Closed Facing it head on

[Eoghan Blyth]

(Set at the end of Y49 because I'm trying to figure out what Eoghan's boggart is)

Eoghan was glad that his professor had agreed to let him practice defending against the Boggart before they broke up at the end of the year. He just needed another try at facing it, since it had caught him off guard during the lesson they'd been studying it. Now that the Ravenclaw thought he had a good understanding of what his boggart actually was, he felt better equipped to deal with it if he saw it again. After arriving in Professor Adler's office, he swallowed nervously with a glance to Lili, glad she was here but apprehensive that she would see his Boggart again too. He hadn't exactly felt proud of himself last time he'd witnessed it.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Professor Adler was more than happy to let students practice in the office if they felt they needed it. Eoghan hadn't done badly his first time around facing a Boggart, but given she had the opportunities at hand for him to try again, who was she to deny him the chance to practice? The blonde had taken a step back, allowing the third years to take the lead, but she was watching with an observant eye in case she needed to step in.

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith had been very shaken up by her own Boggart, it had been by far one of the most difficult lessons for the third year but she'd been proud of herself for facing it in the end. As she arrived in Professor Adler's office with her boyfriend, meaning to be there for emotional support as he trained with it again she entered after the blonde. As Eoghan glanced her way nervously she gave him a smile and moved closer to him to give his hand a squeeze. "You got this," She whispered to him before taking a step back, letting him do his thing.

 

[Eoghan Blyth]

Eoghan squeezed Lilith's hand in return. The fact she was here even though she knew she was likely about to see herself again said a lot. Turning to face the wardrobe, Eoghan took a deep breath and tried to picture the thing he found most amusing. He wasn't sure why, but that was just as difficult as it was to know that the thing he feared the most was about to walk out toward him. "I'm ready," at least, he hoped he was.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

The professor wasn't sure what words of wisdom Lilith had for the boy, but she trusted it was positive given it seemed to inspire him to continue. Geo waved her wand toward the wardrobe, waiting to see what would step out of it on this occasion and whether Eoghan would be able to cast the spell.

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith stayed back smiling nervously and as Eoghan said he was ready her entire body stilled in anticipation. She trusted in her boyfriend and she knew he could face this, she knew he could cast the spell but as Professor Adler waved her wand Lili held her breath, anxiously waiting to see what came out.

 

[Eoghan Blyth]

As the wardrobe opened, Eoghan's eyes were pinned on what came out.

Just because he'd seen it before, didn't make it any less painful. It was Imogen that stepped out first, and seeing his twin sister in the flesh at Hogwarts in this form was about as close as she'd ever get. Eoghan sometimes thought she would have made a good witch. The Boggart continued however, as his sister began to advance.

His body tensed at Imogen's demeanor. She'd never been a fan of Lilith, believing that she was the reason the twins were no longer as close. But as Imogen started speaking to him, the real him, it was clear there was more to it. It wasn't so much that Eoghan feared Imogen abandoning him, although that played a part in the back of his mind. It was more so that he feared Imogen blaming Lilith as the reason why. Despite everything he'd tried to do for his sister, down to the very reason he'd even come to school was for her benefit as well as his own, he couldn't fathom that she'd put the blame of his own failures on the one person who'd helped him through things this far. Imogen could be angry at him for leaving, for seemingly turning to magic and choosing the path of this life as a priority, but what he really feared more than that was that she couldn't see how much good was coming out of him, nor how. Of course Eoghan couldn't control how his sister thought or responded, and perhaps it was the crux of the issue that the Ravenclaw simply had to allow his muggle sister to believe what she wanted, no matter what he tried to do to convince her this was the right thing. She was entitled to her own opinions as much as he was his own.

It was hard to explain it, when all that was in front of him in that office was Imogen, but he felt it. "Riddikulus," Eoghan felt sick at the prospect that the person he was supposed to protect might well one day be the person that walked away from him, unable to comprehend his life anymore. Suddenly Imogen's form changed into one where she'd dressed up as a pumpkin for Halloween one year, even down to the homemade hair dye that consisted of warm carrot juice. It was stupid, but Eoghan had laughed a lot that evening as they'd gotten themselves made up, the stains getting everywhere. The Ravenclaw took a step back as the Boggart was moved back into the wardrobe and the third year was left trying to comprehend what exactly it all meant.

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith shifted on her feet as Imogen stepped out, she recalled it being her last time too but honestly she'd been far too out of it with her own anxiety to pay attention to others too much. As Eoghan's twin started talking an uncomfortable pit formed in Lilith's stomach, she got the sense that the girl in this scenario seemed to not understand the things her twin was doing for her. That everything Eoghan had been doing the past three years had been mainly for both of them, most of all it felt like she was blaming Lilith for it. It didn't matter to her if Imogen hated her, she just wished the girl wouldn't be so blind to the things Eoghan was doing and to the progress he was making on his own. It had been evident even when they'd had that chat of their a while back that the girl seemed so set on the idea that it was one or the other, that in the end Eoghan would be forced to choose between this life and his sister. That was the part that made Lilith the saddest. That Eoghan's biggest fear was his sister and the loss of their connection and that he might blame himself for it.

Taking a deep breath in Lilith waited for Eoghan to cast the Riddikulus, as difficult as it was for her to watch the whole thing happen knowing how much it'd hurt him, she knew it was ten times worse for him. When the Ravenclaw finally managed the spell Lilith felt her face break into a smile. She was proud of him, he'd done it perfectly. He'd faced his fear and he'd handled it well. Once the Boggart was gone she took the steps to her boyfriends side and took his hand in hers. "You did well, I am proud of you." She said with a smile, reaching up to her tiptoes to give his cheek a soft kiss, having forgotten their Professor was there for a moment. After she remembered Professor Adler's presence her face broke into a blush and she gave the woman a shy apologetic smile, lowering herself back onto her feet fully.