Open Why Boggarts?

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie wasn’t sure which emotion was strongest, her anger, her frustration, her sadness or her shame. Facing a boggart in front of her whole class hadn’t been how she wanted the semester to end. She didn’t need people to see how much she feared getting anything other than an O, how she fear the disappointment, how she feared her family’s reaction to it. She knew that whatever tentative half friendship thing she had with Eric would be gone once he realised she was as pathetic as he’d always made her out to be. She didn’t even know why she cared about his opinion of her, but it seemed she did. She had been studying more than normal, she had been working hard and doing the revised timetable her parents had sent her after the quidditch game disaster, but she knew that nothing she did would ever be good enough, she just didn’t want her whole class to know how deeply she feared failure, to know how deeply she feared not being good enough. Minnie had stormed out of the room, and just walking and walking until the she’d found herself in the north tower. She stopped as she looked out over the grounds. Minnie stopped, letting her bag drop to the ground and sat down at the steps beside a window. Minnie let her head leant against the stone, watching as people past her. Professor styx was a terrible person and she hated him. ​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel had been thinking a lot at his boggart after he had faced it. He was already wondering what his fear would be but now he knew and saw it had been on his mind. It was terrible to see his parents like that dead and so broken. He felt scared again when thinking of it. How could he ever live and continue if his parents were gone? He loved them both so much and not even an other creature or person would scare him more than that. He wanted to become an auror ofcourse, so he wanted to be brave and he wasn't easily scared of silly stuff like spiders or some things like that. But one other person seemed to be feeling really bad about her boggart, Minnie.. And he had been watching her boggart. He could not tell who the man was but it seemed like someone she knew well. And now he figured why she worked so hard always. Perhaps she had a lot of pressure to do good.

Noel had seen her storming out of the classroom and he felt for her. He was already before her with facing his boggart so he was already done so he followed the girl. Not that she seemed to notice. Noel looked around to see where she went and searched for the girl. '' Minnie?!'' He called when she got a bit further away. And than he ended up at the North Tower. It was a long walk from the classroom to here. Noel didn't knew what it was, but since he spoke to Minnie at the Halloween Feast he liked talking to her. He kind of looked up to her also since she did so good in classes, and Noel didn't had much friends that took studies so seriously. He hoped the girl would hive him a chance to let him be a friend. Perhaps she could use one. Noel slowly walked towards Minnie who sat on the ground. '' Minnie? - Are you.. okay? '' He than said again this time more quiet and went sitting next to her on the ground. Still a bit distance between them so she would not scare. '' It's heavy a boggart right? To take it all in, seeing your fear. I understand you walked away.'' He started. He than thought back at his own. Perhaps she didn't want to talk about it but he hoped he could help her in some way.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie was a little surprised when she heard a voice call out her name. She knew that voice and saw the familiar figure of Noel. She didn’t understand why he was suddenly so interested in her. He was nice enough, very gryffindor in her mind, but nice enough. She didn’t particularly like having to watch his fear manifest either, but she felt there was a little less shame in seeing parents dead in front of them. Minnie stopped her thoughts and sighed towards herself, how cruel was that thought to think that his fear was less than hers because of the shame it would’ve brought to be seen in front of others. She wiped her eyes roughly as he took a seat next to her on the ground, asking in the usual friendly gryffindor manner how she was. Minnie gave a little shrug and didn’t turn to look at him, she didn’t want to really admit how ashamed she felt, or how saddened or angry she was. Minnie knew he wouldn’t really understand why she needed to be anything other than perfect. She kept her gaze just in front of her. She hated that he had seen that, she hated that he had seen that, she was so ashamed that all of the year had see that her greatest fear was failing, that it hadn’t even been a failing grade, that it had been an E grade rather than anything else. ”I’m fine,” she replied with a sigh, it wasn’t entirely honest, but really she was physically fine. ”It was a bit much for our last defence class of the year,” was all she could think of saying, knowing that it sounded pretty pathetic, but it certainly was the same as how she had felt currently. ”nothing like having your worst fear shown in front of everyone to raise the mood before the exams,” ​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

The Gryffindor figured if Minnie wanted to talk she would tell what's on her mind. But on the other hand he didn't even knew her that well. Noel tried to get her to know better, but she seemed really closed. And now that he saw her boggart he knew why she didn't let herself distracted with things. Still it was a suprise to him why she chose to play Quidditch than. But that experiance wasn't good for her too last game. He felt for the girl and seeing her sitting like that made him feel powerless, he had to accept it he could not always do something himself to help if the person wasn't open and accepting it. It didn't pushed Noel away that Minnie seemed so close, he hoped he could help her open up a bit. But people could not be changed that much perhaps, and she was good as she was. He just felt it was an challenge to be a friend for her. And he would not back down for a challenge. Ofcourse Minnie said she was fine but she didn't looked that way. '' You weren't the only one leaving the classroom. Eric did as well. He did not even faced the boggart.'' Noel than said to the girl. Eric had been suprising him and Noel made no fun out of that. '' You faced it. Perhaps it is not comfort at all. But you defeated it. That's really brave.'' He kind of felt it was an heavy lesson for them and it was mean of Styx to do it at the end of the semester. They were busy with studying for their exam. '' Yeah I bet Styx likes to watch our fears. It's a heavy lesson for sure. Just before exams. It's stupid he doesn't just let us practice in smaller groups or just individual. '' Noel than replied to the girl. He was a bit stressfull for exams as well and wanted to good. But he was fine with an E also and for Minnie that seemed a big failure. There was not a way he could fully understand that ofcourse, but he understood she wanted to achieve the highest and perhaps was forced of doing so by the person in the boggart.

Minnie kind of turned away from him and he just looked at her and in front of him for a moment. But what she said was indeed true, it would have been better if it was private. Perhaps Styx should handle those lessons differently. '' I won't ask about your boggart if you don't want to talk about it. And why you didn't want people to see. '' Noel than said to Minnie and went with his hand through his curls. '' But you should know that you are - I'm sure! The best student in our year.'' He than complimented her. And hoped she would feel a bit better. It was true what he said. '' I really envy you, you know? I'm impressed. I try to study really hard. I want to become an auror. But I'm sure you work ten times harder than me.'' Noel than told the girl. It didn't mind if she didn't felt the need to respond. He just wanted to let her know. She deserved compliments. Everyone did if they worked so hard. The reason why he reached out to Minnie was that he didn't had that much friends who took studies so serious as he now did. Minnie did and she was also funny he thought when they had been talking at the Halloween Feast. Perhaps she should be a good influence on him he figured.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie shook her head at his words. She had come to learn that Noel had a very deep problem with Eric. had it been a year ago she might’ve agreed, but she didn’t now and she didn’t feel brave for facing the boggart. Even if he said it, even if he tried to make her feel better by comparing her to someone. Eric didn’t abide by the rules, in that moment she’d wished she’d had his courage to not do it. ”What I did, facing the boggart wasn’t out of courage, if I’d had any courage I would’ve saved myself the shame and walked out of the room.” Minnie told him, ”I wish I had Eric’s bravery,” she retorted to him, unable to stop the words. She knew Noel was just trying to be nice, to make her feel better but he just didn’t get it. He was happy to stand up in front of a boggart and face it, he seemed okay with letting himself be seen and his fears witnessed in front of everyone. She shook her head a little, ”Sorry, but if you’re going to say mean things about Eric don’t do it in front of me,” she didn’t want to sit and listen to it. ​

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Minnie kept her gaze away from him, but she agreed that it wasn’t a good final lesson, she would’ve rather do it any other way than the professor had wanted to do. She wouldn’t have minded if it had been just her, the professor and the boggart she wouldn’t have minded as much, but in front of everyone had been why she hated it. Minnie sighed as he tried to make her feel better, telling her she was the best student in the year. He didn’t understand, he didn’t get it. ”I work hard because I can’t not get good grades, I’m not the best student in the year, I’m just trying to not let people down. You shouldn’t envy me Noel,” the girl said to him. ”That’s cool that you want to be an auror though. How long have you know that you wanted that?” she wasn’t even that surprised that that was what he wanted. But, to be impressed with her because she worked very hard, she was by his words the best student in their year, but she wasn’t. She didn’t work hard because she wanted to, she needed to. She needed to be perfect, she couldn’t be anything less than that, it was what her parents expected from her. What she needed to be was perfect.​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel watched Minnie and what she said kind of made him doubt. Ofcourse it was a different kind of courage, but Noel just thought it was weak to not face your fears. Perhaps Minnie didn't want to do it, but she did. But only because she had to it seemed. Ofcourse he understood people having a hard time facing their fear. But what Minnie said about having Eric's bravery made Noel frown. He had never thought of it that way and didn't agreed with it. But he wasn't here to talk about Eric. And he didn't was here to speak bad of Eric, that ws not the point. Eric was just a person Noel didn't liked, but he didn't want to lower to Eric's behavior being a bully. '' That's also a way to look at it. '' Noel than responded, he knew not everyone thought the same as he and that was fine. But that fear of Minnie and shame she felt was huge it seemed. She actually seemed to be defending Eric in here, and Noel just had no clue why. He could tell her his point of view and all the stuff Eric had been doing so far, but he was not like that. She seemed to be getting it wrong. '' I wasn't. I'm not like that. But you could not know. You don't know me that well. That's okay. Eric and I are not the best friends, but I'm not a bully to talk bad about him behind his back.'' Noel than started as he watched Minnie thinking bad of him perhaps. If she was open for getting to know him he could show her. But perhaps that took time, and he was patient. And if he had something to say about Eric he would tell him in his face. '' I am here for you. I figured you could possibly need a friend?'' Noel usually saw Minnie alone, but now he remembered the time he heard Eric talking to Minnie when she was hurt after the Quidditch Game. Perhaps she saw Eric as a friend? And Eric would tell her bad stuff about him ofcourse. '' Everyone does.'' Noel than added to it. '' I'm here as a friend if you like? Or just someone you can talk to. Or yell at, or laugh with. Just whatever you need.'' If she wanted to yell at him he was fine with that too.

The Gryffindor tried to make her feel better but there seemed to be a lot of emotions. And ofcourse he could not know how it felt, since he had his own parents and family who supported him and just wanted him to be happy. '' Sorry Minnie. That sounds awfull. I didn't know. And I don't know how that must feel. '' He than said to her and actually felt for her. Why would people put so much pressure? Perhaps she didn't even liked to study. But he was suprised that she was so open about it to him. He decided to not ask more about it, he just felt it was stupid from her family they did it. '' For a long time I figured. You must think of me as the typical Gryffindor. But I want to protect the people against the badguys. And than I've heard about an auror. But I need to to my very best in classes for the grades. But I'm motivated myself. '' Noel than explained. He had no one to force him into that.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie could appreciate that Noel might not agree that it was brave to leave, she could figure that he had a firmer belief of braver. Where she was a ravenclaw and knew she thought critically about nearly everything and maybe for Noel he just didn’t. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with that either. She gave a little sigh as he responded to her comment about Eric. She felt a little bad for perhaps how quickly she had judged him, it had just been that comment and she wasn’t blind to what happened in the other houses, even if she did have her nose in a book or her notes nearly always. He even went on to explain that he was only coming to speak to her because maybe she needed a friend, she had Emily as a friend, but that was it. Maybe it would be good to have another one. Maybe it would be good to be his friend. She looked at him, letting her eyes move across him looking for the joke at her expense, ”I could use a friend,” she replied, having found that he was being sincere. ”Would you believe that you’re my second ever friend,” Minnie told him with a little smile. ​

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Minnie shrugged lightly at his words, happier to listen to him talk about why he had wanted to be an auror. She smiled at the fact he’d always wanted to be that. That he had wanted to be an auror for such a while, that he wanted to protect people against bad people. ”If you ever want someone to study with, I can help you, or even just you know a study schedule,” she reached forward and into her school bag, after some rummaging between books and notes, pulled out a schedule. Ever moment of her day, all week was taken up with something, from when she woke up to when she went to sleep, even an hour or so in each day dedicated to “free time”. ”I could make you one of these? But probably simpler right?” the girl said, she could make it for him to help him. Even if she didn’t like how she had to work, the schedule was useful for her to have. ”It’s pretty useful,”​