Third Years, Lesson Five

FIFTH LESSON
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Noel had made sure that the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom was emptied with all that could be in the way, and so they would have the space to practice. He replaced his desk once again with the large wardrobe with the boggart inside of it. He was excited for the lesson, since he found it himself an interesting one as an student back than. But also on guard since he figured it was an intense lesson. He wanted his students to feel safe and just a few had asked him to practice in private, which he respected. So the rest he expected today.

But today was the turn of his third-year class to face the creature and try to banish it by using the spell he had taught them a couple of weeks ago. He stood by the door when the students arrived and welcomed them inside with a reassuring smile when he noticed a couple of hesitating. He wanted to see every face to get an image of how they were facing this lesson today. He than gestured the students to come closer to him in the front. '' Hello everyone.'' Noel greeted them. '' Form a line please.'' He than gestured in front of him. And he closed the classroom door with an quick movement. '' Today. I want everyone to think of the thing they fear the most and turn it into something funny. Remember, the incantation to banish the boggart is Riddikulus.'' He than reminded them and some perhaps had no idea what they feared, but that would be shown soon. He paused to look around the classroom and then beckoned for the first in line to step forward with an encouraging smile. That was brave. He stepped up to them and said, ''Again, the incantation alone is not enough. Think of something that you find truly amusing and use that when you say the incantation out loud. I can assure you that the result will make all of us laugh, so you needn't be afraid.'' He said and than looked at the students. '' I want everyone to be respectfull, if I see you fooling around. You can stay and write lines until I say so.'' And with that last strict warning Noel unlocked the wardrobe giving the student an nod, and with a flick of his wand to let the boggart come out.

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Roleplay the lesson. Your student will face the boggart, which should reveal their greatest fear, so have them react to that accordingly. Those who did not reach out to me for a private lesson are expected to face the boggart. Others can start an topic in Professor Waldgrave's office, if they wished to be individual.

 

[Sofi Ayre]

Sofi hadn't wanted to go first but unfortunately with how the line fell, it seemed to start with her and she couldn't get behind anyone. The Hufflepuff reluctantly stepped forward with trembling hands, one holding her wand. The door creaked open sooner than she liked and Sofi staggered back.

Standing before her was herself. But this Sofi wasn’t the same. Her smile was cruel and in her arms she carried a leather bound book. The book appeared to contain her life, every person she’d met that she remembered and every memory both good and bad. The boggart flipped the book open to a page containing happy memories, tore the page free and held it to a flame that appeared in her hand. “No!” Sofi gasped, reaching out instinctively, but the boggart ignored her as it burned the page. The boggart flipped to another page and did the same, then again and faster now, stripping the book until the only memories left were the ones she wished didn’t exist, reducing her to every bad decision and all the suffering she'd ever known.

Sofi looked defeated until she remembered the lesson brief. She raised her wand, her voice steady now. “Riddikulus!” The boggart morphed into a silly clown and the book in it's hands suddenly puffed up like a balloon and the flames turned to bubbles that floated to the ceiling. Sofi knew she had to laugh, she forced herself to laugh to defeat the boggart. Once it was done, she sighed and turned to find the professor. She didn’t feel brave but she had faced it and she hoped that was enough.