It's not for me

[Ares Zephyr]

It was ridiculous that the third years were expected not only to face a fear that they may not have been aware about, nor prepared for, but that they had to do it in front of the entire class as well. Ares wasn't having it. He'd knocked on the professors door when the class was dismissed, determined to tell the woman exactly why and how he planned to get out of the lesson. He had no intention of putting himself through that and frankly, he couldn't make her, either. What was she going to do? Send him to his Head of House? As the Professor of the upper years, even he could probably agree that it was a dumb thing to include in a lesson plan and show each other their weaknesses.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Professor Adler was surprised to open her door and spot Aion's youngest son on the other side of it. He wasn't the most talkative in class although when he did have a question it certainly seemed to raise a few eyebrows. "Come in, Ares," she gestered him into her office, closing the door behind him. "Please, take a seat and a honeycomb if you'd like," she offered, taking one for herself too before resting on the side of her desk. "What can I do for you?"

 

[Ares Zephyr]

Ares tilted his head up as the professor opened the door, and moved into the room with an air of confidence. "No, thank you. I won't be here long." Ares had no plan to stick around any longer than necessary, long enough for the woman to make an exception for him. The third year remained standing, not wanting to have Professor Adler assume he could be swayed. "The lesson where we're meant to face a Boggart," Ares began, "I won't be doing it." He'd come prepared with an excuse, too. "No one should be forced to experience the thing they fear the most, and I don't want others to experience it either. Without knowing what everyone else in that room is capable of, I wouldn't feel comfortable with it. I will write an essay instead," he told her. He didn't mind writing about the theory instead and she was always banging on about the importance of choosing how they worked.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo had dealt with blunt students before, and heck a few of her own children possessed a similar quality, but she was still taking aback by the frankness in which Ares spoke to her. She didn't show it on her face, instead she just watched the third year explain his reasonings for not wanting to perform the task in a few weeks. There was only one other student that Geo had allowed to skip the Boggart lesson in place with an essay, and while she was confident Ares didn't know that had taken place, she had no intention of him choosing his content unless there was an equally valid reason for it. "What do you think your Boggart will be?" she asked outright, matching his forwardness. Perhaps like Miles he did have a legitimate reason, but she would need to find out what that was. "I appreciate you don't want to make your classmates uncomfortable, that's a very considerate take," she said truthfully. "Everyone in that room will be in the same boat, facing their own fears which may put others on edge, too. But that being said, we need to remember we're there to respect and support each other, and while others may find your Boggart unnerving, they are more likely to be focused on their own reflection of their fears."

 

[Ares Zephyr]

Ares shrugged at the professors question, because he had tried his best not to think about what his Boggart might actually be. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be something nice and therefore wasn't worth thinking about. "I dunno, but I guess I won't be finding out." The Gryffindor smiled, arrogance flowing through his expression. It only widened as the professor complimented him on being considerate of his classmates. He knew it had been the right angle for a former Hufflepuff. "Of course professor, but just because others will be facing their Boggart too, doesn't mean it will make it easier to face lots of Boggarts all at once," Surely she should and could understand the implications of many fears, all in the same room, all at once? "What would you like me to write the essay on?"

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

It was disappointing for the woman when a student wouldn't allow themselves to take advantage of what they had at their disposal. Whatever Ares feared, it was clearly enough that he wasn't going to risk facing it at all, not even if it meant he would be better prepared in himself. Geo thought for a moment, considering the boys latest question, as though he'd already given up on himself before he'd even started.

"One day you might find yourself face to face with whatever that Boggart will show you," It could be a scary prospect of course, given her own Boggart, it wasn't a reality Geo wanted to consider facing. But that was the point of this class, preparing her students to defend themselves in any way she could, so that once they graduated they were ready to face the rest of the world. That didn't usually mean taking the easy way out and burying ones head in the sand. "I want to you to know what that is, so it can't control you one day. Neither of us know what situations you'll find yourself in when your older, outside of the protection of these walls, and while I can't force you to face your Boggart, you may want to reconsider whether you're making the most of your time at Hogwarts."

 

[Ares Zephyr]

So, that was it? Ares didn't have to take the dumb Boggart lesson if he didn't have to, and on top of that he didn't seem to have the write the essay, either. Sure, maybe one day he would have to face his fear, or maybe he'd just walk the other way, just like he was doing now. Hogwarts had professors and thick walls but they couldn't protect him from everything, and it was naïve of this professor to consider that they could. Ares wasn't stupid enough to believe he'd never find himself in a scary situation, but he'd deal with it at the time, if it came about. "So.." He eyed the room, feeling the weight of the pause after the professors lecture. "Does that mean I can skip it?"

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

The professor nodded, the words on the tip of her tongue held by the fact she didn't want to make this worse. If Ares had already made up his mind, then she wasn't going to be able to change his decision, even if she believed she knew what was best for him. "You can skip it, but you won't be graded." As a third year, it wasn't as detrimental as if he were older, but at least he should have known the repercussions. "If you change your mind, you're welcome to face in the Boggart in this office, if you don't want to do it in the class. That will give you the chance to explore it, and you'll make up your grade." She'd had a few students over the years, prefer to do similar. If students didn't want to open the wardrobe in class, she would still give them the chance.

 

[Ares Zephyr]

Ares was practically beaming when the professor told him he didn't have to face it. He was going to take that lesson period off, wander the castle by himself while the rest of his classmates were stuck in their lessons. "Thanks!" Ares had no intention of facing it, and did it really matter that much whether he missed out on a single grade? It wasn't exactly going to make or break him. He waved off the idea of performing the spell in the office, too. It would admittedly be easier if people like Gaia weren't watching him like a gawk, for sure, but that still didn't mean he wanted to find out what it was. "See you next week professor," he said, quickly slipping out of her office.