame Liam for it, said he came in here and knocked him out?"

I snorted. "As believable as that is, mate, we're in a classroom filled with Ravenclaws. Mess with their education and we'll be the ones to get stunned."

Scorpius buried his face back into the crook his folded arms made. I could hear him mumbling curse words. 

"Come on now," Professor Alan's voice got louder, a little harsher. "This is revision from Third Year. Surely some of you must remember the creature in the wardrobe."

Leaning closer to Scorpius' side, I murmured, "What if we just throw him in the damn wardrobe and make a run for it?"

Scorpius laughed, pulling up to look at me, but he was interrupted from whatever he was going to reply by a ball of paper hitting him over the nose. Lucas was smirking, balling another sheet of blank parchment from the desk on my left. 

"You two are not exactly whispering, you know," he said with a quiet chuckle. "Alan has been giving you two the death-eye for the past ten minutes."

"Who's hiding?" I returned.

"At least he can put us out of our misery that way," said Scorpius. "This class is ridiculous."

The three of us broke out into muffled chuckles just as someone smacked a fist over the surface of their desk. From the middle section of the classroom, a Ravenclaw girl said through clenched teeth, "It's a Boggart, damnit!" 

Professor Alan would have reacted to the audacity of the student with much more outrage, but seeing as someone was finally participating, he grinned as he said, "Correct, Miss Nott! I have no doubt you will get nothing but O's in your O.W.L's. Now," he continued, far more excited than he previously had been, turning back to his bored students, "to redeem yourselves, can anyone tell me what the appearance of a Boggart is?"

"Okay, but how's he going to redeem himself for sporting that ponytail?" I muttered to Scorpius. 

He laughed a little louder. "The ponytail isn't the issue, mate. His sandals are—"

"Potter! Malfoy!" Startling Scorpius and I, Professor Alan was standing before our desk, his fist slamming down on my closed Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. "If you two are done gossiping like two fanciful women, I need an answer to my question."

"See, I'm almost positive that is a sexist remark, Professor," I said. "My Aunt Hermione teaches a course on how language like that further damages—"

"What I'm gathering is that you don't know the answer," interrupted Professor Alan, his eyes flashing dark mirth. "Perhaps you should have your Aunt Hermione teach you something about Defense Against the Dark Arts because it is quite embarrassing you have gathered nothing in all these years. In fact, I believe your sister is a Third Year, right, Mister Potter?"

I narrowed my eyes at him as a response.

"Well, seeing as your Aunt Hermione is a bit out of reach, I suggest you find your sister and ask her to tutor you this evening. She is far more intelligent than both her brothers combined."

I was almost entirely sure I was just going to stun him. Sod it. I would blame it on Liam and be done with it. But just as my fingers twitched to my wand resting beside my textbook, the same girl from before said loud and clear, "No one knows what they look like. Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take up the appearance of whatever particular person fears the most."

No longer amused by the Ravenclaw, Alan frowned at her, too. "Seeing as Miss Nott seems to be the only one not dumb as a troll, today's lecture will be all revision. A visual, at that. Maybe then you lot will learn something for once."

"I'm almost positive that remark of his is a form of harassment," I said to Scorpius as Professor Alan walked back to that blasted wardrobe.

"Well, come on. Get a move on and assemble into a line," Alan barked at his students as he pulled his own wand from the pocket of his trousers. "If you can't remember the incantation to repel Boggarts, I suggest you ask Miss Nott for assistance or face the Boggart on your own."

Hesitantly, the students got out of their seats, dragging their desks to opposite ends of the classroom to clear space in the middle. Not even the Ravenclaws seemed inclined to participate as a few shot glares at the professor, muttering how this lesson was a waste of their time.

"Alan needs to be sacked," I said angrily to Scorpius and Lucas as they appeared at my side. "This was humiliating in Third Year and it's still humiliating now."

"I'll say," Lucas snorted. "You were terrified of Professor Firenze in Third Year."

"Look at the bright side," said that dark-haired Ravenclaw from before, not allowing me to defend myself on why Firenze had scared me then as she came from behind me. She was wearing a smirk as her bright eyes glimmered in amusement. "Everyone knows Alan's a twat who is as dumb as a sack of potatoes."

"Let's not insult potatoes by comparing them to Alan, please," said Scorpius as we turned to the man; he was chewing at the end of his wand as the students gathered together.

I scoffed as I turned back to the Ravenclaw. "Thanks for answering before," I said to her. 

She shrugged. "Someone had to do it."

Before she could walk off with three other Ravenclaw girls with her, I stopped her to say, "I'm Albus, by the way.  But you can call me Al."

She looked at my outstretched hand with more amusement. "Evanna Nott," she said. "But you can call me Evanna."

"Call her Evy or Anna and you'll wake up missing your manly-bits," said a dark-haired girl directly on Evanna's left.

Evanna gave her a nudge before saying, "This is May Chang. And that's Gracen Goyle," her finger pointed out a very pretty and sweet witch on her right with cascading, dark curls before pointing at the only blonde in her flock of Ravenclaws, "and that's Olivia Boot."

I tried to recall my Potter charm as I smiled at them (well, that's what James called it. Of course, if you asked Freddie, he'd say it was all Weasley charm. To that, Louis would say it was neither; the bit of charm we had had just rubbed off of his own charm. And to that, James and Freddie would always say, 'your Veela voodoo does not count, we've got real swagger'). 

"This is Lucas Zabini and Scorpius Malfoy," I introduced my friends with one slap on their backs. 

Really, Lucas won the game of charm. I don't even know how he turned out to be such a smooth-talker, but he just had that way about him. When he grinned at the Ravenclaws, he said, "It's a pleasure making your acquaintance, ladies."

The girls smiled warmly at him. Scorpius and I scoffed at their reaction.

I expected Scorpius to bring Lucas down a peg, but instead he flashed his silver eyes at the witch on Evanna's right. "Hey, Gracie. How are you?"

"I'm doing better, actually," the pretty girl (Gracen Goyle) said with a lovely, kind smile. "I'm sorry I missed you at the Greengrass summer party. It must have been awful to be there all alone."

"Believe me, I would've broken my leg, too, to miss it," Scorpius said with a laugh. "I'm glad you're better, though. Mother was worried. You got her package, I expect?"

Just as Gracen nodded, I raised my hand, looking between them. "Um. What? Since when do you have friends outside our circle, Malfoy?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes at me. "Our fathers are childhood friends," he explained with a huff. "Gracie and me sort of grew up together."

"All right, that's enough chattering!" called Professor Alan as he frowned at us again, motioning us to join the huddle of students. His dark eyes roamed the huddle, searching for his first victim. When he landed on one, he said, "Miss Boot, if you please, step forward."

Olivia Boot did not bother hiding her dislike for the professor and the assignment as she stomped over to the wardrobe. 

Professor Alan pointed his wand at the knob of the wooden door. "One, two—"

He did not wait for three. He gave his wrist a flick and the wardrobe opened. Slithering out onto the marbled floor was a large, slimy snake. Its hiss penetrated the ears and clawed at our spines. 

Beside me, Evanna frowned at Professor Alan for a quick second; in the next, she aimed a worried glance at her friend. "Come on, Liv."

Almost as if she heard Evanna's words of encouragement, Olivia rose her wand high and shouted, "Riddikulus!" 

Out of the snake's mouth came confetti and streamers like a piñata had exploded in the middle of the room, covering it with bright colors.

Slightly impressed, Alan made Olivia hurry away before turning to another student. "Come on, Miss Bole. You're up next."

With frighten steps up to the front, Amelia Bole— a surprisingly polite and kind Slytherin Fifth Year, rose her wand hesitantly at the Boggart that was transforming. Instantly, the snake that was spitting confetti turned in a bundle of something nasty. A giant Mandrake appeared in front of her, wailing in excruciating levels.

"Really? That's what she's scared of?" Lucas snorted.

Evanna huffed impatiently at him. "In our Third Year, not that any of you remember, Professor Longbottom asked for volunteers to help re-pot the mandrakes. Well, Amelia offered to help, but didn't know exactly what she was getting herself into. The mandrakes overpowered her and caused her to faint from the cries," she explained. "But, honestly, I think it is embarrassment that she's afraid of."

"Riddikulus!" Amelia shouted; at once, the giant mandrake was painted in neon colors, sporting a very curly wig, which made it resemble a disgusting clown.

As some idiot Slytherins laughed mockingly at the girl, a few compassionate Ravenclaws congratulated Amelia Bole as the professor called another student. "Miss Chang, you're up." 

I saw Gracen, Olivia, and Evanna look at each other the moment their friend started heading for the Boggart, all their expressions matching in concern. 

"This won't end well," muttered Olivia sadly.

Before I could be a nosy git and ask what that was about, May Chang started to hyperventilate at the front of the classroom. She had her eyes closed, waiting for the Boggart to stop spinning and transform into her greatest fear. It took seven seconds for the Ravenclaw to open her eyes and face the Boggart that was now a man.

He was tall, had dark hair that reached the end of his neck, and he sported a very furious look upon his pale face. May took a shaky step toward him, but the Boggart looked more revolted to be in her presence than before.

"Who's that?" asked Lucas before I could.

"Michael Corner," Evanna said tersely, "her father. When she was three her parents had a really nasty divorce that resulted in her mum taking her from Germany, where her father was working as a journalist. She hasn't seen him since then because he never seems to have the time. Poor May thinks he didn't want her in the first place, that's why he doesn't want to see her."

May raised her wand at the Boggart and I noticed a figure hiding in the shadows of the classroom. It was Belinda Rookwood. 

Once May had conquered her fear, Professor Alan looked back over at our side again. "Mister Malfoy, up here. Now."

Scorpius huffed, grudgingly making his way over to face the blasted Boggart. Immediately, the creature spun around the room, transforming. I assumed it would take shape of the same thing it had his Third Year (the cellar of his home), but I was shocked that it became Rose—then it became Emily. Then it turned back to Rose before becoming Emily again. 

On and on the Boggart changed into the two girls until Scorpius raised his wand and shouted, "Riddikulus," and both girls disappeared.

When he rejoined us, Scorpius hissed a, "Don't ask," at me and Lucas.

Lucas and I looked at each other when our friend refused to meet our eyes. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at his shoes.

"Lorcan Scamander," called the professor, "step right up."

"Did I miss something between you, Rose, and Em?" I pressed at Scorpius.

He ignored me as Lorcan's Boggart landed on the floor. It was a corpse. Off the beater's bat it looked to be himself, but the Gryffindor tie around his neck gave evidence that it was his twin brother Lysander. 

As it dawned on us that Lorcan's fear was losing his brother, Alan shouted for Lucas to face the Boggart.

A laughing Lysander Scamander turned into a massive spider.

"Are you kidding me?" huffed Lucas. "I'm over spiders. Honest."

"You're not!" I laughed, our fellow Slytherins joining in. "You screamed when one climbed up your arm yesterday."

Lucas glared at all of us as the huge spider before him skidded on the ground when all of its legs were attached to skates.

Not impressed by the counter-jinx Zabini had thrown at the Boggart, Professor Alan called out for Belinda Rookwood to take her turn.

It was not a surprise to any of us that Rookwood was one of Professor Alan's favorites (considering that both were the spawn of Satan); he had allowed her to skip facing the Boggart in our Third Year when she pouted at him, but now there did not seem to be an exception. More fear flashed in Rookwood's eyes when she realized this, too.

"Professor—" she began to protest, but Alan shook his head, silencing her.

"Come on, princess," laughed a Slytherin near Rookwood, "what are you afraid of? A broken nail?"

"Bad hair day?" added a Ravenclaw, snickering along with the huddle of our classmates.

Normally, I would have laughed at their remarks, but the horror in Rookwood's gaze was not exactly amusing. Her knees actually shook as she approached the front. In a quick one, two, three, Lucas' spider caught sight of Rookwood and transformed into a man. It was easy to see the relationship between Rookwood and him; the man had her same sharp, narrowed brown eyes and golden blonde hair. He looked down on her; the distaste she often wore when she looked at her peers was on her father's face, too.

The laughter died down when Rookwood started crying, turning her head away from the Boggart.

"Miss Rookwood," called Professor Alan impatiently, "face your fear."

She could not. As soon as she was unable to contain her cries, she turned on her heels and ran out of the classroom.

Students started muttering among each other, but I clocked in on Scorpius letting out a long, frustrated sigh next to me. 

 "Don't," I said to him.

"See you at dinner," he said, reaching for his schoolbag.

"Mate," Lucas called, "you're not helping the rumors."

Scorpius did not hear him. As soon as he had gathered his things, he followed Rookwood out the classroom's door.

"Miss Nott—" Alan's voice rung, unbothered by two of his students tailgating out of his lesson. "It's your turn."

Evanna let out a snort as she approached the Boggart. In an instant, Mister Rookwood turned into a massive parchment with a giant T on it. It was the mark of a Troll, one of the worst grades any of us could get.

Lucas laughed loudly. "Bless her little Ravenclaw heart. She's afraid of failure."

Olivia Boot elbowed him in the ribs, glaring, as Gracen Goyle held May Chang in her arms. Though Olivia's defense was admirable of her loyalty, Evanna did not need it. When she approached us again, she said to Lucas, "Some of us are destined for greatness. I'll let you know how that goes after you run your family's empire to the ground for being an idiot."

Chuckling loudly, I was immediately silenced when the professor called out for me. "Come on, Mister Potter. We're not going to wait on you forever."

Rolling my eyes at him, I made my way over. 

There was a little twinge of fear at what the Boggart would turn into. Yes, Third Year it had been Professor Firenze, but that only happened because he teamed up with Mum and Dad to teach James and me a lesson on staying out of the Dark Forest. While I had plenty other fears (being suffocated, which came with having a large family, the fear of dragons, because Uncle Charlie had not chained one properly and the blasted thing chased me into a river, and the fear of being nude in public, which I had no idea where that came from), they were not Boggart worthy. That made me feel uneasy. 

The Boggart turned into James. A James decked out in Gryffindor gear from head to toes.

Of course this was a prominent fear—I was still scared my brother would reject me for not being him.

 I scoffed at myself as I pointed my wand at the Boggart. All that Gryffindor pride transformed in a classic Weasley sweater (a hand-knitted, maroon sweater with a black J on the chest). It was a reminder that, yes, we were different, but we were still family. 

"Smooth, Potter," Evanna said with a grin. "Family Unity. How lovely."

"I am known to be quite lovely," I replied with a smile of my own as another student went up to face the Boggart. 

Something in her eyes made me want to blush when she scanned me over. "I'd like to see that. How about at Hogsmeade in two weeks? Over a butterbeer?"

My eyes widened.

Wait.

Did she just....?

"He'll be there," said Lucas, clapping me harshly on the back. "Three Broomsticks. Look pretty; he will."

Evanna and her Ravenclaw friends laughed before moving on over to the other side of the classroom. 

I turned my wide eyes at Lucas. "Are you mental?" I hissed.

"No, but you are," he returned. "You were going to miss out on a date. With a girl. With a pretty girl. With a pretty girl that somehow seems to like you."

Mesmerizing blue eyes flashed in my mind. "What about—?"

"Mate," Lucas clucked his tongue, shaking his head at me. "Nia Harper does not fancy you. I'm sorry, but she doesn't. Harper eats blokes like you for breakfast. Believe me, I did you a favor. It's time to stop pining after her."

A part of me knew that he was telling me the truth, but there was another part of me that refused to believe that. There was something about Nia and me. I knew it. And if she found out about this date with Evanna Nott, Merlin save my soul.

I bolted out the classroom when that thought formed. I was not going to be around a Boggart when my new fear became Nia's wrath.