In their third year, a new class was added for the first time: "Care of Magical Creatures."
The inaugural lesson of this historic new subject, taught by Hagrid, ended in complete disaster, as expected.
The lesson itself wasn't terrible, Edith thought. Hagrid, known for his love of dangerous creatures, had brought something relatively tame and explained things clearly enough. Still, bringing a creature that might attack at any moment was a bit much, but considering the nature of magical creature care, it was probably unavoidable.
At first, everything went smoothly. The creature Hagrid brought, a hippogriff, was proud and wouldn't let anyone ride it unless they bowed first, like some kind of emperor. Most students managed to ride it successfully.
Mirabel, however, refused to bow at all and instead kept glaring at the hippogriff, which was completely baffling. In the end, the hippogriff gave in and knelt down, proving once again that Mirabel doesn't follow conventional rules.
According to Mirabel, "In a staring contest, whoever looks away first loses." This wasn't that kind of lesson.
As usual, the problem was Draco Malfoy. He ignored Hagrid's warnings, insulted the hippogriff, and ended up getting attacked. It was completely his own fault, but the fact remained that a student had been injured. Hagrid was responsible for bringing a creature that could potentially harm someone.
Rumors were spreading throughout the school that Hagrid might be fired so soon after starting his teaching position.
"Do you think Hagrid will be fired?" Edith asked as she headed to her next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, on Friday afternoon.
Several days had passed since the incident, but Malfoy's arm was still bandaged, and he occasionally pressed it dramatically, wincing in pain.
Mirabel replied as if it were nothing. "No way. If it were serious, maybe, but Malfoy just has a scratch. If teachers got fired every time a student got a minor injury, most of them wouldn't last a year."
"But Malfoy is still wearing that bandage!"
"If Madam Pomfrey says he's really still not healed, then that's not just weakness, it's a level of frailty that should make you suspect a magical ailment."
Malfoy's injury had already healed, Mirabel pointed out. He was just pretending it was still there to draw sympathy and frame Hagrid. Normally, such theatrics would be meaningless, but with his father as a powerful backer, he was a troublesome opponent.
The fact that he had injured the son of Lucius Malfoy, who wielded immense influence over the Ministry of Magic, was a major issue that could prompt the Ministry to take action.
"Well, I don't particularly care what happens to Hagrid," Mirabel said with a shrug. "...Oh, we're here."
"I hope this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is actually competent..."
They opened the door and entered the classroom. Students were already gathered, preparing for class. Mirabel and Edith took their seats by the window, and just then, Lupin entered the room.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I'm sorry to interrupt your preparations, but today we'll be doing practical training. You won't need your textbooks, just bring your wands and follow me."
Lupin gestured for the students to follow him and led them out of the classroom.
Practical training without textbooks was unprecedented in Defense Against the Dark Arts. If anything, it reminded them of last year's disastrous Dueling Club led by Lockhart, but this felt different, more professional.
Either way, it sounded interesting. Wands in hand, the students followed Lupin down the corridor.
Under his guidance, they entered the staff room. Old, mismatched chairs were scattered around the room, and a wardrobe in the corner was creaking and shaking ominously. Something was clearly inside, causing a commotion.
"Don't be afraid," Lupin said calmly. "There's just a shape-shifting creature called a 'Boggart' inside."
He said it as if it were nothing, but this was genuinely frightening. Facing a monster in their first practical lesson was something that had never happened in previous Defense classes.
Even though Gryffindor had already taken the same lesson, the anxiety didn't fade.
To ease the students' nerves, Lupin spoke in a gentle voice. "Boggarts prefer narrow, dark places, wardrobes, spaces under beds, cupboards. Now, the first question: what do you think a Boggart does?"
"It turns into whatever we're afraid of, right? That's an easy question," Malfoy answered confidently.
As expected, after Gryffindor's turn, many students already knew about Boggarts.
"Exactly. So the Boggart sitting in the darkness hasn't taken any form yet. Since it doesn't know what we're afraid of, it can't transform."
"What does a Boggart look like before it transforms?" Edith asked.
"Well, Edith, the truth is, no one knows. No one has ever seen a Boggart's true form. The moment it emerges, it immediately transforms into whatever scares us most."
So when you encounter a Boggart, by the time you can see each other, it has already finished transforming. There's no way to confirm its original form, no one has ever seen it.
"But we have an advantage, there are many of us. The most important thing when fighting a Boggart is to stay with others. Do you understand why?"
"Because it won't know which fear to transform into?" Daphne ventured.
"Exactly. When there are multiple people, the shape-shifter doesn't know which form to take. Should it become a flying severed head? Or a zombie crawling on the ground? The Boggart becomes confused. Sometimes it gets so muddled that it transforms into something completely ridiculous."
Lupin continued his explanation in a soothing voice, trying to ease the tension among the students.
"The spell to defeat a Boggart is simple, but it requires mental strength. The key to defeating it is laughter. You must force the Boggart to take on a form that you find ridiculous. Now, let's practice without wands. Repeat after me: Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!"
At Lupin's command, everyone chanted in unison. Lupin smiled, satisfied with their response, and continued his explanation.
"Very good. But the spell alone isn't enough. Hmm... Edith, would you come here?"
"Yes, Professor!"
To help the students understand the technique, Lupin called Edith forward to demonstrate. Among the strong-willed members of Slytherin—Mirabel, Malfoy, and others, Edith was unusually level-headed. It made sense that she was chosen for the demonstration.
"What's the thing you're most afraid of?"
"The Basilisk."
Several students flinched at the name. That monster had plunged the entire school into terror the year before, claiming numerous victims. It was no wonder the fear still lingered in Edith's heart, especially since she had been one of the victims.
"A Basilisk... The most terrifying part would be its eyes, correct? By the way, Edith, do you have a favorite animal?"
"A rabbit, I think."
"Perfect. Here's what we'll do: when you open that wardrobe, the Boggart will emerge and transform into a Basilisk. You'll raise your wand and say 'Riddikulus.' At that moment, focus on cute, round rabbit eyes. The Basilisk's terrifying gaze will transform into adorable rabbit eyes."
Edith must have imagined the Basilisk with round, rabbit-like eyes as Lupin described, because she giggled. The other students followed suit with their own laughter.
Then something remarkable happened, the Boggart in the wardrobe began rattling and showing signs of panic. It seemed that laughter truly was the Boggart's natural enemy.
"If Edith manages to defeat it, the Boggart will move on to the next person. Everyone, think carefully: what is your greatest fear, and how can you make it look ridiculous?"
At those words, the room fell silent. Each student was probably contemplating what they feared most.
Mirabel, like the others, was also thinking. What was her greatest fear?
There were several candidates. It was utterly despicable, but she did indeed experience fear.
First: "uncooked, poorly prepared food", the epitome of what Britain was infamous for worldwide.
Second: "her own incompetence." For Mirabel, who despised and loathed incompetence above all else, becoming incompetent herself would be a humiliation worse than death. If she had to expose herself in such a pathetic state, she'd rather die.
Then... something she didn't want to admit: "Albus Dumbledore." To say she didn't feel threatened by that old wizard's unfathomable strength would be a lie. Two years ago, he had broken through all her carefully laid traps in just four minutes. She had managed to obtain a fragment of the Philosopher's Stone in the end, but the sense of defeat from that moment still lingered in her heart.
As she pondered, several images suddenly flashed through Mirabel's mind:
—A smile directed at her, clear and unclouded.
—The voice of someone calling her "friend."
—The back of a girl brimming with talent, speaking of future dreams.
—That same young body trampled by worthless scum, reduced to a broken wreck.
—And then... rather than let such misery continue, she had embraced "her" with her own hands.
Thinking that far, Mirabel pressed her palm against her forehead.
Ridiculous. This wasn't fear. This was a past event that had been lost forever. It was merely a fleeting emotion that a Boggart could never transform into.
As she dismissed these thoughts, Lupin seemed ready to resume the lesson. He raised his wand and prepared to open the wardrobe.
"Everyone ready? I'll count to three, then release it. One... two... three!"
As the count ended, sparks flew from his wand, striking the wardrobe handle and flinging it open with force.
A massive serpent slithered out with a menacing hiss, and the students instinctively closed their eyes. It wouldn't turn them to stone just by looking at it, but you could never be too careful.
Edith nearly screamed but quickly regained her composure and raised her wand.
"Riddikulus!"
As she cast the spell, a sharp crack echoed through the room, and the Basilisk's eyes changed. The terrifyingly yellow eyes became small and cute, looking utterly mismatched with the serpent's massive body. The way it blinked like a small animal was so absurd that laughter was inevitable.
The students' laughter filled the room, and the Boggart-Basilisk stood motionless, looking thoroughly defeated.
"Excellent! Next, Blaise!"
The second student chosen was Blaise Zabini. As he stepped forward, the Boggart transformed into a brutal figure clad in black, equipped with vicious claws. A terrifying mask covered its face, bearing a twisted grin, while harsh breathing sounds escaped from beneath it.
The transformed Boggart lunged forward to attack, but Zabini cast his spell even faster.
"Riddikulus!"
Another sharp crack echoed, and the Boggart was driven into the floor as if struck by a powerful blow.
Following Zabini, a slender, black-haired student stepped forward. Theodore Nott, a prodigy known for his sharp intellect even among Slytherins. Even Mirabel respected his intelligence, which spoke volumes about his capabilities.
As he faced the Boggart, it transformed into a goat-headed demon—Baphomet.
"Riddikulus!"
With a snap, Baphomet became an ordinary sheep. No, not just any sheep, a pitiful sight with all its wool shaved off, looking utterly ridiculous.
Satisfied with the transformation, Lupin called another student's name.
"Mirabel! Step forward!"
Called by name, she stepped forward, but something was wrong. The Boggart's movements had stopped. Unable to transform from its sheep form, it writhed in apparent confusion.
It seemed unable to determine what form to take, lost and bewildered.
The cause was Mirabel's mental barriers. She would never open her heart to anyone. She would never trust anyone. She would never allow others to enter her mind or read her thoughts.
For a Boggart, which read minds to determine what form to take, Mirabel was a natural enemy. There wasn't even the slightest opening for it to penetrate her mental defenses, her heart was filled only with herself.
However, the lesson couldn't continue like this. Mirabel sighed in boredom and reluctantly offered the Boggart a single thought. She didn't particularly care whether it was something she truly feared or not.
The Boggart seized upon this morsel and immediately transformed.
Bright blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles, a crooked nose, and overly long silver hair and beard. The appearance was unmistakably that of the school's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore himself.
The unexpected appearance of the headmaster startled not only Lupin but all the students.
"Riddikulus!"
A crack sounded as the spell took effect. Dumbledore's already long beard grew even longer, and the Boggart-Dumbledore tripped over his own facial hair and tumbled to the ground.
With a smirk, Malfoy stepped forward before the fallen fake headmaster. No doubt he was already envisioning himself elegantly defeating the Boggart in front of everyone.
However, the form the Boggart took was something even he hadn't anticipated.
"What?!"
What appeared was a beautiful girl with golden hair and golden eyes. Her features were perfect—no, they were tooperfect, as if her overwhelming beauty were directly proportional to the evil within her. She wore a confident smile that radiated absolute self-assurance.
She wore a white button-down shirt with a blue tie, a vest over it, a navy skirt, and white knee-high socks. A black robe was draped over her shoulders like a cloak, never leaving her side no matter how she moved.
There was no doubt about it, this was Mirabel Beresford herself.
The fake Mirabel appeared with a mocking smile, gazing down at Malfoy with those golden eyes.
"Kukukuku..."
"Eek!"
Malfoy stumbled backward as the fake Mirabel let out a sinister laugh, his face turning pale with terror.
But he quickly tried to regain his composure, raising his wand. There's no need to be afraid! This is just an imitation! It's not the real thing! I just need to laugh at it for taking such a ridiculous form!
As Malfoy steeled himself, a sharp voice suddenly cut through the air from behind him.
"Hmph. Malfoy... do you intend to humiliate me?"
"!!"
Hearing that voice, Malfoy's face went pale once more.
That's right, the real Mirabel was right here!
A fake in front, the real one behind! Sandwiched between two Mirabels, Malfoy trembled so violently he looked pitiful.
If he didn't defeat the fake Mirabel, it would attack him. But if he did defeat it, the real one would surely seek revenge later. It was a hopeless situation no matter what he did.
Perhaps feeling sorry for him, Lupin intervened with a troubled expression.
"Come here."
He directed the Boggart toward himself, and it transformed into a silver-white orb floating in front of him. With a dismissive wave of his wand, Lupin turned it into a cockroach.
"Next, Millicent!"
The Boggart read Millicent's mind and transformed into a giant centipede. But when she cast her spell, it flipped over and flailed its countless legs helplessly.
"Well done! Next is Pansy!"
What Pansy feared was something resembling a white creature—a hybrid between a cat and rabbit with lifeless red eyes.
The white beast tilted its head at Pansy and said in an eerie voice, "Make a contract with me."
But the moment Pansy cast her spell, countless bullets appeared from nowhere, riddling the creature with holes.
"Excellent! They're getting confused now! Next, Daphne!"
Daphne Greengrass stepped forward. As she approached, the Boggart transformed into a gigantic figure towering up to the ceiling, gazing down at her menacingly.
It was the monster from Frankenstein.
"Riddikulus!"
As Daphne cast her spell, the Frankenstein monster shrank to the size of a handheld doll, frantically looking around in confusion.
The reason Frankenstein's monster was so terrifying was solely due to its massive size, so making it small was the logical solution.
The students continued taking turns transforming the Boggart, and its transformation speed gradually slowed. It was clear to everyone that the creature was becoming completely exhausted.
"All right, one more push! Edith, finish it off!"
It was Edith's turn again, and she raised her wand with determination. The Boggart, now transformed back into a Basilisk, instantly shrank into a small snake and rolled pathetically on the floor.
As all the students burst into laughter at its ridiculous form, the Boggart seemed to reach its limit. With nowhere left to go, it exploded into white smoke and vanished completely.
The Boggart had been defeated.
"Excellent work! Each Slytherin student who faced the Boggart will receive five points for their house! Edith gets ten points for fighting twice.
When you return to your dormitory, read the chapter about Boggarts in your textbook and write a summary. That will be your homework for today. Class dismissed!"
The lesson ended, and the students left the classroom still buzzing with excitement, chattering among themselves. Of course, their conversation was entirely about their battle with the Boggart.
Edith, too, seemed satisfied with what felt like the most fulfilling Defense class she'd ever experienced, her voice bright with joy.
"That was the most normal Defense Against the Dark Arts class we've ever had."
"Or maybe the previous ones were just extraordinarily terrible," Mirabel replied dryly.
As Edith said, there was no denying it had been the best class so far. However, it could also be argued that the previous teachers had simply been abysmal. That stark contrast made Lupin's lesson feel especially wonderful.
"By the way, why is Mirabel afraid of Dumbledore?" Edith asked as they walked.
"Because he's one of the few people who makes me feel like I can't win, not as I am now. He's a wall I need to overcome eventually, but currently, I can't even fathom the depths of his abilities."
Mirabel answered honestly, though her expression was grim. It was a humiliating admission, but if she truly wanted to aim higher, she had to acknowledge her own limitations. Without recognizing weakness, one cannot overcome it.
Yet the feeling of defeat was indescribable. The frustration was so intense that she unconsciously clenched her fists.
At the same time, Mirabel genuinely respected Dumbledore. For someone who respected and acknowledged those superior to herself, Dumbledore embodied the ideal of a great wizard.
And that was precisely why she despised him. She loathed him from the very depths of her soul.
She couldn't forgive that man for settling for the position of Hogwarts headmaster despite his immense power. He had the talent to stand at the pinnacle of the wizarding world and guide its people, yet he chose not to use it. Worse, he had tacitly allowed the corruption of the wizarding world to continue unchecked. That was unforgivable!
Therefore, she must surpass him! Because those who stand at the pinnacle must always be the best.
Even if that person was Dumbledore, there could be no exceptions.
***
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